Category: Recipes

Jelly Hearts

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Ever since I started being more active in the blogging world, I’ve been really blessed with meeting new friends! Recently, I was invited to attend Peach-water’s birthday dinner but cause I was down with really bad hayfever, I told her that we’ll rearrange dinner and I would make her something special. (: I couldn’t think of anything better but some strawberry jelly hearts!

If you feel that these pretty cakes look familiar, I did make them ages ago and did a post on it. But I went back to look at it and the photos were so small! So here I am, re-doing the post and sharing the recipe again. It’s really interesting to see the difference a few years on! (:

I have to say, these are not difficult to make, just time consuming as you have to make sure each layer is set properly before starting on the next! The most important layer is the jelly layer, as you have to allow the jelly mixture to cool before pouring onto the cream cheese layer, to get a clear jelly layer! (: Patience, is the key when making this!

I used to only use vanilla essence when making the cream cheese filling, but I decided to use vanilla bean paste this time round. There is just something magical when you see the little black dots! And the flavour it gives the cream cheese is not comparable to just using the essence. If you do have vanilla beans, please give it a try!

These little rectangular cheesecakes with a heart in the middle make beautiful gifts for your loved ones and your friends. So the next time you are thinking of what to get for them, why not give these a try? Nothing can compared to things made with love!

Jelly Hearts 

Base : 

320g digestive biscuits

160g melted unsalted butter

Cheese Filling :

250g cream cheese

2 1/4 tsp gelatine powder

70g caster sugar

150ml hot water

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

8 medium sized strawberries

Jelly Topping : 

2 packets of strawberry flavoured jello (170g)

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 1/2 cups room temp water

Steps :

1) For the base : Place the biscuits in a ziplock bag, and crush them till they are fine, making sure there are no big chunks. Pour them into a large bowl, and mix in the melted butter.

2) Pour them into the base of a 9×9 square baking tray. Press onto the base and make sure it’s really compressed and make it as flat as you can. Prick the base with a fork and chill for at least 15 minutes.

3) For the cheese filling : Cut the strawberries into half. Using a small heart shape cutter, cut hearts out of the strawberry halves and place them on a plate lined with paper towel.

4) Place gelatine and sugar in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over and stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

5) In a mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese and vanilla bean paste together and slowly add the gelatine syrup gradually until smooth. Pour it over  the base. Place it in the fridge for 10 minutes then place the strawberry hearts, partially submerged in the cheese filling. Place it back into the fridge and refrigerate for 2 hours.

6) For the jelly topping : Dissolve the jello in hot water and stir well. Add the room temperature water and allow it to cool completely before pouring over the cheese filling. (Use a ladle and slowly pour the mixture over the strawberries instead of the cheese to keep the jello clear!)

7) Chill it in the fridge for another 2 hours or overnight for the best results.

Enjoy! (: And Happy Hatchday once again my dearest friend!

*Note : When slicing, make sure you clean the knife after every cut. It might seem difficult to get them out without it being messy, but start with the corner and use a spetula to help you. Once you have the first piece out, the rest would be a breeze! 

Remember to always cook and bake with love!

Banana-rama

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There is just something magical about banana bread. By now, you would know that I am obsessed with banana anything. So far, I’ve made them in a few forms – muffins & cakes. So now it’s time to add on to the list! Recently, Miss D posted her 100th post that had 2 banana bread recipes. I was lucky enough to taste test one of them and got hooked to it ever since!

So when I had time on a Saturday morning and some very ripe bananas lying around in the fruit basket, I decided to get my bum out of the sofa and get the baking going. I was so glad I did! The house was filled with the yummy smell of baked banana bread and it’s the best smell in the world! Can’t have enough of it!

Though I was having hayfever, it just felt good being able to be in the kitchen and think about nothing but bake! The kitchen is definitely my remedy. hehe The Mr absolutely loved it! Cause I gave 3/4 of the first one to the weightlifters, the mr only had a small piece to himself. He asked me to make another for him. So I made it twice over the weekend. It was really moist and fluffy. Perfect with a cup of coffee or tea (: Will definitely perk me up in the afternoons!

