Nigella Lawson’s Jam doughnut muffins

"Can you just not baking for a day?.. please.. have a rest.."that was what my husband said.. okay..i will, i hope... i dont know... yay..(hates cooking but loves baking..)
I promised my son that we’d make something together , chocolate chip cookies but since we were short on time I picked this as it’s such a simple recipe to knock out.

All you need:
I hate using kitchen scale, so i converted into cup measurement.. making my life easier..

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup corn or vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 teaspoons strawberry jam really depends on you on how much you wanted to

How to make?
i dont snap any picture to show you how.... as my husband asked me to make it in quick time so we can watch a dvd together..

• With a fork, beat together the milk, oil, egg and vanilla extract. Stir this into the flour and sugar to combine.
• Spoon the mixture into each muffin cup so that it's just under a third full. Then with a teaspoon add a dollup of strawberry jam, then top with more muffin mix so that the cases are just about full.
• Put them in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops feel springy and resistant and the muffins have puffed up into little toadstools.

For dusting/coating the muffin:
½ cup unsalted butter(melted) i spread some strawberry jam instead of using butter
½ cup granulated sugar

Simply dip into the melted butter ant then coat/dip it with sugar..Now you have it.. the strawberry doughnuts...delicious, scrumptious muffins..

Butter cookies II

Picture tells... my son invited his friend over to this cookies photoshoot

I would recommend to u to just ignore my earlier post recipe on butter cookies .I think this one is better.The difference between these two.... ok. no 1..... this one is more buttery flavour, no egg added so the texture is definitely not in common, but it quite crumble but melts in ur mouth... for sure this one they were all gone in a day alone.. all my kids loved it...so delighted ..

out of a block of butter (200gm) it only makes about 30 cookies.. never enough.. and please watch ur cholesterol level.Of course the secret is to use a good quality of butter and mixed it with passion n love.... credit to kitchen guardian

Ingredients

200g butter I used LURPAK or u can just use SCS

50g icing sugar

150 all purpose flour

50g corn flour
i add 1 tsp of milk powder for more richness

Method

• Preheat oven at 140C.
• Beat butter and icing sugar until pale and light.
• Add in all purpose flour that had been sifted with corn flour, in four additions....I folded the flour using my hands, lightly knead to incorporate the ingredients together until my hands are clean.
• Using a piping bag and a nozzle, I piped the batter on baking paper and bake for about 20 minutes and the cookies had turned light golden colour.
• Cool and store them away in cookie jars

Kuih Bahulu (almost like angel cake)

Nothing can beat traditional cakes...

Kuih bahulu is usually baked during the festive seasons such as Hari Raya and Chinese New Year.When i was a child, there is no mixer to beat the eggs until pale and fluffy.. i can still recall.. there was a tool like a huge spring with wooden handle a.k.a hand mixer and a large crock or clay jar a.k.a big bowl especially made for this kuih.There was lots of hardwork back days.Mom used to sundried the flour and bake it on the charcoal with the lid on, top with burning coconut shells. I would say they are little sponge cakes, crispy on the outside and spongy on the inside.Very yummy, light and mild taste .My son loved this very much better than any other fancy cakes..

So here goes the recipes... simple ingredients, no need to grab ur paper n pen..




4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp of vanilla essence (optional just to get rid of the eggy smells)

How to make ?

• Preheat kuih bahulu moulds in the oven at 180'C
• Place the eggs and sugar in a mixer.Beat until you get a thick consistency.

• Then, add the flour in.Fold the mixture slowly .You don't want to deflate the egg too much.Pretty much done here...
• Grease the mould with a little bit oil to prevent it from sticking.Spoon in the batter into the mould until it's near full.
• Bake until golden brown about 10 to 15 mins. , fork the cake out and leave to cool .Since this is only a small mould, so u need to repeat the process of greasing,baking n taking it out continuously..

Lemon Curd Filled Macaron

For those cheesecake lovers out there.. this is for you.. it tasted lemony of course and cut all the sweetness of the macaron..with little bit zing zing.. but let me tell ya.. it is so good...absolutely refreshing..

I used to have egg yolks leftover whenever i make macarons.. so i'm pretty happy for this recipe.. it uses exactly 3 yolks which i got from making macaron shells.. Well, here is the basic recipe for macaron with easy homemade yummy lemon curd..lemon definitely my choice..

Macaron recipe:

Using a French Method for this macaron recipe, do refer to my last entry .Please click here. You can add some yellow egg colour into the meringue before combined with the dry ingredients.

Lemon curd recipe: adapted from americanfood.about.com

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4-5 lemons)
• 2 tbsps grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (1 stick butter), cut into 1/8-in slices

I add 3 tbsp of cornflour + 1 tbsp water -thicken the batter

For better understanding, do watch this video for making this lemon curd

Preparation:

1. Add 1-inch of water to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. In a medium metal bowl whisk the egg yolks and sugar for about 2 minutes until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest until combined.
   
   
2. Place the mixing bowl on top of saucepan (the bowl should be wide enough to fit on top of the saucepan, but shouldn't be touching the simmering water). Stir the mixture constantly with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as you stir, until it begins to thicken, and will coat the back of a spoon. This will take approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
   
   
3. Whisk in the butter, one slice at a time. Wait until each piece almost disappears before adding the next. Spoon into clean glass containers and allow to cool with a piece of plastic wrap laid on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.

