Work catering #46: Citrus week~

Winter has arrived!!! Time to stock up on vitamin C~ haha so decided to use citrus in my bakes this week! I've used orange and lemon as I have an abundant supply at home (we have a lemon tree ^^). Disclaimer: the vitamin C levels in these bakes are probably not enough to protect you from the flu or colds =p and the sugar probably outweighs the health benefits.. but HEY! they are tasty ^___^

Orange Zested Cranberry White Chocolate Bliss Bars
(I just realised I named all my photos wrong =_=")
Recipe adapted from Mels Kitchen Café

Ingredients

Blondies
113g butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
113g white chocolate

Frosting and topping
250g cream cheese, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup soft icing sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
113g white chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line rectangular (20x30cm) baking pan.
2. Melt butter in microwave. Stir in brown sugar until well combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time until combined. Stir in vanilla essence and orange zest.
3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well combined. Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Be care not to overbake... I think I may have). Allow to cool completely in pan.
5. For frosting, beat cream cheese and icing sugar together using electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and half the white chocolate.
6. Spread frosting on cooled bars. Sprinkle with cranberries and orange zest then drizzle with remaining white chocolate over the top. Refrigerate until chocolate is set.

having fun drizzling the white choc

new style of cut! the triangle!

should be "zested orange" T_T

Lovely colours... of autumn! hehe

Lemon Lemonies

Recipe adapted from Bakerella

Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbs lemon zest
3/4 cup (170g) butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
3 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Icing
1 1/2 cups soft icing sugar
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line 23x23cm square pan.
2. Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and zest together with whisk.
3. Add melted butter, lemon juice, eggs and vanilla and stir until completely combined.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
5. For lemon icing, sift icing sugar in medium bowl. Add lemon juice and zest and mix. Add enough water until you reach smooth consistency. Pour over lemonies and let rest until icing sets. Place in the fridge to speed things up.
6. Cut into small bite size pieces and enjoy~

I like the light and crumbly texture~

bite size lemonies!

with zesty icing!!

So hope you are all well and staying away from catching colds! I still have so many recipes to blog about!!!

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (June 2014 Event: Butter) organised by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Mui Mui (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Jozelyn Ng (Spice Up My Kitchen)

Work Catering #45: For peanut butter lovers

I'm not sure how we came about the topic but my friend and I started talking about peanut butter and baking. To be honest, I haven't baked a lot with peanut butter. I know it's quite popular in America but the craze hasn't really caught on in Australia. It's not that I don't like peanut butter.. I used to have it on toast and in sandwiches all the time when I was younger! So when I came across this recipe for Peanut butter stuffed brownies, I decided I would make this for all the peanut butter lovers out there!

Peanut butter stuffed brownies
Recipe adapted from Sallys Baking Addiction

Ingredients
1/2 cup (115g) salted butter
230g dark chocolate
3/4 cup (150g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup + 2 tbs (80g) plain flour
2 tbs (16g) cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt

Peanut butter filling
3/4 cup (185g) creamy peanut butter
1 cup (120g) icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbs (30ml) milk
2 tbs each chocolate chips and peanut butter chips (I used butterscotch chips)

1. Melt butter and dark chocolate in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
2. Make peanut butter filling by beating peanut butter, icing sugar, vanilla and milk together with electric mixer until combined. The mixture will be thick. Set aside.
3. Adjust oven rack to lower third position and preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line 23cm square baking pan with baking paper. 
4. Whisk sugars into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Add in vanilla. Gently fold in flour, cocoa powder and salt. 
5. Pour half of the brownie batter into prepared baking pan. Take large chunks of peanut butter filling and flatten with your hands. Place flat pieces in an even layer on top of the brownie layer. 

Pour the remaining brownie batter on top. Top with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Bake for ~35 minutes or until skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Don't overbake them!

Can u see the peanut butter layer??

There's the peanut butter fudge layer!

Another easy slice I baked was this Chocolate rough slice. It's egg free! And kind of tastes like a rum ball but slice version~ Coconut lovers will love this slice!

Chocolate Rough Slice
Recipe adapted from Baker's Corner

Ingredients
Base
1 cup self raising flour
1 tbs cocoa powder
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup caster sugar
125g butter, melted

Topping
1 tbs cocoa powder
3/4 cup condensed milk
100g dark chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 cups desiccated coconut

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Line an 18cm x 28cm baking pan with baking paper.
2. Combine base ingredients in large bowl and press into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.
3. Combine topping ingredients in another bowl and spread over base. Cool and then cut into slices.

Rough looking? haha

Smaller portions look nicer

Coconutty and chocolatey!

"This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (June 2014 Event: Butter) organised by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Mui Mui (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Jozelyn Ng (Spice Up My Kitchen)"