pepsakoy

Earl Grey French Blue Pound Cake

2012-01-29T15:59:00.000+08:00

While my (English) husband can't live without tea, I , on the other hand, rarely drink or fancy any kind of it but the Mariage Freres's earl grey french blue is an exception! I unintendedly tried it for the first time at a luxury coffee shop in Bangkok a few years ago and both of my husband and me have surprisingly been falling in love and raving about it ever since !

Luckily, one of my best and eldest friends, who is always nice and thoughtful, happened to know that the tea is our favorite, so she has been supplying us the tea all year round and when I saw the cake on this site, I immediately wanted to give it a try using my favorite earl grey french blue!

The recipe could be found here.

Apple Sharlotka

2012-01-28T15:27:00.000+08:00

It's been a school break during Chinese New Year and we didn't go away as usual since my husband has been recovering from his ankle operation...Honestly, it's a bit boring to stay in without doing much of fun things but at least I have more time to keep myself entertained with cooking and baking!

This apple cake simply attracted me with its lovely name and even more when I finished reading the whole post...the only effort I had to make for this cake is driving out to buy some apples!!

The recipe could be found here.

Roasted Garlic Biscuits

2012-01-23T17:19:00.000+08:00

The local bakery shop where I always buy garlic bread from is closed due to Chinese New Year and I didn't realise that until this morning when I saw the door completely shut along with the message written in Chinese which I guessed telling they were closed!

Back home without a piece of garlic bread, I then had to look for something to make to serve my husband along with a soup for his lunch as planned and finally ended up with this biscuit !

I made only half of the recipe and got five pieces of biscuit out of the dough which four of them was gone into my hubby's tummy...so you can easily guess how good the biscuit is!..:)

The recipe is from here.

Angel Biscuits

2012-01-22T19:32:00.000+08:00

Don't let the title post fool you! This biscuit is certainly not representative of me ..neither pretty as angel nor yummy as biscuit..lol. The name is just what it's called for some reason that I didn't really bother to find out why...what made me interested is that it calls for yeast as one of leavening agents apart from baking powder and baking soda which is different from other normal biscuits do!

Kung Poa Prawn

2012-01-20T15:51:00.002+08:00

I've seen lots of kung pao dishes posted here and there but given all recipes contain either peanut or cashew nut that my husband who's the one that eats most of my cooked food doesn't like any kind of nut,so I didn't really bother to make it on purpose!

Anyway, I've recently cooked more often than I'd done in the past because I wanna try cooking something new and interesting to myself..so I decided to make it and intendedly ignored my husband's fondness..knowing he has no choice but eat it! What a good wife I am! LOL

The recipe I've used is from here.

Cornmeal and Black Peppercorn Crackers

2012-01-20T10:11:00.000+08:00

I like crackers but those store-bought ones are not what I really fancy ,so the best solution I've found is to make them by myself whenever I feel like eating or baking something plain..easy and quick! Thanks google for finding everything I look for..:)

This cracker contains cornmeal, one of my favorite ingredients that I don't have much chance to use it for cooking or baking. The original recipe calls for green peppercorn which I don't have in hand , so I used black pepper as a substitute and what I've got is mildly spicy and chewy ( from cornmeal ), yet crispy cracker that is perfectly fitted my perference!!

The recipe could be found here.

Roasted Red Curry Chicken

2012-01-19T18:18:00.000+08:00

Since the new year has started, I've been cooking different kinds of dishes using and trying new recipes which makes me have a lot of fun and excited to get response and comments from my tasters!

This chicken dish is very easy to make but it needs time for marinating. Honestly speaking, when I prepared the dish,I didn't really think or expect that it would be a satisfying meal but it surprisingly turned out so good..in fact, truly scrumptious!

This is what I've done :

5 boneless chicken legs, skin on
3 garlic cloves, crushed
a tbsp grated ginger
a pack of Thai red curry paste
2 tbsp soy sauce
3-4 tsp light muscovado sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 fennel bulbs, sliced into wedges
half red onion, sliced into wedges
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into thick slices
a few tbsp olive oil

Method:

Combine the 2-6 ingredients and rub the paste on the chicken pieces then let it marinated in the fridge for overnight.

Heat oven to 190 c. Put the marinated chicken , fennel, onion and pepper into a roasting tin. Pour over olive oil and toss everything to be coated with the oil and marinate. Roast uncovered for 35-40 minutes. Serve the chicken with the veg and rice... enjoy!!

Granola Cookies

2012-01-17T16:33:00.000+08:00

I love oat but don't eat much of granola neither as a breakfast or snack because it's far too sweet for my own preference. Anyway, when I've found this gorgeous cookie on here, I was so tempted to think that it would be a great way and chance to enjoy eating granola..it's not just that the recipe is from Dorie Greenspan, one of my favourite chefs but even better because it's made along with a few of other ingredients I fancy!

Btw, I made a few changes to the recipe and fortunately, I still got a wonderful outcome which I dare to say that this is one of the best and healthiest cookies I've ever made!!!

Here is my version..

3 1/2 cups granola with raisin and almond
1/4 cup raisins
½ cup cashew nuts
½ scant cup sliced almonds
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup flaxseed powder
14 tablespoons (7 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 scant cup mixture of light brown sugar + caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside.

2. Put the granola in a large bowl and break up any clumps with your fingers. Add the raisins, cashew nuts, almonds, coconut and flaxseed powder and mix together.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until creamy. Add the egg, vanilla and salt and beat until well blended. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated, then steadily add the granola mixture. Stop the mixer when most of the granola mixture is blended into the batter and finish the job with a sturdy rubber spatula, making sure to get up any bits of dry ingredients left in the bottom of the bowl.

4. Scoop out about two tablespoonfuls of dough, pack the scoops between your palms and arrange the mounds on the baking sheets. Flatten the mounds lightly with your fingertips.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown but not firm. Allow them to rest on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool to room temperature. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Povitica (Croatian/Serbian/Slovenian Nut Roll)

2012-01-15T15:05:00.001+08:00

Finally, I managed to make the debut bread of the year after being busy with lots of things around since the year has started ! I've spotted this bread recently on this site and just promptly felt like making it for no reason. Actually, this is not the first time I've seen this kind of bread but I didn't bother to try it for some reason back then.. anyway, here it comes!

My concern about this bread is that my hubby who doesn't fancy any kind of nut might not like the bread because it contains a lot of walnut in the filling..but nothing could overcome my own desire when it comes to baking..so I decided to make it anyway..:)

As for the result, much to my surprise.. not only my husband finished the whole cut piece of nicely done povitica I served without any complaint or comment, he also asked for the second piece..and even more surprise that he said 'yes please' when I asked later if he would want some more for tomorrow! And the next day while I am writing this post..both of my loved ones are happily eating the leftover on the sofa ..so I couldn't help then but assume that this bread is such as a big success!

Ps. I've also posted this bread to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast..

Plain Orange-scented Pound Cupcakes

2012-01-14T15:25:00.000+08:00

I've still continued with baking something simple and easy although it's not deliberately ! This cake is nothing but plain and basic pound cake that I've firstly seen on foodgawker..The photos posted on the original site made me convinced that it would be another great recipe of a plain but scrumptious pound cake..so why not to give it a try ??

What I love about this cake is a scent and taste of orange from zest put in the cake..incredibly, it makes the cake much nicer and more charming ! My verdict is just to say that if you don't care about fat..then ther's no reason why not to give it a try!!

The recipe could be found here. ( I made them in a cupcake form to save time and problem of my oven, took about 20 mins. to get it done! )

Pollo Ropa Vieja

2012-01-13T09:24:00.000+08:00

I've been giving some new recipes that I found or came accross here and there a try and fortunately, none of them has made me disappointed so far ! This cuban dish is kind of a light version since the authentic dish of Ropa Vieja is normally made with flank steak. Anyway, I'd rather be on the healthier side, so I chose to make it with chicken.

The outcome was satisfying which made me doubt if it could be more delicious with beef. Next time I'll try the original version and let see which one is better. But this time it really made everybody happy and enjoy eating!!

The recipe could be found here.

Curried Lentil Soup

2012-01-12T13:49:00.001+08:00

I personally prefer both cooking and eating stew to soup and consequently, I don't make soup so often. However, this soup has attracted me with the photos posted on the site that is one of the blogs I regularly pay a visit and given lentil is my hubby's favourite food, so I had a good reason to give it a try !

When I finished cooking the soup, it was already late and the sunlight was nearly gone while I still got things to do in the kitchen, so I asked my hubby ( who has recently had only one good leg to stand with while the other has been disabled in the cast! ) to shoot photos of the soup for me..Ummm.. consequently, I has got only three good looking photos to be shown below.. LOL. Bon Appetit !

Blueberry Whipped Cream Cupcakes

2012-01-11T16:43:00.002+08:00

Without any resolution made or set, I've started the new year so far with baking a few of plain and simple things while cooking some new and interesting recipes for meals and truly enjoy doing both!

