Sunday, December 26, 2010

Chocolate Strawberry Log Cake

Please pardon me for being a mountain tortoise. I had never tried any gingerbread man cookies or any log cake cake before and this is my first attempt doing a swiss roll. I baked some gingerbread man cookies for my dear boy, but flung badly. He took a bite and rejected it. It does not taste bad, but it just too hard. Maybe i over do my dough or i change the recipes to
cold butter. This swiss roll is also a flung piece. But however, i decided to post it.










Ingredients: (Chocolate sponge)
(A)
4 Egg yolks
20g Sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence ( optional replace with chocolate emulco)

(B)
4 Egg Whites
1/4 tsp Cream of tartar

(C)
100g Sugar

(D)
70g Plain flour, sifted
30g Cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Baking powder

Method:
  1. Whip (A) until light and fluffly. (Pale or double in volume)
  2. Whip (B) until soft peaks form. Add (C) and continue whipping until stiff.
  3. Mix meringue with (A) until well blended.
  4. Sieve in (D) and fold until well incorporated.
  5. Pour it into a greased and lined swiss roll tins.
  6.  Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 8-10 mins till cooked and springy.
  7. Remove, turn onto a big piece of greased proof paper sprinkled with 1 tbsp castor sugar and leave to cool.
Strawberry Cream

Ingredients:
200g whipped cream
200g strawberries, chopped  and pad dry)
Chocolate spread can be added to whipped cream or melted chocolate.

Method:
  1. Spread cream on the swiss roll and sprinkle with chopped strawberries.
  2. Cover strawberries with some whipped cream.
  3. Carefull roll up the cake.
 Notes:
  • Do not attempt to put too much whipped cream or strawberries. I put 250g strawberry and i could not roll up properly.
  • Bake this in a smaller cake tin lined the parchment paper higher, if you do not have a bigger tin like me.
  • Can use cold or room temperture egg, i use slightly colder eggs.
  • Must be gently, when rolling the cake.
  • Method are all correct, but i overstuff the cake and roll it too hard causing the failure.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY DEAR BLOGGER!!!


 May all of you have a blessed Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!!!



Yesterday, i prepared some simple dishes and had a small celebration with my family. My younger sis and bro also came to our house. Couldn't buy any turkey at last mins, so i choose to bake ham.


Honey bake ham with honey mustard sauce,


Some baked potatoes cheeses and butter corn,



Chicken rice baked rice.

Well. That me simple life and simple meal.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Chocolate Banana Mousse Cake


Today was my DH birthday!  He requested for a same chocolate cake, i baked previously for my birthday. But due to health concern, i decided not to bake him anything that is too heaty. But of course still have the same ingredients of his favourite chocolate.... So after some searching from my recipes book, i finally settle on this. He like chocolate, banana and no cream.




Take a peek inside of the slice cake.....


This time round, i did not use a sponge cake. I use my moist chocolate cake with macadamia nuts. My DH was thrilled and especially my son. He nip all the chocolate deco first and ate the whole slice of cake. I gave some to my MIL and the feedback was excellent. My DH was grumpy when, i gave some cake to my MIL LOL>>>

Ingredients: (20cm cake mould)
Chocolate cake (A)
125g butter (room temperature)
175g sugar (Caster sugar or brown, own preference)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp instant coffee powder (dissolved in 1 tsp hot water)
2 eggs
160ml  water
110g plain flour
30g cornflour
35g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
75g macadamia nuts (toasted and chopped)

Chocolate mousse (B)
120g chocolate
70g milk + 50g whipping cream
30g sugar
250g topping cream
10g gelatine
40ml water
Some banana halved
some lemon juice to sprinkle on

Chocolate frosting (C)
140ml UHT whipping cream
350g chocolate
1 tbsp butter

Method:

(A)
  1. Preheat oven at 180C.
  2. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla essence and coffee until light and creamy, Slowly add in the eggs.
  3. Add in all the sifted flour alternating with water. Lastly, add in the nuts.
  4. Pour into a greased and lined cake mould.
  5. Bake at 180C for 45 mins or until done.
(B)
  1. Whip the topping cream till stiff.
  2. Halved the banana and sprinkle lemon juice on it.
  3. Bloom the gelatine for 10 mins.
  4. Heat up the milk and whipping cream till hot.
  5. Stir in the sugar till smooth.
  6. Add in the chocolate until dissolved completely.
  7. Add  in the gelatine stir till gelatine melted.
  8. Cool the mousse a little, then add into the whipped cream.
(C)
  1. Heat cream in double boiler and add in the chocolate and butter.
  2. Stir until chocolate has melted.
  3. Leave to cool slightly before pouring on top of the cake.


