Donut Muffins

Taken from Amanda blog. Please go to her blog for the original recipe. I have half the recipe. Have yet to taste it. Will update later.

Make 5 muffins

Ingredients:
30g shortening
55g sugar
1 egg
95g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
90g milk

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 175 Degree C.
2. In a mixing bowl mash together the shortening and sugar.
3. Add the egg and whisk it all up until it is smooth.
4. Measure the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg into the bowl.
5. Pour in the milk.
6. Mix the batter with a whisk/fork until it is just combine. do not overbeat.
7. Drop the mixture into muffin cups. Make sure not to over fill the muffin cups, 1/2 to 2/3 full is full enough.
8. Bake for 25-30mins, till an inserted skewer comes out clean and muffins top are slightly brown.

Double Chocolate Muffins with Yoghurt

This is very yummy. The muffins is very very soft. Except the chocolate taste could be slightly richer. If the owner of this recipe saw this, please let me know, so that I can give credits. I have taken this recipe from IK quite a while a go but think it was removed, can't seems to find it. I have half the recipe which make nice muffins.

7/8 cup Plain Flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/8 cup castor sugar
1/8 cup cocoa powder
50g butter, melted
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yoghurt (1 used 125ml of the marigold natural low fat yoghurt)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 chocolate chips

Method

1 Preheat oven at 180C
2 Sieve flour, bicarbonate soda, baking powder and cocoa powder together. Stir in sugar.
3. Beat egg and vanilla essence together, add in all the wet ingredients to into flour mixture
4. Fold together until the flour is dampened, but not smooth.
5. Spoon mixture evenly into lined or greased muffin tray.
6. Bake for 20 mins or until the until skewer comes out clean.

Healthy Buttermilk Pancakes

Made this as breakfast for Ricky. Sorry got no pictures, lend my camera to my uncle.

This is so simple to make and tasty too. Taken the recipe from Sugar Inc. Cakes. She conduct classes for small group of 3. Looks quite interesting.

Makes 4 pancakes.

80 g self raising flour
20 g fine white sugar
100 g buttermilk
50 g egg
1 tsp corn oil

1. Whisk self-raising flour and sugar together.

2. Add the buttermilk, egg and canola oil and whisk the batter until it is smooth.

3. Pour the batter into a frying pan. Cook over low fire for a minute or two, until bubbles cover the surface of the pancake.

4. Flip the pancake.

5. Cook for another minute or so.

Crème Brulee

I have been quite lazy to post anything. Even though I am taking a break from my studies, yet my life is still so busy every single day. But nevertheless this is definitely more fruitful this way than to live a life without life.

Was enthu about creme brulee for a while. It was only the 2nd attempt then I got it right. During the first attempt, I was trying to be smart, thinking probably I can sift the mixture a few more times to get a smoother texture but the mixture started to clump up. Hence, failed! (-.-'')

2nd attempt was not completely successful either, I was too greedy then. I filled up the ramekins till completely FULL to the brim. End up the bottom was not so cooked and top was a little overcooked. But its still tasty. Find it a little on the sweet side, will be reducing the sugar the next time. Am looking forward to have an occassion to make this soon. As nobody at home will know how to appreciate this. Hubby don't like... he's a typical chin-na guy. Hmm...

Anyway this is actually very easy to make, you need to have the temperature and baking right and that is, the delicious creme brulee is out. I got this recipe from Chubby Hubby. He adapted from Justin Quek book. Thanks thanks thanks.

This is for 2 portion of ramekins.

2 egg yolks
150 millilitres fresh cream (I used whipping cream)
25 millilitres milk
25 grams sugar ( I will reduced to 15 grams)
Fine brown sugar (for caramelizing)

Preheat the oven to 100 degrees Celsius.

Combine the egg yolks, cream, milk and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk and pass through a fine sieve into a jug. Pour the egg mixture into ramekins.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove, cool and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours.

Just before serving, sprinkle the top of each portion with a thin layer of brown sugar. Caramelise the sugar with a blowtorch and serve immediately.

