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Friday, May 29, 2009

Reminiscing



Reminiscing the first time I got my Canon. Rushed out to bake Strawberry Macarons and quickly took my first run on Food Styling. Still remember how excited I was trying out various props, backgrounds, positions, lighting, aperture and speed. Couldn't seem to get enough of it and ended up with 4 hours of shooting. Tired but happy...

That was almost 5 months ago, and now I am still happily taking photographs with my Canon and still very passionate about baking Strawberry Macarons.

STRAWBERRY MACARONS
Makes 10 macarons



Prepare: 1 big baking tray lined with a Silpat or parchment paper

Ingredients :
- Egg white > 70 grams
- Sugar > 50 grams
- Icing sugar > 90 grams
- Ground almond > 70 grams
- Red coloring > 2-3 drops

Method :
- Combine icing sugar and ground almond. Sieve.
- Whip egg white until frothy. Add sugar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Fold almond and icing mixture gradually into the egg white in 2 additions. Add red coloring. Mix carefully with a spatula until batter is shiny and flowy like magma.
- Fill batter into piping bag tipped with a plain circular nozzle and pipe into a circle with a diameter of 3 cm. Piping makes 20 pieces.
- Leave to rest until surface of these pipings are flat and dry or when touched, it doesn't stick to our finger.
- Preheat oven at 150°C.
- Bake at 150°C for 8-10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 125°C, turn tray 180 degrees and continue baking for 8-10 minutes.
- Cool on the rack and detach from Silpat or parchment paper.



2. Strawberry Cream

Ingredients :
- Whipping cream > 50 grams
- Strawberry puree > 9 grams
- Lemon juice > 1 gram

Method :
- Beat whipping cream until it starts thickening. Add strawberry puree and lemon juice. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.



3. Assembly

- Fill strawberry cream into piping bag and pipe on the macaron. Top with the other macaron to form like a sandwich.



Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Daring Bakers' Apple Strudel



Felt excited throughout the last 2 weeks … experimenting for Daring Bakers’ May Challenge: Apple Strudel. It was straight forward yet complicated - struggling to roll the dough as wide and thin as possible, making more flaky layers, developing solid filling and finally maintaining the flakiness long after it was baked.

Went through 5 rounds before finally managed to make Strudel with 5-6 layers. Crispy and flaky to the bites, sweet and fragrant to the taste. Wow, I had enough Apple Strudel for my breakfast straight from Monday to Friday throughout the entire 2 weeks. Good to put a break to it and settle for the posting. And again thanks to Courtney of Coco Cooks and Linda of make life sweeter for co-hosting this month’s May challenge, and Audax of Audax Artifex for lots of guidance!



The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers

APPLE STRUDEL
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers




Preparation time
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes
15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool

1. Strudel Dough

Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
- 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar



Method:
- Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.
- Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
- It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.
- The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it's about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.



2. Apple Strudel

Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
- 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
- strudel dough (recipe below)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
- 2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking).



Method:
- Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
- Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.
- Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.
- Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.



Sunday, May 24, 2009

Monday Blues



Can't get enough of weekend! Today is another Monday Blues ... dragging myself to the office and traffic is always jammed somehow on a Monday morning. Must confess that I happily joined the whole world in groaning and grumbling about Monday, hesitating to let go of the lovely relaxing Sunday. But then again, there's nothing I can do about it, right?

Good to realize there are a couple of things to look forward to this week: the DMBLGIT May and a few interesting projects at the office. For this post, I like to share the recipe of broccoli salad... another experiment with broccoli. Enjoy!

BROCCOLI SALAD IN LEMON SAUCE
Serves 2 persons



1. Broccoli Salad

Ingredients:
- Broccoli – separate stalk from flower, cut into moderate chunks, boil, drain > 240 grams
- Tomatoes - slice, halve > 1
- Cashewnuts – toast > 35 grams
- Black raisins > 2 tablespoons

Method:
- Combine all in a serving bowl.

2. Lemon Sauce

Ingredients:
- Corn flour > 1 tablespoon
- Lemon juice > 1 lemon
- Ginger - grate finely > 1 teaspoon
- Ginger - chop into matchsticks > 1/2 teaspoon
- Water > 250 ml
- Chicken essence powder > 1 teaspoon
- Granulated sugar > 3 tablespoons

Method:
- Combine corn flour with a tablespoon of water. Set aside.
- Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a saucepan. Cook until boiled.
- Add corn flour mixture and stir constantly until thick.
- Leave to cool.



