Orange Pound Cake and Me, Me, Me!

I know you guys lie awake at night, thinking to yourselves; "What I want most in the world is to know more about Vickii ..." Well, consider your wish my command, because this post is mostly about me! Ha ha, only kidding. Kind of.  I saw this on another blog (can't remember which one) and thought it would be fun to do - so enjoy, and feel free to judge me as harshly as you want.


Today's post is an orange pound cake that I made for church a few weeks ago when the weather was so lovely, I wanted to bake something with a refreshing zesty flavour. A lot of people thought it was lemon drizzle cake which is interesting as I think it is quite distinctively orange. But either way, it is a gorgeous pound cake. Soft and moist and fabulously citrusy yet not overwhelmingly so. Enjoy!

 1. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Totally! I'm a great friend.
2. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
A lot compared to who? Actually, it doesn't matter, yes I use sarcasm a lot. In fact, I think  I'm genetically incapable of opening my mouth without being sarcastic. 
3. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yup
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Does bacon count?
5. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Probably not. I don't really get the point of jumping off somewhere really high just to bounce up and down and dangle after. Jumping out of a plane, now that I get.
6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
The cereal formerly known as Cinnamon Grahams. I've introduced so many people to it! It is  soooo good that I don't think it can technically be referred to as cereal. More like crunchy dessert.
7. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Only my running shoes because apparently it's bad to tug them off your feet while they're still laced up.
8. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
One of the American Ben & Jerry's flavours. I can't choose. That's like asking me to pick a favourite child. (I don't have kids but I imagine that would be hard ;p)
9. RED OR PINK?
Pink - despite vehemently fighting it, it turns out I'm quite a girly girl
10. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO ON YOUR NEXT VACATION?
Hawaii. Or Cape Town. I wouldn't say no to Tahiti either. Or Thailand.
11. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Camel coloured boots.
12. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
A jam sandwich for breakfast.
13. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Yellow!
14. FAVORITE SMELLS?
I have LOTS of favourite smells. The sea. The smell of yummy baking. Stella McCartney's Stella perfume. Jo Malone's Nectarine and Honey perfume. Davidoff's cool water on men. The smell of caramelising onions. Freshly brewed coffee.... I could go on forever
15. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My mum

16. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

Football during the World or European cups17. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Nope

18. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Happy endings.
19. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Going The Distance. It wasn't as good the second time around.

20. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

I'm wearing a strappy top in a colour best described as some shade of yellow.

21. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

'I'm reading 'The Nanny Returns' - sequel to 'The Nanny Diaries'. I wouldn't recommend it.
22. FAVORITE SOUND?
The sound of waves crashing on a beach.23. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Depends on which is further from London; California or Vancouver?

24. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU WATCHED ON TV?

Probably 'Come Dine with Me'.

Recipe from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Yields 2 loaves

Ingredients

For the Pound Cake

226g unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4 extra - large eggs, at room temperature

1/3 cup grated orange zest (from 6 oranges)

3 cups plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

3/4 cup buttermilk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Orange Syrup

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup sugar

For the Orange Glaze

2 cups icing sugar

4 - 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 - Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4 / 350F. Grease bottom and sides of two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess. Line the bottoms with grease proof paper (optional).

2 - Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest.

3 - In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

4 - In another small bowl, combine orange juice, buttermilk and vanilla.

5 - Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternatively to the butter and sugar mixture; beginning and ending with the flour. Beat until combined, not too long.

6 - Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes

7 - While the loaves are cooling, make the orange syrup by combining the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.

8 - Remove loaves from tin and place on a wire rack positioned over a baking sheet. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the loaves. 

9 - Brush the tops and sides of the loaves with the orange syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cakes cool completely.

10 - To make the orange glaze, in a small bowl whisk together the icing sugar and 4 tablespoons of the orange juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of orange juice if the mixture is too stiff.

11 - Pour the orange glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the orange glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving

Mojito cupcakes and My Favourite Books Reviewed Part 1

Good morning :)

As I explained in this post, I'm an avid reader. And I'm going to start reviewing some of my favourite books of all time on here thereby incorporating two of my favourite things; eating baking and reading. And writing. Okay, make that three of my favourite things. 


