Pandan Ogura Cake

 

I've been itch to try pandan ogura cake since I saw some fellow blogger post about this cake.  Pandan Ogura cake is kind of similar to chiffon cake which the cake texture is kind of airy , the different is baking method - as we called water bath method, which there is steam needed to help cake baked.  And also add a natural food color, from pandan extract.   You will find the pandan leaves very easy , mostly at Asian market. 

 

My husband like this cake, even thou he prefer butter cake which is more 'stiff' than 'airy' type of cake.  And my daughter ? she was not impress by this cake  Hahahaha... I think because she not fan of the color thou, she said,  she will like if I using chocolate powder instead ...

 

I combine several recipe that I found through online, and this is recipe that I already fix here and there for my taste and work well for me.  Let's give a try

 

 

 

 

Pandan Ogura Cake

5 eggs (seperated while is cold)

1 whole egg

1/4 salt

 

80 gr castor sugar

60 gr vegetable oil

70gr pandan juice - you can use pandan extract as much as 1 tsp

20gr coconut milk

75gr all purpose flour

1/4 tsp cream of tar tar or subtitute with 1 tsp lemon juice

 

Directions :

Prepare 8" square or round pan - grease the pan, dusting with a little flour and cover with parchment paper .

Another square pan quite bigger than 8" for water bath method.

Is important to check your oven correctly, I set my oven 300F for bake this cake.

Beat 5 egg yolk, 1 whole egg, salt , vegetable oil , pandan juice and coconut milk with hand whisker until fluffy. Shift in flour, then mix it until well combine. Set aside

Beat egg white and lemon juice or cream of tar tar with mixer about 2 minute, add castor sugar little by little , continuesly mix until firm peak form, with rubber spatula add this white meringue to the yolk batter, fold the batter until nice smooth batter is created.

Pour the mixture into prepared pan, tap 2 times so the air will pops up .

Put the pan into the larger pan , slide to the oven and carefully filled the outside pan with hot water, about 1/3 batter pan. Bake for aboout 50minute.

Once baked, remove from the pan immediately, to avoid cake become shrink . inverted on a rack .. take the parchment paper , cool completely before slicing

Chocolate Confetti Chiffon Cake with Almond Crunch'

Is December, this momma turn 47 young yesterday , nothing fancy happen since I don't like to celebrate birthday especially my own but I baked cake for sure, not because of birthday's girl need cake but I have 2 cookies monsters at home who keep looking what under cake dome .. any time !!! I said any time, I am not joking ..  

Anyway, I visited a local library the other day and found this recipe from book I borrow (ssst.. I tell you secret, I love flip all cooking books - I always amazed by pretty pictures under tag 'food'  hahaha ..  are you with me ?) 

The recipe called 'Chocolate Confetti Chiffon Cake with Almond Crunch' .. whoaaa... that is a long title for the cake, so I baked this cake on my birthday and surprise (or not surprise) this two cookie monsters love the crunch topping on the cake and off course the chocolate confetti inside the cake

So here is the recipe I slightly copy so I won't forget and will make another time for sure

Chocolate Confetti Chiffon Cake with Almond Crunch

from : Fine Cooking Book - 100 Best-ever Recipe

For the topping

1 large white egg

1 1/2 cup sliced almonds

2 tbsp granulated sugar

For the cake

1 1/2 cup miniature semi sweet chocolate chips

2 1/4 cup cake flour (all purpose flour, will work too - just shifted 2times)

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup corn or canola oil (vegetable oil, work as well)

7 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup waters

1 tsp vanila extract

1 tsp almond extract (skip if you don't have)

1/4 tsp cream of tar tar (fresh lemon juice can be used as substitute 

For Glaze

1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

3 - 4 tbsp milk

1/2 tsp almond extract

Prepare the Topping

Heat the oven 325F . Have ready un greased non stick baking sheet

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs white with fork until foamy, about 30 second. Stir in the nuts until they're evenly coated. Sprinkle sugar over the nuts.  Spread the nuts with wooden spoon onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 5 minute, stir the nuts and bake again for another 5 -8 minutes.  Remove the nuts, immediately stir them .  The nuts will become crispas the cool. Set a side

Make the Cake

Heat the oven to 325 F    Have ready 10inch un greased chiffon pan

In food processor , pulse the chocolate until some of them are finely grated and the rest have formed small crumbs