3. Assembly

Ingredients:
- White sesame - toast > 5 grams
- Mint leaves > 1 stalk

Method:
- Pour lemon sauce on top of broccoli salad.
- Sprinkle with white sesame and garnish with mint leaves.
- Serve.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Peanut Butter



Made mainly from ground roasted peanuts and oil, peanut butter makes my mornings creamier. Love to have this food paste as the sandwich spread which I can enjoy during the taxi ride from my home to the office every morning. Oh yes, I don't waste my time sitting quietly and let my mind wonder around. Why not take the benefit of cool air conditioning and let myself have a nice breakfast? Seems like one morning might not be complete without peanut butter.

Will peanut butter taste just as good in a cheese pie then? Let's try...



PEANUT BUTTER CHEESE PIE
Serves 10 persons

1. Crust
Prepare: 9 inch pie mould

Ingredients:
- Digestive biscuits – ground > 200 grams
- Salted butter – melt > 100 grams

Method:
- Mix ground biscuits and melted butter and press into pie mould.
- Refrigerate for half an hour.

2. Pie Filling

Ingredients:
- Cream cheese – room temperature > 200 grams
- Icing sugar – sift > 85 grams
- Fine peanut butter > 100 grams
- Vanilla essence > 1 teaspoon
- Whipping cream > 250 ml

Method:
- Combine cream cheese and icing sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add peanut butter and vanilla essence.
- Beat whipping cream until firm peaks form.
- Gently and gradually fold whipping cream into cream cheese mixture.
- Pour pie filling into crust.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours.



3. Decoration

Ingredients:
- Whipping cream > 60 ml
- Salted butter > 3 teaspoons
- White chocolate – grate > 50 grams
- Roasted peanuts – crush moderately > 20 grams

Method:
- Put whipping cream and butter on a saucepan and cook over medium heat until butter completely melts.
- Remove from heat and fold in grated white chocolate and stir until chocolate is melted.
- Leave to cool for a while.
- Coat top of the pie with melted chocolate.
- Refrigerate for half an hour.
- Scatter crushed peanuts on top of chocolate in circular formation.
- Decorate with chocolate pieces and tuilles.
- Serve.



Friday, May 15, 2009

Rigatoni, What A Beautiful Name!



It is amazing! Wikipedia mentioned that there are approximately 350 different shapes of pasta. Spaghetti, Linguine, Vermicelli, and Fettucini are thin cylinders. Penne, Maccheroni, Mostaccioli, Buctani, Tortiglioni, Tubini, and Rigatoni are straight hollow cylinders. Macaroni, Riccioli, and Rigate are curved hollow cylinders. Fussili and Rottini are twisted and spiraled. Annellini is small ring. Lasagne is in sheets. A variety of more organic shapes such as Conchiglie is a shell, Orzo looks like barley, Orecchiette is half circular resembles a small ear, Ravioli is square round pillow, Rotelle and Ruote are cartwheels, and Farfalle is bow tie or butterfly (with the smaller version called Farfalline). And many many more....

Meanwhile, I just picked one to make my dinner: Pasta Rigatoni that has been lying in my cupboard for a while. Okay, it's about time to cook now....

FRIED RIGATONI WITH CUCUMBER AND THAI GREEN PEPPERCORNS
Serves 2 persons



Ingredients:
- Butter > 2 tablespoons
- Garlic - chop > 4 cloves
- Shitake mushrooms > 100 grams
- Worcestershire sauce > 2 tablespoons
- Pasta Rigatoni - boil in water mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt > 200 grams
- Fresh Thai green peppercorns > 20 grams
- Kaffir lime leaves - cut into thin strips > 3
- Fish Sauce > 5 teaspoons
- Cucumber - halve, cut into a size of french fried > 1/2



Method:
- Melt butter on pan then sauté garlic until fragrant.
- Add shitake mushrooms and fry for a short while. Pour Worcestershire sauce in.
- Fold in pasta, green peppercorns, kaffir lime leave strips, and fish sauce.
- Before removing from stove, add cucumber and stir for a short while.
- Serve.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

The Challenge



So excited, just got accepted to be a Daring Baker! Plus like the new logo so much.... and feel great to actually embed it in my blog page. Thought of posting this site to help me remember the first time I join other DBs in taking up a baking challenge.

Okay, get ready for the upcoming challenges. Baking and cooking together? Or just baking? Let's see how much time I have then....

And as for now, I would like to post something easy and practical to accompany a bowl of rice on my dining table.... Something I would do when I don't have much time for cooking. Enjoy the simplicity...



FRIED MORNING GLORY
Serves 3 persons

Ingredients:
- Vegetable oil > 2 tablespoons
- Garlic > 10 cloves
- Morning glory - cut stalk from leave section and chop into length of 6-7cm, separate leaf and stalk portions > 250 grams
- Oyster sauce > 2 tablespoons
- Red chilies – slice lenghtwise > 3



Method:
- Saute garlic with vegetable oil in a pan until golden brown and fragrant.
- Fold in morning glory stalk portion first. Fry for a while then fold in the leaf portion.
- Pour oyster sauce in and stir well. Add chilly slices. Stir.
- Cover pan for a short while.
- Remove cover. Stir thoroughly.
- Serve hot.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Un Grand Commencement



Today is a special day for my date - first working day in the new company. Glad to see how early he woke up this morning in order to get to the office at least on time, if it is not in time. In this great moment, I would like to say: "Congratulations, wish you achieve great success in your work and enjoy exorbitant support from everyone at the new office!"

This post is meant to be just as special. It is the second serie of my cupcake decoration endeavor. And knowing how much I enjoy decorating cupcakes, on his way back from the holiday my date brought along various appealing snacks catered for the decoration.

So here I go fiddling with the colorful jelly bits he bought. We both agreed to name it Castle Cupcakes, as an expression of our dream trip to see castles in Europe someday...

CASTLE CUPCAKES
Makes 11 cupcakes



1. Chocolate Cupcakes
Prepare: 11 muffin paper cups (diameter 2 ¼ inch, height 2 ¼ inch) and a large baking tray

Ingredients:
- All purpose flour > 120 grams
- Cocoa powder > 44 grams
- Baking powder > 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda > ½ teaspoon
- Salt > ¼ teaspoon
- Milk > 190 ml
- Vanilla essence > 1 teaspoon
- Butter – soften > 90 grams
- Granulated sugar > 187 grams
- Eggs > 2



Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Place 11 muffin paper cups on the baking tray with adequate gap between one another.
- Mix all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift.
- Separately combine milk and vanilla essence.
- Place softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until both ingredients are fully combined. Change to high speed and cream for 5 minutes.
- Change speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time.
- Adjust speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in a few additions. Continue to beat until batter is smooth.
- Spoon batter into each muffin cup until ¾ full.
- Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the cake turns out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.



2. Decoration

Ingredients:
- Whipping cream > 300 ml
- Condensed milk > 2 tablespoons

Method:
- Beat whipping cream. Once it starts thickening add condensed milk.
- Continue beating until hard peaks form.
- Fill into piping bag with the star nozzle and pipe.
- Decorate.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Wearing an Orange Skirt



Come to realize that decorating cupcakes is like an addiction. Once we do it, we will think about doing it again.. and again..... That limited circular area with diameter of 2 inches lures the inception of many colorful decorative ideas. Besides that top hot spot, we also have extra option to beautify the cup design. I like it...

So this will be my first cupcake decoration serie following my previous posting of Rich Chocolate Cupcakes in Chocolat et Café. Many more to come...

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH ROSE TUILLES AND YAM STICK
Makes 11 cupcakes



1. Chocolate Cupcakes
Prepare: 11 muffin paper cups (diameter 2 ¼ inch, height 2 ¼ inch) and a large baking tray

Ingredients:
- All purpose flour > 120 grams
- Cocoa powder > 44 grams
- Baking powder > 1 teaspoon
- Baking soda > ½ teaspoon
- Salt > ¼ teaspoon
- Milk > 190 ml
- Vanilla essence > 1 teaspoon
- Butter – soften > 90 grams
- Granulated sugar > 187 grams
- Eggs > 2



Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Place 11 muffin paper cups on the baking tray with adequate gap between one another.
- Mix all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift.
- Separately combine milk and vanilla essence.
- Place softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat at low speed until both ingredients are fully combined. Change to high speed and cream for 5 minutes.
- Change speed to medium and add eggs, one at a time.
- Adjust speed to low and add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in a few additions. Continue to beat until batter is smooth.
- Spoon batter into each muffin cup until ¾ full.
- Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the cake turns out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.



2. Decoration

Ingredients:
- Whipping cream > 300 ml
- Condensed milk > 2 tablespoons

Method:
- Beat whipping cream. Once it starts thickening add condensed milk.
- Continue beating until hard peaks form.
- Fill into piping bag with the star nozzle and pipe.
- Decorate.