To assembly:
  1. Cut the cool chocolate cake into 3 layers horizontally and divide the mousse into 2 portion.
  2. Place one chocolate cake on the base of the proper secure cake ring.
  3. Spread half of the mousse and arrange banana slices on top. Cover the banana with the remaining mousse (portion 1).
  4. Top with 2nd layer of chocolate cake and repeat step 3. (portion 2)
  5. Lastly cover with the 3rd layer of chocolate cake and leave in the fridge to set.
  6. When set remove the cake from the cake ring and pour the chocolate frosting.
  7. Smooth the chocolate frosting quickly, as it set very fast. Decorate as desire. Refrigerate until set.
This cake was suppose to be glossy, i don't understand why i always can't get it. Plss anyone can enlighten me on how to get a glossy top.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Melting Peanut Cookies

So tired stay tune. I'll add the recipes tomorrow. This is definitely a keeper.

Ingredients:
63g shortening / Lard (Crisco)
100g Plain flour
75g Roasted peanuts (grinded)
63g Icing sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla essence
1 Egg Yolk (for glazing)
Some halved peanuts for decoration (optional)

Method:
  • Roasted the peanuts and remove the shell. Grind them into powder.
  • Sift all flour, add in grinded peanut powder and vanilla essence.
  • Mix in the shortening until dough form. If the dough is too dry add more shortening 10g at a time.
  • Divide the dough into 6g or 8g and roll them into ball gently.
  • Press a tiny hole and glaze them with egg yolk.
  • Bake at a preheated oven 180C for 15-20 mins till crispy and golden brown.
  • Handle carefully the cookies is very fragile.
Notes: Slightly dry looking, taste wise, definitely bake again. It melts in your mouth. Will add more shortening to
             bind them without wrinkles. The picture display is 8g, i weigh them individually.

Almond Cookies

Another CNY cookies coming up...

Crispy Cashew Nuts Cookies 1

Recently, My DH kept prompting me to try baking some CNY cookies for him to test. He wanted to choose some tasty one among a few types, i bake and gave to his customer as a gift. (Coz i never bake any CNY cookies before, he don't trust me) I should be trying some Log Cake instead CNY cookies. OMG! My Son is asking for his dear gingerbread man. So i decided to try my DH favorite Cashew Nuts Cookies. But he like those traditional type, so I'm trying my luck. :>

Cream butter and sugar

Add in egg and vanilla essence

Mix all flour and cashew nuts powder

Lastly,  gently fold them together

Tata! Out of the oven now


Ingredients:
  • 120g Butter/Margarine
  • 70g Castor Sugar
  • 30g Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
  • 180g Plain Flour
  • 20g Custard Powder
  • 1 Small Egg
  • 60g Roasted Finely Grinded Cashew Nuts Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • Some Roasted Cashew Nuts, halved (decoration)
  • 1 Egg Yolk (for glazing)
  • a few drop of yellow colour (optional)

Method:
  1. Cream butter and sugar till creamy. Add egg and vanilla essence mix till well combined.
  2. Mix in all the sifted flour and grinded cashew nuts to form into a pliable dough.
  3. Place the dough in between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll into 1/2 cm thick.
  4. Cut into shape using any cookie cutter of your choice.
  5. Place onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper or aluminium foil.
  6. Press the half cashew nut on top of the cookies and glaze with the egg yolk.
  7. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 15-20 mins till golden brown.
  8. Cool completely before storing.
Sadly to say he reject this. I'll continue to try until i reach the taste.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Strawberry sponge cake


I used this sponge to do my girl birthday cake using a "8 inch" square cake tin. Flung or pass the test? It is soft and fluffy.



