Looking for a soft, fluffy and a delicate little cupcakes? This will be perfect! The best of all is it's easy peasy. All you need are four ingredients and a growling tummy to satisfy your cravings. The folks around PJ will have heard the well-known +Wondermilk cupcakes although it's quite costly. I have given it a try few months back by buying a box of four for a cheaper price. I will say my first try on these cupcakes worth every cent I have paid. The cupcakes are prettyyy and their texture are unbeatable -- moist, soft, milky etc etc. Words can't describe how good they are, not to forget the buttercream icing and cream cheese frosting, they are mouth-watering. I'm so tempted with their rainbow cakes, just looking at the colours amused me much. So... proud to say that my next challenge is rainbow cake with buttercream icing (it will be up very soon), Stay tune, peeps!
All pictures credit to +Wondermilk Cafe Website
Circus Lola Cake (1kg) RM 70
+ Wondermilk Cafe My rating ( for the cupcakes and the ambience ) : 9/10 Address: 41, Jalan SS 21/1A Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya Contact Number: 03 77258930 Shop Hours: Open daily from 10am to 10pm, closed on public holidays
The cupcakes taste best fresh from the oven with a slight crisp on the top. Try topping with nutella!
*This recipe is exactly the same with the recipe for Vanilla Cupcakes which I have posted, the difference is that I added crushed oreos. * I halved the recipe. Ingredients:
Self-raising flour - 175g
Butter - 175g
Sugar - 175g
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Eggs - 4 (beaten)
Method: 1. Heat the oven to 180 degree celcius. Place paper cases in a 12-hole bun tin. 2. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. 3. Stir in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the eggs, beating well. 4. Sift in the flour and gently fold into the mixture until combined. 5. Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 20 minutes until golden and risen.
The month of November is coming to an end. All I can say is that time flies. I'm looking foward to Christmas this year. Though my family doesn't have the tradition to celebrate is festive season, I personally can't wait for Christmas every single year. The gaily decorated shopping malls as well as the red and white themed ornaments indeed lift up my spirit to usher this festival. For me, Christmas is never a season simply for one's personal religious belief, it in fact brings one family closer. I do looking foward for the day where I can hold a Chirstmas party or more of a feast to celebrate the joy and happiness with my family and friends beside sharing the wholesomeness of good food. Last year's December or the month of celebration was unforgettable. As a Leo, I seized the chance to attend two Christmas parties which both are with the orphans. In my lifetime, I have never witnessed any Christmas celeration. Those experience means much more to me, which is an eye-opening experience for me and also for a good cause! Best of all, my family had a Christmas eve dinner in our favourite Japanese restaurant back in Johor. We had the usual Japanese food such as sushi, grilled Saba, spinach salad with bacon and garlic etc. How ironic this is!
The following recipe will be lighter and healthier lunch.
Bibb Salad (reference: Jamie's America Book) Serve 3-4
Bibb lettuce/ butterhead lettuce - 2
Tomato - 1
Croutons (refer the following recipe)
French dressing:
Extra virgin olive oil - 9 tbsp
White wine vinegar - 3 tbsp
Dijon mustard- - 3 tsp
Sea salt and freshly grounded black pepper
Get rid any tatty outer layers on the lettuces and gently wash the rest. Dry the lettuces properly so that the dressing will stick to the lettuces.
Slice the tomato and set aside. (optional: you may vegetables of your choice such as pan-fried mushrooms as shown in the original recipe)
Mix the oil, vinegar, mustard and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
Assemble the lettuces, mushrooms, croutons and the dressing. Add the croutons last so it won't turns soggy from the dressings.
Homemade croutons (reference: Noobcook) Make 2 cups Ingredients:
3 slices bread
50 grams butter
½ tbsp garlic powder
¼ tsp salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp favourite herbs (either fresh, dried or combination of both)
Using kitchen scissors, first cut bread to strips, then to
even-sized cubes. Optional: You may trim away the bread edges if
preferred (I left them on).
