Category: Dessert

Lemony Blessings

10 Comments

I always considered our lives very blessed. We always get what we want and we have constant love, care and support from our family. What more can we ask for? But God is amazing. I came home one day after work and found a few bright yellow round things in our garden. My first thought was : someone has been throwing tennis balls into our backyard? haha But when I got a closer look, they were lemons that fell off our neighbour’s lemon tree! (: The winds and rain were so strong, the lemons flew into our backyard! What blessings! Showers of blessings indeed!

So what do you do when you suddenly have a whole bunch of lemons? Make lemon meringue cupcakes filled with luciuus and tangy lemon curd, of course! It’s been a cupcake I have been wanting to make for the longest time. Ever since the first Junior Masterchef when Isabella made her beautiful cupcakes for the Mystery Box challenge! So I decided to make the curd a day before, and wake up early on a Saturday morning to make these gorgeous small cakes.

I started bright and early, so much so that I could try two cake recipes! I was drawn to the recipe on Gourmet Traveller (September 2011 Issue) that was from the Rockpool Bar & Grill. So I couldn’t resist making them. I just had to make both cakes. They were very different. Not just in the type of ingredients used, the way it’s made and also the texture. The cakes using Isabella’s recipe turned out soft and fluffy. But the ones from the Rockpool’s recipe turned out slightly denser and gooey-er (see above). I really couldn’t choose between the two! Both were delicious!

What I really like about Isabella’s recipe is that she didn’t use butter in her cupcakes, so you could practically whip it up really quickly! You don’t have to wait for the butter to soften, which is definitely a plus! And I would like to say that it is healthier. MAYBE. haha But well, regardless. They were both delicious! Just depends on what texture you like more. So I’m going to share both recipes, and you can decide which you like more! (:

*Note : I used the same lemon curd and Italian meringue for both cupcakes and the recipes below are more than enough for all the 24 cupcakes made (12 from each cupcake recipe). 

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Lemon Curd (adapted from Gourmet Traveller – Rockpool Bar & Grill)

5 eggs

155ml lemon juice

1 tbs lemon zest

180g caster sugar

150g butter

*Cupcake 1 (adapted from Gourmet Traveller – Rockpool Bar & Grill)

155g caster sugar

155g butter

155g self-raising flour

1 tbs lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla paste

75ml milk

Italian Meringue (adapted from Gourmet Traveller – Rockpool Bar & Grill)

200g caster sugar

80ml water

140g egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Steps :

1) For the lemon curd : Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then strain them through a sieve. In a heavy-based saucepan, add the butter, lemon juice, sugar and zest. Stir until the butter is melted and sugar is fully dissolved. Add a little of the lemon mixture to the eggs to warm it up, then gradually add it back into the saucepan, stirring continuously.

2) Cook the mixture over low heat, stirring continuously and scraping the base of the saucepan until it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. This will take about 8 minutes and make sure the mixture doesnt boil or else it will curdle. Allow the mixture to cool completely, before covering it and put it in the fridge until it is chilled. (At least an hour, but I prefer to make it a day before, and let it chill overnight). This is enough for the 24 cupcakes I made, and leftovers could be kept in an airtight container in a fridge, up to 2 weeks.

3) For cupcakes* : Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius, and line a 12-cupcake tray with liners. In a mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for a couple of minutes, before adding the sugar. Beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until the mixture is smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla paste and mix it for another 2 minutes. On low speed, add the flour and milk (alternately) until just combined. Careful not to overbeat the mixture. Divide the mixture evenly into the cupcake liners and smooth the top out. Bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Turn them out onto a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. (For Isabella’s recipe, please see below)

4) For the Italian meringue : Combine the caster sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and sitr the mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved. Increase the heat to medium-high, and allow the sugar mixture to reach a soft-boil stage, without stirring (about 121 degrees celcius on a candy thermometer).

5) In a mixer, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tar tar until soft peaks form. On medium speed, slowly and carefully pour the hot sugar syrup into the whipped egg whites. Continue to whisk the mixture on medium speed until the mixing bowl feels cool, and the egg whites are thick and glossy. Fill a pipping bag and use immediately.

