Tiramisu

As mention in my earlier post, I'm going to attempt a decent birthday cake for Yah Lan. I'm doing a tiramisu. Tried making a small one a few days a go before I get on this big project. I thought I really wanted to doing something diy for her. As this is the first time, I attempt to do a decent looking cake, it didn't turn out pretty enough to meet my expectation. *cross my fingers* hope it will taste good to salvage the ugly looking cake. (-.-''') I will try to do it better next time. Please pardon me and I know Yah Lan will not mind lah. At least I have really tried my best.

This recipe is actually very easy. Got it from Imperial Kitchen forum. People are all raving about it. I didn't really try it myself, as I was too tired after that to eat it. =) Will definately do it again the next time. Thanks Cuisinette for this wonderful recipe.

Tiramisu / Viramisu by Cuisinette from Imperial Kitchen

For a good Tiramisu, please respect the liquid quantities given.

Use a baking tray that holds 22-24 laid down lady fingers. The tray should also have tall walls. Note: If "slim" lady fingers are used make only 3/4 quantity of liquid.

44-48 lady fingers... "fat" type.

Cocoa powder

Syrup:

180 ml water

180 ml milk

120 ml liquor… cacao or coffee (I used Baileys')

50 ml rum (alcohol not essence) (I used Baileys')

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons melted chocolate or chocolate syrup

Cream:

450 gr. mascarpone cheese (can use Philadelphia Cream Cheese)

450 gr. liquid whipping cream

3 egg whites (I used egg whites but if you want to avoid using ... disregard this ingredient) If you don’t use the egg whites divide the sugar half for the cheese and half for the whip cream.

200 gr. sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

30 ml liquor… cacao or coffee (I prefer cacao)

Roast the lady fingers in the oven at 160°C for about 5 minutes. (Optional)

Directions:

First make the cream and place in the refrigerator:

1. Beat very well the egg white + 1/3 sugar, until this is dissolved and egg whites appear very frothy as a meringue,

2. Next beat very well the whip cream + 1/3 sugar until sugar is dissolved, make sure you don’t mix it too much (whip cream can turn to curds if over beaten),

3. And last… beat very well the cheese + 1/3 sugar until is dissolved.

4. Combine all… add vanilla and the liquor… cacao or coffee. If you don’t use the egg whites divide the sugar half for the cheese and half for the whip cream.

For the syrup:

5. Place all the ingredients into a measuring cup and warm 30 seconds in the MW. It doesn’t need to be hot, just warm.

Assemble the cake:

6. Place a layer of lady fingers on the bottom of the baking pan, using exactly half the liquid sprinkle all over the lady fingers, make sure you don’t put too much in one side and less in other areas.

7. Take a tea strainer and powder with cocoa (about 1 full teaspoon-if needed more add as desire) all over the lady fingers.

8. Take 1/3 of the cream and place it in the middle of the cake. This is a little tricky… cream tends to stick to the spoon and get loose because of the cocoa powder. What I do, is push the cream towards the sides of the pan, until it touches the walls. The cream must touch the walls all around, and make sure the cream is spread well and no holes are communicating with the lady fingers bellow. We don’t want any liquid to go to the layer bellow.

9. Place next layer of lady fingers over the cream, sprinkle the rest of the syrup, sprinkle with cocoa and place the rest of the cream on top of everything.

10. Level well and sprinkle plenty with cocoa. Refrigerate over night.

Note: Some trays have rounded corner… try to trim the lady finger so it will fit in the curb.

Hershey's Best Brownies

This was made for my friend, Constance's birthday. Kinda of rush when doing it. But it was so easy, that it actually took me only 10 mins to prepare it. It looked really pretty just like her. Hope she like it and I think she does lah, hee. Manage to get her to come over to my house and bake it in time =). It was a fun evening. Caihui, Constance and Susan were around to fellowship together. Love the girls, they are really close to my heart. Oh later I started doing the tiramisu for Yah Lan's birthday. It is meant for the celebrations for her together with all the leaders on Tue. Will post some pictures up soon.

HERSHEY'S Best Brownies from Hershey



Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
2 cups sugar (I reduced the sugar to 1 2/3cups)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts(optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
2. Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; beat until well blended.
4. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.

Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost if desired. Cut into bars. About 36 brownies.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

I have did this for my most precious friend cum leader, Yah Lan's birthday. It was kinda of rush as the whole week was really busy. I had spent quite a bit of time to find the recipe that I wanna use. Glad that I have found this from Do What I like. I do not have enough time to get the mint chocolate, so I just used chocolate chips instead and decorate it with a heart shape sugar deco that I have bought from Sun Lik. Baked this with love after coming back from my class on friday night. This recipe is very easy and simple to make.

Chocolate Mint Cookies by Do What I like

Ingredients:

60g butter

1 tsp corn oil

30g icing sugar

1/8 tsp of salt

100g cake flour

15g cocoa powder

pinch of baking soda

50g Andes Mint Parfait(chopped up)

Method:

1. Cream butter, corn oil, icing sugar and salt till light and fluffy.

2. Fold in the sieved flour, cocoa powder and baking soda mixture.

3. Add in the chopped up Andes Mint and mix till a soft dough is formed.

4. Divide the dough into 18 pieces shape it round and flatten them a little.

5. Bake on a lined tray at 180C for 25 - 30 minutes.

Steam Moist Chocolate Cake

This is an easy recipe that need not much baking equipments. It was very soft. Think I'm not so successful during the first try, something was wrong. The cake turn dry after it cool down. It wasn't "loose" enough. Will try it again.

