Steamed Banana Cake 1

Hi, I know I have been missing for awhile from here. Wait ! No! It's actually quite long. It's actually more than a year ago to be precise. Life has been to busy for the last year and it's going to be busy for the next 6 months.

Before I posted my last post last year Bailey's Cake (As easy as ABC), I took out Kickboxing and Muay Thai classes which then lead to Strengthening and Kettlebell Classes and also Yoga. This activities of mine plus work and social gathering took out most of my time. Although I did cook at that time but I find it difficult to find time to update my blog. Since my last post, I have also moved house, my boyfriend decided to propose and I have just recently got married legally (5 days ago) with wedding reception to follow in  December and I have to say planning for a wedding is as good as a full time job not to mention about the worries and stress.

So there's the summary of the reason that cause my absence from my blog. I would also like to this opportunity to thanks my blog viewers for your support regardless of my absence. I am truly touch.

With this let's move on to my first post for 2013 or first post as a married women :) "Steamed Banana Cake". This cake is simple and minimum tools are used.

Ingredients:-

170g Butter (I used salted butter)
170g Sugar (I used castor sugar)
4 Eggs (I like to leave the eggs to room temperature) - Beaten

300g Banana (Without skin) - Mashed

260g Self Raising flour (If you only have plain flour on hand - use 250g plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder or baking soda) - Sifted

1/8 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Banana Essence (Optional)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence (Optional)

Methods:-

1. Melt butter and sugar in the pot big enough to accommodate the rest of the ingredients above if you are trying to minimize cleaning later on. Make sure the butter and sugar dissolves over low heat. Set aside for the mixture to cool down.

2. Meanwhile,you can grease the cake pan (I greased mine with butter. You can use vegetable oil or line it with baking paper), beat the eggs, mashed the banana and sift the mixture of self raising flour and salt. I only use fork to beat the eggs and mashed the bananas. Remember to heat up the steamer too.

3. Once the mixture cool down a little (cool enough to the extend where it does not cook the egg), add in beaten eggs and mix it well and then followed by mashed banana. Mix well.

4. Fold in mixture of sifted self raising flour and salt in 3 additions. Remember to fold only in one direction.

5.  Pour the cake batter into the greased pan. Make sure the water in the steamer is boiling before you put in the cake pan. Steam on high for 40 minutes. You may need more than 40 minutes or less that 40 minutes. To make sure test with the tester, if the comes out clean the the cake is ready. In my case I use knife. My tester is no where to be found.

6. Once the cake is done remove it from the steamer, let it cool down for awhile before turning out onto cooling rack. Let cool a little bit more before you cut it into pieces.


TIPS: 

Be careful when you remove the steamer lid so that the water on the lid does not drop on to the cake surface. I just remove it as fast as could without tilting it. I then wipe the surface (watery part) of the lid before I put it back on.
 

Pineapple Tarts

OK! I know Chinese New Year has long gone and here I am sharing the Chinese New Year 'staple' cookies. Never too late and who says you can only make Pineapple Tart for Chinese New Year? ;p... I will make this everyday and distribute it to my friends of I ever have the time to do so.

First of all, in order to make the pineapple tart of course we need to make pineapple jam first. Pineapple here is expensive so I turn to canned pineapple instead. One good thing about canned pineapple is that it is for sure ripe and sweet... hehe.. So, here's the ingredients and steps you need to make pineapple jam.

Pineapple Jam

Ingedients:

• 2 large canned pineapple ( Can't remember how heavy mine was 700g perhaps)
• 10 tablespoon sugar (Adjust according to your taste. Usually amount of sugar is equavalent to amount of pineapple pulp. Eg: 1 cup sugar to 1 cup pineapple pulp )
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
• 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with 1 teaspoon water
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Steps:

1. Drain canned pineapple slices and squeeze out the juices using hands. Blends the pineapple until fine, about 10 seconds. If you do not have blender than hand chopped the pineapples.
2. Using medium heat, cook pineapple, lemon and sugar until most liquid evaporated and the filling turn golden. Remember to constantly stir the filing so that it doensn't burn. 
3. Add more sugar as needed.
4. Mix cornflour with water and pour into the filling to thicken it.
5. Then, let it cool in the fridge.

