Spanish Polvoron

with cinnamon

with powdered milk

I love Filipino Polvoron, homemade or store-bought. I haven't tasted its Spanish parent which is made with powdered almond. Spanish polvoron, unlike the Filipino cookie which is simply molded after mixing, is baked in a low heat oven for 30 to 45 minutes. They are not as crumbly and therefore easier and neater to eat.

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Black Sesame Seed Paciencia

I think this is my third or fourth blog post about the Philippine cookies called Paciencia. I maybe a bit obsessed with these tiny crunchy cookies inherited from the Spanish, of course. It's the smooth shiny top I've wanted to replicate but is elusive to me so far. Oh, well, there's always a fifth or sixth time for trying.

For this paciencia baking adventure I added ground black sesame seeds to half a recipe adapted from Recipes of the Philippines handbook omitting the baking powder and reduced the amount of sugar. I added 2 tablespoons very thick blackcurrant sauce into another half recipe. The blackcurrant flavor is strong, not just a hint and the sesame seed is not only delicious, it's also nutritious. One website says consuming black sesame seeds regularly may restore the color of graying hair; I wonder if it's true. There's no harm in trying I suppose. Anyway, I love both flavors, really great for afternoon munchies with a cup of milky English breakfast tea.

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Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bacon! Yes, these cookies have crispy bacon chips and they go really well with extreme bittersweet chocolate chips. When I read about these unusual cookies I just had to make some. They are not too rich nor greasy; they're sooo good.

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Food Friday: Cookies and Candies

paciencia (patience), very crunchy 1-inch macaron-like cookies but without nuts

Filipino candies

Paciencia cookies, which are of Spanish origin, look like the French macarons complete with tiny feet but they are made with just flour, egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract. The ones from La Pacita bakery have egg yolks, though, but I like that they are very very crunchy and addicting...you can't stop eating once you start popping one in your mouth. And I just had to grab a packet of Mangorind, combination mango and tamarind, when I saw it at the store. They are sweet and tart and I love its chewy texture similar to fruit leather or pate de fruits. The packet of hard mints with soft chocolate centers was a gift from an online Filipino grocery store. The candies taste a lot better than the ubiquitous Halls mentholyptus (menthol + eucalyptus) candies and perfect as after-dinner mints. I keep several pieces in my handbag so I have something to "eat" when I get hungry while shopping.

S'mores Bars & Cheesesteak-wich

I'm homebound today, no I'm not sick, I just don't have my car and it's snowing. So there's nothing else for me to do but bake.:)

S'mores Bars

1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup each white and dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups milk chocolate chunks or chips
1 ½ cups mini marshmallows

• In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla until fluffy, gradually stir in flour mixture. Stir in by hand marshmallows and chocolate chips. Press into a 13 x 9 inch pan. Bake in a pre-heated 375°F oven for 25 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars. Sooo gooey good with milky chai or cafe latte.

Cheesesteak-wich

3 to 3½ cups bread flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water (140°F)
1 tablespoon soft butter
12 ounces thinly sliced roast beef evenly sprinkled with 2 tablespoons Knorr seasoning or soy sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

• In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix in hot water and butter and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes at medium speed, beat another 2 minutes at high speed. Gradually add enough flour to make soft dough. Knead for 6 minutes, transfer to an oiled container, cover and let rise for 1 hour.
• While dough is rising, cook onion in olive oil till soft, add ½ teaspoon salt. Let cool.
• Punch dough down, roll into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle on a silpat or a piece of foil. Layer roast beef, onion and cheese over center-third of dough. With sharp knife, make cuts from filling to dough edges at 1 inch interval along sides of filling. Alternating sides, fold strips at an angle across filling. Place on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in size, about 45 minutes. Brush with egg wash and bake in a pre-heated 400°F oven for 40 minutes.