Pavlova and Meringue Craziness

Ingredients

4 large egg whites, room temperature

Pinch of salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups heavy cream, whipped

10 passion fruits, for serving (optional)

4 bananas, for serving (optional)

Mixed berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, boysenberries, or blackberries, for serving (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Using an 8-inch bowl as a guide, trace the perimeter of the bowl onto a sheet of parchment paper. Transfer parchment paper, pencil side down, to a baking sheet. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and salt together until glossy peaks form. With mixer running, add sugar in three additions, beating until meringue is stiff and glossy. Sprinkle in cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla; gently fold to combine.

Mound the meringue in the center of the 8-inch circle. Using a spatula, evenly spread meringue out towards the edges. Transfer baking sheet to oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 250 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Turn off oven and let meringue cool completely in oven. When meringue is cool and completely dry, top with whipped cream and desired fruits.

Tips:
1. Spread meringue on flat pan with no edge for easy sliding afterwards.
2. Cool meringue in the oven with oven door slightly ajar. 

Recipes from:

http://www.marthastewart.com/332803/pavlova

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/mini-pavlovas-162

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-raspberry-pavlova-200

A Cake for that Coffee Addict Someone

Coffee and Walnut Layer Cake

Ingredients

For the sponge:

50 grams walnut pieces

225 grams caster sugar

225 grams soft unsalted butter (plus some for greasing)

200 grams plain flour

4 teaspoons instant espresso powder

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

4 large eggs

1 - 2 tablespoons milk

For the buttercream frosting:

350 grams icing sugar

175 grams soft unsalted butter

2 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder (dissolved in 1 tablespoon boiling water)

approx. 10 walnut halves (to decorate)

Method

- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350°F.

- Butter two 20cm / 8inch sandwich tins and line the base of each with baking parchment.

- Put the walnut pieces and sugar into a food processor and blitz to a fine nutty powder.

- Add the 225g/2 sticks butter, flour, 4 teaspoons espresso powder, baking powder, bicarb and eggs and process to a smooth batter.

- Add the milk, pouring it down the funnel with the motor still running, or just pulsing, to loosen the cake mixture: it should be a soft, dropping consistency, so add more milk if you need to. (If you are making this by hand, bash the nuts to a rubbly powder with a rolling pin and mix with the dry ingredients; then cream the butter and sugar together, and beat in some dry ingredients and eggs alternately and, finally, the milk.)

- Divide the mixture between the 2 lined tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the sponge has risen and feels springy to the touch.

- Cool the cakes in their tins on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, before turning them out onto the rack and peeling off the baking parchment.

- When the sponges are cool, you can make the buttercream.

- Pulse the icing sugar in the food processor until it is lump free, then add the butter and process to make a smooth icing.

- Dissolve the instant espresso powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water and add it while still hot to the processor, pulsing to blend into the buttercream.

- If you are doing this by hand, sieve the icing sugar and beat it into the butter with a wooden spoon.

- Then beat in the hot coffee liquid.

- Place 1 sponge upside down on your cake stand or serving plate.

- Spread with about half the icing; then place on it the second sponge, right side up (i.e. so the 2 flat sides of the sponges meet in the middle) and cover the top with the remaining icing in a ramshackle   swirly pattern.

- This cake is all about old-fashioned, rustic charm, so don’t worry unduly: however the frosting goes on is fine. similarly, don’t fret about some buttercream oozing out around the middle: that’s what makes it look so inviting.

- Gently press the walnut halves into the top of the icing all around the edge of the circle about 1cm apart.

Recipe copied and pasted from http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/COFFEE-AND-WALNUT-LAYER-CAKE-5307

Our Family's Fav Cake - Mama's Carrot Cake

Got this recipe long time ago from a friend. Tried baking it for the first time in 2005. It was a hit. Many, if not all, like this cake, including family and friends. I have lost the recipe once and manage to find something similar from the net, about 9 years ago. I have copied it down on my recipe book and totally forgotten to jot down the source. But who cares right, he he he...as long as the recipe is here. 

