Yeast croissants with a plum marmalade filling

This are definitely flavors from my childhood... I loved to spend time with my mum in the kitchen and we used to bake those little bites very often. We always used a homemade plum marmalade that was previously prepared by my mum, and of course I couldn't do diffrently in this recipe ;-) 

Ingredients: 
(approx. 50 croissants)

• 500g flour
• 100g sugar
• 150g margaryny 
• 1 egg + 1egg to lubricate
• 42g yeast
• 60 ml milk
• pinch of salt

For the filling: 

I used 1 small jar of a plum marmalade and 1 box of ricotta (200g ricotta mix with 3 tablespoons of powder sugar and 1 package of vanilla sugar or vanilla essence)

But you can fill your croissants with any filling you like!! You can use Nutella, or simply a peace of chocolate, any kind of marmalade or pudding...up to your imagination!!! 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Melt butter and leave to cool down. Heat the milk a bit up, add sugar and mix it with the yeast. Leave for 15min to rest and to let the yeast work. 

To a mixing bowl pour flover, salt, egg, melted butter and milk and stir untill all ingredients combine, you will probably need to work with your hand to get a smooth dough. Cover the bowl with a tea-towel and leave in a warm place for approx 30min to let it grow. 

Take your dough out of the bowl and divide in 2 peaces (or more if it is more handy). Each peace roll in a circle and then divide in triangles. On the border of each triangle put some marmalade and roll the triangles forming croissants. Remember to put the peak of the triangle underneath each croissant so that they don't open while baking. Place them on a baking tin. Beat the remaining egg and now lubricate each croissant with it, this will make your croissants shiny :)  

Bake approx 15min, when you notice them getting a nice golden color this will mean they are ready! YUM!!! 

Chewy and delicate peanut butter cookies

Who doesn't like peanut butter?? I think I don't know anyone! And of course I am one of the peanut butter lovers :) If you also like peanut butter then this recipe should be on your list! Super delicate, soft and chewy inside, just perfect peanut butter cookies!!! 

Ingredients:

• 110g butter, softened
• 200g peanut butter
• 150g white sugar
• 100g brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 package of vanilla sugar (16g)
• 170g of flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 50g chopped white chocolate - optional 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.  In a mixing bowl beat together butter and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat until combined. Add egg, milk and mix again until everything combines. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and chocolate and mix all together. In your hands roll balls of dough (approx. walnut size) before placing them on an baking tin dip your cookies in white sugar. Bake for 12 minutes - even if you think it is not enough, believe me it is! Leave the cookies to cool down and bite in!!!!!!  

Original Italian Amaretti

Unfortunately those small peaces of pleasure and not made by me, but there were so delicious that I had to share this recipe with you!! Those Amaretti are amazing, their almond flavor and soft texture are just perfect for any occasion! It is really hard to resist...

Ingredients:

• 400 g already grounded almonds. (if you can't find them you can ground them in a mixer) 
• 1 teaspoon of bitter almond essence - optionally
• 400 g sugar
• 4 egg whites fresh
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or 1 package of vanilla sugar (16g)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.  

Poor the almonds into a large mixing bowl add 300g of sugar, lemon zest and vanilla and almond extract, mix everything together. 

In a separate mixing bowl beat the egg whites until you will get a white delicate foam. Gently mix the almonds with the foam until all the ingredients combine. Now using your hands you should be able to form small balls, approx. as large as walnuts. Dip every ball in the remaining sugar and place on the baking tin previously lined with baking paper. Don't put the amaretti too close to each other because they will stick. 

Now put your amaretti to the oven and bake for about 15 min. The amaretti will be ready when you notice small cracks on the surface of every amaretti. 

Buon Appetito!!! 

Sweet snails

This funny cookies look good and taste even better. I love to dip everything in the coffee and those sweet snails are a perfect combination with milk or hot chocolate! Yummy! 

