Oatmeal Walnut Raisin Cookies Recipe

If you are subscribed to my newsletter you will know that, although I love warm and tropical climates, I miss the winter for Christmas.

Warming up over some hot chocolate with cookies does not sound very pleasant in temperatures around 30 C.

One way of making up for what I am missing has been facebook. I very much enjoy looking at all the exquisite Christmas cookie creations many talented bakers have been making. Once a day I am posting my daily favorite on my facebook page.

Another way is going through past cookie creations of mine. While doing that I came across these lovely oatmeal walnut raisin cookies.

They are really easy to make more “Christmassy” by adding spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or all-spice.

Here is the recipe:

Oatmeal Walnut Raisin Cookies

2/3 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. white sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla (optional spices: 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 dash nutmeg, 1 dash all-spice)
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 c. uncooked quick cooking oatmeal
1 c. each raisins and coarsely chopped walnuts (I also added some chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper. In large bowl beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla (and spices) at medium to high speed until fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour and oatmeal, increase mixer speed gradually and beat just until blended. Stir in raisins and nuts. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls dough 2 1/2 inches apart onto prepared sheets. Bake for about 17 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned and tops look dry. Cool on sheet on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove to rack to cool completely.

Mocha Mint Chocolate Cake with Teardrop Piping Tutorial

I used to think that I don’t like the combination of chocolate and mint until I tried some of my husband’s treats.

They were similar to the Andes mint chocolates and I fell in love with them.

Of course, almost immediately I had to think how the flavor could be translated into cake.

I started with my favorite moist chocolate cake.

For the filling I colored my regular buttercream light green and infused it with creme de menthe flavoring. As an additional treat little chunks of Andes mints are added.

For the decoration I wanted to try myself on a technique I had seen online. Some refer to it as teardrop piping, others as petal piping.

So I quickly crumb coated the filled cake with chocolate buttercream. It doesn’t have to be neat since it is only the canvas for the piping to come.

For the piping I prepared a spatula, piping bags with the buttercreams I wanted to use (chocolate, mocha, andes mint) and round piping tips.

I went for a more structured look by using different sized tips. One is Wilton #12 and the other a big round pastry tip I got from a restaurant supply store.

Piping the pattern is quite easy. Start at the bottom and pipe a simple dot.

With a spatula slightly press into the dot at about the three quarter mark and pull out horizontally.

Pipe the next dot into the feathered end of the previous and repeat.

It might take a little bit of practice to get the hang of the motions but then it’s straight forward.

Make sure to start and end always on the same side of the cake. The last dot in each row will look a little irregular so make this the back side.

After piping a few row I realized that I could get the same effect without a spatula. After piping the dot don’t lift the piping bag but use the tip for pulling out the dot.

Whether you use a spatula or the piping tip to form the teardrops make sure to clean them with a paper towel once in a while. Otherwise your teardrops will start looking unclean and draggy.

Teardrop Piping Birthday Cake

For my sister’s birthday this year I made this teardrop piping cake. I had seen this technique used a few times and thought it was my turn to try as well.

It was a chocolate cake filled with thin mint buttercream and iced in rows of thin mint, chocolate, and mocha buttercream.

I snapped pictures of the progressing cake project and the tutorial will be going up this week.

Khao Tom Mad – Thai Sticky Rice Dessert with Recipe

We have finally made it to Thailand and have been enjoying the hospitality of the “Land of Smiles” for about two weeks now.

Time to post something about their desserts.

We have had the pleasure to try Khao Tom Mad recently. It is a dessert made from sticky rice, coconut milk, and bananas wrapped in banana leaves to make little pouches.

Hidden inside the banana leaf at first we weren’t so sure about the contents, but were assured it was something sweet to eat as dessert.

And we surely weren’t disappointed when we tried it.

Basically, it tastes like a well-balanced combination of all the ingredients.Half a banana wrapped in sweet, coconut flavored sticky rice.

I like them best freshly made, when the Khao Tom Mad is still warm. But it can also be kept in the fridge and then eaten as a refreshing snack.

If you are adventurous and looking for an exotic dessert you can make Khao Tom Mad yourself.

Khao Tom Mad Recipe

Ingredients
1 2/3 cups sweet (glutinous or sticky) rice
2 cups coconut cream
4 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
4 small bananas, halved
8 pieces banana leaf or you can also use aluminium foil, 6″ x 10″

Preparing the rice
1. Soak the rice in water overnight
2. Combine coconut cream, sugar and salt in a separate bowl
3. Drain the rice and place into a non-stick pan
4. On low heat slowly add the coconut cream mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon
5. Keep stirring over simmering heat until the rice is tender and all of the coconut milk is absorbed
6. This may take up to one hour, be patient
7. Let the rice cool.

Wrapping
1. Put a small amount of rice on a banana leaf or piece of foil
2. Place half a banana on top
3. Cover with more rice
4. Fold up the leaf and tie securely (not necessary when using foil)
5. Repeat until all bananas are used up
6. Steam the little packages for 15 minutes in a steamer

Enjoy!