Osmanthus & Jasmine Flavoured Cookies

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've edited this post there, reformatted it so that it is much easier to read & follow my recipe. This link will take your directly to the recipe:

Osmanthus & Jasmine Flavoured Cookies

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

These are very crisp cookies with wonderful floral undertones. 

Osmanthus are highly perfumed flowers with a floral scent that is sweet and fruity at the same time. Unfortunately, no one has thought to bottle it into a food grade extract.

The dried flowers are commonly used in China to make a range of sweet dishes. The most enticing sounding one is osmanthus wine. I imagine it might taste sweet and floral. Perhaps like an aperitif or cream sherry?

I have only used the dried flowers to make myself tea but I so enjoyed the scent, I came up with this recipe. The flavours and aroma of the dried osmanthus flowers blooms best in a liquid. As this is a cookie dough, to help it along, a touch of jasmine extract is added to bring out the floral accents.

OSMANTHUS & JASMINE FLAVOURED COOKIES         

Prep:	10 minutes
Cook:	~15 minutes per baking tray
Inactive:	1 hour (for dough to firm up in refrigerator)
Level:	Easy
Makes:	50 cookies
Oven Temperature:	320F 160C
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	Keeps well for at least a week, tightly bottled. Dough can be rolled out, tightly wrapped and then frozen.

Just the ingredients 8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter 5.64 oz (160 g) confectioner's/icing sugar  1 egg yolk 4 + 2 Tablespoons dried osmanthus flowers  Jasmine flavour/extract 12.35 oz (350 g) all-purpose/plain flour  2 Tablespoons rice flour 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients

8 oz (225 g) unsalted butter

I use butter with a butterfat content of at least 82 to 83%. European butters typically have butterfat that falls within these percentages. I am partial to the French brand, President for baking these cookies. Whichever brand of butter you choose to use, it must have at least a minimum of 82% butterfat.The higher butterfat and lower water content content means a more buttery and crisp cookie. 

5.64 oz (160 g) confectioner's/icing sugar 

1 egg yolk

4 + 2 Tablespoons dried osmanthus flowers 
May be purchased from Traditional Chinese Medicine stores, some tea shops and health stores. It is available from online stores. I have never seen food grade osmanthus essence/extract/flavour sold anywhere. Scroll down to 'Tips' for other ways to use osmanthus flowers and a bit of information on this very floral smelling flower.

Jasmine flavour/extract
The amount of extract you use depends on its quality. I bought my bottle in Thailand. It is very mild. I had to use 1 and 1/2 teaspoons. You want a slight hint of jasmine as the floral scent of the osmanthus needs to come through as well. My bottle is hard to purchase outside Thailand but I noticed that you can buy rather good quality food grade jasmine extract on Amazon. 

12.35 oz (350 g) all-purpose/plain flour 

2 Tablespoons rice flour

This is that extra something that will make the cookies that bit more crisp.

1/4 teaspoon salt

Omit if you are using salted butter

Method

Remove the unsalted butter from the refrigerator and leave it out to soften. Soften means when you push on the butter with your finger, there is a firm give. The feel would be somewhat similar to when you use your finger to push into a firm pillow/cushion. You do not want the butter to be too soft or 'melty'.

If the butter has become too soft, firm it back up in the refrigerator. You do not want to use butter that has become too soft as it will not cream up thick and voluminous. Instead, it will be very liquid.

In a food processor, grind 4 Tablespoons of the osmanthus flowers with 3.52oz (100g) of the all-purpose/plain flour. You should have a fine powder. I use my coffee grinder.

Mix in the remaining all-purpose/plain flour, rice flour and salt. I use my food processor to do this and save myself the step of sifting.

Cream the softened butter with the sugar. Start at low to avoid the sugar from flying out of the mixer bowl and increase to medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. 

Stop the mixture and scrape the bottom of the mixer bowl. Turn on the machine and let it run for 2-3 more minutes until it is pale and creamy.

Reduce to medium-low speed and add the egg yolk and the jasmine essence. Let the machine run for 1 minute. 

Turn off the machine. Scrape the bottom of the mixer bowl. Turn the machine back on and let it run for another minute. It will look even thicker and creamier.

Remove the mixer bowl.

With a spatula, fold in 1/3 of the flour mix. The flour does not have to be fully incorporated at this point.

Add the next 1/3 of the flour mix and repeat the procedure.

Finally, add the last 1/3 of the flour mix. Repeat procedure and do not over mix.