Steam Moist Chocolate Cake from Kitchen Capers
http://www.kitchencapers.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3717

Ingredients:
1 1/2 bar of butter (250 gm + 125 gm) OR Corn Oil **
2 cups of castor sugar
1 can of evaporated Milk
4 Eggs, lightly beaten with a folk
2 cups of Plain flour ***
1 cup of Cocoa powder
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Vanilla Extract or 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla essence


*** this recipe can be halve easily

Method:
1. Combine castor sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla extract or essence and butter in a saucepan.
2. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, off fire and keep warm.
3. Add the beaten eggs into the slightly cold
4. Evaporated milk mixture and stir till well mix.
5. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large mixing bowl then pour the eggs mixture over the flour and stir till well mix (cake batter should be runny).
6. Heat up the steamer.
7. Lined and greased a 9 inch baking pan or 2 9'inch sandwich pan.
8. Pour the batter into prepared pan and place the pans into the steamer and cover the top of the pan loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
9. Steam over medium heat for 1 1/2 hour (45mins for 1/2 recipe/ingredients). Cold the cake in pan before turning out for further decoration.

Chocolate topping
1 can of Condense milk
1 tsp of Vanilla extract or 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
1/2 cup Corn oil
1/3 cup Cocoa powder, sifted
1/8 tsp Salt

1. Combine the sifted cocoa powder, condense milk and oil.
2. Stir over low heat till thickens (stirring all the time).
3. Add in salt and vanilla extract or essence.
4. Cold the chocolate topping a little before spreading on the cold cake.

** If using corn oil simply mix all ingredients up and stir till well blended.
*** With a metal spoon fluff up the flour in the bag, and lightly spoon it into the measuring cup while held over a sheet of waxed paper or the flour canister. Let the flour heap up and overflow. Do not TAP or SHAKE the cup to level it. When the flour is over the top, use the flat side of a knife or spatula to sweep off the excess flour so it is level with the top of the cup.

Butter Cookies

I was looking for a nice butter cookie recipes. Found one that I liked it. I have added in some chocolate chips and cranberry. The picture below is the second try. It was very well received by my friends when I gave them during X'mas as a gift for them. So was asked to baked an "A" cookie for my friend's daughter 1 year old birthday celebration to give away as doorgifts.

Butter (Heart) Cookies from Kitchen Capers
http://www.kitchencapers.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=1592

Ingredients:
500g butter (soft, but not melted)
1.5 cup icing sugar (sifted)
2 eggs
3 tsp vanilla essence
5 cups plain flour

Method:
1. Sift plain flour 3 times.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light (drops easily with a ligh flick of the spatula)
3. Add egg and vanilla essence and mix well.
4. Fold in flour till it becomes a soft dough.
5. Wrap the dough with baking sheet and refrigerate for 45mins.
6. Roll dough into 0.5cm thickness and cut into desired shapes with a cookie cutter.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 200 degress for 10 mins or till golden brown.

Note 1. I usually divide the dough into smaller portions and take it out one at a time to work on them individually. 2. Keep dough in the fridge, unless you are using them.

Bailey's Cheesecake

I have tried this some time back. Got this recipe from Imperial Kitchen, posted by Stefanie. It was really easy and taste very good too. Bought a bottle of Baileys caramels, so finally got to use it with this recipes.

Bailey’s Cheesecake by Imperial Kitchen



Base:
150g digestive biscuits
75g unsalted butter melted
1 small pack crushed Maltesers
1 Cadbury Crunch candy crushed

Top:
70ml Baileys
500g
softened cream cheese
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sifted plain flour
200ml sour cream
200g caster sugar
20 cm Springform tin

HOW:

Grease and line the Springform tin (i grease the sides and line the base normally)
Crush the digestives add the butter and the crushed candy...use a food processor,much easier.
Use this mixture to line the base of the tin even it out and then place in the FREEZER.

Cream the cheese and sugar together,till well blended.
Add eggs one at a time,beat in vanilla,lemon juice,sour cream and flour.
Stir in alcohol.
Pour over the digestive base and place in a preheated to 180C oven..on a lower shelf.

Bake for about 45 mins but keep checking, when the cheesecake is almost set but still has a wobble in the middle, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in to cool down(still in the oven), I can't expain how important this is it makes the cheesecake really smooth and delicious. When the oven is cool remove and refrigerate overnight,slice and serve.

Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake

I have baked this Japanese Cheesecake for the first time and it was very successful. The recipe is so easy to follow and manage to do it without much hassle. The texture was really very soft and nice. The taste of the cheesecake is fantastic as well, not too chessy nor too sweet, perfect. Will bake it again and post the pictures up.

Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake from Imperial Kitchen
http://lovefood.14.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=501

Ingredients:
140g fine granulated sugar
6 egg whites
6 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
50g butter
250g Philadelphia cream cheese
100ml fresh milk
1 tbsp. lemon juice
60g superfine flour
20g cornflour
1/4 tsp. salt

Method:
1. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Cool the mixture. Fold in the flour, the cornflour, egg yolks, lemon juice and mix well.
2. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
3. Add the cheese mixture to the egg white mixture and mix well. Pour into an 8-inch round cake pan (Lightly greased and line the bottom and sides of the pan with greaseproof baking paper or parchment paper).
4. Bake cheesecake in a water bath for 1 hours 10 minutes or until set and golden brown at 160 degrees C.

First thing first

My very first post! I have been wanting to have a blog of my own. But being a woman with few words, do not know what to write in my blog and how to really share my thoughts in writing. So after a while, I thought I'll just share with some of my friends the things that I do. Will be posting my recipes for baking and maybe cooking.

I will also talk about my the other passion which is CROCHET. A few days ago, was brought back to the memories several years back, how I was crazy over crochet. This is actually a one needle knitting craft. I simply love them very much. I have a big collections of books bought from Kinokuniya. Most of them are from Japan. I will try to manage my time and start doing them once again. I really miss doing crochet. =)