In a heated saucepan, melt butter, garlic powder and salt,
stirring to mix well. Add croutons to the melted butter mixture and toss
to coat evenly. Season with freshly cracked black pepper. (I replaced garlic powder with chopped fresh garlic)
Finely snip fresh herbs of choice (I am using Italian parsley
here) directly onto the croutons, and toss to mix well. Alternatively,
you may use dried herbs. Suitable herbs include parsley, oregano,
rosemary and Italian herbs
Transfer croutons, one layer, onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake at pre-heated oven of 180°C (356°F) for 15 minutes, or
until the croutons are golden and crispy. Add them as topping for your
salads and creamy soups.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut the chicken into 1.5-2 inches pieces. Set on a dish.
Spread panko in a thin layer on rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, until golden brown (watch out for the panko closely, my first batch of panko was burnt)
Transfer the panko to a shallow dish and mix in the Parmesan and coarse salt. Drizzle the oil and mix well.
Set out the flour and eggs in separate dishes. Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
Place a wire rack on the baking sheet, lightly coat with cooking spray.
In small batches, coat the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess,
dip in egg, and lastly coat well with panko. Transfer to the rack.
Bake the chicken until desired tenderness, about 12-14 minutes,
turning when halfway through. Serve nuggets with any dippings of your choice. (I prefer tomato sauce)
The cauliflower soup isn't to my liking but no harm giving it a try. Creamy cauliflower soup Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp unbleached flour (all purpose is fine too)
1 medium head cauliflower - chopped
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 cups fat free chicken broth (vegetarians can use vegetable broth)
salt and pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan, make a roux by melting the butter on low heat. Add the flour and stir about 2 minutes.
Add
the chicken broth, onions and cauliflower and set heat to medium. Bring
to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables
are tender (about 20 minutes.) Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Bibimbap? It's a must to order in a Korean restaurant. It's usually served in a hot stone pot as the ingredients with raw egg sizzle so temptingly. Basically, there's rice and several types of vegetable and a meat of your choice. The aroma of the sesame oil is so indulging that I can't stop finishing the whole bowl of mixed rice which comes with an array of side dishes in a Korean restaurant. However, most Korean restaurants here in Malaysia serve Bibimbap in a ceramic bowl or even a steel bowl for convenience, that's why raw egg can't be served but replaced with a sunny side-up egg.
According to Korean Bapsang, "Bibim means mixing, bap means rice and the mixing usually happens at the table right before eating."
Bibimbap with Sunny Side-up Egg
Bibimbap (Korean Rice Bowl with Vegetables and Meat) (reference: Korean Bapsang) Serve 4-5 Ingredients:
Rice for 4 servings
Soy bean sprouts/ mung bean sprouts - 400g
Cucumber - 1
Zucchini - 1
Carrots - 2
Broccoli - 1
Garlic cloves - 4 to 5
Eggs - 4 to 5
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Roasted sesame seeds
Salt and pepper
Vegetable or canola oil
Soybean sprouts: Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the bean sprouts and boil for 3 minutes. Drain quickly and shock in cold water. Toss with 1 tsp of minced garlic, 1 tsp of seasame oil and 1/2 tsp of seasame seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cucumber: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise.
Generously sprinkle salt over sliced cucumbers and set aside for 10 - 15
minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid. Toss with 1 tsp of minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp
of sesame seeds.
Zucchinis: Cut the zucchinis in
half lengthwise and then thinly slice crosswise. Generously sprinkle
salt over sliced zucchinis and set aside for 10 - 15 minutes. Squeeze
out excess liquid from salted zucchini by hand. Add 1 tsp of minced garlic. Sauté in a lightly oiled
skillet for 1 - 2 minutes over medium high heat.
Carrots: Shred the carrots. Sauté in a lightly oiled skillet for 1 - 2 minutes
over medium high heat, sprinkling salt and pepper to taste.
