tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20947963938235630932024-03-13T04:27:44.161-07:00fiddling with recipeHits and misses with cooking and baking, plus a handful of randomness along the way****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-18210437300870987952011-09-20T02:34:00.000-07:002011-09-20T02:46:47.701-07:00Mango Pudding – NOT!<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx5ac3df2igeg-Se8KzFDmTwYPqZPEBSJbRfCTexoETW0lS4yHDfSlgWgIWRyPScEImc-kLAI38DbLLCmb2u_AcpHDraDnjh0RV6GwmZ3DUEBsvmYiOUA1ftFStG0K9IzaQ5s8AyqrJ72/s1600/17+Mango+Pudding.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEx5ac3df2igeg-Se8KzFDmTwYPqZPEBSJbRfCTexoETW0lS4yHDfSlgWgIWRyPScEImc-kLAI38DbLLCmb2u_AcpHDraDnjh0RV6GwmZ3DUEBsvmYiOUA1ftFStG0K9IzaQ5s8AyqrJ72/s640/17+Mango+Pudding.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I got tired of baking cakes, and wanted to try baking some other desserts. Mango pudding seems like a good break from cakes. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I searched for few recipes, and finally decided on <a href="http://ritasbasket.blogspot.com/2010/04/mango-pudding.html">this</a>, as it looks easy to make.</span></span></div><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 805.1pt;" valign="top" width="1073"><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Mango Pudding</span></span></b></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(from <a href="http://ritasbasket.blogspot.com/2010/04/mango-pudding.html">Rita’s Basket</a>)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">250ml low-fat milk</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">250g mango, diced</span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">200 ml water</span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">50g fine sugar</span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">1 ½ tbsp gelatine powder </span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">4 tbsp water</span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Soften gelatine in 4 tbsp water in a small bowl. Let it sit in larger bowl of hot water, stir till gelatine powder dissolve well.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.5pt;"></span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Peel Mango. Dice flesh and put into blender to blend with water. Strain to remove stringy fibers.</span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Dissolve sugar in milk over low heat. Cool.</span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Stir mango puree with gelatine, add in milk and stir till well mixed. </span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Pour into 6 jelly molds or glasses.</span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt;">Chill in fridge overnight.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I chilled the pudding in wine glasses. Top it up with yogurt, nuts and kiwi to make it into a mango parfait. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaydjBVL8CkEudPqgWqatoYwbLQUIf7mKFvC38YwZdeAeEH4JpOHLCrRHPgVPsXRn73I2OuiT5GRhRAIKbuyW1U5vHu7Uq_t0guZaPKHMFvWAluMEa7nQt8Vm58aD3hPaDN761QICxKtP/s1600/Gracia+Baking_1589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyaydjBVL8CkEudPqgWqatoYwbLQUIf7mKFvC38YwZdeAeEH4JpOHLCrRHPgVPsXRn73I2OuiT5GRhRAIKbuyW1U5vHu7Uq_t0guZaPKHMFvWAluMEa7nQt8Vm58aD3hPaDN761QICxKtP/s640/Gracia+Baking_1589.JPG" width="424" /></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">A little disappointed though with the taste of the pudding. Perhaps mango was not ripe enough, it tasted more like cucumber, rather than mango! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I done more research and have identified another recipe <a href="http://food-4tots.com/2011/04/06/fresh-mango-pudding/2/"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a>, a bit more work, but should taste much better. Will try this next time. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Argghhh, so many things to bake, so little time!</span></span></div><br />
<br />
