Pancakes

Ever since I discovered BIG's 50% rack, I would always make it a point to drop by for a visit. Sometimes I go home empty handed, but sometimes I score BIG time (pun intended)!

Last week, I found this huge tin of pancake and waffle mix, going super cheap. Excitedly brought it home, and we had a pancake feast that weekend! So simple to make too - just add an egg and some water.

Half price!

Naked pancakes.

Drizzled with honey and sliced strawberries.

After such a successful pancake party, my hands itched for some waffles. Unfortunately, I don't have a waffle maker, and I found a Tefal waffle maker going for close to RM200. Scouted around in Lazada, and bought a pretty decent one going for RM79, brand Lebensstil.

Unfortunately, it arrived with a broken handle. *stress* And I haven't found the time to return it to Lazada. *sigh* I recently rechecked Lazada's return policy - it turns out to be in 14 days (I assumed it was 30 days). Oh well, welcome to our home, broken handle waffle maker!

Here's to many more pancake parties breakfast!

Brownies Kedut - Totally Destroyed My Diet

Since the cats out of the bag and I've officially disclosed that I'm trying for another baby, I might as well disclose that I've officially abandoned my diet and decided to embrace dessert with open arms. (Baby post has since been taken down, at least until we have a confirmed pregnancy; Hubby doesn't want to jinx it!)

Anyway, since we're on the subject of desserts, I made this mean brownies kedut over the weekend. Paired it with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.... Heaven in a bowl I tell you!

I thought I should share the recipe with you... A calorie's only good when it is shared with many. No one has fun eating dessert alone. *chuckles*

Brownies Kedut
(Adapted from Azlita Masam Manis)

400 gm Beryl's dark chocolate compound
150 gm unsalted butter
100 gm brown sugar
100 gm castor sugar
4 eggs
1 tspn vanilla essence
100 gm self raising flour (I used normal flour and added 1tspn of baking powder)
30 gm cocoa powder

• Preheat oven to 160degC. Grease and flour a 10x10 baking pan. If you are not using a removable bottom pan, line your baking pan with parchment paper or aluminium foil, leaving an overhand on two opposite sides. This will help when removing the baked brownies from the pan, once cooled. 
• Cut the unsalted butter and dark chocolate into small pieces and tip into a heat-safe bowl. Fill a small saucepan with water and heat until barely simmering. Rest the bowl on the rim of the saucepan, ensuring that it doesn't touch the water. Put over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally to mix them. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. 

• In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, castor sugar, eggs and vanilla essence. Mix together with a whisk. Add to the melted butter-chocolate mixture. 
• Tip the flour (plus baking powder if used) and cocoa powder into a sieve held over a bowl. Tap and shake the sieve so they run through together free of lumps. Add this gradually into the earlier mixture.

• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with a spatula. Gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin. Put in the oven.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over bake!
• Crack the oven slightly open and let it cool completely in the oven ~15 minutes. The top should have a shiny, papery crust - hence the name, kedut!

Check out that alluring kedut.

No anti-aging creams for this beauty. Kedut is the way to go! *giggles*

In this shot, I drizzled the top with some homemade salted caramel sauce - using just four ingredients i.e. sugar, butter, salt and heavy cream. Recipe here. But trust me, it is equally good with vanilla ice-cream!

Have fun embracing the kedut! Good luck :)

Biskut Cornflakes Madu

Seriously, this is the easiest biskut Raya to make, but yet the most addictive. Nama jer biskut Raya, tapi usually tak sempat Raya pun dah habis. *chuckles*

It's also Hubby's favourite, tapi I usually terjebak sekali; sometimes munching up to 10 pieces in one go. Especially dangerous when eating in front of the TV - you won't realize that your hand is reaching for yet another cos your eyes are glued to the screen. Such an insidious diet breaker! *sigh*

The kids helped make a mess too!

Muka tak bersalah kacau Mummy buat kerja.

Before I start, let me give you some friendly advise. Invest in the proper Kellogg's Cornflakes instead of the Nestle ones, what more the cheaper ones typically sold at baking shops. Also, if you want to reduce the sweetness, reduce the sugar instead of the honey. If you do not add sufficient honey, the cornflakes will not bind.

