Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes

One fine evening, I suddenly felt like eating muffins. So I decided to bake some simple treats for myself. Then, when it comes to deciding what flavour, what toppings, I was stuck. Add cranberries with some nuts? Nah, didn't want to. Make a rum & raisin muffin? No time to soak rum already.


Finally, I decided on Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes since I bought a bunch of green apples over the weekend. 

Recipe for Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes
Makes 24 regular cupcakes


Ingredients:
225g Unsalted butter, cold and cubed
150g Light brown sugar
225g Self-raising flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon powder (can cut down to 3/4 tsp if you don't like it to be too strong)
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Green apple, cubed with skin on


Method:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon powder into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add in brown sugar. Mix well.
3. Add in butter. Rub them into the flour, until all are incorporated. The mixture will not be crumbly, but lumpy and will come together.
4. Add in the beaten eggs, using a spatula, stir and mix well. Do not overmix.
5. Add in the cubed green apples.
6. Scoop them into the cupcake papers till almost to the rim.
7. Bake them in a pre-heated oven of 180C for 17mins.
8. Served warm!

Portuguese Egg Tarts

Last Saturday, after my routine grocery shopping and breakfast, I decided to do some simple pastries. I just had the urge to do puff pastries. Even though I'm not very good at puff pastries, I enjoyed the tedious steps involved. And, I like puff pastries, even though I know how unhealthy it is!


So, for that morning, I decided to embark on Alex Goh's Portuguese Egg Tarts. Aloysius has been a great fan of egg tarts. Whenever my dad picks him up from school, he will buy a packet of five Crystal Jade egg tarts for Aloysius. Both of them like their HK egg tarts very much. Each egg tart cost about $1.30. But it's really nice. So to satisfied their palate, I decided to bake the Portuguese style, to make them stop eating from outside! *grin proudly*


The egg tarts really turned out very well! The egg custard was really soft, and not too sweet. Even though some of the tops were browned, it doesn't has the charred taste. The puff pastries crust was really crispy. This is definitely a keeper!

Recipe for Portuguese Egg Tarts, extracted from "Irresistible Pastry by Alex Goh".
Makes 24 regular egg tarts (regular muffin tray)

Puff Pastry


Ingredients:
(A)
400g Plain flour
50g Unsalted butter
1/8 tsp Fine salt
220g Water
(B)
300g Pastry margarine (I used only 250g)


Method:

1. Mix (A) to form a smooth dough. Let it rest for 15mins.
2. Roll out the dough into cross shape with the centre thicker and the four limbs thinner.
3. Place the pastry margarine onto the centre of the dough. Wrap it up.
4. Roll out the dough into a 10mm thickness and fold once. Let it rest for 15mins. (I skipped the resting part as I missed it when reading the instructions. It worked fine for me too.)
5. Turn the dough 90 degrees. Repeat step (4), four more times.
6. Roll out the dough into 3-mm thick. Cut the sheet into half.
7. For one of the half, roll it up like swiss roll. Chill till firm.
8. For the other half, fold them like an envelope and refrigerate for future use.

Egg Fillings

(Makes enough for half of the puff pastry above only.)

Ingredients:

100g Whipping cream

150g Whole milk

40g Fine sugar

1 Egg yolk

3 Whole eggs

1/4 Vanilla extract

Method:

1. Cook whipping cream and milk until 70C. (Feel it with your fingers. If it feels hot to the touch, it's probably about 70C. Do not boil.)
2. Stir in sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves.
3. Add it to into the beaten eggs and egg yolks.
4. Mix until well blended.
5. Lastly add in the vanilla extract. Set aside to cool completely.
6. Divide the puff pastry into 24 portions. Flatten the pastry and roll it into about 3-mm thick. Press onto the tart moulds.
7. Pour the fillings into the pastry tarts from step (5). (The fillings I made was barely enough to fill up 24 crusts, with only two tbsp per crusts, and not more! The eggs I used were small size.) 
8. Then bake at 200C for 20 mins on the centre rack. (You may place it at the lower rack. However, if there are no caramelised dots on the egg custard, move the baking tray upwards to let the tart surface take up more heat to create the caramelized dots. I baked mine on the top 2nd rack and it caramelised the whole custard!)