Broccoli: Cut the broccoli head from the stem. Cut the head into small florets. Peel the stems and cut into small pieces. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the salt and broccoli,
and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until it reaches the desired tenderness. Drain well. Combine the broccoli with the 1 tsp of sesame oil, 1/2 tsp of sesame seed and toss well. Add salt to taste. (reference: Seasame Broccoli from Korean Bapsang)
To Assemble: Place a serving of
rice in a big bowl. (If using a stone bowl, heat it on medium heat until
hot. Add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil and rice and cook the rice for
several minutes until the rice sizzles.) Nicely arrange a small amount
of each prepared vegetable and meat over the rice. Drizzle a little
sesame oil over. (optional: sprinkle some roasted sesame seed on the rice) Top with an egg fried sunny-side up and servewith the sauce.
Chop 4 green onions and
put them in a small bowl. Pour half cup of soy sauce in there (I replaced with Japanese soy sauce and dark caramel soy sauce of ratio 1:1), and add 1
tbs of sesame seeds, 2 tsp of sugar, 1 tbs of sesame oil and mix it up. Dak Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Chicken) (reference: Korean Bapsang) Serves 4-5 Ingredients:
Boneless chicken thigh - 2
Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1tbsp
Brown sugar - 1 tbsp
Honey - 1 tbsp (or 1-1/3 more tablespoons brown sugar)
Rice wine (or mirin) - 1 tbsp
Minced garlic - 1 tbsp
Grated ginger - 1 tsp
Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
A pinch of black pepper
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Rinse chicken pieces. Trim off excess fat. Cut each of the chicken pieces into small sizes (about 2-inch long and 1-inch wide).
Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Coat the chicken pieces with the marinade. Marinate for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Preheat a skillet over medium high
heat. Add the chicken pieces, reserving the marinade. Cook until cooked
through and slightly
caramelized, about 2 minutes each side. (The sugar and honey in the
marinade will burn easily, so watch it carefully and add the reserved
marinade by tablespoon when the pan gets dry. You can slightly reduce
the heat to avoid burning, if needed.)
* I did not wait till the marinade on the chicken caramelized, that's why my chicken is paler.
I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #37: Korean - Feast of Hansik (November 2013) hosted by Grace of Life can be simple
For this year, my dad's birthday happens to fall on a weekday so we decided to have a pre-celebration yesterday. After considering so many restaurants, we headed to Damansara Jaya for a Japanese dinner, our all time favourite at Omitsu Koshi Japanese Restaurant. It is our first time being there. Overall, the food served isn't up to our expection as what we had at the authentic Japanese restaurant back in Johor. There's a saying, you get what you paid for as the one in DJ is fairly reasonable. I ordered a Tempura, Sushi and Udon set. To me, this is so worthy, I had a bown of plain udon soup with some spinach, two pieces of sushi (of fresh raw fish), two slices of thich sashime, a basket of tempura (three pieces of vegetable tempura, one tempura tempura, one tempura prawn). The set also includes two sides and a plate of fruits! Best of all is that the set only cost RM20 :) it's rather a satisfying meal for me My overall rating will be 3/5.
Baking cupcakes AGAIN sounds too boring for me. I wanted something more challenging which is to bake a birthday cake with icing and decorations. Honestly, I never have good experience in baking a cake, I either fails or the cake doesn't taste right. I'm half right with my instinct for this time. I chose a white cake base with a whipper frosting. It's not exactly like buttercream but with a similar texture and less sweet! It's definitely a healthier substitution for any icings or frostings. For me, I'm not such a fan of these creamy little thing on my cupcakes because I can't get a recipe which is light and less sweet so I usually omit any toppings and serve my cake "naked". I still have a long way to go in this venture, with the inspirations from the other bloggers and of course Masterchef US and Australia. I love watching the Materchefs in both nation as I truly agree that I have learnt a lot, from the basic techniques to deal with the ingredients to the chemistry in cooking.
