Baking with the ladies

was such a pleasure and rare time for us to bond and chill. I used the Devil's food cake recipe that I got from the "Cake Making Made Easy" Chef Eric's culinary classroom class. Modified the recipe a little- added less sugar, used tofutti sour cream instead of yogurt and soy milk instead of milk. It turned out moist and delectable. It is definitely my keeper's chocolate cupcake recipe. We decided not to frost it to keep it simple and healthy.  

Ingredients:
4 oz Bitter or semi sweet chocolate
1.5 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1t baking powder
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 c soy milk
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
1 cup brown sugar
6 oz butter
4 eggs

Method:
Preheat the oven to 325F. Butter and flour the cake pans, or place paper liners of the muffin tin, if making cupcakes. Set aside.
Melt the chocolate chips in a bain marie, stirring until the chocolate is mooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool until luke warm. Sift the flour, baking powder. salt and soda into a bowl. Set aside.
Place the milk and sour cream in a bowl and whip until smooth. Set aside.
Use an electric mixer, cream the sugar, butter until well smooth. Add the eggs in one at a time. Add the melted chocolate and mix until smooth.
Add one third of the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and then one third of the milk mixture. Make sure that the ingredients are incorporated before adding the next addition. Repeat until all the dry ingredients are added. Place the batter into the cupcake holder or cup cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes and let it cool for 15 minutes.

We made different types using the same batter- heart-shaped cakes, heart-shaped muffins, and regular round ones. :)

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

steamed egg cake

This steamed egg cake is similar to the Fatt kueh except that it does not require the yeast dough mixture. Since orange juice is one of the ingredients, the cake has a unique fruity taste that is absolutely delightful + the cake is super soft because of SP. Light cream in color, they look beautiful when they open up in quadrates on the top with swirls of raspberry.
Ingredients:

Eggs, 3

Sugar, 185g

Hong kong flour, 400g

Orange juice plus water, 190g

Orange zest, 2 Tbsp

double action baking powder, 1 dsp

S.P., 20g

Method:

1. Add the egg and sugar into the mixer ( use an wire whisk). Mix for approximately 2 minutes on medium speed. Add S.P. Sift Hong Kong flour and baking powder together. Fold it into the batter.

2. Add half the amount of water into the batter, beat before adding the rest of the liquid.

3. Continue to beat for 10 seconds until the batter is smooth.Remove from mixer.

4. Line steamer with greaseproof paper. Pour cake mixture in. Use an oiled spatula to cut a "x" on the top. Add raspberry coloring on top. Swirl. Steam over high heat for 25 minutes. Makes 18.

*extra tips:*

1. Use Ice cream soda or orange flavored sprite drink instead of water. It depends on your taste preference. You can also use orange juice for the whole liquid portion.

2. Must use Hong kong flour, not plain flour because yeast dough mixture is not used.

3.It can be baked in a bigger tin instead of small mufin cups.

Huat kueh -pumpkin, durian, sweet potato

Ever heard of---> Huat Kueh ~ Fatt Koh ~ Prosperity Cake?
Healthy steamed Oriental style fatt kuehs filled with the goodness of steamed pumpkins, durian, yam and sweet potato flesh. High in natural fibres, they are definitely nutritious little snacks for all at home that will bring you health and wealth!


Basically, it is the Chinese version of cupcakes. Most Singaporean or Malaysian Chinese must have had the experience of eating Huat Kueh at some point or another since it is commonly sold everywhere. ( I have never seen these sold in the US). It is usually eaten steaming hot, dipped into sugar (the orange flavored one). It's can also be eaten with fresh shredded coconut. When making this, it is important for the fatt koh to "SMILE" which means that the top has to open or bloom as much as possible. The bigger the smile, the more prosperous or "fa" one will be!

For the all the flavors- sweet potato/yam/durian/ pumpkin, use this basic yeast dough:

A) Yeast dough:
Plain flour 50g
Water 50g
Yeast, 1tsp (7.5gm)
Method:
Mix yeast dough (A) ingredient together. Leave aside for ½ hr until it has proofed.

Sweet potato Fatt cake
(From the picture above, you can tell that my Fatt kueh is smiling real wide!!! It is always exciting to lift up the lid to see how the fatt kuehs turn out. For this sweet potato fatt kueh, I'm surprised at the intense bright orange color because I didn't add any coloring. Maybe it's the sugar. I must say that it taste really good and natural- better than store-bought ones.( The ones sold outside do not use fresh blended ingredients but red/yellow/green coloring to give it a colored look. )

B) Sweet potato (steamed), 200g
Coconut milk, 120g
Water, 40g
Orange sugar, 140g
Egg, 1
Plain flour, 200g
Double acting baking powder, 1dsp

Durian Fatt kueh

( my dad's favorite of the lot. but my mum prefers the pumpkin and sweet potato flavor ;p)
Durian flesh ,200g
Coconut milk, 140g
Water, 40g
Sugar, 150g
Egg, 1
Plain flour( sift), 200g
Double acting baking powder, 1 dsp
Coloring (opt)
B) Pumpkin Fatt Kueh
Pumpkin (steamed), 200g
Coconut milk, 100g
Water, 50g
gula melaka, 140g
Egg, 1
Plain flour, sift, 320g
Double acting baking powder, 1 dsp

Method:
Combine pumpkin/sweet potato/durian, sugar, egg, coconut milk, water together and blend it. Add in flour, double acting baking powder, yeast dough and mix evenly. Pour mixture over cups. Dip a spatula in oil and make an “X” across the batter. Leave it aside to proof for 10 minutes. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes.

*some extra tips: ***

1. Use a rattan basket to steam the fatt kueh as it will cook better.

2. When adding in flour, double acting baking powder and yeast dough into blended batter, do it quick, in one direction, with spread out fingers. Once flour is mixed, stop- do not over mix the batter.

3. Hong kong flour can be used, although unnecessary as it is more expensive.

4. If durian is wet, add in extra 40 g of flour into the batter.

5. Makes about 9-10 fatt kueh for each recipe.

6. It is important to dip the spatula in oil before cutting it deep down into the batter to form an "x".

7. Never remove the lid while the fatt kuehs are being steamed. It might cause them to "not-smile."

***Check out my next post for the similar steamed egg cake recipe....

graduation cup caps

Congratulations Clay & Ryan! ^__^

~These cup- caps resemble hats with tassels.~

I made these cupcakes for their party @ the park and guess what happened when I brought the cupcakes there? The hats started to slip off because the whipped cream couldn't stand the heat! =( If I do make them again, it'd have to be in a house-setting.

~Up-side down devil's fudge chocolate and almond flavored yellow cupcakes topped with freshly whipped cream and chocolate coated graham crackers to make a "cap". Attach fruit snacks and M&M to complete the look~Finally, these words were written with white chocolate on the caps~

CLAY

2007

RYAN

Clay was a strong anchor and unwavering co-leader for me when I was the Y&YA director. I'll always remember the long discussions and brain-storming sessions we had. He compliments me with his melancholic personality. ;p Thanks Clay and it's nice to have a lil' brother with whom I can 'punch' and still laugh about it! lol. ^___*

Food for thought:" Real friendship involves loyalty. "A true friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need." Proverbs 17:17.

It was Persis birthday and to kill two birds with one stone, I made extra cupcakes whilst making Clay & Ryans'. However, I added caramel and mint chocolate in the middle of the batter for hers. For decoration, I topped it with fresh berries or multi-colored mint white chocolate chips. Hope she had a good surprised!! ^__^

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.

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! *_^

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.

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