Rum & Raisins Walnut Butter Cake

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I've baked numerous butter cakes. Even though I like foolproof ones, which means I always use back the same recipe, I'm also adventurous to try new recipe. I tried Sonia's walnut butter cake. The top browned very fast and is very crispy. I baked it in numerous sizes to give away to my colleagues.

Recipe for Rum & Raisins Walnut Butter Cake, adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover.
(Makes 8 various sizes cakes)

Ingredients:

375g LIV Unsalted butter
200g Caster sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
405g Cake flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
5 Whole eggs (large)
6 tbsp of milk

100g Raisins, soaked in Rum for at least 3days
150g Toasted chopped walnut
Some Desiccated coconut (optional)

Method:

1. Beat butter, salt and sugar till creamy
2. Add in eggs, one at a time
3. Fold in sifted cake flour and baking powder, alternate with milk.
4. Mix in rum raisins and walnut, don't overwork it.
5. Sprinkle some desiccated coconut on top
6. Bake at pre-heat fan oven at 160c for 30mins - 35mins or until cooked (depend your type of oven and baking pan, you adjust accordingly)

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

It's been a while since I baked cookies. Weirdly, I'm not a great fan of cookies, but I do like cookies once a while though. I like cookies to go with coffee. And, that's about it...

Something healthy to chew on. Chewy Oatmeal Raisins Cookies was I thought will go with coffee.

Recipe for Chewy Oatmeal Raisins Cookies, adapted from Martha Stewart.
Makes approx. 2" 20 cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1/2 cup Plain flour
1/2 cup Raisins
1/4 cup Nibbed almonds, toasted
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Fine salt
6 (90g) tbsp LIV Unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup Dark-brown sugar, packed
1 large Egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Method:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, raisins, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as necessary.
3. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Gradually add oat mixture; beat just until combined.
4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto two baking sheets. 
5. Bake in the preheated oven of 170C until cookies are golden brown but still soft, 15-16 mins, rotating sheets halfway through. 
6. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Golden Apple Streusel Tart

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Suddenly had the urge to eat apple pie. So I decided to try this recipe from Gordon. Perhaps, it was the other way round. I borrowed this book from the library, and it seemed to be calling out to me to bake it and eat it. So I did! I really love this tart. Using Granny Smith green apple, it was very tarty (and quite sourish). You also see that I used very little sugar for the fillings. It's all so authetic apple taste. I really love it!

Recipe for Golden  Apple Streuel Tart, modfied from Gordon Ramsay, "Desserts".
Makes 8" and 6" tarts

Ingredients:
Pate Sucree
Makes for a 8" and 6" round tart pan

125g Liv unsalted butter, softened
75g Caster sugar
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 large Whole egg, lightly beaten
250g Plain flour
A pinch of fine salt

Method:

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl smooth and creamy, but not fluffy. Add the vanilla extract to the mixture.
2. With the mixer on slow speed, gradually incorporate the beaten egg. Scrap down the sides.
3. Sift the flour and salt together. With the mixer on its lowest speed, add the flour in 3 or 4 stages. As soon as the mixture comes together as a crumbly dough, stop the machine.
4. Gather the dough together and turn on to a lightly floured surface, briefly knead it with your hands until smooth. Avoid over-working the pastry or it will become softened by the warmth of your hands.
5. Wrap in a cling film. Leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins or over night before rolling out.
6. Roll out the pate sucree thinly and use to line a 8" and 6" tart pans, with removable base.
7. Line the pastry case with parchment paper and baking beans, then chill for 20mins.
8. Bake the pastry case blind for 15mins at 190C, then remove from the oven and take out the parchment paper and baking beans. Set aside.

Golden Apple Fillings

5 Granny Smith (green apples)

50g LIV unsalted butter
1 tsp Ground cinnamon, heaped
2 tsp Brown sugar
100g Golden jumbo raisins

Streusel Toppings
75g Plain flour
40g butter
20g Brown sugar
5 pieces Digestive biscuits, finely crushed

Method:

1. Peel, quarter and core the apples, then cut into 1-2cm dice.
2. Heat the butter in a large frying pan until sizzling  Toss in the app cubes and saute for about 5-7 mins until golden brown and slightly softened.
3. Add the ground cinnamon and sugar, stirring occasionally until thickened. 
4. Add the raisins in, stir and mix well. Set aside to cool.
5. To make the streusel topping, sift the flour into a bowl. Add sugar to mix.
6. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
7. Stir in the crushed biscuits.

To assemble:

1. Spoon in the apples mixture into the half baked pastry crust.
2. Pinch the toppings evenly over the fruits in an even layer.
3. Bake the tarts at 190C for 30mins until the topping is crisp and golden.
4. Transfer the tin to a wire rack and leave to cool slightly.
5. To unmould, press up the base of the tin and slide the streusel tart on a large serving plate.
6. Serve warm, with creme chantilly.

Golden Crown Raisins Buns

I took half a day leave on Friday so that I can revise some work with my elder son. I thought of going to his school to pick him up after his lessons, only to realise that my dad has plan to bring him out for lunch. Luckily I managed to coordinate so that none of us actually needed to wait in vain. This is how fortunate my eldest son is. My dad picks him up from school at least once a week, and brings him out for lunch.