6) To assemble : Cut a whole in the middle of the cupcakes, big enough to fill 2 tsp of lemon curd. Fill a pipping back with the lemon curd and gently fill the holes up. Pipe the Italian meringue onto each cupcake, making sure you cover the curd completely. Using a kitchen blowtorch, carefully brown the meringue before serving.

*Cupcake 2 (adapted from Junior Masterchef – Isabella’s Recipe)

1 cup thickened cream

3/4 cup caster sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1 tbs lemon zest

Steps : 

1) For cupcakes* : Place cream, sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually add the flour (1/2 cup at a time) and zest and continue to whisk until thick and smooth. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners and bake for 15-18 minutes. Turn over on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely before filling them up with the lemon curd and topping with the Italian meringue (recipe and steps as stated above).

ENJOY!

Lychee Cheesecake In A Jar

20 Comments

I’ve been wanting to do this for the longest time. Making a dessert in a jar that is. I’ve been really amused by the whole concept and also totally in love with how the desserts turn out. You don’t even need to decorate it much, just place a ribbon around the mouth of the jar and place it with a spoon, viola! (: You have a beautiful looking dessert on the table. Perfect for a dinner party or even gifts for friends!

I had a block of cream cheese sitting in my fridge for the longest time, and have been wanting to make something with it. I wanted to make some japanese cheesecake, but decided to make something new instead. So searching my pantry, I found a tin of lychees and decided to use them!

Lychees are definitely one of my favourite fruits. But it’s so difficult to find the fresh version here, even if they sell it, it’s so crazy expensive! haha So I always have a tin of lychees sitting in my pantry. (: I have to admit, i’ve not had cream cheese with lychees before, but I suppose, it should go well with a sweet fruit puree. Right? hehe So here goes nothing!

I did a bit of research and found a recipe that sounded easy and the product looked absolutely gorgeous, so I just had to give it a try. The only downside to this recipe? Is that I have to wait for the cheesecake to set, before being able to indulge in them! haha But I am a firm believer of delayed gratification! This is one dessert that is definitely worth the wait! (:

Oh yes! I did add a bit of lychee liquor, which I always have in my pantry, just to make it a little boozy! hehe But definitely not enough to taste it. hehe Almost no effect at all.

Lychee Cheesecake in a Jar (adapted from Honest Vanilla)

For the base :

100g digestive biscuits

40g short bread

60g butter, melted

For the lychee cheese layer :

500g cream cheese

300g thicken cream

240g lychees, drained and reserve syrup

100ml lychee syrup

1 tbs lychee liquor

50g sugar

3 tsp powdered gelatine

Steps : 

This recipe is enough for 6 jars and a 6-inch springform pan.

1) Break the digestive biscuits and the shortbread by sealing them in a ziplock bag and crushing them using a rolling pin. Make sure you get them quite finely.

2) Pour the crushed biscuits in a bowl, and pour the melted butter over them evenly. Combine both butter and  biscuits are well combined and press them evenly at the bottom of the jars and springform pan. Set and chill in the fridge while preparing the lychee cheese layer.

3) In a small pot, heat the lychee syrup till it just comes to a boil. Take it off the heat and add the gelatine. Stir until it dissolves completely. Set aside to cool.

4) Puree the lychees in a blender until there are less visible chunks. Add the lychee liquor and mix it well.

5) Whisk the cream cheese in a mixing bowl with the sugar until smooth, then add the lychee puree. In another bowl, whip the cream to a soft peak and gently fold it into the cream cheese and lychee mixture.

6) Once it’s well combined and smooth, add the gelatine mixture and fill a piping bag with the lychee cheese mixture. Slowly pipe it into the jars. Pour the rest of the mixture into the springform pan. Set to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. (I recommend leaving it in the fridge overnight.) 

7) To serve, top it with a bit more buttered crumbs, and a lychee. I added half a strawberry for more crunch and texture! Also, pour 1 tsp of lychee syrup on top just before serving for extra sweetness!

ENJOY!

