Season's Greetings! (lady's kisses / x'mas cookies / banana & choc muffins / konnyaku jellies)

Wow! Its a pre-x'mas tea party tml and everyone is supposed to bring an item each.. =) i m bringing pastries and konnyaku jellies! =D

Lady's Kisses (almond cookies sandwiched with nutella)
Comparing to my previous attempt, i have used caster sugar & ground almond powder!

Xmas's Cookies

Ingredients: (makes about 36 pieces)
100g butter, softened at room temperature
80g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
180g cake flour
20g corn flour

Method:

1. Sift cake flour and corn flour together and set aside. Line baking tray with parchment paper, set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, add in sugar to the butter in 2 ~3 additions and cream till the mixture turns pale and fluffy.
3. Add in egg yolk and mix well.
4. Add sifted flour mixture in 2 ~ 3 additions, stir with a spatula to form a soft dough.
5. Place dough in a plastic bag and flatten with rolling pin.
6. Refrigerate the dough for about half an hour.
7. Remove dough from fridge. Roll out dough on slightly floured work surface and cut out with slightly floured cookie cutters. If the dough appears to be a little to hard and breaks into pieces while rolling, leave it at room temperature for a few minutes. The dough will soften up and can be rolled easily.
8. Bake at pre-heated oven at 175 degC for 15 ~ 20mins.
9. Let cool and store in air-tight container.

(Recipe adapted from Happy Homebaker's blog)

Banana & Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients: (makes 16 muffins)
275g plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large bananas, about 450g
100g brown sugar (original recipe calls for 125g brown caster sugar)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
50ml semi-skimmed milk (I used low fat fresh milk)
75g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
50g chocolate chips

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180degC (350 degF). Line muffin pans with paper muffin cases.
2. Sieve together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
3. Peel the bananas and mash with a fork in a bowl. Add in brown sugar, egg, milk and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients. With a wooden spoon or a spatula, gently fold all the ingredients to form a wet batter. Stir gently, using only a few strokes and mix until the flour are incorporate into the batter. DO NOT Over mix. The batter should appear lumpy.
5. Spoon batter into paper muffin cases. Bake for 20mins until muffins turn golden brown or a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Let cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

Konnyaku Jelly

Ingredients: (makes 32 jellies)
250gm of Red Man Konnyaku Powder
1 teaspoon of Red Man Kiwi Seeds
1 can of Longans
1250ml of water
Jelly moulds

1. Soak kiwi seeds in water for 20mins, remove floating seeds and husks.
   
2. Pour the Konnyaku Powder and Kiwi seeds into water gradually and stir till boiling.
3. Turn off the flame and keep stirring for about 5 minutes, till the bubble dissipates and the Konnyaku Jelly solution becomes clear.
4. put the pieces of fruits in the moulds, then pour the Konnyaku solution into the moulds for 3 times, every time pour 1/3 of the mould.
5. Chill to set the moulded Jelly solution in the refrigerator for 3 hours before serve.

All ready for tml's party!!