In a large bowl, shift together flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt. Male a well in the center and put in the oil, egg yolks, water, vanila, almond extract. Beat the mixture until smooth and thick.  Fold in the reserved chocolate chips. Set a side

In a large , clean bowl stand mixer, whisk white eggs, cream of tar tar until foamy, add little by little remaining granulated sugar, Beat until soft peaks form

Stir about 1/3 white eggs mixture into yolk batter, gently fold .  Do it until all the mixture comes nicely together .   Bake for about 1hour 15 minutes, depend on your oven (make sure you check with clean skewer)

Invert the pan onto a bottle with narrow neck and cool thoroughly about 1 hour  than remove the cake , slide onto a serving plate

Make the Glaze :

In a small bowl, stir sugar, mil and extract, adding enough milk to make a smooth glaze, set a side 2 tbsp.   Spread the remaining glazed over the top of the cake, you might not used all of it.  Cover the top of cake with prepared almond crunch , drizzle the reserved glazed.  Enjoy

Matcha Green Tea Chiffon Cake

We love chiffon cake, an easy light cake for middle of the week. With this recipe you can always modify the flavor of cake, this time I just feel like to play with matcha powder.  I purchased matcha powder long ago when I transit to Japan on the way back home after long vacation.  :)  - visit Japan is in my bucket list, someday somehow ... I will visit that country but for now, let's just try matcha chiffon cake ^_^  

Matcha Green Tea Chiffon Cake

Ingredients :

200gr all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp matcha green tea

7 yolks

50 ml vegetable oil

200 ml milk / water or coconut milk

7 white eggs

1/2 tsp salt

200 gr granulate sugar

1/2 tsp cream of tar tar

Directions :

Pre-heat oven 350 F

In medium bowl whisk flour, baking powder, yolks, vegetable oil, coconut milk ,to combine, set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, Place egg whites in the bowl and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form (they should droop over like soft-serve ice cream), about 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form (they should stand straight up), about 1 minute more. Using a rubber spatula, fold a quarter of the egg whites into the batter until evenly incorporated; gently fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined and no large white streaks remain.

1. Pour the batter into the chiffon pan (no need to coating the pan). Bake until the surface of the cake is golden brown and springs back when pressed and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Place on a wire rack , turn the pan upside down to cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the perimeter and turn the cake onto the rack to cool completely.

Autumn Season ... almost pass

I have so many reason to love Autumn Season , one of the reason that I can find Persimmon fruits almost in every Asian Store everywhere I go.  My husband just like Hachiya Persimmon which take time to be able to eat, must be completely ripened before consumption  When they are ready the fruit is become soft and very sweet ..   But for me, I love both of the type of persimmon, Hachiya and Fuyu.   Fuyu doesn't need to be soft or ripened to be eat, just thin sliced and eat like that.. the taste is so good and crunchy. 

I kept some of hachiya persimmon and wait until very soft to make this delicious Persimmon Cake or I say 'bread' since similar to Banana Bread !!   Don't be surprise with amount of sugar has been used in this recipe, the sugar will produce a moister and sweeter bread  

My daughter loves to eat this bread for breakfast with butter .. even after come back home from school she will ask for more .  I think is ok, since she is helping me alot rake the leaves in the backyard ^_^

The recipe slightly adapted from David Lebovitz 

Persimmon Bread

Two 9-inch (23cm) Loaves

Ingredients :

• 3 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 to 2½ cups sugar
• 1 cup melted unsalted butter and cooled to room temperature
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup Cognac, bourbon or whiskey - I used vanilla 
• 2 cups persimmon puree (from about 4 squishy-soft Hachiya persimmons)
• 2 cups walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
• 2 cups raisins, or diced dried fruits (such as apricots, cranberries, or dates)

1. Butter 2 loaf pans. Line the bottoms with a piece of parchment paper or dust with flour and tap out any excess.

2. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) degrees.

3. Sift the first 5 dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

4. Make a well in the center then stir in the butter, eggs, liquor, persimmon puree then the nuts and raisins.

5. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Storage: Will keep for about a week, if well-wrapped, at room temperature. The Persimmon Breads take well to being frozen, too.

