Chocolate Cake

I have been wanting to try this recipe from Joy Of Baking. The first attempt today was a failure as the cake sunk in the middle :(

The second attempt was a real success. This is a relatively easy recipe...no cake mixer. It uses the "one bowl" method...mix the dry ingredients, mix the wet ingredient in a separate bowl, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed), sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (240 ml) warm water
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Frosting:

6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream (35% butterfat)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 250F (177degree C)
2. Combine all the dry ingredients (first 6 ingredients) in a dry bowl. Whisked to combined
3. Combine the wet ingredient together in a separate bowl
4. Mix the wet ingredient to the dry ingredient
5. Bake for about 35 minutes
6. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:

1. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat
2. Bring just to a boil
3. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and stir until smooth
4. Let the ganache sit at room temperature until slightly firm (about one hour) and then beat the ganache until creamy smooth and light.
5. With an offset spatula or knife spread the ganache over the cooled cake.


~bel~

Strawberry Muffins

I wanted to bake some blueberry muffins this week. But could not find any good ones and they are getting expensive. I went to HEB yesterday and saw that the strawberrys are in seasons. I bought 2 packs for USD 3. Gosh.. they are big and fat and juicy.

I decided to make some strawberry muffins instead!

The strawberry muffins - fresh from the oven !!!!!

I am happy with the perfect dome shape

and more muffins !!!!!!!!! See the strawberrys peeping out???

Muffins are one of the easiest bake. They are not cake.. but rather "quick bread". And Yes.. it is quick and easy to make muffins.. just 4 basic steps:

i) Whisk all dry ingredients together

ii) Whisk all wet ingredients together

iii) Mix the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient

iv) Fold lightly to combine

I used a simple muffin recipe and added the strawberry and also added a simple streusel topping

Ingredients for Muffins:

8 oz low cake flour

3.5 oz sugar

2.5 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

6 oz whole milk

2.5 oz melted butter ( cool)

Ingredients for Streusel toppings :

1/3 cup packed brown suggar

1 tablespoon flour

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. whisked together first 4 dry ingredients together

2. whisked together the remaining wet ingredients ( make sure all ingredients at room temperature)

3. Pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredient

4. Fold lightly. Do not overmixed

5. For Streusel, Combined all ingredients until it resembled fine bread crumbs

6. Poured muffin batter onto prepared muffin pans

7. Topped with streusels

8. Baked at 425 F for first 10 minutes, and reduced to 420F for remaining 10

~bel~

Oreo Truffles

My friend Inga inspired me to make these. She was telling me about an easy recipe to make truffles. I never did realise that truffles are the easiest candies to make. It only requires 3 ingredients..... the secret to making truffles is to use the best quality chocolate.

(I finally bought a new camera... the new Canon Powershot SD 1400. I am surprise by the quality of the pictures taken !)

Ingredients:

One pack 8 oz Philadelphia cream cream

36 Oreo cookies

Two pack 8 oz baking chocolate

Toppings (optional)

Crushed nuts

Coconuts

Dutch cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Crushed the Oreo cookies till fine. An easy way is to use blender or food processor. I had neither. So I crushed the cookies and sift them till they are fine

2. Combined the crushed Oreo and cream cheese till well mixed

3. Chilled for about 30 minutes

4. Rolled the mixture into small "meatballs"

5. Chilled overnight

6. Melt the baking chocolate and dipped the balls into the chocolates

7. Sprinkle with toppings (optional)

8. Chilled for at least 1 hour and serve

~Bel~

Cajun Crab Dip

The cooking club is having a Cajun Theme party tonight. It took me while to decide what to bring. My kitchen is not equipped for the heavy Cajun cooking.

I finally decided on a cajun crab dip.

This is my first attempt in making dip. Asians are not a great fan of dip..especially cold dip. It was difficult to choose a recipe especially with something which I am not familiar with. I finally settled on this cold crab dip recipe..... with some modification. The recipe calls for Cayenne pepper which add kick to the dish.

Ingredients:

8 ouces Philadelphia cream cheese, soften ( I used reduced fat)

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 six ounce cans crab meat, drained.

2 cups finely chopped green onion

1 cup mayonnaise

1.5 teaspoon of worcesteshire sauce (original recipe called for 1 teaspoon)

1.5 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (original recipe called for 1 teaspoon)

salt to taste (original recipe called for a teaspoon)

Direction:

1. Combine cream cheese and lemon juice together

2. Combined all ingredients together to the cream cheese mix

3. Chill and serve with cracker

~bel~

Butter Cake

I had been thinking of butter cake for last two weeks. I was in a baking mood today and decided decided to bake one using the recipe in Bakingmum. It is a very simple and easy recipe

The pictures taken are really bad as I am without camera. These were taken using my blackberry.

Ingredients :

300g self raising flour (sifted)

200g sugar

250g butter (unsalted)

6 large eggs

1/2 cup of evaporated milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Direction

1. Cream butter and sugar till white and fluffy

2. Add eggs. One at a time and mix well

3. Add vanilla extract and evaporated milk

4. Fold in flour

5. Pour into greased and lined cake tray 9X9 ( I used two loaf tins)

6. Baked at 160C (330F) for about one hour

~bel~

Spicy Black Bean and Black Eye Pea Salad

I am going to a friend's place today and decided to make a bean salad. I decided to adapt a Southwestern Bean Salad with Black Bean, Black Eye peas, Pepper and Cilantro recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen.... with a small twist :)

I am pleasantly surpised by the results. I really like the tangy and spicy taste...... really refreshing :)

Ingredients:

1 can of black bean

1 can of black eye pea

1/2 cup of green peppers (diced)

1/2 cup of red pepper (diced)

1/2 cup of golden pepper (diced)

3/4 cup of red onion (diced)

1.3 cup of chopped cilantro

Dressings:

4 tablespoon of olive oil

3 tablespoon of lemon juice

2 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of Japanese chilli flakes (you can purchase this from any Japanese grocery shop_

6-10 drops of tabascco ( more if you like the salad to be more spicy)

Salt and pepper

Direction:

i) Rinse the beans till no foam. Drain for at least 5 minutes. Pat dry

ii) Whisked the dressings together until well combined

iii) Add 1/2 of dressing to the beans. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to marinate

iv) Add the peppers, onions and cilantro to the beans. Add salt and pepper to taste

v) Add more dressing if desired.

vi) Chilled for one hour and ready to serve

~bel~

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is always fun in my family,,especially when it comes to FOOD. We always have abundance of delicious food... I always think that we could feed a platoon with the amount of food we cook each day :)

Some ( I have to stress "SOME".....) of the food we had for the Chinese New Year reunion dinner last night...

Roasted chicken.. This year we had 3.. I roasted one and my sister bought 2......

Stir fried leeks... always have this during Chinese New Year as "Leeks" sounds as "count" in Chinese dialect.. which literally meant counting money

Fried noodles...my speciality.... the family loves this when I cook it

My favourite.. curry vegetables...

Chinese Meat Roll... we only made this once or twice each year as it is very time consuming. Took us 3 hours to roll 1 kg of meat

Roasted Goose.. my sister bought them this year

Prawns.. always a family favourite

Peng Cai... a Chinese Delicacy.. an earthen pot consisting of layers and layers of chinese delicacy such as abalone, prawns, fish maws etc.