While waiting for the jam to cool, we move to making the pastry/tart.

Pastry/Tart

Ingredients:-

• 2 1/2 cups plain flour
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 - 6 tbsp icing sugar
• 225 grams butter, soften the butter at room tempreture
• 2 egg yolks, room tempreture

• 1 egg yolk (lightly beaten for egg wash)

Steps:

1. Sieve plain flour, corn flour, salt and icing sugar in a mixing bowl. 
2. Add in butter that are already soften in room tempreture and egg yolks.
3. Knead to form the dough.

NOW, it's time to put everything together. 

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree celcius.
2. Prepare baking tray and line with baking sheet.
3. Divide the dough and jam to 24 equal rounds. If you want to make a smaller size pineapple tart then feel free to make it into smaller rounds which may sum out to 30 equal rounds.
4. Flatten the pastry dough with the palm and put the pineapple filling in the middle and use the dough to cover the fiiling. Use your palm to shape into roll (what ever length you desire) and use fork to make criss cross pattern on the tart/roll.
5.  Then, place in the prepared baking tray. Put 1 inch apart. Once the baking tray is full, brush the tart with egg wash and bake in preheated oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until light brown.

The Jam

Apple and Glazed Cherries Cake

Ta-Daa....In the midst of my business end of last year I decided to baked this cake but never have the chance to post it. This is a ONE delicious cake. I serve it warm with cream. However, you can also serve it with vanilla ice cream. Well, I like vanilla ice cream so naturally I suggest vanilla ice cream to pair with most of the dessert. The steps and ingredient may look or sound complicated but trust me it is a easy cake to assemble and delicious and one is never enough.

Ingredients:-

• 454g red apples, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 tbsp freshly squeeze lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cup self raising flour
• 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 85g butter, melted
• 2 eggs, room tempreture and lightly beaten
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp chopped glazed cherries
• Glaze: 1/3 cup marmalade or apricot jam

Steps:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree celcius. Grease baking pan and line with baking paper.
2. Peel, core and coarsely chop apples. Toss with 1-2 tbsp lemon juice so that the apple doesn't turn black.
3. Using electric mixer, combine SR flour, sugar, salt and ground cinnamon if you use any. 
4. Then, add melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract into the flour mixture. Beat until fully incorporated.
5. Fold in chopped glazed cherries and chopped apples. 
6. Add in milk if the batter is thick and make sure it is mixed well. 
7. Transfer the batter into prepared pan, lightly tap on the table to get rid of the air pocket and smooth the top.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and the tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. 
9. Remove from oven and put on wire rack to cool.
10. While the cake is still warm prepare the glaze. Place jam in a saucepan and warm over medium heat until liquid. Remove from heat and strain to get rid of fruit lumps. Then, use pastry brush and spread the warm jam over apple cake.

I serve the apple cake with cream. Pour 250ml in a large bowl (refrigerate the bowl to cool before that) and beat  until soft peak form.

Orange Choc Swirl Cake

This is a wonderfully flavoured and cottony soft cake. I used concentrated orange juice and orange zest to get the orange taste, smell and flavour.

Ingredients:-

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 240g (1 cup) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups self-raising flour
• juice of 1/2 an orange (make up about 1/3 cup orange juice)
• zest of 1/2 an orange or more
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 

Methods:-

1. Pre heat oven to 160 degree celcius. Grease or line baking tin with baking paper. 
2. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then add butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy using electric mixer over high speed.
3. Add milk and fold in flour alternately in 3 times, starting and ending with flour. Only add after each addition is well combine.
4. Divide mixture into two equally. In first batch of mixture, add orange juice and orange zest and mix well. Into second bath mixture, add cocoa powder and mix well. 
5. Pour the mixture into baking tin. This part is totally up to you. You can pour the one with orange mixture and then cocoa powder mixture and gently stir with skewer to get a marble effect OR pour then alternately in 2 batches for each mixture then stir gently with skewer for marble effect. 
6. Then, pop into preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes for cupcake size and 30 minutes for large size cake or bake until the tester comes out clean. 
7. Allow to cool before transering to wire rack.