Walnut, Chocolate and Maple Banana Bread (Adapted from Never Too Sweet For Me & Taste)

125g unsalted butter, room temperature

115g caster sugar

2 tbs maple syrup

2 eggs, room temperature

3 large bananas (about 1 cup), mashed

70g chopped walnuts

50g dark chocolate chips

3/4 cup plain flour

3/4 cup self-raising flour

1/2 tsp bi-carbonate of soda

Steps :

1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease the loaf pan well with butter.

2) In an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar and maple syrup until light and fluffy. (Don’t rush this step to ensure a smooth batter)

3) Add eggs, one at a time until just combined. Then add the mashed bananas and slowly add the flours and bicarbonate of soda. Mix until just combined, be careful not to over mix it or it will not be fluffy.

4) Spoon mixture into the buttered loaf pan and smooth the top. Place in oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the toothpick comes out clean after being inserted. Allow it to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out on a cooling rack.

Serve warm and enjoy with a hot cuppa and if you want to be more indulgent, drizzle it with more maple syrup and with a small piece of butter (:

PS : For step to step pictures, head over to Miss D’s post! Thanks dearie for sharing the recipe! 

Remember to always cook and bake with love! 

Kong Ba (Twice-Cooked Pork Belly)

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I have a weakness. Pork belly is my weakness. There’s just something about tender meat that melt-in-your-mouth the moment it touches your tongue. I never really use to like eating the fatty bits of the pork belly. I remember when I did marketing, I used to look for the piece that had less fat and more meat. But now, I look for equal proportions haha. The mr has changed me for the better. I didn’t know what I have been missing! And now when we are back in Singapore, we would meet Stephie for a meal of fatty pork! Can’t wait till the end of the year! (:

After the mr’s family went back, we had heaps of food left in the freezer and I needed to clear it or I won’t be able to buy other things! I opened the freezer and saw a container of sliced pork belly. Immediately, I knew what I wanted to cook – kong ba (twice-cooked pork belly). Nothing beats slow braised pork belly that is caramelised till the meat is soft and easily breaks apart. YUMS!

Traditionally, you would eat it with a soft steamed bun. But I was too lazy to head out to Springvale to get it and found some man tou in the fridge so I steamed that instead. Though it’s not as soft as the traditional buns, they worked well too! Plus, to off-set the unhealthy fatty bits, we had it with lettuce! This is the epitome of a balanced diet haha (:

Do note that usually, you would use a whole slab of pork belly and slice it up after, but mine was already sliced up. To me, there wasn’t much difference, in fact I think it works better and you don’t have to risk burning your fingers to slice them up later. But either way, you’ll have yummies in your tummies!

Kong Ba (adapted from  To Food With Love)

1kg pork belly (either whole or sliced)

1/2 tsp thick caramel black soy + 4 tbs extra

2 shallots, thinly sliced

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp five-spice powder

2 tbs light soy

1 tbs honey

2 tbs sugar

1/2 star anise

1 tsp sesame oil

2 cups water

bunch of coriander, roughly chopped and separate into 2 portions

ground white pepper

Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Steps :

1) Boil a large pot of water and boil the pork belly for 15-20 minutes. Remove and rinse the pork under cold water before patting them dry. Allow it to cool slightly and rub the skin with 1/2 tbs of thick caramel dark soy.

2) In a frying pan, heat enough vegetable oil on medium heat. Be careful not to heat it too high. Carefully lower the pork belly into the oil and fry till the skin is crisp (about 5 minutes). Do be very careful as there will be a very big splatter, use a splatter screen to avoid being burnt. Take the pork belly out carefully and drain off the excess oil using paper towel. (If you use a whole slab of pork belly, slice the pork belly to 1/2 inches thick after it has cooled down.)

