11.28.2006

Spritz cookies: PB, classic and chocolate

It was my first time attempting to make Spritz cookies.
*peanut butter spritz*
*classic spritz *
*chocolate spritz cookies.*
Moi Favorite?
*drumrolll* .....
Peanut butter is the best!! it's really good. :D
2nd fave?
Classic vanilla: like the light crunch :)
3rd fave or not really a fave...
chocolate one
I liked cocoa least because it tasted a little bitter with too much cocoa powder. Maybe I'll add real chocolate next time to give it a richer flavor.
~.~
With the help of a cookie press, i managed to make beautiful looking cookies. This machine is able to make cookies, snacks & appetizers, desserts & pasteries. **eye ball rolling gleefully**** its 40% off!!**** less than $20! ^_^

Bagged or pressed cookies are made from soft doughs. The dough has to be soft enough to be forced through a pastry bag, but stiff enough to hold its shape.

Peanut butter Spritz cookies:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 c creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
-Preheat oven at 375F
-Cream shortening and peanut butter together.
-Gradually add egg, beating until smooth
-Add vanilla
-Stir in flour
-Place into Cookie Master Plus. Using desired disk, press shapes onto ungreased cookie sheet. To decorate, add peanut butter chip in the middle. Bake 6-8 mins or until lightly browned around the edges. Makes 3-4 dozen

Classic Spritz
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond flavoring
3 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
handful finely chopped almonds
- Directions: same as above. To decorate, add a chocolate chip in the middle.

Chocolate spritz cookies
Same as above. Add 3/4 c cocoa powder. Add brown sugar instead of white. Decorate by adding rainbow sprinkles.

spritz cookies

chocolate cake

I made a chocolate cake for Dr. Tamess and all the techs at the Ophthalmology clinic. It is my little way of thanking them for everything.

For the cake, I used the" flourless chocolate cake" recipe that was posted earlier.

Here's the recipe for the chocolate buttercream icing.
Yields 3 cups.
Ingredients:
1/2 cups solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 t clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
3-4 T milk
3/4 cups cocoa or 3 1oz unsweetened chocolate squares (melted)
Directions:
1. Cream butter and shortening with mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. Add in cocoa powder. When all sugar has been mixed, icing will appear dry. Add milk and mix until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

choco cake -thanksgiving
note: the words "happy thanksgiivng" was written using edible black ink!

Wilton cake deco class 2

I'm currently taking a cake decorating class from Wilton and as you can tell, I'm having tons of fun!! I cannot grow or draw flowers and hence, for me to pipe out beautiful flowers is a very satisfying experience. I love it. :D
flowers made of royal icing
roses
Tips: 12 for base and 104 or 97 for petal.
Base: Hold bag at 90 angle with tip 12 and slightly above the center of the nail. Squeese with heavy pressure. Ease pressure as you raise tip up, narrowing base to a pyramid shape. (base should be 1 1/2 times the length of the opening of tip 97 or 104.)
Center: Hold bag at 45 angle and with wide end of tip 104, follow top of base and narrow and angled in slightly. Do 3 things simultaneously: squeese, pull tip up and away from top, stretching icing into a ribbon as you spin the nail to the end of the finger. Relax pressure as you bring ribbon of icing around the top, overlapping the point which you start.
Top row petals: Touch wide end of tip to mid-point of base, narrow and straight up. Spin nail and move tip up and back to midpoint of base forming first petal of rose ( yes, you did one petal!) Start again, slightly behind end of each petal and squeese out second petal. Repeat for third petal. Rotate the nail 1/2 turn for each petal.
Middle row petals: Touch wide end of tip slightly below the center of petal in top row. Angle narrow end of tip out slightly more. Squeese bag and spin nail moving tip up, then down to form first petal. Repeat- do 5 petals.
Bottom row petals: Same as above but do 7 petals.
****As the rows increase, the bag should be angled even more.
***Spin the nail as the arch is being made.
***Wide angle of the tip should be at the bottom.

