Sour Cherry Preserve

 

 

 

 

Is June, it's time to pick sour cherry from the farm .  I've been lucky enough to find this family farm 1 hour drive distance from our home - in a matter of week, sour cherry will be gone especially only 1 place near by has this tree on their farm.

 

 

 

We were serious cherry picker, you know.  Within 2 hours we  picked so many cherries, blueberries also (surprise surprise) mulberries to bring home , as I always have plan on my head what should I do with this beauty!  Torshi and Moraba are the option, since our own Iranian - Indonesian family loves eat fresh bread with moraba.

 

Here is the simple recipe I'd like to share, hope you are lucky enough to get sour cherry on your hand otherwise regular cherry will work fine to, only reduce of sugar .

 

 

Sour Cherries Preserve - Moraba-ye- Albaloo

Ingredients :

11/2 lbs sour cherry

1 cup sugar

 

1 tbsp. rose water (optional)

 

Directions :

Wash, dry and remove pits from sour cherries

Add sugar to sour cherries and let them sit there for a couple of hours.

Place fruit and juices in a pot and bring to a simmer. Remove extra foam. Simmer for about an hour until the juices turn into syrup. Sometimes sour cherries have a lot of juice. You have two options if you are left with too much syrup. One option is to remove the actual fruit from the pot and reduce the remaining syrup. The other option is to save the syrup and and add ice and water for refreshing drink during hot summer day - all natural ingredients l !!

 

　

 

Pickled Sour Cherries - Torshi-ye-Albaloo

Ingredients :

1 lbs sour cherry

400ml white vinegar

2 tsp salt

100 gr sugar

2 fresh thyme sprigs

10 whole peppercorns

 

Directions :

wash and sort through the cherry carefully, discarding the leaves and trimming the stalk .

Place the vinegar and generous about 200ml water in a pan, add salt bring to boil than add rhe sugar, turn off the heat down , simmer about 10 minutes until sugar dissolve

Divide the cherries , thyme, between sterilized jar. Pour the pickling liquid over the top, allow to coll and seal. Allow at least 1 week before you trying your torshi (honestly this is the hard part)

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.

French Apple Cake

 

Rain is pouring hard today, some has hail too.. typical of April , I think. But when I said, much .. mean too much ... come and go, wind blew 2 of my umbrella this morning... and I was soaked wet when I drop my daughter to school .. oh my, what a funny was as soon as I enter the car with wet cloth, the rain is stop ..  and again the same in the afternoon.

 

Now is time to bake, so I will have delicious cake waiting for 2 people to come home this afternoon.  I saw this recipe a week ago, my finger was busy change the TV channel too many time, until I saw the chef who ate the cake give a 'funny' expression ... like "eeemm" ,"yuuum" , "aaah"  LOL - indeed, those expression really 'get' me .  And I searching through internet for recipe, aah.. what an easy recipe no mixer require at all... and yes, it is so delicious ... by adding flour for top batter, really make this cake is different than regular apple pie.. ooh, should I said this is apple pie ? well.. anyway, let's try...

 

French Apple Cake

Source : America Test Kitchen

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise

1 tablespoon Calvados or apple brandy or white rum (I skip this) 

1 teaspoon lemon juice (I use 1 tbsp. since I skip the calvados) 

1 cup (5 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup (7 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg plus 2 large yolks

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar 

 

Instructions

 

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 15 minutes.
   
   
2. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.
3. Add egg yolks to remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.
4. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.
5. Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1¼ hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

Banana Marzipan Muffin

 

This muffin is on my daughter snack box today, she was so happy when I asked 'what she like me to put on her snack box for today? ; no doubt she pointed to the muffin I made yesterday afternoon.  It was funny moment , while she entered the kitchen after school yesterday !! She said.. "ooh, what a wonderful muffin, I want get 1 for my afternoon snack, what kind of muffin is this ?   I said "banana marzipan chocolate muffin"  -  she showed a funny expression, and said "oh... well, I'm not fan of banana"  ; aaaw ...  really ? since when she become a picky eater ? all right this is time for mom, show her trick .. . I reply again , " well... don't worry banana is just for a flavor like I put vanilla essence the other day, the main ingredient is CHOCOLATE CHIPS"

She said : "ok, I take one" .. after several minute, "ooh, you are right, I have a big chunk of chocolate chips, no banana slice ..this is so delicious, I want this for my tomorrow snack too"    Yeaaaaa... score for me !!