Now talking about the cupcakes, I've found the original recipe from this site and there, what really grabbed my attention is the method of making the cake. Using whipped cream for the batter is one of things that I'd never tried it before, so it's a good and only reason why I gave it a try!

Anyway, as if it's not interesting enough, I got an idea of adding something into the plain cake just to jazz things up which somehow ended up with blueberries. And due to a limit of time, I then decided to make it in a cupcake form that doesn't take long for baking.. As for the result, the texture was quite fine and dense but top of everything, it's soo tasty and yummy!! To prove my words, the best way is to try it yourself..isn't it?? :)

Meen Ularthiyathu (Spicy Fish Stir Fry)

2012-01-10T18:15:00.001+08:00

We normally eat fish once a week but it's always the same kind of fish and the same method of cooking which my husband has sometimes complained about it! So, whenever I've found or come accross with something about fish that is new and interesting, I would certainly get excited and want to give it a try!

Given a rare chance of cooking and consuming a fresh tuna , I, therefore, was so keen to make this dish when I firstly saw it on this site and didn't wait that long to find out how delicious and flavorful it is! What a wonderful meal !

Toffee Cake ( The revised and better version )

2012-01-05T17:46:00.000+08:00

A friend of mine had a trip to Thailand during the school winter break and she brought back few things that I wanted and like for me. Given a toffee cake is her favorite, I then decided to make it to give her in return and that seemed to be a win-win situation :)

This time, instead of the old version I've posted it here before, I used the new version that is slightly changed but it yielded the better outcome which made me proud enough to present it right here!

Cake:

100 g cake flour

1.5 tbsps coffee powder

10 g Cocoa powder

100 g caster sugar

1 teaspoons baking powder

80 g butter, melted

3 large eggs

1/ 4 teaspoon salt

80 g evaporated milk

13 g SP or Ovalette ( emulsifier )

Topping :

150 g unsalted butter

100 g evaporated milk

110 g sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 tsp coffee powder

3 tbsps AP flour
210 g salted ( roasted ) cashew nuts

Browned Butter Cocoa Brownies

2012-01-04T16:41:00.000+08:00

I've chosen these simple yet scrumptious brownies that I've recently come accross to be the first post of the year. With no expectation, not only it came out surprisingly good but also it has become my favorite recipe for brownies and I've been making it for many times!

The recipe could be found here. ( I omitted the nut and reduced the sugar to 150g. then sprinkle the top with chocolate chips !)

Maple Shortbread

2011-12-11T17:04:00.001+08:00

Canadian maple syrup is one of expensive stuffs imported and sold in HK. It's truly sad when I recently had to throw a whole bottle away because I totally forgot and left it stand peacefully in the cupboard until it had passed the expiry date for a few months before I found out! And instead of blaming myself, I simply passed all my guilt for such a wasting thing onto time that seems to fly so quick..actually, too quick to use up all ingredients I've crazily stocked in/on time!!

With a new bottle bought to replace the old one, I have promised myself not to let the same thing happen again, so I was determined to make something about it and for some reason ( which I couldn't remember what it was! ) I ended up with this shortbread..

Anyway, I couldn't find any recipe that I am really fond of or keen on trying..so I decided to create my own recipe using few recipes on the net to be a guide...and here is what I've done at the end..

Ingredients:

1 cup cold maple butter , cut into cubes
1/4 scant cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the maple syrup, In a small saucepan, bring 2/3 cup of the maple syrup to a boil and reduce by half (this should take about 15 minutes) Remove from heat and let it stand at room temp. When it is cool, add the butter and stir or gently whisk until well blended. Then

place in frigde until firm (I left it overnight).

Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend the maple butter, sugar, and vanilla in a food processor just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Sift flour, cornstarch, and salt over butter mixture and pulse just until clumps form.

Press the dough evenly into 8 inch square pan lined with parchment paper. Prick all over with a fork and freeze 5 minutes. Bake in middle of oven until edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes and, while still warm, cut into slices. Cool completely before removing from pan.

Lamington

2011-12-11T15:08:00.000+08:00

It's all of a sudden that I felt like making these lamingtons..and nothing could stop me when this kind of feeling happens! After a quick search on google, I then ended up using two recipes which one is for the sponge cake and the other for chocolate frosting..

The recipes could be found here ( the sponge cake) and here ( the frosting ).

Echaudés à l'anis

2011-12-10T17:32:00.001+08:00

It's been a while that I haven't posted anything on my blog but it doesn't mean that I haven't done any baking! At this time of a year, there're so many things to do while so little time's in hand..

Anyway, I've been recently baking a few things which some are things I've baked and posted them here before and some are new that I am sharing them with you here.

One of them I'd like to show is Echaudés à l'anis which is kind of French cookies and it reminded me of Italian Taralli I've made before..

*Ingredients*

250 g. AP flour
1 egg

Milk, as needed
1 tbsp. oil
1/4 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. aniseed seeds (I added 1 tsp. seeds and 1 tsp. aniseed extract)
2 tbs sugar

1.In a bowl, mix the flour, eggs, oil, salt and aniseed seeds together. Add the milk slowly as you knead until the dough comes just together. The dough should be very stiff. Rest the dough overnight in the fridge, then roll it out about half an inch thick, cut strips, then triangles.

2.Drop the triangles into lots of boiling water, in small batches.

3.As soon as they rise to the surface (they sometimes stick to the pot, nudge them a little to make sure they are swimming free), set them aside on a tea towel until they are no longer tacky to touch.

4.Finish them in a 180°C until they puff up and get barely golden.

Far Breton

2011-11-14T18:06:00.000+08:00

Far Breton (also Breton Far) is a traditional cake or dessert from the Brittany region in France. Its base is similar in composition to a clafoutis batter: a flan-style eggs-and-milk custard with flour added. Prunes or raisins are common additions. Numerous recipes available at popular websites suggest soaking the dried fruits in alcohol; this is not traditional practice but makes an interesting variation. Far Breton as served in Brittany is often cooked to a much more "burned" appearance than online recipes indicate; the top of the custard appears nearly blackened rather than golden-brown.

Browned Butter White Brownies

2011-11-12T15:43:00.000+08:00

I've made brownies lots of times using a variety of recipes but somehow had never tried a white version..can't help but wonder how I'd missed it for such a long time! Anyway, here it comes!

Trying to be a brownie making expert, I decided to use all of my experience and skill to make my own version which ended up like the following..

The recipe

125 g white chocolate , chopped
100 g butter, browned
2 extra large eggs, room temperature
50 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
80 g AP Flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips
sliced almond for topping

Method :

In a double boiler or microwave, melt the chocolate and browned butter; cool slightly.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until light in color, add the vanilla and mix until blended. Gradually beat in the melted chocolate mixture. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; fold into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the chips.

Pour into a greased 8-in. x 8 in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before slicing.

Apple Cupcake

2011-11-09T17:18:00.003+08:00

I came accross this recipe of apple cake on one of my favorite sites while I was looking for something and I couldn't believe myself how I'd missed it for such a long time..anyway,it's always better late than never!

The only problem of making the cake is that I could't find a golden apple called for in the recipe. Without any effort made, I simply substituted a granny smith apple for it with a hope that there wouldn't be much difference in the result !

The recipe could be found here.

Orange-scented Marble Pound Cake

2011-11-08T19:38:00.000+08:00

I was inspired by this post to make my own version and instead of plain one, I decided to spice up my cake by making it marbled given orange and chocolate are always a great duo !

Here is what I've done..

150 g unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 scant tsp salt
150 g caster sugar
150 g cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
100 g milk
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 rounded tbsp orange zest
2 rounded tbsp cocoa powder + 2 tsp sugar + boiling water for cocoa paste

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 160 c. , Lightly grease a loaf tin and line with parchment paper. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well each addition, stop the machine and scrape the batter down from time to time, until incorperated and the batter becomes smooth. Add the vanilla and the zest and mix all until blended.

2. Add the flour mixture and milk alternatively and mix until smooth. Divide 1/3 of the batter to a mixing bowl and fold in the cocoa paste, mix until incorperated. Pour half of plain batter into the prepared tin, top with the cocoa batter and finish with the rest of the plain batter. Make a swirl with a thick toothpick or a cake checker. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean. Let cool in pan on a rack and turn out onto a rack.

Pan De Muerto..Bread of the Dead !

2011-11-03T17:42:00.001+08:00

Pan de muertos is a type of bread traditionally baked in Mexico during the weeks leading up to the Día de los Muertos, which is celebrated on November 1 and 2. It is a sweetened soft bread shaped like a bun, often decorated with bone-like pieces. Pan de muertos is eaten on Día de los Muertos, at the gravesite or altar of the deceased. In some regions it is eaten for months before the official celebration of Dia de los Muertos. As part of the celebration, loved ones eat pan de muertos as well as the relative's favorite foods. The bones represent the lost one (difuntos or difuntas) and there is normally a baked tear drop on the bread to represent sorrow. The bones are represented in a circle to portray the circle of life.