Sad to say right here in Malaysia, the Masterchef showing in Starworld HD is slightly slower so I'm kind of out of date but anyway, a learning process is never late for me. Few days back, I was totally blown away with the rainbow cake baked my Liliana in Masterchef Australia. It's so gorgeous and spectacular to me. She's one of my favourite contestant with high capability in baking besides cooking. It sad that she was eliminated in the challenge as the judges said that it was based on the contestants' ability to cook but not to bake.
I layered the two cake bases with some whipping in between, piped some on top of the cake and added toasted almond and the side of the cake. The almonds taste good with the whipping!
The white cake with the whipped frosting ain't too bad, just that I will cut down the frosting recipe to halve because I personally prefer a thinner layer of frosting with nuts, fruits etc and also I have some leftover of the frosting after coating the cake. The frosting is quite plain to me, so do incorporate any flavourings or ingredients of your choice eg cocoa powder and fruit jam and the whipping will taste best with a richer cake. (p/s the white cake is not rich enough for me)
White Cake with Whipped Frosting White Cake: (reference: Allrecipe)
1 cupwhite sugar (I reduced to 3/4)
1/2 cupbutter
2eggs
2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
1 1/2 cupsall-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoonsbaking powder
1/2 cupmilk (I increased to 3/4 for a moister cake)
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
In a medium
bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a
time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Combine flour and baking powder, sift, add to
the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter
is smooth. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30
to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.Cake is done when the skewer inserted comes out clean..
Bake the other half of the batter in the same cake pan so you will have two individual cakes of the same thickness.
In a saucepan, whisk the milk and flour with an egg beater and heat over medium heat. (or with a handheld electric whisk if you have but the egg beater works well for me)
Whisk continuously as the mixture thickens. The mixture is done when you reach a consistency of a thick cake batter, after about 7 minutes of heating and whisking (I used less than 7 mins)
Stir in the vanilla extract and set aside to cool completely. (you will get a gel-like paste upon cooling)
Use a handheld mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and sifted sugar until light, fluffy and white in colour. (about 3 solid minutes of beating medium-high speed) You want the sugar to be totally incorporated into the butter.
Be sure the milk mixture has cooled completely. Add it into butter/sugar mixture. Beat for about 1 minute on high speed, scraping down the bowl halfway until totally smooth and well blended.
I had been to Thailand twice, once to Hat Yat and also Phuket. My family trip to Phuket was rather recent. Reminiscing all the good times there, I won't mind going there again! Look at all the good food and the fashionably-cool clothings at such a reasonable price! During my Phuket trip, I had two nights stay at the city and the last night at Patong beach. Within walking distance from the hotel I stayed in the city, there's a night market with so many tops and shoes for just 100 baht (RM10), you can't even get them here from any night market at such a good quality. My mum's attention was drawn by a lady selling Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) which are all sold once fried at the spot. It's just 20 baht (RM2) for 10 pieces! If I'm not mistaken, we have bought a total of three packets. Whereas, at Patong beach, we manage to try out lots of street thai food sold by mobile hawkers at the alleys, away from the bustling roads. We had so much of good food there, from Pad Thai (stir fry flat noodles), Mango Salad, Tom Yum Goong (hot and sour soup) and even Pizzas from a pizzeria right below our hotel. I have been begging my mum to plan a visit to Bangkok this year but it seems that we are too busy this year :(
Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) (reference: Noob Cook)
Serves: 8 fish cakes (serves 2-3)
Ingredients
150 gramswhite-flesh fish meat (this has to be fresh as mine which is unfreshed tastes quite fishy when the fishcakes are cooled)
2 tbspThai red curry paste (I can't manage to get it from the supermarkets so I have made it on my own, refer the recipe below)
1/2 eggbeaten
1 tbspcorn flour/corn starch
4 kaffir lime leavesfinely snipped (add more of it if you desire)
5 French beansends trimmed and thinly sliced
vegetable oilfor deep frying; enough to submerge the fish cakes
2 tbspThai sweet chilli
1 tspThai fish sauce
1 tbsproasted peanutspounded
1 tbspfinely chopped cucumbers
Instructions
In
a blender, pulse together fish, curry paste, egg, corn flour and lime
leaves until a smooth paste is formed. Add chopped French beans to fish
paste and mix in evenly. Divide and shape fish paste to 8 round fish
cakes.
