My first 2-tier fondant cake

 



It time to cut the cake



Tasting time

Pink colour tends to fade, so it best colour it darker

We are quencing up to be place on the cupcakes

Finally, my dear sis pm me the pics. My sis V requested a pink and white theme with lots of flower surrounding the cake. The flavour of the cake must be chocolate and lots of chocolate without butter cream. Initially, her choice of cake was banana chocolate cake. But the cake was too moist to hold the weight, so i suggest a hazelnut chocolate fudge cake with ganache. Phew!

 During the whole cake making process, i suffer panic attack and went brain dead. The old Chinese saying " Haven't learn how to walk properly, already dreaming of running". Luckily, my youngest sis came to my recuse. She helped me look after the kids, wash the utensil and even help me cut the fondant. During, the whole cake making process. It was very tough for me, i was so afraid that i will ruin my dear sis V 21st birthday cake expectation. I have to handle multi-task too. But i was really very happy, the feedback was excellent. Everyone said it was delicious bursting with lots of chocolate, but was not overdose. I told my sis V that all chocolate will get overdose and the cake itself looks like a wedding cake. She the bride, but no groom how? Overall, I'm glad that i took up the challenge. Never dream i can make such cake.

The cake base was "10 inch" and the top was "8 inch". Each hazelnut chocolate fudge cake was slice into 3 layer using ganache as filling and i used Kahlua/rum syrup to moist the cake. The cake was covered and decorated using MMF only. Did not weight the cake, but my younger sis and i suffer from muscle cramp for almost 3 days haa... Next, i am planning a small cake for myself too.

Angry Bird Marshmallow Fondant

Had some left over fondant and decided to play around with it. My tiny lonely bird.

Marshmallow brownie fondant cake

A quick post of my very first Marshmallow Fondant cake. This was specially bake for my youngest sister 20 yrs old birthday with the theme and the flavour of her choice. She requested a blue and white theme brownie cake with simple lemon butter cream.



A lesson learnt, always cut marshmallow fondant thicker if you want it to hold properly.



Sorry for the poor pic taken. I do not own a proper camera, all my pic are taken using my IPhone.

See my poor bow too thin and did have enough time to dry them.

Overall, i contented. It my first attempt and self taught. :) self-console again...

I'm glad my sister loves it so much.

Simple brownie with walnuts added, as requested by bday girl.

I always wanted to lay my hand on fondant and i finally have the courage to do it. Even it does not look so pro and beautiful, but i'm really soot happy:> All deco are edible and made from marshmallow fondant, so it does not really holds well. Coming up soon, my biggest project. My 2nd sis 21st birthday and it was really a huge project. Still waiting for my sis pm me the cake foto, so stay tune with me.

Simple marshmallow fondant deco

My first attempt on fondant

Purple flower and butterfly theme

Parts of the fondant waiting to be decorated

The birthday girl name and age using chocolate fondant

Finally, i did it! Phew :}

Have been busy preparing so hard for my sis V biggest 21st birthday coming on 1st of Nov. I was a novice to fondant world and knew nothing about 2 tier cake. She was very excited for her birthday and organize a celebration on chalet on this coming 30th Oct. I decided to take up these huge challenge to bake a 2 tier fondant cake, which i never try before.

So have been browsing through the web for tutorial on fondant, finally decides on baking a chocolate cake cover with marshmallow fondant and some daisy with butterflies. Recently, have been trying my hands on marshmallow fondant and butter cream. I venture different recipes and found the marshmallow easy and tasty. But was afraid the butter cream might melt on me and i finally found these.

The above cupcakes was a last min decision to bake for my friend daughter, i made 40 small cupcakes with butter cream and marshmallow fondant deco. Pardon me, i do not have the proper set of cutter for fondant. Currently, i am using the cookies cutter i had on hand. Marshmallow fondant was quite sticky to handle than sugar paste and it does not harden well. Shall try a fondant cake for my 2nd sis J on this 23rd of Oct to gain some confident first. Hopefully, i do have some spare time to join this month Aspiring Baker's on kueh theme. Baking fairy, if you can hear me please make a trip to my house and stay for a month :). I will have to go MIL for awhile to prepare for my exam LOL.....