I wasn't aware of this bread's existence until I've recently found it on here. As a bread (making) lover,I knew at the first sight that there's nothing that could stop me from making the bread! Given my husband doesn't fancy a taste or smell of orange blossom water, so I searched on google for other options and finally ended up with this one from here.

I've also sent this bread to join yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast.

Spicy Stir-fried Sirloin with Thai Basil

2011-11-03T09:10:00.000+08:00

Instead of a plain sirloin steak , this dish is another way to jazz it up.. Along with other few ingredients, it could easily become much more interesting ...simple, yet scrumptious !!

The recipe could be found here.

Thyme and Pepper Cornmeal Crackers

2011-11-01T17:30:00.002+08:00

With time limited whenever I feel like baking something on a busy day, then there're not too many choices for me to choose but strangely, I always opt for crackers!

I decided to make this cookie straight away when I've found it here in the first place.. but for some reason ( which more often than not that I can't remember what it is like this time!) I ended up with the version I've done!!

Here is my version..

Ingredients

80 g wholemeal flour

100 g AP flour

50 g cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 scant tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp sesame seeds

75 g butter

5-6 tbsp milk

2 scant tbsp dijon mustard

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to gas 5 and line 2 baking sheets with non-stick paper.

2. Mix the dry ingredients, thyme and seasoning in a bowl. Add the butter and rub in.

3. In a cup, mix the milk and mustard together and stir into the flour mixture to make a soft dough.

4. Knead for a few times and wrap the dough in cling film , then let it stand in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Take the dough out and roll out thinly onto lightly floured surface and stamp out rounds with a cookie cutter. Roll the trimmings and stamp more rounds until all the dough is used. Pinch with a fork and bake for 8-10 minutes or so, until they’re lightly browned.

Cinnamon Pumpkin Brioche Snails

2011-10-30T18:20:00.000+08:00

I decided to make pumpkin brioche to welcome the Halloween to begin with but somehow I managed to get an idea to jazz the plain dough up and then ended up with sort of these cinnamon rolls/snails !

Note : I used about 450-500 g of pumpkin brioche dough and rolled it out, then brushed the top with some melted butter and sprinkled with the cinnamon+sugar mixture ( 3 tbsp of sugar and a tsp of cinnamon ) ...rolled them up and cut into 12 pieces !

These brioche snails have also been posted to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast.

Pumpkin Brioche Loaf

2011-10-30T06:38:00.000+08:00

Given the Halloween is around the corner, I've therefore recently been seeing lots of dishes made of pumpkin posted everywhere on the foodie websites! And that kind of convinced me to make something about it..for nothing but to keep myself being trendy! lol..

Since I hadn't made anything with yeast for a while, so I simply chose this bricohe to play with which is quite easy and nothing is really complicated..what you need is patience and time get it done!

The recipe could be found here. I made half of the recipe and ended up with a loaf plus 12 pieces of rolls ( which I called them ' cinnamon pumpkin brioche snails ' )

Pad Cha Kung ( Spicy Stir-fried Prawns )

2011-10-29T08:50:00.001+08:00

I don't cook Thai food on regular basis but that's not because I don't like it..the matter of fact is that I'm not good at cooking them especially, all dishes I fancy while those of dishes that I happen to be able to cook are all fatty food which make me deliberately avoid them for my consumers' health's sake !

Anyway, I sometimes come accross something that makes me feel like eating /cooking..and this scrumptious spicy dish is the case ! The dish is hot ans spicy from herbs and spices but you can control a degree of spiciness with amount of chillies. Since I cooked it for my husband,so I tried not to overload chillies but unfortunately, it seemed far too much for him to handle ! Finally, we got the problem sorted..I let him eat only prawn which is the only thing in the dish that I don't like while I happily took care of all the rest..so it's win-win situation ! lol..

The recipe could be found here and thanks a lot to Khun Jum of maesalim who has always given out lots of great recipes that never let me down !

Apple Creamcheese Crumb Bars

2011-10-09T13:50:00.001+08:00

Rugby world cup has been taking place at the moment and as a sport lover, my husband is certainly into it, especially when England was playing, yet they are unfortunately no longer a part of tournament ! Anyway, honestly speaking, while I felt (a bit) sorry for him that his team didn't perform well enough to get through the semi-final but on the other hand, I was quite happy that now I don't have to be a secret-supporter for France !! lol..

Now talking about the baked stuff, I couldn't remember what I did at the first place to end up with these apple bars on this site but that doesn't really matter...what's more interesting to me is the recipe itself that happens to have some ingredients I'd like to use them up !

As for the verdict, I, myself , thought the bars are delicious..so far the bad thing is that I couldn't get a judge from my favorite tester cuz he refused to have any when offered and that's just because he's far too upset with the rugby result ! Anyway, while I am writing this post , it's not yet a proper time to serve him a piece...but I'm getting my fingers crossed that he would give me a good feedback when he has some!!

The recipe could be found here. ( note : the adjustment I made is to use rolled oat instead of quick cooking one and reduce amount of both sugars and condensed milk, then I added the apples before pouring the creamcheese mixture over ! )

Soft Pretzels

2011-10-08T16:43:00.002+08:00

Lately, I've been making things that do not involve yeast; so much so I'm now so missing playing with it.. As a consequence, I chose thie pretzel to play with..and I am totally pleased with the result!!

The recipe is from Alton Brown and could be found here.

Ps. This article has also been posted to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast.

Jammers

2011-10-06T18:11:00.001+08:00

One of my aims to be here doing blogging is to share something I've thought it's good and interesting with people who love baking and cooking like me. Unfortunately, today I don't feel like saying or telling about anything at all..I'd just like to write about this jammer cuz I've thought it's too good to be ignored or left behind without getting posted !

You could find the recipe from here where the jammer is described very clear how it's become or called 'jammer'.

Young Coconut Cake

2011-10-01T10:43:00.001+08:00

I'd normally make my own decision/choice on what to bake and consequently whom to give..this way gives me no pressure and makes me really enjoy doing what I like! Anyway, I also bake things upon request but it doesn't happen that often because people around me know what I am like :)

This young coconut cake is a request from my dear friend which actually had been asking for it a while ago..as a good friend, I kept ignoring her request and made something else instead for the last few times when we got together..lol.. then all of a sudden, I felt guilty and decided that it's time to make her happy..:) The only problem is...the cake has been done but as of now I still don't know when and where it will be delivered to her ! LOL..

In my point of view, the cake is not difficult to make but needs some time to finish the whole steps. The most difficult part for me is decorating.. especially, when there's alcohol in my blood..lol !! Anyway, I managed to get it done at the end when the alcohol faded away...:)
The recipe could be found here.

Marbled Pound Cake..Simply Delicious!!

2011-09-30T15:42:00.002+08:00

Speaking of a pound cake, it's not difficult at all to find a recipe but I'm sure it's not that easy to get one you'd really like..at least it's the case for me ! Anyway, when I saw my daughter's friend eating a piece of marble pound cake the other day , it reminded me of one great recipe of pound cake I've found on this site and although,with a lot of times on giving it a try, yet none of them could make me pleased with the textures ( though,regardless of their taste! ).

Early on this week when I had time, I decided to make it again and this time , instead of using self-raising flour as I always do, I used the cake flour brought back from Bangkok as the original recipe calls for. And when I took the cake out of the oven, I knew somehow straight away that this cake would have a texture that I've been wanting! I sliced a cake once it cooled down and I was so right about its texture.. there it was!! BUT...unfortunately, the cake was underbaked and not cooked through at the bottom...so it found a way with my help to get into the bin a second later..lol

And it's not so me who would get this thing over with easily and without getting it sorted..so the second go was done and luckily, this time is a happy ending..indeed!!

The recipe

150 g cold unsalted butter
3/4 tsp salt
150 g caster sugar
150 g cake flour ( can use self raising but texture would be different )
2 tsp baking powder
100 g milk
3 large eggs ( cold )
2 tsp vanilla
2 rounded tbsp cocoa powder + 2 tsp sugar + boiling water for cocoa paste

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 160 c. , Lightly grease a loaf tin and line with parchment papare. Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside. Beat the butter with a paddle attachment on low-medium speed until softened , then increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar, beat together until light and fluffy.

2. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with vanilla and pour into the butter mixture with the machine running on high speed, little at a time, stop the machine and scrape the batter down from time to time, make sure everything mixed and beated thoroughly before a new addition. Try not to let them become curdled cuz it will effect the texture for the final result.

3. Add the flour mixture and milk alternatively and mix until smooth. Divide 1/3 of the batter to a mixing bowl and fold in the cocoa paste, mix until incoperated. Pour half of plain batter into the prepared tin, top with the cocoa batter and finish with the rest of the plain batter. Make a swirl with a thick toothpick or a cake checker. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean. Let cool in pan on a rack and turn out onto a rack. For the better result, wrap the cake and keep in the fridge/freezer for at least 4 hours before slicing.