Oh, and if you're planning to come to my house for Eid, this is the only homemade biskut Raya that I will serve... biskut lain semua biskut tunjuk yer! *grins* Anddddd here's the recipe:

Biskut Cornflakes Madu (Honey Cornflakes)

5 tbspn honey
50 gm caster sugar (reduced from 100 gm)
150 gm butter
250 gm Kellogg's Cornflakes
Almonds or coloured sprinkles/beads (I chose almonds)

• Combine the honey, sugar and butter into a pan and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. 
• Add the cornflakes and almonds into the melted mixture. Mix thoroughly until the cornflakes is coated evenly.
• Ask your kids to spoon the cornflakes into individual mini baking cups or cases.
• Top the cornflakes with coloured sprinkles or any topping of your choice (if using).
• Bake at 175degC for ten minutes.
• The cornflakes will bind together after cooling off. Store in an air-tight container to maintain its irresistible crunchiness!

Before it goes into the oven.

Easy peasy! So that's one biskut Raya done, and many more to do buy! As always, happy baking! :)

Pandan Gula Melaka Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Oh my, back to back cake posts!

If you're not a big fan of pandan chiffon cakes, fret not! Pandan Gula Melaka (PGM) cake is NOTHING like the pandan chiffon cakes sold in stores. Like you, I had my initial reservations too. Until I sunk my teeth into my first PGM slice. Ahhhhh, love at first bite! Fluffy and soft, complimented by the satiny buttery taste of Swiss Meringue Buttercream (SMB). Absolutely heaven in my mouth. I won't blame you, if you take second helpings!

Tips and tricks:

• This recipe is originally for 24 cupcakes. Since I wanted to make a cake out of it, I doubled the recipe for two 8" cake tins.
• If you want a whiter looking SMB, choose a 'white' butter such as SCS. Anchor and Tatura are more yellowish in colour. However for this recipe, since you'll be adding some gula melaka syrup, it won't really matter.
• SMB is really quite forgiving. Mine turned into scrambled eggs but I quickly popped them into the fridge for 15 minutes and then whipped them again with my KitchenAid. After 5 minutes, those scrambled eggs magically turned into SMB. I recommend reading Sweetapolita's tips and tricks for SMB before your first attempt.

Okay, recipe time! So I mixed and matched a few recipes this time. The PGM cake recipe is adapted from BitterSweetSpicy, the SMB recipe is adapted from Azie Kitchen while the Gula Melaka caramel is from Azlita Masam Manis.

The naked cake, before flaked coconut garnish and gula Melaka caramel drizzle.

Pandan Gula Melaka

(makes 12 cupcakes, or double recipe for two 8" cakes)

200 gm superfine flour
1/2 teaspoon double acting baking powder
125 gm unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
160 gm (reduced from 200gm) caster sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
75 gm coconut milk (KARA) + 25 gm water
2 tablespoon pandan juice (blend 5 pieces of pandan leaves with 1 tablespoon of water, press through a fine sieve to extract the green juice, let it settle and the green extract will settle at the bottom)
Green colouring

• Preheat oven to 180°C. Line muffin pan with cupcake liner or, if using cupcake paper cups, place cups onto a baking pan. If making cake, grease and flour generously two 8 inch pans.
• Combine flour & baking power. Sift and set aside. 
• Combine coconut milk, water, pandan juice and green colouring. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, combine butter, vanilla & salt. Cream until smooth. 
• Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
• Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
• Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the coconut milk mixture. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, taking care not to over beat.
• Fill paper cups or muffin pan with batter, 3/4 full. If making cake, divide batter equally into the two pans.
• Place pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about 25 minutes.
• Cool cakes completely on a wire rack before icing. 

Check out those layers of SMB.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

(Since I'm using Gula Melaka caramel to flavour the SMB, I've adapted the recipe slightly to reduce the sweetness)

50g gula Melaka, crushed
2 pandan leaves, torn lengthwise & tied a knot
1/8 cup water

4 large egg whites
110g granulated sugar (reduced from 200-220gm)
200g unsalted butter, cubed and at room temperature (reduced from 300-350gm)
1 tsp pure vanilla paste
1/4tsp salt

• To prepare Gula Melaka caramel, combine water, gula Melaka & daun pandan in a heavy-based saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until all the sugar has melted. Then continue heating up the syrup & let it reduce slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, strain & leave aside to cool completely to room temperature. The caramel will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick, thin out with a little bit of water before using.
• Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk frequently, keeping it over the heat, until the mixture reaches about 70°C and the sugar has dissolved (rub some between your fingers - if it feels grainy, it hasn't dissolved). 
• Transfer the mixture to a mixer with a whisk attached and beat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until stiff peaks have formed and the mixture has cooled to room temperature. 
• Turn down the speed to medium and start adding small chunks of butter, checking that it has incorporated before adding more. Keep beating until the mixture comes together, this will take about 5 minutes. 
• With the mixer running, add in the gula Melaka caramel, one teaspoon at a time, beating until well combined between each addition. You need not use all the gula Melaka syrup. Just add enough.

