Classic Banana Cake (made with Yogurt)

I have been looking for a classic banana cakes recipies. Guess what? I found one. Everyone can bake it without fail. The classic banana cakes has be to firm instead of spongy. That's my personal liking. One good thing about the banana cake is we can use less sugar. These are good for Saturday & Sunday tea time. Surprisingly, such simple cake is always a hit among the crowd every time. It tastes so good even without icing. Besides, you must use the local fruits (banana or pisang emas) to make this cakes. It just tastes superb.

Ingredients I: Mix & Set asides

210g Mashed ripe bananas by fork

1 tsp Lemon Juice

Ingredients II:

85g Butter

Pinch of Salt

180g  Fine Sugar

1 Egg (L)

1 Egg Yolk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1.5 cup of Yogurt (original flavor- no sugar added)

188g AP flour

3/4 tsp Baking Soda

* Tips: You can also replace the Yogurt with Buttermilk. Buttermilk will give fluffier texture banana cakes.

I bake this cake in a 8" inch round tin. Always coat the inner of the round tin with butter or cut a round wax paper at the bottom of the tin for easy remover.

Method:

1) Mashed banana & lemon juice - set aside.

2) Mix AP flour & baking soda- set aside.

3) Mix yogurt/ butter milk with vanilla extract- set aside.

4) Cream butter , sugar, salt until fluffy for about 3-4 minutes.

5) Beat in one eggs each time until well mix.

6) Add in the flour mixture & alternately it with yogurt mixture. Fold in the mashed banana mixture. Remember not to over mix.

7) Bake in a preheated oven at 175'C from 45 minutes to 1 hour until a toothpick inserted come out clean. 

The baking time need to be calibrated for different oven. Enjoy.

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Coolest Oatmeal Walnut Cranberry Vegetarian Cookies

It has been quite sometime that I write baking recipes on my blog. I love baking, it was kind of like de-stress therapy. My little girl always tell me, when I cook or bake anything that she likes, please put it on the blog. When the day she became an grown up adult & when she miss my cooking, she will check out on my website. I asked, how about my collections of cook books & notes? Who will inherit it? She says, it is all mine. Sweet.Yeah, this is one of her favorite cookies.
I always make extra & share with my kid's ex-nanny, Carole.

Ingredients:
150g Brown sugar
128g Big roll oatmeal
192g AP flour
pinch of salt

112g unsalted butter (can replaced by canola oil if you like, cookies will be slightly hard)
6tbsp pure maple syrup
1tsp baking soda
2 tbsp of boiling water
1tsp vanilla essence

1 cup of walnut (roughly chopped)
1 cup dried cranberry

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 160C. Line baking tray with silicone sheets or parchment paper.
2) Mix oatmeal, flour, salt, sugar in a big bowl. Put aside.
3) Melt the butter in a saucepan using small heat, cook until golden brown about 5 mins. Careful, don't burn it.
4) Remove from heat & stir in maple syrup & vanilla essence.
5) Add boiling water & baking soda in a small bowl, stir vigorously to dissolve & pour immediately into the brown butter mixture. Stir quickly & it will become foamy.
6) Pour this butter mixture into the dry ingredients.
7) Mix quickly with a few strokes & fold in walnut and cranberry.
8) Do not let the mixture sits for too long. It need to be done quickly. Otherwise, it will become difficult to handle.

9)Use an ice cream scoop to scoop up the dough, flatten the dough slightly.
10) Leave some gap about 2 inches between the cookies dough as it will expand.
11) Bake for 15-20mins, rotate the pan half way if needed.
12) Let it cool & keep in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks.

Love this healthy cookies recipes as it is not too sweet & not too oily. Best thing of all it does not contains egg, which mean it can be kept longer.

p/s I have tried replacing the butter with canola oil, the result is not too bad. Definitely it is not as flavorful  compared to butter. However, some people just love their cookies crisp & slightly hard. It is just personal preference. It is fun to create your own version of oatmeal cookies.

Tips: You can replace the cranberries with raisin or sultanas.
Tips: You can replace the walnut with almond or any dried nut.