<i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-70331362147920320932011-09-20T02:10:00.000-07:002011-09-20T02:33:03.146-07:00Orange Butter Cupcakes for Baby Girl<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nLZ-W3klGiJvJYN6CACG8621ExKNU3VgIapF3bzdogmXo-7rv0VoKD2il5urrnSlGUVU9lCw8PCZ9hhuKzja6s5ikuvdczhVvykjmxVzH_r7rteMDOuCTl1KisppE-YNibYSpQkUTfev/s1600/18+Cupcakes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7nLZ-W3klGiJvJYN6CACG8621ExKNU3VgIapF3bzdogmXo-7rv0VoKD2il5urrnSlGUVU9lCw8PCZ9hhuKzja6s5ikuvdczhVvykjmxVzH_r7rteMDOuCTl1KisppE-YNibYSpQkUTfev/s640/18+Cupcakes.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Babysitter’s in-law just gave birth to a baby girl. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Best gift? Small angpow with a box of cute pink cupcakes!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">I use my trusted </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/09/orange-butter-cake-delicious-twist-to.html">orange buttercake recipe</a></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"> <span style="color: #595959;">to bake these cupcakes and frosted them with my favourite</span> <span style="color: #548dd4; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">lemon cooked frosting</span><span style="color: #595959;">. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: #595959;">The full 8” recipe yields 20 cupcakes and the balance was baked in a small rectangular pan.</span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-23087355382888152422011-09-13T00:59:00.000-07:002011-09-13T01:03:23.739-07:00Easy tasty fried Ikan Kembong / Mackerel<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2094796393823563093"></a> <br />
<blockquote></blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAf03cqHZmHbsy_uW9vgDxeWRTOJxfcetcigknx2Y_1L2VwQLMAFYU6oDqMQkvRU2RVFTwFHhOe8I1duj32KugSOZqBQipaPwbayfX0n4d6ECkFREpu8eg-7v19PBrx3N_DU1izLUr2BS_/s1600/Fresh-ikan-Kembong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAf03cqHZmHbsy_uW9vgDxeWRTOJxfcetcigknx2Y_1L2VwQLMAFYU6oDqMQkvRU2RVFTwFHhOe8I1duj32KugSOZqBQipaPwbayfX0n4d6ECkFREpu8eg-7v19PBrx3N_DU1izLUr2BS_/s1600/Fresh-ikan-Kembong.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh, inexpensive ikan kembong</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For many reasons, ikan kembong (type of small mackerel), together with tenggiri (spanish mackerel) are my favorite choice of fish - they are easy to find and good for frying. In contrary, I have problems finding fresh, good quality fish for steaming, which keys to a good steamed fish. But perhaps the biggest reason was that frying fish is relatively more forgiving then steaming a fish<i>.</i><br />
<br />
My favorite recipe for fish is fried fish with soy sauce mix. This soy sauce mix is quite versatile and goes very well with any fried fish dish.<br />
<br />
The preparation is simple: first fried the fish till golden brown/crispy; 2nd prepare the garnishing and 3rd make the soy sauce.<br />
<br />
<u>Garnishing </u><br />
<ul><li>2 inches of ginger - peeled and cut into thin strips intended for frying as a garnishing and to enhance flavor</li>
<li>1 stalk spring onion - cut into 2-inch length think strips. This is mainly used for ganishing.</li>
</ul><span style="font-size: small;">Fried the ginger in a hot wok with 1 tbs of cooking oil till golden brown and set aside. Use medium heat to avoid burning the ginger strips. Left the remaining oil in the wok for the soy sauce mix later.</span><br />
<br />
<u>Making the soy sauce mix</u><br />
<ul></ul><ul style="font-family: inherit;"><li><span style="font-size: small;">1- 3 tablespoons soy sauce. The amount of soy sauce forms the 'base' (together with the water) of the mix and how much to use does depends how much of the fish you have</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">4 tablespoons water</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">1-2 dashes white pepper powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">1/4 teaspoon sesame oil - this is to enhance the fragrance of the dish, use sparingly. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">2 tablespoons sugar - this give a sweet-sour (from say sauce) taste</span></li>