A pool of gula Melaka caramel drizzle.

Gula Melaka Caramel

(To drizzle on the frosting)

50g gula Melaka

1 pandan leaf
1 tbsp water
1/2 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until the gula Melaka has melted. If it doesn't thicken, add 1 tsp of cornflour that has been mixed with some water. Cook again until it thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool down before using. Garnish the cake with some lightly toasted flaked coconuts, and then drizzle the gula Melaka caramel.

Don't be overwhelmed with the number of steps needed to make this cake. I assure you, it is absolutely worth it. Happy baking!

Whip It!

After a series of cakes for my in-laws' kenduri last weekend, I had plenty of leftover dairy and non-dairy whipped cream in the fridge. I hated the idea of it going to waste, so I decided to make two of Hubby's favourite desserts - Pavlova and Cheesecake! Both needed some amount of whipped cream in them, but I guess it still wasn't enough because there's at least half a box of each variant still in the fridge. Must find more recipes with whipped cream... Perhaps a batch of creme brûlée or some cream puffs are in order!

I apologize for the series of baking posts. This is turning into a baking blog pulak instead of a parenting one. Well mummies need to feed their husbands and kids with yummy cakes and such kan kan kan? And it's so close to Ramadhan so bagi chan lah with the calorie count.

I digress. Back to the cakes. First up, pavlova! I've always used Joy of Baking's recipe for my pavlovas and they've always turned out beautifully. But this time around I decided to make a chocolate pavlova instead, using Joy of Baking's tried and tested recipe. The only difference between the chocolate pavlova and the conventional pavlova, is the used of cocoa powder and chopped chocolates.

No chopped chocolates, please. Just stick to cocoa powder.

If you're not a big fan of sweets, I strongly urge you not to add the chopped chocolates in the batter. If you're like me, then add more chocolates!! *giggles* No, seriously, I have a high tolerance for sugar. Being half Kelantanese, I chugged the air gula to check for diabetes during pregnancy macam takde hal lah. But I really hate the thought of anyone having to amputate their legs because of my pavlova, so yes seriously, leave out the chopped chocolates.

Tips and tricks:

• When beating sugar and egg whites, test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your fingers. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth.
• Do not take the pavlova out immediately after the timer rings. Crack your oven open just slightly, and let it cool down completely for a few hours.
• If you're looking for a soft center in your meringue, bake it for 60 mins. If you prefer a slight crunch, do 75 mins. The longer you cook it and let it dry out (in the oven), the firmer it will be.
• When constructing your pavlova, dip the center and keep the sides slightly higher so you can a slight well in the middle. This helps greatly when you're trying to fit the cream.
• I tried using non-dairy whipped cream instead of the normal dairy one. Loveeee it! As the cream held well, it didn't make my pavlova 'wet'. Usually pavlovas break down pretty quickly due to the moisture of the cream and fruit. Definitely doing this again next time.
• If you're looking for a cake to present to your future mother-in-law, this is NOT the cake to make. Takut nanti tak jadi kawin! This cake does not cut well, and is very messy to eat. You might as well spoon it into a bowl when serving.

Chocolate Pavlova

(recipe adapted from Joy of Baking)

120 grams egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or lemon juice (I did not use this cos I didn't have any)
200 grams castor sugar
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon corn flour
15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
30 grams semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (please omit this!)
240 ml cold whipping cream (I used non-dairy)
Fresh fruit  of your choice - I usually use, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and kiwi fruit

• Preheat your oven to 150 degC. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch (18 cm) circle on the parchment paper. 
• In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar on medium speed until you have soft peaks. Then add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat, on high speed, until the meringue is shiny and holds stiff peaks. 
• Add the vanilla extract and vinegar and beat until combined. Using a small strainer, sift the cocoa powder and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, fold in. If you like you can then fold in the chopped chocolate.
• Gently pile the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges.
• Place the baking sheet into the oven and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 120 degC. Bake the Pavlova for about 60 - 75 minute.
• Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven (about two hours).
• Shortly before serving gently place the meringue on your serving plate. Whip the cold cream in your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Mound the whipped cream into the center of the meringue and arrange the fruit on top of the cream. 
• Serve immediately as this dessert does not hold well.

