Alfajores ( Sandwich Cookies With Dulce De Leche)#BakingBloggers

Welcome to Baking Bloggers event, today we are posting recipes from Central America to South America, from Mexico south to Argentina and all points between.

Made these tender crumbly cookies which are sandwiched with dulce de leche – Alfajores are such delicate kind of cookies that are mouth melting and you will love it.

I have used my homemade dulce de leche to sandwich these tender cookies, it take's these cookies to another level... almost irresistible.. you can't stop at one.. they are too good.

Makes 12 sandwich cookies

Ingredients
100 Grams Unsalted Butter - the butter should be cold
25 Grams Salted Butter - the butter should be cold
50 Grams Powdered Sugar
1 Egg Yolk - only- from the refrigerator
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract
105 Grams All Purpose Flour
105 Grams Cornflour
1/2 Teaspoon Level Baking powder
1/8 Teaspoon Baking soda
5 - 6 Tablespoons Dulce De Leche - Homemade
Icing sugar or Shredded Coconut for dusting


Method
Sieve the cornflour and all purpose,sugar, baking powder and soda, keep aside.

Grate the cold butter in a big bowl, rub the sieved ingredients into the butter lightly with your hands, add the egg yolk and essence lightly bring it together into a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes ( chilling the dough is must). Do not knead the dough too much or else the cookies will become hard and loose that crumbly texture.

Once the dough has cooled, roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and using light pressure as possible roll it approximately 1/4 inch thick and it into cut small circles with a cookie cutter. 

Place them on a lined cookie sheet/baking sheet/tray. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Place the tray back into the refrigerator to chill for at least 15 minutes. 

In the meantime preheat the oven to 170 C. 

After the cookies are cold then bake the cookies for exactly 11 to 12 minutes until they are just starting to brown very slightly at the sides. They should still be very pale. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. 

When the cookies are cool, put a small spoonful of dulce de leche on one cookie and press another on top lightly (these tend to break if extra pressure is used while sandwiching these) . 

Hold them in the center lightly while sandwiching so that they don't break. 

Dust them with icing sugar.

Enjoy these mouth melting cookies. 

My Notes

If you are using unsalted butter then add a pinch of salt.

The number of cookies is based on the cookie cutter size - I have used  a 2.1/2 cookie cutter and then when a little dough  made small ones with 2 inch cookie cutter. The small ones look cute and are also easier to sandwich they do not break. Would suggest using a 2 inch cookie cutter.

I wanted to roll these in coconut, but my hubby said no, he prefers icing sugar. 

Labels : Biscuits & Cookies, Baking Bloggers, Dulce De Leche, Homemade, Sandwich Cookies, American, Baked

Baking Bloggers

Central and South American Desserts

• Alfajores - Dulce de Lech Sandwich Cookies by Sneha's Recipe
• Chajá by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Cocada de Forno - Brazilian Baked Coconut by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Golfeados by Caroline's Cooking
• Guatemalan Pastel Borracho (Drunk Cake) by Home Sweet Homestead
• Sequilhos de Coco – Brazilian Coconut Cornstarch Cookies by The Schizo Chef
• Tres Leche Cake - 3 milk cake by Recipe Pocket

Vegan & Gluten Free Watermelon Jelly#FoodieExtravangaza

This is an exquisite and refreshing Vegan & Gluten Free Watermelon Jelly which is so very easy to prepare. It's a perfect cool dessert which can be served at any time of the day or for parties, especially on a hot summer day. The cinnamon stick in this dessert renders a beautiful taste and aroma to it, would suggest not to add any other extra flavoring. 

I have made this jelly twice in one week, because my hubby loved it. This jelly is also apt to make especially when  you get some tasteless or bland watermelon. 

Serves 2

Ingredients 
300 ml Watermelon juice
3 Tablespoons Level Corn Flour
1/3 Cup Level Granulated Sugar
1 Small Stick Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Level Agar Agar powder 

A Drop of Red color - optional
Mango pieces for garnish

Method

Let’s make watermelon juice first. Cut the watermelon, remove the seeds and put it into a mixer. Mix well until blended. Sieve, measure it and keep aside. 

In a tablespoon of water soak the agar agar powder, keep it aside.