Pumpkin Swiss Roll

Have been very slow in blogging recently. Once in awhile, i will tend to feel so exhausted that i hardly had any energy left to blog. Every time, i will just sit down and switch on my com admiring lovely blogger posting and will just waste my time starting blankly.  Here. i am submitting this post to {Event} Natural Colour Bakes hosted by HANKERIE


Ingredients
(A)
180g steamed pumpkin, mashed


(B)
100g plain flour
20g cornflour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
60g caster sugar
60g milk
60g veg oil
4 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt


(C)
5 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
60g caster sugar


(D)
5 tbsps of melon seed
80-90g apricot jam (individual preference)


Method

1. Line all the side and bottom of the 35 x 27 x 3-cm tin with baking paper and sprinkle melon seed randomly.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon powder and add the salt. Set aside.
3. Whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar until sugar dissolve. Add oil, milk, mashed pumpkin and flour ingredients mix till smooth.
4. Whip egg whites until foamy and add in the cream of tartar, following by the sugar. Continue whipping until stiff peak.
5. Mix the meringue with egg yolks mixture until well incorporated.
6. Pour it into the lined tin and bake it in a preheated oven at 200C for 18 minutes.
7. Unmould it immediately when done. when it is cool spread the apricot jam on the cake and roll it up.
8. Leave it in the fridge for 1 hour. Remove from fridge slice and serve.

Ribena Yogurt Cheesecake

The surface of the cake

Side view of the cake

These was how it look like, before adding the topping

Ingredients (Makes a 20 cm square tin)

Cake Base

150g digestive biscuits, finely crushed

75g melted butter

Filling

100ml water

2 tbsps gelatin powder

250g cream cheese, room temperature

70g caster sugar

250ml blueberries yogurt

75ml Ribena blackcurrant juice cordial

Topping

100ml water

2 tsps gelatin powder

80ml Ribena blackcurrant juice cordial

Method

1.) Line the sides of the tin with aluminum foil.

2.) Cake Base:

    - Combine crushed digestive biscuits and melted butter, press the crumb onto

      the base of the tin firmly.

    - Chill in freezer for 1 hour or until firm.

3.) Filling:

   - Sprinkle gelatin powder in the water and set aside for 10 mins.

   - Double boil the gelatin till dissolved and set aside to cool.

   - Beat cream cheese and sugar till smooth. Add in the cool gelatin and

      blueberries yogurt, mix till combined.

   - Divide the mixture into 2 portion.

   -  Add in the 75ml ribena into 1 portion and mix well.

   - Alternately spoon the mixture into the cake base and swirl with a skewer

     through the mixture to create marble effect. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours till set.

 

4.) Topping:

  - Sprinkle gelatin powder in the water and set aside for 10 mins.

  - Double boil the gelatin till dissolved.

  - Stir in the ribena and set aside to cool. When completely cooled, gently pour

    the mixture onto the cheesecake and chill overnight or until set.

Adapted from: http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2009/02/yummy-delight.html with some changes

Notes

• Do not burnt the gelatin. I used a glass bowl to bloom the gelatin and place it on another bowl filled with hot water, stir till dissolved.
• Original recipes use plain yogurt, i replace with blueberries yogurt. I reduce 5g of sugar in the filling.
• I did the cake base and filling in the evening. The topping was done in the morning.
• Topping can be replace with 1 pkt of blackcurrant jello, using 400ml of water with 2 tsp of gelatin powder.
• I increase 15g of the melted butter, as i find the base too dry.
• Personal tips: use cake ring or removable cake tin for easy releasing the cake.

Chocolate Fudge Banana Cupcake



Bursting with lots of chocolate



A Simple Cupcake for my Kids Teacher Day Gift!

Just to share my overdue, posting for Teacher Day! I made these using the same recipes Easy bananas chocolate cake, but i double the portion. It yield 80 small cupcakes, apply some Chocolate Fudge icing (putting foundation for the cupcakes) and add some deco on it (put on some blusher & brush some eyeshadow) Blah! Blah! Quickly, squeeze them into the cake box! Tala! Time to chat with Zhou Gong.

Traditional Mooncake

In the picture, 3 Mooncakes (double yolk lotus paste, single yolk lotus and red bean paste) and lotus wrapped red bean paste Shanghai Mooncake)

I wonder why i can't get the deep browning and clear surface with glossy look. I followed the recipes to the brim. But i replace the oil with corn oil (again last min, so cannot find). All the Mooncakes posted are baked before Mid-Autumn. Sorry for being slow in posting, cos it school holiday and i need to bring my little prince out. I know i flung the test, but who cares anyway it my first attempt. In Chinese there's a phrases called " One must experience failure in order to success". ( Moo... Self console :O ) Anyway, really have to thanks Small Small Baker for starting the Aspiring Bakers events, that never failed to motivate me to try new thing or things that i never thought i would ever try. Also for all the kind blogger that hosted the events and blogger who are so kind to share their wonderful recipes.