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Baked Marble CheeseCake

I have lots of collections on books especially cook books. Sometime I will test some new recipes & write some notes on the books. Remarks will be written on the books based on my own observations. It could be very messy. Sometimes, I will put a big "X" on the recipes. But this recipes which I adopted from Su Chan "Cake Temptations & other desserts" with a little changes- deserved a big "V". It is worth keeping. To be honest, the author recipes is very practical. You should be able to make the same cakes you see from the pictures.Appreciated that.

Cheesecake Texture is very smooth

I did not bake in bain-marie, so the surface of the cake crack a little. But it doesn't affect the taste of the cheese cake.Still smooth & yummy.

Ingredients
150g Marie/Digestive biscuits crumbs
75g melted butter
30g Melted Dark Chocolate ( I use 70% Cocoa)

Method for the base, mix all the biscuits crumbs & butter in a bowl & press to a 9 inches round pan. Freeze the base in the freezer.
Reserve the Dark Chocolate to make the marble swirls.

Fillings:
450g cream cheese
140g castor sugar
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp lemon juices
1 tsp lemon zest ( I just use up the 1 lemon skin to "zest" it)
1 tsp vanilla extra (I prefer to use extra instead of essence)
50g All purpoe flour
150ml whipping cream,whipped & keep it cool, otherwise, it will deflated.

Whisked until soft peak:
6 Egg whites
1tbsp sugar

Method:
1) Beat cream cheese + sugar in a bowl & add in yolk one by one.
2) Add in lemon juice, zest, vanilla extract & flour. Mix well & add in the whipped whipping cream.
3)Whisk egg white + sugar until soft peak & fold into the cheese mixture above (no.2)
4)Pour 1/3 of the filling into the prepared tin & drizzle with 1tbsp of melted chocolate. Repeat twice until you finish using the melted chocolate.
5)Stir mixture with chop sticks to form the marble effect.
6) Bake straight in the preheated oven 150C  for 45 min or till set. You will get the crack surface cheese cake.
or
6) Bake in bain-marie in the preheated oven 150C for 45 mins or till set. Each oven behave differently. Pls observe & adjust accordingly.
7) Remove from oven & let cool.
8) Refrgerate over nite & it taste better.
9) Serve chilled. I enjoyed with my favorite coffee.

* See how to on bain-marie/double boiler,
http://www.thekitchn.com/technique-how-to-make-and-use-70190

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Christmas Cookies - Ina Garten

These cookies are seriously addicted. Carol, Amanda, Dave, Ben & Henry just love these cookies. They are especially suitable as gift for special occasions like Christmas & New Year celebrations. It really gives you the Christmas feel or celebration mood. Today is the 20th Oct, you can try to bake these cookies for the coming Christmas (in two months time).Personally, I love Christmas & looking forward to it.

Conversations:
Amanda told me: Come, you must try these cookies before it runs out. I forgot where I bought it.
Amanda asked Henry: Son, you remember where we bought it?
Henry answer: Mom, it is from the neighbor bakery.
By then Amanda only realized it was actually from me.

Please visit this link for the original recipes:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fruitcake-cookies-recipe/index.html

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Delicious Cranberry, Raisin, Blueberry, Chocolate Chips Muffin

Fresh Blueberry Muffins

Muffins are good for breakfast or tea break. It is not as sweet as cupcakes & the texture is not as fine as a cake. The texture is more coarse compared to cupcakes.  It is very versatile & you can use it to make any version of muffins depends on your favorite choices- Cranberry, Raisin, Chocolate Chips or Blueberry.

This is a super easy recipes which is very suitable for any beginner in baking. Even though I love to bake & can create some complicated pastry but I still love to bake simple stuffs. The only reason - fast! On the other hand, I do enjoy complicated baking, it makes you feel good that you can make something at par with those professional baker. Baking is very therapeutic too. Even though I need to do a lot of clean up after a major baking session, it is still very satisfying. Yeah...these muffins are very satisfying too.

Here it is:
To make 5 muffins, You will need the below:

50g Butter
70g Sugar
1 Egg
100g All Purpose flour/ Low protein flour
1tsp Baking Powder
A pinch of Salt
60ml Milk
75g Blueberry, Raisin, Cranberry or Chocolate Chips

Method:
1)Beat butter & sugar until fluffy & color turn pale.
2)Add in eggs & mix thoroughly.
3)Add in the premix of dry ingredients:  flour + baking powder + salt.
4)Alternate the flour mixture with milk.
5)Lastly, add in your favorite choice of Blueberry, Raisin, Cranberry or Chocolate Chips.
6)Bake for 170'C in a preheated oven.