Meringue Buttercream

This is quite good. Like the idea of have egg white in the buttercream. Recipe taken from Taste Goblet.

Ingredients:
(this makes enough to cover and decorate a 8″ or 9″ cake, and about 15 reg cupcakes)

3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar (use white sugar for traditional buttercream, or brown for a caramel version)
150g butter, softened to room temperature (I used salted butter)
It is important that the butter be very soft but not melting.
1/2 tsp pure vanilla or any flavoring you want
food coloring, if desired

1. Whisk the egg whites over a double boiler. Ensure bowl is grease-free. Add the sugar and whisk lightly to combine. The idea here is to give the whites and sugar gentle heat from the steam of the simmering water, to dissolve the sugar.

2. Stir the contents of the bowl lightly with the whisk. Stir continously because you do NOT want the whites to get cooked.

3. Once the whites are ready, remove the bowl from the saucepan. While the whites are still warm, start whisking them, first at a low speed to allow them to froth up and then slowly moving up to high speed.

4. Whisk the whites until they have tripled in volume, are glossy and hold stiff peaks when you lift the beaters up.

5. Add the softened butter in tablespoonfuls. Beat until thoroughly combined before adding the next tablespoonful. The previously shiny and stiff meringue may now look disastrously soupy. This is normal.

6. Continue to beat the mixture on medium-high speed until it thickens. This can take anywhwere from 7 to 15 minutes, sometimes even longer. Ever so often, scrape down the bowl with your spatula.

7. After the buttercream thicken. Now, at this stage, you can add vanilla, flavoring and/or food coloring to the buttercream. Add in small amounts and blend in with the beaters on low speed. The frosting can be used immediately.

If the weather is very very hot and humid, bung the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes to stiffen up the buttercream before using. It also can be refridgerated for 4-5 days in a clean, airtight container.

If storing in the fridge, let the buttercream soften at room temperature for about an hour, and then whisk or beat until it becomes fluffy again before using.

Chocolate Frosting

This is the frosting recipes that goes with the Old fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake from Cook's Illustrated.

454g semisweet chocolate
115g unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp table salt
1 ¼ cup whipping cream (cold)
I omit the corn syrup.

Melt semisweet chocolate, finely chopped, in a heat-proof bowl set over saucepan containing 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat unsalted butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Increase heat to medium; add sugar, vanilla extract, and salt and stir with heat-proof rubber spatula until sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Add melted chocolate, butter mixture and heavy cream to clean bowl of standing mixer and stir to thoroughly combine.

Place mixer bowl over ice bath and stir mixture constantly with rubber spatula until frosting is thick and just beginning to harden against sides of bowl, 1 to 2 minutes. Place bowl on standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir with rubber spatula until completely smooth.

Note: Do not substitute semisweet chocolate chips for the chopped semisweet chocolate in the frosting.
Chocolate chips contain less cocoa butter than bar chocolate and will not melt as readily. For best results, don't make the frosting until the layers are cooled, and use the frosting as soon as it is ready. If the frosting gets too cold and stiff to spread easily, wrap the mixer bowl with a towel soaked in hot water and mix on low speed until the frosting appears creamy and smooth. Refrigerated leftover cake should sit at room temperature before serving until the frosting softens.

Old fashioned Chocolate Cake

This recipe is taken from Cook's Illustrated. I quite like it and Shan love it too. She said this bears resemblance to Lana's cake. Hmm... =) Below is my version, I made it into cupcakes instead. Yup, again!

Makes 12 cupcakes

85g unsalted butter, very soft
7/8 cups AP flour
60g ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
15g Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 cup hot water
7/8 cups sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

Adjust oven rack to middle position; preheat oven to 175 degree.

Combine chocolate, cocoa powder and hot water in medium heat-proof bowl; set bowl over saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water and stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Add 2/8 cup sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.

Combine buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk eggs and yolks on medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds.

Add remaining cups sugar, increase speed to high, and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Replace whisk with paddle attachment.

Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg-sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, 30 to 45 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed.

Add softened butter 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition.

Add about 1/3 of flour mixture followed by 1/2 of buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds). Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk mixture (batter may appear separated).

Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds.

Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; smooth batter to edges of pan with spatula.

Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature before frosting, 45 to 60 minutes.

Frosting recipe found here.

Southern Red Velvet Cake

This is also another one that I have been wanting to do. Recipe from Foodnetwork. I didn't manage to taste it. Red velvet cake usually should goes well with Cream Cheese frosting but I didn't have any in my fridge. Hence, I used chocolate frosting to sandwiched it and buttercream as the frosting. According to my cg, they loved the color and said it tasty too. I have made it into a cupcake instead of the whole cake.

I used my new tools, the silicon heart shaped cupcake from Wilton. It is about $19 for a set of 12, from Sun Lik. It is very easy to use and clean. A good investment here =)

Ingredient A
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Ingredient B
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Makes 16 cupcakes. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees celsius.

1. Sift all ingredient A together.
2. Mix all ingredient B together
3. Using a standing mixer, mix the A into the B until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.
4, Divide the cake batter evenly. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

Marshmallow Fondant

I have really been wanting to try out using fondant. I tried to do some search on it, and it seems just so complicated. After a long search, I settle on trying to make marshmallow fondant which I think it is the easiest. BUT I am still confused between a lot of variations like sugar paste, rolled fondant, uncooked fondant, poured fondant, etc. I don't really know what are the differences. (-.-''')

But at least, I manage to start some where. Below is the recipe from Sugar Inc. Thanks alot for the step by step instruction. =)

200 g white marshmallows
2 tbsp water
500 g icing sugar
2 tbsp Crisco white vegetable shortening (for greasing of the hands)

1. Melt Marshmallow with water in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 sec.
2. Stir marshmallow until fluffy.
3. Add in 1/2 of the icing sugar and mix well.
4. Ensure hands is greased with Criso. Add in the remaining icing sugar and knead the fondant.
(You may add more icing sugar if it is too sticky, add criso if it is too dry)
You may regrease your hand if it get sticky along the way.

You may add the color after step 4 if you are making different color. If you are doing just 1 color, you may add your desired coloring in step 2.

Recommendation: To keep overnight wrapped with cling wrap and put into airtight container before using. Else fondant may be kept in an air tight container wrapped in cling, refrigeration up to months.

Pralet from IK

This is also on my to-bake-list for a long long time. Finally, I did it. Eh, actually was unsuccessful the first time due to the mousse which was to watery. Was sort of successful on the 2nd try. But perhaps, I didn't really use good quality chocolate and I think I didn't do it with 100% heart. It didn't turn out that well.

However, this was highly recommended and rave in Imperial Kitchen. Below is the recipe from Jo.

PS: no pics, as it looks very ugly.

Sponge:
45g plain flour
10 g coco powder
2 eggs
70g sugar
26g corn oil

Method:
1. whisk egg with sugar till fluffy
2. add in flour n coco powder, and fold
3. add in melted butter and bake at 170 degree for 45 mins
(i use 7 inch pan)
4. when cooled, slice cake into 3 layer.

Praline crunch
90 g nutella
25 g bitter chocolate converture (mellted)
30 g feullteine
20 g melted butter

Method:
1. Mix nutella, melted chocolate n butter together.
2. add in feulletine and mix well

Chocolate mousse:
125 g whipped cream
125g bitter chocolate (melted)
1 eggs
28g sugar
10 g water
5tsp rum
5 tsp grand marnier

Method:
1. whisk egg till fluffy, at same time boil sugar n water together (be careful it will get burnt v easily)
2. when egg are fluffy, pour in syrup and whisk till cooled
3. melt chocolate and mix into the whipped cream, then add egg mixture into the chocolate mixture.
4. Add in the rum and grand marnier.

Frosting
1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder
170 g nestle cream
35 g Fine Sugar
60 g Unsalted Butter
1 Tabsp corn oil

Method:
melt everythg together and stir in corn oil.