I am submitting this post to: Aspiring Bakers #11 for September(2011) http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2011/09/aspiring-bakers-11-mid-autumn-treats.html hosted by HAPPY HOME BAKING


Ingredients (Makes 9 pcs)
300g hong kong flour
180g sugar syrup
12g alkaline water
75g corn oil
1kg lotus paste
9 salted egg yolks (i use 3 pcs double yolk)
some toasted melon seed


Method

1. Knead lotus paste well and add melon seed. Weigh yolk and paste 116g and roll into ball.
2. Mix sugar syrup, alkaline water and corn oil together. (Combine well)
3. Sift hong kong flour in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the sugar syrup mixture.
4. Mix to form soft dough. Cover and let it rest for 20 mins.
5. Lightly dust hong kong flour on table and knead dough again till smooth. measure dough 60g each. Wrap the lotus paste with soft dough, dust some hong kong flour on it and press into mould and dislodge.
6. Place mooncake on lined baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for 180C 7 mins and rest to cool down before applying egg wash on mooncake, brush with soft brush and bake for 15 mins 175C.
7. Remove mooncake from oven and brush glaze on mooncake.

Notes:

• Salted egg yolk ~ I rub 1 tbsp of shaoxing hua tao jiu on it and leave it for 15 mins, remove place on lined tray and bake at 180C 5 mins.
• Egg glazing ~ 1 egg yolk + a drop of egg yellow colouring, sift and set aside.
• Mooncake ~ Total weigh 176g (dough, yolks and filling).
• I used 60g dough and 116g filling.
• Filling ~ 116g (yolks, toasted melon seed and filling)
• Melon seed ~ toasted at 180C 5 mins, or till i hear the tapping sound.
• I did half portion and left with about 20g-30g dough.

Adapted from: http://www.anncoojournal.com/2011/09/traditional-bake-mooncake-2011.html Thank you! Anncoo Journal for sharing this recipe.

Walnuts Mooncake

So sad that i flung my Traditional Mooncake, i decided to try walnuts mooncake.

I'm submitting this post to: Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treats (September 2011)  http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2011/09/aspiring-bakers-11-mid-autumn-treats.html hosted by HAPPY HOME BAKING

 

Ingredients (Make 20 pieces)

190g plain flour

13g custard powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

25g icing sugar

25g shortening

110g salted butter

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 egg

40 walnuts for deco

Method

1. Cream sifted icing sugar, shortening, butter and vanilla essence together until slightly white. (using slow speed first, then change to high speed)
2. Gradually add the 1/2 egg.
3. Lastly add in sifted flour, custard powder and baking soda and mix till soft dough form. (do not over mix). Leave dough in the fridge overnight or for a few days.
4. Take dough out from fridge and divide into 20g each and 30g each for the fillings.
5. Wrap filling into dough and place walnut on both side like a bolster. Apply eggs wash and bake in a preheated oven at 160C for 10 mins. Take out and leave it about 10 mins and apply egg wash again. Bake it for 15mins. 

Adapted from:  Facebook-ShopnBake, original from http://bakingmum.blogspot.com/2008/09/walnut-mooncakes.html

Shanghai Mooncake



 

This year i decided to try my hand on some baked mooncake. Pardon me, i do not like mooncakes due to the thick filling inside. These are my maiden attempt, hope it does not look too hideous. Hee! I'm glad that i tried, my DH said it was delicious. I did 3 lotus paste with red bean and 41/2 using red bean paste.

I'm submitting this post to: Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treats (September 2011) http://happyhomebaking.blogspot.com/2011/09/aspiring-bakers-11-mid-autumn-treats.html hosted by HAPPY HOME BAKING

Ingredients (Makes 7 1/2 mooncakes)

A (Mooncake Pastry)

150g plain flour

50g icing sugar

25g full cream milk powder

12g custard powder

3/4 tbsp baking powder**

50g shortening

25g salted butter

1 large egg

B (Fillings)

90g lotus seed paste

330g red bean paste

some toasted melon seed

Method

1. Mooncake Pastry: Mix ingredient A till well combined. Divide into 50g each. Put it in the fridge for 15 mins.
2. Fillings: Knead the red bean paste and add melon seed until combined. Divide each paste into 60g. Set aside in the fridge.
3. Wrap fillings with Mooncake Pastry. roll into balls. Arrange on a lined baking tray. Brush the top with beaten egg yolk and place some melon seeds on top.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 190C for 20-25 mins until golden brown.

Notes

• I used 30g lotus paste to wrap 30g red bean paste.
• Original recipe called for lotus paste with salted yolk. I replace the margarine with salted butter.
• The pastry was very soft, so have to work quickly. I chilled the wrapped ball for 10 mins to prevent the pastry from spreading. (i got a pair of very warm hand)
• Will try to reduce to 180C, my oven seem too hot and causes eruption on the mooncake. (Look like volcano, than mooncakes)
• Will try to remove the baking powder or reduce.

Adapted from: Mooncake Sonata by Alan Ooi

Mixed flavour mini Snowskin Mooncake

Chocolate and Green tea snow skin with red bean filling add with melon seed and cream cheese.