Tiramisu Roulade

Kid already going to school, I am back to my routine .. something missing , ah yes .. her voice !! Home is so empty, I am not back to work at workshop since we are moving our company to a new locations .. the guys working on it while I get extra hours at home .  Lets , bake and make some noise. I already bake this cake 2 times in row, in 10 days for sure .. is simple cake yet delicious for afternoon tea.  My husband likes mascarpone filling while kid loves the buttercream one,  I wrote 2 of them so you have a choice :)

Tiramisu Roulade

Ingredients :

1/4 cup water

2 tbsp coffee-flavored liqueur (you can use non-alcohol)

2 tbsp superfine sugar

1 tbsp instant coffee granules

1 tbsp boiling water

4 eggs (separated)

65 gr granulated sugar 

50 gr all purpose flour

50 gr vegetable oil

2 tbsp flaked almonds

coffee liqueur cream for filling

1 cup  mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp coffee-flavored liqueur

or if you feel like, make a butter cream for filling 

1 cup (2 stick) of butter 

2 cup of powder sugar

3 tbsp milk

Directions :

Pre-heat oven to 350 F  - Grease 10 inch x 16 inch swiss roll pan, line base and side with baking paper

Bring the water, liqueur and sugar to boil in small saucepan.  Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered without stirring, about 5 minutes or until syrup thickens.  Remove from heat, stir in half of coffee , reserves syrup

Dissolves remaining coffee in the boiling water

Whisk  yolks with 15 gr of sugar and vegetable oil, until mix together add coffee mixture and last is add the flour, make sure all flour mix well and no lump

Beat white eggs until medium peak, add the rest of sugar little by little until finish, fold in yolks mixture. 

Spread the batter mixture into pan, sprinkle with nuts.

Bake for about 15 minutes. let it cool off about 5 minute

Meanwhile, place a piece of parchment paper cut the same size as swiss roll pan on the bench, turn the cake onto paper, peel away lining paper. Use serrated knife to cut crisp edges from all sides of cake. Roll cake from long side using paper as guide. cool.

Meanwhile make coffee liqueur cream or butter cream as you wish, by beat all the ingredients is small bowl with electric mixer until firm peaks form.

Unroll cake, brush with coffee syrup. Spread the cream, then re-roll cake. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerated about 30 minutes before serving

Hello April ..

April already ? time fly so quick, right ? ..  spring is in the air, we have so many rainy days , we try to organize our small garden, but with rains come and go make it hard to finish planting everything ..

Is only couple months until my daughter has summer break, we don't plan to do vacations this year yet since we have big vacations last year .. any how, how are you guys are doing ? thank you to still coming by here, even thou I don't do much of updating .

 

I've been craving of black forest cake for almost a week, and if you know me, I am so determine , when I want something I must to do it ^_^   so, today is Friday, I have a day off  is mean I am busy in the kitchen , cooking , baking , and do some chores before beloved people comes home ..  It has been awhile not doing serious baking, so you can see how messy my cake is ha..ha..ha..

 

 

 

Black Forest Cake

Recipe adapted from : William Sonoma Cake Book

Ingredients:

For the cake:

1/2 cup cake flour

1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder

6 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup granulated sugar

8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

 

 

For the sugar syrup:

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

 

 

For the filling and frosting:

 

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

2 Tbs. confectioners' sugar

1 tsp. kirsch - I using black forest extract

Poached cherries (I bought can one since there is no single black cherry in the market yet)

Semisweet (plain) chocolate curls

 

 

 

 

 

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-by-3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

 

To make the cake, sift together the flour and cocoa powder onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, vanilla and granulated sugar on high speed until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour mixture over the egg mixture in 2 additions and carefully fold in with a large rubber spatula. Fold a large dollop into the melted butter, then fold back into the egg mixture.

 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is puffed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

 

To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

 

To make the filling and frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and confectioners' sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, combine the kirsch and the sugar syrup.

 

Run a table knife around the edge of the pan and unmold the cake onto a work surface. Turn the cake right side up, leaving the parchment paper in place. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Put the top layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with some of the syrup, then spread with about one-fourth of the whipped cream. Strew the cherries over the cream (reserve 1 cherry for garnish), leaving a 1/2-inch border of cream around the edge. Position the middle cake layer on the cream. Brush with some of the syrup and spread with another one-fourth of the cream. Position the third cake layer, cut side down, on the cream and peel off the parchment paper. Brush with the remaining syrup. Spread the remaining whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake.

 

Press the chocolate curls onto the top of the cake. Put the reserved cherry in the middle. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 to 10.

 

Zebra Chocolate Chiffon Cake

I heard someone open the cake dome after dinner, last night, than ...