However, don't let my enthusiastic book review distract you from today's cupcakes because they're absolutely scrumptious! Even if I do say so myself. My housemate proclaimed them her favourite of all the many, many cupcakes I have made. I chose to be flattered rather than indignantly insulted on behalf of all the other cupcakes :)

The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillipa Gregory

Have you ever read a Jackie Collins book? If you haven’t, do yourself a favour and beg, borrow or steal one. If you have, then you’ll understand what a treat you are in for when I say The other Boleyn Girl is just like a Collins book, except it has more substance, it is set in the 16^th century, and it features deviant monarchs and courtiers instead of rock royalty and pop princesses.

This definitely isn’t your typical boy meets girl story. For one, the boy is King Henry VIII - he of the six wives fame – and the girl is Anne Boleyn. The boy is already married to Queen Katherine of Aragon and before falling for Anne, he had an affair with her sister; Mary. Oh, did I forget to mention that Mary was married at the time and her husband all too aware that she was the King’s mistress?

In a nutshell, this novel is the story of Anne’s rise to the throne as Queen of England, told through her sister’s eyes. This is a genius move on Gregory’s part as it gives a personal and spectacularly fascinating (albeit fictional) insight into a historical saga that most of us are at least vaguely familiar with. Anne herself is truly one of the most interesting characters ever to grace the pages of a book. She is extremely intelligent, and the relentless ambition with which she first gets the King’s attention, and the rather crazed dedication with which she holds it for several years while he tries to get a divorce from Katherine – and all without sleeping with the famously lusty King – make for fascinating reading.

Scandalous and enlightening, this is a must-read for anybody who thinks palace life in Tudor England was boring. This is such an interesting and remarkably well written book that you will be torn between devouring it every spare minute you get and savouring every last word because you know that reaching the end of this book might be the last time in a long while you read anything this brilliant. As for me, if it is even half as good as this book, I am planning to make ‘The Tudors’ (also about Henry VIII) my new TV addiction. 

Makes 12 cupcakes


For the cupcakes - recipe from Alpine Berry


Ingredients


1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup mint leaves, loosely packed
3/4 cup whole milk, hot
113g unsalted butter, at room temp
1 cup golden caster sugar
2 eggs
grated zest of 2 limes
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rum (optional)


1 - Preheat oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4 / 350F
2 - Add mint leaves to hot milk. Let steep for 10-15 minutes. Pour milk through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Press liquid from mint leaves. Discard leaves and allow milk to cool slightly
3 - Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4 - In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, 3 - 5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally.
5 - Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. 
6 - Mix in lime zest, vanilla and rum (if using)
7 - On a very low speed, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and ending with flour, mixing until just incorporated
8 - Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and half fill each liner with cake batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 18 - 22 minutes
9 - Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely.

For the frosting


Ingredients


225g softened cream cheese
1/2 cup soft dark brown sugar
2 cups icing sugar
2 cups whipping or double cream
Grated zest of 1 lime
1 tsp fresh lime juice


1 - Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, lime juice, lime zest and brown sugar until light and creamy and the sugar completely incorporated. 
2 - Add the icing sugar and beat for another couple of minutes
3 - Beat the whipping/double cream in a separate bowl until very thick
4 - Add the cream to the cream cheese mixture and whip for a minute or two until thoroughly combined
5 - Frost cupcakes

Weight Watchers Mini Double Choc Chip and Orange Cookies and Giveaway Winner!

First things first, the winner of my giveaway (picked by using random.org) to win a copy of James Ramsden's 'Small Adventures in Cooking' was this comment:

YAY a giveaway!!!

Hmm considering I have never really tried to impress anyone with my cooking ... ( or maybe I have) ... I guess it'll have to be my chicken/salmon fried rice (its always on demand and it is so easy and fast to make! Oh and EXTREMELY TASTY :-P) 

Twitter follower.
beelatweets

Congratulations Beelatweets!!!

Min: Max: Result:8Powered by RANDOM.ORG

And for today's recipe:

Recipe Source - Weight Watchers Your Week Magazine

5 Pro Points per 4 cookies

Makes 24 cookies

Ingredients

100g low fat spread

10g artificial sweetener

1 egg, beaten

Grated zest of 1 orange

100g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

40g milk chocolate chips (I used white chocolate chips)

1 - Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180C/fan oven 160C

2 - Beat the low fat spread and the sweetener together until combined (about 2 minutes)

3 - Beat in the egg, a little at a time, and then beat in the orange zest

4 - Combine the flour and cocoa powder into the low fat spread and beat in until combined, then stir in half of the chocolate chips. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for 1 hour or until starting to firm up

5 - Line two large baking trays with grease proof paper and set aside

6 - Scoop 24 teaspoons of the cookie mix onto the baking trays, spacing the spoonfuls well apart, then pat into flat rounds with your fingertips - the dough will be sticky, so be gentle as you pat them into shape

7 - Press in the remaining chocolate chips and bake for 15 minutes until crisp. 