 

 

Banana Marzipan Chocochips Muffin

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6)
3 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 package (95gr) of Chocolate Cover Marzipan , chopped - I found this at ALDI
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips (6 ounces)

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper or foil liners. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, melted butter, bananas and eggs; mix thoroughly. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is evenly moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips. 

2. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make Ahead The banana muffins can be wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month. Let thaw and toast in a 350° oven.

End of Journey

 

Aww .. what a dramatic title . But that is so true , after searching , trying so many banana bread recipes , now is come to the end of searching , I will never change recipe no more ... its so delicious, and still pretty much simple to bake .. the journey is end :P

Flour's Famous Banana Bread
Recipe : Joanne Chang

1 1/2 cup (210) gr unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 /2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup + 2 tbs sugar (230 gr)
2 eggs
1/2 cup (100 gr) canola oil
3 1/2 very ripe, medium banana, mashed
2 tbsp. crème fraiche or sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup (75 gr) walnut havles, toasted, chopped

Directions :
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 325 F. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan,

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set a side

Using a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for about 5 minute or until light and fluffy.

On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil. Don't pour the oil in all at once. add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn't deflate the air you have just beaten into the batter. Add the banana, cream / sour cream, vanilla continue to mix on low speed just until combine.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture and the nuts just until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 1 t0 1 1/4 hours or until golden brown on top,and the center spring back when you press it. Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack at least for 30 minutes .

The banana bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or it can be well wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen up to 2 weeks.

Friendship

 

Have you ever 'meet' someone online but become closer than ever ? I do ... !! I have and 'meet' several people online , never meet in a real life but our friendship grow big and big .. well, if I can tell that even better that a real person that I meet daily actually. I don't know why, maybe because I am a shy person so I feel more comfort meet people online .. 

Yesterday, someone made me cry by sending a beautiful package full with a lovely stuff. I never meet my dear friend Chase, but tough our friendship is grow nicely every time we share story through e-mail . She is nice and caring person , hopefully someday I can be able to meet her and have a cup of tea .. maybe .. hopefully ..

I hope your life going to be wonderful too, my friends reader .. thank you for visiting my blog daily ..

 

And since today is Friday, is should be nice to bake some cake before we heading another cold weekend. well .. I chose pretty simple recipe, BUT ... don't ask the taste of the cake.. it's very delicious and very moist , maybe because of the blueberry inside of the cake itself make the cake taste so different.. let's try

 

 

Blueberries Pound Cake

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated (do this while the eggs still cold)

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups of sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries (if using frozen, use without thawing do avoid discoloring the batter)

    

Directions

1. Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the extracts and butter flavoring. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. In another bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Fold in blueberries.                        
2. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Sunday Treats

 

Actually this is 1 days old posting - it happened yesterday, but I forget to posting this easy peasy treats . It's very simple recipe and just want re-cycle your old bread and create a delcious breakfast for sunday morning :)  So, no waste the food mom ..

 

French Toast

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 cups milk
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
6 slices bread (french, brioche, any kind of day-old bread will work)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
Pure maple syrup, (optional)

Powder sugar (optional)

Directions

Whisk together eggs, milk, juice, vanilla, sugar, zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Place bread in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold bread slices in a single layer. Pour egg mixture over bread; soak 10 minutes. Turn slices over; soak 10 minutes more or until soaked through.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet, and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry half the bread slices until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to wire rack; place in oven while cooking remaining bread. Wipe skillet, and repeat with remaining butter, oil, and bread. Keep in oven until ready to serve. Serve warm with maple syrup, if desired.