Refrigerate until needed. This lemon curd will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Chocolate Banana Cake

Again.. its all about banana.. enough with muffin, pengat, bread .. now im making a chocolate version.. while cooking for lunch .. morning started with mashing all the bananas left on the counter..made some banana dumpling for yesterday tea time.. got some banana chips... urgh... no more bananas after this mr doni... ok.. let just move forward to the recipe ... google for some luscious, moist .. sexy image of choc banana cake.. i chose this one and as always i made some my own modification..improvising some other cake recipes ..here it goes ...pls.. no more choc ganache..

i totally forgot.. would it be much nicer if i put some cinnamon powder..aiyooo... ok noted... for next entry..

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas, mashed i put 5 bananas,prefer chunk pieces, taste better.. more choc than bananas
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla
my modification, i add 1/2 cup almond meal


How to make?

• Preheat the oven as usual
• Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, set aside
• Whisk the eggs and all the wet ingredients in separate bowl and mix well.
• Combine the dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix until it well incorporate
• Pour the mixture into a baking pan and bake for about 30-40 mins really depends on the size of your baking pan
• Poke your cake with a knife, chopstick or fork.. when it comes out clean,the cake is done .
• Remove from oven and let it cool
• Once it cooled, sprinkle some icing sugar on top or frost your cake with favourite flavour.
• It is best served with some cream or vanilla ice-cream

Almond-Orange Cake (Focaccia alla Portoghese)

I'm glad.. there is no butter in this cake

I bought a kilo of almond meal especially for making macaron.. after many heartbreak, joy, pride and disoriented mental i had..cracked, feet less, not to mention a batch of a success macs... i think i need a break.. for now.. but not stopping me on baking adventure.. i stumbled this recipe that use almond meal as the main ingredient, not far from making the macs, then i thought why not give it a try.. it seems like a lovely butter cake with a hint of orange flavour.. urm.. curious but anxious..

it a delish.. no wonder me and my husband finished it all in minutes.. it never get cooled on the rack.. those pictures taken while it just came out from the oven and i was worried all the sugar sprinkled will be melted away... so fortunate, it melts in our mouth.. i just ate the last piece of the cake.. definitely will be on the top list..

fluffy, very very low of sugar, light cake ... best served with hot tea...

internet is the guru...otherwise this is not happening..so here it goes..adapted from baking history....

Ingredients:

1 cup (150 g) whole Almonds, blanched, raw i just use almond meal
3/4 cup (150 g) Granulated Sugar
1/3 cup (50 g) Potato Flour (starch)
3 Eggs separate the whites and yolk
1-1/2 (organic) Oranges (juice and zest)
Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top of the cake

How to :

• Preheat the oven to 150'C, line the baking pan with aluminium foil

• Grind the almonds with 1/3 of the sugar in the food processor or coffee grinder until very finely powdered. Sift the almond mixture with the potato flour and grind again any large pieces of almonds that might have remained in the sifter. Set aside.since I'm using the almond flour, so i just combine all the dry ingredients.

• In a big bowl,beat the yolks at very high speed until light and pale yellow i just use hand mixer . Gradually add the ground sugar and beat until well incorporated.

• Add the ground almond mixture and the orange juice to the yolks and beat at high speed until light and well incorporated.Set aside
  

• Then, beat the egg whites until it stiff and glossy

• Finally gently fold in the whipped egg whites, by hand, making sure they are well distributed and without deflating them. Pour the mixture in the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes I bake this only for about 20 mins. A cake tester in the center must come out clean and dry when the cake is ready.

• Unmold it and let it cool on the rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top once the cake is completely cool.

Steamed Caramel Pudding

This is one of the least fussy dessert that everyone should do at home.Even a child can make this under supervised.With only four basic and cheap ingredients ; egg, milk, sugar and vanilla.I mix n match, recreate the recipe to make it simpler and tastier.Some might use cream, full cream milk but i think my version is far easier, no need to weigh the sugar, dissolve sugar in milk.. whatsoever..

A simple yet delicious.Easy to make in short time and absolutely you'll be proud of the comments coming from the people u served.

Ingredients :

for caramel:
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp water

how to make caramelised sugar for the base?

• Simply combine sugar and water in a saucepan and let it boil.Keep watching, tilt and swirl sugar until melted in deep amber or dark brown, about 4 minutes.Turn off the heat.

• Pour this caramelised sugar into the pudding mould/ pudding cups/ ramekin cups and swirl to coat the sides of the mould. Keep aside to cool

for the custard filling:

5 eggs
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt

How to make the custard?

Pre heat the steamer.

• Combine all the ingredients is a big bowl and whisk it all together.

• Pour this mixture into caramel coated mold.Next, place it into the steamer for about 15 mins.The pudding is done when the top is firm when pressed gently with finger.

• Remove from heat and allow it cools...
• Shake the mold gently to release.To serve, place a plate over the mould, hold firmly in place and turn over gently. The pudding will turn over onto the plate, caramel side up! Pour some of the remaining caramel over the pudding and serve.