For the cake:

1 ½ cups vegetable oil

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

2  cups all purpose flour

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 ¼ tsps Vanilla extract

3 cups grated carrot

1 can crushed pineapple (with juice) – 8oz

¾ cup chopped pecan/walnut

For the cream cheese frosting:

3 ½ cups icing/confectionery sugar (I usually cut down on this)

1 pack cream cheese (8oz)

½  cup butter, softened

1 ¼ tsps vanilla extract

Lemon zest

Steps:

1.       Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)

2.       Grease or flour pan

3.       In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt & cinnamon, sieve & put aside

4.       In another bowl, combine carrots, pineapple and nuts, put aside

5.       Then beat oil and sugar, then add on eggs, one at a time

6.       Add on vanilla extract, stir

7.       Add on powdered stuff, stir again until well mixed

8.       Add on carrots, pineapple and nuts

9.       Bake for 50 mins to 1 hour, until it’s ready

10.   Cream cheese frosting: cream everything together and spread on cool cake.

How a "I'M SORRY" Sandwich looks like

Somebody has told me last night, that he feels like having Tuna Sandwich for breakfast the next day. As I was busy planning my day and getting my stuff ready for class, I have totally forgotten about the request and prepared something else.

This person came down thinking that I've had his sandwich ready, looked utterly disappointed when he found out that there's no sandwich but some deep fry unhealthy onion and anchovies "jemput-jemput".

Though he told me "it's okay!" and ate at least a couple of the "jemput-jemput" but I know he's not happy. I know that face, that "poochy", "soury" face of his.

Before he left for work, he has told me that he'd be coming home at 9am because a maintenance guy will come to fix the internet. So as soon as he left, I prepared lunch for the kids and made him his Tuna Sandwich and left it at a place where I know he will definitely see it when he comes home. Then got Bunga and myself ready. Left house about 845am. Dropped Bunga at a friend's and went straight to class. As class was about to start, I received a WA msg from him, sending me an image file of the Tuna Sandwich :). 

Hoping for a smiley face when he comes home later. InshaAllah!

Ihsan's COKOLOT

Alhamdulillah, my children really love these banana balls. "Cekodok pisang", is the commonly used term in our language but in this house, "cokolot" is far more popular than "cekodok". It started when Ihsan was younger, when he was 2, if I remember correctly. It seemed for him pronouncing "cEkoDoK" was so difficult, so he had settled with just pronouncing it "cOkoLoT". Funny I know, but it sounded adorable, "Mama, I want some more, "cokolot", "yeeeay! "cokolot","cokolot, pyease (read: please)", Cute right? Imagine seeing him say that with that chubby cheeks of his. (yeah Ihsan was quite a chubby toddler). *heart-melt. So we decided to leave it that way. Until now, "cokolot" is the word we all use when it comes to these banana balls. It is our family "thing". 

There are many twist to this simple recipe. It really depends on how you like your "cokolot" to be. Some prefer it soft and not quite rounded, some prefer it squishy and round, some just don't like it all, either because of the taste of it or because of the tonnes and tonnes and tonnes of calories even a single ball carries. Yes...this is not quite a healthy finger food (just to warn you) because you'd have to deep fry these balls. Not to mentioned the amount of sugar that goes into the batter.

Okay, this is the way we like our "cekolot" - crispy in the outside and soft in the inside, rounded with a tiny tail he he he. Best eaten hot!!!

Recipe:

4 bananas - mashed

6 tablespoon of sugar

2 tablespoon of milk powder (of any kind, Nido, Enfagrow, Pediasure, trust me!)

Flour - this I can't really tell how much, but just enough, as in not too thick and not too runny

A pinch of baking soda

(I sometimes add some cut palm sugar "gula melaka" to the batter because Azmi likes it that way, a bit sticky, but most of the time, I just omit this)

Steps:

Just mix everything together. No water needs to be added. 

Heat pan with cooking oil at medium and just before you drop those batter in the pan, make sure to scoop out some oil and add to the batter. Mix well.

Fry both side until golden brown.

Tip:

The added hot oil in the batter will give you a crispy outer layer of the ball.

P.s. my Malaysian friends would laugh at me for sharing this "too easy" recipe. He he he...but this is not for the experts okay but for my dearest 3K1B. One day, if they feel like eating "cokolot" and I would not be around to make this for them anymore, then they at least could refer here and try this on their own.

