Quilt Love - for the love of blue

 

What made me busy lately ? yes.. right, made baby boy quilt .. !! I don't have many 'boy' color fabrics choice ; every time going to fabric store I always pick a kind of 'girly' fabrics and when I must to make for baby boy - it's not always easy to chose the fabrics. So many choice, too cute to ignore ...

 

Finally I chose 'a sea world' type fabric - ooh, I tell you .. I love it so much ; even the backing fabric choice .. The quilt size is 30x34 inch ; perfect size for baby quilt even for small kid. Since I had an extra left over fabric, I made a fabric basket too .. (thank you for my beloved friend, Chase to provide the tutorial)

 

What do you think ? isn't that cute .. ?

{the quilt is reserved ; ready for delivery}

 

** please contact me for custom order **

Matcha Macaron

Aaah, I tough my 'magic wand' is fade , since I never bake macaron for almost a year. .. surprise I still can make a perfect macaron ; you know when you talk about macaron mean you talk about "distinctive crust" and a "foot" of the cookies.  Is only 4 ingredients for sure, but there are number of ways to go wrong.  Macaron , a pretty simple cookies yet mysterious. Every thing must be perfect, time is so crucial when baking macaron - when you must to stop running the mixer, when you must to stop folded the batter etc.  But don't worry ; don't be intimidate .. just relax and bake macaron ; you will learn from your mistake.

 

Matcha Macarons

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cups whole almonds, with skin // this is work with hazelnut too

2 1/4 cup powdered sugar

3 large white eggs - room temperature ! ** MUST **

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tbsp. of green tea powder

 

Chocolate Ganache for filling

10 ounces chocolate (62% or semi sweet) ; chopped

2/3 ounces sifted powdered sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 eggs yolks

3 tbsp. unslated butter ; room temperature

 

Directions :

Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Divide almond and powdered sugar into half portion - Place almond and powdered sugar in food processor. Process 30 second,  until almond finely ground. Repeat the process with the remaining almonds and powdered sugar.

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine white eggs and cream of tartar ; whisk on high speed until very stiff peak from 3-4 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold about 1/3 of the almond mixture into white eggs. Fold in the remaining mixture in two more addition, just until the ingredients are completely combine. Add the green tea powder. You don't want over fold too or your will have a running batter. (use your instinct, though..)

 

Fit a pastry bag with a medium plain round tip and fill the bag just a half of bag, don't put too much batter. Pipe 1-inch circle onto baking sheet. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hours, this allow the macaron to develop their base on the bottom {signature foot}

 

Preheat oven to 325 F - bake for 10 to 12 minute, transfer the baking sheet to wire racks and let it cool completely on the pans. Filled the shell with chocolate ganache or any kind of buttercream you prefer.

 

 

 

Making Chocolate Ganache

Combine the chocolate and powdered sugar in a heatproof bowl.

In sauce pan over medium heat, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stir until sugar is dissolved.  Heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Whisk the yolks in a small heat proof bowl. Pour about 1/2 cup of the melted chocolate mixture into the yolk. Pour the tempered mixture back into the pan of chocolate and whisk to combine. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Pour the hot ganache through a fine mesh sieve ito a clean heatproof bowl.

 

Use the ganache immediately

Ambitious friday baking ..

 

Alright, I call this is SO AMBITIOUS baking project that I've been thinking for awhile . I found the  recipe from the book that I borrowed from library. Like a little kid want to get test at school, I read the recipe so patiently more than 3 times .. aah.. tough is kind of hard , than I just closed the book. But the cake picture on that book are so awesome, call me all the time ... :p

Today, in a hectic day, I have no idea what is on my mind .. I just grab the ingredients from pantry and start baking. Which is so so so .... wrong !!! because I want to finish everything in a half day, excuse me ... look at those cake.. so messy ... I should bake the cake day a head, so I have enough time to décor without pressure to make my kitchen top clean again .. *sigh*

But ... after all, I am happy ... just can't wait until my cookies (cake) monsters come back home and start to eat them ...


CHOCOLATE COFFEE CAKE with dark chocolate ganache
Ingredients :
For the classic chocolate cake
3/4 cup dark unsweetened chocoa powder
2/3 cup sour-cream or regular plain yoghurt
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract

For The Coffee Butercream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp coffee extract

For The Chocolate Glaze
8 ounces good - quality dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp light corn syrup

MAKE THE CAKE
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Butter 3 8-inch round cake pans, line them with parchment paper and butter the paper. Dust the parchment with flour and knock out the excess flour

In a medium bowl, mix the cocoa powder and sour cream with 1 1/4 cups hot water and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.

Using a standing mixer, beat the butter and shortening together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minute. Add the sugar and beat for 5 more minute, than add the eggs one at a time, mixing until eggs is incorporated into the mixture. Turn the mixer to low, add the vanilla.

Beginning with the dry ingredients, add the dry mixture and the cocoa mixture to the mixer bowl in three alternating parts, ending with dry.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans. bake for 35 - 40 minutes.

MAKE THE COFFEE BUTTERCREAM
In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milx and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Until the mixture comes to boil and has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool (about 9 minutes). Reduce the speed to low, add the butter, mix until throughly incorporate.

Add the vanilla and coffee extract.

TO ASSAMBLE CAKE
Place one cake layer on aserving platter. Trim the top to create a flat surface , and evenly spread about 1 1/4 cups frosting on top. Add next layer, trim and frost it, then add the third layer. Spread a very thin layer of frosting over the side of the cake and put in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. (This is known as crumb coating and will help to keep loose cake crumbs under control when you frost the outside of cake)
Spread the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Refrigerated it for 15 minutes to it firm up.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Place the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler. Stir the mixture until melted and smooth.

Remove from the heat. Drizle glaze over the cake. Refrigerated, the cake for about 15 minutes to set the glazes before serving.

GLAZE THE CAKE
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your cake on a wire rack over the baking sheet. Slowly pour about 3/4 cup of the glaze over the cake.
Use a small offset spatula to smooth it out to the edges. Place the cake in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to set the glaze.
Remove from the refrigerator, and slowly pour the rest of the glaze over the cake, it should run down the edges in thick stream. You should be able to control the size and length of the stream by the pour. Feel free to experiment , and have no fear in playing around. This is a fun part, and there is no right or wrong way.
Garnish with chocolate beans , i used Ferrerro Rocher.