FESTIVE BAKING 2.

0 WORKSHOP
16 October | 4:30PM

TURTLE COOKIES
(makes 10 cookies)

Ingredients-

Grain sugar (for toffee) 50 grams 1/4 cup

Butter 100 grams 1/2 cup

Caster sugar 50 grams 1/4 cup

Brown sugar 50 grams 1/4 cup

Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon

Flour 120 grams 1 cup

Cocoa powder 15 grams 2 tablespoons

Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon

Corn flour 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon

Milk 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons

Dark chocolate chunks 75 grams 1/2 cup

Pecans 40 grams 1/3 cup

1. To make the toffee caramel shards, take the grain sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan and
set it over medium heat. Allow for the sugar to caramelise and turn into a deep golden
colour.
Note- do not leave the pan unattended as sugar burns very fast. Stop as soon as you
reach the desired golden colour and immediately take off of heat.
2. Once the sugar caramelises, pour it onto a baking tray lined with parchment and allow to
cool.
3. Once the caramelised sugar has cooled and hardened, break it into shards and bite sized
pieces.
Note- the sugar takes anywhere between 5-7 minutes to harden. Handle sugar very
carefully as it is extremely hot.
4. Meanwhile, for the cookie dough, in a large bowl, whisk the butter with caster sugar and
brown sugar until the mixture is homogenous and everything is well combined.
Note- you do not want to beat the sugar and butter mixture until it is light and fluffy, like in
case of a cake. Creaming traps air, which causes leavening in a cake, which we do not
require in case of a cookie. Hence, beat only until the butter and sugar are well combined.
5. Add the vanilla. Mix well.
6. In the same bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and corn flour, and fold just until
combined.
7. Add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to bring the dough together.
Note- the quantity of milk depends upon the texture of your dough. Add more if it feels
dry.
8. Fold in the chocolate chips, pecans and toffee shards.
9. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2-4 hours, preferably overnight.
Note- Refrigeration allows the butter in the dough to harden and absorb the flavours. The
flavours in the dough also become more concentrated.
10. Scoop out the dough using an ice cream scoop to ensure all cookies are even in size.
11. Arrange them onto a baking tray lined with a silicon mat/parchment paper/aluminium foil
and flatten slightly.
Note- Leave sufficient space between the cookies as they will spread upon baking.
12. Bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
Note- It is essential you use couverture chocolate and not compound chocolate for this
recipe in order to get the molten pools of chocolate in the dough. Compound chocolate
doesn’t melt as well as couverture in the oven, leading to a less fudge-y cookie.

Storage- Cookie dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for
4-5 days and in the freezer for 2 weeks. Baked cookies can be stored for upto 5 days
in an airtight container at room temperature.
 BAKED CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE BARS
(makes an 8 inch loaf)

Ingredients-

For crust

Biscuits, crushed 120 grams 1 cup

Butter, melted 40 grams 3 tablespoons

For cheesecake filling

Cream cheese 100 grams 1/2 cup

Caster sugar 25 grams 2 tablespoons

Condensed milk 50 grams 3 tablespoons

Cocoa powder 15 grams 2 tablespoons

Corn flour 8 grams 1 tablespoon

Fresh cream 60 grams 1/4 cup

Dark chocolate 80 grams 1/2 cup

1. Combine the crushed biscuits and melted butter together, until the mixture resembles wet
sand.
2. Press this mixture into the base of an 8X4 inch loaf pan and freeze for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make the cheesecake filling, combine the cream cheese and caster sugar
together using a whisk.
Note- make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. If any ingredient is cold, the
cheesecake filling will get lumpy.
4. To this, add the condensed milk, cocoa powder and corn flour. Whisk until smooth and
homogenous.
5. Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave and add cream to it, to make
a ganache.
6. Fold the ganache into the cream cheese mixture and whisk until everything is well combined.
7. Transfer this mixture onto the biscuit layer in the prepared pan and level it out using an offset
spatula or the back of a spoon.
8. Bake at 160C for 20-25 minutes.
Note- you know the cheesecake is done baking when the edges are set completely but the
center has a slight wobble to it.
9. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or until completely chilled and set.
10. Cover with a layer of dark chocolate ganache and gold leaf.
11. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes for the ganache to set and slice using a sharp knife.

