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Friday, May 29, 2015

Bake Along #79 My Mother-In-Law's Madeira Cake (Nigella Lawson)

Like others, I'm also curious about the story behind the name of this cake
I found out that this cake's recipe is from Nigella Lawson's mother in law
It's typically an English tea cake served with Portuguese wine called Madeira, very popular during the early days

Easy to make, it's a typical fool proof butter cake. Well actually it's lighter than butter cake. It's like a cross between butter and sponge cake. Very nice with a lemony taste in every bite. I like it with a cup of hot tea. I wish I could try it with madeira wine :)


 

Recipe is from HERE

What you need:
(below is half recipe)

120g butter, room temperature
100g caster sugar
zest of 1 small lemon
2 medium eggs
30ml juice of lemon
105g self raising flour
45g plain flour
more caster sugar for sprinkling (I didn't use)

Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 170degC. Grease and line 1 standard size loaf pan
  2. Cream butter and sugar til light. Add in lemon zest and beat for awhile
  3. Add in egg one at a time followed by both flour alternating with lemon juice til well mixed
  4. Pour batter in the pan, sprinkle caster ugar if using, and bake for 45mins 
  5. Remove from oven when skewer test comes out clean, remove from pan and let cool in the cooling rack

 
 


Saturday, May 16, 2015

Bake Along #78 No Bake Mango Cheesecake

This gonna be my last cheesecake contribution for Bake Along 4th birthday, happened to be the last day of submission too LOL
No bake cheesecake is a yummy refreshing dessert I love. DH loves this too over the baked version, even though his number 1 preference is still Japanese cheesecake :)


Argh! I always made a mess of the base crust :)


Recipe is from Cynthia from The Baking Biatch

What you need:

Base:
180g digestive biscuits (or marie biscuits)
80g melted unsalted butter

Cheesecake:
250g cream cheese (I used light cream cheese), room temperature
75g castor sugar
250g mango yoghurt
100g water
2.5tbsp gelatin powder
100g fresh mango cubes

Jelly topping:
125g mango puree from fresh mango
125g water
25g castor sugar
1 tsp gelatin

Method:
  1. Cut biscuits into small pieces and pulse in food processor til formed crumbs. Add in melted butter and pulse 1-2 times til well combined. Press the crumbs into a round spring form pan (I used 20cm) and refrigerate
  2. Prepare the cheesecake by mixing water and gelatin, stirring well before warming it up in microwave for about 15secs (til just warm)
  3. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar over low speed til mixed and creamy. Add in cooled gelatin mixture and mix well. Add in yoghurt, and mix well
  4. Add in mango cubes and fold into the batter
  5. Pour onto the pan over the crust and keep in the freezer for about 2hours
  6. Prepare jelly topping by mixing all ingredients in a small pot over medium fire and bring to boil, stir continuously. Pour over the cheesecake in the pan, put back in the freezer for about 30mins or so
  7. Remove cheesecake from freezer. Using the back of a paring knife, run through the sides of the pan. Release the spring form pan and decorate the cake as desired with fresh fruits brushed with diluted jam for extra shine (and drool LOL) (I skipped this part as I am a lazy cake decorator haha)

 
 
 
 
 


I'm also submitting this post to the Best Recipes for Everyone May 2015 Event (Theme: My Favourite Desserts) organized by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and co-hosted by Aunty Young. Link is HERE
 
 
 
And lastly, this post is also linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (May 2015: YOGURT) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Cheryl of Baking Taitai

Friday, May 15, 2015

Bake Along #78 Nutella Swirled Cheesecake with Nutella Fudge Sauce

Another cheesecake for Bake Along 4th birthday! :)
I love cheesecakes (read: I love ALL cakes) LOL. Give me any kind, I will eat it, be it baked or non bake cheesecake or Japanese cheesecake
But if I had to list down in order, the first in the list would be baked cheesecake, the creamy sinful type..yum! :)
I was drooling the first time I saw this cheesecake in CafĂ© Delites by Karina. In fact, almost all of her creations intrigue me. Not to forget how the beautiful photography skill she has which always manages to make me feel like licking my computer or tablet or hp screen LOL
Also knowing that she always tries to make an indulgence healthier, with all the nutrition facts included, it helps me to eat them with lesser guilt haha..
Anyway, I decided to give it a try, and look at this...