pansy
Tips 104, 1
Move tip 104 out to the edge of the nail to form first covered petal. Wide angled tip is inside. Spin nail, letting the spin of nail form petal. Relax pressure as you move back to starting point. Stop. Lift away. Repeat for second petal. Thse two yellow petal should cover half of the nail.
Add a single ruffled petal using a gentle back and forth motion to create a ruffled effect.
Add 2 shorter curved petals on top of first 2 curved petals.
Add Tip 1 teardrop shapped loop center. Dry in medium flower formers.

daisy
Tips: 104, 5 or 233 (gives the wavy look)
Position tip 104 almost parallel to the nail. Wide end out would form a flatter petal while narrow end out would form a raised petal. Squeese bag with even pressure. Repeat for a total of 12 petals. Add tip 5 or 233 to the center dot. For the textured look of the daisy center, dampen finger in crushed cake sparkles, then press on center. Dry in medium flower formers.

daffodil- CD class 2
Tios: 104, 3,1
Using steady pressure, move tip 104 to edge of nail. Spin nail to the end of the finger, letting the spin of the nail form the petal. Relax pressure, move tip back to starting point. Stop, lift tip away. Repeat for 5 more petals. Edges should be cupped slightly. Pinch using fingers dipped in cornstarch or icing sugar.
Center: Pipe tip 3 dot in the center of the flower. Then move in circular motion, pipping an open coil flower center, making sure the base of the coil is narrower than the top, like a tornado shape. Stop, lift away. When turning nail, add tip 1 zigzag trim to top edge of coil. Dry in medium flower former.
ribbon
color flow pattern- bird & house
Color-Flow: This is a class work that practices the technique of Filling in.
Firstly, outline the bird with full strength color flow icing followed by filling in with the blue icing.

Recipe for Color flow icing:
1/4 cups water,
4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar,
2 T Wilton color flow mix.
Directions:
Blend all ingredients on low speed for 5 mins.
*Color flow "crusts" easily so keep it covered with a damp cloth while using.
*This recipe makes 2 cups + 2 T full strength icing.
*To soften icing or thin icing for filling in,add 1/2 t water per 1/4 c icing.
*Color flow is ready for filling in outlines when a small amount dropped back into the mixture takes a count of 10 to disappear.
*Stir in colors as desired.
*Dried color flow fade slightly when exposed to bright sunligh so keep theme covered until cake is ready to assemble.

Nuts over white chocolate

nuts over white chocolate

It was supposed tobe called "Nutty Cheese Cake" but when I told Clay that it has nuts and white chocolate, he said, " nuts over white chocolate" LOL. Well, it's another cakey recipe that needs some modification. I think its a little dry and not as moist as I expected.

Ingredients:
Self-raising four 120g
cheese 80g, grated
Almonds and walnuts, 80g
choco rice, 80g
sugar, 80g
soda powder, 1/2 tsp
egg, 2
butter, 120g

Method:
1. Sift self-raising flour and soda together
2. Cream butter and sugar till light. Add in eg and continue to beat until even.Remove mixer.
3. Fold in (1), almonds, walnuts, choco rice and mix well. Lastly, add in grated cheese and mix well. Pour into baking cup. Bake for 20 mins at 180C.

11.21.2006

strawberry muffins

I LOVE strawberries!! Strawberries in anything taste good. :::))))
I've been wanting to make strawberry muffins but strawberries were not in season. However, strawberries were on sale and plentiful last week so here they are!
I like the texture of these muffins but I think the strawberry flavor can be stronger. Next time, I'll add more fresh strawberries and strawberry extract...
o_0

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 C oil
3/4 Cup sugar
1 C sliced strawberries
2 Cups flour
1/2 t cinammon
1t Baking powder
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
3/4 c pecans
1t strawberry extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chip