Dark chocolate ganache

Ingredients-

Dark chocolate, melted 120 grams 2/3 cup

Fresh cream 120 grams 1/2 cup

Procedure-
1. Melt the dark chocolate completely in the microwave or over a double boiler.
Note- Run it in the microwave in a heat proof bowl for 30 second intervals. Stir after each
interval or you risk burning the chocolate.
2. Add room temperature fresh cream to the chocolate and emulsify using a hand whisk/spatula.

Storage- Cheesecake bars can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for
4-5 days and in the freezer for 1 week. The cheesecake filling and ganache can be made
and stored in the refrigerator for 4 days and be baked and assembled when required.
 CHOCOLATE ORANGE LOAF WITH COFFEE STREUSEL
(makes an 8 inch loaf)

For coffee streusel

Ingredients-

Butter, cold and cubed 25 grams 2 tablespoons

Caster sugar 25 grams 2 tablespoons

Flour 25 grams 3 tablespoons

Instant coffee powder 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon

Procedure-
1. Take all the ingredients together in a bowl and rub them together using your fingertips until the
mixture resembles wet sand.
Note- make sure the butter you’re using is cold. Softened butter will not retain shape.
2. Press it together with your fingers to form a rough crumble.
3. Refrigerate the crumble for 15 minutes while you work on the cake batter for the butter to
harden.

For chocolate orange loaf

Ingredients-
Flour 120 grams 1 cup

Cocoa powder 25 grams 1/4 cup

Baking soda 3/4 teaspoon 3/4 teaspoon

Salt 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon

Brown sugar 66 grams 1/3 cup

Orange zest 1/2 orange 1/2 orange

Buttermilk 160ml 2/3 cup

Vegetable oil 80ml 1/3 cup

Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon

Water, hot + instant coffee 3 tablespoons water + 3 grams 3 tablespoons water + 1

Procedure-
1. Sift together the dry ingredients- flour, corn flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt,
together in a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the caster sugar, brown sugar and orange zest. Add the
sugars to the dry ingredients.
Note- rubbing the citrus zest with sugars helps release it’s flavours.
3. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
Note- to make buttermilk, add the juice of half a lemon per half a cup of milk and let sit for five
minutes until it curdles
4. Gradually add the wet ingredients into the dry, in three batches, folding gently to combine. Do
not over mix the batter.
5. Add the hot water + coffee to the batter.
Note- hot water here serves two purposes, it adjusts the consistency of the batter and also
makes it more moist.
6. Pour the batter into an 8X4 inch loaf pan and top with the streusel.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle
of the cake comes out clean.
Note- Baking time is indicative and varies from oven to oven. Check your cake at the 25
minute mark. A skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean.
8. Allow the cake to cool completely before garnishing.

Suggested garnish- Dried orange slices, orange wedges, chocolate ganache.

Storage- Tea cakes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for upto 3
days and in the freezer for upto 5 days. Garnish to be done when required.
 VANILLA ALMOND MIXED BERRY LOAF
(makes an 8 inch loaf)

Ingredients-

Butter 200 grams 1 cup

Condensed milk 200 grams 2/3 cup

Milk 120ml 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon

Flour 180 grams 1 +1/2 cup

Baking powder 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon

Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon

Caster sugar 50 grams 1/4 cup

Assorted berries (fresh/frozen/ 100 grams 1/2 cup

Almond flakes 25 grams 1/4 cup

Procedure-
1. In a bowl, whisk together the softened butter and condensed milk until homogenous.
Note- This is an eggless batter that relies on baking powder and soda for leavening. You don’t
need to whisk/beat anything vigorously to incorporate air.
2. To this mixture, whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until every thing is smooth.
3. In a separate bow, whisk together all your dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, baking soda
and caster sugar.
4. Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until everything is combined.
Note- do not over mix your batter since that leads to the development of gluten, which leads
to a dense cake.
5. Fold in the mixed berries.
Note- You could also replace the berries with any nuts of your choice.
6. Transfer the batter into an 8X4 inch loaf pan and cover with almond flakes.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle
comes out clean.
8. Demould your cake and allow to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar.

Storage- Tea cakes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for upto 3
days and in the freezer for upto 5 days. Garnish to be done when required.