Ingredients:
  • 4 Eggs
  • 120g Castor Sugar
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 130g Cake Flour (Sifted)
  • 30g Melted Butter
  • 30g Strawberry Milk (i used HL Strawberry)
  • 1 Tsp Strawberry Emulco
  • 1/2 Tsp Strawberry Essence

Methods:
  1. Whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed about 8 mins until double in volume. (soft peak)
  2. Stir in the sifted flour in 3 patches, mix until well blended.
  3. Add in the melted butter and fold well.
  4. Add the milk and strawberry emulco/strawberry essence fold gently.
  5. Pour the batter into a greased and lined 20cm square mould. Bake at a preheated oven for 30-35mins
Take a look at pengskitchen blog, she had video to teach you step by step.
Adapted from: http://pengskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/12/simple-sponge-cake.html

Hello Kitty strawberry sponge cake

Phew! This was consider a huge project for me. At first, i thought of doing a chocolate outline with piping gel. But happen to saw Anncoo Journal Blog. Her blog was so well organize and especially her cake are so beautifully done. After seeking advise from her i decide to do chocolate transfer on my cake.

 Tata! My first creation...

 Till now still don't understand, why i can't make sponge cake so easily like chiffon. Must practice more to improve on my cake foundation and make up. It's not balance and smooth. It getting late and the whipped cream melt on me (warmed hand).

My ger was very happy and of course the mum too. This was all done in one whole day. Have to thank my V sister for helping me to look after the kids. I make two strawberry sponge, sandwich by whipped cream (chopped chocolate oreo). The picture was done by chocolate transfer.

Click here to find out more about kids cake and wonderful recipes:
 http://anncoojournal.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post.html
http://christinelua328.blogspot.com/2009/07/winnie-pooh-birthday-cake.html

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Chocolate cupcake

This is my first time doing a piping. It looks so terrible, but at least i tried. A small token for my niece wedding teabreak. As usually i did my moist chocolate cupcake, using buttercream frosting.  But the buttercream melts so fast due to the humid weather. Hopefully, they like it.


Naked Chocolate Cupcake before frosting.....


Earl Grey Tea chiffon

I was wondering how Eary Grey Tea will taste like, as I'm not really a tea lover. The only tea i drink frequently are Green tea, Lipton and Red tea. I dislike the flowery taste or fruity taste of certain tea my friend recommend me. Errr... Anyway it seem like alot blogger are using this to bake cakes or even cookies. I decided to try it out.


using a "7 inch" cake tin



Ingredients


(A)
1 tbsp Earl Grey tea powder (about 3 satchels)
100g cake flour
11/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsps salt
3 egg yolks
40g caster sugar
50ml vegetable oil
75ml water

(B)
3 egg whites
40g caster sugar


Method:

  • Hand whisk egg yolks with sugar until dissolves. 
  • Add in salt, 40g caster sugar, oil, earl grey tea and sifted flour mixture. Whisk until incorporated.
  • In a clean, dry stainless steel mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy and foamy.
  • Add 40g caster sugar and beat until just before stiff peak.
  • Fold in 1/3 of the meringue and mix with the egg yolk until well combined. Add the remaining meringue and mix well.
  • Pour the batter into "7 inch" cake tin. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for 45 mins. Remove the foil and bake for 10 mins.
  • Immediately invert it after taking out from the oven. When it cools, remove it from the mould.
Notes: Preheat oven at 180C for 25 mins using top and bottom heat in the lowest rack.



