Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes

I know I'm in the midst of exams, but I just can't help it but to bake. Probably, this is my way of reducing stress. I'm very happy to have found a very very very good vanilla cupcake recipe. It is very soft and moist. I have attempt to add some variations to it by adding chocolate chips but its a no no no. Due to the very soft and light batter, the chocolate chips will sink in to the bottom. So this is only meant to be eaten plain or with buttercream or some icing on top.

Billy's Vanilla, Vanilla Cupcakes
Source: 52 Cupcakes

Makes about 30 cupcakes. (I only made half the portion)

(195gm)1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
(140gm)1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
(450gm)2 cups sugar ( reduced the sugar portion)
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
(225gm)1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 165 degree. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

3. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

4. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Chewy Chocolate Chips Cookies

This is the chewy and a little sticky kind of chocolate chips cookies. Recently, have got craving to bake cookies especially chocolate chips. I have not found one that I'm very satisfied with. I think my expectation too high le. This is really nice thou, got good reviews. But it is just me, expect too much. I have reduced the sugar a little.

Chocolate Chips Cookies
Source:
She paints the kitchen red


220g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature (if using salted butter, omit salt)
110g granulated sugar
90g light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
185g semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. have ready 2 ungreased baking sheets. sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
2. in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter till fluffy and pale yellow. add the sugars and continue beating till mixture is no longer gritty. add egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until blended.
3. add the flour mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon until just blended. add the chocolate chips and the walnuts, if using, mixing or stirring until just blended.
4. with dampened hands, shape the dough into small balls and place on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
5. bake the cookies until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. let the cookies cool briefly on the sheets before transferring them to the racks to cool completely.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Cranberry shortbread hearts

This is one of the first successful recipes that I tried when I just started baking. It is very very easy to make and very nice too. Except that its seems to be a be wasteful after cutting out the heart and left with those crumbs. I like shortbread lah. It's a little powdery kind of taste and have a refreshing cranberry taste. Love it so much. =) Must try ya!

Dried-Cranberry Shortbread Hearts
Source: She bakes and she cooks

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degree Fahrenheit (170 degrees Celsius) with rack in center.
Put butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt in large mixing bowl.
Stir together with a wooden spoon until combined but not to creamy. Stir in dried cranberries
Press dough evenly into an 8-inch square baking pan.
Bake until firm and pale golden, about 30 minutes.
Let cool on a wire rack, about 20 minutes. Run a knife around edges; remove shortbread, and transfer, right side up, to work surface.
Cut out hearts with a 2 inch heart-shape cookie cutter. Trim any stray bits of cranberry from edges with a paring knife. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Rock Cakes

I remember, this was one of the first recipe that we learnt during home econ in secondary school. Ahh... it brings back all the memories then. The rubbing-in method, my home econ teacher, etc.

I don't have raisins at home, so I replace it with choco chips. Somehow, the taste it lacking, doesn't seems to taste like many years ago.. But well, it so so so long already.

Rock Cakes
Source: Bakingsheet

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, chilled
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup currants/raisins/sultanas
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
coarse sugar

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl and rub in the butter lightly with the fingers until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and currants.
Beat the egg together lightly with the milk and vanilla. Pour it into the flour mixture and stir until the dough comes together into a ball.
Shape dough into 2 inch balls, dip the tops in coarse sugar and place on baking sheet. They won't spread very much, so they can be fairly close together.
Bake for about 13-16 minutes, until tops of cakes are light gold.
Remove to a wire rack to cool, or eat them straight away.

Makes 14-16 cakes

Chocolate Melting Moments

The name says it all. It was very nice too. I have tweak the recipes alittle and attempt to shape it. But cannot lah for this recipes, so it all turns out very ugly but still nice, hahaha.


Chocolate Melting Moments
Source: KC

Ingredients:
3 tbsp Margarine
5 tbsp Sunflower oil
half cup castor sugar
1 egg(beaten)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/4 cups self raising flour (take out 2 tbsp and replace with 2 tbsp of coca powder)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Cream butter, oil and sugar together.
3. Then gradually add egg and essence
4. Stir in flour and mix.
5. Roll into 40 small balls.
6. And press each ball with your finger to flatten it. Place on baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
7. Bake for 15 mins.
8. Remove and cool completely on wire rack before storing it in airtight jars

Chocolate Chip Cookies (bm)

This is very nice. It turns out to be like the big round cookies. Had given out all to my dear ones around. =)

Chocolate Chips Cookies
Source: Baking Mum

125 g soft butter
75 gm caster sugar
60 ml brown sugar
1 egg
a few drops of vanila essence
150 gm plain flour
45 gm cornflour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
60 gm chopped nuts (walnuts, pecan, macadamia)
125 gm chocolate chips

Method

1. Cream butter with both sugars. Beat egg with vanila and add to butter mixture. Mix well.

2. Sift flour, cornflour, bicardonate of soda and salt together. Add to creamed mixture, mixing to a soft dough. Stir in nuts and chocoloate chips.

3. Shape dough into a ball, pinch off pieces and roll into balls, flouring your palms occasionally if necessary. Place on oiled baking trays leaving room for spreading, and flatten lightly with a fork. Bake at 180ºC (350ºF) for 15 minutes. Carefully remove to wire rack to cool.

Thank GOD!

Due to my exams, have got no time to post up the recipes. Have baked quite a couple items, brownie muffins, choc chips cookies, rock cakes, etc. I'm going to post the recipes up first, then the pictures later. =)

Been very stress out by work, but thank GOD for HIS strength and grace upon me. Oh btw, below are some pictures that my cg took. Loved them lots!






Wednesday, July 4, 2007

My Passion: CROCHET



This is one of my greatest love. CROCHET. Its a one needle knitting in simple terms lah. I have stop doing for a long time already probably about 5 years ago. Had picked this up about 8-9 years ago.

Talking about the picture that I posted. This is the "Biggest" project that I have ever started. Started this... 5-6 years ago, heeee. Thank God, it was very well kept, the threads didn't turn yellow or change colors. This is a bag that is made up mofits all patched up together. It is not exactly easy to do, as there is many steps to it. First the flower, then the leaves then the white portion and green trimming + the backing just for 1 mofit. There is a total of 19 mofits including the base. And talk about the hiding of all the lose threads... But finally I'm finishing it very soon, will post the complete picture of it once done. Very excited, look forward to it! =)