Ingredients: 

• 175g softened butter
• 200g sugar
• 1 egg
• 350g flour
• 25g melted dark chocolate
• 5 spoons of cocoa powder

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. In a mixing bowl whisk together butter and sugar, beat in the egg and whisk again. Add flour and whisk until combined. Divide the dough into 2 pieces.  Put the half of the dough into a separate mixing bowl and add the melted chocolate, cocoa powder and whisk all together. On a floured work surface roll both pieces of the dough to 1/2 cm thickness, then put one part on the top of the other and roll together*. Help yourself with a baking paper and try to roll the dough very tight. Put the roll into the fridge an leave to cool for approx. 30min. 

Take out your roll from the fridge and cut the dough into thin slices. Place your snails on the baking tin and bake for 13 minutes. Leave to cool down and bit in!!!! 

* Tip: It will make it easier to roll the dough if you put it directly on a baking paper and then roll. 

Oatmeal cookies with chia seeds

Chia seeds are one of my favorite super fruits, so why not adding them to one of my favorite oatmeal cookies? Perfect combination for a rich and tasty breakfast or as an emergency snack when we need a power kick! Chia seeds are super high in dietary fibre, making it great for digestion and healing digestion issues, they are packed with Omega 3, they are high in antioxidants, contain calcium and iron and much more. You just have to add chia seeds to your diet!

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup of oats
• 125g butter, softened
• 120g brown sugar
• 150g flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 package vanilla sugar or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 80g desiccated coconut
• a handful of chopped almonds
• a handful of hazelnuts
• 2 spoons of chia seeds 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC 

Pour the oats into a dry pan a fry for approx. 2-3 minutes until the oats get a golden color. In a mixing bowl whisk together butter and sugar and vanilla sugar. Beat in eggs and whisk again. Add flour with the baking powder, salt, and stir until combined. Mix in oats, nuts and chia seeds.

Use a spoon to form your cookies and place them on the baking sheet, cookies should be 2cm apart from each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they get a nice golden color. Cool down and enjoy! 

Butter cookies with a coconut flavor

These basic butter cookies are very easy to make. They smell and taste extremely good! Every time you bake them you can make a double portion, easily store them in a cookie tin. They will save you every time you have some unexpected visitors :)

Ingredients:

• 250g flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 125g cold butter
• 125g powder sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 yolk
• 1 teaspoon of coconut essence - if you don't have, or you don't like coconut, you can use vanilla essence or 1 package of vanilla sugar (16g)

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC. You can make your pastry by hand, or simply pulse all the ingredients in a food processor. If making by hand, sieve the flour with the baking powder, sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add chopped butter and mix with your hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg, the yolk and the coconut essence and gently work it together until you have a ball of pastry dough. Sprinkle a little flour over the pastry, then wrap it in cling film and pop it into the fridge to rest for 0.5hour. (If you are running out of time you can skip the fridge.)On a floured worksurface, roll dough to 1/2 cm thickness and cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. 
Place your hearts on the tray and bake for 13 minutes or until you get a golden color. You can use any shape you like they will still be delicious!

Oatmeal cookies with goji berries

I love cookies, all kind of cookies!!! Those oatmeal cookies are not only delicious but also very healthy and that's because of the rich in antioxidants goji berries also known as wolfberries. This amazing little super-fruit also contains natural anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds and is loaded with vitamin C. Great treat for the coming cold winter days!!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of oats
• 125g butter, softened
• 100g sugar
• 120g flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 package vanilla sugar or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• a handful of goji berries 
• a handful of cranberries
• a handful of chopped almonds
• a handful of chopped hazelnuts
• 1/2 handful of dry coconut pieces
• 1/2 handful of dry mango pieces

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC 

Pour the oats into a dry pan a fry for approx. 2-3 minutes until the oats get a golden color  In a mixing bowl whisk together butter and sugar and vanilla sugar. Beat in eggs and whisk again. Add flour with the baking powder, salt, and stir until combined. Mix in oats, berries and nuts. 

Use a spoon to form your cookies and place them on the baking sheet, cookies should be 2cm apart from each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they get a nice golden color. Cool down and bite in ;)