</ul>There is not right of wrong mix ratio but generally soy sauce plays a dominant role here and it does detects the overall 'saltiness" of the mixture . You can add more sugar if you like it to be sweeter, or add more pepper to have more kick/hot flavor. Shaoxing rice wine usually has a stronger taste and does tastes a little bit spicy if too much is used. Feel free to experiment.<br />
<br />
Mix all the ingredients well. Pour the soy sauce mixture to the left over oil (from frying ginger strips earlier) until it boils (avoid using strong fire). Then pour the say sauce over the fried fish. Add the spring onion and fried ginger strips.<br />
<br />
<u>Extra step </u><br />
Just like steamed fish, you could also fried some garlic with oil till golden brown, and then pour to the garnished fried fish which will instantly produce an appetite-hungry smell.<br />
<br />
Dinner is served.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_hnTNqOD4OWDGfcUkSu4tCyJa1jfRdr64dpz_7vuW1FICj9knsM-hQDHjTECpwd3BhQU2G81jHWTq3i93SJnCDtGhlyvFPWhGu35IvVNAg0A1QtHCExBPxnNqpTjvozpfdi6hbIR-39B/s1600/Fried-ikan-kembong-dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_hnTNqOD4OWDGfcUkSu4tCyJa1jfRdr64dpz_7vuW1FICj9knsM-hQDHjTECpwd3BhQU2G81jHWTq3i93SJnCDtGhlyvFPWhGu35IvVNAg0A1QtHCExBPxnNqpTjvozpfdi6hbIR-39B/s1600/Fried-ikan-kembong-dish.jpg" /></a></div><i><br />
</i><br />
<i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-7893391897074202082011-09-11T22:23:00.000-07:002011-09-12T23:54:02.615-07:00Japanese Night - Teriyaki Pork Loin and Agadeshi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7WJ9D69D2ng-_E2LDcbGrNOk1VviBetxAWGtZjQuRArQD7X3ed3HCJGuKP2pmMujSc0yZKpx71IWrzlNoUxGnaKv6D9s_C9GRxpOOFq7EJWOCLbCAQjBtmL0b2yhi7dk5pWlSKjWQNFu/s1600/Agadeshi-%2526-Donburi-%25232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="680" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja7WJ9D69D2ng-_E2LDcbGrNOk1VviBetxAWGtZjQuRArQD7X3ed3HCJGuKP2pmMujSc0yZKpx71IWrzlNoUxGnaKv6D9s_C9GRxpOOFq7EJWOCLbCAQjBtmL0b2yhi7dk5pWlSKjWQNFu/s640/Agadeshi-%2526-Donburi-%25232.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
These are first 2 Japanese dishes that I learnt and after a few tries, I am getting them just about right I think, thought I believed there are some 'tweaks" that can make them taste like an authentic Japanese dishes.<br />
<br />
As I found out, cooking Japanese dishes is not that difficult to begin with. You don't have to re-stock your kitchen, you only need to stock up these three most basic ingredients :<br />
<ol><li>Hon Mirin - a sweet fortified liquor made from rice, used exclusively in Japanese cooking</li>
<li>Soy source - Try get the Japanese soy sauce, rather than Chinese which have more salt and 'stronger'</li>
<li>Cooking Sake/Ryorishu - similar to western white cooking wine but made with rice. It is used to marinades and made sauces.</li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0diSIDshs4KEKPVJ2qvn3h4GCiPa_tfzQiQGCDr-EXAR_9O9VfNwjkWEok0IsW8dGiNd6FZqf2gi8ngRbRYsTr2egkhwADkNaALE6CwQtzrD9Gb1jkxpu0Tp4R3GO5FUVxQjQVAkKECH7/s1600/Japanese-cooking-Basic-Ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0diSIDshs4KEKPVJ2qvn3h4GCiPa_tfzQiQGCDr-EXAR_9O9VfNwjkWEok0IsW8dGiNd6FZqf2gi8ngRbRYsTr2egkhwADkNaALE6CwQtzrD9Gb1jkxpu0Tp4R3GO5FUVxQjQVAkKECH7/s1600/Japanese-cooking-Basic-Ingredients.jpg" /></a></div><ol></ol>In addition to the above 3 essential ingredients. I also stocked bonito flakes (<i>katsuo bushi</i>) which I used to make dashi stock. Bonito flakes is commonly used with tofu, balanced spinach, and so on.<br />
<br />
Both of the recipes were from J<a href="http://justonecookbook.com/">ust One CookBook</a> . For detail and full recipe, just drop in.<br />
<br />
Here are some of the learning I gained from making these dishes.<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Agadeshi </u></span><br />
<ul><li>The key is to dry/dehydrate the tofu sufficiently i.e the surface look dried. This mean planned ahead. If the tofu is not sufficiently dried, the coating of the corn starch will become very messy and difficult to handle. When I made it for the 1st time, I have to coat and re-coat the corn starch as it keep 'melt' away and the end-result was a tofu with thick corn starch casting that wasn't that good tasting.</li>