 

wife yelled from the basement : 'don't touch'.  

husband : 'why not' ?

wife : 'because I need to take a picture for my blog first'

husband + kid : 'daaaaa .....

 

Hahahah, let be honest, did you do the same like I do ? why we care so much to take a picture before eat ? I don't know what your reason is, but care, because I want to share the recipes with you guys ... *wink*

 

 

 

 

 

Zebra Chocolate Chiffon Cake

Recipe courtesy : Primarasa Magazine

 

Ingredients :

200 gr all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp vanili

7 yolks

50 ml cooking oil

200 ml coconut milk

2 tbsp. chocolate powder + 1 dash of coffee extract

7 white eggs

1/2 tsp salt

200 gr granulate sugar

1/2 tsp cream of  tartar

 

Directions :

Pre-heat oven 350F  -  1 chiffon pan, do not grease with butter

 

In the medium bowl , mix together flour, baking powder, vanili, make a hole in the middle add yolks, mix well , add oil and coconut milk.  Mixing the ingredients with spatula until no more lump.

 

using electronic mixer , mix together white eggs , salt, cream of tartar - add little by little sugar , mixing together until glossy (between hard and soft peak).

 

Add the white eggs mixture into the flour batter with wooden spatula , make sure they mix well , don't over do.   Take some (about 1 generous cup of batter) and with chocolate powder and coffee extract.

 

How to make zebra pattern : put about 5 tbps. plain batter in one side of chiffon pan, add about 3 tbsp. chocolate batter right on the top of plain batter, put carefully don't try to adjust or tap the baking pan, let the batter flow by itself , it will create nice pattern when it done.  Repeat this step until the batter is finish.

 

Bake about 50 - 60 minute, depend on your oven.  Take a test with the tooth pick, to see if your cake is done or not. Turn the pan up side down.  Let it cool off about 30 minute.

Coffee Angel Food Cake with a Chocolate Drizzle

 

If life gives you tons of white eggs, what should we do than ? right !! bake an angel cake .  I have tons of white eggs sitting in the refrigerator for quite sometime after bake a thousand layer cake, worry that white eggs will getting bad, I made a quick decision last night to bake angel food cake for the first time.  To make a bit special, since everybody at our house hold loves coffee I add a coffee extract I brought from my country.

 

I bake after dinner, and the next day there is only 2 slices left . I even don't know how to cut those cake properly, is not easy to cut this cake nicely since the cake is way too soft , but I think that it doesn't matter anymore since everyone like it.

 

 

Angel Food Cake with a chocolate drizzle

Ingredients :

 

2 cups sifted superfine sugar

 

1 1/3 cups sifted cake flour or if you don't have just use regular flour

 

1 1/2 cups egg whites at room temperature

 

3/4 teaspoon  salt

 

1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar

 

2 teaspoon coffee extract

 

 

For the glaze:

 

200 gr semisweet chocolate chips

 

3/4 cup heavy cream

 

Directions :

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar with the flour and sift them together  Set aside.

 

Place the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat on high speed until the eggs form medium-firm peaks, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar by sprinkling it over the beaten egg whites. Beat on high speed for a few minutes until thick and shiny. Add the coffee extract and continue to whisk until very thick, about 1 more minute. Scrape the beaten egg whites into a large bowl. Sift 1/4 of the flour mixture over the egg whites and fold it very carefully into the batter with a spatula. Continue adding the flour in 3 equal additions, sifting and folding until it's all incorporated.

 

Pour the  batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, smooth the top, and bake it for 45 minutes, until it springs back to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and put up side down. When cool, run a thin, flexible knife around the cake to remove it from the pan.

 

For the glaze : place the chocolate chips and the heavy cream in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the chocolate melts. Pour the chocolate over the top of the cooled cake to cover the top completely and allow it to drizzle down the sides.

Chocolate Banana Bread

It's Friday , banana bread is just come out from the oven , need to be wrap and sending out for my lovely friend I haven't seen in awhile . It always nice to having friend that you can share your life with , but life can be so busy , between summer school , swimming lesson, painting lesson , works .. but as you know that I love to keep in touch with nice friend around me.. even just 30 minute, I will be glad to see them ..

 

 

Chocolate banana bread is always become an easy treats to bring but delicious too ..