Previously, my dad will coordinate with me, and "sort of" ask my "permission" to bring my son out after school. However, lately when my son started to take public transport to and fro school, and having his own handphone, both of them coordinate between themselves. I was not kept in the loop. It was only this year, when he is in P6, then we got him a mobile phone. Yes, we had no choice now because we want him to be contactable since he is taking public transport everyday. Otherwise, we will still prefer not to give him a mobile phone. He is the last person in the class to own his own mobile phone.

Anyway, since I was waiting for my son to come home, I decided to bake some buns for breakfast for the following day. I made the Golden Crown Raisin Buns from Baking Code by Alex Goh. I had prepared the overnight sponge dough the night before. So I was ready then.

While the dough was proofing, I was scolding my son. Despite giving him a proper schedule to follow everyday, he didn't follow them, and didn't attempt the assessment books that I bought for him. I was enraged! I blew my top. I wondered how to motivate a person like him. Most of the time, I left him to do his own work. I didn't want to disturb him as he always say I'm very naggy. Leave him alone, he didn't do the work. Check and tail him all the time, he'll find me naggy. I really don't know what to do. It's just so hard and difficult to coach him. I really wondered how I am going to survive the next 7 months before his PSLE!

Anyway, back to the buns that I made. Instead of plain flour, I substitute it with wholemeal flour. I also added some fresh dill to give it a little herby taste. The dill was very mild and subtle. The buns turned out to be really soft, dense and sweet. I like it better when I can taste the dill.

Recipe for Golden Crown Raisins Buns, extracted from "Baking Code"
(Makes 10 normal buns)

Overnight Sponge Dough
Ingredients:
100g Bread flour
60g Water, room temperature
1/4tsp Instant Yeast

Method:
1. Mix the instant yeast with 20g water until well-blended. Add in the remaining ingredients and knead to form a dough.
2. Let it proof for 30mins.
3. Wrap with cling fil and keep in the refrigerator overnight or up to 48hours.

Bread Dough
Ingredients:
(A)
400g Bread flour
100g Wholemeal flour
20g Milk powder
65g Sugar
6g Salt
11g Instant yeast

(B)
150g Overnight sponge dough

(C)
2 Cold eggs
230g Cold water

(D)
90g Unsalted butter

(E)
220g Raisins
Some chopped fresh dills

Method:
1.  Mix (A) until well blended. Add in (B) and (C), mix to form a dough.
2. Add in (D), mix to form a smooth and elastic dough.
3. Add in (E), mix until well-blended.
4. Cover it with cling film. Allow it to proof for 60mins.
5. Divide the dough equally into 10 pcs. Mould it round. Place 7 pcs of dough around the sides of a greased 9" round pan, and the rest on the greased 6" round pan.
6. Let it proof for another 60mins.
7. Egg wash the surface and bake it at 180C for 20mins.

Birthday Cake

Last week, I asked my hubby what kind of cake he would like for his birthday, he told me-Rum & Raisins. As expected, he has always been a fan of rum & raisins, especially ice creams. Even if he did not tell me, I'll probably ended up making rum & raisins' cake for him too! I would think, rum & raisins would go well with chocolate sponge. So I tried searching for chocolate sponge cake recipes. One that will be light & fluffy.

Unfortunately, I still couldn't find one. :( So I decided to bake a chocolate sponge cake from "Delicious Cakes". I made chocolate & rum mousse to be frosted with the chocolate cake and added my 4-days-soaked-in-rum raisins. Overall, the cake did turn out quite well, except that my family weren't a fan of alcohols, and they found the rum too strong. So do I! Well, as long as my hubby is happy, and gets what he wants, that's all it matters! ;)



I also baked the Rosemary & Garlic Focaccia breads again for my family. I believe they will love it too!


I fried my carrot cake again in the morning for breakfast.


On Sunday morning, I baked the milk tarts for my kids, in particular my eldest boy as he loves tarts, and milk tarts. He has requested me to bake milk tarts for him. :)


Here is the recipe as requested.
Recipe extracted from "Delicious Cakes" by Amy Heng, Y3K.
Chocolate Chiffon:
A: 95g Corn Oil
B: 30g Cocoa powder, 150g Dark Chocolate (chopped)
C: 90ml Water
D: 60g Cake flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder
E: 6 Egg yolks
F: 225g Egg whites, 95g Caster sugar, 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar

Method:
1. Line a 9" round cake tin. Preheat oven at 180C.
2. Heat oil of ingredient (A) over low fire until hot.
3. Remove from heat and add in ingredient (B), stir until chocolate has melted.
4. Add in ingredient (C), (D) and (E). Leave aside.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk at high speed ingredient (F) until stiff and glossy.
6. Fold no. 4 into egg white mixture with a hand held whisk.
7. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 45-50minutes.
8. Invert immediately until cooled.
9. Cut into 3 layers horizontally.

Happy Father's Day!

I did two cakes for Father's day, one for Saturday and the other for Sunday.

Saturday: Rum & Raisins Chocolate Cake

Layering the cake... adding raisins that has been soaked in rum.

The different layers of the cake...including a dacquoise layer.

Wordings using white chocolate.

This is the decor of my Rum & Raisins Chocolate Cake.

See the number of layers of my cake. Centre is the dacquoise layer. Includes chocolate ganache, chocolate mousse, raisins and of course, cake layer!

Sunday: Chocolate & Rum Cake

Chocolate sponge cake.

Err...not very pro handwritting...

Design of my cake.