<li>My preferred way to dehydrate the tofu is to drain all the water and leave it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.</li>
<li>Full recipe is <a href="http://justonecookbook.com/blog/recipes/agedashi-tofu-2/">here </a></li>
</ul><u><span style="font-size: large;">Teriyaki Pork Loin</span></u><br />
<ul><li> Honestly, I still have not achieve the soft and tender type of pork that I am looking for. I am still looking ways to make the pork loin softer to chew with. What I have done so far is to hit and flattens the meat before frying it. I reckon rubbing it with corn starch may help tenderize the meat further, which I am going to try next time.</li>
<li>Overall, this is a very satisfying and appealing dish - it got the protein and vege.</li>
<li>Full recipe is <a href="http://justonecookbook.com/blog/recipes/teriyaki-pork-loin-salad-donburi/">here</a></li>
</ul>Give these 2 dishes a try. They are much easy then you think.<br />
<br />
<i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-36099929350720283612011-09-05T03:07:00.000-07:002011-09-11T21:40:54.842-07:00Orange Butter Cake: Delicious twist to regular butter cake<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1op1IrGzpGBgRNinRWnRefOgHTtntowdzTBmgoqS28wqhwffCnGtBwEkuiV6LNfkINu9_LPDsnYAwFsNjbEwXZeJKmogaL4cQjHvpAE-IP1TZ1zXe3Y_541Wjwg7rmrElr-HojOj8i8Mc/s1600/Jol-Butter-cake_Close-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1op1IrGzpGBgRNinRWnRefOgHTtntowdzTBmgoqS28wqhwffCnGtBwEkuiV6LNfkINu9_LPDsnYAwFsNjbEwXZeJKmogaL4cQjHvpAE-IP1TZ1zXe3Y_541Wjwg7rmrElr-HojOj8i8Mc/s640/Jol-Butter-cake_Close-up.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6bV5fTndNTncVWiIwkaSQDTg988rdRD5MvUFz6PeAex7f1GDxZCaQNxyvTr0VtVBMsNKjtzebQ6nNH8NqLSMlV9xvl6Mz7i8_yfB06CR9H8ty33ZJ5F-acKyEyrSXOketKF_X9Qi2ynf/s1600/Jol-Butter-cake_making.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF6bV5fTndNTncVWiIwkaSQDTg988rdRD5MvUFz6PeAex7f1GDxZCaQNxyvTr0VtVBMsNKjtzebQ6nNH8NqLSMlV9xvl6Mz7i8_yfB06CR9H8ty33ZJ5F-acKyEyrSXOketKF_X9Qi2ynf/s640/Jol-Butter-cake_making.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH6lhjEY4XkLv2ZPoo3kzJc_wN982BlXoEz0uAbvm0UgF7vz_YmiwS2-zkaLNljCxAfPUR2yI1HJSQ8zRgAqBVutT96H-mpH6x7XsuLRJv3kkP9lKkRNXI_6CbZe7avujuKgs8pJwgqr2J/s1600/Jol+Butter+cake_1524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">Uncle J’s birthday celebration is on this Saturday. All relatives are invited, and Aunty J request for a regular butter cake for her hubby because Uncle J eats no other cake other than butter cake. He will not touch cheese cake nor chocolate cake. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">Ju is right, citrusy fruit goes so well with buttercake, its zesty orangy aroma blend perfectly with buttery moist cake. I think from now on, I will not make plain butter cake anymore. My butter cake will be orange flavoured all the time!</span></span></span> <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="color: #595959;">I am more than happy to fulfill this order as it gives me another opportunity to try out my </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/08/butter-cake-first-time-right.html">buttercake</a></span><span style="color: #595959;"> recipe. This would be my 3<sup>rd</sup> attempt. But I want to make something different this time. I was inspired after reading </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="http://www.thelittleteochew.com/2010/07/orange-butter-cake.html">Ju’s blog</a></span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: #595959;">about how she “accidentally” added orange zest into her butter cake and out came a fragrant moist cake. I decided to follow suit.</span></span></div></div><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="background-color: transparent; border: 1pt solid black; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 805.1pt;" valign="top" width="1073"><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Orange Butter Cake</span></span></b><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"> </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="color: #595959;">My original buttercake post is </span><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/08/butter-cake-first-time-right.html"><span style="color: #0070c0;">here</span><span style="color: #595959;"> </span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">Ingredients</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">250g butter (I use SCS unsalted)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">210g castor sugar (I reduced to 190g)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">4 eggs (I lightly beat before mixing in)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">For this cake, I changed to 1 tablespoon of orange zest </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"> or zest of 1 big orange</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">200g self-raising flour, sifted with 1/2 tsp salt </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">4 tbsp fresh UHT milk (I use Farmhouse full-fat milk)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">Method</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Grease and line a 20cm cake tin (or 8” tin) with greased greaseproof paper. Preheat oven to 170°C. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add orange zest. Then, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy. Add essence. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Fold in sifted flour gradually to mix. Finally stir in milk. Mix until well combined. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Turn out mixture into prepared tin. Level out mixture at the sides but allow a shallow well in the centre. This is to enable the cake to level up evenly during baking. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">5.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-24049424704733875412011-08-29T01:46:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:30:11.496-07:00Blueberry Cheesecake<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7sG1wblS8WLvLVG1gfDHcpebo3ddTd8HE1xxElmZKS4f7yaZyllPZF_8eZ744uW4dCmpXsoZZG4cclb5cP2U0bcGKLDKi6aBrA4f_vC7W-jB86N-H3DgcRKAtNIjlbtMpEYOVDGvKlC0/s1600/10+Cheese+cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="451" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7sG1wblS8WLvLVG1gfDHcpebo3ddTd8HE1xxElmZKS4f7yaZyllPZF_8eZ744uW4dCmpXsoZZG4cclb5cP2U0bcGKLDKi6aBrA4f_vC7W-jB86N-H3DgcRKAtNIjlbtMpEYOVDGvKlC0/s640/10+Cheese+cake.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">I love eating cheesecake, especially those that are dense and rich. To me, to be able to bake a proper cheesecake is a mile stone in baking. Though the baking process is not as complicated as other types of cakes, cheesecakes somehow has more ‘commercial value’ and ‘luxury factor’ than other cakes like chiffon or sponge which require more technique and experience.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">I got this recipe from the first ever baking class I attended. The instructor taught us 3 recipes: banana cake, chocolate brownie and blueberry cheesecake. Unfortunately, the banana cake and brownie were below par. We didn’t even finish the samples brought home from the class. The cheesecake on the other hand was quite good, creamy with tinge of lemon taste.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">I quartered the cheesecake recipe (yes, ¼ only!) as an experiment, and baked in 4.5” pan. It turned out good, so I did it again the following week using full-scale recipe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 4pt; padding-top: 1pt;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"><strong>Blueberry Cheesecake</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(adapted from: a baking class I attended)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"></span></div><div align="left" class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Yield: 9” inch cake<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong><u>Crumb Base</u></strong></span></div><ul><li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">200g crushed digestive biscuits </span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">25g granulated white sugar</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">113g unsalted butter</span></div></li>