Johnny Appleseed Bars

2011-09-27T17:53:00.000+08:00

I've had many recipes of wonderful sweet and savoury dishes to share on my blog here but unfortunately, I haven't had that much effort ( or being capable of ) to make them posted or published on those popular ( and crazy ) foodie websites which sometimes makes me disappointed and irritated! Anyway, my aim for writing my blog is nothing to do with that and no matter what , I will continue doing things I like here as long as I'm happy !

These bars are not sophisticated at any rate but what made me interested in it is nothing but the name and its unclear story I've found from this site... Anyway, the real reason I decided to give it a try is because I've not made anything with rolled oated for a while which I'd really missed the thing for my baking..so here it comes!!

Dark Chocolate & Raspberry White Chocolate Mousse Cake

2011-09-24T15:36:00.002+08:00

I'd been wanting to make this cake for a while but couldn't find a pack of frozen raspberries in the supermarkets near where I live. Anyway, with some effort made, I finally got one recently and like you can guess..when it comes to baking, there's no doubt that I always find time to get it done sooner rather than later !

There are three steps to make the cake. Firstly, you make a cake base which I chose the same chocolate chiffon one as I've used for my chocolate mud cake. Next is to make a dark chocolate followed by white choc. raspberry mousse which is quite plain and simple..what I've thought it's the most difficult thing to make the cake is time needed to get everything set !

As for the result, I asked my husband how he'd rate my cake and he immediately said ' ten out ten ' !! so no more word to be said !! :)

Dark Chocolate Mousse:

Dark Chocolate 100 g
Whipping Cream (1) 50 g
Whipping Cream (2) 150 g
Caster sugar 50 g
Egg yolk 2
Powdered gelatin 1/2 tsp

Melt the chocolate in a large bowl. Put the whipping cream (1), sugar, yolks and gelatin in the saucepan on the low heat until everything melted. Combine the egg mixture with the melted chocolate, stirring until well incorporated,set aside until completely cool. Whisk the whipping cream(2) to soft peaks, then gently fold in the chocolate mixture until blended. Pour mousse over the chocolate cake layer. Spread evenly over top then refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes.

White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse:

1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
12 ounces frozen raspberries
1 tsp sugar
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
200 ml whipping cream

Pour water into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over top and set aside for 5 minutes to bloom. Pour frozen raspberries into the bowl of a food processor and puree. Pour puree into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl. Allow the raspberry juice to drip into the bowl. Press on the solids to get as much juice out of the puree as possible. Discard solids. Pour raspberry juice into a small saucepan. Add sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue to boil, stirring often until the juice reduces to 1/2-2/3 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the bloomed gelatin. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Put chopped white chocolate into a large bowl. Pour hot juice over chocolate. Allow to sit for 3 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth, set aside until completely cool.
Whisk cream to soft peaks. Whisk 1/3rd of the whipped cream into the white chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until light and fluffy. Pour over the chocolate mousse layer and the other layet of cake , then spread evenly. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Blueberry Custard Pie

2011-09-20T10:08:00.001+08:00

The recipe is from Martha Stewart which raspberries are originally called for but I opted for blueberries since it costed much less than raspberries.. This pie takes some time before you can eat but I think it's really worth waiting !

Too bad I didn't have chance to take a lot of photos and unfortunately, there happened to be only one that is perfect !!

Curried Chicken and Onion Casserole

2011-09-18T07:55:00.001+08:00

This casserole was traditionally chosen by my husband to be our Saturday dinner. The original recipe is called 'Chicken and Onion Tagine' but I decided to call it differently as seen on the post title cuz I thought the dominant ingredient to make the dish so scrumptious is curry powder! Trust me It's easy to make and even easier to enjoy eating it ! Simply delicious with rice and vegetable side dish..Bon appetit !!

The recipe could be found here.

Carrot, Courgette and Orange Cake

2011-09-17T07:17:00.003+08:00

There are (always) new recipes found and I'd undoubtedly like to give all of them a try sooner rather than later..Anyway, given a limit of time along with a luck of having all ingredients in hand, this cake is an ideal choice to satisfy my endless baking craving !

The recipe is from BBC GoodFood, the magazine I've subscribed for years..you could find the original recipe online from here which is slightly different from what I've done ( I prepared the batter the same way normally done for a butter/pound cake, then added the carrot & courgette at the end )

Raspberry&White Chocolate Muffins

2011-09-13T06:50:00.000+08:00

It's Mid-Autumn Festival in HK. and people enjoy playing lanterns and eating mooncake..To celebrate the event ( what a good excuse to bake..lol ) , I opted for these muffins instead of a traditional mooncake which none of the family members fancies !

The recipe could be found here.

Bubble-Top Brioches

2011-09-12T18:14:00.001+08:00

Once the summer holiday ended , my life has then been busy with lots of things around. However, I somehow have managed to bake things from time to time...and what I've found it's much more difficult to find time to do is blogging..Anyway, I am here now..and chose to be back with the brioches from Dorie Greenspan!

Although I couldn't make them look exactly like the original shown on the website but according to my husband's comment, it seems to be one of my best baked goods which certainly couldn't make me happier !!

The recipe could be found here.

Ps. This post has also been sent to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast..

Apple Crisp

2011-06-19T15:35:00.000+08:00

What I would normally do when I feel like baking but can't come up with any idea of what to make is simply to choose something plain and easy...This time I thought about rhubarb to begin with but since I didn't have any of them in hand, so my aim was changed to apple which I happened to have enough for the dish!

I slightly adapted the recipe used for my rhubarb crisp . This time I reduced amount of topping and used lemon instead of orange..

Here is what I've done

114 g cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan
6 cups apple ( half granny smith half gala ) peeled,cored and cut into 1 inch pieces (about 6 apples)
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
a zest from one (medium) lemon
1/4 scant cup brown sugar
3 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 cup + 3 scant tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 rounded tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup rolled oats

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking or gratin dish with a little butter. Toss apple with white sugar, lemon juice and zest, and spread in baking dish.

2. Put the sugars, flour, oat, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl, rub in the butter until it looks like small peas and just begins to clump together. Crumble the topping over the apple and bake until golden and beginning to brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Served warm with cream or ice-cream.

Pineapple and Coconut Loaf Cake

2011-06-14T17:53:00.000+08:00

It's only a few days to go before we get off for the summer holiday! Time seems to fly so quickly cuz I have still felt like this year just started but it's in fact half year through now...

Since I got some leftover crushed pineapple that was going off pretty soon in the fridge, along with a load of sweetened coconut in the cupboard.. Thus, I tried to look for a recipe that calls for a big amount of both and I ended up with this pineapple and coconut loaf cake which is coincidently from Martha Stewart like my oatmeal mars bars previously posted !

Given lots of pineapple and sweetened coconut called for, I then typically cut off some sugar which it came out perfectly fitted my taste!!

The recipe could be found here.

Oatmeal Mars Bars

2011-06-13T10:17:00.001+08:00

To me, nothing is better than baking when it rains and makes me stuck in the house! Last Sunday is the case and these oatmeal bars were my choice..The original recipe is from Martha Stewart but I happened to see from this site that the recipe was tweaked which really attracted me..so I decided to do the same thing but instead of using milky way bars that couldn't be found in the supermarket where I shopped , I then opted for Mars bars which are similar...

Here is what I've done..

Ingredients :

5 snack-size Mars bars
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 scant teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
142 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Method :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 8-by-8- inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each short side. Put Mars bars and cream in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bars are melted, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

Stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and the salt in a large bowl. Blend in butter with a fork or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal; press half of mixture onto bottom of lined pan. Bake until just set and starting to color around edges, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes.

Sprinkle crust with chocolate chips; drizzle with caramel mixture. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Bake until pale golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

Srilankan Chicken Curry

2011-06-10T07:00:00.000+08:00

Most of curry dishes I've cooked are either Thai or Indian style, thus I was fascinated when I've found or come accross something different to try! This curry is new to me, so it certainly made me keen to cook..eat and share! And now I am happy to have one more choice of great curry dishes to choose for cooking and serving my people next time..

The recipe could be found here.

Campfire Cookies

2011-06-03T16:58:00.001+08:00

Meeting with friends who have yound kids, I simply reckoned that I'd rather bring along something indulgent than healthy for them to make sure their kids would be happy to see when they open their (kind of ) goodie bags , so I chose these campfire cookies to be the case this time!

The cookies might have an unattractive look but please believe me, their taste is surely not the same!

Please click here for the recipe. ( Note : I reduced sugar to about 2/3 cup and used chocolate flavored marshmallows instead of plain ones )

Coconut Shortbread

2011-05-31T19:20:00.002+08:00

Like I mentioned in the previous post ( Buttermilk Pie) that I'd like to use up all ingredients which are going to reach/pass their expiry dates before summer holiday, and this shortbread was another good choice for the purpose!

