Tea Cookies

These bite-sized cookies are perfect for having with tea.

(Psst, coffee is all right too.)

They taste wonderful and are very, very simple to make.

I like to prepare them when my sugar craving strikes out of the blue. Or when friends call unexpectedly saying they will come soon.

These cookies just save lives.

Here’s the list of ingredients.

1. To make your own Tea Cookies, first preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

2. Sift the flour and sugars into a larger bowl.
 

3. Add the softened butter, two egg yolks and lemon zest…
 

4. …and use pastry cutter or just a plain fork to turn the ingredients into a crumbly mixture.

 

5. Then use your hands to form a ball.

Like this one.

Though creating a face is not necessary.

But it helps.

Kidding!

But it really does.

Kidding again!

 

Now I’d like to tell you this: Please, be patient when you find yourself in the phase in-between the crumbs and the dough ball. It only takes patience and trust that those crumbs will eventually come together. Give it five minutes or so and you’ll see success!
 

6. Place the dough ball on a very, very lightly floured surface.

This dough is almost not sticky at all so you really need very little flour, if any.

And besides that, the more flour you’d be using the firmer the cookies would get. And we don’t need that.

 

7. Using the palms of your hands, roll the dough until you form a log which is about 1.5 inches (3.5 cm) wide in diameter.

 

8. Then cut the log into about 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick rounds.

9. Place the rounds onto the sheet and bake in the preheated oven (350 °F – 175 °C) for 10 minutes.

The cookies should still be very pale in color when baked.

10. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Enjoy, dear friends.

(This recipe makes about 30 cookies and will take you about 40 minutes to make.)

Apple Cake

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

I’m in love with apples and cinnamon.

Forever.

I’ve noticed that I can go without some treat from the cinnamon-apple realm for about two days.

Hm.

It seems that I have issues.

Wonderful and delicious apple-cinnamon-fall issues.

 

Anyway, as I was searching for the right recipe I found out there were loads and loads of different variations of the apple cake.

I borrowed a little from here and a little from there and created this ultra-simple and easy version.

Luckily, everything turned out perfect and the cake tasted just as I’d wished it would have.

Yummilicious!

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

Here’s what you need if you want to make it too.

Which is highly advised!

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
 

2. Then prepare your dry ingredients.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

3. Now, in the bowl of your electric mixer, whisk the butter and 1/3 cup – 70 grams (!) of sugar until light and fluffy.

Please notice that I am using only half of the sugar amount for the batter.

The other half will go on top of the cake.

 

4. Add the whole egg and mix just until blended.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

5. Add the flour mixture in three additions, …

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

6. …alternating with the milk, beating until just combined.

The batter is done.

Easy.

 
 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

Now we need one apple – any kind, sweet or tart.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

7. Peel the apple.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

8. Cut it in half.

 

9. Using a sharp knife, remove the core.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

10. And slice the apple.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

11. Grab a round pie pan (it should have the capacity of 4 cups/1 liter) and grease it with some butter.

 

12. Pour the batter in the pan and even out the surface.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

13. Lay the apple slices on the batter in concentric circles, starting at the outside edge.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

14. Now, for the final touch we need the remaining sugar (1/3 cup – 70 grams).

Combine the sugar with the cinnamon in a bowl…

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

15. …and sprinkle the heavenly fragrant mixture over the apples.

Just like this.

While baking, the mixture will turn into a lovely sugary crust.

If you are not a huge fan of generous sugary crusts, use just about half of the mixture.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

16. Bake for 25 minutes.

 

17. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on the wire rack.

 

 

apple cake recipe with step by step pictures

Oh, yum!

You can serve this cake as is or (OR!) with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

I thank heavens for that combination very, very often.

 

Enjoy, dear friends!

(This recipe was vastly adapted from SimplyRecipes.com.)

 

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