Note to self : Definitely add a little bit more next time! hehe Of course, you can leave it out if you want a kid-friendly version! hehe

Sticky Date Pudding

22 Comments

It’s been a while since I baked something, and it’s definitely been a long while since I made a sticky date pudding. Cold winter nights usually makes me crave for a hot dessert. That to me, would definitely end my night on a super sweet note! (: So what could be better than freshly baked sticky date pudding with a dollop of freshly whipped (and quenelle, might I add) vanilla bean cream? Absolutely, nothing! Nothing could be more comforting than a hot pudding with cream or ice cream! mmmm.

My colleague has very kindly shared her recipe with me. I took one bite of the one she made, and immediately asked her if she minds sharing the recipe. She made it so often that she wrote out the recipe in less than 5 minutes! Including the steps! WOW! I was super impressed and couldn’t wait to try it!

Sticky Date Pudding (Adapted from Sandra)

200g dates, chopped

600ml boiling hot water

2 tsp soda bicarbonate

200g self-raising flour

150g unsalted butter

4 eggs

160g dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 pinch of salt

Butterscotch Sauce

300ml thickened cream

150g unsalted butter

1 cup of caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

whipped cream or ice cream, to serve

Steps :

1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius. Place the chopped dates in a bowl, and sprinkle the soda bicarbonate on it, and pour the boiling hot water over it. Leave it aside, to let it soften.

2) In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix well. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix till well combined.

3) Using a large wooden spoon, fold in the flour, a little at a time. Add the date and water mixture and mix till it becomes a wet mixture. Don’t worry, it does look very watery, so don’t panic! Pour into a well buttered baking tray and bake for 40 mins.

4) Meanwhile, make the butterscotch sauce by placing all the ingredients in a saucepan over a medium heat. Allow the butter and sugar to melt and thicken. Pour 1/3 of the butterscotch sauce over the baked pudding and place it back into the warm oven for another 15-20 minutes.

5) Serve with freshly whipped vanilla bean cream or ice cream. ENJOY! (:

PS : It is very addictive! Don’t say I didn’t warn you! haha (:

Sour Cream Maple Banana Cake

18 Comments

What’s your favourite childhood cake that you still can’t get enough of now? For me, the banana cake from the neighbourhood bakery would be the clear winner! The moist and soft texture of the cake, and every bite is just full of banana-y goodness! I’ve made a few banana cakes before but nothing came close to those I had when I was back in Singapore. It either came out too dense, or too burnt or too dry.

I came upon a recipe from Meeta of What’s For Lunch Honey? while blog hopping and saw a recipe I just couldn’t resist trying out. I wasn’t sure if it would turn out like those from back home, but it was definitely worth a shot! Especially since it’s also an upside down cake, and I’m kinda into that now, after making my upside down mandarin cake. haha

The recipe calls for maple syrup. I walked the aisles of the supermarket and contemplated on the maple flavoured syrup, as I never really wanted to spend almost $10aud on a bottle of pure maple syrup. But I decided to spoil ourselves and got a bottle of the real stuff and boy was I glad I did. It adds a unusual nutty flavour to the cake, which was perfect! The sour cream made the cake really soft and moist. And nothing could beat the smell of banana cake baking in the oven. It fills the whole house with the yummy aroma which makes you wanna dive your fork into it immediately once it’s taken out of the oven!

 I felt that this cake was a slightly healthier version as it has way less sugar and butter as compared to the mandarin one (well, I would like to think that! haha). Though they were both really yummy, this just brought me back to my childhood, and felt like I was back in Singapore for that 30 minutes of tea time. haha Yes, yes. I have to admit, I am really home sick. But I’ll be fine. (: Nothing a banana cake couldn’t fix!

So thank you so much Meeta, for sharing this awesome recipe. It’s definitely a keeper, and my mum has made me promise to make this for her when I get back at the end of the year! (:

Sour Cream Maple Banana Cake (Adapted from What’s For Lunch Honey?)

Ingredients : 

5 ripe bananas (3 for the base of the tin, and mash the other 2)

100g unsalted butter, plus extra to butter the tin

9 tbs maple syrup

200g dark brown sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

300g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate soda

200g sour cream

Steps :

1) Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celcius and butter a 20 x 20 square tin well. Pour 5 tablespoons of maple syrup into the tin and swirl it around to make sure the base of the tin is well coated.