Recipes source from : http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2008/08/earl-grey-chiffon-cake.html

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Madeleines






Ingredients:
160g castor sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
3 eggs
50ml milk
170g plain  flour
30g corn flour
11/2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
200g salted butter, melted


Method:
  1. Sift flour and baking powder set aside.
  2. Mix the sugar with lemon zest and set it aside for 1 hour for the smell to be infused into the sugar.
  3. Then add the eggs into the sugar mixture and beat until mixture is slightly thick and add in milk and mix well.
  4. Add in sifted flour and mix well.
  5. Add in melted butter and mix until batter is glossy. Cover with a cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  6. Oil the madeleines moulds with butter and lightly flour it. Tap away excess flour from the moulds.
  7. Fill the moulds with batter just slightly more than ½ full.
  8. Preheat oven at 190C and bake the madeleines for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown. Unmould and leave on rack to cool. You can sift some icing sugar or snow powder on the madeleines when it has cool down completely.
Adapted from: http://bakingmum.blogspot.com/2009/08/another-medeleines-recipe-for-you-to.html

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Chocolate Hazelnut praline cake

It my birthday tomorrow. But somehow felt so deserted from the world outside. Anyway bake a cake for myself with lots of chocolates hoping that it helps.



Ugly looking cake, just like my feeling right now


Left over mousse, use it to sandwich the chocolate cake.


I used my same chocolate cake, hazelnut praline, chocolate hazelnut mousse and chocolate coating. Those bump on the mousse are the hazelnut. A lot of step in the process and left with no time for me to do a proper decorating. I had always wanted to do a proper piping on cake, but unable to do so :(  Excuses due to poor piping skill !

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Piping Gel

Recently have been busying searching and planning cakes for myself and my daughter. Anyone out there please share chocolate praline royale mousse cake (Four leaves coco exotic cake)? Trying to do for my birthday on 25 Nov. Nothing beats a favorite and lovely cake bake by myself on my birthday. PLSSSS!!!

Prepare this gel for my daughter birthday cake decoration.


Ingredients:
2 tbsps gelatine
2 tbsps cold water
2 cups light corn syrup

Methods:
  • Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small saucepan and let set for about 5 minutes.
  • Double boil or microwave on low until the gelatin has become dissolved - DO NOT BOIL.
  •  Add the syrup and heat thoroughly. Cool and store, refrigerated, for up to 2 months.

TO COLOR: Add coloring paste/gel or food coloring drops to get desired color.
TO USE: Put in icing bag or plastic squeeze bottle and decorate.




Adapted from www.dianasdesserts.com

Mango Yogurt Sponge Cake

Another overdue posting on May 2010.  I find it so difficult to to express my feeling in words and I'm so afraid that i might make a fool of myself by posting error here and there :( Anyway who cares, i am what i am. Blur Blur queen!!!


This is my another first attempt of sponge cake. I always find it so difficult to bake a sponge cake, as compare to chiffon. Don't understand why? This is a mini mould cake, but i was too lazy to grease the mini mould one by one. Hence, i did it into a "8 inch" cake square mould. Look ugly but delicious and not too sickening

Ingredients:
(A)
3 eggs
280g sponge mix
(B)
100g mango yogurt drink
(C)
120g melted butter
60g Mango yogurt

Methods:
  1. Whip (A) until light. Stir in (B) and continue whipping until light and fluffy.
  2. Fold in (C) and mix until well blended.
  3. Pour the batter into a greased square mould. Bake at 180C 40 minutes remove foil and bake for 10 minutes to brown the surface.

Adapted from: Alex Goh baking book (Fruity Cakes)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Chocolate biscuit cake



Feeling so exhausted recently i decided to do some chocolaty stuff to boost my energy level and clear some stock in my cupboard. Here is a quick post of the recipes.

Ingredients: ("8 inch" square tin)
18 pieces of  Marie biscuits
140ml UHT whipping cream
350g cooking chocolate
1 tbsp butter

Methods:
  1. Heat cream in double-boiler and add in chocolate and butter. Stir until chocolate has melted.
  2. Leave to cool slightly before pouring in the cake tin.
  3. Divide into 3 portion.
  4. Spread evenly on the base of a fully grease and lined cake tin.
  5. Place the Marie biscuit 3 by 3, total 9 pieces.
  6. Using the 2nd portion of chocolate spread evenly on the biscuit.
  7. Then repeat step 5 method. Lastly use the 3rd portion chocolate pour and spread properly.
  8. Cover tin and put into the fridge until set.
This taste abit like kit Kat to me. Slice and wipe your knife after each cut. Warning don't attempt to stack the layer thick. It's better to watch your waistline :)