Date Nut Cake

 

Somebody get bored with a regular cereal breakfast !! Need something fast and still healthy, no time for pancake or waffle since this is still weekday .. everybody.. rush..rush at my home in the morning .. yelled at husband who forget his lunch box, called my daughter to get ready .. date nut loaf is one of the solution - made night before, wrapped with film plastic , in fact this way cake will stay good for 5 days at room temperature

Date-Nut Loaf
Recipe : Dorie Greenspan - Baking from my home to yours

Ingredients :
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) un-salted butter, room temperature
3 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup soft pitted dates, chop
1 cup of pistachio

Directions :
Preheat the oven for 325F - butter 9x5 loaf pan, dust the inside with flour - tap out the excess
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt
With stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until very smooth. Add the sugar until the mixture become light and fluffy.
Add the egg, one at the time, eating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat the extract.
Reduce the mixer speed, to low and mix the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dates and nut. Turn the batter into the pan.
Bake for 40 minute, cover the top of the cake loosely with a foil tent and bake fr another 40 minute or so, until the top is honey brown, bumpy and cracked and a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer the cake to a rack and cool about 10 minute before unmolding.

Playing around :
if you want to change the dried fruits or the kinds of nuts, go ahead. Prune, Apricots or walnut will work as well as the recipe above.

 

PS : I being naughty this morning, spread figs jam on the top of cake .. aah heaven .. !!

{custom cake}

 

As the temperature is still 'crazy' hot and humid is not easy to bake and décor the cake ; but I can't say NO when someone asked for home-made cake. Tough this cake is so appropriate for hot summer day :) 

this is 8inch - 2 layer lemon cake with fresh fruits topping with lite lemon vanilla icing covered with almond slices.

I only take an order for St.Louis - area only (e-mail me for your custom cake like this) ; the fruits topping is depend on fruit season.

Splash Smoothie

 

How about this ... 90+ F for almost 10days now, so humid, yucky weather ... What I want is just a cup of smoothie, or more ..

Today, I tricked my hubby a little bit ; since he hate avocado , make me wonder if I put a little bit of this, a little bit of that .. Will he notice ? Let's try ..

Splash Smoothie
Ingredients :
1 cup of mango - fresh or frozen
1 cup of cantaloupe
1 medium avocado
1 cup of fresh orange juice
ice

Method :
place all the fruits ingredient in the blender. Start on a low setting while you add ice. Switch to higher setting for about a minute. Pour into a tall glass.

Update : my husband love it ... !! - high five for me- :)

Go berry-cado !

 

Still try to take advantage of summer season .. buy fresh fruits from street vendor with the cheapest price compare with supermarket price. awesome..!!

So going green this morning, why not !

Go Berry-Cado Smoothie
Ingredients :
2 medium cucumber, peeled if you want
2 green granny smith apple, cored
2 medium avocado
5 strawberry
1 tbsp. honey
1-2 cups of water
1 tbsp. flax seed

Directions :
Mix all the ingredients on blender add ice if you like.
Enjoy. (for 2-3 medium cups)

Brown Velvet Vigor Shake

Have you ever considering to eat Raw Food ? The foods are consumed in their purest, most simple form - un cooked ; unprocessed ? Or become vegetarian ? I never consider my self as a vegetarian ; don't get wrong I'm not eat big chunk of steak for so long ; I prefer to eat fish , tofu .  Well - I try my best to eat a healthy food whenever I can !  This post is not talk about a healthy raw food, how good balance diet is..  NO, you yourself know what best for your body.  I just want to change my eating habit a little bit.