3) In a large metal bowl, add the rest of the caramel thick dark soy, light soy, honey, sugar, star anise, five-spice powder, garlic, shallots and sesame oil and mix till well combined. Add the fried pork belly and marinade for at least 30 minutes.

4) In a medium sized pot, add 1 tbs vegetable oil and fry the pork belly until they are seared well. Add the rest of the marinade and top it with 2 cups of water. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add half of the coriander (including the stems) and continue to simmer for 1/2 hour. Check occasionally and turn the pork to make sure it is evenly covered in the sauce. The pork should be tender and the liquid should be reduced to a thicker consistency. Season with ground white pepper. Garnish with the rest of the coriander before serving with hot steamed buns and lettuce!

Enjoy! (:

Remember to always cook with love!

Baked Eggs With Homemade Baked Beans

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Really sorry for the inactivity for the past two weeks! We had my mr’s family over for a holiday and I took the chance to have a break and just spend quality time with the family. (: But I’m back and this time with a brunch recipe as a form of my apology to share with everyone!

So it’s the weekend! One thing we love to do is have brunch. Be it having it out or home. A dish that I love to order when I head out for brunch with the mr is no doubt baked eggs. The best thing about it is when the yolk is still runny and combines with the tomatoey baked beans to become the perfect sauce for me to dip my bread into it and enjoy every single bite. mmmm! So I decided to try and make it for the mr (and more recently, his family) for brunch at home.

And to be a little over indulgent (as I always like to go all out with my meals haha) I love topping the baked eggs with some sauteed chanterelles, with a side of buttery croissant and some crispy bacon! PERFECT! (: I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. Although I have to say, I always tend to get the eggs a bit overdone and only got it done perfectly once! So I have alot of respect for the cafes that always get it spot on! *bows*

I also got a bit adventurous and decided to make my own baked beans from scratch and it turned out easier than I thought! And trust me, once you try making them from scratch, you won’t really buy the tin ones anymore. Definitely worth the extra 20 mins! Also, you can layer your baked eggs with your favourite ingredients. The first time I made it, I added capsicum. The second time I made it, I added corn and spinach!

I found these beautiful baking dish that was perfect for making individual portions of baked eggs! But of course, you could always just bake them in any suitable baking dish. I used a 10″ quiche baking dish for the family and it looked really pretty too! (: So regardless of the size, I’m sure it will still satisfy your tummy! hehe

So here’s the basic recipe of the baked beans as well as the baked eggs. I will be sharing the recipe that will fill a 10″ quiche baking dish. For big eaters like the mr and I, we could polish that off quite quickly, but it could comfortable feed 3-4 people as well! Do remember that the recipe is really versatile, so you could add your favourite ingredients and it will be super yums!

Baked Eggs with Homemade Baked Beans (a FoodMadeWithLove original recipe)

For the baked beans :

50g speck, diced into cubes (or bacon)

1/2 large onion, finely diced

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 tbs tomato paste

1 tin cannellini beans, drained

1 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

1 ts olive oil

1/2 tsp sugar

salt & pepper, season

For baked eggs :

4 eggs

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

3 tbs shaved parmesan

1 tsp dried parsley, for garnish

For the chanterelles : 

5g dried chanterelles*

10g salted butter

50ml hot water

1 tsp thickened cream

Garlic salt  & pepper, to season

Steps :

1) Place the chanterelles in a small bowl, and pour the hot water over it allowing it to re-hydrate while cooking the baked beans.

2) For the baked beans : In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat and fry the speck till all sides are golden brown. Add the onions and fry till fragrant, continuously stirring it. Add the tomato paste and stir till combined with the onions. Add the tin diced tomatoes and allow it to come to a boil. Lower the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 10 mins. Add the cannellini beans, sugar and chilli flakes. Stir and allow it to simmer for another 5 mins. Pour the beans into the baking dish and set aside.

3) For the chanterelles (garnish) : Drain the chanterelles, reserving the water. Squeeze the chanterelles to make sure it’s dry. In another small saucepan, melt the butter and add the chanterelles. Fry till fragrant, then add the reserved water and thickened cream and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes, or until all the water has evaporated. Season with a pinch of salt (or garlic salt) and pepper.