In a sauce pan add the corn flour to  the watermelon juice and mix well until dissolved fully and no lumps remain.  Now add cinnamon stick, sugar, mix well.  Place the sauce pan on medium high flame and bring this mixture to a boil. 

Simmer on a low fire for about 5 to 7  minutes, stirring continuously. Once it starts to thicken,  add the soaked agar agar and stir  it till well,  mix and continue to stir for another  2 minutes. Fish out the  cinnamon stick.

Rinse the moulds and leave them wet (this will help you to un mould the jelly easily). 

Pour the prepared jelly mixture into the moulds and let it cool down. Cling wrap them and keep it in the refrigerator  overnight.

Next day take a wet kitchen napkin and micro it for 30 seconds and wrap it around jelly moulds. 

This way un moulding of jelly becomes much easier. Place it on serving plate upside down and tap a bit.  Ta da they are out.  Now garnish it with mango pieces and a stalk of mint leaf and serve.. yum.. yum.

My hubby and our guest just relished this fabulous dessert.

Here are some of the other Watermelon recipes

Watermelon Paratha

Sparkling Apple And Watermelon Lemonade Spritzers 

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Apple and Watermelon Crush

Watermelon Granita  

Labels :  Watermelon, Jelly, Mango, Agar Agar powder, Cinnamon, Foodie Extravaganza Party, No Bake Desserts, Sweets & Desserts,United Kingdom 

Try these other tasty recipes with watermelon being shared for today's Foodie Extravaganza:
Beef and Watermelon Stir Fry from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Disneyland Watermelon Mint Julep from Simply Inspired Meals
Iced Watermelon Matcha from Tara’s Multicultural Table
Russian Pickled Watermelon from Pandemonium Noshery
Vegan & Gluten Free Watermelon Jelly by Sneha’s Recipe
Watermelon Cucumber Bites from Cookaholic Wife
Watermelon Mint Granita from Our Good Life
Watermelon Salad with Mint and Lime from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Fries Ka Salan - A Side Dish

Fries Ka Salan is a side dish, quick, easy and delicious. If you do not want make the fries from scratch, then use ready french fries and make this recipe.   

Ingredients
1/2 Kg Potatoes
3 Whole Red chillies
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powdder
Salt to taste
2 Green chilies
4 Big Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
½ Teaspoon Chaat masala
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice or to taste
3 Tablespoons Tomato ketchup
1 Tablespoon Soy sauce
Oil as required
Coriander to garnish

Method 

In a small mixer blender crush the red chillies till coarse, keep aside.

Cut potatoes into wedges , sprinkle a little salt and keep aside. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a pan and fry the potato wedges till light golden and cook covered since  it will start to splutter. After a 2 minutes take off the lid and fry the wedges till golden . Remove and keep aside. In the same oil fry two green chillies and keep aside.

In another pan now in another pan add 3 tablespoon oil and fry garlic till golden . Take the pan off flame, add all the spices like ground red chillies, turmeric, salt , tomato ketchup, soy sauce, chaat masala, add 1/4 cup water and then place the pan back on medium low flame and cook till gravy it thickens a little. 

Now add potatoes and  green chilies toss it well till all the sauce coats the potatoes, stir lightly for 2 minutes . Take off flame and, lastly add coriander  and lemon juice. 

Serve hot, as a side dish.

Labels : Potato, Fries, Side Dish, Vegan, Gluten free, Side Dish, Vegetarian, Vegetables

My Notes

Adjust the spices according to your taste.

Sunshine Sauce Prawns On Cucumber Salad#FishFriday

An easy, delicious, healthy, Sunshine Sauce Prawns On Cucumber Salad recipe, perfect as an appetizer or quick dinner for summer entertaining!  An healthier version which is a fresh and light appetizer.

Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Prawns / Shrimps 

12 - 15 Prawns/Shrimps
Salt and Black pepper powder to taste
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Oil - to grill

For the Sunshine Sauce 

1 Small Onion - finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder
1/4 Cup Single Cream
1 Teaspoon All Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Butter
One Pinch Saffron Strands
Salt to taste
2 English Cucumbers

Method

Devin the prawns, keep the tails intact. Pat then dry using paper towel. 