Happy Friday everyone, enjoy your time and call your best friend or sister or mom .. whoever care about you :)

 

Chocolate Banana Bread

50 grams walnut
250 grams flour
30 grams coco powder
200 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
salt
80 grams chocolate chip
2 eggs
115 grams margarine (unsalted) melted
3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
vanilla extract

Direction

Preheat the oven 350F

In a big bowl mix together flour, coco powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Put it a side.

In a separated bowl, use the whisk to stir together the mashed bananas, eggs, margarine and vanila extract. Then slowly add mixture flour. Lastly add walnut and chocolate chips.

Bake for 45 – 1 hours or insert the skewer into the center of the bread. It should come out clean.

Banana Muffin with Cinnamon Sugar Crumbs

When I have a day off, I always dedicate my self to ... mixer !! aack, this is so wrong since I have a secret sewing due in 2 days !!  Alright I am getting nervous now, but the 2 cake eater will have a happy tummy this afternoon.

Banana Muffin with cinnamon sugar crumbs is a second baking for today, the first one is marble chiffon cake (again) LOL - I know.. I know... but my weekend will be busy, so I think baking 2 goodies will be a good idea , any one call me 'sugar rush lady' ?   hahaha..

Banana Muffin with Cinnamon Sugar Crumbs

Ingredients :

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

4 over ripe bananas

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted, cooled

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped pecan or chocolate chips , your choice

 

Cinnamon Crumbs :

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp. butter melted

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Directions :

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly butter muffin tins (mine : 12 muffin)

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together like you mean it, for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of batter

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

When we (me and my daughter) go to Grocery Store near by our house, she always get 1 free cookies, - isn't nice ? she always pick a snickerdoodles cookies . She loves that cookies so much.  I looking for recipe, and found one - called "chocolate snickerdoodles" .  Without hesitation, I follow that recipe, no skip anything ..follow the directions. I was so upset with the result, the cookie is so HARD ..!! like rock , I need to throw all of them to the garbage bin, well , I just don't want my kid eat and broke her tooth .. 

 

The next day, I try do it again with so much adjustment from me , and just follow my guts .. and I just love the texture . 3 days in row bake this cookies, I share the cookies with teachers, friends, co-worker , they absolutely love it ... don't ask about my daughter and hubby , :)) you know the answer.

 

 

 

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Ingredients :

2 cups of All Purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 stick of unsalted butter 

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 

Cinnamon Sugar for rolling , (see below how to make cinnamon sugar)

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg powder

 

Directions :

Pre-heat the oven 350 F.  Line 2 baking sheet with parchment

 

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, baking powder

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar on medium high for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time. Beating well, stir in the vanilla, scrape the bottom of the bowl.

 

On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients, continue mixing only until the flour disappear.

Divide the dough into ball, roll the dough ball in the cinnamon sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. With damp finger flatten the dough ball slightly until the are 1 inch thick.

 

Bake the cookies for 12 minute, until golden brown at the edges and set in the middle. Cool on the baking sheet before transferring them to racks to cool completely.

 

Yield : 24 small cookies

Choco Rum Ball

When so many thing on my mind .. that is always happened !! Forget to put sugar on my cake batter ...dooh  .  And since no one want to eat unsweet cake , what I can do is just blend everything into the blender and with magic wand turn into Chocolate Rum Ball and as you can guess .. please the crowd ..eem. I mean so far my crowd are husband and kiddo ..

 

 

 

Chocolate Rum Ball

Ingredients :

- Unwanted cake / left over cake / whatever you called

- 1 can of condense milk (adjust your self)

- 1 tbsp. chocolate powder

- 1 tsp. rum or almond extract like I used in this recipe

- chocolate sprinkle ,nuts or shredded coconut / whatever you have at your pantry it will work

 

Method :

Just add 4 ingredients to blender, pulse, until become crumbs and easy to handle.

Take about 2 tsp. and make round, roll into chocolate sprinkle, put into refrigerator to set a bit , serve ...

 

 

I hope I never make mistake by putting 1 cup salt into my batter instead of sugar.. LOL

Lemon Cake

I'm glad I have a day off for 2 days in row , which mean I can do some chores around home like baking , oh how I miss my baking activity this day.  Well, I still do baking but pretty much simple like this recipe below, I found this recipe when I do blog walking .  Don't ask me if I have left over cake on the next day .. no way, my hubby love it so much...  he said.. "this is the kind of cake I like" ooh, really ? how come he said that every time I bake a new cake ?? LOL - ooh , man ..  either he does really love the cake or he actually cake eater ? :)))

 

I do love the texture of the cake, at the end of the day I make note to my self, I need add more lemon juice into the batter .. it will be perfect !!

