Because Mixes aren't just made for Music

Do you ever feel like eating cookies but don't really want to have to make them and having your kitchen all messy?

Even though I love the process of making as much as of eating my bakes, I can totally relate to that feeling - it's Sunday, it's raining, the fire is sizzling and the last thing you want is spending 30 mins in the cold kitchen. True story.

Well, today, I give you the *Bake Mix In a Jar* Let the bells ring and the angels sing !!

All you will need is to add egg(s), butter and maybe a bit of milk depending on your recipes.

They look very pretty on the kitchen shelves and can be stored up to several months.. if you can resist them ;) 

I made these two bad boys for friends who invited us over to their house.

Wash the jars and dry well: make sure there is no water left or your dry ingredients will not like it.

*Triple Chocolate Cookie Mix*

In this order, place in the jar:

1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt 
(you can also mix those three ingredients in a bowl first and them pour them in the jar)
1/2 cup granulated or caster sugar
3/4 cup packed of demerara sugar (better than brown sugar as most brown sugar found in shops are actually white sugar with molasses)
1 1/2 cups white, milk, dark chocolate chips (I find that handmade chips are nicer)

To make sure the edges are as straight as possible, tap the jar after each ingredients and press with a slim Jim glass for example.


Write the instructions down on a cute label, piece of paper or else and attach it to the jar.

• Preheat the oven to 180/190C.
• Beat 3/4 cup softened butter with 1 egg and a teaspoon of vanilla extract in a large bowl, until well blended.
• Add the cookie mix and mix thoroughly to avoid any lumps.
• Drop by rounded teaspoon or with an ice-cream scoop onto a baking sheet covered with grease-proof paper.
•  Bake for 8-10 mins
• Let cool on baking sheet for 2 mins and transfer on wire rack to cool completely.

It makes about 2 dozen cookies - depending on the size you give them.

*White Chocolate & Cranberries Muffin Mix*

In this order, in the jar:

250gr flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100gr granulated or caster sugar
25gr demerara sugar
a thin layer of processed oat > to your liking
1 cup dried cranberries
100gr white chocolate handmade chips


Same as previous jar regarding the label.

• Preheat the oven to 175C.
• Melt 125gr butter and allow to cool.
• Add 1 egg, 150ml milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the cool melted butter and mix well.
• Add the muffin mix to the wet ingredients and mix well until blended.
• Spoon into muffin cases up to the 2/3 full
• Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and cooked through.

Makes about 12 buns.

Decorate the jars, add items (I attached buns cases and a silicone spatula to them) 

I hope you like them and will make your own. 

You can make any variations, for yourself, or as a gift.

Madeline gave me one for Christmas last year, if my memory is correct. They were delicious and it was really cool to receive the jar. You can see it here.

Ben xx

French version here :)

Watercolor Sugar Cookies

Baking is a form of art, but being able to merge baking and painting together was good fun !

My painting-drawing skills are quite limited, but I just went with the flow. Also, keep in mind that it was my first go. I will definitely make them again !

You will need your best sugar cookie recipe (find mine here), some white fondant, food coloring and clear vanilla extract/almond extract.

I personnally chose to go with the vanilla and I also tried directly with the food coloring, which, worked out fine.

Roll out the fondant to the desired thickness

Use the same cutter as for your cookies

With a mixture of water and icing sugar, stick together the fondant and the cookie.

   

Once you have finished every cookie, let them rest for few minutes. In the meantime, you can prepare your "paint".

In small containers, mix the extract with one color. Repeat this step for every color you wish to use.

Let your imagination running and enjoy the painting !

Again, I would like to emphazise the fact that my imagination isn't wild enough

 Ben x

Peanut Butter and (Big) Chocolate Chips Cookies

Let's cute to the chase! When peanut butter is in the game, it's a serious matter.
I wanted to try out recipes to make cookies, biscuits and everything possible with PB for a while now, but in the end, this recipe was given to me recently by a dear friend, and I've already made three batches. They are scrumptious, you will want to make them again. Over and over. 

Preheat the oven at 190C

In a bowl, mix everything following this order:

100gr soft or melted butter

100gr peanut butter

1 cup 50/50 granulated sugar and light brown sugar. 

Few drops of vanilla extract

1 egg

1 cup flour, with  1 tsp baking powder

Add chocolate chips (bought or homemade, your call. I much prefer the homemade, like that I can make them as big as I want)

Shape little balls of dough and place on an baking sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 mins.

Once the cookies are light golden brown, take them out and let them cool on the sheet. 

Hot or cold, they are delicious. They are soft and chewy. They are perfection itself.

Peanutty enough, one can taste the PB even better when the cookies are cool (in my opinion).

To your taste buds, from me, with love.

Ben x


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