Assembling:
1. put 1 layer of sponge in cake ring, put the pralien crunch on top and spread evenly.
2. put in 1 more layer of sponge then spread on half the chocolate mousse filling.
3. put in the last layer of sponge then the mousse again.
4. top with the frosting and let it set.

Banana Cake/Muffins (CH)

This recipe is taken from Chubby Hubby know as Banana Cake. Initially, I thought it is a chocolate banana muffins cos of the color I saw from the fridge.. hehe. I have kept this recipe with me for quite a long time, perhaps more than a year but never tried it. The main reason is because I'm too lazy to buy bananas. However, I do like banana lots. Finally this morning, I decided to make this, due to my fil bought a bunch of banana but they seems to be like going to spoil very soon. So, I just took them to make it.

First of all, the method is almost or exactly the same to the one that I have made quite some time back. But somehow, I just could not remember what is the taste or texture. I think it was a little bit on the dry side. For this banana muffin, it is very soft and light. The sweetness is just nice. Indeed like what the wife of CH said, while waiting for them to be ready, you can really smell the wonderful fragrance of the muffins. The color turn out to be very appetitising. I half the recipe from the original as per below.

Makes 10 to 12
150g flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1⁄4tsp salt
110g sugar
120g unsalted butter
2 eggs, beaten
2 bananas (roughly 200g), mashed
3Tbs milk
1/2tsp pure vanilla essence

Sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a medium bowl.
Cream butter and sugar until creamy white.
Add beaten eggs a little at a time. Beat well after each addition.
Add vanilla, milk and mashed bananas.
Fold in flour and blend well.

Pour mixture into muffin cups to about 2/3 full and bake at 180˚C for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Chocolate Shortbread

I have been wanting to try out another version of shortbread recipe that uses rice flour. Inspired by my colleague's Lavendar Shortbread. I found the receipe from Dessert First. Below is my adaptation. I decided to add some cocoa powder. Probably due to the cocoa powder, it is not sweet enough. More fine-tuning on the taste. But the texture is quite good, it is very "loose", melt-in-the-mouth type. This is still not the taste that I wanted to get.

Will make another attempt after my exams. TodayI have baked some scones and muah chee as well. Maybe this is my last bakes till exams finished?

Ingredients

113g butter, softened
1 cups flour (replace with 1 tbsp of rice flour)
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Sift the flour.
Beat the butter and sugar in a mixer until creamy.
Add the flours and cocoa powder and beat until combined.

Wrap the dough and roll out to about 1/4" thickness and chill until firm, about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 165C degrees.

Remove from fridge and cut desired shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and bake until just golden, about 18 minutes.

Random

A lot of things had happened lately. A lot of thoughts is going through my mind right now. Eveything had ended. When I woke up, I can feel loneliness and emptiness begin to step in. A kind of familiar feeling that I had always felt before I was saved. I know I am not alone, 've God and Ricky and my family and friends still with me. I know I have to move on to a new level of my life, a new stage.

Many times, I asked myself, am I really that strong? Or forcing myself to be strong? I felt so weak and fragile on the inside of me. I must be strong for the sake of the people that is around me. But I am not a superwoman, I am imperfect too.

Yet, I took on responsibilities, the role to comfort another, to counsel, to lead, to be a role model, to do everything I can. My family thinks that I am strong and had able to handle all these things. Maybe yes. But I am really so tired. I wanna stay in my comfort zone. I don't really feel like moving on. I need to wrestle between my flesh and spirit... I know that God is with me. There is a time and season for everything, a time to cry, a time to mourn... I had to move on.

"when I am weak, You make me strong."

The Bible encourages me.
I feel like giving up, He kept me again.
He blessed me to be a salt and light onto my family.
I am tired but God's grace sustained me through it all.
Thoughts began to sink in but God renews my mind afresh.
I felt so heavy, God took away my burdens.
His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
I am lost, He had given me His direction.
I felt empty, His love falls down.
I am strengthless, God's strength came.