8 - Leave to cool and store in an airtight container. They will keep for 2 - 3 days.

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting

To set the scene for today's post, I must tell you two very important things about me.

1. I am addicted to Twitter
2. I know very little about children. In my defence, I just don't have very many in my life. Please do take this as a HUGE hint my married sister and friends :)

So when I invited a friend and her two kids over for lunch one Sunday after church, I had a bit of a dilemma. And naturally, as with all important life decisions, I decided to ask for help on Twitter.  Here is the conversation I had with one particularly helpful friend of mine.


Me: Forgive my ignorance but do kids eat the same food as full grown people??
T: No. They eat specially created food from specially created specialist children's shops
Me: Dammit. That's what I was afraid of. Where are these shops ;p
T: There is one near Hogwarts and another half way up Jack's beanstalk. Next to the pub called the white nosed rhino.
Me: Hogwarts is way too far. I might have to feed these kids some adult food. Thanks for your help though!


To this day, I can't rid myself of the niggling feeling that he was mocking me. So yeah, thanks for nothing Trey! 
All by myself, I came up with a menu of meatballs cooked in tomato sauce in the oven with pasta, salad and these cupcakes for dessert.


It all went down pretty well even if I do say so myself. The kids wanted to come round again the following Sunday. That's good huh? But I think the highlight were these cupcakes. Yum! The cake itself is moist, soft and not too sweet at all! And the frosting ... wow! Brown butter frosting is a revelation. It tastes ... it's difficult to describe the taste, it's a fusion of subtle spice and it's a bit nutty and a bit caramelly and a whole lot of incredible! Thank you Brandy for submitting this recipe to 'Frosting for the Cause'!

Makes 20 cupcakes


Ingredients - for the Pumpkin Cupcakes


1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
113g unsalted butter, softened
2 cups plain flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree (In the UK, you can buy this in Waitrose)


1 - Preheat oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4 / 350F
2 - Combine the dry ingredients (Except for the sugar) together in a bowl
3 - Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; about 4 minutes
4 - Add eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition
5 - Add the flour mixture, milk and pumpkin in the following order - 1/3 flour, milk, 1/3 flour, pumpkin, last 1/3 flour - mixing after each addition until just combined. Scrape the bowl after the last addition of flour to make sure all the ingredients are well combined
6 - Line the cupcake tins with liners and fill each liner until 2/3 full with the batter. 

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean

7 - Leave cupcakes to cook on a rack and make the browned butter frosting in the meantime


Ingredients - Browned Butter Frosting
1 cup of brown butter (Instructions to make follow)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup of whipping or double cream (more can be used depending on the consistency you want)


To make the brown butter
1 - Start with 1 cup of unsalted butter, cut into chunks. Put it in a small saucepan and boil on medium low heat until it slowly cooks and boils and results in a golden/brown colour

2 - Let the brown butter cool. Once cooled add to the mixer with the cinnamon and vanilla. Mix until just combined
3 - Add the icing sugar one cup at at time. Once it is all added, it will be very dry and crumbly
4 - Add the whipping cream while mixing on low until combined and smooth - about 4-5 minutes. If still too thick to frost, add whipping cream one tablespoon at a time till you reach your desired consistency

5 - Frost cupcakes

Cook Book Review and A Giveaway!! James Ramsden's 'Small Adventures in Cooking'

Before I started writing this review, I Google-imaged James Ramsden's name.


"Why?" you might wonder. Well, because I wanted to see a photo of him.
"Why is that?" you might again ask. And the answer to that is that I had an image of him when I finished reading his 'Small Adventures in Cooking' and I wanted to see if I was correct.
In my head, James Ramsden looked not unlike a young(er) Jamie Oliver and I pictured him pottering around a (rather small) kitchen in surfer shorts and flip flops (yeah yeah I know they're not appropriate kitchen footwear). Because his food philosophy seems to be chill out. The only rules of cooking are there are no rules. Oh except for have fun. And if you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong.

In his debut cookbook, Ramsden demystifies cooking. With eight sections ranging from 'Corner shop capers' (Fare for when you've been drinking and/or are hungover) to 'Surfing the stumbling blocks' (recipes for those foods that can give even experienced cooks slight heart palpitations - souffle anyone?), 'Small Adventures' is a guide that will see you through most cooking scenarios.