 

This happened when I saw friend of mine, a very talented young lady, Dita - she is posting about a healthy smoothie recipes, heey .. it's look good, think the taste must be good too.  Do I interest to try ? well, I tag the recipes already but not try  yet, until I went to local library and by accident find 'Raw Energy Book by Stephanie Tourles' . I read the book from 1st page until finish while waiting my daughter practice at the gym.  It was interesting book, and next morning , I filled my shopping basket with some of fresh fruits, fresh vegetables. 

 

I try one of Stephanie's recipe, to my surprise the taste is so good - I drink a big cup for my breakfast - and I didn't feel craving for sweet at all.  Well, this is not diet recipe but I consider as detox drink , I still eat 'normal' lunch, and drink another cup for dinner , wow I feel good ...

 

So daily I combine recipe from Stephanie Tourles and Dita (check her recipe HERE) , they recipes satisfy my hunger in a good way :)

 

Brown Velvet Vigor Shake

Recipe : Raw Energy Book

 

Ingredients :

2 cups purified water

8 pitted prunes (if hard, soak for 1hour before bleeding) ~~ medjol dates is work too

2 medium banana, cut into chunks

1/4 cup raw oatmeal flakes ~~ I substitute with 1 tbsp. flaxseed meal

2 tbsp. raw tahini (sesame seed paste) ~~ I skip this

1 tbsp. raw honey or agave nectar (optional)

pinch of sea salt (optional)

 

Directions :

Put the water, prunes , banana, oats, tahini, and honey and salt if desired in a blender, and blend on medium until smooth and thick.

 

Pour into glasses

 

A good source of : age-defying, anti oxidants, and B vitamins plus potassium, natural sugar, protein, fiber

 

 

Home Made Pita Chips

 

I love pita chips, but what so annoying is, every time I buy pita chips from store, the chips is never in a good shape no more .. always crumble and smashed looking chips. And the other hand, a bag of pita chips is more pricey than regular chips.  Well, I'm not try to act cheap, but when the stuff is so pricey, I want the perfect products too - don't you think ?

Enough buying pita chips from store. Just heading to Asian store - especially there is so many Indian Grocery Store near by our area, just grab some of fresh pita bread and make your own pita chips .. easy peasy.

You can enjoy eating the chips with any kind of dipping sauce you like, such a hummus or mango peach salsa I serve here.

Home Made Pita Chips

Ingredients
1 package pita bread
Olive Oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parsley flake

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut each pita bread in quarters and each quarter in half to make 8 triangles. Place them in a single layer on a sheet pan and sprinkle lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add parsley flake if you like too.
Bake for about 10 minutes, until crisp, turning once.

 

 

Mango Peach Salsa

Ingredients :
2 peaches, peeled and medium diced
1 mango, peeled and medium diced
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions :

Toss all the peaches, mango, onions, jalapeno, lime juice, oil and cilantro together in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Note : If the fruit is under-ripe, toss with some lime juice and 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside to macerate for 15 minutes before adding the other ingredients and refrigerating.

Almond Blackberry Cake

My 6yo daughter is having summer break for almost 3 months, she spent 6 weeks on summer camp, and the rest, mom must to entertain her. I tell you, is not always easy, she always asking 'what should I do next' or she will say 'oh.. I getting borred'

Before she said that I always giving her many activities, every night I always thinking what should I give for her next day. Either she is doing crafting with me, or I let her baking with me.

This is one of cake she bake, well..I help for some stuff too, but overall this is a pretty simple baking especially when you don't need mixer at all, just mix every ingredients on food processor. She was so proud with her baking skill, and told her dad how she spent the day with me. You can do with your kiddo, too.

Almond and Blackberry Cake
Recipe from : Stephanie – Dessert for Breakfast

for cake:
3/4 (105 g) + 1/4 (35 g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 (250 g) sugar
8 oz (225 g) almond paste
1 cup (8 oz/225 g) butter, at room temperature
1 tsp orange blossom water
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
6 large eggs, at room temperature

for topping:
12 oz. blackberries
1 Tbsp sugar
juice of half a Meyer lemon
1/4 tsp orange blossom water, opt.
bittersweet (72%) chocolate curls

Directions :

1. for cake. Preheat oven to 325° F. Butter and flour the insides of an 8 x 3-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment round. Set aside.