So messy... but so good!

Ok, next up! Mango Cheesecake. This is a simple, no-bake cake. All you need is a fridge! I usually stay away from cakes that do not need to go into the oven, but surprisingly this one was quite good. It is really easy to do too; the most difficult part of making it is waiting while it sets in the fridge! *chuckles*

Tips and tricks:

• Do not make your mango purée nor cut your mangoes into cubes before the base crumb is done. The mangoes will sadly turn brown. If you really must, cover the puréed/cut mangoes with plastic wrap and store in fridge. Similarly, try to finish the cake in a day, or your cubed mangoes decorating the top of the cake will turn brown too.
• You can substitute Marie biscuits with Digestive or even Oreos!
• If you want to impress your future mother-in-law, try making this in small individual clear glasses or mousse jars, instead of a cake pan. Bonus points for presentation!

No Bake Chilled Mango Cheesecake

(recipe adapted from Dapur Tanpa Sempadan)

200 grams Marie biscuits

100 grams melted butter
250 grams cream cheese
60 grams castor sugar
2 mangoes, one puréed , the other diced
1 1/2 table spoon halal gelatine
125 ml warm water
200 ml cold heavy whipping cream

• Pulse biscuits in a food processor or put biscuits into a ziplock bag and crush until it resembles coarse crumbs. In a bowl, combine crushed cookies and melted butter. 
• Pour biscuit crumbs into a springform cake pan and press down with the bottom of a cup/glass to create the crust. Put in the freezer to let the crust set.
• Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Fold in mango purée and beat until well combined. 
• In a different bowl, whip the cream until thick and fold into the cream cheese mixture.. 
• Whisk the gelatine and hot water in a small bowl until the gelatine dissolves. Stir into the cream cheese mixture then add half of the cubed mangoes. Mix well.
• Pour the mixture on top of the refrigerated crust and flatten the top using a spatula. Keep in the refrigerator until set (about 3-4 hours).
• Remove pan sides and transfer cake to platter. Just before serving, decorate with the remaining mango cubes.

As always, happy baking!

I Hope You Have A Glass of Milk in Hand!

This year, I procrastinated my plans for Teachers' Day. I had such big plans; I wanted to make a 'First Aid Kit' for the teachers - a box filled with white board markers, colored pens, highlighters, glue sticks, correction tape, sticker labels, metal clips, and even some chocolates!

In the end, I didn't have time to do such a thing. I think it had something to do with the fact that the Teachers' Day celebration was squeezed in between a long week of exams. Where lah sempat nak study paper Piñata lagi, nak go shopping lagi, nak packing lagi. *chuckles* In the end, I decided to just wing it by baking yet another batch of Congo Bars. (Replicating last year's gift... OMG I've stopped to an all new low!) *giggles* Of course, in an attempt to make it slightly different from what I did last year, I enlisted Aiden's help in drizzling some homemade Salted Caramel sauce on top.

So why Congo Bars, you ask? Logically I needed a dessert that was sturdy enough to withstand curious hands. I've tried giving macarons previously and I actually had to hand carry them to school. With Congo Bars, I knew they would survive a trip on the school van plus some swinging in the paper bag courtesy of dear Aiden. These are some tough cookies! But... not really, as the texture is soft, chewy and decadent, especially when they are slightly warm. Who can resist a buttery chocolate chip cookie in a chunky square form? Dip them in warm milk... and *drool*

Some tips and tricks for Congo Bars:

• Some people call it Blondies because it is the blonde version of Brownies.
• Use brown sugar instead of white caster sugar as it makes the bars thick and rich. And good quality chocolate will go a longgggg way.
• You can customize your bars by adding some butterscotch chips or M&Ms to the batter, or sprinkle some almond slices on the top. You can also save some of the chocolate chips from the recipe, and sprinkle them on the top before baking, for some visual impact.
• Do not overbake! As soon as you get a clean skewer, take it out of the oven. It should look puffy, soft, and golden, while the center will still be soft.

Anyway, let's get to the recipe:

Congo Bars

2 3/4 cups flour

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

150gm butter

180gm brown sugar (reduced from 240gm of original recipe)

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

325gm chocolate chips (I did half chocolate, half butterscotch)

• Pre-heat oven to 170degC. Grease and flour generously a 10 x10 pan (I made 12x12).
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Set aside.
• In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar. 
• Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture and stir well after each egg.
• Add vanilla essence. Mix well.
• Add dry flour mixture and stir until well combined.
• Fold in chocolate (and butterscotch) chips.
• Spread batter evenly into baking pan, using a spatula to even out the surface. Sprinkle almonds or chocolate chips, if desired.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Make sure you don’t over bake!
• Cool bars completely. Cut into squares. Store leftovers in airtight container at room temp.