His recipes are interesting yet not too complicated, impressive but totally achievable. And best of all, they're for me and you; people with jobs who don't have hours to spend cooking a meal which will be devoured in minutes. People who can find their way round a kitchen but don't have culinary school training. And it is food that covers all sorts of food genres - there are curries and chicken livers, English muffins and meringues. On my 'To make ASAP' list are the Thai pork patties, cheese toast with a twist, goat curry, 6 cheese and ale fondue and the chocolate, chili and cardamom tart!


One of my qualms with this book is not to do with the content but rather the design. Don't get me wrong, it is very cool. But that's exactly it. It feels too much like a boys book. I like my cook books with a huge picture of some glossy, mouthwatering dish on the cover that makes me want to lick it because I know that my version will never look that good. But perhaps that is the point, that the book isn't intimidating. Like the content, the cover and design isn't setting standards so high that the reader can't fail but fall dismally short of.


Oh, you're probably wondering if the picture of James Ramsden looked like the surfer my imagination produced. He didn't. Which is a good thing - my surfer dude probably couldn't string two sentences together (he's wearing flip flops in a kitchen after all!); much less write a very good cook book.


Now for the GIVEAWAY!


I'm giving away the copy of James Ramsden's 'Small Adventures in Cooking' which the lovely people at Quadrille Books sent me. There is one mandatory way to enter and additional ways to gain entries into the giveaway:


CLOSING DATE - Midnight on FRIDAY 1st JULY (Giveaway now closed)


Rules and How to Enter
1) Giveaway is open to everyone with a UK mailing address 
2) For the mandatory way to enter, leave a comment below telling me what your speciality dish is. Y'know, that dish you cook when you're trying to impress, or on short notice?
3) For another entry, follow my blog using the Google Friend Connect 'Follow' button on the right of my blog. Leave a separate comment to tell me you have done this or if you are already following
4) For yet another entry, follow me on Twitter @vickii373 and leave a comment here to tell me you are following me on Twitter and what your username is. Let me know if you're already following me.


GOOD LUCK!!!!

Chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecakes

Hey hey. Guess what I've got on my mind today?
 ... 
Did you guess yet?


Books. And Crushes. 


Lemme explain. I am an avid reader. That's how I know how to use words like 'avid' ;p And today, I was tweeting about the book I'm currently reading when I thought that I'd really like  to start incorporating book reviews into my blog. Which means you guys are going to be subjected to my opinions about some of the books I read. If you don't like to read, well ...  then ... you're missing out big time. And no! You can't just watch the movie. It is never as good!


On a related note, the lovely people at Quadrille books have sent me a new cook book to review which I'll do next week, as well as run a giveaway for a copy of the book. My very first giveaway! Are you excited? I am!


On to crushes. I was thinking that I have a blog crush on the creator of today's recipe; Lauren's Latest. And it got me thinking of the other blog crushes I have - Annie's Eats, How Sweet it is and Gingerbread Bagels to name a few.  
Y'all already know about my chef crush on Nigella Lawson right? Well did you know I also crush on the lesser known though equally talented Jo Pratt? And the Caribbean food god Levi Roots? Oooh and the Ace of Cakes. Though I don't know his name.
I have clothes crushes on dresses and playsuits. 
Hollywood actor crushes on Josh Hartnett and Joshua Jackson - *swoon* wasn't Pacey Witter just the best character to ever grace our TVs? 
Halle Berry, Nicole Richie and Rihanna are my girl crushes, Kathryn Stockett (have I raved about her debut novel 'The Help' yet?) and Chimamanda Adichie are my author crushes ... I think you get the message, I have crushes just about everywhere.


Everywhere, that is, except in real life. If my work's HR department is reading this, it is upon your weary heads I lay the burden of  hiring me a real life, everyday crush. Thank you.


Till then, peace, love and cookie dough cheesecake. 


Makes 12


Ingredients


For the cookie dough
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp icing sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp chocolate chips


For the cheesecakes
12 Oreo cookies
227g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg


Chocolate chips (to decorate)


1 - Preheat oven to 170C /Gas mark 3/ 325F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners and set aside
To make cookie dough:
2 - Place softened butter into a medium sized bowl. Stir in sugars until well incorporated

3 - Stir in vanilla, salt and flour. It may seem too dry at first but it should all mix in

4 - Once flour is no longer visible, mix the dough with your hand. The heat of your hands should help keep things sticking together. 