And now I choose to move on...

Thanks to all who have came and comforted me.

Rose Vanilla Cupcakes

Leftovers of tea leaves and cranberries, with the suggestion of Caihui and Siying, I used them to make muffins. Caihui's comments was very cute, she said after eating the cupcake, it makes her feel very womanly. And Siying comments that when she talks, the people around her can smell her the fragrance. Their expression and reaction is so funny. =D




The cupcake looks very pretty. Recipes for cupcake is here. In additional, I added:

2 tbsp of rosebud tea leaves chopped finely
Chopped cranberries for sprinkling on top

Directions:
After mxing in all batter, add in the rosebud and mixed well. Scope to about slightly more than 3/4 full and then sprinkly some cranberries bits on top and ready to baked.

Shortbread Cookies

This recipe is taken from Aunty Yochana. The sweetness is just nice, hence do not need to reduce the sugar. But I find that it is a little too flaky, didn't really achieve those melt-in-your-mouth texture. Perhaps, I will try reducing the rice flour next time.


Ingredients:

120 gm. Plain flour
60 gm. Rice flour
60 gm. castor sugar
120 gm. SCS Butter (rroom temperature)
1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
1 Tbsp. fine sugar - for sprinkling

I have added about 1 tbsp of chopped rosebud tea leaves for the fragrance. And also did another portion using my all time favorite cranberry. (optional)

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together. Do not overwork your dough. Knead lightly only and the lesser you knead, the flakier the shortbread becomes. Make into small balls and press with a cookie stamp. Sprinkle some fine sugar on top.

Bake at 160C for about 15 mins. Cookies should be pale colour after baking.

Tiramisu (Pic)

Apologies for the lack of update. I have still been baking but there isn't anything new, hence didn't post. Made 2 tiramisu for my colleagues. And below is a long overdue pic of a tiramisu that I've made for Faith's birthday last year. Recipe can be found here. Oh, I wanted to make mention that I will encourage those who want to make a good tiramisu, please always use Mascapone cheese instead of replacing it with the normal cream cheese. The taste and texture are quite different. But mascapone cheese has 3 times more fats content compared to the normal cream cheese ya (-.-''')

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips Muffins

This is a very simple and fast recipe to make from BB. But personally I don't really like the taste, thou hubby like the texture. It is not that rich, quite dry and plain in fact.

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup brown sugar
85g butter, melted and cooled
100g crunchy peanut butter (or smooth)
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 190C. Line a a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
n a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, peanut butter, eggs and milk until smooth.
Pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide batter into your paper-lined muffin tin. Each cup should be filled to the top, not just half way up, to ensure you get a nice dome on the muffin.
Bake for 17-20 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the top of the muffin springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool on a wire rack.
Makes 12.

Addictive Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is another oatmeal cookies adapted from Baking Bites. Somehow I feel the taste is a little lacking to my preference. I will try to improve on it again bah. I still prefer a crispy choc chips cookies. Will bake it longer the next time.

2 cups ap flour
½ cup oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
225g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 170C and line a few baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars. Blend in vanilla extract and egg. Slowly add in the flour mixture until nearly combined. Add in chocolate chips and stir until dough is uniform in color and chip distribution.
Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned (more crispy). Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe is adapted from Coconut and Lime. I have always wanted to try a oatmeal cookies. And finally, I did it. It's okies la, the oat gives the texture an extra "omp". This is not the usual cripsy cookies but more towards the chewy kind. The more I ate it, the more I began to like it. =)



1 ½ cup dried cranberries
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup flour
½ cup oatmeal
¼ cup chocolate chips
90 g butter, at room temperature
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg

Preheat oven to 170C.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In large bowl, cream together butter, vanilla and sugar.
Add egg, beat until fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and oatmeal. Mix until well combined
Fold in cranberries and choco.
Place 1 tbsp sized blobs of dough on the cookie sheet (about ½ inch apart)
Bake for 12-14 mins or until brown. Remove to a wire rach to cool completely.
Yield about 2 dozen cookies.