There are two recipes I like but I chose the one from bakingbites because it requires shorter time of preparing. I toasted the coconut before using while the original recipe doesn't do and I also reduced amount of sugar to fit my own preference ..

Mississippi Mud Pie

2011-05-28T14:36:00.000+08:00

Mississippi mud pie is a chocolate-based dessert pie that is likely to have originated in the US state of Mississippi. The treat contains a gooey chocolate filling on top of a crumbly chocolate crust. The pie is usually served with ice cream. While Mississippi mud pie was originally associated with Southern United States cuisine, the dish has gained somewhat of an international reputation, owing in large part to the sheer amount of chocolate in each serving.

The name "Mississippi mud pie" comes from the dense cake which resembles the banks of the Mississippi river. It is believed that this dish was created by home cooks after World War 2 because it was made of simple ingredients that could be found at any supermarket and did not require any special cooking tools.

There are two popular versions of Mississippi Mud Pie. One is a cake-like version and the other is an ice cream pie version. I chose to make the first version because it would be easier to be given away..Also I decided to add a marchmallows topping to make it real as recommended and oohh..they were too good to be true!!

Here is my version ( adapted from here )

Ingredients :

For the base

1 3/4 cup digestive biscuits, crushed
65g butter, melted

For the filling

100 g dark chocolate, 70 per cent cocoa solids
100 g butter
2 large eggs
50 g caster sugar
35g light muscovado sugar
50 ml whipping cream

Some marchmallows for topping ( Note : I used chocolate flavored one and it looked unattractive ,so I sprinkle some cocoa powder and icing to make it look prettier !)

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/365F/Gas 4. Mix the biscuits and melted butter together in a bowl. Press the mixture into the base and sides of a 23cm/9in pie plate. Bake for 5-8 minutes until lightly browned.

For the filling, melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water).

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a bowl for 5-6 minutes, or until thick and creamy. Fold in the cream and melted chocolate mixture. Pour into the base and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until just set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the top with marchmallows, then put under the grill/broiler until the marchmallows melt and turn browned. Set aside to cool, serve with ice-cream.

Buttermilk Pie

2011-05-28T06:56:00.000+08:00

School summer break is coimg and we've planned to be away for most of the time..therefore, I need to check all stocks of my baking ingredients and try to use things that would reach their expiry date during my being away ! And buttermilk powder is the case..so I guess you would see recipes posted on my blog that call for it.

Buttermilk pie ( according to wikipedia ) is a traditional custard-like pie of the southern United States. The basic filling consists of a mixture of eggs, sugar, buttermilk, dry biscuit mix, and butter; variations on the recipe may include flavorings such as lemon zest. Buttermilk pies may be made with or without a crust. The liquid filling is poured into a pie pan (into a crust if one is used) and baked until the mixture sets. The pie may be eaten either while still warm from the oven or after being chilled.

This pie was what I intendedly search for and all recipes I've looked through are quite similar..and fortunately, it's very easy and quick to prepare the filling..making your own pie crust will take longer time to get it done than using a store-bought one but I reckon it's worth your effort !

Here is the recipe I ended up with..

Ingredients :

Mediterranean Vegetables with Lamb

2011-05-24T17:26:00.000+08:00

All recipes of lamb dishes I've cooked are quite heavy and most of them require long cooking time. This lamb dish is a difference that contains lots of vegetables and doesn't take long to cook which are the main reasons why I made it!

If you'd like something light and healthy, yet have a little craving for some meat.,then this recipe is highly recommended..serve it along with basmati rice and they could make a great meal for you!!

The recipe could be found here.

Coconut Scones

2011-05-22T16:23:00.000+08:00

I've got lots of shredded coconut and they need to be used up as much and quick as possible before their expiry date! With a shortage of time, I opted for scone rather than something that requires more time to prepare and bake.. After a search on the net, I chose this coconut scone that seems ,to me, more interesting than the other recipes.

The recipe could be found here ( note : I used self-raising flour instead of AP. flour )

Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies

2011-05-20T16:45:00.000+08:00

I don't know why exactly these cookies are called like you've seen and it's actually not the reason why I decided to make. Instead, what convinced me to give it a try is ingredients called for in the recipe!

The recipe could be found here. ( note : I reduced amount of condensed milk by half )

Salty Flaxseed and Cornmeal Cookies

2011-05-14T17:36:00.000+08:00

I've got a whole big bag of cornmeal to use up before it passes the expiry date which is coming so soon...When I saw this cookie posted on foodgawker, not only it came at the right time to rescue me but it also made me interested in a way the dough prepared, plus the recipe calls for flaxseed that I happen to have a lot in my cupboard...so it couldn't be a better chance to have it a go!

The dough is very easy to make but honestly, it seems to be the weirdest dough I've ever made and I couldn't help but doubt if the outcome would be edible...After 8 minutes of baking, I could no longer wait to find out, so I excitedly broke one of the baked cookies into pieces and put a hot piece in my mouth...along with hope in mind!

Eventhough the taste was quite odd to me to begin with but it's surely edible! I then patiently let them cool to the room temperature and tried another piece..this time it tasted much better with the crunchier and crispier texture! Piece after piece, I decided that I like the cookie and could really put it in my favorite cookie lists !

The recipe could be found here.

Banana and Coconut Muffins

2011-05-14T07:47:00.005+08:00

Yesterday morning, I opened the freezer to put something away but surprisingly found out that most of spaces are occupied! During a search for free space, I then found 3 bananas unattended lying in different compartments. Given their ugly look and being old, I decided to get rid of them to make my freezer look prettier, yet I was kind enough not to throw them right away in a rubbish bin sitting next to the fridge !

Although there were a few ideas of how to play with those poor old bananas popped up in my head but unfortunately, none of them is new and therefore all failed to make me convinced... With the iphone in my hand, I automatically opened the epicurious app. and type 'banana' word to search for an interesting recipe which didn't take me long to find out the winner!

I chose this muffin because a combination of banana and coconut which as far as I rememeber, they were never paired before in my baking era. because normally and basicly, I'd simply use chocolate to match banana or let it play a role on itself.. but this time I did something different for a change and sort of experiment!

The result was excellent and the muffins tasted wonderful.. The duo did a great job and made me fall in love with them!

The recipe ( slightly adapted from here )

1 1/4 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mashed bananas
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
70 g caster sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Method :

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line muffin cups with liners.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and 1/2 cup coconut in a large bowl until combined well, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened.

Divide batter among lined muffin cups and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup coconut. Bake until muffins are puffed and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer muffins to a rack and cool slightly.

Ps. I've also posted this to

Browned Butter Chocolate Malted Blondie

2011-05-14T05:18:00.000+08:00

I had a good feedback about my chocolatey and malty cookies that I baked few months ago and I also was quite pleased with a combination of chocolate and malt. So when I saw this blondie posted on this site, It effortlessly caught my attention and didn't take me long to give it a try!

Anyway,I didn't get the right outcome as I expected from the first try because it's far too overbaked.. So,I decided to have another try and this time was with a little modification..

The recipe (adapted from here)

1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 scant tsp salt
3 Tbs malted milk powder
100 g unsalted butter
1/2 scant cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup malted dark choc balls (Malteser's), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 8*8 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and malted milk powder.

Brown the butter and transfer to a mixing bowl, let cool for 5 minutes then mix in brown sugar whisk until completely combined. Add the egg and vanilla, mix everything until combined.

Fold in the flour mixture, using a rubber spatula, then fold in the malted balls and chocolate chips. The mixture will be very thick.

Turn out into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes. Cut into squares to serve immediately, or they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Browned Butter Carrot and Coconut Traybake

2011-05-10T08:39:00.000+08:00

Please click here for more details..

Blackberry and Coconut Macaroon Tart

2011-05-09T06:27:00.000+08:00

For me, making a thing that I've never done before is an exciting adventure..and having it done successfully is truly beyond a joy! This tart is the case..:)

The recipe could be found here.

Tiffin

2011-05-07T06:44:00.001+08:00

I've seen this chocolatey sweet being generally sold at most of bakery and coffee shops in England for years but I didn't bother to find out what it really was until the last time I visited my husband's family when it was nicely made and served by my sister-in-law!

When I was given the recipe, I noticed it was a kid's handwriting, then my sister-in-law told me that it's her daughter who wrote the recipe which was from her husband's mother..it's handed down from generation to generation, so no wonder why it's sooo scrumptious !

The Recipe ( slightly adapted from the original ) :
75g unsalted butter
a tbsp caster sugar
75g cocoa powder
75 g dark chocolate ( 70% cocoa )
1 tbsp golden syrup
100 g sultanas + raisins
225 g crushed digestive biscuits
340 g ( a whole bag ) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

Melt the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan on a low heat. Let cool for few minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the last 2 ingredients and mix in the butter and choco. mixture. Stir until everything evenly distributed. Press the mixture into the prepared tin ( 7*11 inches , lightly grease the bottom and line with parchment paper ), cover with foil and leave in the fridge for few hours until firm ( I left overnight ).