Ever Versatile Butter Cake

I have been missing the good old fashion butter cake lately, which is light, fluffy and buttery. I still have some mixed berries purees so I decided to make marbled way butter cake by adding mixed berries puree with the cake batter. To my total disappointment although I really like the puree's marbling effect, the cake doesn't turn as tasty as I want it to be. So, two days later, I tried baking with another butter cake recipe and marbled with cocoa powder and this time the cake turns out perfect as I want it to be. Although the first recipe does not turn out great but you still adopt its puree marbling effect. Please be reminded that all ingredients below should be at room temperature.

Ingredients:-

• 3 eggs, separate the white and yolk
• 125g butter
• 1 cup sugar (I use white sugar) 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup self raising flour, sift with 1/4 tsp salt (I use half half because I run out of self raising flour)
• 120ml milk
• 3/4 tsp lemon juice

Method:-

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree celcius. Line pan with baking paper, grease and lightly floured. 
2. Separate egg yolk and white in two different bowl.
3. By using electric mixer, beat butter until soft and add in 3/4cup of sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add yolk one at a time and beat well after each addition. Scrape the side and add in vanilla extract and beat until well combined. 
4. Fold in flour mixture and milk, in 3 addition alternately. Combined well after each addition. Then, set the batter aside.
5. In  another clean mixing bowl, beat egg white until foamy and add in lemon juice. Continue beating until soft peak form. Then, gradually add in the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold a little of the whites/meringue into the batter to lighten it, and then, fold in the remaining white/meringue till well combine. Do not over mix because the white will deflate. It is alright to have some white streak left. 
7. To get the marble effect: (1) scope 3 tbsp batter and mix with 30ml mixed berries puree; (2) mix 3 tsp cocoa powder with 1 tsp hot water, then, scope 2 tbsp batter and mix with the cocoa mixture, dollop on to the remaining batter and swirl with fork OR (3) mix 6 tsp cocoa powder with 2 tsp hot water, divide batter into 2 parts and add the cocoa mixture in one of the part, assemble them. For modest original butter cake, skip the marbling steps.
8. Pop into preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes (depending on your oven) or until the tester comes out clean. 
9. Cool cake in their pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, the remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

after swirling

The one with mixed berries puree

American Fresh Strawberry Muffins (Bread-Like)

CookBook Challenge Week 48: Bread 

I felt very energetic this morning despite of loosing an hour of my sleep due to the day light saving. Since the wheather gets better and suns started to shine, I felt good and energetic. I am so powered by sun. In fact I even did the make-up and stuff (complete make up which I don't do on weekend) just to go to Victoria Garden Shopping Centre for Mr.J phone signing, magazine grabbing and K-mart-ing. OH YA! I bought a green rubber spatula which only cost me $2.. hehe.. Green is not my preference colour. I did wish they have pink or purple but it's just $2 so 'just grab it and go', I told myself and I even planned to make some fancy dessert today. But now I am feeling awfully tired, demotivated and annoyed. Feeling a lil sick and the sorethroat is killing me. Could it be because I stayed too long under the sun in St.Kilda yesterday or because I was really hyperactive this morning or simply because I am just lack of stamina due to excessive hibernation in winter? And my fancy dessert plan???? emmm, let's just change to something simpler.. Strawberry muffins? I still have some fresh strawberry in chiller :)

So, just to clarify that this is an American Muffins where chemical leavener (bicarb soda or baking powder) is use. The texture is more like a cross between bread and cake. American muffin can be further divided in to bread-like (fat in liquid form) where it contain lesser sugar and butter, while cake-like (butter in room tempreture creamed with sugar)  has more sugar and butter content.

The following recipe is a bread like muffin because it only takes less than 45 minutes from preparation  to baking and go into my stomach. So, it is a quick bread. Do not over mix the mixture when you pour the wet ingredient into dry ingredient. Don't worry about the lumps because it will dissappear during baking. OK, let's bake.

