Baking

Honest to goodness, this is one of my favourite things to do! Absolutely love being in the kitchen and whipping up something spectacular for my loved ones to enjoy.

Here are a couple of good ones I found on a great blog recently. Click on the small script recipe for an enlargement. Enjoy!




Peach Crisp

1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
5-6 cups fresh peaches, sliced
1/2 lemon (juice and zest)
2 Tbsp maple syrup

Maple Cream Sauce:
5 Tbsp maple syrup
250 ml cream
Heat gently before spooning over warm dessert.

Method:
1. Mix together dry ingredients and incorporate butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Add lemon zest and juice and maple syrup to sliced peaches and pour into a baking pan.
3. Sprinkle pastry breadcrumbs to cover peaches.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 180 deg C or 350 deg F for 15 minutes.
5. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until top is crisp and golden.
6. Prepare maple cream sauce.
7. Drizzle over warm dessert when ready to serve.


Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C plus 2 Tb flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tb butter, melted and cooled until just warm
1 C packed brown sugar
1/2 C white sugar
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
1-1 1/2 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 160 deg C or 325 deg F.
Adjust racks to upper and lower middle positions.
1. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
2. Mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended.
Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined.
Stir in chips to taste.
3. Roll a scant 1/4 C of dough into ball.
Pull the ball into 2 parts and twist so the jagged parts are up,
smoosh back together.
Place on cookie sheets.
5. Bake 15-18 minutes, switching racks 1/2 way through.
Cool the cookies on the pan.
(makes about 12 cookies, I double or treble the recipe)