Melt the semi-sweet choc. chips and spread evenly over the top. Let cool again until the topping set. Slice into pieces and enjoy !

Creamy Salmon and Prawn Stew

2011-05-07T04:54:00.001+08:00

This is another quick and easy dish from bbcgoodfood where is always useful and helpful everytime I seek something to cook/bake! I served it along with garlic bread and they really made a great meal for a busy weekday!

The recipe could be found here.

Raspberry and White Choc Waffle Pudding

2011-05-06T15:38:00.000+08:00

I had this pudding for the first time in England made by my lovely sister-in-law who is very good at baking and her baked goods never fail to please everybody in the whole family. The pudding was her choice to serve us as a dessert on the day we all got together. I was amazed to see how quick and easy the dish was prepared and truly impressed with the outcome, so I asked her for the recipe and knew I would definitely give it a try sooner rather than later.. And ten days later, here come the pudding!

Orange and Poppy Seed Cupcakes

2011-04-30T08:36:00.000+08:00

To me, orange and poppy seed always make a perfect duo for all kinds of baking goods and it's hard to resist whenever/wherever I see them made and appeared as a food!

I was inspired to make the cupcakes by this post from Khun Jum of maesalim.com who is one of my favorite and best food bloggers..I've learned lots of things from her blog/website since I've started cooking&baking!

Actually, I gave her recipe a try but my cake was underbaked and it turned out wet and poorly rise inside..I figured the problem out and it's nothing wrong with the recipe, instead it's the oven (top heat is far too much and makes tops of baking goods turn browned or burnst so quick!) that caused me a fail. Anyway, I changed the recipe for the second try and decided to make it in cupcake form to avoid long-time baking and this time they came out totally fine...

The recipe could be found here.

Note : I modified the recipe a bit by replacing a tbsp of marmalade with a tbsp of orange concentrated juice and also reduced sugar to 150 g.

Placek

2011-04-11T16:49:00.001+08:00

When I saw the photo and description of this Polish coffee yeasted cake on foodgawker, my first reaction was to think of how odd ( for myself !)the name is and then, without second thoughts, automatically double-clicked on the photo to go to the original post which everything there looked convincing to me!

Given no experience and no awareness of the bread before, I simply assumed that the best way to acquaint this Polish Easter bread is to give it a try by myself ! And with a quick search on google , all stories and recipes are not actually different from each other..so I decided to use the recipe from my first source which turned out to be perfect and definitely please all of tasters!

The recipe could be found here.

Ps. this post has also been sent to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast.

Shor gogal

2011-04-02T13:41:00.002+08:00

Shor gogal is a popular savoury pastry, made from layers of pastry flavoured with turmeric and fennel seeds. Shor gogal, sheker bura and bakhlava are all eaten at the Novruz spring holiday. According to one tradition, the round, yellow gogal represents the sun, while the crescent shaped sheker bura is the moon. The process of making gogal is time consuming and, traditionally, the women of the family come together before Novruz to make gogal. Although gogal are a holiday food, nowadays they are enjoyed all year round as well.

The first time I saw shor gogal posted on this site I was absolutely thrilled by its look and determined to make them without even knowing what it really is! At the first glance, I thought the recipe was quite difficult to follow but after reading carefully, it's not that complicated as I expected..I ,though, kind of made a mess a bit when shaping and filling the rolled up dough..but all in all , no any harm done to the final outcome !

Since I knew nothing about the bread, so I didn't have guts to modify the recipe and simply followed the recipe step by step..The only thing I made a change (eventually!) is to use caraway seeds as a substitute for anise seeds because I couldn't find it in supermarkets or shops where I normally go for food shopping..

Now talking about a result, the shor gogal turned out to be a big hit for the whole family! My 5 years old daughter who doesn't fancy any kind of spices (except cinnamon) had a whole piece of it and my husband said it's now one of his favorite breads I've ever made..that's all I can say!

Please click here to see the recipe..

Ps. this post has also been sent to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast.

Guyanese Butterflaps

2011-04-02T05:39:00.002+08:00

When it comes to bread, no matter what it is, needless to say how easy I could fall in love and be tempted to give any recipe a try!

These Guyanese butterflaps were written about and have been posted by Cynthia of Tastes Like Home. They are, in fact, nothing more than just bread and butter..yet it could find a way come to my mind and somehow played a trick to make me convinced that this simple and plain bread would be worth my time & (little) effort and pay off nicely!

I didn't use Cynthia's recipe to make a dough but I instead chose one of my favorite and reliable recipes and simply followed a process of filling and shaping the flaps..as for the outcome, they are absolutely a perfect match..the bread and butter!!

Ps. this bread has also been posted to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast..

Mafe ( Senegalese Lamb Stew )

2011-04-02T03:07:00.002+08:00

When I saw this lamb stew posted on Leite's Culinaria, I immediately saved it onto my recipes file and undoubtedly planned to cook the dish as soon as I'd have a chance which fortunately, came very soon when my husband rang me the next morning and told me a good news that he was coming home from a business trip on that day which was earlier than it's supposed to be and I didn't have yet any food to be served for his dinner!

What I like about the stew is that it has everything all in one but that's not actually a real reason why my attention has been caught. Instead, it's a fact of the dish that made me keen on giving it a try!

As for a verdict, I was admittedly nervous to serve my husband this stew because I know that he's not a big fan of peanut butter..and honestly, I wouldn't have let him know that the stew had something he doesn't really like unless my daughter asked me infront of him what it was when he was about to start eating his dinner.. I had no choice but reluctantly answered her question and waited for his reaction at the same time! To my surprise, he finished all portion I served and top of everything,he said it's delicious!! so.. I don't think I have to say any more word about this stew!!

You could read a story about the dish and find the recipe from here..

Note : I used Skippy creamy peanut butter and bird chillies due to a lack of original ingredients called for.

Garoupa Head and Basil Thai Sour Curry

2011-03-27T09:53:00.000+08:00

It's strange but true that I don't cook Thai food very often..and of course not because I don't like it but the matter of fact is that I can't cook and make it the way I'd love!

But it happens sometimes when I feel like eating something that could not generally be found anywhere in HK..so the only way to serve my own craving is to cook it myself.

This sour curry is the case! Although it's actually not difficult to find sour curry in any Thai restaurant but it's not easy either to get specific ingredients in a curry..definitely not both Garoupa head and basil in one like I wanted..so here came the curry!!

I've found the recipe from here ( Thanks Khun Wattana who has posted the recipe anyway ) which made me feel hungry straight away.. And once I read through the post, I knew from there what would be my next mission ( in the kitchen!).

Pao de queijo (Brazilian Cheese Puffs)

2011-03-20T10:05:00.000+08:00

I'd found this Brazilian snack for a while but didn't have a chance to give it a try until recently ! As far as I've noticed , there seems to be two basic methods of making the puffs and I opted to try for the easier one due to a lack of time..

Pão de queijo is how these cheese delights are named in Brazil. Pão de queijo are cheese snacks made with tapioca starch. Eat them still warm from the oven, when the interior is still gooey, soft and creamy from the melted cheese..

The recipe is easy to make, yet the outcome I got was surprisingly good and exactly like how it is described..yummy !!

The recipe could be found here.

President Clinton's Oatmeal Cookies

2011-03-11T15:31:00.000+08:00

I love oat..that's the matter of fact..but it's not the reason why I decided to give these oatmeal cookies a try. What actually caught my attention is certainly a name of the cookie which I'm sure many of you would be the same!

At the first sight, I seriously thought it's really the recipe created by the President but then second thoughts came through my mind..how could a busy and big man like him find a spare time for such a little thing ? From there, it took less than a minute to find out that I was so right about my guess.. and here is a story behind the scene I'd like to share !

To be honest, I was not so keen about the cookie after I knew that it's not actually his own recipe..but again, I changed my mind once I looked through the recipe! And you know what ?? ( this is a sentence that my little girl always says to me when she wants to tell me something!..I think she wouldn't mind to let me borrow her typical words :) ) the real reason why I decided to make it at the end is because of the fat raisin called for in the recipe !! ...Have a look at its recipe and you could easily guess why it's so attractive to me ( only if you know me so well thou! lol)

President Clinton’s oatmeal cookies ( slightly adapted from Desserts by the Yard )

Cookies:

1 ½ cups (210g) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 ¾ sticks (198g) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup (200g) caster sugar

1 cup (175g) light brown sugar, packed

1 ½ teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs, room temperature

3 cups (354g) rolled oats

1 recipe (1 ½ cups) fat raisins

Fat raisins:

1 ½ cups (232g) golden raisins
¾ cup (180ml) dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 ½ tablespoons dark rum
3 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

Method:

Start by preparing the fat raisins: combine the raisins, wine, orange juice, rum and sugar in a small heavy saucepan; bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring all the while. Lower the heat so that the liquid is at a bare simmer and poach for 20 minutes.