All the yummilicious factor is in the pic below, no explanation needed
 
 
 
Okay, now wipe your drool and read the recipe LOL
 
What you need:
(below is half recipe)
 
Base:
12 Oreo cookies, discard the filling
2 tbsp. virgin coconut oil
 
Cheesecake:
250g light cream cheese
150g light Greek yoghurt
2 eggs
1/4 cup caster sugar (I wanted to use Stevia but not too sure with the amount since Stevia is much sweeter than regular sugar)
1 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tbsp orange zest (I skipped)
1/2 tbsp vanilla paste
30g Nutella, warmed in the microwave for 30 secs
 
Nutella hot fudge sauce:
40g Nutella
2 tbsp chocolate milk (original recipe used regular milk)
 
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 180degC. Grease a round springform pan (I only have 20cm size, so I used this, hence the short cake haha). Keep refrigerated
  2. Put oreo in the food processor til formed crumbs. Add in oil and pulse for a few times til well mixed
  3. Combine cream cheese, yoghurt, eggs, sugar in a bowl. Beat over low speed til smooth and creamy
  4. Add corn starch, orange zest if using and vanilla, beat til smooth and well combined for about 2mins
  5. Pour cheesecake over the oreo base and spoon the warmed Nutella onto the cheesecake. Using chopstick, make swirled pattern
  6. Bake for about 30-40mins until just set in the centre and the top lightly browned
  7. Remove from oven and leave it in the pan for about 15mins. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour before serving
  8. Make the fudge sauce by mixing Nutella and chocolate milk in a small bowl. Microwave for about 30secs and mix well. Consistency should be a little runny
  9. Just before serving, arrange strawberries on top (or any other preferred fruits of your choice) and drizzle the sauce over it
 
I can eat plain just like this..
 
 
 
But eating the complete set with strawberries and the fudge sauce is the ultimate heaven! :)



 
 
I'm also submitting this post to the Best Recipes for Everyone May 2015 Event (Theme: My Favourite Desserts) organized by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and co-hosted by Aunty Young. Link is HERE

 
 
And lastly, this post is also linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (May 2015: YOGURT) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Cheryl of Baking Taitai
 

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Bake Along #78 3 Ingredients Souffle Japanese Cheesecake

Oh! Bake Along is 4! How time flies! This year we celebrate with cheesecakes!
This easy 3 ingredients soufflé Japanese cheesecake has been pretty popular and tried by quite a number of bakers
Original recipe is from Ochikeron, one of You Tubers I like and subscribe :)


Somehow my top didn't brown enough. I guess I should have put the pan a little higher in the oven during baking or perhaps need to bake longer in my oven. Should try again :)

 
 
But regardless of that, this cake is really yummy. Light, moist, melt in the mouth and a very nice balance between the taste of the cream cheese and white chocolate. FYI, I'm not a fan of white chocolate. I am a dark chocolate eater. But I love this cake :)
 
 
 
What you need:
 
125g cream cheese, softened (I used Philadelphia light cream cheese)
120g white chocolate (I used Cadbury brand)
3 large eggs, cold
 
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 170degC. Line the sides of 6" round pan with oiled parchment paper
  2. Separate egg yolks from the whites
  3. Put chopped white chocolate in a bowl and melt in double boiler using a very hot water, mix til smooth. Add in cream cheese and mix well. Add in egg yolks and stir well
  4. In another bowl, beat egg whites til firm peak. Mix 1/3 of the whites to the yolks mixture til well incorporated
  5. Add in the remaining whites and fold in gently til mixed
  6. Pour batter into the pan and water bath for 15 mins. After 15mins reduce temperature to 160degC and bake for further 15mins. Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven for another 15mins
  7. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan before transferring to cake container
  8. Chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving
  9. Just before serving, sieve icing sugar over the cake. Slice and serve

A bite for you?