Individually packed for each teacher. Next time, must save some chocolate chips for the top!

Aiden hard at work.

Next up, the Salted Caramel sauce. So rich and creamy, it is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, cheesecake, sweet breads and more! And only 4 ingredients required... why would you even bother buying this from the stores?

Salted Caramel Sauce (recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction)

200g granulated sugar
90g salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces
120ml heavy cream (I used my favourite Anchor whipped cream)
1 teaspoon salt

• Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
• Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
• Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
• Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes. A whisk helps if you find the butter is separating from the sugar.
• Very slowly, drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and/or splatter when added.
• Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to cool down before using.

Congo bars drizzled with salted caramel.

You can make this caramel in advance. Make sure it is covered tightly and store it for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Warm the caramel up for a few seconds before using in a recipe. This caramel can be left at room temperature for a day if you're traveling or gifting it.

Happy baking!

The Best Moist Chocolate Cake Recipe Ever!

*wipes drool off the table*

I am not going to kid you. This is hands down, the best moist chocolate cake recipe everrrrrr!

Simplest cake to make too, because you don't need a mixer, and it uses vegetable oil instead of butter!

I swear, this cake is great even when naked on its own, fresh out of this oven. Even better when drizzled with chocolate ganache. I have to warn you though, although it is an easy cake to make, it is NOT an easy cake to manage for fondant. It is so moist, that it takes a ridiculous amount of effort and patience just to lather a decent amount of buttercream on the cake. Since it is so moist, it also sags whenever you attempt to layer the cakes, and hard to maintain shape when draped with fondant. BUT since it so darn moist, I persevere every single time, hence this is my go to recipe for all my sons' birthday cakes.

Moist Chocolate Cake:

2 cups caster sugar
1 3/4 cups superfine flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Van Houlten)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Method of Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180degC. Butter two - 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In another bowl, add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk for one minute using a whisk. Add the dry ingredients and whisk together for two minutes.
4. Lastly stir in boiling water. Batter will be tin, so do not use baking tins that have a removable bottom.
5. Divide the batter equally into two 9 inch pans.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or so, until toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Ganache:
For thick chocolate ganache suitable for filling the cake, use two parts dark chocolate to one part cream. For smooth glossy fondant that is loose enough to flow but thick enough to drip over the edges of the cake, use one part dark chocolate to one part cream. You can increase or decrease the chocolate to cream depending on your desired consistency. I recommend Beryl's dark chocolate compound (not milk chocolate!) and Paul's whipping cream.

1. Coarsely chop the chocolate and transfer to a heat-proof bowl.
2. Bring the cream to just a boil over medium-high heat. Make sure it doesn't boil over!
3. Start slowly then vigorously whisk the mixture in one direction until smooth and creamy. This may take a little while, so just keeping whisking.

For the beautiful drips, make sure that your cake is cool to touch. A super cold chilled cake from the fridge is most ideal. Pour your warm chocolate glaze into a piping bag and snip a small hole at the end. Pipe the chocolate ganache all over the top of the cake, with some purposeful drips over the top edge of the cake. And tadaaaaa you're done!

You can also top the cake with strawberries and Toblerone, and go crazy with the chocolate drizzle!

You simply must try this sinful recipe. And yes, you can thank me later. *chuckles*

Nutella Macarons

I've been baking non stop these past few days, in preparation for my cousin's wedding.

Whenever I make a dessert table, there is always a mad chaotic rush to prepare baked goods the few days running up to the event. Yes, dessert tables can be planned ahead - mocks can be made, props can be purchased early. But baked goods don't last long. To ensure moist cakes, crunchy cookies and succulent macarons, you can only start baking maximum 5 days ahead. I usually bake in this order - macarons, cream cheese based cakes, other cakes, cookies, brownies/congo bars, fondant cakes and last but not least cupcakes. (Macarons stay crunchy even after refrigerated but cupcakes stay moist longer in room temperature.)

So this short post is dedicated to my four batches of macarons. That's 300 grams of egg whites for you! Since I'm designing a rustic themed dessert table, I decided to make Nutella macarons. It's a simple basic macaron with Nutella filling.