Remove from the heat, cover the pan with plastic wrap and allow to cool completely. If not using right away, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Now, the cookies: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F; line two large baking sheets with baking paper.Sift together the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and baking soda and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter on high speed until lemony yellow, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle/beaters. Add the sugars. Beat until creamy and scrape the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Beat on low speed for 15-30 seconds or until the eggs are incorporated. On low speed, add the sifted ingredients, beating until they’re absorbed. Mix in the oats and raisins.

Place 1 leveled tablespoon of dough per cookie onto prepared sheets, 5cm (2in) apart. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the baking sheet, then bake for another 5-8 minutes or until nicely browned. Carefully slice the baking paper off the sheet and directly onto your work surface. Cool completely.

Cookies will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Note : I made half recipe for cookies and added a tsp of vanilla extract to the dough but used 2/3 recipe for fat raisins .

My Own Style Savoury Tarts..

2011-03-09T18:24:00.001+08:00

I got some leftover dough from making Canadian butter tarts that turned out not good as I expected ( in fillings texture wise, not taste at all!) ..so, instead of making more of sweet butter tarts, I decided to do something different and came up with an idea of making savoury ones!

Anyway, I planned to use a commercial instant tuna spread as a filling in the first place but couldn't find any in a small supermarket where I stopped by. Given ingredients needed could be all found in the cupboard, I then had second thoughts about making my own filling!

Luckily, not only what I created was so easy to make but it also was edible! Honestly, it was much better than I thought..tasty and surprisingly went along very well with the tart base..:)

The recipe for the dough could be found here.

And what I used for my fillings are the following..

1 canned tuna in oil
3 crab sticks ( Japanese style) ,finely chopped
1/2 - 3/4 cup ( approximately ) real mayo
a quarter of small onion, finely chopped
2 spring onions ( green part only), finely chopped
dried parsley , paparika, cayenne pepper ,curry powder, black pepper and caster sugar to taste

Mix everything together in a mixing bowl ..adjust all seasonings to match your own preferred taste.

Mexican Style Pork Roast

2011-02-28T17:57:00.000+08:00

I handed the recipes of three different cuisines to my husband and asked him to choose what he'd like to be served for Saturday dinner and this pork was his choice which was coincidentally what I'd like him to pick!

I loved the dish once I first saw it posted here and was really keen to give it a go.. What attracted me is not only its scrumptious look from the photos but the cuisine and method also caught my attention!! Honestly speaking, Mexican food is one of my favorites, yet not what I cook regularly unless I've found an interesting recipe and this pork happened to be the case..

I adjusted amount of spices to suit my taste bud and opted for tortilla to serve along with it.. To make a meal perfect, I also had homemade guacamole , iceberg lettuce, sour cream and grated Parmesan on the table and let everybody make their own choices to assemble their dinner.. What a happy family meal!!

The recipe ( Slightly adapted from here )

7 dried bird chillies, stemmed and half of them deseeded
2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 tsp mixed dried herbs

Pinch cloves

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1/2 tsp salt

1kg pork shoulder

Rehydrate the chillies by steeping in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of water, transfer chillies and reserved liquid to a blender.

Tear bay leaves in pieces then add to the blender with the vinegar, onion, garlic, mixed herbs, cloves and allspice. Process to a smooth paste. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the spice paste and fry for five minutes until dark in colour.

Heat the oven to 160 degrees, cut the pork into pieces that are roughly 3 inches thick and make 1 inch incisions all over the meat. Lay the meat on top of the paste and ensure that it is all well coated. Pour 1.2 cup of chicken stock around the meat and put the dish into the oven.

Baste the meat every 30 minutes. After 2.5 hours the meat should be tender and falling apart. If the liquid dries out at any point during the cooking time then top up with water.

Allow the meat to rest for 30 minutes before serving. Remove the fat from the cooking liquid and reducing it down to create a thick sauce to serve with the meat.

Malty and Chocolatey Cookies

2011-02-22T16:11:00.000+08:00

Cookie is not a thing I'd particularly like to bake but it's not something that I would miss giving a try either if I find it interesting somehow!

These cookies happened to be the case because there are few ingredients called for that I had never used in my cookie baking era before..So, with all ingredients in hand, it didn't take me long to discover how scrumptious the cookies are!

The recipe ( adapted from here )

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup Horlick malted drink powder

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup whole milk

2 cups chocolate-covered malted milk balls ( Maltesers), coarsely chopped

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Whisk together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, mixing just until it disappears into the batter. Mix in the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. With the mixer still on low, or by hand with a rubber spatula, mix in the malted milk balls and chocolate chips.

3. Drop about 2 heaping tablespoonfuls worth of dough (I used a large cookie scoop) onto the sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until puffed and set but still slightly soft to the touch. Let the cookies rest for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Blue Cheese Biscuits

2011-02-21T15:27:00.000+08:00

Time seems to fly very quick since the year has started while my blog has been left unupdated indeliberately..it's not that I have no time to cook and bake but there have just been lots of things happening to intervene! Anyway, I finally found my way back to blogging and do what I like here!!

Now speaking of the biscuits, I've found it on David Lebovitz's blog and what made me keen on giving it a try is a blue cheese which happens to be a favorite cheese of both my husband's and mine! Nothing is complicated to prepare the dough but you need some time to let it set in the fridge which I left mine overnight before baking!

As for a verdict, if you are a big fan of blue cheese , then this is one of things you shouldn't miss.. it's a real savoury biscuit and made a great snack..And I guess it would be great to serve it along with a bowl of soup or salad which I've planned to do when I make it next time!

The recipe could be found here..

Savoury Cheddar and Cornflake Cookies

2011-01-24T14:56:00.001+08:00

I normally plan ahead what to do during daytime while my husband and daughter are off to work and school for each and every week. And when something unexpectedly happens to interfere with my set plan, I never find myself feel comfortable to cope with, especially things that force myself to do nothing but stay at home and today is the case!!

Anyway, it's not that bad cuz I've found these cookies and decided to occupy myself for a very short while to do what I like in the kitchen! As for the result, to my point of view, the cookie is a cross between shortbread and cracker..it's flaky..crispy , yet mildly chewy and buttery..and top of everything, it couldn't be better to be paired with cheese and sweet chutney !

Here is my version ( adapted from here )

Ingredients:

1 cup AP flour

114 g butter, softened

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup cornflake

dash of cayenne pepper & paprika

Dried parsley & grated cheddar to sprinkle
Allow cold ingredients to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400°. Combine butter and cheese well with spoon or hands. Mix in flour, cayenne and paprika. Add salt and pepper to taste and fold in cornflake ( it will be crumbled while combined ). Roll into small balls and flatten; place on cookie sheet and sprinkle with some grated cheese and parsley. Bake 10-15 minutes. Let cool fully before serving; store in an airtight container or freeze. Be forewarned that these crackers are quite dry and flaky (hello, butter!), not moist and chewy like a cookie. Makes approx 18-20 cookies.

Braised Lamb Shank with Lentil

2011-01-24T07:28:00.002+08:00

I've cooked something with lamb from time to time and I've noticed that most of them are made with tomato and/or wine sauce base which I sometimes thought it's quite boring to cook things in the same way. So when I came across this braised lamb shank on the site, I was undoubtedly keen to give it a shot..not only the way a lamb cooked (without tomato and wine!) that caught my attention but the recipe also calls for lentil which happens to be one of ingredients I like !

The recipe is so easy to make and kind of all-in-one dish because it contains lentil and lot of vegetables along with lamb shank, so you could simply serve it alone without any side dish as I did! And it really made a perfect dinner for Saturday night!

The recipe could be found here.

Pani Popo (Samoan Coconut Buns)

2011-01-23T13:59:00.000+08:00

I've been busy with cooking and baking as usual and didn't realise until a friend of mine mentioned that it'd been more than a week that I haven't had my blog updated or posted anything on FB which is absolutely abnormal for me! So many things to do, so little time though.. anyway, here I am!

Now talking about these Samoan coconut buns ( known as pani popo ), it's not really new to me..in fact, it's quite some time when I've first seen a similar version (which is called lolo buns for Fijian!) and made it ! But as far as I rememeber, the recipe I tried calls for far too much coconut milk which made my buns were too soggy and not quite well baked at the bottom ..so I had no choice but counted it as an unsuccessful baked good and didn't really bother to make again until I recently found another recipe using less coconut milk which convinced me to give it a try..

Unlike the first attempt, this time I managed to make it successfully and beautifully with right amount of coconut milk used! The bun is soft, mildly sweet and tasty..and I think coconut milk is really a key to make the bread much more interesting than any normal sweet bread..Even my husband, who is not a big fan of sweet / dessert that has coconut milk in, had two buns in a row !!