The following process is the easiest way to get the dough prepared for cutting. 

Plop the dough into a large food safe plastic bag. The bag should be big enough to accommodate the rolled out the dough. If it is not, split the dough into 2 bags instead. 

Placing a silicone baking mat under the plastic bag helps to secure it in place to make rolling a breeze. Fold the open end of the plastic bag under to form a rectangle.

Roll the dough out no thinner than 1/8" (0.317cm). 

No mess. No flour. Easier clean up. Refrigerate until completely cold and firm.

Preheat the oven to 320F(160C) oven rack adjust to lower middle position.

Have the following ready:

• sharp/serrated knife
• cookie cutter 
• small bowl of flour (for dipping cookie cutter)
• rolling pin
• silicone baking mat or parchment paper lined baking tray(s)

Remove the rolled dough out from the refrigerator. If necessary, use the rolling pin to level out the dough.

With the knife, slice off the top sheet of the plastic bag to reveal the dough.

Dip the cookie cutter into flour, shake off excess and make a clean straight cut. You could slip your fingers under the plastic sheet to help pop up the cut cookie dough.  

With my 'food safe plastic bag' method, there is no need to flour your working surface or the rolling pin. No need to worry about cookie dough sticking to the working surface, over handling or adding too much flour- both of which could ruin the texture of your cookies. 

These cookies do not spread so you do not have to space them too far apart on your baking tray. 

Do not leave cut cookies on the kitchen counter. Either bake immediately or refrigerate as it has to be cold when it goes into the oven. This helps bake crisp cookies. The cookie will keep its shape better, retaining all the pretty ridges around its circumference.

Remember the remaining 2 Tablespoons of osmanthus? Press them on to your cut cookie dough.

Bake for 8 minutes. Rotate the baking tray front side back and bake for another 7 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. You want to keep the pale colour of the cookies. 

That is why the oven rack was positioned lower middle rack and the temperature was kept low.

Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 5-10 minutes on the tray as they are still fragile whilst hot. Thereafter, cool completely on a cooling rack. Store in airtight containers.

Tips

What do you do with the rest of the dried osmanthus flowers?

• Store sealed in the refrigerator. It keeps well.
• Make yourself some osmanthus tea. One teaspoon per cup.
• Mix the osmanthus flowers with a tea of your choice to add a floral brew to your cup. 
• If you google 'osmanthus jelly recipe', there are recipes (all similar) for that jelly.  It is an easy jelly recipe and it taste even more perfumed than my cookies. Some might find it overpowering whilst others just cannot get enough of it.

What are osmanthus flowers?

It comes from a flowering plant/shrub bearing tiny cream coloured flowers. 

What do you know? There is an osmanthus shrub in my neighbourhood!

It is more often than not used in its dried form as fresh osmanthus flowers are highly perishable. When dried, they are a lovely golden yellow. Most of the dried osmanthus sold in shops are from China. It is appreciated for its distinctive floral aroma. It is most often used in sweet dishes but it can apparently be used in savoury dishes as well. Osmanthus wine is enjoyed in China. It must taste lovely.

I buy my osmanthus from a Traditional Chinese Medicine store that carefully sources what they put on their shelves. They cost more but I pay the price for the assurance of quality.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                         
I like a marbled cake that is not only moist. The buttered bits has to be buttery and the chocolatey bits has to taste intensely chocolatey. Just like the one below!

Rotisserie Chicken Stew With Grapes In Peppery Milk Sauce

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've spent a great deal of time editing and reorganising this post on Wordpress and it is so much friendlier to read & follow my recipe from there. Click on this link to take you directly to the recipe:

Rotisserie Chicken Stew With Grapes In Peppery Milk Sauce

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

A deli rotisserie chicken makes putting this meal on the table easy enough. I love the fresh crunch of the whole grapes. It offers a burst of juicy sweetness between bites of savoury meat and vegetables. 

This dish is as good as the chicken stock and rotisserie chicken. Use the best ones you can get your hands on and serve it at your next dinner or party to oohs and ahhs. 

ROTISSERIE CHICKEN STEW WITH GRAPES IN PEPPERY MILK SAUCE

Prep:	20 minutes
Cook:	20 minutes
Inactive:	-
Level:	Easy
Serves:	3 to 4 persons
Oven Temperature:	-
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	The vegetables could be cooked, cooled and refrigerated the day before. 20 minutes before you are ready to serve, bring it back to a gentle boil then add milk, roast chicken, etcetera.