*Tips- for all baking, you need to preheat the oven until the specified temperature. If you did not preheat it, the baked goods will not turn out right.

Cranberry Muffins

This recipes is good as it is not too heavy. In fact I like the right texture of these muffins. You can see it from the below pic.

Lovely Cranberry Muffins Texture

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Red Velvet Cupcakes & Frosting

To me, sometimes writing a blog is like writing a diary. Mine is a food diary. I am sharing some mistake or fun that I have learn through my "culinary" journey. I have fallen in love with kitchen because I have always believe in nurture my kid with good nutritions make them a better person - healthy & mentally. Desserts are just part of it. Every mum feel proud when their kids tell them : "My mummy is the best cook in the world!!" .Besides, I seriously need to de-stree myself in the kitchen.

I love sharing my baking goods with the neighbours, nanny & friends. Let me tell you something funny happened in this 2013 Chinese New Year.

Amanda was  telling me that she has these new year cookies taste very good & asked us to try. Then, she asked her son where did they bought the cookies because she just couldn't recall where she bought it. The son answered it was from the neighbour's bakery. She was not awared that the cookies was from me.  I handed over to her son while she is not around. I will share the recipies with you later. It is the "fruitcake cookies", which taste really good. My ex-nanny love it too. Kinda miss her also.

Today, let me share with you the RED VELVET CUPCAKES recipies.
Red velvet is a chocolate based cake with cream cheese frosting. Kids & adult love red velvet.
For the cake recipies, pls refer to my previous post:

Rich Chocolate Cake
http://fabulouscake.blogspot.com/2013/04/rich-chocolate-cake.html

Red Velvet Frosting/ Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingrediants:
1/2 cup of salted butter
6 oz cream cheese
0.5 tsp vanilla extrat
3.5 cup of icing sugar
(Optional) 1 tsp of milk depends on your liking on the frosting consistency.
Some decorative silver balls or food colouring

Method:
1) Mix cream cheese with butter, beat until fluffy. About 4 mins on medium speed.
Do not over mix because the mixture will become grainny. Never overmix when there is cream cheese.
2) Add icing sugar (pls shift before use),beat until smooth & fluffy.
3) Add in vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla extract which taste so much superior.
4) You can separate the icing into a few bowl, add in food colour (one or two drops will do), spread the colour icing on the cupcake & decorate colour sugars.

These are gifts to friends & colleugues for special occasion, my mind tell me..."Christmas".
Haha....now is too early for Christmas.

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Rich Chocolate Cake

Oh boy, it has been some time we did not update this blog. I must celebrate the "re-launch" of the blog by posting one of our favourite chocolate cake recipes. Life is busy with kids running around who need the parent’s tender loving care.

In life, we celebrates good things happened around us. We are very thankful that we met some nice people that sincerely want to help us. It is a blessing to have a nice nanny & nice neighbors. We are blessed.

This is our "Thanksgiving" chocolate cake recipes (adapted from Donna H magazine). Hope you enjoy it.

Cake:
250g butter
220g brown sugar
3 eggs
250g flour
1.5tsp baking powder
60g cocoa powder
145g sour cream/ yogurt

Icing:
250g double cream
200g dark chocolate

Method:
1) Beat butter sugar until fluffy.

2) Add in beaten eggs one by one until the mixture light & creamy.

3) Premix all the flour , baking powder & cocoa powder.
4) Sift flour mixture into the butter mixture & mix with sour cream until just combine.
5) Do not overmix.
6) Bake in a pre-heat oven 160C about 45 min- 1 hour

Icing:
1) Melt dark chocolate with double cream.
2) Let it cool at room temperature.
3) Put it into the chiller for about 30-45 mins,
4) Lightly beat the mixture.
5) Spread nicely on the cake.