2) Slice 3 bananas into half length-wise and lay them, cut side down, in the tin.

3) In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with the dark brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla paste and the mashed bananas. Mix until well combined. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate soda. Fold the flour mixture into the butter mixture with a spatula, then stir in the sour cream.

4) Carefully spoon the mixture into the tin, making sure the bananas at the base do not get displaced. Bake for 45 mins, then open the oven door and place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the tin so that it doesn’t get burnt. Bake it for a further 5-10mins until a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the middle of the cake.

5) Take the cake out and poke the top all over with a fork. Spoon the last 4 tablespoons of maple syrup over the top and allow it to be soaked through (about 5 mins).

6) Use a knife to run through the sides of the tin, careful not to cut into the cake, then place a large plate over the baking tin and carefully over-turn the cake. Voila!

7) Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. ENJOY!

This is one recipe I can be certain everyone would enjoy! Especially those of you who are like me, who absolutely loves banana cake! The old school bakery ones! NOMS!

Brunch Sunday : Chez Dre

16 Comments

South Melbourne is a gem. Its filled with good food, desserts and you can get almost anything you want or need from there. One of the reasons why I love weekends is because I get to spend time with the mr and do what we love. Eat and explore more of Melbourne together (:

Chez Dre

Add : 287 Coventry Street (Rear), South Melbourne, Vic

Tel : 03 96902688

It’s not my first time here at this amazing cafe. The first time I was introduced to this amazing place because of the desserts they offer. They have to ability to draw you in and just go “WAH!” You then want to buy everything that is on display. haha

I wasn’t joking was I? Don’t you just want to buy everything and try them? hehe I had to resist and bought 4 back this time. And they were all delicious! The chocolate tart is the Mr’s favourite, the hazelnut praline crunch was mine! We also had the salted caramel eclair and the pistachio & fig cake (can’t quite remember the exact name! Sorry!) They were all delicious! Want to head back and try the rest! (:

Well. We weren’t there for only the sweets. Our initial plan was to head there for brunch! hehe So we did!

As Chez Dre doesn’t have chai, I ordered a cappuccino instead. I do love a cup of coffee once in a while though I’m usually a chai/tea kind of girl. hehe But their coffee was really good and topping it with the cocoa powder was perfect!

The Mr had his usual latte. I’m always intrigued by the way the baristas draw the art with the milk and froth. It’s really a talent. Been wanting to do the coffee barista course but never got around to doing it. haha

This was the black pudding, caramelised onion and tomato chutney omelet that the mr ordered and it was DE-LI-CIOUS! I knew it was what the Mr was going to order as it had black pudding in it and the mr loves black pudding! hehe Was a really good choice though!

I, on the other hand, have an obsession with corn fritters. And lucky me went on the day that had corn fritters as a breakfast special! hehe So of course, I had to order the special. It came with a poached egg, avocado and a capsicum salsa. It was yummy but the corn fritter was a little more like a pancake and could do with a bit more corn. Everything complimented each other though! So was still delicious and I was very happy! hehe

The egg was poached perfectly and the runny yolk just acted as the sauce for the fritters! I was like a kid receiving candy when I cut into the egg and the yolk just flowed out. NOMS! Couldn’t stop smiling hehe

I have to admit, the portion size is smaller than the other places we’ve had brunch at, but the food was pretty good and everything was cooked perfectly. So we couldn’t really ask for more (although we would love more haha). We will definitely be back to Chez Dre, if not for the food, then for their amazing desserts! (:

What is your favourite dessert from Chez Dre? Would love to know!

Dessert Story

25 Comments

There’s alot of buzz about Hong Kong desserts in Melbourne of late. And I can never get enough of it! The Mr and I were at Glen Waverley for dinner one night, and we chanced upon it while roaming around the area. We are relatively new to the area, and wasn’t too sure what we could find there. And we found a place to satisfy our sugar cravings!

Dessert Story

Add : 72 Kingsway, Glen Waverley Vic 3150 

Tel : 03 95618884

When we got there, it was super packed and we the last couple of seats available. Thankfully we were a few minutes earlier, because after us was a line of people wanting to get seats! They had outdoor seats, but it was far too cold to sit outside.