2. In a bowl, whisk to combine ¾ cup (105 g) flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the remaining ¼ cup (35 g) of flour, sugar, almond paste, and butter. Process until the almond paste is finely ground and well-combined with the butter.

4. Add in the orange blossom water and the almond extract and pulse briefly to combine.

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing well between each addition. Continue to process until the mixture is smooth and light.

6. Add the flour mixture to the batter in two additions, pulsing briefly after each addition just until combined, but do not over mix.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the oven for 60 – 65 minutes, until the top is brown and the sides are just beginning to pull away from the pan. Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

8. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out. Place upright on a wire rack and let cool completely.

9. for topping. In a bowl, gently toss to combine the blackberries with the sugar, Meyer lemon juice, and orange blossom water, if using. Let sit for 10 minutes. Top the cake with the blackberries and sprinkle liberally with chocolate curls before serving.

I got the blackberry from Eckert's Farm , their were so sweet so I skip the sugar for topping.

 

Peach Picking

Oh..my, I never been so relief when temperature reach 98 F - weather just so crazy, we had 106 F for almost 10days. No rain but 2 days ago.. 2 hours rain almost, gave wet on the ground little bit. But again, can't complain since people in other state still struggle without power during heat wave.. :(

We try the best not to get much heat, but I said 'Yes' when my husband, asked me to go for peach picking over the weekend. The place we visited was Eckert's Farm - it's about 1 hours drive from where we live. The Eckert's Farm is a family farm that you can pick your own fruits, depending what the fruit season is, eat as much as you can in the farm, but pay the rest of fruits that you bring home . It was a nice experience for my little one, well.. another fun day she spent for summer break.  This time we be able to picked peaches and blackberry. Really, the peaches got benefit from HOT weather, their become more sweeter than ever.  But not for apples, what I heard from the farmer that they will get trouble with apples if no rain.  Oh.. so sad

I made an ice cream from some peaches we bought. What a perfect way to cool off from summer heat.

Peaches Ice Cream

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 cups milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 egg yolk

1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped peaches

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

Preparation

Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.

Whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly.  Cool 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook peaches and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Coarsely mash, and let cool 30 minutes. Stir peach mixture into cooled cream mixture (i using mixer to get more smoother effect)

Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours.)

Mango Ice Cream

I'm craving for Mango Ice cream for quiet while than I found mango ice cream recipe without ice maker.. kind of doubt little bit, since I want an Ice Cream not shorbet.

This recipe is perfect to me - the texture of Ice cream is so smooth with hint of the aroma's cardamom. - well, first time making I just put a little bit of cardamom, I want to know my daughter or husband reaction.. THEY LIKE IT

Mango Ice CreamFrom : cooks-hideout.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
Mango puree – 2½ cups
Heavy cream – 1 cup
Whole milk – 2cups
Sugar – ¾ cup
Cardamom powder – 2tsp
Cornstarch – 1½tbsp
Light Corn syrup – 2tbsp
Cream cheese – 3tbsp, softened (to make ice cream scoopable)

Method:
Whisk cornstarch with 3tbsp milk in a small bowl and set aside.
Add the rest of the milk to a sauce pan along with cream, corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer the mixture until sugar dissolves, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the mango puree and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Take off the heat and slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry, mix thoroughly and put it back on flame.
Return to boil and cook on medium flame until the mixture thickens a little, about 2 minutes.
Take the mixture of the heat, whisk in the softened cream cheese and cardamom powder.
Allow to cool completely; (my method is let chill for 2 hours, and next put a whole an ice cream into blendder, and put back into the bowl or bakin pan, chill for 4 hours or overnight so you will a very smooth ice cream without ice cream maker.
wuhuuuu..!!!