Make 12 medium size muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (about 250g) hulled and bite sized fresh strawberry
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar (caster or white doesn't matter)
• 65ml oil ( I use half melted butter and half canola oil because I want to finish up the butter)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 125 ml milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 3/4 cup self raising flour
• 1/8 tsp bicarbonate soda/baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Methods:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius make sure the rack is at the centre of the oven. Grease muffin pan with butter or oil.
2. Sprinkle and mix bite sized fresh strawberries with 1 1/2tbsp of sugar in a bowl. Set aside. If the strawberries that you use is sweet enough, then you can either skip this step or reduce the sugar.
3. Melt butter and set aside. In my case melt butter top up with cooking oil to reach 65ml and set aside.
4. Pour out 1/2 cup of milk in a bowl and add in lemon juice. Mix. Set aside and let it curdle.
5. In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and milk mixture. Add in melted butter mixture and stir to combine. 
6. In another large mixing bowl, combine SR flour, baking soda and salt. Gently fold in strawberries mixture, make sure they are all coated with flour. This is to avoid the strawberries from sinking during baking. Add the brown sugar mixture into SR flour mixture. Stir until the ingredients are just combine. Approx 10 strokes.
7. Fill each  muffin cups to 3/4 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Dome and light weight

Black Forest Trifle

CookBook Challenge Week 46: Cup

Trifle consist of layer of cake which should be at the bottom of a trifle, followed by alcohol, fruit, jam/puree/sauce, custard, whipped cream and decorations. You are free to create your own trifle, use whatever cake, fruit, jam and cream around you. There's not specific requirement for the type of cake you use, alcohol, type of fruits, jam/puree/sauce, custard, whipped cream and decorations.

Let's start with types of cake that can be used. Commonly, (1) cakes that are use for the bottom layer are sponge cake, pound cake, ladyfingers, macaroons, genoise or even crushed biscuits. If you would like to have thicker layer bottom, feel free to sandwich two pieces of cake with jam or puree. Once the bottom layer is put in the bowl/glass, pour in (2) spirit or sprinkle over the cake. This layer is totally optional. The amount of spirit is depend on how strong you want it to be. If you would love to add generous amount of spirit make sure the cake you use are able to absorb that amount, usually, few days old cake may do the trick. Commonly used alcohol are sherry, rum, white wine or liqueurs. (3) The fruit layer. You can use cut up fresh or canned fruits stone fruits preferably. If you don't feel or don't have any of them, no worries, leave them out and jump to (4) jam/puree/sauce of strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, etc or combination of these. Next (5) the custard layer or alternatively pastry cream. I replaces custard layer and the alternative altogether with whipped cream. Besides whipped cream, you can also use lemon curd, mascarpone cheese, lemon juice or chocolate ganache. If you did not use whipped cream for this layer, you have the choice to top it with whipped cream or not. If the size of trifle bowl or glass that you use allows, you may do the second layer of cake, spirit, fruit, jam/puree/sauce, custard layer or cream to fill the bowl.  Keep in mind that the layers are suppose to look uneven or even mix altogether. Finally, (6) decorations for trifles or better known as toppings. You can use whatever you like from fresh or candied  or canned fruits, crushed cookies, nuts, crushed cereal or shave chocolate. Since I use brownies for this particular trifle, I decided to sprinkle crumbed brownies (brownies top) and canned fruit. The assembled trifle is covered and refrigerate for minimum of 8 hours to 24 hours for the flavour to mingle. 

*Step 3 and 4 can be exchange*

Though a simple dessert to make,  trifle look gorgeous with its beautiful layer, colours and textures.Although typical trifle is serves in a large deep bowl but I prefer an individual size trifle. It is make in a deep bowl so that all layers are thick. Ideally, bowls should be flat sided than sloping and should be a glass or even better crystal to show of the layers.

Black Forest Trifle

The black forest trifle has the same component as black forest cake. I use chocolate brownies instead of chocolate sponge because I still have some left over chocolate brownies. Feel free to buy them from store is you doesn't have the left over or short of time.

Layers of Black Forest Trifle: chocolate brownies, canned stoneless black cherries, mixed berries puree and whipped cream. Repeat the layers again the topped with crumb brownies, crushed cereal and a cherry.

Ingredients:-

(i) Chocolate Brownies.