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Classic Butter Tea Cakes with Cherry

Last week, I craved for the Classic Butter Tea Cakes (with cherry). So I decided to make one for our Sunday afternoon tea break. It taste exceptionally good with coffee. This is a very simple & easy recipes, it can be made using electric hand mixer. It is very suitable for beginner in baking. Do give it a try. It is very nostalgic to to bake a butter cake in ring tin. In fact, it was quite popular in the 80s.

Classic Butter Cakes Recipes:
125g butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla essence
200g glace cherries ( or prune cut into small pcs)
2 cup of all purpose flour
2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 cup of full cream milk

Method:
1) Preheat oven to 175'C.
2) Ready a round 18-20cm ring tin. Use butter to grease the pan. Lay a baking paper at the bottom. It helps to remove the cake easily when the cake is done baking. You can also bake this cake in a loaf pan.

3) Beat butter with sugar until fluffy. It will turn light & creamy.
4) Add eggs one by one until the mixture is well combined.
5) Add cherry in to the mixture. Use a spatula to mix it in.
6) Fold in shifted flour alternately with milk. Can flour divide into 3 portions for easy mixing.
7) Mix until just combined. DO NOT over mix. I notice most of the time, people easily over mix the batter & the cake become tough.
8) Bake for about 30-40 mins until the inserted skewer come out clean. If the skewer come out clean, it means the cake is fully baked to perfection.
9) Let it rest for about 20-30mis, then only remove it from the tin. It tastes best on the day itself.
10) You can keep the classic butter cake in the refrigerator for 1 week or 1 month in the freezer.

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Healthy Crackers

It has been quite a while, today I am going to share with all of you the healthy crackers that I had made for Christmas (which is suitable for dipping) or Chinese New Year ( eat as it is). It is very healthy because it use very little oil & no sugar at all. These are one type of savory crackers.You do not need to spend too much money buying these crackers. It is easy to make.

Ingrediants:
2 cup of all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp fine salt
1/4 tsp of ground pepper (optional)
1/2 cup of water
3 tbsp olive oil

** I had added 1tsp of korea chili flake to give these crackers some kicks. It is a little crazy but you can play around with different herbs. You can add some parley flakes, replace the garlic powder with onion powder.  You can even add the sesame to make the oriental style crackers.

Method:
1. Heat oven to 200'C
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Then stir in the water + olive oil. If you find that the dough is too dry to mix, add in another one or two tablespoon of water. You need to feel the dough because different flour has slightly different absorption.  You can do the mixing by hand or kneading machine that knead bread dough.
3. Divide the dough into 4-5 pcs, let it rest for at least 30 mins.
4. The next objective is to roll the dough as thin as possible. I had tried a few method but this is the most effective one.Use the pasta machine to roll it into flat strip of dough. Use setting no.4. You can also do it the usual way by using the regular rolling pin but it take more time & effort. Then, cut it into whatever shape you like.
5. Lay it on the baking tray & bake it for 10-15 mins or until it become golden. Remember to keep it in air tight container to ensure the crackers crispiness.

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Cranberry Scone

Cranberry Scone. Believe me, anyone can bake super delicious cranberries. I did most of my baking during weekends & it is meant for Saturday / Sunday afternoon tea. My family enjoy afternoon tea so much especially my kid. She loves scones with fruit jam & butter.
Hm....so rich in taste & full of flavor.

Good pastry always made of good ingredients. Get the best natural dried cranberries. I have got this pack of cranberries from Sabrina. It was from Canada & taste fantastic.


Prepare the few dry ingredients in a bowl.
Scone Recipies:
250g AP flour
60g Sugar
2.5 tsp baking powder
0.25 tsp salt
70g cold butter
60g dried dried cranberries
2 oranges peel
170 ml milk
2 oranges peel
Prepare all ingredients in advance because we need to work quickly.

Method:
Preheat oven at 200 degree C.
In a large bowl, whish together flour, sugar, b.powder & salt. Cut the cold butter into small pieces with pastry blender into the flour mixture or 2 hands. I get my daughter helps. It will became coarse crumbs. Gently stir in the cranberries & orange peel. Add milk until just combine. DO NOT over mix. Transfer to a lightly floured surface & form the dough into a patties & cut it with round shape mold. Brush with some milk. Bake for 15-20 mins until light brown.