Enjoy, peace, love, and God bless! *_^

Cordon rose BANANA cake

My little thought for the day:
Can you imagine eating all the food you want in the world, and never have to worry about putting on weight? In fact, if you don't gorge down as much food as possible, you'll die...
This is what happens to Cystic Fibrosisis patients. CF is a multisystem progressive dz characterized by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, chronic lung dz, excessive loss of sweat electrolytes, and malnutrition.
It a rare genetic disease that affects 32,000 kids in the whole USA.
Today, I saw 8 kids with that rare disorder. It is alarming to see the struggle they face. Bribes and all kinds of tactics have to be used to help them put on weight. One patient adds olive oil to everything she eats. MCT oil and milk has to be given through the G tube to another pt because he is not able to consume enough nutrients orally. In fact, the G tube has been there for 17 years since the day he was born and finally, he heard the good news today- it will be removed! Another pt has to use bolus and tube feedings to help her eat. They'd have to cough up phlegm early in the morning when they wake up.....enzymes and vit k supplement is a mealy regime otherwise the nutrients will not be absorbed...etc...the list goes on and on.
It’s kind of hard for ‘normal’ people to understand the struggles they go through but it is a BIG challenge.
I feel for these patients.
At such a young age, they'd have to go to the doctor every 3 months for the rest of their lives. Their life-span is only 37 years (although they told me that a 60 y/o pt is still living…)
At such a young age where they should be playing Barbie dolls or running in the parks, they’d have to be confined to their limited breathing activates and feeding themselves milk through tubes.
One major question these young kids ask is, "WHY ME??"
WHY?
Why?

There are many WHYS?? in this world.
I do not know why certain things happen
Even if i do, sometimes they do not make sense.
Even if they do make sense, I might have my questions.
Even if I have the answers to my questions,
I might not be fully satisfied with the answers.
However…
I will have to be contended.

BECAUSE
God promised in the bible that He does not allow us to bear more than we can. And everything happens for a reason. We might now know why but God is working out His plan in our lives. We have to be patient and seek His will. It might be the fiery furnace that we are going through that will polish us to be precious gems.

Joseph is a good example of someone who had many "whys." Hated by his brothers, thrown into a pit, sold as a slave to a faraway land, thrown into prison for a crime he never committed, then forgotten by someone you helped...Yet through all that, Joseph remained faithful and God helped him rise to the position of Prime Minister and used him to preserve Egypt and the surrounding famine-struck countries, and at the same time be a true witness to Pharaoh ( Gen 41: 38-39). Joseph must have known the gem-of-a-promise in Romans 8:28- 'All things work together for the good of those that love the Lord.' In other words, all our sufferings and sorrows, all our temptations and trials, all our sadness and grieves, all our persecutions and hardships - in short, all things work together for our good. All experiences and circumstances are God's workmen where good is brought to us. We will only have and know ALL the answers when Jesus comes again….

These CF patients reminded me of this little thought today.
And,
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So much for my little thought…

Here’s the banana-walnut- chocolate chip cake that I baked today. The bananas were getting too ripe and the only way to salvage them would be to cook it! ( I never eat over-ripe bananas b/c I’ll puke.:X Seriously, I vomitted when i ate bananas with black spots on them >_< )


I like this moist cake with a rich taste of bananas + healthy!

The reason why it’s called Cordon Rose Banana cake is because I got this recipe from the Cake Bible. However, as usual, I modified the recipe a little. * wink**

Ingredients:
2 large ripe bananas
2 large eggs
Vanilla, 1 T
Sifted cake flour, 2 cups
Brown sugar, ½ cup
Baking soda, 1 t
Baking powder, ¾ t
Salt, ½ t
Oil 5 T
Applesauce, 1 cup
½ Cups mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350F
Mash the bananas and add the vanilla. Whisk the egg and add into the wet mixture.
Combine the dry ingredients and mix together.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
Remember to scrape down the sides.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30-40 mins.
Store: 2 days in airtight container, 5 days refrigerator and 2 months frozen.

note: never bake them in muffin cups- they come out hard!

