earl grey shortbread

 

okay let's first get things straight, this is NOT a valentine's post. i promise (but i will do something valentine-ish in february #sorrynotsorry). i know it is only the beginning of january, but i had the urge to bake some shortbread cookies (holiday withdrawal) & i just love heart shaped cookies. it seemed even more fitting because these are such a dreamy shortbread cookie recipe with the addition of the earl grey. i used this double bergamont tea to give them a maximum earl grey flavour! these are truly the perfect cookie to serve with your tea.

changing gears

now that we have cookies let's go over some new year plans, shall we?! i didn't want to bombard everyone with a cheesy 2016 inspirational recap post or both my personal & business goals for 2017 BUT i would love to give you a heads up on what i have planned for hey modest marce this year. up until now it has mainly been food focused, but since purchasing our first (& hopefully forever) home in the early fall i want to transition things a little. i want to show more lifestyle posts including all the different interior designs i have been working very hard on! linens, brass, paints, wallpaper (so much wallpaper) & so on. cheers to 2017 & all the fun things i have planned! i hope you are as excited as i am.

p.s. i have my first design sponge feature coming up this month showcasing both the great room & the powder room. i am very, very, very excited about it.

xo

ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup raw sugar (i use sugar in the raw)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons ground earl grey (i use this loose leaf tea)
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1-2 tablespoons strong brewed earl grey tea, room temperature

directions

  • in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter & raw sugar until just combined. add in vanilla extract.
  • sift in ground earl grey, flour & sea salt. beat until dough comes together.
  • if dough is crumbly, add in the brewed earl grey tea one tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.
  • roll out on floured surface & shape into a disk. wrap in plastic & refrigerate for one hour.
  • once dough has chilled, roll out on a floured surface to ¼ inch thick. use desired cookie cutters to create cookie shape.
  • bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until the edges JUST begin to brown. let cool to room temperature.

p.s. cutest pink & grey ceramics by anna wallace ceramics including the dish, pinch spoon & cake plate! 

gingerbread + dark chocolate cookies

 

this year i have decided to come up with some not so traditional holiday cookies! don't get me wrong, i have already made batches of sugar cookies & gingerbread men this month but why not mix it up a bit? it is time to experiment with the flavours of gingerbread & pair it with equally delicious ingredients (wait till you see the macadamia cookies i made for crate & barrel next). this recipe makes for the perfect freeze & bake chocolate chip style cookies. while they would of course work well for a cookie exchange party, you are probably not going to want to give these away! instead, whip up a batch to pop in your freezer & bake a few at a time as you cozy up by the fire & watch your favourite holiday movie.

this is something justin & i do year round when we make mixed up versions of chocolate chip cookies. not that we couldn't eat the whole batch at once, more so that we shouldn't. plus, who doesn't want cookies warm from the oven everytime? nothing is better then slightly melted chocolate with a gooey centre. because i make these in small batches, i typically use my toaster oven instead of having to pre-heat the big oven. KitchenAid was kind enough to send me a brand new one to test out (my current KitchenAid one was pushing 10 years old). they baked up so perfectly in it! better then my gas oven to be honest, i am still getting used to going full gas & not convection. the KitchenAid toaster oven also heats up quickly, so you will have your cookies in no time! it is also perfect for the holiday season when your oven is full of a giant turkey. you can bake or heat up your favourite side dishes in the oven too. i think my mom will be borrowing this from me this year.

anyways, this is my mix up on a gingerbread cookie! it is a mash up between my favourite classic gingerbread & my favourite chocolate chip cookie. trust me when i say these are better. the dark chocolate compliments the ginger spicers so perfectly & the pecans add a touch of crunch. if you are not a fan of nuts in your baked goods, feel free to leave it out & add a bit more dark chocolate OR even some candied ginger! so many possibilities with these.

ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (i use sugar in the raw)
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chunks
  • 1/2 cup whole pecans, roughly chopped

directions

  • in a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves. set aside.
  • in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter, brown sugar & turbinado sugar until fluffy.
  • add in the molasses, egg & vanilla extract until combined.
  • slowly add in the dry ingredients until incorporated.
  • fold in the dark chocolate chips & pecans.
  • roll into desired size balls, place in freezer bag & bake when ready.
  • to bake, pre-heat oven to 375 degrees & bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges lightly brown.

note: if you are skipping the freezer step, place cookie balls on a baking tray & pop in the freezer for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven. this ensures the cookies will not spread together & the chocolate chips hold their shape.

mini matcha swirl cheesecakes

 

happy gilmore girl release day!!!! errr.. black friday. i hope you all had an amazing thanksgiving & ate your weight in turkey! instead of being surrounded by crowds & going black friday shopping this year, i am going to do the complete opposite. i plan to stay in, bake some holiday cookies & binge watch the whole season of the new girlmore girl's revival. i woke up early & already watched the first episode, but i don't want to spoil it!

if you plan to do the same as me today, here is the perfect little bite size treats to whip up: mini matcha swirl cheesecakes. i usually only make cheesecake during the holiday's & this year i wanted to make something mini. if you couldn't tell by now, i love making mini versions of things! the filling is half vanilla cheesecake & half matcha cheesecake baked onto a gingersnap crust. as always, i used aiya matcha's cooking grade matcha powder to ensure the matcha flavour doesn't get lost with all the other ingredients. a little cheesecake making tip for you, ALWAYS make sure the cheesecake & the eggs are at room temperature or you will end up with chunks of cream cheese. i always use philadelphia's full fat cream cheese because i never have any luck with other brands. lastly please, PLEASE do not buy the lower fat cream cheese available, they never turn out! i have tried one too many times. anyways, have a great long weekend:)

ingredients

for the gingersnap crust

  • 1.5 cups gingersnap crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

for the swirled filling

directions

for the gingersnap crust

  • in a mixing bowl add the gingersnap crumbs, sugar, vanilla & butter. stir until a wet sandy mixture is formed.
  • press the crust into twelve lined cupcake tins & bake for five minutes while you prepare the filling.

for the swirled filling

  • in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the cream cheese & sugar until smooth.
  • add in the eggs one at a time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. finished off with vanilla extract.
  • divide batter into two equal portions. leave one as is & add the matcha powder to the other one.
  • add one scoop of each mixture per cupcake tin & swirl together with a knife.
  • bake for 20 minutes & let cool completely before serving.
  • top with whipped cream if desired.

this post was created in partnership with aiya matcha! you can find the cooking grade matcha powder that i used here. thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love! xo