• Click here. Leave out the dried fruits if your are looking for plain chocolate brownies. 

(ii) Canned Stoneless Black Cherries in syrup

• 415g or more

(iii) Mixed Berries Puree/sauce - will make approximately 2 cups

• 500g unsweetened frozen mixed berries
• 1 cup castor sugar or to taste
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice (optional)

(iv) Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cup thicken cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp castor sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

 (v) Topping/Garnish

• Crumbed brownies, crushed cereal and black cherry

Methods:

(i) Chocolate Brownies:

1. Bake chocolate brownies according to directions. Let it cool. 
2. Cut brownies into desire size to fit into trifle glass or bowl.

ii) Canned Stoneless Black Cherries in syrup 

1. Drain the juice
2. 3/4 of cherries mix in puree and the remaining cherries save for topping or garnish

(iii) Mixed Berries Puree/Sauce: Make approximately 2 cups

1. Thaw the frozen mixed berries in a large fine meshed strainer suspended over a medium size saucepan. Once the berries are completely thawed, gently pressing the berries with back of the spoon to force the juice out. All that should remain in the strainer is the mixed berries seeds.
2. Throw away the seeds. 
3. To the strained juice, add castor sugar, cornstach, salt, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Stir until smooth. Place saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sauce thicken. Add more sugar as needed. Remove from heat and add the (ii) drained stoneless black berries. 
4. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

(iv) Whipped Cream

1. Whipped the cream until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla extract, continue to whip until stiff peaks form.

To Assemble Black Forest Trifle: Place the amount of brownie you need or about a handful if you cut into bite size in the bottom of each trifle individual glass.Next, spoon about 2 tsp of mixed berries puree on the brownies. Then, place 2 - 3 or more cherries which already been mixed into the puree on top. For the next layer, place a large dollop of whipped cream. Repeat the layers starting with brownies. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to 24 hours to allow the flavour to mingle. Sprinkle some crumbed brownies, crushes cerealn and place a black cherry on top before serving

Makes about 9 to 10  of   (275ml) glass.

TIPS:-

• If you do not have frozen mixed berries or any berries at home for the puree - reserve the syrup of canned stoneless black cherries. Place the syrup in a saucepan along with sugar (1 tbsp or to taste) and simmer until the syrup is syrupy. Remove from heat and add drained black cherries. 
• If you do not have canned cherries syrup and frozen mixed berries puree - lightly heat up the appropriate amount of mixed berries jam or any jam you have in hand jam for easy spreading. Just skip the whole step of adding fruits to the trifle. However, you may not be able to call this Black Forest Trifle anymore :)
• What do I do to leftover mixed berries puree : simply pour over ice cream, frozen yogurt or other suitable dessert for quick dessert. Mix into milkshake. Accompaniment for variety of plated dessert. It can also be used to make mixed berries flavour whipped cream.
• Why use frozen fruit/berries : Frozen fruits/berries is use because it is available year round and at reasonable price. I prefer unsweetened frozen fruits/berries because of the excellent and constant flavour. Frozen fruits/berries can also be kept in the freezer for several months and been use whenever we need them. Their puree can be kept in refrigerator for a week and can also be frozen for several months. 

Half way thru forcing the juice out

Almost done!

This is how canned cherries look like

Fruity Chocolate Brownies

The brownie first appear in public during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. This dessert was created for ladies attending the fair. It should be smaller than apiece of cake and easily eaten from boxed lunches. The brownies is sliced from a type of dense, rich chocolate cake, which is in texture like a cross between a cake and a cookie. They can be either fudgy or cakey depending on their density. Nuts, chocolate chips or dried fruits may also be include in.

So, back to this brownies. This is a brownie with dry cracked crust, so don't worry when you see those cracks. Those cracks are the symbol of your success.. he he.. :D. Besides the dry cracked crust, this beauty has a wonderful moist texture and deep chocolate flavours of course.. emm.. fudgy or cakey, you ask me.. I would say cross of fudgy and cakey. Why you should try this brownies recipe? It only uses 1 bowl and a hand whisk or spatula.

Baking brownies can be a challenge too. Unlike cake, you don't want the tester to come out clean. If the tester comes out clean, then, that means you have overbake the brownies. So, please use baking time stated as a guide only and test your brownies (in the centre) few minutes before end time. Your brownies are done when the tester still has a little batter sticking to it.


Ingredients:-

• 225g milk chocolate, chopped
• 120g butter, cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, room tempreture
• 2/3 cup (95g) plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup mixed dried fruits or more 

Methods:-

1. Preheat oven at to 180 degree celcius. Grease and line baking paper a 20cm square pan. 
2. Melt the chocolate pieces and butter in a alrge stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan with simmering water. 
3. Once the chocolate and butter have melted, remove from heat at stir in cocoa powder and sugar.
4. Next, whisk in vanilla extract and egg, one at a time. beat well after each addition. 
5. Then, stir in flour, salt and dried mixed fruits. 
6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until the tester inserted in the centre comes out with a few crumbs attached.
7. Remove from oven and let it cool at wire rack. 
8. Serve at room tempreture or chilled. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

TIPS:

• Although the recipe call for adding mixed dried fruits you could substitute with chopped nuts or chocolate chips.

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Have you ever had yogurt cake before? I have not had one before until today. Wow!! It is delicious and addictive. The structure is moist and have this creamy feeling. So, why did I came to make strawberry yogurt cake? After realising that I have a really stuffed chiller, I decided to do some clean up and that's when I stumble upon my 1 kg of strawberry 99% fat free yogurt which will expire tomorrow. So, i began to so some searching online for the recipes and I found yogurt cake. It is not a very simple journey actually. Ivery recipe seems to have their on measurement and ingredient. So, I decided to do some mix and match and work out the ratio. Guess what? It works.

Here's the recipe.

Ingredients:-

• a handful of fresh strawberry, rinse and diced (optional)
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 125g butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 250ml strawberry yogurt 
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1/3 cup cornflour
• 1/8 tsp bicarb soda/baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Preheat oveb to 170 degree celcius. Grease or lay cake/loaf pan with baking paper.
2. Diced fresh strawberries and set aside. 
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy over high speed.
4. Add in vanilla extract and eggs. One at a time. Beat for another minute or so. 
5. Add in yogurt and beat for another minute. Remove the electric mixer.
6. Then, stir in the mixture of sifted self raising flour, cornflour, baking soda and salt. Half cup at a time. Stir until the flour mixture until is well incorporated before you add in another batch.
7. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared pan, mix in fresh strawberry into remaining batter. Mix. Pour into pan. 
8. Pop into the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the tester comes out clean.
9. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and remove from pan to cool completely. 

TIPS:

• To avoid curdle cake batter, all ingredients should be at room temperature.
• Feel free to substitute strawberry yogurt with any other fruit yogurt

Strongbow Sponge Cupcake with Apple and Rose Cream

CookBook Challenge - Week 40

Just in case you have not known Strongbow is a genuine apple cider beer. I used the original version of strongbow and it contain 5% of alcohol.

Make about 11 medium sized cupcakes.

Strongbow Cupcake

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 1/8 cup self raising flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp baking soda OR 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup strongbow
• 1 tsp rosewater essence

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree celcius and place cupcake cup in the baking pan.
2. Whisk 4 eggs and caster sugar until fluffy and light over high speed,
3. Sift self raising flour and baking soda. Add in egg mixture in 2 batches. Stir and mix well as you go.
4. Add strongbow and rosawater essence. Mix well. 
5. Pour mixture into cupcake cases and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. 

Apple and Rose Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup thickened cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp rose essence
• 2 tbsp apple cider

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredient together and whip until it reaches soft peaks form.

TIPS:

• Cold mixing bowl and whisk make iteasier to whipped the cream . Pop mixing bowl and hand whisk in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes or until very cold.

Pear Galettes with Honey Whipped Cream

Galettes is a general term use in French to designate various types of flat, round or freeform crusty cake. It is also known as french crepes with savoury or sweet filling.