Lemon cake with Greek  Honey glaze and pistachios
slightly adapted from : mylittleexpatkitchen.blogspot.com

Ingredients
for the cake
115 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces, plus extra for greasing the pan
250 g caster sugar
Zest of 2 lemons, grated
1 tsp lemon extract
4 large eggs
220 g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
125 g sour cream (or full-fat Greek yoghurt)

for the glaze
160 g icing sugar
75 ml heavy cream
1 Tbsp Greek honey
Pinch of salt

A handful of shelled, unsalted pistachios, chopped


Preparation

for the cake
Butter the bottom and sides of your loaf pan with butter and line it with baking paper.
Preheat your oven to 180°C.

In the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl), add the softened butter, the sugar, the lemon zest and lemon extract, and using the paddle attachment (or your hand-held mixer), beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, for about 5 minutes.
Add the eggs into a jug and beat them lightly with a fork. Add the beaten eggs to the bowl in four additions, beating well after each addition to fully combine them.

Take the cooled cake, remove the baking paper from the bottom and place it on the wire rack. Using a spoon or a spatula, glaze the cake and top with the chopped pistachios.

You can keep it at room temperature, covered, for 4-5 days.









 

Neiman Marcus Cookies and Summer Break

Today is last day of school, the little one will enjoying summer break with so many activities :)  I enroll some summer break course for her , from jump to 3rd grade ; mad math & science ; swimming ; gymnastic .. I know she will be busy - well, I think that will work for us too , since we won't going vacation this year due too many homework around the house .

Yesterday, while she walked to school , she told me - maybe we should bake some cookies and bring to school so she can share a delicious cookies I made for her the other day for her class mates.  I agree , and sent e-mail to her teacher if we allowed to bring home made cookies for last day of school . So far, she agree since no allergic kids in class room .

I decided to bake this cookies - the name of cookies really intimidate me, you know .. we have Neiman Marcus Store in our city , that is the store I will never visit or even dare to just doing window shopping.  NO . big.. NO NO  I will spend money in that store, well .. the fact is I have no money to spend or even interest to spend my fortune to the very expensive store like that  LOL  .  And the name of cookies make me curious what the taste of cookies is ?

It's really delicious !!!  I think some how really healthy too, since I can 'hide' oatmeal into the cookies .. healthy for my kiddo , you know.... *wink*     I bake not only for kids in the classroom but bake an extra batch for the teachers and staff too.

oh, talking about my daughter .. Not because I brag too much about her , but she is doing very well at school.  Last week she has gymnastic spring performance, and a couple days ago .. she came back home from school brought 3 certificates , one of certificate really make us happy was presented to her for going above and beyond in academics and character ..  Well done kiddo, I am so proud of you..

Neiman Marcus Cookies
Source : Saveur Magazine

INGREDIENTS

16 tbsp. (2 sticks) butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1⁄2 cups oatmeal, processed in blender to a fine powder
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. salt
2 cups (about 12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
1 1⁄2 cups walnuts, chopped  - I skip this for kids, but still using it for teachers and staff.
4 oz. Hershey's chocolate, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together in a large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Add oatmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, and chocolate.

2. Roll dough into 1 1⁄2" balls and place 2" apart on large baking sheets. Bake until light golden but still soft in the middle, 10–12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack and let cool.

 

 

Chocolate Krantz Cake - Yeasted Cake

It's so interesting when the first time reading this recipe, combination between cake and bread ! To me, the recipe is not complicated at all, but it requires time and patience, but that’s not very different from baking bread.  And don't be bother to cut a half of recipe, at the end you will find out that worth it to bake this recipe ... :)

Chocolate Krantz Cake Recipe
Source : Jerusalem Cook Book - Yotam Ottolenghi

 

Ingredients

530g plain flour

100g caster sugar

2 sachets (14g) dried yeast

zest of 1 orange

3 free-range eggs

120ml water

1/3 tsp salt

150g unsalted butter, softened

sunflower oil for greasing

Chocolate Filling

50g icing sugar

30g cocoa powder

130g dark chocolate (using the good quality chocolate only, - I used 'Giradelli' )

120g butter, melted

100g pecans, roughly chopped ( I used almond)

2 tbsp caster sugar


Syrup
260g caster sugar

160ml water

Preparation

In a bowl, add the flour, sugar, yeast and zest and mix together using your hands or a food processor with the dough hook. Add the eggs and water and mix for a few minutes until the dough comes together. Add salt and start adding the butter, a cube at a time, letting it all melt into the dough. Mix for five-ten minutes, until you obtain an elastic, smooth and sticky dough.