Friday, November 12, 2010

Dragon Fruit Chiffon

This was done long time ago during July. I was so hooked on cafe world at that time, that i did not post in my blog. Hee!!! So lazy of me :< My MIL like to buy dragon fruits alot and my family do not like to eat and instead of waiting for it to serve the bin. I use it to bake chiffon cake, at the same time i can practice my skill.( Kill two bird at one time)



Ingredients:

(I)

4 large egg yolks
40g sugar
180g mashed dragon fruit
40g vegetable oil
1/4 tsp salt

(II)

120g plain flour ( i remove 2 tbsp of plain flour and replace with 2 tbsp corn flour)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

(III)
5 large egg whites
40g sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Methods:

  1. Hand whisk egg yolks with sugar until dissolves.
  2. Add salt, oil, banana essence and mashed banana mix until combined.
  3. Then add in the sifted flour, mix until no lump form.
  4. In another bowl whisk egg whites at a high speed until frothy, add in the cream of tartar whisk till soft peaks. Add in the sugar in patches and whisk till stiff peaks.
  5. Fold 1/3 of the meringue and mix with the egg yolk until combined. Add the remaining meringue and mix well.
  6. Pour the batter into 21cm chiffon tin. Bake at 180c for 50 mins.
  7. Remove the foil and bake for 5-10 mins for browning the surface.
I used my banana chiffon recipes for this. I will not bake this again, it taste normal and nobody in my family wants to eat. Because it dragon fruit i think.

Dengue Fever

Firstly, i not too sure if this helps. But personally my hubby caught dengue this year on Jan 2010 and discharge 4 days before Chinese new year. It was so scary his blood count was below 28 and have to infuse a packet of blood early in the morning. Then go around asking and seeking advise on what Chinese herbal to brew for him.

At the same time i have to bring my son to school and preparing for coming new year. Phew so tiring!!! I hardly have any sleep. So if anyone out there, whoever have loved ones that caught this virus, please try this method it seem to work for me and it brings up his blood platelets.

I even shared with my sis in law and she pass this recipes to her friend son who just caught dengue fever. He was admitted to hospital and that very night his mum bought this soup for him and surprising doctor said he can be discharge on that day. As his blood count was better. His mum was so happy and thank me continuously.

Ingredients:
  1. 3 whole frogs (tian chi skin remove), chopped slightly
  2. 8 small bitter gourd (can put the whole bitter gourd or remove the seed inside)
  3. 10g of wolf berries
  4. 20g of seedless red dates
Method:
  • Wash clean put everything into the slow cooker and double boil until all the juices come out. (About 2 hours)
  • Do not add anything. If you are going to use it as normal drink, try adding a bottle of chicken essence or any bottle of herbal. (such as tong Cong char). This is to help to speed up, the immune system. Coz during recovering process, the body structure is still very weak. You will need to boil tonic, just like doing confinement.
If suffer for more then 2 weeks. Try using grounded 8 papaya leaf soup. If got any enquires, pls leave a message in my blog. I can share more with you. I'm plain too lazy to type everything out. Lol!

Hope it helps for those with loved one suffering from this horrible mosquitoes virus.

M&M Shortbread Cookies

Some cookies for my son to bring to school Christmas party celebration. His school holiday starts at 19 Nov, so the school decided to bring forward their Christmas celebration and was requested to bring some finger food to school on that day to share with their friends. I guess all kids will be thrill to have chocolate treats.

Ingredients
210g plain flour, sifted
50g cornflour, sifted
100g chocolate chips
226g butter (room temperature)
60g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Some M&M chocolate for deco

Method
  • Whisk butter until smooth and creamy. (i use hand whisk)
  • Add sugar beat until smooth, then add vanilla essence.
  • Gently, fold in flour mixture until incorporated. (Do not over mix)
  • Flatten the dough to the thickness as desired and freeze for 2 hours.
  • Using any cookies cutter of your preferences and cut.
  • Place it on a baking sheet freeze another 20 minutes.
  • Put into a preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly brown.
  • Cookies must be completely cool to be store in an air-tight container.
Left over dough can be freeze up for weeks, if wrapped properly. Optional you can add chopped nuts to enhance the taste. I prefer thicker cookies. I like this cookies very much as i do like hard cookies and the taste wise is very crunchy and not hard.