Blackforest Cake

Last week, my sisters and I were discussing how we were going to celebrate Father's Day. A usual dinner at home, followed by a cake. They were very kind to ask if I wanted to bake a cake or if we should buy it from the stores. As usual, if it's within my means, I will definitely prefer to bake it myself. Initially, I thought of baking a chocolate fudge cake.


However, since my one of my baking friend had just shared with me about the chocolate chiffon cake from "Delicious Cakes", I decided to make the most classic decorated cake - Blackforest Cake. As expected, the cake turned out to be really good. My dad loved it! He actually commented that this is the best cake I had produced! Was I supposed to be happy or disappointed? Happy that he liked my cake. Disappointed that after baking for so long, this is the only cake that met his expectation?? LOL. Whatever it is, I was just glad that he liked it!

Recipe for Blackforest Cake, modified from "Delicious Cakes" by Amy Heng.


Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Makes a 9" round cake


Ingredients:
(A)
30g Cocoa powder (mixed with 120g hot water, and leave it to cool)
4 Egg yolks
80g Caster sugar
130g Self-raising flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
60g Corn oil
1 tsp Vanilla extract


(B)
4 Egg whites
60g Caster sugar
1/2 tsp Cream of tartar


Method:

1. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar together till light and fluffy.
2. Then add in the rest of wet ingredients (A) and mix well.
3. Add in the remaining dry ingredients (A) and mix until smooth.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
5. Add in sugar gradually and continue whisking until glossy and soft peak.
6. Take one third of egg whites and fold gently into step (3).
7. Then pour the above mixture into egg white and fold to incorporate.
8. Pour the mixture into a prepared lined 9" cake pan and baked in a pre-heated oven of 180C for 40mins.
9. Invert cake and leave until completely cool before cutting into 3 layers horizontally.

Blackforest Fillings

Ingredients:

250g Grottines (liquer cherries) (can replace this with 1 can of pitted cherries)

500g Whipping cream

50g Caster sugar

1 tbsp Corn flour

Dark chocolate rasps

Chocolate pearl (optional)

Berries (optional)

Cherries (optional)

Method:

1. Drain out the juice from the cherries and leave aside.
2. Put juice in a pot and add corn flour. Stir until combined and cook over low heat until boiled and thickened. Stir constantly while cooking. Leave it to cool.
3. Whip the cream with sugar until stiff.

To assemble:

1. Place a slice of cake onto a cake board.
2. Spread a layer of whipped cream and cherry syrup then decorate with cherries.
3. Repeat with 2nd layer of cake, cream, syrup and cherries. End with the last layer of cake.
4. Spread the whole cake with cream.
5. Decorate the sides with chocolate rasps.
6. Decorate with chocolate pearls, berries or cherries to your preference.
7. Serve chill.

Donuts

My elder son, Aloysius, has been harping me to make donuts for him since last year. I bought a "Donut" recipe book last December at JB, and I haven't used it yet. Since it was the last few days of school holiday, I decided to make some for the children before they get busy with school work, and me, on my coaching.


I halved the recipe, not very confident that I wanted to do so much frying. When I did the frying, I confirmed that my frying skills are truly no good! The donuts turned out to be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Aloysius commented that it tasted more like fried fritters (油条) than donuts when eaten plain. However, he said that he liked it.


I topped the donuts with chocolate ganache, and some with crushed oreos. I didn't have the opportunity to keep them, they were gone within minutes! 

Recipe for Chocolate & Oreo Donuts, extracted from Donut by Wendy Kor & Clement Lim
(Makes approximately 20 3" donuts)
This recipe is halved of the original


Ingredients:


(A)
200g Bread flour
50g Plain flour
10g Instant yeast


(B)
40g Sugar
5g Salt


(C)
1 Egg
110g Cold water
(total liquid should add up to 150g)


(D)
100g Butter


Toppings:
Chocolate ganache
Crushed Oreos
(or any other toppings of your preference)

Method:

1. Mix (A),add in (B) & (C) and beat at medium speed for 5 minutes. Add (D) and mix for further 10-15 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
2. Leave the dough on floured surface, covered with clingfilm. Let it rise for 40 mins till double in size.
3. Roll out dough to 1.5cm thick. Rest for 10 minutes, cut out donut using its mould. Transfer to a floured surface, leave aside for a further 30 mins to allow donut to rise.
4. Heat up sufficient oil to around 160C, deep fry donut until golden brown on both sides. Dish out and drain. Let it cool. (It took me about 2-3mins to fry both sides.)
5. Topped it with chocolate ganache and/or crushed oreos.

