Satisfaction and Banana

A surprise came knocking this morning… I just won the DMBLGIT award for the month of February and I was so delighted. I have been waiting for snacksgiving’s announcement and finally it came through like a desirable red velvet cake topped with cheese cream frosting. And before I knew it, Fitri of Mommy Nisa congratulated me. Thanks, Fit!



It was in deed a pleasant feeling knowing that people agreed with my artistic judgement of choosing the right photo to send for the competition. I remember the first time I joined this contest, it took me days to pick the right picture to enter it since each participant was only allowed to send one entry from the previous month’s posting. As time went by and I learnt more about photography and saw more photos shot by professional bloggers (that’s you, by the way! :-)), this decision could be made quite fast.



And at the end of the day, the award is worth the effort - the long preparation of the cake, props, and hours of photo shoot. Sort of like a hard work pays off, plus an overwhelming satisfaction.

For this special occasion, I like to share this recipe that I adapted from Sweet Paul's Blueberry Ice Cream. Apparently the man has a very good taste of ice cream. This banana ice cream is creamy and luscious, and most importantly goes well with almost anything. Try and see whether you like it…

BANANA ICE CREAM
Adapted from Sweet Paul’s Blueberry Ice Cream.
Serves 6



Ingredients:
- Egg > 1
- Egg yolks > 3
- Granulated sugar > 150 grams
- Corn starch > 2 teaspoons
- Milk > 250 ml
- Whipping cream > 2 cups
- Ripe big bananas – mash moderately > 2
- Strawberry jam > optional
- Chocolate sauce > optional
- Extra banana for decoration - slice > as desired
- Chocolate curl > optional
- Roasted almond chunks > optional



Method:
- Combine egg, egg yolks, and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat at high speed until pale and light.
- Heat milk in a saucepan until boiled. Immediately pour hot milk into the egg mixture while beating at medium speed. Add corn starch and mix thoroughly.
- Set stove to low heat, place egg mixture back into saucepan and cook until the mixture starts to curdle and thicken. Immediately remove from fire.
- Leave to cool. Add mashed banana and refrigerate overnight.
- Spin the cold mixture in ice cream maker until thick. Refrigerate overnight.
- Fill a serving glass with one thick layer of strawberry jam, scoop in some ice cream.
- Add a layer of chocolate sauce and a small amount of ice cream. Decorate with some banana slices. Top with a big ball of ice cream, a chocolate curl and some almond chunks.

Grace

Just right before everyone in this world is celebrating love in the honor of St. Valentine, some of us have taken a great step in actualizing love in a more extensive scope than just lovers, family and friends by reaching out to other mankind in other part of the world.



Lauren of Celiac Teen chose to be one of those assertive some who have initiated action in giving hand to Haiti. She has spent hours and hours of asking bloggers for recipes, designing e-book, finding her way to make it available for online sale, and ultimately donating the money to Haiti. Kudos to Lauren for this graceful effort!





Her e-book is now available for purchase and the money will proceed to the Red Cross. So for anyone who is interested in this charity work, do click on Haiti Ebook to read more about “A Hand for Haiti”. Feel free to make a further action of purchasing the book by clicking on Add To Cart button available on the page or else please spread the words by providing this link in your blog http://www.celiacteen.com/2010/02/haiti-ebook.html



I just passed a truly comforting 6-month period with T. What could be better than cooking the most favourite and loved make-blogger-feel-at-home food from Lauren’s ebook for a little celebration on our own?



At the same time, I am also submitting this post for Bake-a-Cake - A Valentine's Day Special conducted by Confessions of a Bake-a-holic! Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone!



SPICED BANANA ALMOND CAKE
Makes two dome shaped cakes of size 4"x9.5"x2.5" or one 8.5" circular cake

Ingredients:
A:
- All purpose flour > 175 gram
- Baking soda > 1 teaspoon
- Salt > 1/2 teaspoon
- Eggs > 3
- Mashed banana > 100 gram
- Vegetable oil > 110 gram



- Granulated sugar > 200 gram
- Ground cinnamon > 1/2 teaspoon
- Ground cloves > 1/2 teaspoon
- Banana essence > 1.5 teaspoons
B:
- Almond - chop into chunks > 50 gram
- Raisins - chop into chunks > 60 gram



Method:
- Pre-heat oven at 190C.
- Mix A together and whisk until the batter is even.
- Fold in B. Mix well.
- Pour into mould and bake at 190C for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove immediately from baking tin.
- Cool and keep in room temperature.
- Serve with strawberry slices and marmalade.