Rosemary Lemon Baked Chicken

On days when my schedule is packed, I will always resort to food that are easy to prepare - one pan cooking/baking with less supervision. My class finished around 1030 this morning, so I only have about an hour to get lunch ready.  I have some thawed chicken in the sink and some fresh rosemary in the pot so, easiest is Rosemary Baked Chicken. I dont have any red potatoes so substituted them with the regular baby potatoes. Nyums, love potatoes of any kinds. So, after popping those chickens in the oven, went on to transfer load in the washing machine to the dryer. And while waiting for the chicken to be ready, I have my class homework and preparation done. Alhamdulillah, all by Allah's will, that I am a multitasking Mama. Pray for me. Pray that Allah will always make easy for me. Ameen!

Roasted Lemon Chicken with Potatoes and Rosemary

Ingredients

8-10 pieces of your favorite cut of chicken - skin on

1 lb. baby red potatoes

½ onion - cut in large pieces

2 lemons, 1 sliced and 1 juiced

⅓ cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh Rosemary plus sprigs for garnish

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a glass 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange chicken pieces (skin side up), potatoes, sliced onion and lemon slices evenly in pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Pour mixture all over chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle all over generously with additional salt and pepper.

Bake uncovered for about 1 hour, or until chicken and potatoes are fully cooked.

Yum!

Recipe copied and pasted from http://laughingspatula.com/roasted-lemon-chicken-with-potatoes-and-rosemary/

A Loaf of Bread for a GIFT!

A loaf of bread for a gift? 

Who would do that?

Me, Mama...the crazy Mama!

Why?

Becauseeeee...someone in the house has been talking about wanting to eat a fresh, healthy homemade loaf, made from other than the all purpose white flour.

So why not Mama surprises him with one - A SEMOLINA SANDWICH LOAF.

Time:8 to 12 minutes to knead; 1 1/2 to 2 hours to ferment; 1 to 1 1/2 hours to proof; 35 to 45 minutes to bake

Makes:1 Sandwich loaf (31.2 ounces/885 grams)

300 grams (1 1/2 cups/10.6 ounces) water, tepid (70 to 78 degrees) – 60%

5 grams (1 teaspoon/0.2 ounce) instant yeast – 1%

500 grams (3 1/4 cups/17.6 ounces) fine semolina (durum) flour – 100%

15 grams (1 tablespoon/0.5 ounce) granulated sugar – 3%

50 grams (1/4 cup/1.8 ounces) extra-virgin olive oil – 10%

10 grams (1 1/2 teaspoons/0.4 ounce) sea salt – 2%

Mixing the dough:Pour the water into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.Add the yeast, flour, sugar, olive oil and salt and stir with a rubber spatula just until a rough dough forms.

Kneading – By hand:Lightly dust the counter with semolina flour.Scrape the dough out of the bowl and knead it with smooth, steady strokes until it is very smooth, shiny, and elastic, 10 to 12 minutes.

By machine:Use the dough hook and mix the dough on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid mixer) until it is very smooth, shiny, and elastic, 8 to 9 minutes.

Fermentation:Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container with a lid.Cover and leave to rise at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees) until it inflates into a dome, reaching double; 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Shaping loaf:Grease a loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2) with oil.Lightly dust the counter with semolina flour.Uncover the dough and turn it out onto the counter.Form the dough into a pan loaf.Nestle the loaf into the pan, seam side down, pressing it gently to fit.Lightly dust the top of the loaf with semolina flour and cover the pan with plastic wrap.

Proofing:Let the loaf rise at room temperature (70 to 75 degrees) until it crowns just above the rim of the pan, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preparing oven:About 15 minutes before baking place rack in middle of oven.Preheat oven to 375°F.

Baking:Place the loaf on the middle rack of the oven.Bake until the loaf pulls away from the sides of the pan and the crust is a deep golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.

Cooling and storing:Remove loaf from pan and allow to cool, right side up.Cool bread completely before slicing, about 1 hour.Store the cut loaf in a resealable plastic bag at room temperature.It will stay fresh for about 3 days.For longer storage, freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 month.

Recipe copied and pasted from http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/4213/semolina-sandwich-loaf