Chocolate Chocolate Chips Buttermilk Pancakes

Now that it's school holiday time, the kids have more time to have breakfast
This is just a twist I made for the usual pancake... I added cocoa powder and chocolate emulco
Recipe is from Martha Stewart
This is a good recipe that makes fluffy and soft pancake, but I should have made it thicker in order to taste more of the fluffiness, but still no complain, it's delicious

What you need:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

2 tsps cocoa powder

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

2 tsps chocolate emulco

some chocolate chips to sprinkle

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and sugar in a medium bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, chocolate emulco and butter; whisk to combine. Batter should have small to medium lumps (it should be that way, not smooth)

Pour 1/2 cup of pancake batter. Sprinkle chocolate chips. When pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute

Serve with maple syrup or chocolate syrup

I'm submitting these pancakes to Aspiring Bakers #7 – Chocolate Delight (May 2011) hosted by DG from Tested & Tasted at this LINK

Homemade Tiramisu & New York New York Family Restaurant @Citylink On Our 7th Wedding Anniversary

Some cakes I only make for special occassions - tiramisu is one of them
Yesterday was our 7th wedding anniversary - it's time to make this fave dessert of ours! :)
I did on Saturday evening, kept it refrigerated with no cocoa topping

Recipe's from Aunty Yochana's site

My 2nd time making this with the same recipe - love it!

(for tall square 7" tray)

What you need:

2 packs of sponge fingers

For the filling:

2 egg yolks

1 egg

60g sugar

10g gelatine powder

2 tbsp water

250g mascarpone cheese

200g whipped cream

3 tbsp kahlua

For the coffee syrup:

15g coffee powder

200g warm water

4 tbsp kahlua

Whisk whipped cream til stiff and white (I used mixer) - set aside

Soak gelatine powder in 2 tbsp water - for around 10mins, and then microwave for 25minutes

Whisk egg yolks, egg, sugar on a pot of simmering water - cool to room temperature

Add in mascarpone cheese - mix lightly (do not overmix otherwise it will be coarse)

Fold in whipped cream, add in kahlua and gelatin mixture

Soak each sponge fingers into coffee syrup, arange them in the tray, top up with filling, followed by another layer of soaked sponge fingers, another layer of filling, third layer of soaked sponge fingers, and the last 3rd layer of filling on top

Chill to set for at least 3 hours

Sieve cocoa powder on top for decoration before serving

Now, if you read the recipe and see the pics above, it's just doesn't tally
The recipe mentioned THREE layers of sponge fingers and mascarpone filling, while mine was only two
What happened was, when I was about to arrange the sponge fingers, I realized that I don't have tall 7" square tray, what I have is the low one, which I didn't think can support the tall tiramisu
(it's the 'act smart' me whom never learns from experience to do thorough homework first before each plan of cooking and baking *sigh*)
I wanted to use heart shape tall tray that I have, but it could be a headache to arrange the sponge fingers, so I decided to use my tall 9" square tray
As expected, I had to be extra cautious with the amount of filling that I made, so this is what I had - short tiramisu - two layers of sponge fingers and filling each :P

Anyway... it's forgiven once my teeth sank on it - this tiramisu dessert is extremely yummy and rich, full of coffee aroma and of course, kahlua - no kids allowed :P

I & hubby ate it after they fell asleep last night - just couldn't stop eating it *slurp*

 

Last but not least, happy anniversary to my dear baby hubby, seven years we've been together, thru the good and not so good times, from two of us becomes four, many more great times ahead, til death do us apart and most importantly, let God be the head of our family - always! Love ya! *hugs and kisses*

My First Swiss Roll

I have been always such a failure if comes to swiss roll
The problems are....folding in melted butter to the batter and rolling the cake
I have never folded in melted butter perfectly, there's always some leftover at the bottom of the mixing bowl when I poured the batter in the baking pan, it's all floating on top of the cake - resulted in patchy cake, there are wet patches here and there *sigh*
Secondly - the most crucial one, is my way of rolling the cake, somehow instead of turning to rounded cake, I got a squarish one - I guess I just don't have the basic technique knowledge as yet

I have been wanting to try the step by step in making swiss roll in Ricke's blog but still have no courage as yet, but finally I did today
She has 2 different recipes, I chose the simpler one as first timer

For first time trial, I was really pleased with the result

With cheese filling

With chocolate rice filling



If you notice the pics above, the cake with chocolate rice filling is thicker than the one with cheese filling

It's because the recipe is suitable for big square pan - 30 x 30 x 4cm which I don't have, so I split the batter into 2, I used smaller square pans - 21 x 21 x 4cm

I guess I must have split unevenly - the one with chocolate rice filling must be the one with more batter in the pan - made thicker cake :P

Anyhow, this cake is very soft and fluffy, taste yummy!

