Gingerbread Cake.

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Hello everybody.

Christmas time is always full of new challenges for me, so many recipes to try and lots of creative ideas and decorations.

Since we have lunch guests for Mansaf ,thought I’ll try this cake. it’s very popular but I never did it before and was very happy with the result . Both elegant and delicious , moist and full of flavors.

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Ingredients and method:

* 1/2 cup butter.نص كوب زبده

* 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 كوب سكر بني

*1/2 cup molasses. نص كوب دبس تمر

*2 tsp ginger powder ملعتين صغار زنجبيل

*2 tsp cinnamon ملعقتين صغار قرفه

*pinch of nutmeg رشه جوز الطيب

*pinch of salt. رشه ملح

*1/2 cup vegetable oil. نص كوب زيت نباتي

*3/4 cup milk. 3م4 كوب حليب

*3 large eggs. 3 بيض

*1 tsp vanilla.ملعقه فانيلا

*3 cups flour.3 كوب طحين

*2 tsp baking powder.ملعقتين باكينغ باودر

* 1/2 tsp bicarbonate .نص ملعقه بايكربونات

  • Mix flour with all spices and baking powder and bicarbonate. تخلط البهارات والباكينغ باودر ولبيايكربونات مع الطحين
  • Beat butter and brown sugar well تخفق الزبده والسكر جيدا
  • add molasses then oil.يضاف الزيت والدبس
  • add eggs and vanilla.يضاف البيض والفانيلا
  • add milk alternatively with spices and flour.يضاف الحليب بالتناوب مع الطحين
  • bake in three medium sized pans.في فرن متوسط الحراره  تخبز العجينه في عده قوالب او صينيه واحده حسب الرغبه
  • leave to cool before stuffing.تترك لتبرد تماما قبل الحشي

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Cream:الكريما

*1 pack cream cheese.علبه جبنه كريميه

*1 pack heavy cream.علبه قيمر

*2 envelopes whipping creamمغلفين كريما باودر

*1 tsp cinnamon.ملعقه صغيره قرفه

  • Beat cream cheese well then add all other ingredients and beat till double in size .تخفق الجبنه اولا ثم تضاف باقي المقادير وتخفق جيدا
  • add cinnamon.
  • cool in fridge till stiff.تبرد جيدا قبل الحشو

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Ginger cookies:بسكوت الزنجبيل

*3/4 cup butter.3/ 3 كوب زبده

*1/ 2 cup brown sugar.1/2 كوب سكر بني

*1/2 cup molasses.1/2 كوب دبس

*1 egg.1 بيضه

*1 tsp ginger.1 ملعقه زنجبيل

*1 tsp cinnamon.ملعقه قرفه

*1/2 tsp baking powder.نص ملعقه باكينغ باودر

*2 cups flour.كوبين طحين

*Beat butter and sugar then add molasses.تخفق الزبده والسكر جيدا

*Add egg and spices.تضاف البيضه والبهارات

*Add flour and baking powder.يضاف الطحين والباكينغ باودر

*Knead well till you get a stiff easy to manage ball.تعجن جيدا لتصبح كره ماساء

*Roll and shape as you wish .ترق على سطح مرشوش بالطحين ونشكل حسب الرغبه

*Bake for 10-13 minutes max.تخبز في فرن متوسط لمده 10-13 دقيقه

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When cake is completely cooled ( i usually wrap each one in nylon wrap and freeze it for couple of hours) assemble with cream layers and decorate with cookies.

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Cherry cookies and Eggplant Tajeen (منزلة باذنجان).

Hello everybody.

December is a  festive month,many people celebrating Christmas like to try new recipes for dinner or lunch or as Christmas treats or cookies. I’ll try to make something new each day this month to give you some ideas, food websites have thousands of recipes but not all are feasible or easy to make so I’ll be picky and try them before publishing don’t worry.

Today I tried these cute cherry cookies since my husband bought a big jar of preserved cherries, very easy and quick to do,you can even use any kind of preserved fruit you like but cherries have this beautiful red happy color that’ll look great on your table .

Lunch today was eggplant tajeen or a more precise description  Arabic style Moussaka, it’s very similar but without white sauce , it contains baked or fried eggplants with cooked minced meat with onions ,with layers of green peppers and potatoes ( optional ) some people make it with only eggplants and meat . After layering them you add a pack of tomato paste with 2 cups of water then leave to cook in the oven or on very low heat (  I added a cube of chicken stock to enhance the flavor)

Ingredients and method of cookies ( makes 2 dozens)

* 1 cup butter.

* 1 cup sugar.

* 2 1/2 cups flour.

* 2 tablespoons milk.

* 1/2 cup crushed walnuts.

* 1 cup cherries.

 

* Beat butter and sugar very well till creamy then add salt and flour.

* add milk till you get a firm dough.

* roll dough to a long rectangle on  wax paper.

* arrange cherries in a line in the middle then close dough on them.

* roll the cylinder formed over crushed walnuts then wrap all in the wax paper and refrigerate for 1 hour till firm.

* cut the log to 1 cm pieces and arrange in an oven pan and bake in a medium heated oven for 15-20 minutes.

* cool then store in a well closed jar.

* NOTE: these cookies can be done a week ahead and will stay fresh if stored well.

 

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