11.17.2006

Brownies

If you’re a brownies-fan, here’s one recipe you absolutely got to try! Chef Roland's ( White House executive pastry chef) recipe is a killer that can kill two birds with one stone- simple preparation and delicious taste. It’s not difficult to make and require few basic ingredients.Well wrapped brownies in plastic wrap, unglazed and uncut will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Perfect for studies who need a quick chocolate fix! ;p I made 2 styles- in mini loaf pan for Shawn's birthday and another batch in muffin cups, glazed with chocolate frosting for mine and friends enjoyment *_^ .

Ingredients:
10 Tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
5 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup pecan pieces

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking tray and line the bottom with parchment paper
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy, 2-3 mins. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time and beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla, salt and cocoa powder and mix well. Beat in the flour until well combined. Stir in the nuts
3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 10 mins.
* For fudgy brownies, remove the pan from the oven and tap it on the counter to make the rising brownies collapse. Return the pan to the oven and bake until firm to touch)
* For cakier brownies, bake 18-20 mins without interruption.
*I added xxxxtra chocolate chips. ::::D



11.12.2006

WILD blueberry muffins

why WILD? read on to find out...You might have noticed that I've been baking quite a lot muffins recently. I like muffins because its like a mini healthy cake that's ready cut in paper cups. It's also a good to-go breakfast item for me and an easy food to give friends. I bought several muffin stuff and books and hope to get to the stage of beautifully-decorated-and-delicious muffins. Right now, its the "delicious" stage. ;p
The method used to make this recipe is very different from the ones I've made so far. Chef Roland introduced this light and airy muffin that's not heavy. I like it. Here, eggs whites are whipped and then folded into the batter to make muffins extra-light, and buttermilk* gives them a little tang. Wild blueberries** make them nice and juicy, giving a high antioxidant punch. Cinnamon sugar sprinkled on top midway through baking gives the crust extra crunch. Baking these at 400 F allows the high heat to caramelize the tops while baking the muffins quickly so they aren't dry inside.
*Buttermilk can be substittuted by mixing 2 t lemon juice with 1/2 C +2 T milk (i used soy) and letting it stand at room tenp for 15 mins.
**Wild blueberries contain a lot more antioxidants than cultivated bluberries. Cultivated blueberries are the regular ones you get a grocery stores.

feature: WILD BLUEBERRIES : ANTHOCYANINS
  • Work of eyes is improved= It has been said to improve vision function. (eye strain, haze of eyes, irritation of eyes). Improvement in the eyesight at night, view expansion, cataract prevention and glaucoma prevention.
  • Protection of thin blood vessel = prevention of brain bruising
  • anti-oxidant = # 1 antioxidant, way above strawberries, cherries..lol
  • improvement of circulatory organ system function :Thrombosis
Recipe
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 buttermilk
1 large egg yolk
1/2 T pure vanilla extract
4 T unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 wild blueberries
1/2 c chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecan pieces, coarsely chopped
2 T cinnamon sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place th flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.Place th buttermilk, egg yolk and vanilla in another medium bowl and whisk to combine.
3.Place the butter and 6 T sugar and cream on medium-high speed until fluffly, about 3 mins. With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in 1/2 of buttermilk mixture and mix until combine, scaping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. Stir in 1/4 of flour mixture until just combined. Repeat three more times with the remaining buttermilk and flour mixtures.
4. Place the egg whites in a clean bowl of the electric mixer and whip on high speed until just about to hold soft peaks. With the mixer still on high, slowly pour in the remaning 2 T sugar in slow steady stream. Whip until the whites hold stiff peaks.
5. Fold the blueberries, nuts, chocolate chips into the batter. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Be careful not to deflat them. Divide the batter among the muffins tins and bake 5 mins. Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar and bake until toothpick inserted into the center cones out dry.

