Baby Shower & Gumpaste Angel

I made this cake for my church for Advent. The baby angel is made with gumpaste.

Batman cake

A white cake with buttercream frosting.  

Birthday boy all dressed up as Batman

Easy Baked Crab Rangoon

If you love crab rangoon, then you will surely enjoy this version which is slightly healthier since it is baked.

Ingredients

1 can  (6 oz.) crabmeat, drained, flaked

4oz  PHILADELPHIA  Cheese, softened

2  green onions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup  KRAFT Light Mayo Reduced Fat Mayonnaise

12  won ton wrappers

Method

Heat oven to 350°F.

Combine first 4 ingredients.

Place 1 won ton wrapper in each of 12 muffin pan cups sprayed with cooking spray, extending edges of wrapper over rim of cup. Fill with crab mixture.

Bake for 18 to 20 min. or until edges of cups are golden brown and filling is heated through.

Ghee Cookies

Another favorite of mine. These cookies are solely made with clarified butter.  It just melts in your mouth.  Some even uses ground semolina to give a little bite to the cookie. I did not use any measurement. Just eyeball the ingredients.

Ingredients

All purpose flour, dry pan fry slightly
Salt
Confectioner Sugar
Ghee

Pan fry the flour, add the salt, sugar and enough ghee to get a smooth dough.  Roll and set on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10 minutes till the bottom is slightly brown. Do not overbake. Leave it to cool on the tray and move it only when it cools down.
Enjoy...

Peanut Cookies

Kitchadi ( Savory Semolina)

Breakfast for dinner is my absolute favorite.  Sometimes we even have pancakes with bacon and scrambled egg.  Tonight I am making Kitchadi...its actually semolina dry fried and then cooked with mixed vege and served with dhal curry.  My mother usually makes this as a easy breakfast and serves it with some sprinkle of sugar.

Ingredients


1 cup  semolina
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 cup mixed vegetables, chopped (carrots, potatoes and beans)
2 green chillies, chopped (adjust to taste)
1" piece ginger, grated
A few curry leaves
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
A few roasted cashewnuts to garnish (optional)
Coriander leaves, chopped, for garnish
2 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method

• Dry roast the rava in a pan until it turns a light brown (about 7-10 mins). Transfer to a bowl when done and set aside to cool.
• Heat oil in the same pan and add the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. When the dal turns golden brown and the mustard seeds splutter, add the onions, green chillies and ginger. Fry for 4-5 mins until the onions turns golden brown.
• Now add the peas and vegetables. Mix well. Add about 3 cups water and cook closed until the vegetables turn soft.
• Open, add salt and mix well. Then lower fire to sim and add the roasted rava little at a time, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Continue to cook and stir for another 5 mins.
• Remove and serve hot with sambar.

Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cake is my favorite cake of all.  Its super light and airy.  Since I have some pureed pumpkin left, I thought of making a chiffon cake.  My family devoured it almost as soon as it came out of the oven.  It has all the spices as the pumpkin pie.  Since I did not have any pumpkin seeds, I used couple of sliced almonds and it was perfect as it gave it a little crunch at the top.  I dont quite like to use frosting on my chiffons.  Just probably a little dollop of whip cream will do the trick.

Ingredients

120 g pumpkin puree

50 g vegetable oil

50 g milk

¼ tsp salt

6 egg yolks 

120 g super fine flour or cake flour

2 tsp pumpkin spice mix

6 egg whites 

¼ tsp cream of tartar

120 g fine granulated sugar

Method

In a mixing bowl, beat together egg yolks, oil, milk and salt till foamy. Then add in mashed pumpkin and fold in flour with a spatula till just blended.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat egg whites with medium speed till soft peak then add in cream of tartar and sugar in batches (3-4 times). Beat with high speed between each addition and continue to beat till stiff.

Transfer one quarter of egg white into egg yolk batter, mix with spatula till combined. Fold in remaining egg white gradually.

Transfer batter in chiffon pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Invert cake immediately and cool completely before removing from pan.

Pumpkin Cutout Cookie

I made these cuties for my son's school.  Same cookie recipe from the Flour Pot Cookie.

Dracula's Dentures

Dracula's dentures....hmmm doesnt it look almost real.  Got this idea from here. You would not believe it, my son who loves chocolate chip cookie, did not even take a bite of this. He thinks its too yucky.....lol.

We had a fun time decorating these cookies.

Method

Your favorite cookie recipe.  Before it cools completely, cut in half. Put frosting on both sides.  Arrange the marshmallows, Top with the other half cookie.  Use slivered almonds as fangs.

Spooky halloween cookie.....done.

Mummy Meatloaf and Witch Finger

Every year for Halloween, me and my daughter try to make some fun meal.  Today we planned to make this meatlof which uses any of your favorite meatloaf recipe.  Shape it and bake in a round baking dish.  Let cool slightly and top in the eye area a sliced cheese.  In the meantime, cook few pieces of lasagna noodle. Put it on a buttered dish and cut into strips.  Wrap the mummy a.k.a the meatloaf.  Top the eyes with olive.

