WHAT'S COOKIN?

Waffle

2010-10-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

My son Kamil and Faris recently wanted waffle for their breakfast. Since I was busy with orders so I asked them to make the waffles themselves ...with my supervision of course. Here’s the recipe, makes about 8 waffles

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of salt

4 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoon sugar

2 eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cup of milk, at room temperature

2/3 cup of melted butter.

Method :

Making waffles is easy, the batter is thinner than pancakes and you can do everything by hand. Ok, first mix the flour with salt, baking powder and sugar. Set aside. In another bowl, beat the eggs, then pour in the milk. Pour this mixture into the flour. Stir until all is well mix. Then add the melted butter and stir again until all is fully blended. Don’t overmix.

Turn on the machine, and when the iron is hot, pour the batter to almost full. Bake until they are golden and crisp.

Peach Pie

2010-04-07T01:02:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last post. Not that busy if I must say ...maybe a bit lazy I guess...hihi.. I've been baking few new recipes recently but only now I have courage to update them as few of my friends in facebook requested for the recipe. For those who love pastry should try this one cause it's so easy and take less than an hour to prepare.

You can substitute the peach with strawberry, apple or whatever fruit that suits you. Just be creative ...

Peach Pie or tart

For the sweet pastry :

300g plain flour

150g butter

5 tblsp sugar

2 egg yolks

3 tbls water

Method:

Mix together with hand the flour, sugar, butter and eggs, then add water. Knead until become a dough. Wrap with cling plastic and put in the fridge for 30 mins. Then roll it flat and put in greased pie tin. Poke with fork and let it rest for 30 min. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Let it cool..

Frangipan filling

100g butter

90g ground almond

2 eggs yolks + 1 white

30g flour

80g sugar

Slices of peach/ pear/ apple

2 tblsp apricot jam

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat some more. Add flour and ground almond. Spread over cooked sweet pastry. Arrange the peach. Bake at 180 deg Cels for 40 minutes. Once cooked, glace with melted apricot jam.

Coffee Cupcakes

2009-10-16T05:16:00.000-07:00

Cupcakes:
2 tablespoons boiling water
4 teaspoons instant espresso granules or 8 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Espresso syrup:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons instant espresso granules or1/4 cup instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cupcakes, combine 2 tablespoons boiling water and 4 teaspoons espresso, stirring until espresso dissolves. Stir in buttermilk.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.

Place 3/4 cup granulated sugar, butter, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups lined with paper liners. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.

To prepare syrup, combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons espresso, corn syrup, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes. Pierce the cupcake tops several times with a wooden skewer. Brush espresso syrup evenly over the cupcakes. Cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Quick Mango Fool

2009-10-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

400g mango chunks
150g Greek yogurt ( I used plain yogurt)
Juice of half a lemon ( I used lemon squeezed in a bottle..)e
8tbsp Condensed Milk

Method

Drain the mangoes, reserving the juice. Place in a food processor and blend with a few tablespoons of the juice to make a smooth puree. Whip the double cream until soft peaks form and then combine with the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and condensed milk.
Swirl the mango puree and cream mixture into glasses and serve with a fine almond biscuit to dunk!

Chocolate Treasure

2009-09-21T06:06:00.000-07:00

This year raya I have baked new cookies ( for me...not in the market though..) to include together in this year hamper raya. I found it very chocolaty as from the base cookies to the topping are rich in chocolate; dark and white chocolate. As usual I like to make cookies which is simple but tasty and most importantly my kids love it. Here I would like to share with all this great cookies and recommended to all chocolate lovers.

CHOCOLATE TREASURE

Ingredients :
Base :

250 g butter
25 g milk powder
65 g castor sugar
250 g flour
65 g cornflour
50 g cocoa powder

Method :

1. Sift all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add in the dry ingredients and mix well to form a soft dough.
4. Roll into small balls and place in the papercups. (You don't have to use petitin)
5. Bake.
6. Remove from oven and leave to cool.

Topping :

2 cups cornflakes
500 g white cooking chocolate
50 g almond nibs
50 g golden raisins/blackcurrents

Decoration :

Cooking chocolate; white and dark chocolate

Method :

1. Melt the white cooking chocolate using a double boiler method. Melt a bit at a time to prevent it from hardening.
2. When melted, let it luke warm before pour in the cornflakes, almond nibs and raisins/blackcurrents ( I omit raisins as my kids dislike it). Mix well to make sure all the ingredients are coated with the cooking chocolate.
3. Spoon a bit of the mixture onto the baked base.
4. Melt dark cooking chocolate using a double boiler method, and place it in a piping bag. Drizzle on top of the cookies for decoration.
5. Let it harden enough before store it in airtight container.

Lemon Squares

2009-08-07T02:50:00.000-07:00

Today after baked birthday cake for my nephew,Amin I decided to bake this lemon squares for tea as I envy my hubby actually because he had hi tea with his friend at a Kopitiam..hehe..just kidding though. I really love the taste of tangy lemon and the crisp of the crust...simply amazing. For those who love the kinda light treats for tea, this Lemon Squares is the best for you..highly recommended...Here is the recipe:-

Lemon Squares

Ingredients

Crust:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
Topping:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons powdered sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 180°Celsius.

To prepare the crust, beat 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the butter at medium speed of a mixer until creamy. Lightly spoon 1 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Gradually add 1 cup flour to sugar mixture, beating at low speed until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Gently press mixture into bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes; cool on a wire rack.

To prepare topping, beat eggs at medium speed until foamy. Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar and next 5 ingredients (3/4 cup granulated sugar through salt), and beat until well-blended. Pour mixture over partially baked crust. Bake at 180° for 20 to 25 minutes or until set. Cool on wire rack. Sift powdered sugar evenly over top.

Apple Steussel Cake

2009-07-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

I baked this cake yesterday for family 'makan-makan' at SIL's house at Melawati as dessert. I like green apple so much so this cake came across my mind when I'm thinking what to bring.. My friend and also my ho school classmate Hilmy or better known as Chef C gave me this recipe. Besides of its easy to make cakes I like the mixture of taste in one bite..the sweetness of the cake, soury taste from the apples and the crunchy from the nuts and crumble topping..Just imagine that..Hmmm..yummy...

Topping

1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
50g cold butter (diced)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup toasted and coarselt chopped hazelnut ( I used coarse almond)

1. Mix flour and cinnamon
2. Cut butter with fork into the flour until resmbles coarse crumb
3. Stir in brown sugar and nuts. Set aside.

Cake:

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
60g butter (at room temp)
1/2 caster sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
3 large Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored and thinly sliced)

1. Mix dry ingredients. Set aside.
2. In other bowl, cream butter n sugar until fluffy.
3. Add egg n vanilla
4. Gradually add milk and flour.
5. Spread the batter onto bottom of prepared pan.
6. Arrange the sliced apples on entire batter
7. Sprinkle with the topping.
8. Bake for 45 mins at 175deg Cels

Bamiah Arab

2009-06-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

Recently my hubby and I together with mom-in-law and of course the kids went to JB cause mama needs to settle few things with Pejabat Agama Johor. We had lunch at her brother's house (uncle Kamal) when we arrived on first day. Aunty Antin had served us Bamiah Arab with french bread and white bread, and my mom-in-law liked it so much as she said that was healthy cuisine and recommended us to have that dish if we got back home. Just yesterday, after quite some time not cook any new dish, suddenly Bamiah came across my mind and then decided to try it out for my mom-in-law to have for breakfast. I cooked them last night and this morning I 'handed' over to her house and I'm glad though that she likes it...hehe.

For friends and families who wants to try something new in your everyday meal, I would suggest try this Bamiah..not so heavy yet not too light to have for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can have it with french bread, baguette, prata and if you cook it a bit thicker you can even have it with spaghetti ( as my friend, Wan who stayed in Bahrain had suggested last night in Facebook..thanks Dak Wan..huhu)

After browsed thru numbers of recipes in the net, I finally took this recipe to try out and the result is ok then..Thanks rozzan.

Bamiah Arab...zaedaman style..

Ingredients:
500g beef or mutton
120g ghee
3/4 cup evaporated milk ( can skip this if you want just plain gravy)

Before grind the spices, saute without oil for about 2 minutes..

To be grind together:
2 tblspn corriander seed
1 tblspn cumin seed
1 tblspn white pepper

10 pieces almond nib (finely grind )

Blend together with a bit of water :
10 shallots
4-5 cloves garlic
3cm ginger

3 large onions - diced
300g ladies finger ( cut into two)
3 tblspn tomato puree/ tomato paste
1 tblspn corriander leaves
2-3 tomatoes - cut into 2
salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix together all grind ingredient - almond, spices and onion-garlic-ginger to be a thick paste.

2. Heat oil and fry ladies finger for a while. Set aside. With the same oil and slow heat, fry the grind ingredients until fragrant.

3. Add beef and diced onions. then add water and tomato paste. Cover and simmer till meat is tender, stirring occasionally. Add evaporated milk and salt to taste.

4. When meat is tender and gravy of a thick consistency add ladies fingers together with tomatoes and corriander leaves. Stir and remove from heat. Garnish with green peas.

Bread Pudding

2009-05-18T00:32:00.000-07:00

My girl Nana likes this dessert very much..and because it is easy to make she can make them herself with the recipe book beside her of course... You can use white bread, wholemeal bread or even baguette..and even a combination of left over bread you have..

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

1/2 cup instant oat
6 pieces bread - cubed
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups fresh milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
50g melted butter
choc chips for deco

Method:

1. Mix milk with eggs, sugar, vanilla essence and salt
2. Toss the bread with the milk mixture. Add the melted butter and oat, stir slowly.
3. Pour into greased pan/casserol (7" square)
4. Sprinkle choc chips and bake for 30-45 minutes at 180deg Celc

Custard Sauce

20g custard powder
80g sugar
1 cup fresh milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

Put all ingredients into saucepan and heat up slowly until dissolved and thick.

Note: You can add sliced green apples for a different taste..kinda sour sweet liked pudding.

Apple Strudel

2009-05-17T01:37:00.000-07:00

I love green apple. And one of the dessert that use apples is strudel and again I like Apple strudel because of the layers of crispy filo pastry and the juicy apple inside. More tastier if having them with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce drizzle on top...Hmmm..heaven..

The ingredients:

6 granny smith apples ( cored, peeled and thinly sliced)
1/2 cup white
1/4 cup brown sugar
lemon peel n juice of half lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup slivered almond
1/2 cup apricot (sliced)
1 tbs cornflour
10 sheet filo pasrty
extra caster sugar
bread crumb/ ground almond

Method:

1. Prepare the filling : Put all ingredients into saucepan and heat up for about 5 minute.

2. Place one sheet of filo pastry and apply butter to entire sheet. Sprinkle caster sugar and bread crumb and add another sheet of pastry and repeat the same process. Repeat to 5-6 layers.

3. Add apple filling and brush border with butter. Roll the pastry tight and brush some more butter. Put on cookie sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes at 175deg Celc. Cool on wire rack and serve warm. Makes 2 roll of strudel

Ginger Snap

2009-05-13T05:57:00.000-07:00

I baked this cookies for my bake sale recently..and most of my customers like it..It's a crispy thin like cookies with taste of ginger. I like ginger, so of course I like this cookies. I think the taste will be even better if I add ginger glace as well.. Hmm will try it out next bake..

Ginger Snap

170g butter
105g dark brown sugar
100g white sugar
1/4 molasses
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
280g flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground ginger
Extra caster sugar for coating

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 180deg Celc. Sift together dry ingredients.( flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and ginger)
2. Beat the butter with sugars until light and fluffy ( about a minute)
3. Add egg. Mix well and add in molasses.
4. Add dry ingredients mixture and mix until well incorporated. Chill for 1 hour.
5. Roll into a ball and roll into caster sugar, coating them thoroughly. Put onto greased tray and flatten them with glass bottom.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Chewy Chocolate chips Cookies

2009-05-13T04:57:00.000-07:00

Chocolate Chips Cookies...I have been baking them countless time I guess and yet still trying to find the good one. Most of the recipes are similar with may be slightly changes in amount or ratio of the ingredients. I found that cookies with baking powder in it will make the cookies crispy rather than if baking soda is used; where you will find the cookies will be a bit chewy liked or cake liked cookies. It depends on you of course whether youu like very crispy cookies or chewy cookies. As for me, I like those chewy and soft cookies with the taste of melted chocolate chips in between...mmm..yummy...

Hence, this is one of the recipe of chewy like cookies that I have tried and as usual my 'tester master'...I mean my kids..said they love it...

Chewy Chocolate Chips Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
240g butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tbs vanilla essence
1 cup choc chips
2 cups toasted almond/ walnut

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg Cels. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat the butter and sugars for about a minute or until light.
3. Add in egg on at a time. Pour in vanilla essence and mix well.
4. Slowly mix in flour mixture with spatula and lastly add in chips and nuts. Mix until well incorporated; do not over mix.
5. Chill the dough in the fridge for about 1 hour.
6. Scoop 1 teaspoonfull of dough and arrange them on the tray with 2 inch apart.
7. Bake for about 10-14 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

2009-04-16T20:52:00.000-07:00

My sister will be coming over this weekend. I'm thinking of baking cheesecake and my daughter suggest I baked japanese cheesecake instead of moist liked cheesecake or non bake ones. I normally bake the 'usual' cheesecake so I don't have really good tested recipe yet. As for that matter I have to browse in the internet searching amongst other good cooking blog for the recipe and finally I found this japanese cheesecake recipe that I fell in love by looking at the photo.. Besides never tried this recipe before I want to challenge myself by changing the flavour as well and hopefully everything will turn out well...I'm thinking of making chocolate flavour japanese cheesecake.

Ingredients:
(A) 160g Cream Cheese, 25g Butter, 120g Milk
(B) 40g Flour, 30g Cornflour
(C) 4 Egg yolks
(D) 4 Egg whites, 1/8tsp Cream of Tartar, 100g Sugar, pinch of Salt

Method:
1. Grease and line the bottom of two 20-cm oval pans. Wrap outside of the pans in foil.
2. Place (A) in mixing bowl and stir over double-boiler until thick. Remove it from double-boiler.
3. Add (B) and mix until well combined. Add (C) and mix until well blended.
4. Whip the egg whites in (D) until foamy. Then add the remaining (D). Continue whipping until soft peaks. Add it into the cheese mixture from step (3).

5. Pour the cheese filling onto the prepared pans. Bake in water bath (steam bath) at 160C for 40-45 minutes or until well incorporated.
6. Remove cake from the oven. Remove the cake from the mould immediately. Set aside to cool.

zaedaman lasagna

2009-04-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

zaedaman Lasagna

My kids love Italian cuisine and lasagna is one of them. Although I can easily get the sauce from ready on the shelf like 'Prego', I like to use my kinda recipe when cooking this. So far the judge; my lovely kids are always gave thumbs up to it and that is enough for me to feel like I'm true chef to them...Besides its cheaper coz with same amount I spent on buying the ready made sauce I can get almost double..Below is the recipe for about 4-5 people meal.

Ingredients:

150g / 6 pieces large Instant Lasagna
2-3 tbsp oil
2 onions-finely chopped
2 clove garlic- finely chopped
500g minced meat
100g tomato puree
2 tblsp chilli paste
1/2 cup mixed vege/ button mushroom
2 beef cube (stock)
2 tblsp tomato sauce
Salt,pepper n sugar to taste
Mixed Spices, black pepper

Buchammel Sauce
2 tblsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
125g mozzarella or cheddae cheese ( I used both..)

Meat Sauce

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and onion, cook until soft. Add minced meat. cook until brown.
Stir in chilli paste and mixed until fragrant. Add in tomato puree, mixed vege and stir to mix. Pour in 1 cup of water and 2 beef cube. Simmer slowly until all ingredients blend in. Season with salt, black pepper,sugar and mixed spices (italian spices)

Buchamel Sauce

Melt the butter inseparate saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes over slow heat. Remove from heat and pour in milk. Return to heat, stir until thick and smooth. Season with salt, pepper and add mozzarella and cheddae cheese. Stir until cheese melts.

Assembly

Preheat oven for 180deg Celc.

Pour 1 cup of Buchamel sauce into greased baking dish. Put a piece of lasagna on top and cover with meat sauce all over it. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Alternate layers of lasagne, meat sauce and buchamel sauce; repeat for 3-4 layers. Lastly sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top. Bake for about 30-35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Blueberry Swiss Roll

2009-04-09T20:53:00.000-07:00

I have baked a lot of cakes and cookies but not even once make Swiss Roll myself. I normally buy them from supermarket or any bakery cause I like the soft and fluffy kinda cake with less sweet filling inside. I was inspired...again..when I read my fav cooking blog and wants to give it a try..She baked Strawberry Swiss Roll and I want to change it to blueberry cause I don't really like strawberry.

This recipe is my first attempt of baking swiss roll.I have discovered that the important thing in baking a good Swiss Roll is the baking time and temperature. You have to do trial n error with your oven in order to get satisfied result. As for me the best temperature is 170deg Celc for about 12 minutes. And difficult part is rolling the cake without crack them..You have to roll it extra carefull plus do it slowly and use a good greaseproof paper so that the 'skin' won't stick to it and ruin the 'look'.

Ingredients :

6 eggs gred A or B
120g castor sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tblspn ovallete
90g all purpose flour
1 tblsp milk powder
120g melted butter
a bit of chocolate emulco
whipped cream or strawberry jam

Method:

- Beat the eggs, sugar, ovallete,baking powder, vanilla essence,flour and milk powder with maximum speed until light and fluffy (5-7mins)
- Fold in melted butter and mix well.
- Take about 1 1/4 cup of the batter and mix it with chocolate emulco and put it in piping bag.
- Pour the plain batter into prepared tin and smooth it out with spatula.
- Pipe the chocolate batter on top of the plain batter.
- Use a toothpick to draw pattern.
- Bake in the oven at 170deg Celc for about 10-12 mins.
- Once the cake is cooked, transfer on greaseproof paper and slowly peel off the baking sheet off.

- Roll the cake while it's still warm together with the greaseproof paper and leave it rolled for about 5 minutes.
- Unrolled it slowly and spread the cream evenly and later the blueberry filling.Roll them again but this time without the paper.
-Wrap the cake with cling wrap tightly and chill it in the fridge overnight.

Garlic Bun

2009-04-05T05:01:00.000-07:00

I've been inspired recently on baking the bread by a friend..as I love bread as well. Since I have 'master' one good bread/ bun recipe, I have been using the same recipe for other kind of bun and bread..unless if I wanted to make wholemeal bread; of course the ingredients definitely going to be different.. I use the same sweet bun recipe but this time I add variety of savoury filling and fruit like banana to give various taste that hopefully will suits everyone..I used sweet bun recipebut with slight adjustment as I got the tips from the bakery owner whom I got all my baking goods..

Garlic Bun

Ingredients:

300g bread flour
200g soft flour/ cake flour
100g caster sugar
50 g milk powder
2 egg
80g melted butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bread improver
1 tsp bread softener

250ml warm water }Mix together plus add a 1 tablespoon
11g yeast (or 1 packet Mauripan yeast) }of sugar.

filling:
30g butter, soften room temperature
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 tsp parsley ( chopped)

note: OR you can skip this and get ready made garlic butter from supermarket

Method

Mix the warm water with yeast and a bit of sugar. Leave aside until form bubble..
In a mixing bowl mix together flour, sugar, milk powder, salt, bread improver and softener. Pour in melted butter and egg. With medium speed add the yeast mixture slowly until form a dough. Knead the dough for about 15 -20minutes.

Place the dough in the mixing bowl and cover with a damp towel or cling wrap to seal in the moisture. Allow the dough to ferment(or proof) until double in bulk. This will take about 45 miutes. To test whether the dough has been fully proofed, press a finger into the dough and withdraw quickly. It should leave a deep impression and spring back very slowly.

Remove dough and give a few light kneading on a lightly floured work surface. Press out the trapped air as your knead. Divide into 6 or more(depending on the size you like..I like mini..) equal portions and shape into balls. Cover with cling wrap, let the doughs rest for 15mins.

Flatten each dough into a round disc. Roll up Swiss roll style and pinch the seams in place. Roll the dough on work surface to shape it into a longish oval shape or torpedo shape.

Place doughs seams side down on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper. Loosely cover with
a damp cloth or cling wrap and let dough proof for 30mins.

Sprinkle over chopped parsley or my case I used spring onion on top

Prepare filling by mixing butter and garlic to form a smooth paste. Spread on the dough and then sprinkle over chopped spring onion or parsley on top.

Brush each dough with egg wash.

Bake at preheated oven at 180 degC for about 12-15 mins. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. Serve it hot

Creme Caramel (Leche Flan)

2009-03-30T03:37:00.000-07:00

For caramel:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water

For Caramel/ Custard:
2 cups fresh milk
1/4 cup suga
4 eggs
1/2 stick cinnamon
Lemon peel

pour caramelized sugar into the mould

then pour the custard

hot from oven...

Procedure

Mix the sugar & water in a saucepan. For a few minutes, boil the mix until the sugar caramelize.Pour the caramelized sugar into aluminum moulds, you can use any shape: oval, round or square or even triangle. Spread the caramel on the bottom of the mould. Mix the evaporated milk, condensed milk, egg yolks and vanilla by hand or blender. Pour the mixture on top of the caramel on the aluminum moulds. Fill the moulds from about 1 to 1 1/4 inch thick. With an aluminum foil, cover the moulds individually. Steam for 20 minutes or bake for 45 minutes. Before baking the Leche Flan, place the mould on a larger baking pan half filled with very hot water. Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees before baking. Let it cool then refrigerate.

Serving

To loosen the Leche Flan, run a thin knife around the edes of the mould. Place a platter on top of the mould and quickly turn upside down to position the golden brown caramel on top.

Apple Pie

2009-03-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

Sweet Shortcrust pastry

2 cups flour
125g cold butter
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
2-3 tblspn cold water

Sift the flour into large mixing bowl. Using fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until fine and crumbly. Add combined egg yolks and vanilla and 2 tblspn of water to form dough..adding remaining water. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.

Apple filling

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
5 to 6 medium green apples (I used Granny Smith)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celc. Prepare pie pastry.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Peel, core, and slice apples 1/4-inch thick. Toss apple slices in sugar mixture until well coated. Spoon apple filling into pastry-lined pie plate and dot with butter. Cover with remaining pastry and flute. Cut slits in pastry so stream can escape. Brush milk over top and then sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar onto top of pie crust.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and apples are tender. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack before cutting and serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Butter Cheese Cake

2009-03-28T03:21:00.000-07:00

This cake is like in between butter cake and baked cheesecake because I used both butter and cream cheese. The method is so simple and straight forward and yet the texture is so soft and another not-so-sweet kinda cake...

Ingredients:

160g butter
100g cream cheese
200g caster sugar
5 eggs
210g self raising flour

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170deg celc.
2. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar
3. Add egg one at the time
4. Add in sifted flour and mix well
5. Bake for 45 minutes.

Cream Puff..(done by Jaja)

2009-03-17T02:35:00.000-07:00

Cream Puff with custard cream piped inside

Today, my two girls wanted to bake something of their own choice of cakes. Of all recipes Jaja browsed in my recipe book, finally she wanted to make cream puff. I just watched her all the way and I think she have passed with flying colours..haha..

Ingredients :

250ml fresh milk
100g butter
1 tsp salt
15g caster sugar
125g bread flour
3 eggs (grade B)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200deg celc.
2. Heat up milk and bring to boil
3. Add in butter, salt and sugar
4. Add flour and mix well
5. Transfer to mixing bowl and beat until warm.
6. Add egg one at the time and continue beating until smooth
7. Put into piping bag with star nozzle and pipe like a rossette on a greased tray

8. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Custard cream

100g fresh milk
100g cream
100g sugar
50g custard powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Mix egg, sugar and custard powder until smooth. Heat milk and cream and bring to boil. Pour into egg mixture and stir well. Bring back to the heat and stir with whisker until thick.

2009-03-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

MURTABAK MINI

(serves 5 -6 pieces of murtabak)

Ingredients :

250g ground beef/chicken
4 eggs
2 table spoon of curry powder
salt and black pepper for seasoning
1 onion (chopped)
2 garlic (chopped)
5-6 pieces of spring roll pastry
some oil for frying

Method :

Heat up the 3 tblspoon oil in a pan. Saute garlic until brown. Add in onion and stir fry until golden brown. Then pour in curry ( mix with water first) and cook until fragrant. Add ground beef and half cup of water. Add salt and pepper. Seemer until beef is cooked. Turn off the heat. Set aside.

-In a bowl, mix together the beef/chicken filling with eggs. Mean while, make sure you have taken out the spring roll pastry out of the fridge 15-30 minutes earlier to soften the pastry.

- spread a piece of the spring roll pastry on a flat board and add in the beef/chicken fillings in the middle...around 4 to 5 table spoon. Fold in the edges of the pastry until it covers all the fillings completely. Repaet the method for another 2 sheets. You can use some of the liquid from the fillings to paste the pastry.

- fry the murtabak in the pan until both sides turns brown....it only takes approximately 5-6 minutes for each sides to cook.

- repeat the same method for the next pieces until you have finish all the fillings

- When the murtabak is cooked, let it rest for e few minutes before you can cut into small squares and enjoy it as it is or you can dip it with chilli sauce.

Sweet Bun (recipe courtesy of Nana Samat)

2009-03-13T02:24:00.000-07:00

With sliced almond on top...

I variety the 'toppping' with chocolate rice, coarse sugar, white n strawberry chips and butter. Just for fun though...cause my kids like different taste of topping on the bread.

My ex office-mate back in JB, Ana or Nana or Mrs Zaidi ( Zaidi was my senior in UTM and also my former office mate) has given me this recipe after I saw them in her facebook album. The method is so simple by using home electric mixer and yet you will get a fluffy sweet bun that you bake it in your kitchen. My hubby and kids loves it and like to eat them with sardine, sambal and chocolate jam..

Sweet Bun

Ingredients:

500g bread flour
100g caster sugar
50 g milk powder
1 egg
11g yeast (or 1 packet Mauripan yeast)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bread improver
1 tsp bread softener

250ml warm water
80g melted butter

Method:

Mix the warm water with yeast and a bit of sugar. Leave aside until form bubble..
In a mixing bowl mix together flour, sugar, milk powder, salt, bread improver and softener. Pour in melted butter and egg. With medium speed add the yeast mixture slowly until form a dough. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes.