The menu was extensive and there were really heaps to choose from, both hot and cold. We were definitely craving (and needing) something hot so we chose a dessert each! Trust me, it wasn’t easy narrowing down our choices because we just wanted to order everything haha. There were some interesting combinations too! Some of which we never heard or seen before.

I ordered the soya beancurd with black sesame paste. It kinda killed two birds with one stone and satisfied my cravings for both desserts. I was a little worried about the combination cause I never heard of it before. It’s usually sold separately back in Singapore. But I decided to give it a shot anyways and no regrets there! The black sesame paste was really fragrant, thick and smooth and not overly sweet. The beancurd was really smooth as well and just melts in your mouth. I do recommend it if you are a fan of black sesame!

The Mr ordered the tang yuan (汤圆) which are glutinous rice balls in a sweet pandan broth/soup. These are filled with peanut and black sesame. Yes, haha we do like black sesame alot. Plus it’s good for you! (:

It was a good balance between the sweetness of the glutinous rice ball and the sweet soup. Makes me miss those I usually get from China Town Food Street and they sell their glutinous rice ball in a peanut sweet soup! Noms!

I have to admit. If I were given a choice between the peanut and the black sesame, I am more inclined to choose the black sesame. It’s funny how my taste buds have changed through the years. I use to only have the peanut ones, but now I will only order the black sesame ones. hehe Although they are both delicious!

We will definitely be heading back to try the other desserts on the menu! They have desserts from both Hong Kong and Taiwan! Can’t wait to try the shaved ice to see if they are like the ones we had in Taiwan! (:

So what are the kind of asian dessert you enjoy? Would love to know if you have a favourite place in Melbourne to have them so I could pop them in my “to-go” list! 

Baking In New Zealand : Baklava

6 Comments

Sorry for the lack of posts the past 2 weeks. I just got back from a holiday in New Zealand (: So I am all refreshed and ready to keep the blog going! It was a fantastic trip; spending time with family and eating absolutely delicious food! I couldn’t believe 11 days went by in a jiffy. Time always seems to fly when we are having fun. Will definitely head back for another holiday in time to come!

We were so fortunate that we have family living in Auckland so we were able to live in their beautiful place for the 11 days. Just feel so calm and serene. Love their place! It’s really amazing to wake up to this view everyday.

When I first stepped into the house, there was just one word in my mind : WOW! The one room that I absolutely loved was the kitchen. The oven to be more specific!

Doesn’t it look gorgeous? It’s my dream stove/oven! (:

My cousin had a get together with his friends and he was in-charge of desserts so he asked me to teach him to make a Mediterranean dessert and the first thing that popped into my mind was baklava! It was quite brave of me to suggest that as I have never ever made it before. It was just always on my “to-bake” list! Thankfully, it turned out delicious and his friends liked it. *phew*

Nothing beats the combination of butter, nuts and sugar in between layers of crispy pastry. I remember when I use to live in Brunswick, we were able to buy really delicious baklava. Till this day, I would crave for one and have the urge to drive there to get it!

Making baklava was a team effort though. Needed someone to be in-charged of brushing the layers of filo pastry with melted butter, and other to place the layers of the filo perfectly in-line with the rest, another person scattering the nut and sugar mixture. Just made the whole process really fun! Loved every second of it.

Definitely making this again. Soon 😀

Baklava (Adapted from Gourmet Traveller August 2009)

250g pistachios and cashews, finely chopped

50g caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

100g butter, melted

300g filo pastry

Lemon Honey Syrup

150g caster sugar

75g honey

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Steps :

1) Combine the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl, and set aside. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and line a tray with baking paper.

2) Layer one-third of the filo pastry in tray, brushing butter between each layer. Scatter evenly with half the nut mixture, then top with half the remaining pastry, brushing butter between each layer. Scatter over remaining nuts, top with remaining filo, brushing between each layer with butter. Refrigerate until firm (15 minutes), then cut through all pastry layers into 4cm diamonds with a sharp knife. Bake until golden and cooked through (about 30 mins). If needed, cover loosely with foil partway.

