6.29.2007

chocolate fudge cake

Finally, after the durian cream puffs and napkin roll, it is the ---chocolate fudge cake!
Require 2x rounded 7" tin, glazed with oil before lining with wax paper.
Ingredients:
egg, 4
sugar, 80g
flour, 80g
baking powder, 1/2 tsp
soda powder, 1/2 tsp
butter, melted and must be warm, 40g
chocolate paste, 1 tsp

Method:
1. Sieve flour, baking powder and soda powder together. Separate egg whites from the yolks. Melt the butter
2. Whisk egg whites and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Add in egg yolks and beat well for 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Remove from beater. Using hands, fold in the flour, stirring in one direction. (Never use mixer to add flour. Always use spatula). Add in chocolate paste. Finally add in the warm butter. Pour into the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes at 200C. Leave it to cool. (trim the edges)
Chocolate fudge topping Ingredients 1 :
corn flour, 10g
hoon kueh flour, 15g
water, 40g
Ingredients 2:
Cocoa powder, 10g
sugar, 70g
chocolate paste, 1 tsp
instant jelly, 20g
fresh milk, 500g

Method:
1. Mix ingredients 1 together and keep aside
2. Mix ingredients 2 together and bring to a boil. When mixture boils, stir in ingredient 1 and bring to boil again.
3. Spread the mixture (must be HOT fudge!) over the sponge cake and sandwich it with another layer of sponge. Spread the rest of the mixture over it. Refrigerate for about 4 hours before decorating it.

durian cream puff + choco variation

Continuation of the previous post:
.....these durian puffs are absolutely heavenly! *lick lips***
Ingredients (filling: durian custard)
custard powder, 30g
sugar, 120g
durian flesh, 240g
hoon kueh powder, 45g
fresh milk, 530g
Direction:
Add all the ingredients and 1/4 of the milk. Mix well until smooth. Add the rest of the milk. Finally bring to a boil. Constant attention and stirring is important!
Ingredients (choux pastry)
eggs, 4
water, 235g
shortening, 125g ( use half butter and half shortening for best results)
baking powder, 1/2 tsp
plain flour, 125g
Directions:
1. Sieve flour and baking powder together
2. Bring shortening and water to a boil. After it comes to a boil, quickly add in flour and stir the mixture until it comes together. Do not off the fire at this point. Only when water has been evaporated, off the fire.
3. Pour the mixture into a flat beater mixer and mix well, about 1 minute on max speed to release the hot air. Add in egg and mix evenly. Add essence.
4. Put the choux pastry into a large pastry bag, with a star tip and pipe them out on a greased baking tray.
5. Bake at 200C for 20 minutes.
6. Allow to cool.
7. Pipe in the custard or use a scissor to cut the puff and fill it in with custard filling.

Another variaiton would be to use the same choux pastry and pipe an l to give it an eclair look. Add in whipped cream +chocolate paste for the filling. Top with chopped almonds.

napkin roll

I have to admit that although I do love baking, I am not a pro and have a lot more to learn. Hence, I'm taking this opportunity to learn as much as I can from various pros in Singapore! :) Most people think that dietitians know everything about food, how to cook and bake but what they don't know is that the things we learn in school is more disease-orientated or how foods can be used to heal diseases. There are tons of biochemistry and organic chemistry classes to learn how our body works biochemically. The three domains include clinical ( seeing patients in the hospitals -people who can't eat) to administrative ( management of hospital kitchens or food services) to community nutrition which involves group lectures and consults with clients who need help with their diabetes or renal condition, even clients who need help with obesity or anorexia, etc. In a small nutshell, that is what we can do.
Although the recipes I have posted or will be posting up do not reflect the absolute healthiest foods, I have to concur that I use this place as a melting pot of ideas. Anything is possible once techniques are mastered...for example, sugar can be omitted / substituted if someone is a diabetic. I hope that you'll find these recipes useful and feel free to modify it to suit your health and taste buds!
~~~ ^___^~~~~
Today, I went to the Jia lei confectionery & training center to learn how to make: napkin roll, durian cream puff and chocolate fudge cake. Here's the brief recipe for the napkin roll: Ingredients:
Egg, 5
Egg yolk, 3
Optima flour (or sponge cake mix flour) 140g
Hong kong flour, 50g ( to decrease sweetness)
water, 60g
S.P (or ovalette), 15g
corn oil, 40g
honeydew essence, a little
jam, optional
Use 2 trays, 11x14"
Directions:
1. Beat egg, egg yolks, hong kong flour, optima flour and S.P at maximum speed for approximately 5 minutes. Add in water and essence and mix well, about 10 seconds only.
2. Pour in corn oil. Use hands to mix well. (Never use a mixer to add oil). Pour it into the tin. For the multi-colored look, use a paper cone and pipe the alternating colored batters into the baking tin. Start with a little before batter before adding more. Shake pan to remove air bubbles. Bake in a Baine-Marie for about 15 minutes at 170C. Hot water must be used.
3. When the cake is cooled, spread some jam and fresh cream, and roll it up like a napkin.

6.26.2007

a piece of cake (video)

I would like to share with you this beautiful inspirational sharing that aunt Rosy sent me. I modified and converted it into a video so as to post it up here. Enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMECQz7OZdA

6.03.2007

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!! ^__^

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.