Just the ingredients 3 Tablespoons oil 1 rotisserie chicken cut into 4 (discard backbone) 3/4 cup diced onions (~ medium size) 3/4 cup diced red bell peppers (~ small size) 3/4 cup diced celery (~ large stick) 1 lb (450g) potatoes peeled and cut into 2" X 2" (5X5cm) 3/4 cup carrot cut into 1.5"(3.81cm) (~ 1 medium size) 2 cups chicken stock OR 2 cups water + 1.5 teaspoon chicken stock granules  1 teaspoon dried oregano/rosemary/a bay leaf 1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup (or more) milk 1 cup seedless grapes 1/4 -1/2 cup chopped parsley/coriander leaves Optional: Cut chillies, crushed dried chillies, capers, cut lemons.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons oil

1 rotisserie chicken cut into 4 (discard backbone)
Black pepper chicken is my favourite.

3/4 cup diced onions (~ medium size)

3/4 cup diced red bell peppers (~ small size)

3/4 cup diced celery (~ large stick)

1 lb (450g) potatoes peeled and cut into 2" X 2" (5X5cm)

3/4 cup carrot cut into 1.5"(3.81cm) (~ 1 medium size)

2 cups chicken stock
OR
2 cups water + 1.5 teaspoon chicken stock granules 

1 teaspoon dried oregano
You could also use rosemary, bay leaf, sage, etcetera.

1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (or more) milk

1 cup seedless grapes

1/4 -1/2 cup chopped parsley/coriander leaves

Optional: Cut chillies, crushed dried chillies, capers, cut lemons.

Method

In a deep pot, over high heat, fry the onions, red bell peppers and celery in oil until soft. 

Add the chicken stock/water+chicken stock granules, potatoes, carrot, dried oregano and ground black pepper. 

Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover. Continue to cook over medium-heat until potatoes and carrot are soft. The liquid should have reduced by ~1/4 - 1/2.

Add 3/4 cup milk and when it comes to a simmer, add the cut up chicken, nestling it at the bottom of the pot. Top up with more milk if necessary to bring the liquid halfway up the sides of the chicken. 

Bring it back to a simmer so that the chicken is heated through. Taste for saltiness and add salt now if required.

Stir in the grapes. Turn off the burner. Dress with the parsley/coriander leaves and any of the optional ingredients: cut chillies, crushed dried chillies, capers, cut lemons.

Serve.

Tips

This is very much a meal on its own as it has proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates and even a fruit! However, the sauce is really tasty and to stretch it further, you could choose to serve it with:

• Buttered pasta (fettuccine is my favourite as the larger surface area allows maximum sauce absorption)
• Butter rolls
• Buttered rice

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                           
What's this? Osmanthus biscuits.

Crisp Not Flaky Cheese Sticks

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've spent a great deal of time editing and reorganising this post on Wordpress and it is so much friendlier to read & follow my recipe from there. Click on this link to take you directly to the recipe:

Crisp Not Flaky Cheese Sticks

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

These cheese sticks have a good bite like a thick crisp cookie or biscuit depending on where you are from. They are cheesy tasting but not overly so and the hint of rosemary saves this from being a one dimensional tasting biscuit.

I grew up eating and liking home made cheese sticks with sharp edges that looked somewhat like buff coloured fingers of a KitKat. Although she only made them on the rare occasion, I vividly recall the smell, taste and texture of grandma's cheese sticks.  

I also recall staring in wonderment at trays of aluminium sheets where rows upon rows of cuboid looking dough were arranged. They were so evenly spaced and lined up so precisely, I often wondered if the long wooden ruler she kept nearby was used not only to measure out the dough but to also space the dough uniformly apart. 

To everyone's dismay, no one wrote down grandma's recipe.

I was happy to leave well enough alone but a family member had asked me over a year ago to bake cheese sticks as a birthday gift in lieu of a store bought present. "Oh no," was my immediate thought, 'not cheese sticks. I can never get them to come out 100% right 100% of the time." I knew it was going to be an uphill task.

I made my excuses and wrangled my way out of the request by buying her a birthday meal instead. I was very pleased with myself as I had saved myself a lot of work.

But a year has past and another birthday is fast approaching so as an act of love, I set about to recreate grandma's cheese sticks with much dread.

It was challenging. My kitchen was bathed in flour as I baked tray after tray of cheese sticks in varying ratios of cheese, butter and flour. My waistline expanded an inch in the process but on my eighth attempt, success! My cheese sticks tasted like grandma's and I finally got them to stay crisp for 5 days (and beyond)! 