Noted: The dough is very sticky, flour the work surface and cookies cutter. Can be spoon drop on baking sheet.

Extracted from: joyofbaking

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Blueberry Jam and Yogurt Chiffon Cake

Wondering whether to submit or not. Another post of Chiffon submitting to: Aspiring Bakers #1: Chiffon Cakes (Nov 2010) http://smallsmallbaker.blogspot.com/2010/11/aspiring-bakers-1-chiffon-cakes-nov.html






As compare to my previous fresh blueberry and yogurt chiffon, i had horrible large holes that looks so scary. So this time round i tried using blueberry jam instead of fresh blueberry. Mmmh!!! What i can said it looks so much better then scary cat eyes. One thing that i love chiffon cake is that i do not need to grease the tin and it taste so soft.

Ingredients
4 Egg yolks
40g Castor sugar
40ml Oil
100g Blueberry yogurt (i used low fat yogurt)
80g Blueberry jam (i used homemade)
120g Plain flour** (cake flour)
1 tsp Baking powder
Pinch of salt

4 Egg Whites
40g Castor sugar
1/4 Cream of Tartar

Method
  • Whisk yolks and sugar until dissolves.
  • Add oil, salt, blueberry jam and yogurt. Mix well.
  • Then add in sifted flour, baking powder and mix until no lump.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites till frothy. Add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks, follow by the sugar continue to beat until stiff peaks.
  •  Fold in 1/3 of the meringue and mix with the egg yolk until well combined. Add the remaining meringue and mix well.
  • Pour the batter into 21cm chiffon cake tin. Bake at 180C for 50 mins. Remove the foil and bake for 10 mins to brown the surface.
  • Immediately invert it after taking out from the oven. When it cools, remove it from the mould.

Monday, November 8, 2010

American Carrot Chiffon Cake

Aspiring Bakers #1: Chiffon Cakes (Nov 2010)

This is the first time i decided to join in a challenge and i find it's an interesting experience for me. Usually, i'll alway hid in a corner sliently every night searching blogs and source for new recipes to improve my baking skill .  Hence, i'm sumitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #1: Chiffon Cakes (Nov 2010) http://smallsmallbaker.blogspot.com/2010/11/aspiring-bakers-1-chiffon-cakes-nov.html


 








Ingredients A  (21cm chiffon tin)
4 Egg yolks
40ml Oil
80ml Milk
50g Castor sugar
120g Carrot, Shredded
60g Walnuts, chopped
Pinch of salt
120g Plain Flour (i used 100g plain flour and 20g cornflour)
1 tsp Baking Powder
11/2 tsp Cinnamon powder

Ingredients B
4 Egg Whites ** (5 Egg White if desired)
50g Castor Sugar
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar

Methods
  1. Mix A until well blended.
  2. Whisk the egg whites in B until foamy. Then add in the sugar and cream of tartar. Continue whisking until stiff.
  3. Take 1/4 of the meringue and mix it into the egg yolk mixture from step (1) until combined. Add the remaining meringue and mix well.
  4. Pour the batter into the chiffon tin. Bake at 180C for 50 minutes and 10 minutes to brown the surface.
  5. Immediately invert it after taking out from the oven and let it cool.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Black and White Chocolate Mousse Cake





Baked a chocolate mousse cake for my V sister 20 years old birthday. It was very time consuming, as i need to rush between housework and it falls during weekend. The kid do not have to go school. I had to handle multi task during cake making process. In the end, i spend the whole day making this cake. During the process i have to feed my 2 kids, do the washing and even cooking.