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Chococlate Chips & Walnut Cookies

We love these rich crispy chocolate chips & walnut cookies. Surprisingly, a lot of friends & customers like these crispy big cookies too. These are great with a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Especially on Saturday or Sunday afternoon tea time with family/friends.

In this Chinese New Year, we also make this cookies into a bite size shape which looks more elegant.

For more inquiries, please contact us @ 012- 3813896.

Tips: You can keep these big cookies in big transparent air tight glass jar. It looks beautiful & taste great.

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Crepe Mille Cake

French Crepe is always delicious. A crêpe is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour. The word is of French origin. While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France and they are considered a national dish, and they are also increasingly popular in North America and South America. In France, crêpes are traditionally served with sweet or savory filling. The most popular crepes is the crepes Suzette that you can order in a fine dining restaurant.

Normally when we have guests for dinner, we will serve some home baked pastry. when I am do not have time to prepare a baked pastry, I will normally serve crepes Suzette to my guests. They love it every time.

Today I am going to share with you a crepe mille recipes where you don't even need an oven for it. Crepe mille is a cake that made of many crepes layer. It is guarantee a delicious dessert.

To make a diameter 15cm crepe mille. You can use a diameter 15cm non stick pan. You will have a nice & tall crepe cake. But I am using my normal 28cm non stick pan, therefore, it is not "tall" enough. Nonetheless, it still taste good. Don't restrict yourself by all the "rules" of the recipes. Improvise if you need too. Enjoy the processes & you will fall in love with cooking.
Crepes:
90g low protein flour/cake flour
30g sugar
Pinch of salt
15g melted butter
90g eggs
270g full cream milk

Method:

1. Mix the flour+ sugar + salt in a bowl & make a well in the middle.
   
2. In the egg, mix with a whisk. Mix until all the flour come together.
   
3. Slowly add in the oil continuously. Mix until all the all the material come together.
4. Add in the milk slowly & continue mixing.
   
5. Filter the batter mixture to ensure smooth texture.
6. Lightly mix the batter every time before fry if the flour starts sinking at the bottom.

Pan fry the crepe:

1. A little butter melt in the pan. Not too much. You need just enough to cover the pan.
2. Scoop 30cc of batter & pour into the pan. Quickly spread the pan to make sure all the batter fill up the pan base. (30cc for a 15cm pan), you will need more if your pan is bigger.
3. Use small medium fire. Don't burn the crepe. Lift up your pan if it is too hot.
4. When you can see bubble on the surface & a thin layer start forming, it is time to flip the crepe over & cook the other side. Total cooking time is about 1-2 min depends how thin your crepe is.
   
5. Use a spatula, lightly scrap over the crepe edges, flip it over. Well, I use my hand. But my hubby can flip the crepes like a chef. Practice make perfect I guess.

Assemble the crepe with chocolate cream.
130g cream
130g melted chocolate (cool)

Lightly whip the cream until soft peak.
Mix in the cooled melted chocolate.

Assemble it : 1 layer of crepe , 1 layer of chocolate cream, 1 layer of crepe, l layer of cream..etc
You can also sandwich some chocolate chips between the layers if you like.

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Classic Muffin - Variety

Muffin is good for breakfast & tea time. The texture is something between cake v.s. bread. The best thing about muffin is the fat content is lower than regular cake because it is made of vegetable oil (liquid form) instead of butter. I like to make it because it is so simple & you don't really have to spend a lot of time watching the batter....mixing it proper to ensure it can be baked successfully.

Here is a recipes that it never fails. Anyone can do it. Simple.

Mix all the below in a big bowl ( see below).
500g flour
250g sugar
4tsp baking powder
1tsp salt

Mix all the below in another big bowl ( see below).
Eggs - 150g
Milk-350g
Vanilla- 12 g
Oil -200g

Option:
100g raisin or
100g chocolate chips or
100g chopped prune or
100g cranberry or
100g nuts (any nuts that you like)
- More is less . Just add 100g of choice of yours from the above & add in the the batter mixture.


Method:
Just pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredient. Mix mix mix with a whisk.
***DO NOT OVERMIX*** mix until it is just in-cooperated. Scoop the batter into muffin case & bake at 175'C for about 20-25mins.

I baked those muffin with jam & fresh fruits-strawberry/blue berry.
It was awesome!

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