Holi-Inspired Cut Out Sugar Cookies With Icing

(This post originally appeared on http://thesocietyco.com/holi-inspired-sugar-cookies-mahrukh-hamayun/)

With Holi just around the corner it may stump you as to which delicacies to serve up on your dessert table to ensure that you’re the talk of the of the town. Serving mithai is a given on any traditional event such as Holi, however if you’re not the type who enjoys spoonful’s of desi ghee and cardamom pods then look no further than this East meets West dessert treat.

These ‘Holi-inspired’ sugar cookies will leave both children and adults alike tempting for just one more until your platter is left with nothing but crumbs. They have a soft, luscious, fluffy center with a slightly crisp edge that will certainly have your guests wanting to know the recipe of these little delights.

Holi-Inspired Cut Out Sugar Cookies With Icing
Makes: 18 medium-size cookies 

Ingredients:

(For The Cookies)
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, slightly softened to room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) white sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 and 1/4 cups (281g) plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

(For The Icing)
2 cup icing sugar
4-5 tsp milk
Assorted food coloring

Method

1. In a large bowl using a mixer, beat the butter until creamed and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 or 4 minutes.
2. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high until fully combine, about 2 minutes.
3. Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Turn the mixer down to low and add about half of the flour mixture, beating until just barely combined. Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until just combined.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment to about 1/4″ thickness. Stack the pieces (with paper) onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
5. Once chilled, preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line the tray with a baking sheet; remove the dough from the refrigerator and using a cookie cutter, cut in shapes. Transfer the cut cookie dough to the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used.

6. Bake for 11 minutes, until very lightly colored on top and around the edges. Make sure you rotate the baking sheet halfway through bake time.

7. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
8. Make the icing by mixing the ingredients mentioned together, add to a pastry bag fitted with a small nozzle and then proceed to decorate the cooled cookies using intricate holi-inspired patterns.

The February Review

To sum up February in one word, I'd most likely use the word fast. Everything just seemed to pass by extremely fast and before I knew it the calendar on my desk was flipped open to the 1st of March. Despite the fact that the month itself did pass by without notice, it wouldn't be fair to say there were no significant events to mark this month. It just so happened to be my parent's milestone 25th wedding anniversary, my brother's 23rd birthday celebrations for which I made a "Death By Oreo Chocolate Cake" which you can read about on the blog and perhaps last and certainly least would be the the much anticipated Pakistan versus India cricket world cup match which was a disaapointment on so many levels so to speak. Putting aside all that, university has resumed and I now commence my third year as a law student. Here's to hoping this year brings along countless blessings, happiness, travels, experiences and wonderful friendships (amen). 

Till next time x 

The Law Student Diary

When the heart weeps for what it has lost, the spirit laughs for what it has found.

-Sufi Proverb

Banana Bread with a Nutty Twist

Makes 1 loaf of bread

Ingredients:

·         1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

·         1 cup white sugar

·         2 large eggs

·         1 1/2 cups plain flour

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup mashed very ripe bananas

·         1/2 cup sour cream

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         1/2 cup chopped walnuts

·         1 tbsp honey

Method:

1.        Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

2.        Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

3.        In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined.

4.       Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.

5.        Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a rack to cool.

6.       Wrap banana bread loaf in foil and place in fridge for 3-4 hours, just before serving warm sliced banana bread in an electric oven or toaster and serve with butter or alternatively dust with icing sugar. 

(recipe adapted from here)

Death By Oreo Dark Chocolate Cake

This insane three layered dark chocolate cake with an Oreo buttercream and dark chocolate dripping ganache to sweeten the deal I made myself from scratch for my brother's (@blvckstock) birthday celebrations. I pronounce thee "Death By Oreo" cake. This cake was Inspired by the crazy cake queen @katherine_sabbath and her out of this world dripping chocolate ganache effect cakes as well as @cococakeland and her peanut butter buttercream chocolate cake recipe which I tweaked to make it Oreo-appropriate. To top of this wonderful cake was the fact that Katherine actually replied to the photo with "what a gorgeous cake", which is safe to say made me swoon and left me feeling sky high for the rest of the day. Without further ado let's dig in!

Makes 12 slices

Ingredients:

(CHOCOLATE CAKE)

• 1¾ cups plain flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup of  cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, shaken
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee without milk

(OREO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING)

• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
• 1 cup of crushed oreos  (use a chopper)
• 2 cups of icing sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• dash of milk
•  

(CHOCOLATE GLAZE)

• ½ cup good quality dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, diced into small pieces

Method:

(CHOCOLATE CAKE)

1.        Preheat the oven to 1700 degrees Celsius. Butter three 7-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper circles.

2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.
3. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla essence.
4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

(OREO BUTTERCREAM FROSTING)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 1 minute.
2. Scraping down the sides of the bowl, add the icing sugar, vanilla and dash of milk, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Remove the first cake layer from the cake pan and place on a cake plate or pedestal. Frost generously with Oreo buttercream frosting.
4. Add the second layer, and cover with frosting likewise.
5. Add the final layer of cake, frosting the top and sides to a crumb coat.
6. Chill in freezer for ten minutes to set crumb coat.
7. Frost a final coat of Oreo buttercream frosting and set aside.

(CHOCOLATE GLAZE)

1. Using a bain-marie or heatproof bowl set on top of boiling water, melt together the butter and chocolate.
2. Mix together slowly with a wooden spoon.
3. Set aside to cool for 40 minutes; it will thicken slightly. Pour on top of Oreo buttercream frosting covered cake, using an offset spatula to gently ice the glaze to the edges of the cake for maximum dripping.
4. Top the cake with Oreo buttercream frosting swirls using a Wilton 1M piping tip and Oreos to complete the overall look.
5. Allow the cake to set in the fridge for 1 hour before bringing out to serve.   

(recipe adapted from here)