Heat oil in wok, deep fryer or pot to 180°C (356°F). Deep fry fish cakes in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain excess oil on tempura paper before serving.
Prepare dipping sauce by mixing fish sauce and Thai sweet chilli. Transfer to a dipping saucer and top with peanuts and cucumbers.
1 1/2 tsp Gabpi (fermented shrimp paste) (I replaced with Belacan)
Methods: 1. Soak the dried chilies in warm water. 2. Pound the chilies with salt as an abrasive in a pestle and mortar. 3. Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely. 3. Add the rest ingredients and pound till smooth. 4. Keep working till you cannot identify the distingush smell of each ingredients. The paste shall wear a new smell. 5. Finally, add the shrimp paste and pound well!
The red curry paste can be used to serve a fried codfish dish, you may refer to Thaifoodmaster web for more Thai food ideas.
Thai Shrimp Salad (reference: Thaifoodmaster)
*This was originally a fried eggs and shrimp salad but I left the eggs out.
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/3 cup (about 75g) minced pork
6-8 small to medium shrimps, peeled and deveined
1 small Cauliflower fungus,optional (known as bai mu er in Mandarin)
1 medium sized tomato, cut into tiny wedges
2 stalks spring onion, cut into 4cm slices
2 tbsp neutral taste cooking oil
Dressings:
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp granulated sugar
2-6 bird eyes chilies (I omitted this)
Keep
working it until you cannot identify the separate components by
smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all
the ingredients, and is something new. - See more at:
http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf
Soak the cauliflower fungus in water to rehydrate, if using.
Prepare fried eggs in your favourite way
Bring water to boil in a small saucepan. Cook the shrimps until they are about done, cook the miced pork until thoroughly cooked. Strain the water.
In a mortar and pestle, pound the chilies.
Mix the dressing ingredients. Adjust the flavour, add more lime juice or fish sauce to adjust.
In a large bowl, toss the dressing with the rest of the ingredients.
8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)
Method
Soak the chilies in water until soft.
In a mortar and pestle start pounding the chilies with salt as an abrasive.
Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely
Add rest on the ingredients and pound it until smooth.
Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by
smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all
the ingredients, and is something new.
Add the gabpi and mix well.
The paste stores well in air tight container for couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
- See more at:
http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf
8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)
Method
Soak the chilies in water until soft.
In a mortar and pestle start pounding the chilies with salt as an abrasive.
Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely
Add rest on the ingredients and pound it until smooth.
Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by
smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all
the ingredients, and is something new.
Add the gabpi and mix well.
The paste stores well in air tight container for couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
- See more at:
http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf
8 medium garlic cloves (about 4 tablespoon) , finely chopped
2 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon gabpi (fermented shrimp paste)
Method
Soak the chilies in water until soft.
In a mortar and pestle start pounding the chilies with salt as an abrasive.
Add galangal and lemon grass and work it finely
Add rest on the ingredients and pound it until smooth.
Keep working it until you cannot identify the separate components by
smelling it. The paste should wear a new smell, which is the sum of all
the ingredients, and is something new.
Add the gabpi and mix well.
The paste stores well in air tight container for couple of weeks in the refrigerator.
