It's nearly here!

Whats nearly here? This year's Virtual Cookie Exchange.

 I can tell you there will be plenty of recipes shared starting on the 27th November until the 29th November. You will find my post on the 29th November. Now I am sharing an old family favourite this year and just sharing my recipe will not be enough.You know what that means! I am hitting the kitchen to make a batch or two today.

Here are some of the ingredients that I will be using in my test batch.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends.

Until Next Time

Keep stitching

Cynthia

Virtual Cookie Exchange

Today is my day on the Virtual Cookie Exchange. Thanks to Carol from Just Let Me Quilt for being the brain's behind this and being the hostess.

We are all going to share with you our favourite cookie recipes and traditions. I hope you enjoy the recipes we are sharing and are tempted to try some of them. Make sure you visit the other's blogger's to collect their recipes. I know I will be.

December 5 

Creatin’ in the Sticks
Creative Latitude
Gray Barn Designs
Domestic Felicity
Pieced Brain
Quiltscapes
Ms P Designs USA
Cynthia’s Creating Ark (me)
Brenda’s Blog

I always do some sort of cookie baking at Christmas. To share with others at parties, for visitors and for gift giving. Nothing beats freshly baked treats as gifts. It is something I never tire of receiving. Most of the time I wish more of the presents I received were handmade treats. I know they are made with love and the person giving them thinks a lot about me if they take the time to make me something rather than buy something. Not that there is anything wrong with buying presents but the handmade one are just that little more special in my eyes.

My recipe is Macadamia Shortbread.

 Make 30 to 40 approx. depending how you cut them.

Ingredients

500g unsalted butter                                                                                                                  1 cup castor sugar (or powdered sugar)                                                                                        4 cups plain flour                                                                                                                      1 tsp mixed spice                                                                                                                      ½ cup rice  flour                                                                                                                        ¾  cup diced macadamias ( can use other nuts eg almond, pecans etc)                                             2 tbsp sugar mixed with cinnamon/ mixed spice ( for top)

With that said you can use your favourite nuts or the nuts you have on hand. I have used pecans and almonds at different times as that was what I had  in the pantry.

Pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit). Line 2 baking trays with oven paper and dusted with a little flour. 

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy.

Stir in sifted flours and mixed spice.

The macadamia nuts I blitz them in a food processor  or you could chop with a knife.

Finally add your macadamia nuts. Mix to form a firm dough. 

Split the dough in half between the two baking trays and flatten the dough over the tray using your hands, rolling pin or the side of a glass.  You can roll the dough out with a rolling pin and use cookie cutters if you want a dressy finish.

 Score the dough into the squares or rectangles it is up to you. Prick the dough with a fork and sprinkle your spiced sugar mix over the top. 

Baking for approximately 25 minutes until just lightly browned. I used my score lines and cut the shortbread up while it is still hot. Then leave to cool in the pans before turning out.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does.

Here is the printer friendly version.

Don't forget we have two more days of the Virtual Cookie Exchange with the following

December 6

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Freemotion by the River

Moosestash Quilting

One Old Goat And Her Little Farm

A Little Bit of Everything, from Mike & Alisa

Hazel’s Daughter

Patchouli Moon Studio

Bumbleberry Stitches
Selina Quilts

December 7

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Kris Loves Fabric

Life in the Scrapatch

Home Sewn By Us
For The Love Of Geese

Stitch Days
Val’s Quilting Studio
Tu-Na Quilts

Just Let Me Quilt

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

What is everyone up to this weekend?

This weekend I am taking the chance to do some cooking. I have a few recipes to try and I thought  I would make a day of it.

 As we are not big Christmas cake or pudding fans. I am trying my hand at making a brioche with sultanas and a little mixed peel. (A little bit like the Italian cake) Something light and fruity.  Let say we are having a trial run as I am adjusting a recipe to achieve this cake.

It is really tasty with a little butter but I think it needs a little more fruit.

Next is the halloumi cheese experiment. I brought myself a cheese making kit a while ago and I have had a go at ricotta cheese, mascarpone cheese and quark cheese so far.  This is the hardest cheese so far, I am working my way through the book. It turns out it is easier then I thought it was going to be. It isn't the prettiest looking block of cheese but at least it worked.

With the left over whey from the cheese I couldn't resist making a loaf of soda bread I substitute the whey for the buttermilk in the recipe. It works a treat.The rest of the whey gets diluted and go out to the garden to give the strawberries a feed. Don't like to see it go down the drain if I can use it elsewhere. Yummy it only take 5 minutes to mix and 30 minutes in the oven and you have fresh bread.

Finally I am making gingerbread biscuits as Christmas treats. I have stars, trees and gingerbread man cutters. So I am giving them a go as something different. We had one each just to test them. I am looking forward to decorating them.

Until next time
Cynthia