My daughter said the mummy looks like he has just been mummified....

Mummy Meatloaf

Witch's Finger 

My witch finger is too fat.  Next time I will have to make the bread dough little small.  Eventhough it is bread but it looked gruesome. Dipped them in ketchup and it looked like a severed finger...lol.

Doesnt that look like blood....!

Mocha Chiffon

Ingredients

A

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted cake flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons white sugar for egg yolks

B
¼ cup corn/canola oil
4 egg yolks, from extra large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons water*
2 teaspoons coffee powder*
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

C
4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

D
6 tablespoons white sugar for egg whites
*dissolve the coffee in a little boiling water, then top up to have a total of 6 tablespoons of water/coffee mixture.

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine {A} well. Add in {B}. Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth and well blended.
• In a separate bowl, beat {C} on high speed until frothy. Gradually add in the sugar {D} and beat until stiff peaks are formed. Gradually and gently fold in egg whites into egg yolk mixture. Pour batter into an ungreased 8” chiffon cake pan.
• Bake for about 55 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan into wire rack immediately and cool completely.
• To release cake from pan, carefully run a thin knife around sides of pan and invert cake onto a cake board.  
• Cut cake in half horizontally.  Fill and frost with buttercream and decorate as desired. I left mine as is since I dont quite like to frost mine.

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup like how mother makes it....

Chicken

Cinnamon stick

Peppercorn

Star Anise

Cloves

Ginger, pound slightly

Onion, cubed

Potato

Carrot

In a medium pot, add little bit of oil, put in the spices and garlic, onion. Add chicken and brown it a little.  Add water to just cover the chicken.  Add salt. Let chicken cook for about 20 minutes then add the vegetables and cook till vegetables are soft.  Taste seasoning.  Sprinkle with cilantro and some fried onions.

Done....

Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookie

Surely you would have done tons of different variation chocolate chip cookies but this one sure hit my button. It stayed soft even after two days.  I added some marshmallow since I had them lying around.  It gave a little crunch at the edge of the cookie and this is what made it different from other chocolate chip cookie.

Do give this a try...

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, melted
2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
1 egg
2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup marshmallow, optional

Method

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and marshmallow by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
• Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Fall is the best season of all that I like... the weather not too hot or too cold and the beautiful leaves falling down being swept away by the cool chill wind and the wonderful smell of pumpkin pie baking in the kitchen or the aroma of the spices lingering around in your mouth after having a spiced pumpkin cake, pumpkin pie or whatever that uses the spice.  I just cant get enough of fall.  Thats why I went ahead to the store this morning and got me a can of Libby's Pumpkin. Came home right way and made me some mini cupcakes.

I can promise you that this is a non fail cupcake and also it does not require any beaters, which I always hate to clean once I have done the bakings.  To go with this wonderfully spiced pumpkin cupcake, you would for sure need Cream Cheese frosting with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder.  Well, thats said for now, here is the recipe so you can go try some for yourself or just give to your friends and neighbor :)

Ingredients

1 stick butter, melted and cooled
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 pumpkin spice
1/2 can pumpkin puree

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin pan or mini muffin pan.

In a bowl, add sugar and brown sugar to the cooled melted butter. Whisk and add eggs and pumpkin. Whisk till smooth.

In another clean bowl, add the flour, spices and sift.  Stir in slowly into the wet mixture.  Combine all till smooth.  Pour into the baking liner half full.

Bake for about 20 minutes.  Cool and decorate with cream cheese frosting.

Frosting

2 pkg cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 lb confectioner sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract

Using the mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese until well combine.
Gradually add the confectioner sugar until well mixed.
Finally mix in the vanilla and cinnamon powder.

Gumpaste pumpkins

Purple Ombre Cake

My second attempt on making a red velvet cheesecake.  The cheesecake is from Doris Greenspan's cheesecake recipe.  Red velvet cake is from Martha Stewart.  

Fresh Fruit Cake

Made this cake for a friend.  I used a cake recipe from Baking From My Home To Yours; perfect party cake.  The cake was so moist and fluffy, yet it was very sturdy when cut in layers. I layered it with raspberry jam, frosted with fresh whipped cream and topped with fresh fruits.

Buttercake

Made this cake for a friend of mine. Its a buttercake with buttercream frosting.  The basketweave is buttercream and the flowers are all made from gumpaste.

Tall Cheesecake

Its been almost 2 months since I have updated my blog. Its not that I have not been cooking but I just lost a very dear person to me....and my whole world for moment seems not to be important. My mother was a strong independent woman who has taught me a lot about life.  Its because of her that I am  who I am. 

Couple of days ago I made this wonderful scrumptious cheesecake from Dorie Greenspan's Book.  I feel you can never go wrong with this cheesecake even if you have not baked or afraid of baking a cheesecake. Its procedure is super simple and can be altered in many ways to suit your taste.  It can be baked in a springform pan if you are making it with a crust or a regular round pan if its without a crust. I have tried both ways and worked out fine.

