Banana Pistachio Biscotti

I try to catch everything today. After my daughter feeling well, than was my turn got sick too. Not feel well for almost a week. It's kind of hard, since I don't have any family member around me to help with "domestic matter" and especially with my little one, she doesn't like to go school . She said she just want to take care of me.. *aah.. so sweet*

And with a runny nose still.. every morning I still need to give her 'home schooling project' so she won't left behind even she is just pre-K student :)

And you think I stop baking and cooking ? :P - NO .. !! cooking and baking are my healing power :D

Banana Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 ripe-banana, mashed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggyolks

1/2 cup pistachio

dark chocolate for dipping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F . Lightly grease your cookie sheet.

In bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the brown sugar and eggs on high speed until thick, pale, and fluffy (about 5 minutes). (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) At this point beat in the vanilla extract

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the egg mixture and beat until combined. Fold in banana, oil, and pistachio

Keep the dough in refrigerator for 10 minutes so will be easy to handle

Transfer the dough to your parchment lined baking sheet and form into a log, about 12 inches (30 cm) long and 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) wide. You may have to dampen your hands to form the log as the dough is quite sticky.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes then cut into about 3/4 inch (2 cm) , on the diagonal. slices and bake 15 minutes at 250°F. Turn in half way. Biscotti will still be soft but will harden as they cool.

Remove from oven and let cool. Dip into melted chocolate. Let cool Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 16 biscotti.

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 !

Macaroon for breakfast ..

Macaroon for breakfast ? Why not, treat yourself nicely today, Valentine's Day just come once a year , no one will ask your weight because eat macaroon for breakfast. What I know was, I don't care much about Valentine's Day but jewelry are welcome ^__^

Happy Valentine's Day, everybody..