But my hard work pays off, coz my sis feedback was marvellous. My mum dislike me baking cake, coz she find it a waste of time. I do not have proper baking classes and she got negative thought of my baking. Worse of all she hate cakes.  My sis told me that, this is the first time my mum said it was very delicious and go for second and third helping. Ooh gosh!!! I was so happy :)

Our family birthday are somehow very close. Finally, i can have my chance to bake a birthday cake, as an excuse to spend more time in baking. Lol. My both sis 23 oct, 1 Nov, mine 25 Nov, daughter 10 dec, hubby 19 dec, son 08 Jan and follow by feb and march. Great!!!

OK ok ... Back to baking..

Prepare 2 pieces 1cm thick and "8 inch" chocolate sponge cake


Dark Chocolate Mousse        
Ingredients A                                                            
50g milk    
1 tsp instant coffee powder
 Ingredients B                       
20g sugar
1 egg yolk
Ingredients C                                                            
60g dark couverture (melted)           
Ingredients D                                                                               
2 tsp gelatine                                                            
30g water           
Ingredients E                                                            
140g Whipped topping cream

White Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients A
50g milk
Ingredients B
20g sugar
1 egg yolk
Ingredients C
60g White couverture (melted)
Ingredients D
2 tsp gelatine
30g water
Ingredients E
140g Whipped topping cream

 

Dark Chocolate Mousse:
Method
  1. Cook A until boils. Add into B, mix until well-blended. Continue to cook for 1 min.
  2. Add in C, mix until well-combined. Mix D until well-combined and place it over double boil, cook until gelatine has melted.
  3. Add it into the above mixture, mix until well-blended. Cool it over ice water to 30C.
  4. Add in E, mix until well incorporated. Place 1 layer of the cake onto the bottom of "8inch" ring mould.
  5. Pour some dark chocolate mousse onto the cake. Top second layer of the cake.
  6. Keep in the fridge for 15 mins while preparing the white chocolate mousse.
White Chocolate Mousse:
Method
  1. Cook A until boils. Add into B, mix until well-blended. Continue to cook for 1 min.
  2. Add in C, mix until well-combined. Mix D until well-combined and place it over double boil, cook until gelatine has melted.
  3. Add it into the above mixture, mix until well-blended. Cool it over ice water to 30C. Add in E, mix until well incorporated.
  4. Remove the cake and pour the white chocolate mousse on top. Keep in the fridge to let it set over-night.
Happy baking....
Recipe source: adapted from  Alex Goh Bakingcode

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Pandan egg tarts



My first attempt and it turns out delicious. I'll definitely try again.

Ingredients:

Pastry Tart Shell:
250g butter
50g sugar
1/4 tsp salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 egg beaten
360g Plain flour (sifted)

Pandan Egg Custard:
100ml hot water
80g sugar
50g pandan juice
50g fresh milk
3 eggs
a drop of green colouring (i use pandan paste)

Method:

Pastry Tart Shell:
  1. Cream butter with sugar until creamy. Add in beaten egg gradually and mix till well combined.
  2. Add in sifted flour and mix into a pliable dough.
  3. Wrap the dough and chill for 20 mins.
  4. Press into tart mould and leave in the fridge to chill, while prepared the egg custard.
Pandan egg custard:
  1. Mix hot water with sugar till sugar dissolves. Add in the rest of the ingredients and sieve it twice.
  2. Pour egg custard until almost to the rim (80% full), taking care not to let it overflowed to the edge.
  3. Bake at preheated oven 160C 30 mins. Remove Pandan Egg Tarts and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Tips:
  • BE CAREFUL not to let the egg liquid flows to the side, or else it will be difficult to remove from the tart mould.
  • Don't need to bake the raw tarts.
  • Personal note: 180 25-30mins, using lowest rack top and bottom heat.


Extract from aunty yochana's

Strawberry marshmallow cake



This is the first cake i bake for younger sis 19 birthday. I really crack my head for a special and yummy cake for my dear sister. Through out the whole process, i encounter lots of unexpected surprises. Such as the cake drop when i remove from oven, then placing the strawberry too slow, not enough space for jello (realize that i bought cake tin too small), strawberry too sour and many were spoilt. Then forgot to line the cake tin had difficulty in removing and etc. But i finally completed it.

I make a chocolate cake with walnut and chocolate chips, as base. Then strawberry milk marshmallow, topping using Raspberries jam with gelatin. Neverless to said i really tried my best, really hope she like it. The feedback was excellent, all thanks to hug bear recipes.