This post is for Bake Along, an event organised by Joyce from Kitchen FlavoursLena from Frozen Wings and Zoe from Bake For Happy Kids

 
 
 
 
I'm also submitting this post to the Best Recipes for Everyone May 2015 Event (Theme: My Favourite Desserts) organized by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and co-hosted by Aunty Young. Link is HERE

 

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Moist Double Chocolate Muffins

Do you like how the name sounds? I do definitely. I mean, who likes dry muffin?
So, I gave this easy recipe a try and yes, this gonna be one of my favourite muffin recipe, or the only one? I can survive with only one recipe of chocolate muffin if that has to be this one!
Soft, moist and chocolaty equal delicious yummy muffin. I need nothing else. Oh, perhaps one more thing. Coffee, please! :)


 
 
Recipe is from Sharon of Delishar
 
What you need:
 
2 cups all purpose flour (original recipe used 1 cup wholemeal and 1 cup plain flour)
3/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
1 tsp espresso powder (I used Nescafe Gold)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup Greek yoghurt (I used light)
1 egg
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp fresh milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used rice bran)
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
more chocolate chips for topping
 
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 180degC. Line muffin pan
  2. Add in flour, sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips. Whisk well in a large bowl
  3. In another bowl, whisk well yoghurt, egg, milk, oil and vanilla
  4. Pour wet to dry ingredients. Mix with spatula til just combined when the batter is lumpy. Do not overmix!
  5. Spoon batter into the muffin liners (I spooned about 1/4 heaped cup for each muffin). Sprinkle chocolate chips on top
  6. Bake for 20mins til skewer comes out with few moist crumbs
  7. Let cool slightly in the pan for about 10mins and then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely
 
 

Can you see how moist this muffin is? *drool*
 
 
 
This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (May 2015: YOGURT) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Cheryl of Baking Taitai
 
 

Friday, May 8, 2015

Choco Banana Overnight Oats

It's been awhile since the last time I had overnight oats for my breakfast. At the same time, I wanted something chocolaty. And I had some overripe bananas
Browsing through some overnight oats recipes, and I chose one from Mind Over Munch


After spending a night in the fridge, this yummy breakfast is ready :)
 


Yum yum... A very filling breakfast I didn't touch anything to munch til about 2.30pm when I had my late lunch :)
 


What you need:

1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup light coconut milk (I used homemade almond milk)
1/2 banana, mashed (I used 1 medium size banana)
3 tbsp Greek yogurt (I used light)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut (I skipped)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp stevia, honey or sweetener of choice to taste (I used coconut nectar)
 
Method:
  1. Mix well all ingredients in a mason jar, or any glass jar
  2. Refrigerate overnight
  3. The next morning, serve cold as breakfast
 
Adding in roasted cashew and sweet cacao nibs is a great idea
 


Plus some fresh strawberries is even better!



This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (May 2015: YOGURT) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Cheryl of Baking Taitai

Thursday, May 7, 2015

2 Ingredients Pizza Crust

2 ingredients? No knead? No proofing? What's not to like?
And it does work! It yields great pizza base! Delicious even my fussy Ian had no complain at all :)
So happy to find this recipe. This definitely is going to be in use in regular basis as my kids love pizza! Now I can make pizza anytime in shortest time :)


Yummy Hawaiian pizza ready to be served :)
 


Come bite me! :)
 
 
 
 
What you need:
 
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup natural or Greek yoghurt
 
Method:
  1. Combine both ingredients to form a soft dough (it's sticky so using mixer or bread machine for about 10mins is recommended)
  2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface, lightly dust the dough with flour, divide into portions and shape into round pizza
  3. Place on lined baking sheet, put topping as desired and bake in preheated oven of 200degC for 15-20mins



This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (May 2015: YOGURT) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Cheryl of Baking Taitai