3) Meanwhile, for honey syrup, combine sugar, honey, lemon rind and 150ml water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low, simmer until infused (10-15 minutes). Remove from heat, stir through lemon juice and set aside to cool slightly.

4) Cool baklava slightly (2-3 minutes), pour over syrup evenly, set aside at room temperature to cool completely (overnight if possible). Baklava will keep in tray, covered, for 3-4 days. ENJOY!

My favourite way to have it is to pop it into the microwave for 10 secs and have it warm! How do you like to eat your baklava? (:

Easy Peasy Fig Tart

Leave a comment

FIGS. Believe it or not. Just a month ago was the first time I ever had fresh figs! When I tried it, I wish I had it sooner! Fortunately, I scored a bargain at Springvale Market and bought 7 for $2.50! I had to head back to buy more.

Just couldn’t get enough!

So the first time I had it, I slid the top of it twice and stuffed them with ricotta and topped it with honey. It was DELICIOUS! But to be honest, I preferred mine without the ricotta. Just honey! The mr loved his with the cheese though.

So after a few nights of having the same thing, I decided to do something different. Looked into the freezer, and VIOLA! Puff pastry! Perfect. A quick tart it is.

Trust me, it’s the quickest and yummiest thing you would have! The sweetest of the figs, with the buttery-ness of the pastry. That made our night. Of course, to top it up, some macadamia ice cream from Connoisseur. The mr had two! (: Always a joy to see him eat the food I make with the satisfaction on his face.

So for a quick fix to your sweet tooth, I urge you to give this easy recipe a try!

Easy Peasy Fig Tart

1/2 sheet of store bought puff pastry (with butter), cut into 3 or 4 rectangles

3-4 fresh figs, sliced into quarters

caster sugar, enough to lightly sprinkle on top of the pastry

tightly packed brown sugar, to sprinkle on top of the figs

scoop(s) of ice cream, to serve (flavour is up to you!)

Steps:

1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celcius. On the rectangular sheets of puff pastry, lightly sprinkle caster sugar on the top.

2) Place the figs, aligned in the middle. Leaving some space on the sides.

3) Sprinkle some brown sugar on the figs. Bake the pastry for 15-20 mins, or until the pastry is golden brown.

4) Serve with a scoop of ice cream and ENJOY!

ps : you can either place the ice cream on the side, or put it on top like the mr did! haha

Crazy About Hazelnut.

2 Comments

Macarons. I just can’t get enough of it. I don’t think my craze about them will diminish anytime soon. This was made a while back but this were the best macarons I’ve made. I made it before heading back to Singapore so I could bring it back for the loves of my life : family (:

And fortunately, they loved it! and these shells were the nicest I’ve made so far with happy feet!So sticking to using the Italian meringue for the shells!

I’ve made a few successful ones before : pb&j and bandung are just 2 of my favourite ones. This macaron was inspired by the sister-in-law-to-be! When she was in Melbourne, the only flavour of macarons she would have is hazelnut! So I promised her that I would try making them and bring them back home if they were successful. And thank goodness they were!

So I packed them nicely and neatly and compactly so that would be able to survive the 7 hour flight home!

Now enough about the shell. As for the beautiful filling, I attempted to make my own nutella! And I was so worried. Cos I LOVE nutella. and trying to make it from scratch was just something I never thought I would even attempt! When I made it, having it on its own (which I always do;digging a spoonful of nutella) didn’t have the “WOW” factor, but having it together – NOMS!

So here’s the recipe that I adapted from Anita from the Dessert First (: definitely a keeper!