The next time I will try her other recipe which uses more eggs :)

What you need:

(adapted from Ricke's site)

for (1) 30x30x4cm square pan OR (2) 22x22x4cm square pans

What you need:

6 eggs

90g caster sugar

1 tbsp ovalette

70g plain flour, sieve together with 10g cornflour and 10g milk powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

125g butter, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 200degC

Grease pan(s) with butter, arrange parchment paper on top and grease again on top of the paper

In a mixing bowl, beat on high speed eggs, sugar, ovalette, flour mixture and vanilla essence together til white, thick and creamy (ribbon stage)

Fold in butter til well mixed

Pour batter on the pan, bake for approximately 12minutes (til golden brown and it's not sticky when touched, but not too dry either - dry cake will have problem during rolling)

After taking it out from the oven, immediately take out the cake of the pan, leave to cool on cooling rack(surface up)

After it's completely cooled, place the cake on parchment paper, spread butter cream and cheese/chocolate rice or whichever filling you prefer, and roll the cake using the parchment paper

Please view the link above for the step by step instruction on rolling the cake (the blog is in Indonesian language though but with pictures too :P)

The next time I make swiss roll, not only trying on her other recipe, but I'll try to make pattern too :P

Btw, I apologize if I still can not reply all comments in my previous postings...I still can't comment in my own blog! Occasionally I can, also to post comments in other's blog but not long before it's back to the problem again *haizzzz*
Please Mr. Blogger....when will this interrupted service be over?????? :(

Victoria Chocolate Pudding Cake

This recipe is from an Indonesian magazine years ago
My mum kept the torn pages til it's yellowish!
She baked this cake so many times, we all loved it so much!
This is my first time baking it myself - so happy it turned out well
It's not difficult, I must say :)

You see my teeth mark on the pudding? *grin*

This how it looked like before pouring the pudding (left) and after the pudding is set - ready to cut (right)

What you need:
(below is half recipe - I used 8" round pan)

For the cake:
162.5g butter
162.5g icing sugar
4 egg yolks
3.5 egg whites
162.5g plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder - sieved together with the flour

Beat butter and icing sugar til thick, creamy and white color
Add in eggs one at a time while continuously beating in low speed til well mixed
Add in flour+baking powder - mix well
Pour the batter on a lightly greased and floured 8" round pan
Bake in preheated oven of 180degC for 20-25minutes (til golden brown and when skewer comes out clean)
Let cool on cooling rack - still in the pan
After it's completely cooled, using clean chopstick, make holes at the cake - depth approx 4cm, distance approx 2cm

For the pudding:
750ml fresh milk
15g agar2 powder
115g sugar
20g cocoa powder - dilute in a little water
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

In a pot, heat milk and agar2 powder til boiling
Add in cocoa powder that has been diluted with water - mix well
Take the pot off the fire
Add in egg yolk - mix well
Put back the pot on low fire, stir continuously
After cooked, take the pot off the fire

Let the pudding cool a little (around 5minutes) - stir occasionally
Pour the pudding on the cake - slowly, start from the centre - it will flow to all directions
Fill in those areas which not covered yet
Wait til the pudding set before loosen the pan

Yum! One more cake loved by my kids - both of them :)

I'm submitting this pudding cake to Aspiring Bakers #7 – Chocolate Delight (May 2011) hosted by DG from Tested & Tasted at this LINK

($20 Budget Meal) Steamed Stuffed Tofu, Scrambled Eggs With Sausages, Stir Fry Enoki Mushroom With Greens

What happened to blogger today???

Everything is fine EXCEPT that I can't reply all comments in my own postings - even til now!
After I typed my reply, it's always back to the instruction for me to sign in, and after I did follow - I signed in again, it's shown my reply as from anonymous instead of my name, and when I wanted to post it anyway, it's back to the instruction for me to sign in again...that vicious circle again and again with no solution - the point is I can't post comment in my own blog *SIGH*
But other things like commenting other blogs, creating new post, editing post, etc...all are fine!
Anybody experiencing the same as me??? It's so frustrating! HELP!!!!!!

Anyway, for today's cooking, I have this great dish combo I'd like to share....