- See more at:
http://www.thaifoodmaster.com/thai_food_recipes/thai_cooking_basic_techniques/thai_curry_paste_recipes/829#sthash.nOiD38S6.dpuf
Something Asian, finally! Though living in a scorching hot country all year long with seasonal rain, I'm loving more of Western food when I'm into cooking, all because it's simple. I am so used to the non-stick pan than when it comes to using the wok, I have to surrender. It's just need much more of practising but I really hate it when my food starts to stick to the wok and I don't usually put much oil into any dish I cooked. That's why cooking Asian food especially Chinese food is a no no to me. Guess what, at first I 'was using' the wok to stir fry the chicken and I got so fared up with it so I left the wok aside to settle my dish with a pan istead (typical me) However, the hot and spicy maggie mee turns out really great for my mum, but for my brother and I the spiciness level has be slightly lower.
The original recipe calls for spaghetti as a fusion of both cusine. I will prefer maggie mee/instant noodle.
Spaghetti 4 servings (I used four servings of maggie mee/ instant noodle)
Chicken sliced into cubes 150g
Cabbage cut into small pieces
Garlic, chopped
Ginger, sliced into pieces
Dried chilli, 5, soak in hot water and cut into pieces ( I will use lesser of this )
Marinade:
1/2 tsp cornflour
1Tbsp soya sauce
1/2tsp sesame oil
1/2tsp rice wine
Sauce:
1 1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp dark caramel sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1tsp sesame oil
2 1/2 Tbsp vinegar
1tsp honey
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp rice wine
2/3 cup water
1 tsp cornflour ( thicken with 1 Tbsp of water)
Cook the spaghetti according to the package instruction.
Marinade the chicken for 30 minutes. Heat about 2 Tbsp of oil in a
wok, stir fry the chicken till 70% cooked and remove from wok.
Heat another 2 Tbsp of oil, fry the garlic and ginger for a minute,
add in dried chilli pieces. Fry for another minute then add in cabbage
and chicken.
Stir fry a bit, add in the seasoning.
Add in the thickened cornflour and let simmer for about 1 minute.
Add in the prepared spaghetti into the sauce and stir the noodles till evenly coated.
I was delegated for a bake sale as my school's Leo Club monthly project. Wasn't really confident, but I decided to take up this challenge. After all, I haven't done much for my club. So, I went to the web and search for some ideas. Allrecipes is always the first site which I will visit! The recipe on Best Brownie and Best Chocolate Chip with the good comments and high ratings caught my attention! These recipes are praiseworthy.
Fudgy and slightly chewy Best Brownie
Best Brownie (reference: Allrecipes) (I made half of the recipe and it yields 10 thin slices)
1/2 cupbutter
1 cupwhite sugar (I will advise to cup down the sugar to 3/4 cup because 1 cup is way too sweet)
2eggs
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
1/3 cupunsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cupall-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoonsalt
1/4 teaspoonbaking powder
3 tablespoonsbutter, softened
3 tablespoonsunsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoonhoney
1 teaspoonvanilla extract
1 cupconfectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter.
Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat
in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter
into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
This looks slghtly different from the picture above as I used flash in my camera.
Best Chocolate Chip Cookies (reference: Allrecipes)
( yields two dozen for me as I dropped a spoon of the batter)
1 cupbutter, softened
1 cupwhite sugar(use lesser sugar if you prefer)
1 cuppacked brown sugar
2eggs
2 teaspoonsvanilla extract
3 cupsall-purpose flour
1 teaspoonbaking soda
2 teaspoonshot water
1/2 teaspoonsalt
2 cupssemisweet chocolate chips (I used less)
1 cupchopped walnuts (I omitted this)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar
until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir
in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto
ungreased pans.
Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.
The vibrant colours of the array of macarons in the pastry shops are incredibly tempting but look at the price, one tiny little piece can cost more than RM 4. I just feel that it is overpriced! I love the crispy shell and the chewy fillings of macarons, that's why I adore these tiny bits of sweeties. Making macarons is indeed something challenging and requires much patience. I have failed twice and so I decided to do some research online. The baking site, Joy of Baking by Stephanie Jaworski has a video on Chocolate Macarons and her step-by-step guide really helps a lot. I have watched it repeatedly for a couple of times till I got the hang out of it.
