Kaastengels a la Obi :)

yummy kaastengels

Cooking with kids can be fun!

Well, the kitchen might be messy but the joy of tossing the ingredients, stirring the dough and cracking the eggs is so overwhelming...
At least in my case :)...

Saya seneeeng bangeeet masak dengan anak-anak. 
Soalnya seruuu...dan mereka memang benar-benar bisa membantu lho. 
Walaupun resikonya adalah dapur jadi amburadul, waktu memasak relatif lebih lama dan seringkali hasilnya jadi tidak seperti yang kita harapkan hehehe.
Tapi melihat Bo et Obi antusias memecahkan dan mengocok telur, menakar tepung, atau menambahkan coklat lagi dan lagi ke dalam adonan kue, rasanya mengharukan hehehe. Bahagia melihat muka celemotan dengan tepung dan meja makan yang meriah dengan hasil karya mereka :). Belum lagi kehebohan dengan pernak-pernik memasaknya, mulai dari apron alias celemek sampai cetakan kue yang lucu-lucu :).

Yang pasti, anak-anak bisa membantu memasak dengan tetap memperhatikan keamanan. Safety first...
Jadi jika mereka membantu, ekstra hati-hati dengan benda panas, tajam dan yang berbahaya lainnya, seperti pisau, baki panggangan yang panas, api kompor atau oven dan sejenisnya.

Dan kali ini, kita mau share pengalaman waktu masak kue keju alias kaastengel.
I know..baru juga mulai puasa tapi boleeeh yaaah share resep favorit kami sekeluarga :).

My family really enjoys hearty meals and yummy munchies. As I need to be careful with sugar and preservatives, I usually cook myself. Well, if I arrive from the office a bit late, Bo et Obi can be very handy in the kitchen. But we usually cook a lot during weekends. And sometimes, Bo et Obi know exactly what they want, so mommy has to stand ready :p.

One of our favorite munchies is kaastengel. 
Cheesy cookies..or some might say, cheese stick. 
Kaas means cheese in Dutch and Kaastengel is quite popular in Indonesia, especially for Eid ul Fitr or Christmas.

But since we love them sooo much, we don't always wait for those special moments. 
We just bake them regularly...enjoying the cooking time with my kiddos.

Including now, as we are about to welcome Ramadhan, the holy month..

I was simply laughing out loud as they started measuring the flour and counting the eggs just like the professional chef. Let alone when they start rolling the dough and sprinkle more and more chocolate or spill the butter. 

For sure the kitchen will be a bit messy but we can always clean it :). But the joy of laughing and creating something together is beyond words. 

But don't forget to make sure everything is safe for them. 
Watch out for sharp, hot, and dangerous objects while cooking with the kids.

So, as Kaastengeel or the cheese cookies are ou favorite, we decided to bake them :).

And here's our simple recipe for Kaastengel from Nenek Lilies, my mom :).
Perfect for any ocassion, particularly Eid Fitr, after the holy month of Ramadhan.
Or even now, for your Ifthar or any occassions you like.

Oh my, we haven't even finished fasting for the first day yet :) 

Ingredients : 

Flour 400 gram (or as needed)
Cheese 250 gram or more, grated 
I usually have Swiss Gruyere, Edam and/or Parmesan...you can also use Gauda et Cheddar of course, whatever you love :). I love the matured cheese because it tas really good and smell wonderfully.
Egg yolks 4
Butter 350 gr 
I usually mix Wijsman, the Dutch canned butter that my mom loves to use soooo much, with margarine or buttery spread, such as I Can't Believe It's not Butter :))
Milk powder 200 gram 
If you like..to add the creamy taste) 
Corn starch 100 gram 
For extra crunchy cookies..

For garnish:
Grated cheese 150 gram or more, depending how generous you are garnishing the cookies
2 Egg yolks, whisked and mixed with butter (2 spoonfull)
Clean brush

You will need baking trays, dough roller, cookie cutters and parchment paper.

How to cook 

Here comes the fun :)

Mix the butter and egg yolks well using mixer, then add the grated cheese. Mix them well.
Then knead the mixture with flour and cornstarch, gradually, until they all mix well and become soft, well-blended dough. The best way of doing it is using our clean hands, so you can really feel it. But of course you can always use the spatula or wooden spoon.

Then roll the dough and cut them using cookie cutter you like.

The traditional shape is rectangles but as you can see, we choose the heart-shaped cookie cutters for this.

Place them onto the greased baking trays.

Then preheat the oven to 420 degree F while you brush the cookies with whisked egg yolks and butter and sprinkle the grated cheese on top. Some extra sprinkles will be fun :)

Once everything is ready, put the trays  and bake till they are beautifully done for around 20 minutes.

Oh my, it looks yummy indeed :).

What's your favorite family recipe? Do you like cooking it with your kids as well?