I'm submitting this to the Aspiring Bakers #8 - Bread Seduction.

Chocolate Cake Balls

A long time buddy of mine lately gave birth to another boy and invited me to his first month celebration. I am very happy for her. It's been 25 years since we knew each other. Even though we don't meet often, nor chat often, we will still include each other in some of our celebrations.


Since she invited me to her son's first month celebration, I decided to make some simple, yet delectable desserts for her. I was glad she liked my Chocolate Cake Balls.

Recipe for Chocolate Cake Balls
Makes 66 balls (about 1 inch size)


Ingredients:
400g Chocolate cake sponge, broken to pieces
100g Semi-sweet chocolate, melted
3 tbsp Whole milk (approximate)


Method:

1. In a mixer with K-beater, mix the chocolate sponge well. Make sure they are broken into pieces.
2. Add the whole milk to blend. They should somehow come together, but not completely.
3. Add in the melted chocolate.
4. Mix thoroughly until they come together. If they don't, add more milk or chocolate if needed.
5. Then divide out the chocolate mixture, and roll them into balls.
6. Refrigerate until ready to decorate.

To decorate:

Ingredients:

80g Semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Dragees to decorate

Method:

1. Pipe some chocolate on the chocolate balls.
2. Decorate with coloured dragess as desired.
3. Serve it cool!

Avocado Week

Before my domestic helper went back on her home leave, I told her that if she can, bring back some mangoes and avocados from her hometown. By the way, she is from Siquor in Philippines. I understood from her that her hometown has a lot of black magics. *scary* Anyway, I was elated when she opened her luggage and took out a bag full of green avocados! She told me it was avocado season, and that in their hometown, avocado is only harvest once a year! Aren't I lucky? *grin*

"Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit."-defined from Avocado Org.

More nutrition information about avocados can be found here. Even though avocados contain fats, they are good monosaturated fats. Actually in mandarin, avocados are known as 牛油果, which literally means "butter fruit"! The avocados that are sold in our supermarkets usually come from Australia, NZ, and lately Mexico (as far as I know!)


Some tips about choosing avocados from my experience and what I read. Unripe avocados are usually green and when lightly pressed, it's stone hard. Keep it in room temperature for a few days and it will slowly turned dark brown and soft. That's when it has ripen and really to consume. However, some avocados do not turn dark brown when it's ripen, it just turn soft. So you need to check on it constantly, don't wait eternally for it to turn brown! If you don't want your avocado to ripen so fast, keep it in the fridge. It lasts longer and takes a longer time to ripe. Even when it ripens, it can still be kept in the fridge for a longer period of time compared to being in room temperature.


To learn how to cut and store avocados, refer to this site. It's very simple. Now, back to the bag of more than 15 avocados that I have, I was hunting high and low for recipes to make use of it. As far as I've tried, I usually blend avocado with milk and ice. Sometimes I add honey, other times I add gula melaka or chocolate syrup! Whichever I add, it just tastes good! Having an over supply of avocados, I decided to bake with it. After a chat with Eelin, I decided to make Avocado and Chocolate cupcake (vegan). The recipe was adapted from Not Quite Nigella. I halved the recipe and made it into cupcakes instead.

The verdict? I don't quite like it. It's not the usual cupcakes that I tasted. I think cakes without butter and eggs do taste a bit weird...something like "kueh" taste. Luckily there was avocado frosting that covered the cupcake texture.

Being not satisfied with the avocado cupcakes, I decided to try the Avocado Creamcheese Cookies, originated from Angie, and then Anncoo. I used Anncoo's recipe and halved it. The final batter was quite thick, a lot of strength was required to pipe out the cookies. The verdict? I thoroughly don't like it! The cookies just tasted...bland and floury! It's not the usual cookies that one will like!

Through my two attempts of baking avocados, I concluded that this fruit is not meant to be baked! It is meant to eat fresh as it is, regardless of blending or mashing it (to become Guacamole Dip), but not to bake them! Perhaps cheesecake might be different. This is one recipe I've not tried (and maybe I should). When mixing avocados to the batter, you can smell the fragrance. However, once the food is baked, all traces or taste of avocado completely disappears! I shall stick to the convention way of enjoying avocados - shakes and salads!