Nutella macarons.

I've been using this tried and tested recipe since day one. Similar to other macaron recipes, it takes a lot of practice to really know how long to whip, how much to fold, and consistency of the batter - too few strokes and you'll get 'perky' macarons; too much and you'll get runny peculiar macaron shapes with hollow internals.

Nutella Macarons

80gm egg whites at room temperature (~2 grade A eggs)
65gm caster sugar
80gm fine ground almond
140gm confectioners' sugar
Colour (gel or liquid)

Method of Preparation:

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or baking paper. 
2. Sift confectioners' sugar and fine ground almonds in a separate bowl.
3. Beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until whites are foamy. Gradually beat in the caster sugar and continue beating until egg whites are glossy, fluffy, and hold soft peaks.
4. Fold the flour-almond mixture into the egg whites, about 30 strokes. Add desired colour and fold until the correct consistency batter is achieved.
5. Divide the batter into two. Fill in a plastic bag with a small corner cut off and pipe a test disk of batter, about 50cents (old coin) in diameter, onto prepared baking sheet. If the disk of batter holds a peak instead of flattening immediately, gently fold the batter a few more times and retest.
6. When batter is mixed enough to flatten immediately into an even disk, pipe the remaining batter onto the baking sheet in rounds, leaving space ~3cm between the disks. Using a toothpick, gently pop any air bubbles. Or you can opt to gently rap the baking tray on a hard surface.
7. Let the piped cookies stand out at room temperature until they form a hard skin on top, about 30-45minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 140 degrees C. Bake cookies until set but not browned, about 15-20 minutes.
9. Let cookies cool completely before filling with Nutella.

Tadaaaa... the end result.

After you're done, reward yourself with a tub of Nutella & Go. So bad for my diet!!!

Avoid trying this out on a rainy day. There are plenty more petua to follow (told you macarons are leceh!), but in a nutshell, practice makes perfect. Good luck!

Rice Cooker Banana Cake

Totally busted my trusty ol' rice cooker. How? Hmmm...  I'll save the embarrassing story, tapi senang cerita I was trying to kukus something, I was maid-less, and I was super malas to keluarkan the steamer so I decided to use the rice cooker steamer attachment instead. I'll spare you the gory details of what happened; but in the end, we were not only maid-less, we were rice cooker-less also.

Since Hubby and Aiden are hard core rice lovers, we needed to get a replacement rice cooker pronto. Funnily enough, hubby made an observation that throughout our 10 year of marriage, we've never bought a rice cooker before! Our first rice cooker was a wedding gift, then when that broke, Hubby's sister decided to give us one cos she received like three rice cookers for her own wedding.

So off we went hunting for our first rice cooker. I knew what I wanted already. Those high tech looking ones; squarish in shape, with lots of complicated buttons and a display panel. We walked into the mall at 1130am, and walked out at close to 10pm!!! I could barely feel my feet by then. Who knew buying a rice cooker was so complicated but fun!

So this was what we settled for. It can do so many things, the only thing it can't do is make Nasi Lemak when we say "Nasi Lemak!" Okay fine kidding. But seriously - it can cook flavored rice, sticky rice (pulut kuning anyone?), congee, porridge, soups, even bake a cake! It was also on offer, down from RM350 to RM299. (I guess we really splurged with this rice cooker. Thank goodness for Maybank card points.)

I've always been slightly skeptical about using a rice cooker to bake cakes. Googling online, you don't have to buy a special rice cooker that can bake cakes to actually make a cake. You can use common rice cookers too. But since I had that feature on my brand new "high tech" rice cooker, I was itching to give a try. Tried this simple no-fuss banana cake recipe from Wide Island View (link here). The only slightly messy bit was melting the butter, but other than that, it was an all-in-one-bowl kinda batter. (My favourite batter!) Popped it into the rice cooker, pressed the cake function and 45 minutes later, tadaaaaaaa a hot piping banana cake was served!

Here's the texture of the batter. And yes, I baked this at 9pm (so baddddd for my diet).

This is the top of the cake. Wait till you see the color of the flipped cake!

No Fuss Rice Cooker Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups enriched white flour

3/4 cups white sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium to large bananas)

1/3 cups softened butter

1/4 cups milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla essence.