Once you have known every single step well, you can start baking :)
Here's a few advice:
1. Gain as much information as you can from the web and watch videos
2. Weigh your ingredients ACCURATELY using a weighing machine
3. Use eggs which are stored for some time or seperate the egg whites and keep it in the fridge for at least 24 hours 4. Make sure the ground almond is fine enough to pass through the seive 5. Draw rounds on a baking paper or use a template which can be downloaded online 6. Most importantly, watch closely to your macarons, you do not want to overbake or burn them
You can draw rounds on your own but I decided not to use it because I have drawn too big circles. Your circles should suit your piping tip. I feel more cmfortable to pipe without it.
Thick and glossy batter
Piped shells ready to be dried! (Ignore the odd shapes)
Perfect shells with feet and some burnt ones which are thrown away
Macarons to be kept in the fridge for at least a day so that the fillings will soften the macarons slighty to make it chewier.
Matcha Macarons with Nutella ( reference: Ancoo Journal )
37g Ground Almond
3g Matcha powder
40g Icing sugar
30g Egg white
40g Icing sugar
Method:
Sieve ground almond, matcha powder and icing sugar twice.
Beat egg white until foamy and sieve icing sugar in batches then change to high speed and beat till peak form (thick and glossy). You may beat egg white to stiffer peak if you prefer a thicker macaron.
Then sieve (again) dry ingredients into egg white in two batches and fold mixture well thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
Add batter into piping bag
with nozzle tip #1A attached. Then pipe small circles on non-stick
baking sheet. (When piping macarons, hold bag straight up from the
sheet, with the tip close to the baking sheet. The batter will push
itself out in a perfect circle). (I have used Wilton No.10 round decorating tip for a smaller macaron)
Once piped use a toothpick to prick any air bubbles that appear. Dry the macaron shells for 30 minutes at room temperature. (Tap your baking tray on your working top twice works too) (Use your finger to touch the macaron shells, it may stick slightly to your finger but DO NOT over-dry them)
Preheat oven
at 150 degree for 10 minutes. Then bake macaron shells at centre rack
with one empty tray placing at the lower rack. This is to avoid excess
heat burning the base of the marcaron shells. The feet will start to
appear in about 3 minutes. (Bake with the upper heat till the "feet" are formed) (Visit Ancoo Journal if you will like to get a better idea out of this)
Remove the (hot) empty rack and place another empty rack on top of the macaron shells and bake for another 5-8 minutes.
You can test if they are done by touching the tip of a macaron, if its wobbles
they are not done. When baking is complete, the shell should not stick
to the tray. Put them back to oven for a couple of minutes if you have
difficulties removing them from the baking sheet.
Dust
some matcha powder on macaron shells and leave them to cool on the
baking tray. You can store them in an airtight container and refrigerate
it until you're ready to use them.
Pipe cream of your choice onto one macaron shell and sandwich with another half. (I love nutella so I used it here)
"Quesadilla is originated from Mexico and "Queso" is cheese in Spanish. It has evolved and changed as it is assimilated with the local cultures, forming Spanish Quesadilla and American Quesadilla." - Wikipedia
The usual one I have in Chili's is the American Quesadilla has a varieties of melted cheese that are sandwiched between two tortillas (which is in the kid's meal section) Whereas in the main course, quesadilla with chicken cubes, tomatoes, cheese etc is served with sour cream and salsa. Both of these deserve a thumbs-up. My brother and I love them so much!
As I have a sudden crave for quesadilla, I decide to make it for lunch. I have a couple of tortillas left at home after using them as wraps during teatime so quesadilla is it.
Tuna Quesadilla
Salsa and Cheesy Yoghurt with Lemon Wedge
Tuna Quesadilla with Tomato Salsa/ Cheesy Yoghurt Mayo Cheesy Yoghurt Mayo
Kewpie cheesy mayo
Yoghurt
> Mix both of these ingredients and set aside. It will be used in the quesadilla and as a side.