                                            Steamed stuffed tofu

Scrambled eggs with sausages

Stir fry enoki mushroom with greens



Recipe for the above dishes can be viewed here:

Steamed stuffed tofu = HERE

Scrambled eggs with sausages = HERE

Stir fry enoki mushroom with greens = HERE

Calculation:

Steamed tofu:

* 1 box silken tofu = 90cents

* 15 medium prawns = $3

* 1/2 medium chicken breast = $1

* others approximately $2

Total = $6.90

Scrambled eggs:

* 4 frozen sausages = $1

* 4 eggs = $1

* others approx 50cents

Total = $2.50

Stir fry mushroom:

* 1 pack xiao ba chai = 90cents

* 2 packs enoki mushrooms = $1.80

* others approximately 50cents

Total = $3.20

Total amount for the 3 dishes = $12.60

(for family of 4)

I'm sharing this post to “May $20 Budget Meal - Specific Ingredient is "Tofu/Beancurd"” at this LINK

I am submitting this post to [June $20 Budget Meal - Noodle] host by Ellena of Cuisine Paradise at this Link HERE.

Sticky Caramel Chicken & Stir Fry Young Corn w/ Capsicum

I have many chicken recipes I wanted to try - this is one of them, simple and yummy :)
The rest of the recipes - please wait patiently ya hehe...

What you need:
(recipe adapted from Melly with some adjustment)

1 chicken - cut into parts ( i discarded most of the skin)
Blend together:
*6 garlic
*2 inches ginger
3 tbsps canola oil
2 tbsps light soya sauce
2 tbsps fish sauce
4 tbsps tomato sauce (can be mixed with chilli sauce)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 tbsps honey
a little water

Heat oil in frying pan, stir fry blended garlic and ginger til fragrant
Add in chicken - mix well
Add in all ingredients except honey, let simmer til chicken softened (with cover and stir occasionally)
Add some water - to prevent the chicken from getting stuck on the pan when it's too dry
After the chicken is cooked and soft, add in honey - stir well, simmer on low heat for a few minutes til sauce thickened
Adjust the taste, off heat

Note:
You may mix the remaining sauce on the pan with cooked rice - it's yummy!

I also cooked this vegetable dish - simple and delicious

What you need:

3 garlic - crushed
1 pack of  young corn - cut thinly
1 green capsicum - discard the seed, diced
1 red capsicum - discard the seed, diced
1 yellow capsicum - discard the seed, diced
oil, oyster sauce, salt, pepper, sugar, water

Heat oil on frying pan, stir fry garlic til fragrant
Add in corn - stir well
Add in all capsicum followed by oyster sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and water - mix well and simmer til all vegetables cooked - around 3 minutes
Adjust the taste and off heat
Serve immediately

Pandan Sweet Rolls

This recipe makes very soft as pillow bread but a little on the sweet side
And with pandan, the aroma does compliment the texture and taste perfectly - I always love anything with pandan

I used dark chocolate, cheese and raisins filling (pretty boring huh?)
Cheese is good with pandan but for some reasons (which I didn't know) I mixed the cheese with a little sugar and milk powder - resulting in sweet cheese - to be filled in sweet rolls???
It's still nice, but the next time I prefer to just mix cheese and butter :)
Dark chocolate, raisins - not too perfect choice but still acceptable to my liking :)

What I should have used for this pandan bread is coconut and kaya - not sure why I didn't think of these two kinds on that day - okay, perhaps next time :)

Chocolate filling:

Cheese filling:

Raisins filling:

What you need:

(recipe adapted from Indonesian's NCC)

500g bread flour

3 egg yolks

100g sugar

30g milk powder

11g instant yeast

5g salt

250ml water

100g butter

1/2 tsp bread improver
1 tbsp pandan paste

For the filling:

* chopped dark cooking chocolate

* raisins

* cheese mixed with a little sugar and milk powder

For the topping:

* 1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water and 1/2 tsp salt

Using breadmaker:

Pour egg yolks, pandan paste and water to the bread pan, followed by flour, sugar, milk powder, bread improver, salt and lastly, yeast

Choose 'dough' programme and after 5mins of kneading, add in butter

The programme will be 1hour 3minutes

After done, take out the dough from the breadpan, punch to get all air out, leave it for 5minutes or so

Shape and fill them accordingly - arrange on pans (lightly greased)

Leave them for second proofing til doubled in size

Brush with topping and sprinkle with any topping you'd like

Bake in the preheated oven of 180degC for around 15minutes or til golden brown