Now sprinkle lemon juice, salt and black pepper on both sides.
Take a pan and add oil, toss prawns and cook them for 2/3 minutes both sides.( depending on the size of the prawns). Take them out of the pan. Keep aside.

In the same pan add the butter, onion, garlic and saute till the onion starts to turn golden, add the flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring continuously. Switch off the flame and let this cool. When it cools take this into small blender jar, add the chilly powder, cream, salt to taste, saffron strands. Blend it to a smooth paste. Pour this back into the pan, wash the jar with little water add this also to the pan. Switch on the flame to medium low and stirring continuously make a thick sauce. When the sauce thickens take switch off the flame. Take this out into serving bowl. Keep aside. This sunshine sauce is spicy.

To assemble

Cut the cucumbers into thick slices. Arrange into the serving plate, pour a teaspoon of sauce, place the grilled prawns on top. 

Serve and enjoy.

Add the sauce or use sauce separately as a dip. 

Enjoy the appetizers 

Labels : Prawns, Shrimps, Seafood/Fish, Fish Friday, Salads, Appetizer, Healthy, Main course

Welcome to our group Fish Friday and today we are posting Seafood or Fish Appetizer and our Host is Sid. 

Deviled Crab by Palatable Pastime
Grilled Stuffed Squid by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Oysters on the Half Shell by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Shrimp Bites by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Shrimp Rémoulade by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Sunshine Sauce Prawns On Cucumber Salad by Sneha's Recipe

Spiced Apple Struesel Cake#BundtBakers

My hubby comes from office late in the evening and very quietly tells me, bake a cake for me with pleading eyes. I want to take it tomorrow for our department picnic. I could not refuse him, had 2 apples lying in the fruit basket, decided to bake this Spiced Apple Struesel Cake. This is my late night baking. 

This delicious apple cake is filled with a mixture of chopped apples and a sprinkle of toasted almonds and streusel. It makes a fabulous picnic cake or dessert.

It's posting day for our Event for Bundt Bakers the theme is Bundt Cakes for Picnics and our Host is Sue Lau. Thank you Sue for hosting this event.

Ingredients
For Cake Batter 
250 Grams All Purpose Flour
200 Grams Butter
1 Cup Caster Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla essence
1 Tablespoon Baking powder
3 Eggs
For  the Topping 
2 Medium Apples - thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
¼ Teaspoon Clove powder
¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg powder
½ Cup Toasted Almonds - chopped
For the Streusel 
50 Grams Butter - melted
100 Grams All Purpose
2/3 Cup Caster Sugar

Method 
Sieve the flour and baking powder, keep aside.
For the Streusel 

Mix butter, flour and sugar together with your hands until it forms small crumbles. Keep aside
For  the Topping

In bowl mix the sliced apple, lemon juice and spice and keep aside.

Now that the topping and streusel are ready let's preheat the oven and start making the cake batter.
Grease a 10 inch ring pan with butter well. 

In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar till light and creamy add the eggs one at a time till incorporated, and continue beating, add the essence and mix well. Now fold in the sieved flour little at a time till all is incorporated. This batter is thick so do not add any extra liquid.
To assemble the cake

Pour this batter a greased ring pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. 

Top it with apples by arranging the slices. 

Then sprinkle the chopped almonds

Then spread the struesel on top.

Bake at 180 degrees for about 55 to 60 minutes or till a skewer inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool it in the pan then un mould. 

I had to slice and pack the cake when hot,  

cause early in the morning he had to take it, so soft and moist

Packed  in a air tight box and ready to carry for the picnic

Labels : Bundt, Bundt Bakers, Apple, Struesel, Baked

Bundt Bakers
Bundt Cakes for Picnics 

Here are some of our bake for this event.

Cheerwine Bundt Cake from Palatable Pastime
Elderflower and Blueberry Bundt - Bundt Cake Flor de Saúco y Arándanos from Merce's Cake
Lemon and Pistachio Bundt Cake from Patyco Candybar
Milk Chocolate and Caramel Popcorn Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
Pineapple Upside Down Bundt from Simply Inspired meals
Roasted Rhubarb Upside Down Cake from Food Lust People Love
Spiced Apple Streusel Cake from Sneha's Recipe

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.