The grapes below in the picture has nothing to do with the cheesecake. I just loved how the ambiance of the grape enhanced the mood. 

Note:  This makes a big cheesecake. I halved the recipe.

Ingredients


2 cups of Graham cracker crumbs (from a little less than 2 packages Graham crackers
2 Tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
5 Tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter (if using salted butter, omit the pinch of salt), melted

Filling

2 pounds cream cheese  ( 4 bar), room temperature
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Toppings ( I ommited this altogether because I choose to add some raspberry preserve)

2 cups sour cream (475 ml)
1/3 cup powdered sugar (35 g)
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 ounces (340 g) fresh raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
1/2 cup water (120 ml)
Special equipment needed
9-inch, 2 3/4-inch high springform pan
Heavy-duty, 18-inch wide aluminum foil
A large, high-sided roasting pan

Method

 Prepare the springform pan so that no water leaks into it while cooking.* Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan, and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Use your (clean) hands to stir in the melted butter.

 Put all but 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. (Save the remaining 1/4 cup for if you happen to have any holes that need to be filled in, either while you are making the crust, or after the cake has cooked and you've unmolded it.) Gently press down on the crumbs using your fingers, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe just a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan. Be careful as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and creamy. Add the sugar, beat for 4 minutes more. Add the salt and vanilla, beating after each addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that paddle attachment has failed to incorporate

Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan with the springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake, pouring until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) Cook at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours.

Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door 1-inch, and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for another hour. This gentle cooling will help prevent the cheesecake surface from cracking.

Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.

Prepare sour cream topping

Place sour cream in a medium sized bowl, stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth. Chill until you are ready to serve the cake.

Note that this recipe produces enough sour cream topping for a thick topping and some extra to spoon over individual pieces of cheesecake, if desired. If you would like a thinner layer of topping and no extra, reduce the sour cream topping ingredients in half.

Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to mash the raspberries. Heat on medium, whisking, about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Let cool.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from the sides of the pan, and place the cake on your cake serving dish. Run the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cake and the pan. Dorie recommends, and we've done with success, that you use a hair dryer to heat the sides of the pan to make it easier to remove. Open the springform latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread the top with the sour cream mixture. Serve plain or drizzled with raspberry sauce.

My son loved it...

Blueberry Muffins

You would probably have tried many versions of blueberry muffins; some dense some crumbly and some too dry but I will assure you that this is the ONE.  I made it twice yesterday and both times it was super soft and delicious even after keeping it overnight. It did not need to be microwaved to softened it.

Best of all the recipe has no mixing in different bowls and clean up is a brisk.  Do give this muffins a try :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1/3 cup oil
Milk ( enough to make 1 cup when mixed in with egg and oil)
1/2 - 1 cup of blueberries + 2 tbsp flour

Makes 12 big or 24 mini muffins

Method

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the muffin pan with paper liner.  Take about 2 tbsp flour and mix the blueberries and leave it aside.
• Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a measuring jug, measure the oil, add the egg in it and pour enough milk to make it 1 cup.  Whisk to beat the egg slightly and pour the liquid into the dry ingredients.  Mix till just combined.  Slowly add the blueberries and fold in.  Pour into the lined muffin pan and bake for about 15- 20 minutes.

Rainbow Cake

This is the birthday cake that accompanied the tie dye cookies. The cake itself has a tender crumb but holds well when sliced.  The cake is best eaten the same day but if it has to be refrigerated, make sure to let it thaw for at least 30 minutes to get the best flavor.

Source:  Baking From My home to Yours ( Perfect Party Cake)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup cake flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp lemon extract

For the frosting I used swiss meringue buttercream.

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter two 9 inch by 2 inch round cake pan. Grease and line the pan with parchment paper. ( In this case I made mine six layers, just reused my 2 pans)
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a bowl.
• Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl and using a paddle mix slowly. Add the dry ingredients and butter and beat with medium speed until butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract then add half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.  Add the rest of the milk and egg mixture beating until the batter is homogeneous then add the last of the dry ingredients.  Finally give the batter a good 2 minute to ensure that is it thoroughly mixed and well aerated.  Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
• bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch.  Transfer the cakes to a cooking rack and cool for 5 minutes and unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.  The cooled cake layers can be wrapped air-tight and stored at room temperature or frozen for up to 2 months.

Frost with your favorite frosting.

Tie Dye Cookie

I made these for my daughters birthday party.  These were the Peggy Porschen cookie recipe.  The cookies were so simple to make and tasted really good.

Green Tea Chiffon

Are you a tea lover especially green tea ? Then you will surely have to try this chiffon cake.  I am not a green tea fan but after making this cake, I have actually changed my mind.  The cake itself is delicate and soft on the top and when you get to the last bite, the green tea takes on a different taste.

I have no special recipe for this.  Made the usual vanilla chiffon with some green tea mix.