11.05.2006

Cream puffs


HAPPY birthday, Tom & Reed. =) For their surprise birthday party, I made Gado gado salad and cream puffs.
I have been wanting to make the famed chef Roland Mesnier (White house executive pastry chef) cream puffs for the longest time and FINALLY today was the day I venture to make it. I can't say for sure if I followed all his directions word for word but I tried the best I could. ><>For the puffs:(x2)
1 cup whole or 2 percent milk
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2t salt
1 cup + ½ T all purpose flour
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425
Combine milk, butter, and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat
Remove pan from heat and quickly stir in the flour all at once, using a wooden spatula. When the flour is dissolved and the mixture is smooth, return the pan to the heat and cook, stirring constantly for 1 min. The mixture will be quite thick, the consistency of dry mashed potatoes
Beat in the eggs a little at a time.
**************************************
Cream
¾ cup + 2 T sugar
½ cup +2 T cornstarch
5 large eggs OR 8 large egg yolks
1 qt milk (4 cups)
1 T pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
4 T unsalted butter
Directions:
Whisk sugar cornstarch in a bowl.
Whish in the eggs or egg yolks
Bring milk to a boil. Slowly dribble ½ c of e hot milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly. Dribble another half o the milk into the egg mixture, again whisking constantly.
Return the mixture to the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
when mixture thickens and comes to a boil, remove from heat.
Stir in the butter, salt and vanilla. Mix until the butter is melted and completely blended in.
Allow to cool completely
For filling pasteries, whip chilled pastry cream until smooth before using.

11.02.2006

choco chip peanut butter cupcakes (TOFU!)

Healthy cupcales! Made with NO Sugar, whole-wheat flour, tofu, soy milk, peanut butter...
This is something I made last week but didn't get a chance to post it up. I found this recipe from a tofu recipe book and felt impressed to give it a try. I am so happy Dr. Tamesis, my fave eye doctor tried it! He has never tried cupcakes made of tofu and was all out to try it. Many who tried liked it. Ok, let me redefine. The "healthy" people liked it the way it is and were surprised at the taste/texture. The "not-so-healthy" people like it a little more moist, i.e i should add some oil or applesauce to give it a better texture. Here's the recipe..
Ingredients: 2c flour, 1 tsp b.p, 1/2 tsp salt, 2/3 c tofu (silken), 1/2 c peanut butter ( almond/soy nut butter), 4T soy milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 c peanut butter/ chocolate chips, 1 egg white, 1 c maple syrup
Directions: Preheat oven 350. Blend tofu, maple syrup, peanut butter, soy milk, vanilla till smooth. Pour into dry ingredients. Stir in chips. Bake for 20 mins.

Carrot muffins

To celebrate my gf's presentation and mid-term success, we ate To-go Ranu Thai food and watched Break-up. I've heard so much abt it but never really knew what it was about except that it sounded like a "break-up" movie. lol...I think Jennifer and Vince acted really well together.

I also baked Carrot muffins. This recipe is from the famous White House chef's book, "Dessert university" ( I highly recommend this book if you're serious abt baking ;p). I modified it a little by adding applesauce to replace half of the oil, brown sugar/maple syrup instead of white and WW flour instead of white. And oh, I used carrot/squash/cucumber pulp instead of shredded pieces.Do note that it is important to whip the eggs, oil, applesauce and sugar together until they are completely emulsified, resembling a runny mayonnaise. The mixing results in a fine crumb and a delicate texture that you won't get by simply stirring all of the ingredients together. If you have time, let the finished batter stand at room temperature for 1 hr before baking; this will yield the finest crumb.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/3 c oil
1 applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c b sugar
1/4 c maple syrup
8 oz carrot/squash/cucumber
1/2 c pecans, chopped
(opt: cream cheese frosting)
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine flour, bs, cinnamon in a bowl
3. Beat eggs, add oil, vanilla, sugar in a large bowl and whisk on high speed for 5 mins. Stir in pecans and carrots
4.Divide batter among muffin cups
5. Bake for 15-20 mins
Disclaimer: All the recipes posted are for my personal references and/or adapted from mentioned instructors or books. They/I reserve the rights to it. Please remember to cite your sources! Thank you.