Lapis Legit Durian

It's been an ages I'm not making this cake - ah, making lapis legit is a time consuming task that demands a lot of patience. I spent a very long hours to bake 1 8inch round layer cake like this. But you know, every time I complain about the process of making lapis legit, the result is always worth it.

Lapis legit contains several different spices, as we called 'bumbu spekoek ' but this time, I add some durian mothong ; well totally different flavor from original lapis legit aroma.

I promise to make an original taste of Lapis Legit next time *cross finger* :D

Lapis Legit Durian

Recipe : From Lydia - My Kitchen Blog

Ingredients (8" x 8"):
400g Butter
150g Sugar
10 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Durian Essence
1 cup Durian Puree (+/-)
60ml Milk
200g All-Purpose Flour
50g Corn Flour

7 Egg Whites
150g Sugar

Methods:
1. Grease and line the bottom of a 8" x 8" baking pan. Preheat oven to 200degC (upper heat only).

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Add in egg yolks and continue to cream until smooth and fluffy.

3. Add in durian essence, puree and milk, and stir until well blended. Sift and fold in flours until well combined.

4. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until foamy then add in sugar gradually while beating. Continue to beat until stiff. Stir it into the batter and mix until well combined.

5. Spoon about 100g of the batter into the baking pan and spread it evenly. Place it in the middle of the oven and bake until golden brown.

6. Remove it from the oven, use a fork to prick some holes on the cake. Then spoon another 100g of the batter onto the baked layer and spread evenly. Bake until golden brown. Repeat this step until all of the batter is used up.

7. Remove the cake from oven, invert and cool on rack.

Happy Summer

Hi..everyone, how are you doing ? Happy Summer to you. I'm so sorry didn't upload a new picture or recipe lately. Summer is here, I've been busy take care of the little one every day for her's summer camp , been busy sewing some summer clothes for her, for me , preparing for a summer trip in 2 more weeks :) but the other reason is weather just great. So, I choose to spend a lot of time for outdoor activity. Mostly after put my kid at school bus , back to home to taking care of my little veggie garden.. oh well, get tan more and more i think :)

Anyway, just want to share Rujak recipe one of Indonesian dish, rujak is a traditional fruit and vegetable salad dish commonly find in Asian Country. So many type of rujak in Indonesia. This time I made Rujak Serut or Shredded Rujak, which is all the fruits must to shredded into a roughly grated consistency. This is typical dessert every time I throw party at home during summer time.

RUJAK SERUT

2 ripped mangoes, shredded
2 medium carrot, shredded carrots
2 medium cucumber , shredded
1 jicama , shredded

1 green apple, shredded

1/2 part of grape fruit, peel

300ml water
3 tbs Javanese-palm sugar (or Jagerry)
Pinch of shrimp paste (optional)
3 bird chilli (less if you can’t handle the hot spice )
Salt to taste

Direction :
Boil the water in a pot together with palm sugar sugar
Pound the chili, salt and shrimp paste with mortar, add into the boiling water stir well until all are blended and continue to boil for little while.
Let it cool to a completely room temperature . add in all the shredded fresh fruits. Refrigerated and serve chill

Happy Summer !!

chocolate-ginger biscotti & mural painting

OOH .. WOOWW.. !! Spring is really here, nice weather, still chilled a bit , no complain for sure ! flowers are coming, birds are chirping .. what a lovely weather. And I've been busy around home , let see .. what I've done so far ? painting a spare room , cleaning around the garden, preparing veggie patch .. well, all kind activity i never imagine to do by myself before. Well, back to the time I lived in my country, we spoiled by the maid, yuup . don't think that we are come from rich people .. NO..NO, overseas *in my country i talked about* almost every household has maid. The labor expense are so cheap , no surprise everyone spoiled by maid :O

Not, here ... in US , everyone need more active and creative. Well .. you can pay helper, but the cost will make you pull hair for sure :)

