Christmas 2010

It's Christmas Day and it has been quite some time since I invited our family friends over for food and fellowship. Since we got back from our year-end vacation (we went to Brussels and Paris this year and the kids got to see, feel and play snow) early this year, I had the time to plan. Guess what? One of the dish I cooked was Belgian beefstew, known as Carbonnade Flamandes in Brussels. It's easy to cook. Another new dish I tried was Italian seafood stew. It turned out delicious. Only gripe is the fish meat got all broken up. Don't use fish meat next time or put in the fish meat last. We also had roast chicken legs and everyone gave this a thumb up. It's my perfected recipe and definitely a keeper for parties. Not to mention, we must have some salad greens to balance the heavy meal. I made a rocket salad dressed in balsamic vineagar, sesame and honey mustard dressing. Everyone enjoyed the food and we had a great time. Cheers to friendship and food!

Double chocolate macadamia nut cookies

Melted chocolate and cocoa powder go into these cookies, making them double chocolaty for chocoholics. Blended oatmeal and macadamia nuts are added for extra crunch.

Marble Cupcakes

Have not been baking for quite some time. Baked these mini marble cakes in a silicone muffin pan after returning from family vacation in Paris and Brussels. It was freezing cold and the children got to see and feel snow. They were simply ecstatic and had a good time making snowballs and having snowfight. We were so lucky to get home the day before the snowstorm started. 

It's so crusty on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.



Blackforest Cake dressed in White

This is specially baked for my cousin Jennifer's baby Bernice full month celebration. Since it's for kids, I omitted the liqueur in the chocolate sponge and chocolate mousse layer. If it's for adults, the sponge cake and mousse layer will be drenced with liqueur. It can be kirsch, rum or brandy. Sounds intoxicating?I took the sponge cake recipe and kirsh-flavoured whipped cream recipe from The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum. The chocolate whipped cream recipe is from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme.

Cup Sponge Cake

Soft and moist sponge cake baked in a cup. It's very light. Good enough for breakfast and tea. What do you think?
This recipe is taken from Florence in Do What I like blog.

Chocolate Muffin

Have been experimenting with the different ingredients and proportions to make yummy and moist chocolate muffins. This muffin uses corn or canola oil. It is therefore healthier than those made with butter and still taste as good.

Added some chocolate frostings to make it even more chocolatey.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

I would say I have finally perfected baking the pandan chiffon cake after many tries. At least this is the verdict given by family and friends who have tried it. Pandan chiffon cake, anyone?




Egg yolk mixture:

6 egg yolks
3 tbsp Pandan juice
120g coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
40g corn oil
½ tsp Pandan Paste
60g castor sugar

Egg White Mixture:
6 egg white
1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
80g castor sugar

115g cake flour
¾ tsp baking powder

Method:
(1) Mix all the egg yolk ingredients together and stir till smooth.
(2) Sift the cake flour and baking powder over the egg yolk mixture and fold gently.
(3) Whisk egg white using medium speed till foamy stage. Add in cream of tartar. Increase speed to medium high until soft peak stage and gradually pour in the sugar. Whisk at high speed until stiff peak forms.
(4) Take 1/3 of egg white mixture and fold gently into the egg yolk mixture. Pour this mixture into the egg white mixture and fold gently until well blended. Use a large balloon whisk or rubber spatula to fold.
(5) Pour into a 9" (23 cm) tube pan.
(6) Bake at 190°C for first 10 minutes followed by 180°C for about 20 to 25 min or until a tester inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
(7) Remove from oven, invert cake onto cooling rack until completely cooled before removing from the pan.
(8) Slice and serve.