So this year, it's not going to be a store bought gift or a birthday meal, instead, someone is going to receive 3 bottles of cheese sticks with her name on it and it's not from grandma!

If you want details of the challenges I had to overcome to come up with this recipe and the lessons I learnt, scroll down to 'Tips'. If the thought of that bores you, just follow the recipe below to bake crisp cheese sticks that won't go soft on you with keeping.
CRISP NOT FLAKY CHEESE STICKS                                 

Prep:	30 minutes
Cook:	~10 - 15 minutes
Inactive:	1 hour up to a day
Level:	Moderately easy
Makes:	~100 cheese sticks  (1.5" X 1/4") (3.81cm X 0.64cm)
Oven Temperature:	340F 170C
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	Keeps well for 5 days (and beyond) tightly bottled. Dough can be rolled out and frozen up to 2 months.

Just the ingredients 5oz (142g) unsalted butter   7oz (200g) sharp/aged/mature/vintage cheddar  12oz (340g) plain/all-purpose flour  1/4 -1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper  1/4 teaspoon salt  1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary a pinch - 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder 1 egg yolk 1 Tablespoon milk The cheesy top  3oz (85g) sharp/aged/mature/vintage cheddar cheese 1 egg white

Ingredients

The dough

5oz (142g) unsalted butter  

7oz (200g) sharp/aged/mature/vintage cheddar 
Do not substitute with another kind of cheese. Use cheddar. Cheeses have different fat contents and will bake out different.

12oz (340g) plain/all-purpose flour 

1/4 -1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper 

1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
a pinch - 1/8 teaspoon chilli powder

1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon milk

The cheesy top 
3oz (85g) sharp/aged/mature/vintage cheddar cheese
1 egg white

Method

The dough

I use a food processor to make the dough. As I live in an area with high humidity and temperatures, butter left out for any length of time will start to melt sooner than you might expect.  The butter is kept in the freezer before use and the dough has to be made quickly with minimal handling. 

Cut the block of unsalted butter into 1" (2.5cm) cubes and put them in the freezer to chill. 

Place all the dried ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well mixed. 

Cut the block of cheddar cheese into smaller cubes, add to the food processor and 

pulse until the mixture looks like bread crumbs. 

When the butter cubes are well chilled (or frozen!), pulse them into the flour and cheese mixture. They should look similar to what is pictured below.

Next, mix the egg yolk with the 1 Tablespoon of milk.  

You will have to add the liquid into the food processor whilst it is running and it has to be done fast, ~ 5 - 10 seconds or you risk the dough toughening up due to it being overworked. 

With the liquid  ready for pouring in one hand, turn on the food processor with the other free hand. As soon as the blades start running pour in the liquid in a steady steam.

Stop the machine after you have added the liquid. In all likelihood, you would have to use a spatula to loosen up the dough that has collected at the bottom of the bowl.

Now, use the machine's 'PULSE' button a few times to mix everything up evenly.

You should have a dough that looks similar to the one pictured below. The dough would not and should not have all gathered up together into any larger clumps and should appear just a tad dry. If it looks way too dry, mix up 1 egg yolk with 1 Tablespoon milk and add gradually till dough looks similar to the one featured below.

See the dough below, that's too moist. Your cheese straw would not bake out crisp enough and it will not stay crisp the next day let alone 5 days. To salvage the dough, I would pulse in 2 - 3 Tablespoons of flour or until it appears drier and looks somewhat like the dough in the bowl above. 

This is not how you want it.

Plop the dough into a large food safe plastic bag. Tap it flat with a rolling pin. The dough will start to come together. Then roll out

into a thickness of between 1/8" - 1/4" (0.32cm - 0.64cm).

I put my dough in a huge food safe plastic bag for a reason. It is ideal for rolling the dough out. No flouring required and I can roll the dough into an even thickness. Oh, and the dough does not get stuck onto the rolling pin and there is less clean up!

If you do not have a large plastic bag then you have to work the dough the conventional way. 

Flour your work surface and rolling pin lightly. 

Remove the contents of the food processor on to your work surface. Press the dough crumbs together to form a risk. 

Roll the dough out into a thickness of between 1/8" - 1/4" (0.32cm - 0.64cm).

Cover with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate the rolled out dough for 1 hour or until the dough firms up enough for easy slicing.