The recipe ( slightly adapted from here )

Ingredients:
2 cups bread flour

¾ cup plus 2-3 tbsp warm milk

¾ tsp active dried yeast

1 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp salt

30g softened butter

½ cup thick coconut milk

3 tbsp sugar

1 egg – beaten for egg wash

Method:

1.Mix the lukewarm milk, yeast and sugar in the mixing bowl. Leave it for 10 minutes until the yeast started to form bubble.

2. In a mixing bowl, Whisk the flour and salt together. Add the yeast mixture and mix to form the dough. Add the butter and knead the dough for 10-15 minutes until it forms into a smooth ball .

3. Let the dough rest in a greased bowl until doubled in volume, 1-1.5 hours. Prepare and grease an 8” x 8” square pan or a round baking pan.

4. Remove the dough from bowl and divide it into 9 round balls. Place them in the baking pan, cover and let it rest again until double in size.

5. In the meantime, mix the coconut milk with the 3 tbsp of sugar and heat it up to dissolve the sugar then set aside. Brush the buns with some egg wash. Pour the sweeten coconut milk over the buns and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Ps. This bread has also been sent to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast.

Rosemary and Cornmeal Grissini

2011-01-08T16:36:00.002+08:00

I had proscuitto served with grissini at a restaurant in St.Kilda beach when we were on Christmas holiday and what bothered me is a taste of grissini which I thought it's far too salty when paired with the cured ham and thought it would have been more delicious if it got less salt in the breadsticks!

Anyway, strangely yet truely, I kept thinking about those salty grissini even when I got back to HK. And when I saw these grissini posted by Susan of wildyeast , the first thing come through my mind is those grissini and proscuitto I had in Melbourne !

No doubt that I was completely convinced to make this one, not only because I've got some rosemary and cornmeal to use up while they are reaching their expiry dates but also I wanted to serve it the same way we had before to see what my hubby would think about it..

To make sure that the grissini wouldn't be too salty, I, therefore, reduced a bit amount of salt called for in the original recipe and also added some sugar ( 2 tsp ) to the dough (while it's not required in the original version). As for the outcome, the grissini were slightly crispy and chewy while rosemary made its being tangy in the bread quite well..they could totally be a great snack themselves but when served with proscuitto as hors d'œuvre, my husband who was served with the dish and then was asked if it's better than the one we had in Melbourne said 'infinitely' which is much more than I expected!! :)

The recipe could be found here and I'd like to thank Susan for a great recipe! This post has also been sent to yeastspotting hosted by the same Susan of wildyeast.

Cream Cheese Pecan Cookies

2011-01-07T13:51:00.000+08:00

I got some pecans left in my storing box which were about to pass its expiry date ! Fortunately and coincidentally, I happened to see these cookies posted on simplyrecipes at the right time. So I undoubtedly decided to give it a try without second thoughts!

I didn't make any change to the recipe except to reduce amount of sugar.. And it turned out to match my taste beautifully! These cookies are richy nutty and buttery! Paired with a cup of tea or coffee then I'm sure they couldn't be more perfect match!!

The recipe could be found here.

Spiced and Mixed Dried Fruits Rolls

2011-01-03T18:53:00.001+08:00

After more than 10 days of being away from my kitchen and oven, I felt really really like spending some time with them and I chose to do so on the first day of the new year !

I've found these rolls in delicious magazine (Jan 2011 issue) which I bought from a newsagent's shop in Melbourne where we went for Christmas holiday...I spotted the picture while I was flipping through the magazine and once I read through the whole recipe I knew what's the first thing I'm gonna bake when I get back from holiday!

The original title is called 'Christmas Morning Crown' but since I didn't serve it on Chirstmas morning so I thought I'd rather call it differently. Hence, it became 'spiced and mixed dried fruits rolls' as you've seen !

Christmas Morning Crown (makes 9 scrolls)

1 1/2 c (225g) strong (bread flour) ( I added
7g sachet dried instant yeast
125g unsalted butter, chopped (plus extra to grease)
1/2c warm milk
1 egg, beaten
50g brown sugar
2 tbsp chopped hazelnuts
1 tsp mixed spice
1/3 c (55g) chopped mixed peel
1/3 c (55g) sultanas
1/4c (50g) glace cherries, chopped
1/2 c icing sugar, sifted
lemon juice

1. Grease a large baking tray and dust with flour.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl, add yeast and 1/2 tsp salt. Rub in 40g of the butter to form coarse breadcrumbs. Form a well in the centre and mix in the milk and egg to form a dough. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 1 hour in a warm place until doubled in size.

3. Meanwhile, beat remaining butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until combined. Add nuts, spice, peel, sultanas and cherries and stir to combine.

4. Punch down dough to expel air, knead briefly then roll out on a floured surface to form a 30cm x 23 cm rectangle. Spread the fruit mixture over the dough with a spatula, leaving a 2cm border along the sides. Roll up along the long side to form a log, then cut into 9 equal size pieces.

5. Place slices, cut side up, on the floured tray so it forms a circle with the slices just touching. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until slightly risen. (Once risen, you can cover the crown and chill overnight, then bring back to room temperature before baking).

6. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and bake the crown for 20 minutes or until golden. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to form an icing thin enough for drizzling, then drizzle over the slightly cooled crown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ps. this post has been sent to yeastspotting hosted by Susan of Wildyeast..

Black Forest Cake

2010-12-20T09:46:00.001+08:00

It's my husband's birthday and I let him choose what cake he'd like to eat on his special day like I always do and no surprise when he told me that he wanted a black forest cake ( like he does every year! ).

Nothing's complicated but the cake requires a few steps of preparation..I made the cherry filling and syrup in advance..then prepared the cake base and the whipped cream topping on the day I made and assembled the cake and I left the cake set overnight in the fridge, then served him the next day when he was back from his trip!

The recipe ( adapted from here )

The cake base..

80 g self raising flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
30 g cocoa powder
90 g caster sugar
50 g water
25 g evaporated milk
65 g canola oil
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 egg white
40 g caster sugar
1/4 cream of tartar

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Line the base of 8 inch cake tin with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cocoa powder together into a mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Combine the 90g sugar, yolks, water, oil, milk and vanilla in another bowl. Stir until incorperated and pour overthe flour mixture. Gently mix the dry and wet ingredients with a whisk until smooth. Set aside.

3. Beat the white and cream of tartar with electric mixer until foamy, then gradually add the remaining sugar one tablespoon at a time and continue beat on high speed until reach the soft-medium peak ( more than soft but not hard peak). Gently fold the white into the cake mixture until blended.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted from center comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning the cake out and leave the cake to cool at room temperature before assemble.

Syrup ( for brushing top of layers ):

1/4 cup sugar
1/3cup water
2 tbsp Kirsch

1. Heat the water and sugar until boiled and a bit thick. Take off the heat and set aside until cool , then add kirch into the syrup.

Kirsch Whipped cream:

3 cups whipping cream
60 g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp Kirsch
1 tbsp gelatin dissolved with 2 tbsp hot water ( leave to cool )

Method :

Beat the cream, sugar, vanilla and kirsch together until soft peak then add gelatin and continue to beat until combined and set.

Cherry Filling:

1.5 cans dark cherry in syrup
3 tbsp corn stratch dissolved with 3 tbsp hot water
3 tbsp Kirsch

1. Put cherry along with the syrup into a saucepan. Heat until warm then gradually add the corn stratch mixture. Keep stirring until thick then take off the heat and leave to cool before adding the kirsch.

Assemble the cake :

1. Slice the cake into 2 layers. Brush top of each layer with the syrup. Spread the whipped cream over the bottom layer and top with most of the cherry filling ( leave fews for the topping) , then spread more whipped cream to cover the filling. Put the other layer on top and cover the whole cake with the whipped cream. Decorate the cake as desired ( I used chocolate shavings as seen in the photos!)..

Cheesy Crispy Cornflake Cookies

2010-12-07T18:08:00.001+08:00

Cookie is normally not a thing that I'm really keen to make for some (strange) reasons which even myself still couldn't figure it out ! But on the other hand, whenever I come across an interesting cookie recipe, I could never resist giving it a try..:)

As for a verdict, to my surprise, it turned out to be a flavorful cookie which I was totally pleased with the outcome..

The recipe could be found here.

Cornmeal Biscuits with Honey Butter

2010-12-06T17:56:00.000+08:00

I always couldn't resist giving a recipe a try when it's about cornmeal because it's one of my favorite ingredients. When I found this cornmeal biscuit posted on Serious Eats, I knew straight away what I'm gonna make for my husband as an afternoon teatime snack on the weekend!!

Anyway, my husband is not a big fan of cornmeal..so, I didn't really expect to get a good feedback back when I served him the biscuits along with the honey butter. But surprisingly, he responded positively and even my daughter, who is not really interested in this kind of baked good, also liked it !

As for myself, I couldn't agree more with what it's said on the post...and it would be a big mistake if you decide to skip the honey butter!