Anyway, after wait for long time, finally, i got an empty room on basement. I tought it will be nice if i have a craft room and playing room for my daughter, so I decide to paint a little bit. But you know, type of me .. can't stop doing things. I know i will get bored with plain color pretty soon,and than i got an idea to add some picture on it.. after 3 weeks, the mural painting still going.. hmm, between.. painting, cooking, baking, taking picture, take care of husband and kid ^LOL^ what you can expect ?? finishing on the time ? NO WAY .. but that is ok to me, little by little i try to catch everything.

here we go i give you a sneak peak , my craft room (wanna be :P )

OK! Back to baking, for sure I still doing that but not take many pictures anymore. This time (and again) I bake another batch of biscotti . And I remember how my sister complained about biscotti recipe, she said, even dog can chew them. I was laughed so loud, I forgot to tell her that we need to bake for a shorter time to make them softer than the traditional version. Well.. Me, too .. I loves soft biscotti *this will avoid you to see your dentist often too .. right ? :O

Chocolate-ginger biscotti

Ingredients: Makes about 15-20 cookies

1 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp table salt

1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a baking sheet, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, beat until well combine, scrapping down sides of bowl if necessary

Mix in oil and vanilla ; add flour mixture, and stir to form a stiff dough. Stir in chocolate, nuts and ginger by hand.

Because the dough is too sticky, I keep into the refrigerator for a while until dough is easy to handle. Divide the dough in half and roll into logs about 12 by 4 inches.

Place onto cookie sheet lines with parchment

Bake until slightly firm, about 25 minutes, cool on wire rack for about 5 minute.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

On a cutting board , using a sharp serrated knife, but biscotti diagonally into 1-inch-tick slice. Arrange biscotti, cut sides down, on baking sheet, and bake until crisp but still slightly soft in the center, about 8 minute.

Remove and cool at room temperature

Banana Caramel Cupcake

My week run so slow ! well, at least that what I feel since my daughter sick, she got fever and coughing constantly for 3 days. Made me worry, and decided to take her to E.R on Monday evening (and came back home on Tuesday morning). Doctor said, that was pneumonia clinical , and she need to take breathing therapy. Thanks GOD, nothing major happen. And she is doing fine today :)

The funny was *thought it was not funny anymore* while we waiting at ER , I checked my Blackberry, and I found her pictures at ER from previous year. Oh, NO .. !! seems every year she go to ER :O - please, don't make it habit :( - I just want her become healthy child *knock knock the wood*

And after a week take care of her, thought that I need get relax a little bit, especially when i feel not well too. Taking a vitamins, a lot of fresh orange juice. Well, you know.. when mom get sick everything will messed up. Bake a simple cake for everybody, back to my book, sipping a cup hot tea, aah.. i feel much better.

Lets try this cake, this is not like your mom , cupcake *wink*

Banana-Caramel Cupcake

Ingredients:

A. Caramel

60g Castor sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon hot water

2 tablespoons fresh heavy cream

B.Cake Batter

180g all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

115 g butter, at room temperature

110g cream cheese, at room temperature

115g caster sugar

3 eggs, separated

2 bananas, cut into thickness small chunk

Prepare your caramel first :

In a medium sauce pan, cook sugar and water with medium heat.

When the syrup turn into amber color, stir in hot water *please be careful in this step* , than add cream, stir well, set aside.

Cake batter :

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Prepare your cupcake pan

Using an electric mixer, whip butter, cream cheese and 75g of sugar until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Continue whipping the mixture, add in egg yolks one by one. With each addition, whip until the batter just combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy. Continue to whisk and at the same time, add remaining 40g of sugar in 3 batches. Whip the egg white until stiff peak forms.

Using a rubber spatula, stir in 1/3 of egg white into cream cheese mixture , Sift flour and baking powder over the batter, stir until combine. Fold remaining egg, stir and make sure that the batter is well combined.

Stir in banana pieces and caramel. Scrape the batter into the baking pan.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or less, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake turns out clean.

for 15 - 18 cupcake

Don't steal the images !