Barcelona is full of Xmas decorations these days, but with 19ºC and blue skies I fell like I overslept the winter.
To get into Xmas mood I made some cinnamon cookies based on a traditional german cinnamon star cookie recipe.
Hope you like my smiley heart interpretation

Cinnamon heart cookies
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Ingredients: 

*100g ground hazelnut
*2 egg whites
*a pinch of salt
*1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
*125g white sugar
*1 sachet vanilla bourbon sugar
*2 teaspoons of cinnamon
*125g ground almond

*some powdered sugar for the cookie cutter

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Beat the egg ,salt and lemon juice until stiff, then add the white sugar slowly and beat well.
Remove 3 tablespoons of the egg white mix and set aside.

Add vanilla bourbon sugar, cinnamon, hazelnuts and almonds to the batter and stir until evenly mixed.
Cover and set aside, letting the mixture rest for 2 hours in a cool place.

After 2 hours place the dough in between 2 sheets of baking paper, to roll out. ( the dough is very sticky and believe me you want to avoid the mess). Roll out to approx.2cm thickness.
Preheat the oven @150ºC
Then make the cut-outs using your favourite cookie cutter, dipped in powdered sugar.
Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Take the remaining egg white and add some drops of water.
Spread some egg white on each cookie ( I recommend using your fingers – it works best)
Bake the cookies in the lower part of the oven for 15-17mins and let cool before enjoying

 

cute Nokia ad

hearing Angus and Julia Stone

beautiful photography from Fabrice Mabillot

making this animal farm birthday cake

seeing Karen Elson on the cover of the new Lula. A friend is hopefully bringing it from London tomorrow. Can’t wait to scan some images for you

After a mad week at work I finally used the gift voucher I got over a year! ago for the fabulous Spa in hotel Omm - and treated myself with a relaxing Japanese Green Tea Ritual. What lies closer than showing you my new green tea cookie recipe. The green tea taste is slightly bitter, so I added some melted white chocolate between 2 cookies, which was delicious. Have a great weekend

Green Tea cookies

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Ingredients cookies:
*240g flour
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1-2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
*50g powdered sugar
*2-3 tablespoons unsweetened powdered green tea (Matcha)
*2 tablespoons soy milk
*240g softened butter
*1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

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Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl.
In another bowl mix the butter until creamy and add the almond/vanilla extract, then add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the soy milk and mix until well combined.
Divide the dough in 2 parts and wrap with plastic film. Let cool for 1 hour in the fridge.

Then add flour on your working space and on your rolling pin and roll out the dough to an approx. 0,7 cm thickness. Use your favourite cookie cutter and place the cookies on a baking paper lined baking tray. Sprinkle some white sugar on them.
Bake for 12-14 min @ 160ºC

Oh I love birthday parties – here are some images of a birthday party catering I did for the cutest 1 year old girl ever

I have a day off work but don’t feel very inspired today:( It’s a white sky day. There’s nothing worse than a white sky – no sun, no rain, no visible clouds  – the city looks surreal…
I needed something to cheer me up – and found dried cranberries, flaked coconut, some rests of walnuts and oat and a yawning emptiness in my cupboard. This is the result – and I have to say the improvisational things are always the best

Cranberry Coconut Cookies
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Ingredients for approx.20 cookies:
*140 g spelt flour
*120g melted butter or margarine
*55g sugar
*1 egg
*100g flaked coconut
*1 handful of dried cranberries
*1 handful of chopped walnuts (optional)
*60 g rolled oats
*1,5 teaspoon baking powder
* a hint of salt
* a hint of vanilla
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Preheat the oven@190ºC
Mix the melted butter together with the egg, sugar and vanilla.
Stir in the coconut and the oats. In a separate bowl mix the flour with the baking powder and salt and then stir into the batter and mix until well combined. Then add the cranberries and walnuts.
For each cookie place a small amount (approx. 5cm diameter and 1,5cm high)on a baking tray, lined with baking paper and keep some distance between the cookies as they will spread a bit.
Bake for 12-14 minutes and enjoy with a vanilla coffee

It’s freezing cold and getting really christmasy here in Barcelona… Honestly I’ve never been into christmas traditions and I’ve never been a big fan of christmas decorations, trees, presents, snow etc. But after 6 years out of Germany I have to say I am starting to appreciate it more and more and we’ll actually celebrate christmas this year!!! – of course in my own way:) Here are the first cookies I made with caramel and had together with a nice cup of Glühwein…