Cutting the cookie dough & baking

Turn on your oven to 340F 170C, oven rack adjust to one notch below the middle position.

Have the following ready:

• the 3oz (85g) block of cheddar
• cheese grater
• 1 egg white
• scissors
• sharp knife, cleaver, flat-edged bench scrapper or pizza wheel
• rolling pin
• long ruler (if you have problems cutting straight lines this would make your life easier - I like transparent ones with measurements/markers as I can use them as a guide to determine how wide or long I want the cheese strips)
• baking trays. If they are not nonstick, lined with parchment pepper or silicone mats

Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and set it on a large cutting board or your work surface.

Make any last minute adjustment with the rolling pin to level the dough.

With the scissors, cut off the top layer of the plastic bag to expose the dough.

Egg wash the entire surface and grate the cheddar directly over the dough. 

Press cheese down lightly. Using the ruler as a guide, start cutting the dough out into strips. You can leave them long or cut them into short strips as I have.

Whilst long straws look very pretty, they are not practical for storing. So save the straws for occasions when you know they are going to be eaten up on the day itself. I cut my cheese sticks into ~ 1.5" X 1/4" (3.81cm X 0.64cm).

Set them on the baking tray, leaving a 1/4" - 1/2"(0.62cm - 1.25cm) gap between cheese sticks. 

Bake immediately, if not, refrigerate the entire tray until ready to bake.

Bake for 10 minutes and then turn the baking tray front side back to encourage even baking. Bake for another 3 - 5 minutes. 

The tops and base of the cheese sticks should be a golden brown.

The cheese sticks on the outer rim will cook faster than those inside. Remove them first. Let the ones in the centre bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Do not stay too far away from the oven as they move from golden brown to burnt very quickly.

Remove to cooling racks. When cooled, store in airtight containers.

Tips

What cheese?

Use cheddar that is well aged. It is often labelled as one of the following: sharp; aged; mature. Some brands will indicate how long the cheese has been aged. These cheddar have a more pronounced flavour which is suitable for making cheese biscuits. If you choose to use a milder or younger cheddar the flavour will still be good but naturally less intense. The taste of milder cheddar after baking can be quite faint. 

This recipe is for cheddar and not any other cheese. Different cheeses have different fat contents and will bake out differently.

Should I use dried mustard?

I have tried baking cheese sticks with and without dried mustard. If dried mustard is suppose to give a 'kick' to the cheese sticks than I would say leave it out. It makes the cheese sticks taste almost bitter and acrid. The 'kick' could easily come from adding more ground pepper or chilli powder.

Should I use ground pepper or chilli powder?

Both. In ratios that suit your taste buds. White or black pepper? Does not matter much. If seeing little flakes of ground black pepper bothers you, than use ground white pepper. If you do not like the heat of chillies than leave it out.

Why use dried rosemary?

Cheese sticks are seriously cheesy nibbles and after a while it gets a bit predictable in taste. The strong scent and taste of rosemary goes very well with baked cheese.  A little goes a long way and there is only a hint of it in the cheese sticks to give a little 'pep' to what can be a singular dimensional tasting cheese stick.

How do I get those lovely well defined edges on the cheese sticks? I don't want them looking slopping, sloppy and flat.

These cheese stick have distinct sides and sharp edges. Very attractive.

No well defined edges. They have slopping sides and are flat. They are flaky. They taste reasonably good but they don't look good.

The ratio of butter, cheese and flour not only has to be right, you have to know how much liquid to add. The cookie dough should not 'come together' after the liquids have been added. Instead they should be crumbly, with a few larger pieces here and there. Refer to photos up above in 'Method'. Too moist a dough and you will lose the sharp edges. Baking at the correct temperatures for the right length of time also plays apart.

How do I get crisp cheese sticks and not flaky ones and moreover, how do I ensure the cheese sticks are crisp throughout with no soft centres? 

The answer to this question is the same as above. The best part is, baked properly, you can keep the cheese sticks up to 5 days (and beyond) tightly bottled and they will remain crisp.

Egg white wash or milk wash?

It might surprise you that this makes a difference. Take a look at the cheese sticks below.

The egg white wash gives the cheese sticks an even colour. The milk wash gives the cheese sticks a mottled look. I will go for the egg white wash since I would have an egg white leftover anyway as the dough requires just the egg yolk.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                          

Need an easy dinner party, all-in-one dish that your guests will enjoy? Try this one, it's homely and satisfying.

Rotisserie  Chicken Stew With Grapes In Peppery Milk Sauce.