Pear Galettes

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet ready rolled frozen puff pastry, thawed and quartered
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash) 
• 1 Bocs pear, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries (optional)
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• icing sugar (to dust)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven at 200 degree celcius.
2. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Place quartered pastry on tray sprinkle evenly with cornflour and brown sugar. 
3. Roll edges in on 2 sides to form a 1.5cm border and brush edges with egg.
4. Arrange the pear slightly overlapping and top with berries over the pastry. Brush the pear slices and berries with melted butter and sprinkle caster sugar on galette.
5. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until pastry is puffed, golden and juice are bubbling. 
6. Dust with icing sugar and serve with honey whipped cream.

All done.. waiting for cream

Honey Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy/thicken cream
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Beat heacy cream until thickened.
2. Add honey and vanilla extract.
3. Continue beating until it reaches the consistency you that desire or until soft form peak.

With cream... yummy...

TIPS:

• You may use any other pear or other fruits which is suitable for baking
• Feel free to use fresh berries

Caramelized Orange Upside-Down Cake

Presentation: This is a one pretty cake. No worries on glazing or frosting or decor.
Taste: pleasant and fresh due to the caramel and orangy flavour.

Ingredients:-

Caramelized Orange Topping

• 2 oranges,  thinnly sliced crosswise
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water

For the Cake 

• 150g butter, softened
• 3/4 - 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, room tempreture
• 1 cup self raising
• 1/4 cup cornflour
• 1/4 cup orange juice

Instructions:-

1. To make caramelised orange topping: Rinse 2 oranges. Cut off and discard ends. then cut crosswise into thin slices. Place sugar and water in frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the oranges and simmer until liquid is almost gone and oranges are slightly caramelised. This will take about 10 - 15 minutes. Transfer to round baking pan, slightly overlap orange slices in concentric circle over syrup and chill until thickened.
2. Preheat oven at 180 degree celcius.
3. In the mean time, prepare the cake batter. Cream butter and sugar until its light and fluffy. Start beating on low speed the gradually increase the speed. Once the butter mixture is light and fluffy, add in egg one at a time. Beat until smooth. Then,  stir in corn flour and half of self raising flour until just incorporated. Stir in orange juice then remaining self raising flour until just incorporated. Carefully scrape batter over orange slices in baking pan and spread level. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked when tested with skewer. Remove from oven and let it stand for 5 minutes. 
4. Run thin knife between pan sides and cake (this step may not be necessary because chances are the cake may pull away from pan side when its cook). Hold a flat plate over baking pan and invert to release cake.
5. Serve warm or cold.

Tips:-

• Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream
• Preheat oven for at least 15 minutes before you put in cake batter. It will help your cake to rise further.

Longan Pork Ribs

I actually quite surprise that some of my friends don't know what Longan is. I guess probably we all call it differently. Longan is call mata kucing in malay and kelengkeng in indonesia. I can't write in chinese therefore there is no way I could name them in chinese. While literally, the direct translation from chinese is 'dragon eye'. Longan is sweet, juicy and succulent. It is often use in East Asian soup, desserts either fresh, dried or in canned syrup.

Ingredients:-

• 500g pork ribs
• 1 canned longan, drain and reserve syrup in a pot/saucepan
• 2 cloves garlic, remove skin and pressed
• 2 dried chillies
• 3/4 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp thick and dark soy sauce (Thick Caramel Sauce)-available at asian grocery
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• some sugar (I added 1/2 tsp)

So, now what do you do the ingredients? this is really easy...

1. Add garlic, dried chillies, vinegar, thick caramel sauce and soy sauce into the pot/saucepan which you reserved syrup from canned longan earlier on. Stir and mix well. Then, add in pork ribs. Make sure all ribs are covered by the liquid.
2. Bring all the ingredient above to boil, then lower the heat and simmer with lid on. This will take about 30 - 40 minutes or until meat is tender.
3. Once the meat is tender, keep at the simmering mode but remove the cover. This will take about 10 minutes or so or until the sauce is thicken.
4. Taste. Add in sugar and soy sauce to suit you taste.
5. Finally, mix in longan and cook for 1-2 minutes. 
6. And then... taa-daaaa .... serve hot.

......This recipe is on its way to Week 97-PORK of Blogger Secret Ingredient...