Recipes source from bakingmum.blogspot.com/2006/11/strawberry-marshmallow-cake.html

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Snowskin mooncake

Finally i puck up my courage and laid my hand on moon cake. Due to time constraint, i only do snowskin and did not bake any moon cake. But i will definitely do it next year!!! Really had so much fun shaping them using my jelly mould, muffin tray and of course moon cake mould.  There are polka milk green tea, pandan, green tea powder, Meiji chocolate milk with chocolate lotus filing and etc....  So many flavour to play with







Mayonnaise Meat Floss cupcakes





Makes 8-9 pieces

Ingredient
A
 120g butter
80g icing sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
60g mayonnaise

B
140g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder

C
30g Fish meat floss

For decoration
Some mayonnaise (spoon into a piping bag)
Some fish meat floss

Method
  1. Beat butter and sugar og ingredient (A) until smooth. Add eggs in a slow stream. Add in mayonnaise, beat well.
  2. Add in ingredient (B), mix well. Then add in ingredient (C), spoon into paper cups three-quarters of the way up. Arrange on a baking tray.
  3. Bake no. (2) in a preheated oven at 175c for 15-20 mins. Once removed, decorate the top with mayonnaise and meat floss.
Notes: You can use 4 pieces of triangular shaped paper cups (4"X6"X4"). I bake in the middle rack.

This is a very delicious cupcake which taste like the type of bread we ate outside, but it more softer than bread. I will surely do this again, but of course increase the portion. Coz it finish up quickly before, i can grap a second helping. ^^^ And of course deco it in a more presentatable way, as it was a last minute decision to bake this cupcake. 

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Cheese and chocolate chips chiffon

While reading through my recipes book, i saw this cheesecake chiffon from Alex Goh fantastic cheesecake book and decided to give it try. As a cheesecake lover myself i could not resist this temptation to bake myself one. Happily to say my family all comment that it was very soft and tasty. It was gone within one day.



Sorry i did not manage to take the photo after slicing, coz my hubby and son was happily helping themselves on it.

Ingredients
(A)
60g milk
40g cream cheese
25g butter

(B)
65 g flour

(C)
4 egg yolks

(D)
4 egg whites
100g sugar
pinch of salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
80g of chocolate chips

Method
  1. Cook (A) over double-boiler until well blended and it thickens.
  2. Remove it from double-boiler. Add (B) and mix until smooth.
  3. Add (C) and mix until well combined.
  4. Whip the egg whites in (D) until foamy. Add in the rest of the (D) ingredients. Whip until stiff. Add it into the cheese mixture from step (3). Fold in by hand until well incorporated.
  5. Pour it into 21cm chiffon pan. Bake at 180C for 45 mins, remove foil and continue to bake for 5 mins. Remove it and invert the pan upside down.








Yogurt Blueberries chiffon


My first daring fruits chiffon, look they are so scary like cat eyes to me. The huge holes scares me off, i think i better try dry blueberries instead of fresh berries. My friends all comment that i was too harsh on my chiffon and got blue black all over its bodies.


Ingredients

4 egg yolks
40g Castor sugar
1/4 tsp salt

50g vegetable oil
150g blueberries yogurt

120g flour
1/2 baking powder

5 egg whites
40g Castor sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
80g blueberries


Method
  1. Whisk yolks and sugar until dissolves.
  2. Add oil and salt, whisk and add Blueberries yogurt. Mix well.
  3. Add in sifted flour and mix until no lump.
  4. Using an electric mixer, beat till frothy. Add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks, follow by the sugar continue to beat until stiff peaks. Add in blueberries gently.
  5. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue and mix with the egg yolk until well combined. Add the remaining meringue and mix well.
  6. Pour the batter into 21cm cake tin. Bake at 180C for 45 mins. Remove the foil and bake for 10 mins.
  7. Immediately invert it after taking out from the oven. When it cools, remove it from the mould.
Notes:  Preheat oven at 180C for 25 mins using top and bottom heat in the lowest rack.