Mix in chocolate chips and form dough into a log with the same diameter as the Oreo cookies

5 - Score the top of the dough to get even pieces and then slice

6 - Place dough rounds on top of Oreo cookie and press down lightly to help it stick. If the dough circles are a little too big, just press the overlapping dough to be flush with the side of the cookie, and then smooth the top
7 - Place these into the prepared muffin tins and set aside

To make the cheesecake filling
8 - Whip cream cheese in a large bowl
9 - Slowly pour in sugar and flour. Scrape down sides and mix again briefly
10 - Whip in vanilla extract and egg until incorporated. Scrape sides and whip again
11 - Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of cheesecake mix over each cookie stack and spread on top and around cookie. (This recipe makes just enough cheesecake to cover these, so start with smaller amounts covering the tops and adding extra spoonfuls from there)

12 - Bake for 20 minutes or until cheesecake is set completely. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until completely chilled. Once ready to serve, remove paper liners and top with chocolate chips

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

Last week was kinda tough for me - I made the decision to let go of someone in my life. Letting go is difficult at the best of times - especially for me as I'm a natural hoarder. I hang on to books, clothes, letters, CDs; pretty much everything - but it's even harder to let go of someone that I've fought to keep in my life in the past and if life was perfect, someone I'd never have to let go of. Anyway, c'est la vie... and enough about me. Let's talk about my baking as I intend to bake my way through my funk! Hang on, that's about me too ... ah well, we'll talk about it anyway.

I made these cookies for church. I go to this great Church called 'Equippers' and for the first time ever, I can say I actually really enjoy church! I can't wait to go on a Sunday and I feel like I've missed out if I miss one Sunday. It is a church where everyone pitches into the life of the church and for a long while, I wasn't contributing anything till recently when I started baking. We have a break between worship and the sermon for tea and coffee and whenever I can (I'm aiming for every week), I make something to eat with our teas and coffees. So far I've made Rocky Road and brownies and I'm constantly on the lookout for suitable recipes as it has to be stuff that is already portioned or easy to portion and also easy to transport. So there will be a LOT of cookies and bars in my church's future!

I love cinnamon and bookmarked these cookies as soon as I saw them. Now, I have to admit that I wasn't expecting great things from these cookies as y'know, they don't contain chocolate, or peanut butter, or Oreos (all the staples of a great ... anything) in them ... but they are AMAZING! They're soft and each mouthful is choc-full of cinnamon roll taste. And the slightly coffee flavoured icing is a stroke of genius! Thanks to Sing for your Supper for the recipe!

If I had a big enough freezer, I'd have a roll of this dough always in it, ready to cut and bake wonderful cookies!

Ingredients

For the cookies

226g unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup golden caster sugar

2 eggs

2 tsps vanilla

2 tsps cinnamon

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp salt

For the filling

57g unsalted butter, very soft

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

For the icing

2 cups icing sugar

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 - 4 tablespoons milk

To make cookies

1 - In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt

2 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. 

Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time, and beat until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl

3 - Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined, scraping the bowl as needed

4 - Scrape the dough into a ball in the centre of the bowl, cover with cling film and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for at least an hour.

5 - Once the dough is chilled, divide it into two equal halves. Place one half back in the bowl and put it back in the fridge. On a large piece of cling film, pat the first half of the dough into a rectangle about nine inches by 12 inches and about half an inch thick

6 - Place half of the butter on the dough and spread it all the way to the edges. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar evenly over the buttered dough and press the sugar into the dough using the back of a tablespoon. Finally, sprinkle half of the cinnamon evenly over the dough.

7 - Use the plastic wrap to tightly roll the dough into a log.Place the log in the freezer for 30 minutes or the refrigerator for at least an hour. 

8 - Repeat with the remaining half of the dough and filling ingredients.

9 - Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F/ Gas Mark 4. Line a baking sheet with grease proof paper

10 - After the dough has chilled again, slice each log into one inch slices (about 20 per log). Place on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before icing

To make the icing
 11 -  In a medium bowl, combine the butter and instant espresso powder. 
 12 - Add the icing sugar and vanilla and whisk until it just comes together. 
 13 - Next, add the milk, one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. It should be thin enough to drizzle, but thicker than a glaze.
 14 - With the cookies on a wire cooling rack set over parchment paper, drizzle the icing over the them with your whisk. Allow the cookies to set up for a few minutes before stacking or storing.