4) For the baked eggs : Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius. Create 4 holes in the baked beans using a wooden spoon, and crack an egg into each of them. Top the eggs with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese and bake for 10 mins, or until the egg white is cooked, remembering you would want the egg yolk to be runny!

5) Garnish with dried parsley and the chanterelles. Served with toast.

ENJOY! Have a great weekend!

*Note : Chanterelles could be purchased at Woolsworth in the fresh mushroom section! Of course, you could use other dried mushrooms, or the mixed forest mushrooms that you can purchase from specialty stores. 

Remember  to always cook with love (:

Salted Caramel Chocolate Lava Cake

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So it was my mr’s birthday yesterday and I really wanted to make him a cake especially since it’s his birthday I’m celebrating with him as his wife! (: So I have been thinking and thinking what would he like as his cake. As he loves salted caramel, I was inspired by Ms D’s cake  (the queen of desserts hehe) that she made for her mr’s birthday! So after much research, I found a perfect cake that the mr would love!

I was really nervous with how it would turn out cause I havent baked a lava cake for the longest time. And I was quite stressed when making it cause there was no turning back. I had no back up cake plan at all. haha You could definitely see the relief in my face when the cake came out cleanly from the ramekins and I found out there was a gooey molten middle! SUCCESS!

And it was definitely a hit with the mr! He has requested that I make him this cake every year on his birthday! hehe I have to say, nothing is sexier than having the luscious salted caramel oozing out of the cake the moment you cut your fork through! It just puts a really big smile on my face! And I could just see how happy and satisfied the mr was. To me, that was the most important part of the day – that he enjoyed what I made him. hehe

Salted Caramel Chocolate Lava Cake (adapted from The Endless Meal)

For the chocolate salted caramel : 

142 g dark chocolate

1 cup caster sugar

28 g unsalted butter

1 tsp fleur de sel, plus a bit more when layering dessert

2 tbs water

1/2 cup thickened cream

For the lava cake :

284g dark chocolate

113 g unsalted butter

3 large eggs

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup icing sugar, and more for dusting

2 tbs cocoa powder

extra butter and cocoa powder for ramekins

Steps :

1) For chocolate salted caramel : Melt chocolate in a double boiler, over a small pot of boiling water.

2) In a large pot, add the sugar and water and heat over medium heat until sugar melts and turn dark amber. If you have a candy thermometer, it should reach 176 degrees celcius. Take it off the heat, and carefully add the thicken cream. (Do note that it will bubble vigorously, so do not stand too close.) Whisk the mixture until smooth, then add the melted chocolate. Once it’s mixed well, stir in the butter. Set aside.

3) For the cake : Prepare 6-8 ramekins (depending on the size), and butter them well before coating them with cocoa powder, turning them upside down to make sure there is no excess. Set aside.

4) Melt butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl, over a mall pot of boiling water. Once melted, set aside allowing it to cool a little.

5) In a mixer, whisk the eggs and egg yolks until well combined. Add the cooled melted chocolate and butter mixture, and stir well. Combine the flour and icing sugar, making sure there are no lumps, then slowly add to the mixture. Mix until smooth.

6) Fill each ramekin half way. Then place a big teaspoon of chocolate salted caramel in the middle and sprinkle a little bit more fleur de sel, before covering with more cake batter until it’s 3/4 filled. (At this stage, you can either bake it straight away or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.)

7) Preheat oven to 210 degrees celcius for 10 minutes. Place the ramekins in the middle rack of the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes. If your ramekins are smaller, please reduce the baking time to ensure the gooey middle! Remove the ramekin from the oven, and run a palette knife through the sides to loosen the cake.

8) Carefully place a plate over the top of the ramekin and invert it. Carefully lift the ramekin up. Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped vanilla bean cream if desired.