Place the dough in the mixing bowl and cover with a damp towel or cling wrap to seal in the moisture. Allow the dough to ferment(or proof) until double in bulk. This will take about 45 miutes. To test whether the dough has been fully proofed, press a finger into the dough and withdraw quickly. It should leave a deep impression and spring back very slowly.

proofing...

Take out the dough and punch out the gas produced. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 60g portions. Shape and add fillings as desired. Arrange dough in a greased or lined pan. Rest for about another 15 minutes.

Brush the top with whole egg mixture.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degC.

Oopps..mine is a bit brown because it stayed a bit longer in the oven..didn't hear the timer already priiiitttt....

Note: You can also put any filling of your choices either sweet or savoury like red bean or tuna and sardine.

Steamed Chocolate Cake

2009-03-03T22:30:00.000-08:00

My sister Roziah gave me this recipe recently because she had tasted them when her friend brought to her school one day (she's a teacher..). Because of the fluffiness and the easiness of making the cake makes my sis and few of her friends requested the recipe from the person who brought the cake. And I'm lucky too cause I can share the recipe as well... and it is so easy and yet the cake is so fluffy...I recommend to all..

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup cooking oil
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 can evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Method:

1. Sift all dry ingredients; flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
2. Put all liquids ( oil, eggs and milk) into a blender and blend until all incorporated.
3. Add into dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Steamed for 2 hours .

After 2 hours steaming...

breads and buns

2009-03-03T07:31:00.000-08:00

walnut cinnamon roll

210 gm. Bread Flour
90 gm. Plain Flour
10 gm. instant yeast
60 gm. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
120 ml. milk
60 gm. soft butter

Filling:

2 Tbsp. Soft Butter
60 gm. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon Powder
30 gm. Walnuts - chopped

Beaten egg for brushing

Method:

(1) Mix all the bread ingredients together except butter and beat till a smooth dough is formed.
(2) Add in butter and continue beating for another 5 mins.
(3) Leave to prove for 45 mins.
(4) Mix brown sugar, cinnamon powder and chopped walnuts together.
(5) Divide dough into 2 portions. Roll each portion to a rectangular dough - 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in). Spread with some soft butter then sprinkle brown sugar mixture. Roll up into a swiss roll and cut the roll to about 1" high. Place cut rolls on greased tray. Let it proof again for another 30 mins.
(6) Brush rolls with beaten egg and bake at 180C for about 12 mins. or till golden brown

Ice cream pie (apam malaysia)

2009-02-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

Ice Cream Pie..( apam malaysia)

This recipe of steamed cake (apam) is from my mom when she was still with BAKAT ( it's a club of army wives). She got quite a number of recipes but my father accidently burnt them few years back when he did the spring cleaning.. Only few recipes she can remember and this is one of them may be because of its easy to remember..I used to make this when I was 10 years old but with her help of course..and I called it '1234 cake' from its measurement..

1 cup ice cream soda/ seven up
2 cups caster sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs
rose flavour
red colouring ( or whatever you like..green, blue, purple or even can substitute with chocolate paste)
paper as mould ( 10cmx15cm paper to be shaped like ice cream cone or 'kacang puti' cone)

Method:

Heat up the steamer. Arrange the paper mould into the hole.

Beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour alternately with ice cream soda. Lastly add a dash of rose flavouring. Take about quarter part of batter and add red colouring and mix well.

Take a tablespn full of plain batter into the mould followed by a teaspoon of red batter. Steam for about 15 minutes. Serve hot or cooled..

Kuih Seri Muka

2009-02-11T05:31:00.000-08:00

Kuih Seri Muka

Traditional Malay Kuih is yet another challenge to me because I seldom make them. I mostly buy them though..(because I can get variety of nice Malay kuih then..) I got this recipe from my neighbor in Puchong, kak Mah and find it very useful cause I used to make them without any proper recipe before...and in the end sometimes it turned out ok but sometimes not. And to my friend Kay, I think you should try this out for your sweet Iman..

So here it is:

Ingredient A -for the base:

500g glutinous rice (pulut) - soak with water for few hours
2 cups coconut milk
pinch of salt

For the top batter, Put all into blender:
2 cups coconut milk
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup pandan extract ( 2 pieces of pandan leaf + 1/4 cup of water- blend together)
green colouring

Note: After getting good comment from my fellow baker friend, Chef C, here is how I make the pandan extract. I use 2 pieces of pandan leaves cut into small pieces, put in the blender then add 1/4 cup of water and switch on.. Then strain them and there you'll get the green colour pandan extract cause I don't like to use the artificial flavour that you can easily get from baking store.

Method:

Mix well glutinous rice, coconut milk and salt. Steam over medium heat until cooked. Brush some oil in an 8 inches tray and pour in cooked glutinous rice. Press with a banana leaf ( I use small plastic )until very firm. Blend green layer ingredients together in a blender or food processor and strain for several times. Pour topping onto glutinous rice and steam for 20 - 25 minutes over low heat until it sets. Leave kuih to cool completely before cutting it . Serve and enjoy..

Pumpkin Muffins

2009-02-09T05:44:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients A:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 2/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Ingredient B:

2 eggs
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup milk
1 cup mashed baked pumpkin

Method:

Put ingredient A to B. Mix well. Scoop into muffins cup and bake for 20 mins at 180 deg cels.

Carrot Cake (courtesy of friend Nor Azian)

2009-02-03T21:49:00.000-08:00

Slices of plain carrot cake...

Carrot Cake with cream cheese frosting...

Carrot Cake...another cake that have many version on its own. I have tried the recipe given by my high school friend Marina Ismail..and this is another recipe by my University's friend Nor Azian and yet she got it from her mom-in-law. I have tried the cake that she baked during a meet up at Nik Fazlin's house recently and really love it. It's so easy and don't even need a mixer..

A -
2 CUPS FLOUR
1 3/4 CUPS SUGAR
1 CUPS DESC. COCONUT
1 CUPS WALNUT
2 T/S BAKING POWDER
1 T/S SALT
2 T/S CINNAMON POWDER

B -
4 NOS EGGS
1 1/2 CUPS COOKING OIL
3 CUPS CARROT - grated
1 T/S VANILLA

then A + B = CARROT CAKE...bake for 45min 180F...

Cheese Tart and cheese cake?

2008-12-26T05:48:00.000-08:00

Lemon Cheesecake

There are so many version of cheese cake recipes that we can find in the internet. The way of baking also might have slight differ to suits one needs or liking. I have tried few cheese cake recipes either from internet, books or friends just to find the best and as for me the easiest and the cheapest indeed.. Of all that I finally so called 'stick' to eat as it is easy, tasty and the most important is my kids love it..

I used this recipe to make 'old fashion' cheese cake that use cookie crumbs at the bottom or as filling for the tarts. I usually add blueberry, strawberry or lemon pie filling that can easily get from the baking shop to enhance the cheezy taste of cream cheese. I will make the cheese 'batter' and fill in a ready made tart shell according to customer's request or my kid's favourite.

For friends and whoever interested to taste my kinda creation, here they are...

If wanna make old fashion cheese cake, for the base:

200g graham / marie biscuits ( crushed)
100g butter (melted)

Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to fan 150Celc. Line the base of a 9inch springform cake tin with parchment paper. For the crust, melt the butter in a medium pan. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and sugar so the mixture is evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.

For the filling:

500g cream cheese ( I usually use Philadelphia & at room temp)
250g caster sugar
150g double cream
1 lemon
5 eggs

Method:

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until well incorporated.
2. Add egg one at the time. Beating well after each addition.
3. Add in lemon juice and stir well.
4. Whip the cream and slowly stir into the mixture.
5. Pour into the tin with cookie base.
6. Bake using 'steam bath' techniques for 45-50 mins at 150 deg cels
7. Let it cool on the rack and once cooled, chill until it set ( about 8 hours or overnight)
8. Run a round-bladed knife around the sides of the tin to loosen any stuck edges. Unlock the side, slide the cheesecake off the bottom of the tin onto a plate, then slide the parchment paper out from underneath.

Note: Steam Bath is a techniques where the baking tin wrap with aluminium foil and put inside tray filled with hot water. Bake according to suggested time.

Mini Cheesetarts - lemon or blueberry

I use only the filling to be filled inside mini tart shells either alone or with a spoon of blueberry, strawberry or lemon pie filling.

Mini lemon Cheesetarts and with lemon filling on top

Another choices - strawberry, kiwi, lemon and blueberry filling...

As for tart shell recipe,

The ingredients

125g butter
50g icing sugar
2 eggs
250g flour

Method:

Beat butter and icing sugar until creamy.
Add in eggs and mix well. Fold in flour and mix to form dough.
Roll into thin skin and cut out small round shape skin.
Line onto small tart mold and press.

Bake at 170 degree Celsius for 15 minutes until light golden brown.
The shell can be kept for few weeks in airtight container for future use.