Tomato Salsa
Ripe tomato
Olive oil
Garlic
Pepper
Salt
> Boil half a pot of water. Drop the tomato into the boiling water till the tomato skin is about to peel. Then, scoop the tomato out and remove its skin. Cool awhile and blend it in a food processor. Saute the garlic till it's goldenly brown. Next, pop the tomato puree into the pan and heat it with a pinch or salt and pepper. Before serving, drizzle some olive oil and add some lemon juice into the salsa. * I will suggest to make this overnight so it won't be too time-consuming to prepare the quesadilla * It is healthier if you can blend your own tomato puree but using canned puree is fine. Tuna Quesadilla
Tortillas
Canned tuna
Lettuce
Sliced button mushroom
Cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Salt
Pepper
Lemon
For the canned tuna, pour away the olive oil or distilled water. Smash the tuna with back of the fork and add a pinch of salt, pepper and some lemon juice
Heat your oven 180 degree celcius.
Cut each tortilla into a semi-circle shape. Assemble the sliced lettuce first, followed by spoons of tuna and mushrooms.
Add the cheesy yoghurt mayo topped with both the cheese.
Lastly, sandwich the ingredients with another halved tortilla and pop it into the oven.
As the cheese have melted and the tortilla turned crispy, take the quesadillas out from the oven.
Cool for a while, slice into wedges and serve!
The quesadilla goes well with the salsa and cheesy yoghurt mayo
It's always healthier to homemade the side and also substitute half portion of the mayo with yoghurt. Also, quesadilla will go well with sliced lettuce as side too.
No doubt that creamy mushroom soup is the best soup ever on earth. Who can resist the creaminess and the mushroom bits in your mouth? And.... especially when you have garlic bread, mushroom soup is a must to go with.
Creamed Mushroom Soup (reference: Jamie Oliver's Magazine Issue 23) This will be the original recipe, it is advisable to make slight alteration to it, my notes are in Italic. Serve 6
1 tbsp butter
Olive oil
3 garlic cloves (2 finely sliced, 1 halved)
600g mixed wild mushrooms, brushed clean
250g field mushrooms, brushed room * I have used Portobella mushrooms instead of wild and field mushrooms
1 red onion, diced
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
25ml brandy * I have substituted it with red wine
100g white rice rinsed *cooked ahead or use any leftover rice
2 litres chicken stock or vegetable stock, plus extra * I have used Maggi concentrated chicken stock, diluted with water
6 tsp sour cream * I have used my leftover whipping cream and milk
1 lemon
1 whole nutmeg, for grating * use the grated ones which is available at the supermarket
Extra virgin olive oil
Melt the butter with a drizzle of olive oil ina really big, nonstick saucepan. Add the sliced garlic and mushrooms. Stir and fry over a high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until you get some beautiful caramelisation happening and any liquid in the pan has evaporated.
At this point, taste a mushroom and add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed.
Add the onion, celery and bay leaves to the remaining mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes or so over a medium heat to soften slightly.
Pour in the brandy and stir quickly until most of the alcohol burns off, then add the rice and stock and bring to boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. * at this point, I added the whipping cream and milk
After 20 minutes, remove the bay leaves from the soup pan and blitz the soup either in a food processor or with a hand-held blender.
Taste and correct the seasoning for the final time, adding a little lemon juice to taste. At this point, thin down the soup with a little extra hot stock, if you like. * I heated the blended soup in the pan again as it has cooled
Divide the mushroom soup between the bowls, swirl in the lemony sour cream * I replaced this with whipping cream and milk as above
Scatter your bowls of soup with some chopped parsely * I used dried parsley and a pinch of grated nutmeg, then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and tuck in.
If you are searching for THE BEST mushroom soup, this is the one!
Also, I have tried Zoe's Traditional Korean Rice Pancakes (Panjeon) , you may get it here. It's pretty good and quite similar to the ones which my mum have in Korean restaurant.