1 egg

Cooking oil

Method of Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until the ingredients are well mixed.
2. Next, add the bananas, butter, milk, vanilla essence and egg. These should be mixed until the batter has a uniform and thick, creamy consistency. You can also used an electric mixer (low setting). (I blended my bananas and melted my butter over heat. You can do it the natural way of mashing the bananas in a bag and waiting for the butter to soften with time.) 
3. Stir in any other ingredients you desire, such as chopped nuts or dried fruits. (I skipped this.) 
4. Coat the inside of the pot lightly with cooking oil. Paper towels help to spread it properly.
5. Now simply pour the batter evenly into the pot and start the cooker. (45 minutes on my rice cooker.) 
6. That’s it! After it’s done, pop the bread out onto a serving tray or plate and enjoy!

This is the flipped cake. Look at that beautiful brown top! *drool*

A close up of the outer texture. 

I was very happy with the end result. The cake was gorgeous and the bananas flavour really penetrated through. It was especially good piping hot. (What cake isn't?) Ian even had second helpings! I wish it was a bit more moist though. Need to tweak the recipe slightly - maybe add more butter or swap the butter for canola oil or slightly more milk?

The inside texture of the cake. Absolute yum!

So if you're dying for some cake and you find yourself without an oven, fret not because I have definitely proven that you can make cake using a rice cooker! What a piece of cake (excuse the pun)!

Simple Breakfast Pancakes

Wow! I certainly received quite a number of emails requesting for me to share my pancake recipe. Thank you ladies, those emails certainly make me feel like a domestic goddess. If only you knew how I really am in the kitchen! *ppfffttt*

Simple breakfast pancakes and frozen waffles. (I cheated by buying frozen waffles! *giggles*)

These pancakes are really easy to make, I swear you can make them with your eyes closed. *exaggerating* I have always been using Martha Stewart's recipe for our breakfast pancakes. They only need simple everyday ingredients, and you can whip them up in less than 30 minutes. However, I noticed that they don't turn out so well over fire. Perfectly edible, but not as fluffy and golden brown as when you make them over the electric griddle.

Easy Basic Pancakes Recipe by Martha Stewart:

1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
2 tablespoons sugar (I used normal daily kitchen sugar)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil (I used 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil)
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for frying (my electric griddle did not need any oil)
Assorted toppings, such as butter, maple syrup, confectioners' sugar, honey, jams, preserves, sweetened whipped cream, or chocolate syrup

Method of Preparation:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, butter (or oil), and egg. Add dry ingredients to milk mixture; whisk until just moistened (do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine).
3. Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast-iron) or griddle over medium. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil; carefully rub skillet with oiled paper towel.
4. For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto skillet, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round (you should be able to fit 2 to 3 in a large skillet).
5. Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a thin spatula, and cook until browned on the underside, 1 to 2 minutes more.
6. This recipe will yield 12 to 15 pancakes. Serve warm, with desired toppings.

Carried this electric griddle all the way from Houston to Malaysia. Such a cheap buy too! It was only USD18, times 3.2 (not current currency) and tax, equals ~RM64! 

Pretty bubbles on the pancake.

Flip it over, and you get beautiful golden brown pancakes. *drool*

Best served with honey, maple syrup or chocolate sauce. Scrumptious!

As for the Cuisipro batter dispenser, I bought this from the US through the same lady that purchased my KitchenAid. (I wish we have stuff like these in Malaysia!) It is extremely simple to use. Simply turn the dispenser upside down, pull the plunger up until fully extended, unlock the bottom cover, fill up with batter and close. There is also a lever at the top which enables you to control the amount of batter it dispenses so you can control the size of pancakes you get. The dispenser is meant for pancakes, waffles, madeleines and muffins but I'm pretty sure the dispenser works for cupcake batter too! Dying to try that out! Also, the batter dispenser comes with a drip free valve so you don't have to worry about drips and spills after each squeeze. Just make sure you squeeze the handle quickly and firmly for even dispensing.

Simple to fill, and simple to clean too.

Excuse the sorry looking pancake on the left. It wasn't really easy juggling the dispenser and a camera all at the same time.

I bet you're looking forward to the weekend to try the recipe out. Certainly gives you a perfect start to your day. Let me know how it turns out by leaving a comment below! Good luck!

Tip of the day: For fluffy pancakes, as soon as you see small bubbles on top of the pancake, immediately flip it over. It will rise beautifully. Do not wait for the bubbles to enlarge. When cooking over fire, keep the fire small. While waiting for the next batch of pancakes to cook, you can stack the pancakes on a plate covered with a tea towel so that they will stay warm and moist.