There are 4 types of flavour mooncake in these picture.

 I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treats (Sept 2011) hosted by HAPPY HOME BAKING and {Event} Natural Colours Bakes hosted by HANKERIE.

Ingredients 
(Makes about 19-20 mini mooncake)
 A
~ 95g Fried glutious rice flour
(Kao Fen)
~ 120g icing sugar
B
~ 1 tsp matcha powder
(1/2 tbsp, if prefer stronger flavour)
~ 25ml hot water
~ 130ml green milk tea
(Pokka premium green milk tea)
C
~ 20g shortening
 (Crisco)
D
~ 450g red bean paste
(store bought)
                                                                ~ 95g cream cheese
                                                                ~ some melon seed (toasted lightly)

Method

1. Mix matcha powder into hot water (mix well), add into green milk tea and mix again. Put mixture into the fridge.
2. Measure kao fen and icing sugar. Sift them together in a medium bowl. Rub shortening into the sifted flour until crumbly mixture form.
3. Add in B and mix till soft dough form. (Do not over-work the dough, rest the dough for 15 mins in the fridge)
4. Knead the red bean paste, add melon seed knead till evenly combined. Measure 25g each and place 5g cream cheese in the middle and roll into balls. Place it on a tray, cover with cling wrap put it in the fridge.
5. Take the dough out measure 20g each roll into balls.
6. Sprinkle Kao Fen on work surface and hand. Press the dough into circle.
7. Take the dough and wrap the filling. (Pinch the ending tightly)
8. Press into mould and knock out. Store it in the fridge.

Different flavour:

• Mocha Flavour- Replace the matcha powder with Cocoa powder and change the milk to coffee milk.
• Chocolate Flavour - Replace the matcha powder with Cocoa powder and change the milk to chocolate milk.
• Orange Flavour - 1 zest of small size orange and 155ml pure orange juice with some pulp. Prefer use bottle orange juice (not so sour).
• Chocolate lotus paste - melted some chocolate and knead into the lotus. (best to use hand gloves, as it is quite messy)

Notes:

• The mooncake are free of preservative, no essence or paste and colouring added. However, if prefer stronger flavour 1 tsp of paste can be added to enhance the snowskin.
• I am using the plastic mould from phoon huat, pink in colour. I used 20g dough to 30g filling.
• Lightly rub Kao Fen on the dough, before pressing into the mould. Store in container with a table cloth and cover the lid tigthly. (prevent water evapor dripping on the mooncake)

Will definitely keep this recipe, my MIL is a traditional person. But she loves these and requested for 3 boxes to be given to her. My 2nd year trying snowskin, have so much fun making this.

Adapted from: http://blessedhomemaker.blogspot.com/2009/09/matcha-snow-skin-mooncakes.html with some changes.

HAPPY MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL!!!

A simple farewell cake

Steam chocolate cake

My son school had a trend going on, his teacher leaving one by one. First was his English teacher, who suddenly inform the school that she was leaving after her holiday. Meanwhile, my dear son was still trying to adapt of the sudden changes. Then came a part-timer and she called it quit too!  2 weeks later, my friend told me that the Chinese teacher was leaving too. What a waste, i like this Chinese teacher alot. She was a patient lady, whom shower her students with lots of care and concern. My son was very attached to her, so i ask my son what he would like to give his teacher as a farewell gift without thinking he told me cakes. My dear son enjoys baking alot and he would pester me daily to let him bake. So i source around for kids friendly recipes and decided on this. These cake was recommended by many blogger and was given very good rating for it. Yes! It the steamed chocolate cake heard that it was very moist and chocolaty. But too bad, i didn't have the chance to taste it. A last minute bake too, as you can see from the foto that it was very dim. Luckily, i still have some left over cream from my previous BB full mth cupcakes. My mind was too tired to think of any design, but i went ahead and do the piping. Hee! Just let the hand do the work, without thinking.

Indeed a very serious student..

Steam tofu with minced meat

A easy dish that i learnt recently from Sam Leong demo classes. The actual topping was scallop, but i changed to minced meat. My DH loves it alot due to the gravy and my golden mouth who hates veg also google it up without any grumbling.

Vanilla lemon cupcakes



 A simple butter cream cupcakes for my dear friend baby 1st month celebration. Hopefully, she will like it :). These was a last minute decision to bake for her, as she told me she forgot to order cupcakes for her daughter. So i thought of baking some cupcakes for her as an surprise, but i ran out of whipping cream so i substitute with butter cream. Hope my poor piping skill do not scare her. Phew! These was bake at 9 pm the day before her invitation, everything was in a hurray and i was left for my poor brain to do with anything that came to my mind.