Brand New Year

Happy New Year!

We had a good Christmas break in KL and Malacca; though as holiday goes, it was a bit short.

This year, I tried to do a logcake to bring to a gathering and I ended up with enough dough to do two! Here is it....






Not bad huh?

On Holidays

My family are going on a week long holiday to KL and Malacca. Will post more when we are back.

Have a blessed Christmas and New Year everyone!

Before I go, this is what I learnt at the CC yesterday....

POLO Bun (Hong Kong Style)



Ingredients:

750 gm bread flour (sieved)
150 gm fine sugar
15 gm yeast
150 ml milk
120 ml water
3 large eggs
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
80 ml melted butter

Method:

1. Pour in the flour in the mixer bowl
2. Add in the sugar on top of the flour
3. Male a hole in the centre and add in the yeast
4. Pour in the milk
5. Add salt to the side, taking care not to touch the yeast
6. Add vanilla essence to the egg in a separate bowl
7. Beat the flour mixture
8. Add in the egg mixture
9. Add in water slowly
10. Add in butter last and continue to beat until a dough is formed
11. Beat until the dough is shiny (do a stretch test)
12. Take out the dough and knead for a while.
12. Tuck into a ball and rest doe 20 minutes.
13. Divide the dough into 50 gm (do not knead the dough at this point)
14. Roll into a ball and rest for 10 mins.

Topping:

200 gm plain flour
110 gm castor sugar
½ tsp. bicarbonate soda
15 ml milk
15 ml milk powder
60 gm shortening + 60 gm butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla essence

Method:
1. Add bicarbonate to flour and sieved.
2. Add sugar to the flour mixture
3. Add in milk powder
4. Add in butter and shortening
5. Add in milk
6. Add in egg yolk
7. Add in vanilla essence
8. Beat together to form a dough
9. Divide the topping dough into the same number of buns
10. Flatten the dough and roll it into a round shape
11. Cover the topping over the bun
12. Make a tic-tac-toe method on top of the topping dough
13. Glaze the bun with egg.
13. Bake at 180C for 10-15 minutes
14. To serve, cut the bun into two and add warm butter.
15. Eat while it is warm.

The Chocolate Cake really taste good!!

Here is the recipe. I will double the recipe as this cake is rather small.

Strawberry American Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

125gm butter
175gm brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
35gm cocoa powder
130ml warm water
140gm self-raising flour

Method
1. Mix in cocoa powder and water
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
3. Add in eggs, one at a time
4. Add in vanilla essence, beating well after each addition until well combine
5. Then add in a bit of cocoa mixture and flour slowly until finish
6. Spoon batter into a 18cm cake tin or two low tins
7. Bake in preheated oven at 180degree for 10-15 minutes or till skewer comes out clean

Chocolate Ganache (add more if you like more chocolate)
110ml dairy whipping cream
130gm dark chocolate

Method
1. Heat dairy whipping cream until it comes to just under the boil, off the fire
2. Add in dark chocolate and mix well

Assembly
1. Cut cake into 2 or 3 layers
2. Spread ganache over first layer and add on some slice fresh strawberries. Cover with another layer
3. Repeat twice, cover the top and sides with ganache
4. Use a metal spatula to smoothen the top and sides
5. Pipe buttercream or whipped cream on the cake and put quartered strawberries on it

Birthday Cake

Tried to bake a birthday cake for Dad yesterday. This is what it looks like..I know I have to invest in a good camera soon...

Used two 8" by 2" low pans to bake so that I don't have to slice the cake into two. Bad mistake. Turn out that the 2 cakes are too thin and so difficult to handle. As I tried to unleash the cakes from the baking tray, some pieces fall off *sob*. Next time I have to double the recipe so that the cakes are a bit higher and easier to manage.

Then I made a mess with the chocolate ganache. Too little that some part of the cake cannot be covered....sigh..at least I tried...

Well, taste wise, will let you know once we cut the cake tonight.

Tools of the Trade

During lunchtime today, my colleagues and I went to Sun Lik, a baking store, at Seah Street.

I went wild and bought the following after a mere 15 minutes at the store:

1. 2 packets of Spongmix (Chocolate and Plain)
2. A can of Blueberry Pie filling
3. A can of Strawberry Pie filling
4. 2 8"x2" baking trays
5. 8" loose base baking tin
6. A revolving cake turner
7. Christmas Ornaments

Now I am all set for my next adventure!

A New Beginning

This is my first entry in this food blog. I hope to entice you with some of my recent bakes and hopefully I will learn more as I go along.

This is also a place where my children can have something to remember their mommy by...

I baked a Blueberry Cheesecake last night. It was a first attempt at a cheesecake and I must say the cake was really yummy.




Philidelphia Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake (This recipe is modified from Aunty Yochana)

Ingredients:
Biscuit Base:

Mix together and press into a 8" sq. loose bottom tray
280 gm. Digestive Biscuits - blend finely
2 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar
80 gm. melted butter (if you find that it's too dry, add a little more till it can be pressed into the tin)

Filling:
600 gm. Philidelphia Cream Cheese
125 gm. fine sugar
3 Tbsp. Plain flour
1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
150 gm. Sour Cream
2 nos. eggs
1/3 cup of Blueberry Jam (baking jam)

Method:
(1) For biscuit base, blend the biscuits finely, add in melted butter and sugar and mix thoroughly.
Press firmly into a 8" square loose bottom tray and bake for about 10 mins. at 175C.
Leave to cool slightly.
(2) Beat cream cheese and sugar till creamy.
(3) Add in vanilla essence, plain flour and sour cream and mix till combined.
(4) Add in eggs one at a time at low speed until well blended.
(5) Pour on top of the baked biscuit base.
(6) Put blueberry jam into a piping bag, pipe over the cheese filling and then use a skewer to swirl the jam to make a marble effect look.
(7) Bake at 160C for about 45 mins. or till the filling is set.
(8) Left the tin in the oven for about 1 hour. Undo the cake tin.
(9) Transfer to the fridge and let it set overnight.