Ramadhan Desserts

I am quite the hopeless cook.

I ace at desserts that purely requires baking in an oven. Unfortunately, most of Hubby's favourite desserts for Iftar during Ramadhan usually need some sort of cooking on a stove. For instance, bubur jagung, buah melaka, cucur udang and kek sarang semut. And truth be told, I suck at anything that needs a stove.

However, last Ramadhan, I managed to attempt all four of his favorites. Unexpectedly, each and every one of them tasted quite good, erm except for the bubur jagung, which failed miserably. (Next time remember to include the water within the corn can and dilute the mixture to taste. Poor Hubby, he had to endure a bubur jagung that was so creamy, it must have clogged his artery on the first bite.)

Anyway, I'm sharing recipes for kek sarang semut (also know as kek gula hangus) and cucur udang in this post. Hopefully come next Ramadhan, I can look back at this and give myself a pat on the back for giving it a try!

Kek Sarang Semut (Caramel Honeycomb Cake)

This is not just Hubby's favourite cake, but mine too! My mum used to buy this for me for my after school snacks. I love the chewy texture, the caramalized sugar taste and the unique honeycomb look. Apparently, the chemical reaction from the baking soda produces carbon dioxide, which enlarges bubbles created during mixing of the batter. Hence, to get that honeycomb look, it is prudent to whisk the eggs one by one, and then mix the caramel well into the batter until bubbles are visible. Also, bake the cake in a cold oven to allow the cake batter to warm up, forcing the baking soda to produce gases vigorously, enlarging the bubbles and creating a good rise to the cake before the high heat starts crusting the top of the cake and holding it down.

Sounds complicated? It is really not, because in just one try, the cake turned out beautifully golden and tasty. *drool*

Note: use the same cup for all the ingredients below, for consistency:

1 cup sugar (I used normal coarse kitchen sugar)

1 cup hot water

2 tablespoons butter (such a baking sin, but I actually used Planta!)

4 eggs

1 cup condensed milk

1 cup flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking soda, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method of Preparation:

1. Caramalize the sugar over low heat in a saucepan until golden brown. Add the hot water to the caramel. Add the butter and stir until all the butter has melted. Leave to cool.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs one by one. Add condensed milk and mix well. Add the sifted flour, baking soda and vanilla essence and mix well. 
3. Add cooled caramelized syrup into the batter. Mix well! Pour into a well greased bake pan (I used 8x8). The batter will be runny.
4. Leave the batter in the pan for 3-4 hours. (I am not kidding! The longer you leave it, more bubbles are enlarged, hence more honeycombs for your cake.) 
5. Bake the cake for one hour (mine only needed 45mins) at 160degC in an oven with only the lower heating element on.
6. Let cake sit for 5-10 minutes before turning it out. You will be smacking the back of the pan quite a bit to get it out. *giggles*

Look at those holes!

I didn't manage to get any 'tunnels' in the cake. Oh well, holes will do just fine.

Cucur Udang (Prawn Fritters)

Next, cucur udang or rather prawn fritters. Frankly, I got quite frustrated with the cucur udang sold at Pasar Ramadhan. Not enough prawns, soggy and quite frankly, expensive too! So when I came across this recipe on Facebook, courtesy of Nieza Nor Hamnira, I decided to give it a try! Can be eaten with either sweet chili sauce or peanut sauce, I decided to make the former.

3 1/2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder, sifted
1 1/4 teaspooons salt
2 tablespoons granulated chicken stock/Pasti Sedap Knorr
3 cups water
Chives (daun kuchai), cut to 1 inch strips
1 handful of bean sprouts
1 carrot, grated thinly
1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 handful of prawns, unpeeled (I cut one large prawn into three pieces)
1 egg
Oil, for deep frying

Method of Preparation: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients. Gradually add the water and lightly whisked egg. Mix well.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Using a ladle that has been dipped in hot oil, carefully drop the batter into the oil. It should float to the surface pretty quickly. Do not overcrowd the pan, you may have to fry the batter in a few batches.
3. Turn the fritters occasionally using tongs, to get an even golden brown colour on both sides. They should take about 3-4 minutes to cook through. Remove and drain excess oil on kitchen roll. Dish immediately with the sauce.
4. Sweet chili sauce: Mix some chili sauce, red chili, one garlic, a bit of vinegar and salt to taste. 

You can also opt not to cut the prawns. Hence one huge chunky prawn per cucur! You can also cut the cucur into pieces.

This was definitely a hit at our house!