ENJOY! (:

So happy birthday my dearest hubs! So so glad you enjoyed the dinner after a 12 hours day at work! Thank you for working so so hard just to make sure we live comfortably. I couldn’t ask for more really. I love you! And I promise to make this for you every year on your birthday! hehe

{Quick & Easy} Salmon, Shiitake and Edamame Soba Noodles

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Part two of our jap themed dinner features a bowl of salmon, shiitake & edamame soba noodles! Remember my post on okonomiyaki? This goes really well with it! I don’t know about you, but I’ve always been a soba person, not so much udon. Maybe cause it makes me feel like I’m eating something healthier. hehe I do usually like the cold version, especially cause I get to dip it in the cold soba sauce and slurp it!

But I decided to try a hot version of it. And I was really glad with how it turned out! I could seriously have a bowl of it every night! hehe The addition of the edamame not only added freshness, but also added a vibrant colour to the dish!

And what’s more? I topped the soba noodles with supper yummy korean rice seasoning! If you haven’t had this before, I urge you to head to an asian supermarket to get one ASAP!! You could even top the okonomiyaki with it! So so good (: So here’s the recipe which I used for this delicious and healthy (in my opinion) soba noodles! And you can definitely get it cooked in less than 30 minutes! That’s a win-win in my books!

Salmon, Shiitake & Edamame Soba Noodles (adapted from Flying Fourchette)

300g skinless salmon fillet, cut into cubes

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup edamame, shelled

180g soba (buckwheat noodles)

2 tbs vegetable oil

 For sauce :

1 /3 cup water

1/3 cup light soy sauce

3 tsp korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)

1 tbs brown sugar

Steps :

1) For the sauce : Stir all the ingredients together until the sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside.

2) In a non-stick frying pan, add 1 tbs of vegetable oil and fry the cubes of salmon until all sides of the salmon is slightly brown. Set it aside. Add the rest of the vegetable oil, and fry the garlic till fragrant then add the shiitake. Fry for about 5 minutes, or until the shiitake is tender.

3) Add the salmon cubes back into the pan, and add half of the sauce and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Meanwhile, heat a pot of water and cook the soba noodles till just tender (about 7 minutes, depending on the instructions on the packet). Drain the noodles and run under cold water, to stop it from cooking further. Drain well and place in a large bowl.

4) Transfer the cooked salmon with the sauce into the large bowl and toss it lightly until the noodles are well coated. Add the edamame and give it another toss, careful not to mash the salmon. Put a few more teaspoons of sauce if desired.

5) Sprinkle with rice seasoning before serving. ENJOY!

Definitely something quick and satisfying after you’ve had a long day at work or school. So hopefully this would be something you’d like to give a try! (: Happy midweek!

Okonomiyaki

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I love Fridays! It’s not just a short day at work, but I also get to try something new for dinner which ushers in the weekend! So I decided that we shall have a Japanese-themed dinner! (: After searching Tastespotting for some inspiration, I decided on two dishes for the night : Okonomiyaki & salmon, shiitake and edamame  soba noodles!

So what is okonomiyaki? It is actually a savoury pancake that is mainly made up with cabbage and anything you wanna put in it! I’ve had it a couple of times, and really love it with the combination of mayonnaise and bbq sauce. Since it was Friday, we had ours with prawns! (:  I realised that I have been having heaps of Korean, and was really craving for some Japanese. I have to say though, I’m really lucky that the mr eats everything, so I am able to cook what I wanted. And he would happily eat it! hehe PHEW!

I think it turned out really well for a first-timer! (: But a pity I didn’t shred my cabbage thin enough so it was a little chunkier than I wished, and a little difficult to shape it into nice circles when pan-frying it. But besides that, it was really simple and yummy! And one thing I really enjoyed was alternating the sauces and using the toothpick to make the marbling effect on top of the pancake! hehe

Okonomiyaki (adapted from Las Vegas Food Adventures)

2 cups green cabbage, finely shredded

6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

330g prawn, deveined and cut into half

1 cup plain flour

1 tbs corn flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup stock (I used fish stock, but you can always use chicken or dashi)

1 egg

salt, to season

Steps :

1) Combine the flour, corn flour and baking powder and mix it well. Mix the fish stock and egg together, and combine with the flour mixture. Mix until you get a thick pancake batter.