Hazelnut Macarons with Homemade Nutella

Ingredients :

Italian Meringue Hazelnut Macaron Shell

200g hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
200g confectioners’ sugar
200g sugar

50g water
150g egg whites, divided into two 75g portions

A bit of cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

Steps :

1. Stack two baking trays on top of each other. Line with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. (I actually prefer the parchment paper, but that’s just me!)
2. Process hazelnuts with confectioners’ sugar in a food processor. Sieve out any large bits of hazelnut. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat on medium until all the sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile, place 75g of egg whites in a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. Continue cooking until the sugar syrup reaches 118 C/245 F.
3. While the sugar is cooking, begin whisking the egg whites. They should reach stiff peaks by the time the syrup is at  118 C/ 245 F. If it whips too fast, turn down or turn off the mixer. Turn the mixer speed to low. Carefully pour the sugar syrup in a slow stream into the mixer.
4. Turn the mixer speed to high and let the meringue whip for several minutes until it has cooled (to touch) and appears glossy and firm.
5. In a large bowl, combine the hazelnut mixture with the remaining 75g of egg whites until partially combined. Scoop the meringue on top of the hazelnut mixture. Using a spatula or dough scraper, carefully fold the meringue in, trying not to deflate it.
6. The final batter should be thick and flow slowly like magma. Do not overmix. Scoop the batter into a piping bag fitted with a ½” diameter plain tip.
7. Pipe 1 ½” rounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle some cocoa powder straight after piping. Let the sheets sit for about 30 minutes to let the shells harden. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160 C/320 F.
8. Bake one set of macarons for 15 minutes, rotating once. Let tray cool for a few minutes before removing from the silicone mat. Let finish cooling on wire racks.
Homemade Nutella

1/2 cup (70 g) hazelnuts, toasted and skinned

8 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into small pieces

2 ounces semisweet/bittersweet chocolate

1 cup (240 g) heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps :

Place hazelnuts in food processor and pulse until nuts are ground into a paste.

Place both chocolates in a metal bowl and place on another saucepan of simmering water. Stir chocolate occasionally until fully melted.

Place cream in a clean saucepan and bring just to a boil on the stove over medium high heat.

Stir cream into chocolate until fully combined.

Add ground hazelnuts and salt and stir until combined.

Pour mixture into a container and chill in refrigerator for 1-2 hours until it has firmed up slightly and can be spread/piped onto the macaron shells.

ENJOY! (:

A Pie Like No Other.

12 Comments

Ever seen a recipe and add it to your bookmark list almost immediately but have no courage to give it a try? This was one of them. I got about 100 more recipes bookmarked and still trying to give them a go! I’m not kidding or exaggerating.

Truth be told, I never had a very good experience with pies. Or tarts for the matter. Especially food that involve the pie/tart tin. haha. One horrible experience was the Chocolate Ganache, Cream and Strawberry Tart that I tried to bake after watching Masterchef. It was a DISASTER! Free form tarts like Hot Apple Tart I could still handle. anything to do with short crust pastry or a tin, not so much.

But I decided to suck it up, and give tarts another shot. One consolation was that I didn’t need to make shortcrust pastry. But that’s not to say that this is any simpler! Although I have to admit, I love the fact that the base is made of oats! That made me push myself even more to try this recipe!

And so I did. As you can see from the picture above, it’s not a perfect looking pie. But I think I did pretty well! And boy was it yummy! The gooey-ness of the filling was just to-die-for. REALLY. Everyone should give this a shot! Don’t think about the calories, just have it. You will love it!

One of the challenges I had was taking the pie out of the tin, without the sides and corners crumbling on me. Let me tell you this, it is not a one person job. You need extra hands for this! Thankfully I had the Mr help me! (: And he also helped me in finishing up the pie! haha and after you do finish the pie, you need to head to The Training Geek to get some exercise tips and work the sugar off! But it will all be worth it, I repeat, worth every calorie intake!

So here’s the recipe from the Momofuku cook book! Enjoy every single crumb!

What’s better than hot gooey pie and ice cream?

Oatmeal Cookie for Crust

Ingredients
2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
Scant 1 cup rolled oats

Directions
1. Heat the oven to 190°C.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Cream the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.
5. Stir in the flour mixture until fully combined. Stir in the oats.
6. Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

Crust

Ingredients
Crumbled cookie for crust
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions
Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together). Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins (I used a long rectangular tin and 8 small round ones). Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

Filling

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon milk powder
1 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 egg yolks

Prepared crusts

Powdered sugar to garnish

Directions
1. Heat the oven to 180°C.
2. Whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.
3. Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air.
4. Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells.
5. Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the pies and cool on a rack.
6. Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. Serve cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

You. Will. Love. It. I. Promise. (: