Flower Shaped Sugar Cookie

Again same recipe and the dough was so easy to work. Please go here for the recipe.

Sugar Cookies (Peggy Porshen)

More cookies......I absolutely love these recipe.  This time around I used orange zest to give these cookies the mild orange flavor. 

Potato Rolls

Love love this potato rolls.  These guys are so fluffy and soft. I just cannot get enough of it.  They are especially delicious right out of the oven and smoothered with butter.  I preheat them in microwave the next day for breakfast and they were still as delicious.

I used my Kitchenaid mixer with dough hook for this. One thing about this rolls is that they brown up so nicely even without brushing it with egg wash.  They smell and taste so divine. Stayed soft for 3 days in room temperature.

Source: Annie's Eat and The Boastful Baker

Ingredients

1 large russet potato, boil and mashed to get 1/2 cup ( RESERVE 1/4 cup of cooking liquid for the dough)

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp honey

1 1/4 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup warm milk

1 egg

1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid from potato

1/2 cup mashed potato

2 1/2 - 3 cup bread flour

Method

In the mixer, add then ingredients following the manufacturers instructions for the machine.  Let it knead for about 5 minutes.  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover and set in a warm place.  I placed my bowl in the oven. Let rise until doubled for about 1 hour.  Take it out and punch down.  Divide dough into small balls. I got about 18 good size rolls.  Leave a space of 1 inch between them.  Cover and let it rise again for about 30 to 45 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Sprinkle some flour on the rolls.  This gives the rolls the rustic look and bake it for about 20 minutes till golden brown. Serve warm.  Enjoy.

Sash 11th Birthday

My son turned 11 and its hard to satisfy him since he is not too much into cartoon character or any too intensed decorated cakes.  So I just opted to make him a fruit cake and also another cake with a small soccer ball on it since he loves playing soccer.  The end result is the one that always counts.....he loves the cake.

White cake with buttercream frosting

Vanilla Chiffon with whipped cream frosting

Egg Custard Tart

Ingredients of crust

225 gm plain flour
125 gm butter
55 gm icing sugar
1 egg, whisked
a dash vanilla extract

Ingredients of custard

3 eggs
110 gm caster sugar
225 gm hot water
85 gm evaporated milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

* This crust is more like a cookie crust

Method

• Place butter at room temperature until softened. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer over medium speed until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and light in color.
• Add in whisked egg, half at a time, beat over low speed. Add vanilla extract, mix well.
• Sift in flour in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions with a spatula, and make sure all ingredients combine well. Knead into dough. (see picture)
• Roll out the dough to a 1/2 cm thickness. Cut dough with a cookie cutter that is just a bit smaller than your tart tin in size. Line dough in the middle of tart tins, one by one. Lightly press the dough with your thumbs, starting from the bottom then up to the sides. While pressing the dough, turn the tart tin clockwise/anti-clockwise in order to make an even tart shell. Trim away any excess.
• Method (making custard): 
• Add sugar into hot water, mix until completely dissolved.
• Whisk egg with evaporated milk. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.
• Sift egg mixture to get rid of any foam into a tea pot. Carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shell.
• Method (baking tarts): 
• Preheat oven to 200C. Position rack in lower third of oven. Bake tarts for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
• Lower the heat to 180C. Keep an eye on them. Once you see the custard being puffed up a bit, pull the oven door open about 2 to 3 inches. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the custard is cooked through. Just insert a toothpick into the custard. If it stands on its own, it’s done.

Sweet Sour Pork

My husband did his usual weekend cooking and this time was sweet sour pork.  I think he did a pretty good job.  We battered and fried the pork first and then added the bell peppers for the crunch.

Ingredients


1 green capsicum, cut into cubes
1 red chilli, seeded and cut into cubes
1 tomato, cubed
Some canned pineapple cubes
1 large onion – cut into cubes
1 cup cubed deseeded cucumber

Sauce ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsps white vinegar
2 tbsps soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple syrup (from the can)
1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper
1/2 cup water
Cornstarch & water for thickening sauce

Method

• Deep fry meat in hot oil. Dish out, drain well and set aside in a serving dish.
• Heat wok with oil, saute chopped garlic and cubed big onions for 2 minutes.
• Add in sauce ingredients (except cornstarch) and bring to a boil.
• Add in the rest of the ingredients A and simmer for 2 minutes. Thicken gravy with cornstarch.
• Pour sauce over meat and garnish before serving.

Tuxedo Cake

I have seen this Tuxedo cake in many sites and have always wanted to do it and since its my sweetie's birthday, I thought of making this special cake for him.  I used a chocolate cake recipe from Food Network and used whipped cream cheese frosting.  The strawberries I just dipped them in white chocolate and use candy melts as the topping.

The only mistake I think I did was pour too much of chocolate on top and that made it overpour on the cake board but the most important thing is that my sweetie loved the cake and I am happy to make his birthday a wonderful day.

The chocolate cake stayed moist the next day in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Cake ( I used half the recipe and used 3 6in round cake pan)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups good cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch x 2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix with a whisk until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the whisk add the wet ingredients to the dry until all combined. Lastly add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz package of cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup of whipping cream

1 tsp Vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

Method

In a cold bowl, whip the whipping cream till stiff  peaks form. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the cream cheese, salt, sugar and vanilla. Beat will soft and fluffy.  Slowly add the whipped cream and combine till all is well mixed.

Chocolate Topping

4 oz chocolate chip

1/2 cup whipping cream

Method

Simmer milk till hot and immediately pour onto the chocolate chip.  Stir till the chocolate is melted.  Set aside for a few minute and then pour onto the top of the frosting.