Grease a large bowl with sunflower oil, place the ball of dough into it, cover with cling film and leave to rise overnight or for at least half a day.

The next day, start by preparing the chocolate filling. Mix the icing sugar, cocoa powder, melted dark chocolate and melted butter. Beat until you get a smooth, spreadable paste.

　

Grease two 2lb loaf tins and line the bottom with parchment baking paper.

Divide the dough into two parts, work one part on a floured surface, leave the other part covered in the fridge.

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough onto the surface, then trim the edges with a knife to obtain a 38cm x 28cm rectangle. Spread half of the chocolate filling over the dough, leaving a 2 cm border all around. Sprinkle half of the pecans and one tablespoon of caster sugar.

Brush a little of water over the long edge of the dough on your left. Using both hands, roll up the rectangle like a roulade, starting from the long side on your right, rolling towards the left side. Roll the dough completely into a perfect, thick log, sitting on its seam.

With a knife, trim off 2 cm of both ends. Gently, cut the roll into two, lenghtways, from the top to the bottom. Position the cut sides facing up, gently press the ends together. Lift the right half over the left half. Repeat with the left half over the right half and press the ends together to seal it. Carefully lift the loaf and place into the tin.

Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Then, cover the loaves with a wet tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for 1/1.2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 170 °C. After the cakes have risen, remove the tea towels and place them on the middle shelf for 30 minutes.

Make the syrup while the cakes are in the oven. Place the sugar and water into a saucepan over a medium heat. As soon as the sugar dissolves and the syrup starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.

When the cakes are baked and are out of the oven, brush them with the syrup. You may find that there is too much syrup, but the recipe recommends to use it all up.

Remove the cakes from the tins to cool down completely.

　

　

　

Basic Brioche

I love brioche so much, I know when I decide to make my own brioche its going to be a long process - so why do I bother to make myself ? well .. should I tell you more, that I am curious person ? too many time I try new recipes, some failed .. some are nailed ..  so, when I put the recipe into my blog mean is the recipe work very well .. like this basic brioche - I will never to look to another recipe .. trust me ..

 

This page is for basic brioche , I in the process of making brioche au chocolate - so let's prepare the first process first since the dough need to proof for at least 6 hours..

 

 

 

BASIC BRIOCHE

Recipe by : Joanne Chang - from Boston's Flour Bakery

 

Ingredients :

2 1/4 cups (315 gram) unbleached all purpose flour

2 1/4 cup (340 gram) bread flour

1 1/2 package = (3 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar (82 gram)

1 tbsp kosher salt

1/2 cup (120 gr) cold water

6 eggs

1 cup plus 6 tbsp (310 gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 10-12 pieces

 

 

 

Directions :

In stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the all purpose flour, bread flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water and 5 off eggs. Beat on low speed for 3 to 4 minutes. or until the ingredients have come together, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all of the flour is incorporated into the wet ingredients.
 

On low speed, add the butter one at a time. Stopping the mixer occasionally to scrap the side of the bowl. Once the butter is completely incorporated, turn up the speed to medium and beat for another 15 minutes, or until the dough become sticky, soft . It will take sometime to come together.

 

 

Then turn the speed to medium-high and beat about 1 minute. Test the dough by pulling at it, it should stretch a bit . If it seems wet and loose and more like a batter than a dough, add a few tablespoon of flour and mix until it comes together. Its ready when you can gather it all together and pick it up in one piece.

Place the dough in a large bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the dough. Let the dough proof in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or up to overnight. At this point you can freeze the dough in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
 

-- I will make brioche au chocolat so I will continue to another page --
 

For brioche loaves, line the bottom and side of two 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with parchment or butter the pans liberally. Divide the dough in half. Cover the loaves lightly with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot for 4 - 5 hours or until the loaves have nearly double the size.
 

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining eggs until blended and shifted . Than gently brush the tops of the loaves with the beaten egg.

 

 

Bake in pre-heated oven 350F for 30-35 minutes or until the top of the loaves are completely golden brown.
 

The bread can be stored lightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.