Caramel Puding Cake

2008-12-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

My high school classmate, Marina Ismail has become my cooking buddy as well now since she's been 'in love' with cooking, in fact more advanced than I am.. This dessert recipe I recommend to all who love those simple not so sweet taste of soft caramel and cake in the same time after I have the oppotunity to try it out recently... For me the cake is a bit too sweet and I might reduce the quantity on my next attempt, and might change to chocolate sponge cake for different taste..

Caramel Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

Caramel
60g sugar
1 tblspn water
2 tblspn water
Pudding
4 eggs
500ml fresh milk
70g sugar
vanilla essence
Sponge Cake
70g flour
60g granulated sugar
2eggs
20g butter - melted

Method:

Grease tin with butter. Preheat oven to 170 degC. Melt the butter and put aside.

To prepare the caramel: Mix the sugar with 1 tblspn of water. Heat them until brownish. Then add another 2 tblspn of water. Turn off the heat. Pour into the tin while it's hot.

To prepare the Pudding. Heat up the milk and sugar until dissolved and turn off the heat.

Mix together eggs and vanilla essence in a bowl. Lightly beaten. Then gradually pour in hot milk and stir slowly

Sieve no.4 into caramel tin.

To prepare sponge cake. Separate the yolks from the whites. Beat the white eggs with half of the sugar until fluffy.

Beat the yolks with another half of sugar until creamy.

Mix together both egg mixtures. Stir well until incorporated.

Sift the flour into no.8. Fold in the flour slowly.

Finally add in melted butter. Stir well.

Pour cake mixture into pudding tin. Add water into oven tray.(steam bath techniques ) Bake for 40 mins. ( This cake mixture will floating on the surface of pudding mixture. So no need to steam up or bake the pudding earlier)

Let cool in the tin before remove the pudding/ cake from the tin.

cappucino cheesecake

2008-12-04T05:37:00.000-08:00

My girls and I always love cheesecake..(forget about the calories being gain by having a slices..not to mention the whole half kg!!) We had late lunch today with my nephews; Lie and Mie after sending blueberry cheese tarts to their mom at Islamic International University earlier. We went to secret recipes and really enjoyed our late lunch cause we were really hungry (it's almost 2.30 pm!!) After satisfied with the meals my girls ordered oreo cheesecake and cappuccino cheesecake a slice each. After tried them both, all of us agreed that cappuccino cheesecake is the best and because of that my girls asked me to find the recipe and try it out for this coming aidil adha. After searching and browsing finally I found this recipe and give a try..

Cappuccino Cheesecake

Ingredients

8 whole graham crackers, crushed
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
chocolate, shaved into curls (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Mix crackers, butter and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl; press onto bottom (not sides) of a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch high sides.
Bake crust 10 minutes.
Cool.
Maintain oven temperature.
Combine cream, espresso powder or coffee and vanilla in small bowl; set aside.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth.
Gradually beat in remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, then eggs 1 at a time.
Beat in flour.
Stir espresso mixture until power dissolves, beat into cream cheese mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Pour batter over crust.
Bake cake until edges are puffed and beginning to crack and center is just set, about 1 hour 5 minutes.
Cool on rack for 30 minutes; chill, uncovered for 6 hours.
Cut around cake to loosen.
Release pan sides.
Top with chocolate curls, if desired.

2008-11-27T07:46:00.000-08:00

I always love green apple especially Granny Smith. It's not too sour but not as sweet as red apple. I love the crunchy, juicy and I can eat them raw, make it a juice or even add in the cooking. I have never tried before this recipe and wanna give a try..and yes I like the taste exactly. The sour taste of the applesauce reduced the sweetness of the cake. Its a healthy cake as well because I used brown sugar instead of white sugar and also honey. For those who love apples and not-so-sweet cake, you will like this cake as much as I am. Should give it a try..

Applesauce Cake

3 cups flour-spooned and leveled
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup butter (room temp)
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 cups basic applesauce

1. Preheat oven to 180deg celcs. Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.

2. In another bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and honey until light and fluffy. Add egg, one at a time, beating until combined. With mixer on low speed gradually add dry ingredients. Beat until just combined. Beat in appplesauce.

3. Grease 9" tube pan or any of your choice. Spoon batter into pan, smooth top and arrange apple slices on top. Bake 45-50 mins or until tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

4. Cool on wire rack.

Basic applesauce
2 lb apples( peel, core and cut into thin slices)
1 cinnamon stick
3-4 tblspn sugar
3/ cup water
2 tsp freshly squeesed lemon juice

In a large saucepan, combine apples with cinnamon stick, sugar and water. With a medium heat, bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer. Stirring occasionally, until apples tender. 30-35 mins.( IF sauce begins to stick to the bottomof the pan, add 2-3 tblspn more water)

Remove from heat. Discard cinnamon stick. Stir in lemon juice.

oreo butter cake

2008-10-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Oreo Butter Cake

225g cake flour

1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
85g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
170g sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup(240ml) nonfat unsweetened yogurt
1 tsp vanilla essence
80g Oreo cookies, roughly crushed
Whole Oreo cookies for decorating

1) Preheat oven to 180C and grease or line a 8-inch round tin.
2) Sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3) Cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Dribble in eggs slowly, about 1 tbsp at a time, beating constantly for about 2 mins.
4) On LOW speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Beat in ½ of the yogurt. Then beat in 1/2 of the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining yogurt, and vanilla extract. Finally beat in the remaining flour mixture.
5) Lastly, fold in the crushed cookies.
6) Pour into prepared tin, arrange whole Oreos on top and bake for about 40 - 50 mins till skewer inserted comes out clean.
7) Cool in pan for 5 mins. Unmold and cool completely.

Note:
I use a stand mixer for this, which can ‘fold in’ the flour and yogurt gently on its lowest speed. If you cream the butter manually or with a hand-held mixer, after the eggs have been incorporated, use a spatula to gently fold in the flour and yogurt.

Seafood Quiche

2008-10-21T09:34:00.000-07:00

Seafood Quiche

For pastry

500g all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp fish curry powder
1 tblspn corriander leaves- thinly sliced
230g cold butter- diced
cold water

1. Put all dry ingredients in a bowl
2. Rub cold butter until form a crumbs
3. Gradually pour in water until form a dough
4. Flat the dough into 9inch greased pie mould or aluminium foil mould

5. Poke with fork and blind bake for 10mins

For seafood filling

3 tblspn oil - for saute
4 onion - diced
3 green chilli - diced
3 red chilli - diced
1 tblspn fish curry powder
150g prawn
150g squid
50g button mushroom
50g mixed vege
parsli
salt and pepper to taste
5 eggs - slightly beaten
1 1/2 cup heavy cream or fresh milk plus 1 tsp cornflour
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Heat up oil in a pot. Saute onion until golden brown. Add in chillies, stir. Add fish curry powder, then prawn, squid, mushroom, mixed vege and stir well. Add salt and pepper.Turn off the heat. In separate bowl lightly beat eggs and add in cream. Pour into the half-cooked pastry. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and bake for another 15-20 mins or until brown.

Brownies

2008-10-20T09:38:00.001-07:00

Walnut and Chocolate Chip Brownies

Ingredients

680g semi or bittersweet chocolate
226g butter- diced
6 large eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tblspn vanilla extract
210g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 170 degC.Place the rack in the centre of the oven. Grease a 9" x 13" (23cm x 33cm) pan and line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heatand set aside.

In large bowl whisk (use hand mixer) together the eggs and sugar. Fold in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Then fold into the chocolate and sugar mixture until well combined.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 mins.

Brownies 2

150g semisweet chocolate, chopped
120ml sunflower oil
215g light brown sugar
2 eggs
5ml vanilla essence
65g self-raising flour
4 tablespoon cocoa powder (unsweetened)
4 tablespoon milk chocolate chips
75g chopped walnuts

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degC. Lightly grease a shallow 19cm/7.5 inch square pan.

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

With an electric mixer, beat together oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl.

Stir in the melted chocolate then beat well until evenly mixed.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the batter. With a spatula, fold thoroughly until all the flour mixture incorporates into the batter.

Stir in walnuts and chocolate chips. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into the prepared square tin. Spread the mixture evenly to the edges. (The mixture is rather sticky and gooey.)

Bake for about 30 ~ 35 mins until the top is firm and crusty. Cool in the pan before cutting into squares.

MY FAV SAVOURY RECIPES

2008-10-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

Savoury dishes always been everyone's favourite like noodles, pies, baked macaroni and of course beef and chicken traditional malay cuisines like rendang, asam pedas etc. I like simple and easy recipe...but tasty. Here are some of them...

I gave this recipe to my friend in Manchester, Kay recently and glad she likes it. Even busy architect like her love cooking and I think people changed when you have your own 'fan' and in her case Iman ( her only son..am I right Kay?..) My family love this recipe especially my chubby hubby as he could continue having them with bread after had them for lunch or dinner... And if people ask me how I 'glued' him to be at home for his main meal, the answer is my cooking indeed. It may not suit others but for sure did an excellent job for mine..

RENDANG BABU
..( my mom named it..don't really know why)

Ingredients:

1 kg beef ( small and thin slice)
100g chilli paste ( from abt 30g dried chilli, 1 medium onion, 3-4 clove of garlic and 3cm ginger-blend together)
1 cinnamon stick
100ml evaporated milk
50g tomato puree
salt and sugar to your taste
1/2 cup vege oil

Method:

1. Heat up oil in a heavy base saucepan or a pressure cooker
2. Firstly put in cinnamon stick for few minutes and pour in chilli paste until aromatic. Add tomato puree and milk. Stir constantly until all blended well. Add beef and let simmer until it tender or if using pressure cooker let it cook under pressure for about 15 minutes.

3. Once the gravy has thicken,add salt and sugar to taste. Let it cook for about 10 minutes more.
4.Remove from heat and serve. Can be served with rice or bread.

2008-10-13T17:36:00.001-07:00

Almond Cookies 2

120g butter
80g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
60g ground almond
200g flour
Flake almond and egg yolk for decoration

1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
2. Add yolk and vanilla
3. Add in ground almond and flour. Fold all ingredients to form smooth dough.
4. Roll out dough until its about 8mm thick. Cut with your desired cookie cutter

5. Put almond flake on top and brush with egg yolk

6.Bake for 10 mins at 180 deg cels or until golden brown

2008-10-13T14:00:00.000-07:00

CARROT CAKE

Another recipe by Marina Ismail. Good for my mom-in-law as she is diebetic patient because the cake is not sweet at all and high in fibre too.

Ingredients

4 eggs (beat on medium speed for about 1 min to mix)

2 cups of grated carrots

3 cups of plain flour

1 cup of walnut (coarsely chopped)

1 cup of canned pineapple (diced)

1 1/3 cups of castor sugar

1 1/2 cups of olive oil

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

Method

1. Pre-heat oven at 180 deg C. Line a 9-inch round pan with parchment paper.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Add baking powder

3. Add all ingredients into the bowl, except for eggs and walnut.

4. Fold beaten eggs into the mixture until incorporated

5. Add chopped walnut, and mix well.

6. Pour mixture into the cake pan

7. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean

BUTTERCREAM RECIPE

(courtesy of friend; Marina Ismail..tq)

1 kg krimwell
125g butter
3 tblsn shortening
sugar water
few drop of lemon extract

Beat krimwell, butter and shortening until soft peak. Boil sugar and water ( make sure water and sugar at the same level ) Once boiled put drop of lemon extract. Add the syrup gradually according to your taste. Can be stored in the fridge if there is balance after decorating.

2008-10-13T13:59:00.002-07:00

Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients
(A)
20 egg yolks
8 egg white
250 gm. sugar
200 gm. Hong Kong flour or cake flour
1 Tbsp. Ovalette

(B)
450 gm. Butter
6 Tbsp. Condensed Milk

(C)

1 orange skin - grated
1/2 tsp. orange emulco
2 tsp. coffee paste
1 Tbsp. Chocolate paste
3 Tbsp. Dark cooking chocolate - melted

Method:

(1) Beat ingredients (A) till thick and fluffy.
(2) Cream ingredients (B) till creamy.
(3) Fold ingredients (A) and (B) together and mix evenly.
(4) Divide mixture into 3 portions. Two portions add in grated orange and orange paste. The other portion add in coffee paste, chocolate paste and melted chocolate.
(5) Spoon 4 to 5 Tabsp. of orange batter into 8" x 8" sq tin and bake till half cook then turn to grill mode and bake till golden brown. Continue baking layer by layer till orange portion finish.
(6) Continue the same process with the chocolate portion and bake till batter finish.
(7) Continue the same process again with the orange portion and bake till finish.
(8) For the last layer, change back to oven temperature of 175C and bake a further 15 to 20 mins.
(9) Remove from oven and leave to cool before slicing.

Note: You can leave l layer portion of chocolate batter for the uppermost layer.

2008-10-13T13:59:00.001-07:00

PRUNE LAPIS

Ingredients:

300 gm. butter
25 egg yolks
3 egg white
220 gm. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1 Tbsp. ovalette
160 gm. cake flour
450 gm. seedless prunes
1 Tbsp. rum
2 Tbsp. condense milk

Method:

(1) Cream butter till creamy and pale in colour. Add in rum and condense milk.
(2) Whisk egg yolks, egg white, sugar and vanilla essence together , then add in ovalette and flour. Whisk till double in volume.
(3) Fold in the beaten butter, rum and condensed milk.
(3) Prepare a 8" X 8" Sq. tray - lined at the bottom.
(4) Grill the cake layer by layer with prunes on alternate layers.
(5) Use a skewer to prick every layer and press lightly with a lapis pree to flatten each layer.
(6) When finish frilling, bake the cake at 180C for about 15 mins.

STEP BY STEP

2008-10-11T00:54:00.000-07:00

FRUITTY NUTTY SLICES

This treats is chewy like slices for one who likes taste of fruits, cornflakes and almond. Its a quick and easy to make. A healthy one too because the ingredients used are rich in fibre and vitamins as well. Enjoy them with hi tea or have them during your break time.

200g butter
1/2 cup honey

3 cups cornflakes- coarsely crunched
1 1/2 cup mixed fruits
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup cereal (nestum)
1 cup sliced almond
1 cup milk powder
1/2 cup green cherries
1/2 cup red cherries
4 eggs - lightly beaten

method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg celcius. Line 10.5 x 14.5 inch tin with aluminium foil.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients and set aside.

3. Heat butter and honey in a pot. Once melted add all dry ingredients and then eggs. Stir until just incorporated.

4. Transfer mixture into lined pan, smooth evenly with spatula.

5. Bake for 12-18 mins or until golden brown.

6. Once cooled cut into pieces or you can use cutter like this to cut evenly.

7. Put on paper cup and bake another 10 minutes. Let them cool before storing.

2008-10-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

Lemon Cupcakes
~20 cupcakes

1-1/2 cups flour (cake if you have it, otherwise all-purpose)
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup grape seed oil or vegetable oil
4 egg yolks (approximately 3 ounces)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon extract, all natural
grated rind from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon bitters
5 egg whites (approximately 5 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/4 cup sugar

1. Sift flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder into the bowl of a standing mixer.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon extract, lemon rind, and bitters. Stir to combine.
3. On a low setting, start to beat the dry mixture and slowly add the wet. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until incorporated.
4. Transfer mixture to another bowl. Wash and dry mixer bowl.
5. Whip egg whites with whip attachment on medium-high speed until foamy. With the mixer on medium speed, add cream of tarter and slowly add sugar. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
6. Scoop a cupful of the stiff egg whites into the batter and stir to combine. This should lighten up the batter.
7. Transfer the batter to the egg whites and gently fold until there are no more streaks of egg white.
8. Scoop into cupcake cups about 2/3s full and bake at 350 F for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKES

2008-10-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

My kids love chocolate and everything that have chocolate in it. I have been baking and tried so many chocolate cake recipes either from internet or family and friends BUT this recipe is so easy and because the taste is yummy as well. Try it yourself and give me some feed back..tq

2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa Hershey's
2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
1 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup Mazola Oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven 180 deg celc
Grease 9" x 9" mould.
Place all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until combined.
Pour into the mould and bake 1 hour
Once cooled, decorate with chocolate ganache

Chocolate Fudge

1 can evaporated milk
1 cup water
1 cup cocoa powder
4 egg yolks
4 tblspn cornflour
1 1/2 cup caster sugar
250g butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Put all ingredients in a heavy saucepan on medium heat. Stir constantly until thicken. Let it cool before spread it onto the chocolate cake.

2008-09-13T17:38:00.001-07:00

Petit Four Candies

Yield: 84

It's always nice to serve a variety of candies.

Ingredients:

Almond Crunchies

2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
dash fine salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 cup corn flakes
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Icing sugar for coating

Peanut Crispy Squares

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup golden corn syrup
1 cup chopped peanuts
4 cups crisped rice cereal
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Chocolate Banana Slices

3 tbsp unsalted butter
5 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup dried banana chips, lightly crushed
1/4 cup raisins
1 tbsp coconut
1 cup salted pretzels, lightly crushed
1 1/2 cups banana crunch cereal (or honey crunch cereal)
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp vegetable shortening

Directions:

Almond Crunchies

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Whip egg white with electric beaters until foamy, then slowly add sugar and whip until white holds a stiff peak. Fold in salt, vanilla and almond extracts, and then fold in corn flakes, dates and almonds. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto prepared tray and bake for 30 minutes. Once cooled, roll in icing sugar and store in an airtight container. Yield: makes about 18 almond crunchies.

Peanut Crispy Squares

Grease a 13-x-9-inch pan and set aside.
Stir peanut butter, brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat in a saucepot until smooth and just begins to bubble. Stir in peanuts and cereal and press into prepared pan (dip your spatula or hand in cool water for easier spreading). Allow to cool.
Melt chocolate chips and spread over squares. Allow to set completely before cutting. Cut into 48 squares. Yield: 48 squares.

Chocolate Banana Slices

Grease an 8 inch or 9 inch square pan, line with parchment paper and set aside.
Melt butter, honey and vanilla together until it just begins to bubble. Stir in oats, banana chips, raisins and coconut to coat and soften for 1 minute. Stir in pretzels and cereal to coat and remove from heat. Alternatively, pulse ingredients to combine and lightly crush in food processor.
With lightly greased hands, press evenly into prepared pan. Let cool. Cut into 9 squares. Cut each square in half to make 2 triangles.
Stir white chocolate chips with vegetable shortening in a bowl over a pot of gently simmering water until melted. Dip the candies partway in chocolate, gently shake off excess and place on baking tray to set. Drizzle tops of candies with remaining chocolate. Store in an airtight container. Yield: makes 18.

2008-09-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

Almond Nougat

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

Almond Nougat

1 cup blanched hazelnuts
2 x 4 1/2 oz packages blanched whole almonds
1/2 cup ground almonds
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions:

Almond Nougat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Add hazelnuts and whole almonds to cookie sheet. Toast until golden, about 10 minutes.
Add sugar, corn syrup, honey, salt and water in a heavy bottomed saucepot (3 quart). Over medium heat, stir mixture until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, without stirring until syrup reaches the hard ball stage, reading 252 degrees F. on a candy thermometer.
Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form.
While mixer is on, in a thin steady stream, pour ¼ cup of hot syrup over egg whites, beating at high speed until mixture is stiff enough to hold its shape, about 5 minutes.
Continue to cook the remaining syrup to brittle threads, reading 315 to 318 degrees F. on a candy thermometer.
While mixer is on, in a thin steady stream, pour remaining hot syrup over egg whites, beating at high speed until mixture is stiff enough to hold its shape. Add vanilla extract, almond extract and butter, beating again for about 5 minutes. Stir in toasted nuts and ground almonds with a wooden spoon. Transfer mixture to a buttered 11 x 7 x 1 ¼-inch pan. Smooth the mixture evenly with a spatula. If it is a particularly humid day, refrigerate until firm.
Loosen edges of candy with a knife. Invert nougat on cutting board. Cut into pieces. Store in airtight container.

2008-09-13T17:37:00.001-07:00

CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES

Ingredients

1/2	pound	butter
1	cup	brown sugar	light, packed
1	cup	sugar
3	large	eggs
3	cups	biscuit baking mix (bisquick)
1	cup	cornstarch
1/2	cup	milk, skim, (non fat) powder	non-fat
2	tablespoons	coffee	powdered
1	tablespoon	cocoa powder	unsweetened
1	tablespoon	vanilla extract
12	ounces	chocolate pieces	semi-sweet
4	ounces	pecans	chopped

Directions

With electric mixer, high speed, cream butter until light and fluffy.

Beat in sugars, beating until very creamy.

Beat in eggs, then each remaining ingredient, except chips and pecan.

When dough is smooth, work in chips and pecans with spoon.

Make grape-sized pieces of dough for each cookie, placing 1 inch apart on ungreased sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes or until golden brown.

2008-09-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES 3

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies

3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, at least 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm around the edges and golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

TIP: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

2008-09-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Cheese Stick

Ingredients:

120 gm. Butter
80 gm. Sugar
3 gm. Salt
50 gm. lightly beaten egg
40 gm. ground almonds
180 gm. plain flour
80 gm. Kraft Cheddar cheese - grated
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Method:

(1) Cream butter, salt and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs gradually till finished. Mix well.
(2) Add in vanilla essence, grated cheddar cheese, ground almonds and plain flour. Mix till a dough is formed . It will be a soft dough. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour so that it will be easy to handle.
(3) Roll out dough between two pastic sheets and cut into strips of 2 1/2" x 3/4". If dough is too soft to lift, place into the freezer and let is harden a little so that you can lift it up easily. Brush with egg glaze, grate some cheddar cheese on top of cookies. Lay onto baking tray and bake at 170C for about 15 mins. then lower then temperature to 160C and continue baking till golden brown and crispy.
(4) Cool before storing in containers.

Cupcakes

2008-09-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

CUPCAKES - cute, little creation that everyone loves it..

Vanilla Cupcakes
20 regular cupcakes

3/4 cup (1-1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1-2/3 cups vanilla sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2-2/3 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out

1. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
3. Measure the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
4. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine.
5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
6. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 2/3’s full. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Vanilla Bean Frosting

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 package (8 ounces) philly cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
-4-5 cups powdered sugar

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy.
2. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined.
3. Add the vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, and 3 cups of powdered sugar and beat at low speed, occasionally stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, until light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar to arrive at the consistency and sweetness you like.

Assemble
1. Frost each cooled cupcake with a healthy mound of frosting.
2. Top with vanilla seat salt or whatever you so desire.

For the cupcakes:

3 cups of all purpose flour
4 large eggs, separated
4 tsp baking powder
225g butter, softened and at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
1 cup full fat milk, at room temperature
2 cups caster sugar

For the icing:

5 tbsp butter, softened and at room temperature
6 cups of icing sugar
7 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tbsp Cointreau
tiny pinch of salt
1 tbsp very finely grated orange zest

How to make Vanilla Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

I think what everyone loves most about cupcakes is the frosting, and I'm no exception. However, because frostings are usually sooo sweet, I prefer to have a very mild tasting cake base. The base I've used here is a very simple vanilla-infused sponge, and I think it goes really well with the slightly tangy orange frosting, which was a nice change from the usual lemony icings. (Makes about 36 medium cupcakes, and there should be enough frosting to generously frost all of them.)

Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 175°C and line a cupcake tray with cups.
Cream the butter and sugar together in the large bowl of your standing mixer on medium speed - about 5-8 minutes - until pale and fluffy. Add in the egg yolks, and mix for another 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla essence, and mix well.
Combine the salt, baking powder and flour in a bowl, and add it in 4 batches, alternating with a quarter of the milk each time. Mix until fully incorporated.
In a clean mixing bowl, and with a clean and dry whisk, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Carefully, but quickly, fold the egg whites into the batter, taking care not to lose all the air.
Spoon the batter into the cupcake cups, so that it comes about halfway up the side of the cups. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted to the middle comes out clean.
Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack completely before frosting.

Frosting & Decoration:

While the cupcakes are cooking, place the butter into a medium bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, and combine the orange juice and orange essence/ paste.

COOKIES

2008-09-08T22:34:00.000-07:00

Cornflakes Cookies

125g butter
1 large egg
170g self rising flour
1 orange peel
90g caster sugar
cornflakes for coating - crunch slightly
sliced cherry for decoration

Method:

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix well. mix in orange peel and lastly sifted flour. Mix until incorporate. Spoon one teaspooon of batter and coat it with cornflakes and put cherry on top of it.

Bake for 10-12 mins at 170 deg celc. Cool on wire rack.

Almond Cookies

3 egg white
100 gm. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla essence
200 gm. whole almonds
120 gm. plain flour

Method:

(1) Whisk egg white with sugar and salt till thick.
(2) Fold in flour and almoinds.
(3) Pour into a 7" sq. tray.
(4) Bake at 170C for about 25 mins. until light brown.
(5) Remove and place onto a cooling rack to cool.
(6) Wrap cake with aluminium foil and keep in the fridge for a couple of hours.
(7) Slice the cake into thin slices and lay onto a baking tray.
(8) Bake in oven at 160C for about 15 mins. or until it's crispy.
(9) Cool and store in cookie containers.

MY FAV CHOCOLATE RECIPES

2008-08-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

Find my favorite chocolate recipes here; tested and approved! Some of them I found in other blog or web.Anna Olson is one of my favorite pastry chef; her show "Sugar" always inspire me throughout my cooking experiences. Since being fultime homemaker for last eight years,baking became my passion, hobby and way of bonding with my girls and the boys as well. They love chocolate so much and became my 'loyal customer' since then. Love to share what I love about and looking forward if someone have the same passion.

Old fashioned chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp
1-1/4 cups sugar 2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine

Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.

Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 2/3’s full. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Vanilla Frosting: 1 stick (1/1 cup) butter, room temperature 1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 tablespoons milk

Beat butter at medium-high speed until creamy. Sift powdered sugar into the mixer bowl (right on top of the beaten butter). Beat to combine. Add the vanilla and the milk. Beat until combined.

Notes: This cupcake recipe is the kind that will result in a flat cupcake (not domed). One thing you must be careful of is over-filling the cupcake paper. It will over flow and make a mess. So only 2/3 full. If you are unsure, do less.