2) Add the cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, prawns and garlic to the batter. Season with salt. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium fire, and add some vegetable oil. Add half of the pancake mix and flatten it to the depth of the prawns with a spatula.

3) Cook the pancake for about 10-15 minutes, flipping several times, until both sides are golden brown.

4) Serve it hot, drizzle the top with japanese mayonnaise and homemade bbq suace (recipe below).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bbq Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup Soju/ Sake

1/2 tsp brown sugar

1) Mix everything together and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Place in a squeeze bottle, so you could easily drizzle on the pancake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ENJOY!

PS : Stay tuned for the recipe of the salmon soba noodles ! 

Lemony Blessings

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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!

Fig, Walnut and Almond Biscotti

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I’ve not had much biscotti, but I loved it every time I had the chance to have one. My most recent biscotti experience is at Hare & Grace, and I had it their creme brulee which was quite a different experience. But it did provide a crunch to the creamy, rich dessert, which by now you would know is a good thing for me! (: Plus I saw one of the foodies on tweeter make her own biscotti a while back, and have been wanting to make my own ever since!

I’m addicted to figs. When I went to Auckland in April, my aunt had a fig tree and I could just head down to the garden and pluck one or maybe 4 to have it when I was craving it. How awesome is that? hehe So of course, I made the Mr plant a fig tree in our garden hehe and hopefully we will get figs soon! *fingers crossed* So of course, when I was deciding on what I wanted in my biscotti, figs just came to my mind! Trust me, it was so difficult to resist popping one of those beautiful figs in my mouth, cause I needed every single one of them in the packet! haha But I’m so glad I did, cause the biscotti came out packed filled with figs, and it was super yums!

So I looked through my endless list of bookmarked recipes, and found a fig and walnut biscotti recipe by the super talented Brown Eyed Baker! And I knew her recipe would definitely be yummy cause she is Italian! Who would know how to make a better biscotti than an Italian herself? hehe I was really excited, and there wasn’t a better day to make it but Friday, especially when I’m off work early! hehe PERFECT!

Note : I really like this recipe because it doesn’t need butter, which means you can start making it as soon as you get home from work, without worrying if the butter is the right softness! hehe Also, you can switch the kind of dried fruit and nuts you want as well, so you can make it according to how you like it! A clear winner to me (:

Fig, Walnut & Almond Biscotti (adapted from The Brown Eyed Baker)

1 3/4 cups plain flour

3/4 cups dark brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp fleur de sel (you can replace this with coarse salt)

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla paste

1 tbs orange zest (I used a navel orange)

375g dried figs, cut into quarters

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Steps :

1) Preheat oven to 160 degrees celcius. Line a baking sheet with Silpat or baking paper and set aside.

2) In a large bowl, mix the flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, fluer de sel until well combined. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until they become thick and pale yellow. Then add the orange zest and vanilla paste and mix it well.

3) Fold the egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined. Then mix in the dried figs and nuts.

4) Turn the dough onto a well-floured surface and divide it into two. With floured hands, shape it into logs, about 2 1/2 inches wide and 8-10 inches long. Place the logs onto the prepared Silpat/baking paper.

5) Place in the oven and bake until the dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed. This will take about 25-30 minutes. Transfer the logs onto a wire rack and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. Do not rush to cut the logs, especially when they are still warm, as they will crumble and break apart! Reduce the oven to 150 degrees celcius.

6) Once the logs are cooled, cut them into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices on the Silpat and bake for 7 minutes on each side. Transfer the slices onto the wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container and ENJOY! (:

ps : I was lucky enough to have a bottle of this in my pantry, but I’m sure using normal sea salt would do the job as well! (: 

 

Lychee Cheesecake In A Jar

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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