Change is Inevitable?

Love is a wonderful thing, especially if one is blessed to experience it. Many look for it but not all find it. If love is a commodity, it is surely something priceless, like a rare diamond or a trip to the moon. When I was a child, I ever dreamt of becoming a president or a millionaire. That was priceless…… since I dared to aim that high. Later only time and experience proved to me that it was just a dream. Priceless dream! But love – I pray hard for it – is a priceless reachable reality!



3 months has passed by since I first met T on 7th August 2009. We shared most of our time together. A closed friend once told me the first 3 months are like the promotional period when everything is beautiful and sweet. So I should be aware that post 3 months things might slightly or harshly change? True colors finally come to the surface?? I hope not all things change, let the good ones stay the same. Like if we held hands while we watched movie in the theatre, I hope we still hold hands when we watch movie in the next few weeks or months or even years.

There is a proverb that says: “Nothing in this world is certain, only change is”. Well as change is inevitable, with my hope, efforts, and good intention, I wish things will change into something better.



I have been looking at my blog for like a few hundred times, I think it is time to change for a better look: bigger pictures, more presentable header, and a touch of purplish gray background. Hope you will like this change.

BANANA TART
Makes 8 tarts

1. Crust
For ingredients and method please refer to Longan Cream Tart, click here


2. Banana Filling
Ingredients:
- Egg yolk > 1
- Granulated sugar > 38 grams
- Corn flour > 15 grams
- Salt > 1/8 teaspoon
- Whole milk > 240 ml
- Whipping cream > 240 ml
- Vanilla essence > 1 teaspoon
- Salted butter – room temperature > 10 grams

Method:
- Beat egg yolk with a fork in a bowl. Set aside.
- Combine sugar, corn flour, salt, whole milk, whipping cream, and vanilla essence in a saucepan. Whisk constantly and bring to boil at medium heat. Continue cooking and whisking for 1 more minute.
- Pour half of this hot milk to the egg yolk. Whisk quickly to combine.
- Transfer back to the saucepan and bring to boil. Cook for 6 more minutes. Continue whisking.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter.
- Pour banana filling into a bowl or plate and cover with cling film. Leave to cool before refrigerating for 2 hours.


3. Assembly
Ingredients:
- Ripe banana – peel, cut in 4mm thick rounds > 1
- Lemon juice > 1 tablespoon
- Banana - for decoration > 1
- Cinnamon – to dust > 2 teaspoons

Method:
- Toss banana slices gently with lemon juice.
- Fill crust with 1/3 portion of banana filling. Top with one piece of banana slice. Cover with 1/3 portion of banana filling. Press in another slice of banana.
- Fill the last 1/3 portion of banana filling in a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe on top of pie as the top layer.
- Decorate with more banana and sprinkle with cinnamon.

"All I Care about is Love"

It is funny how drinks are named. Somehow on my first testing as I am experimenting with the colour and taste, that name will just occur in parallel with my senses. Don't even need to think harder, it is like the name automatically attaches itself to the taste, aroma, or color, mostly the taste. And for that moment, I register it as a reference name in my mind and be able to use it later to revisualize it as an object or something abstract, like a feeling, a quality, or mood.

Strawberry can never go wrong with anything. Everybody knows that, and I just love it. And for the mix of strawberry with banana added with a twist of bailey calls out a musical mood with an image of Richard Gere as Billy Flynn (Chicago) singing his lines " I don't care about expensive things ….. Cashmere coats ….. Diamond rings ….. Don't mean a thing ….. All I care about is love ….. That's what I'm here for".

Makes any sense? Try it and let your drink speak for you!



HANDSOME
Serves 2 persons

Ingredients:
- Strawberries - slice > 150 grams
- Banana - slice > 1
- Dairy whipping cream > 3 tablespoons
- Granulated sugar > 2 1/2 tablespoons
- Water - 2 tablespoons
- Bailey liquor - 4 tablespoons
- Ice cubes - 2 cups

Method:
- Mix all ingredients in a blender and whiz till fine.
- Decorate with strawberry slices and add ice cubes as desired.
- Serve.