BEST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Ingredients :

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essance
3/4 cup buttermilk *
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Note : To make buttermilk : 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice Method :

1. In a small bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder,baking soda and salt.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, egg and vanilla essance until smooth.
3. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of buttermilk, beating until bater is smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven at 180 celscius for 22 - 27 minutes or until top of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
5. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minute

ONE BOWL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar 1

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

3/4 cup warm water

3/4 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Mix in wet ingredients. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let the cupcakes cool completely before icing them. (Makes 2 dozen)

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Ingredients 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter 1/2 cup cocoa
4 cups confectioners sugar 1/4 cup milk Beat butter on high for about 30 seconds until soft. Add cocoa & 1 cup of sugar. Beat till incorporated. Add half of the milk & remainder of sugar. Beat till incorporated. Continue to add milk till you get the consistency you want. (I added it all and got a really wonderfully creamy frosing)

Adding the sweet, sweet innards Once your cupcakes have cooled use a small serrated knife to cut out a funnel shaped piece of cake from the top. Don't cut all the way to the edge, leave a bit of room so that the seam will be covered

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes

~30 regular cupcakes

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temp
2-1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
4. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine
6. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.
7. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2’s full. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Note: As mentioned previously with this recipe, if you overfill the cupcakes, they will overflow and then sink. To be on the safe side I am now recommending that you fill the cupcakes 1/2 full. With a big batch you may still have some problems with one or two of them, but the majority should work out just fine. Your oven must be for sure hot enough, so it doesn’t hurt to get an oven thermometer and make sure it’s at the correct temperature. These cupcakes are temperamental, but the resulting cake is worth it.

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg +1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

SUBWAY STYLE CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES

1 cup unsalted butter (or substitute 1/4 cup golden Crisco for 1/4 cup of the butter)
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups chocolate chips (or coarse chopped, semi sweet chocolate chunks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream the butter with the brown and white sugars until well blended. Stir in vanilla and egg.

Fold in flour, baking soda, salt and lastly, chocolate chips. Chill dough one hour.

Form into rounds the size of a golf ball and place, two inches apart, on baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven until just light brown around the edges (14-16 minutes). Too much baking will make cookies hard. Cool on racks. They may seem a little underdone, but will set up as they cool.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

Tangerine Chocolate Cupcakes

Yield: 18

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

2 1/4 cups pastry flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp freshly grated tangerine zest
1/4 cups fresh tangerine juice
2 large eggs, seperated

Chocolate Icing

1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp freshly grated tangerine zest
1 to 2 tbsp fresh tangerine juice
2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
orange colour candies, for garnish

Directions:

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and line muffin tins with paper cups.
Sift flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add oil, buttermilk, vanilla and tangerine zest. Beat one minute with electric beaters. Add tangerine juice and egg yolks and beat another minute.
In a separate bowl and using cleaned beaters, whip egg whites until foamy. Gradually pour in remaining ½ cup sugar and whip until whites hold a stiff peak. Fold whites gently into batter and spoon into muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when pressed. Allow to cool.

Chocolate Icing

For icing, beat butter until fluffy. On low speed beat in icing sugar and cocoa until smooth. Beat in vanilla, zest and tangerine juice. Stir in melted chocolate. If the icing is too thin, add a touch more icing sugar. Spread icing onto cupcakes and garnish with orange-coloured candies of your choice.

Chocolate Walnut Brownie Neapolitan

Brownies –everybody’s favourite! Toasting the walnuts before baking the brownies adds more dimension and flavour. Remember, the longer you bake your brownies, the “cakier” they become, so bake to your liking!

Ingredients:

Brownie

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup sugar
4 egg, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
0.67 cup walnut pieces, toasted
1 L strawberry ice cream

Chilled Hot Chocolate Sauce

2 cups whipping cream
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt
2 egg yolk
3 tbsp sugar

Fresh Raspberry Sauce

2 cups fresh raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

Brownie

Preheat oven to 325 F and prepare 2 greased 2 x 3 1/2-inch loaf pans (or 1 4 x 8-inch loaf pan).
Melt butter (over stove or in microwave) and pour into a larger bowl. Sift cocoa into butter and stir in. Stir in sugar.
Add eggs to mixture, blending well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt (do not sift). Add to cocoa mixture and blend. Stir in walnuts.
Pour brownie batter into pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, until firm when touched. Allow to cool.
Thaw ice cream for 5 minutes, just to soften.
Remove brownies from loaf tins. Wipe tins and line with plastic wrap. Slice each loaf horizontally in half. Place bottom half back into each tin. Spoon ice cream onto brownie in tin and spread into corners. Top ice cream with other half of brownie. Wrap and freeze until ready to serve (brownie should not freeze completely due to high sugar content).

Chilled Hot Chocolate Sauce

Heat cream over medium heat with sifted cocoa powder, vanilla and salt.
In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar. Gradually add hot cream to egg mixture, whisking constantly until all cream has been added. Return cream to heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Strain and chill until ready to serve.

Fresh Raspberry Sauce

Puree all ingredients; strain and chill.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Yield: 24

Ingredients:

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

3/4 cup whole hazelnuts
3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp instant coffee powder
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine salt

Directions:

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 12 minutes. Cool, then rub off skins with a tea towel and roughly chop.
Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring every 10 seconds and set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in eggs. Stir vanilla and instant coffee together and add to butter mixture. Stir in melted chocolate.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt and add to butter mixture to combine. Stir in chopped hazelnuts. Drop by large tablespoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until just lightly crisp around the edges but the cookies should be chewy in the center.

MOIST CHOC CAKE

Ingeredients (A):

60 gm. cocoa powder
125 gm. hot water
180 gm. fine sugar

(B)
130 gm. Unsalted Butter
35 gm. Sugar
130 gm. Self-raising flour
3 eggs
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Essence

Method:

(1) Mix ingredients (A) and let it cool.
(2) Cream butter with sugar till creamy. Add in salt and vanilla essence.
(3) Add in eggs one at a time till evenly blending before the next addition.
(4) Pour in cocoa powder mixture gradually then add in the self-raising flour.
(5) Pour into a 7" round tray and bake till cooked at 175C for about 60 mins.
(6) For topping, spread some ganache on top.

CHOC FUDGE CAKE

Ingredients for sponge cake:

(A)
120 gm. Superfine flour
1/4 tsp. Baking powder
1/4 tsp. Bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp. salt
85 gm. sugar
4 egg yolks
50 gm. cooking oil (any brand)
40 gm. water
1 Tbsp. chocolate emulco / paste
35 gm. cocoa powder + 60 gm. hot water

(B)
4 nos. egg white
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
85 gm. castor sugar

Ganache:

250 gm. dairy whipping cream
300 gm. cooking chocolate
50 gm. butter

Method:

(1) Mix all the ingredients (A) together into a smooth batter.
(2) Whisk (B) till until stiff peak.
(3) Fold (AS) and (B) together, taking care not to overmix. Pour into a 9" round cake tin and bake at 175C for about 45 mins. or till cooked. Remove cake from oven and let it sit on the cooling for 3 mins. before removing from the tin.
(4) For Ganache, heat up the dairy whipping cream, pour into the chocolate and stir till chocolate melts, then add in the butter. Stir till smooth and let it set until it's or a spreading consistency.
(5) Slice sponge cake into 3 layers. Spread ganache on every layer and sandwich them together. Cream the whole with ganache and decorate as desired.

* This chocolate fudge cake is using ganache and it's not the custard-like fudge cake.

Coffee cupcake

Ingredients:

180 gm. Butter
200 gm. Sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 tsp. Coffee paste
1/2 cup hot water mix with 1 tsp. Instant Office
1/4 cup milk

Sift together:

250 gm. cake flour or plain flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda

Method:

(1) Cream butter, sugar and salt together till creamy.
(2) Add in eggs one at a time and mix till well combined.
(3) Add in coffee paste, coffee mixture and milk and then fold in sifted flour.
(4) Scoop into paper cups and bake at 175C for 25 mins. or till cooked.

Chocolate Layer Cake

Ingredients
(A)
20 egg yolks
8 egg white
250 gm. sugar
200 gm. Hong Kong flour or cake flour
1 Tbsp. Ovalette

(B)
450 gm. Butter
6 Tbsp. Condensed Milk

(C)

1 orange skin - grated
1/2 tsp. orange emulco
2 tsp. coffee paste
1 Tbsp. Chocolate paste
3 Tbsp. Dark cooking chocolate - melted

Method:

(1) Beat ingredients (A) till thick and fluffy.
(2) Cream ingredients (B) till creamy.
(3) Fold ingredients (A) and (B) together and mix evenly.
(4) Divide mixture into 3 portions. Two portions add in grated orange and orange paste. The other portion add in coffee paste, chocolate paste and melted chocolate.
(5) Spoon 4 to 5 Tabsp. of orange batter into 8" x 8" sq tin and bake till half cook then turn to grill mode and bake till golden brown. Continue baking layer by layer till orange portion finish.
(6) Continue the same process with the chocolate portion and bake till batter finish.
(7) Continue the same process again with the orange portion and bake till finish.
(8) For the last layer, change back to oven temperature of 175C and bake a further 15 to 20 mins.
(9) Remove from oven and leave to cool before slicing.

Note: You can leave l layer portion of chocolate batter for the uppermost layer.