</ul><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9” springform cake pan. </span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">2. Melt butter and sugar in small saucepan until mixture starts to boil.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">3. Turn off fire and immediately pour in digestive biscuit. Stir until well combined.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">4. Press mixture onto bottom of pan. Put in fridge for 30 minutes.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<div></div></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><u><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><strong>Cheese layer</strong></span></span></u></div><ul><li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">500g cream cheese, room temperature </span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">150g castor sugar</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">2 eggs</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1 tsp lemon juice</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">50g all-purpose flour, sifted</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">100g whipped cream (lightly whipped)</span></div></li>
</ul><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">1. </span>Beat cream cheese until soften. Add half amount of sugar and beat for 1 minute. Add remaining half and beat until creamy and smooth.</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">2. </span>Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy. Add lemon juice and beat for few seconds. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">3. </span>Add in flour and beat for about 1 minute. Finally add in whipped cream and beat for 20 seconds. Do not overbeat at this point. Pour batter onto biscuit crumb base. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">4. Bake in a water bath for about 55-60 minutes. </span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">5. Once done, turn off the oven. Leave the cheese cake in oven with door ajar for 10 minutes. Then, remove from oven (and water bath) and run a thin knife carefully around the edges to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Leave near the oven (eg stove top) for 1 hour and somewhere cooler (countertop) for another hour. Store in fridge for at least 24 hours before serving.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<div></div></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<u><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><strong>Blueberry topping </strong></span></span></u></div><ul><li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">210g frozen blueberry</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">40g fine granulated sugar</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">½ tablespoon butter</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">½ tablespoon lemon</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1 tablespoon corn starch</span></div></li>
</ul><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1. Combine all ingredients in small saucepan under medium heat.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">2. Simmer, and cook until berries break down.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">3. Cool before using. Pour on top of chilled cheese cake, and decorate border with whipped cream.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"><br />
<div></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPVj6u_W0vm1FDt86qsFKFCiHqFbb6IuqbKWvO9aqi2JBm6pP4TN2Q__qSfqUA9kEKuT0qXDfRMQA7qtBEjbREp-wgPR_VTy88XqZKuBFsmW1iyI84ZtRI-c0Z1kwy6Q6tNdzShZy_d_A/s1600/Blueberries+Cheesecake+try+2_1423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPVj6u_W0vm1FDt86qsFKFCiHqFbb6IuqbKWvO9aqi2JBm6pP4TN2Q__qSfqUA9kEKuT0qXDfRMQA7qtBEjbREp-wgPR_VTy88XqZKuBFsmW1iyI84ZtRI-c0Z1kwy6Q6tNdzShZy_d_A/s640/Blueberries+Cheesecake+try+2_1423.JPG" width="600" /></a><u><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"></span></u><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDLsMTAO-YT40nZbz1oJTxNRWMVOwjyx5Iv73jkkDlNI9zVn42XVMjZQv0cKWos2gMKg6BYS8eyEeg_AUxM9Gk3EZheZ_y78Y1k1ZOdJ-U3WLdH-hmJ_NQxDjBqxZzk7a7nCTkF56lc0q/s1600/Cheese+Cake+Blue+Berries_1348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDLsMTAO-YT40nZbz1oJTxNRWMVOwjyx5Iv73jkkDlNI9zVn42XVMjZQv0cKWos2gMKg6BYS8eyEeg_AUxM9Gk3EZheZ_y78Y1k1ZOdJ-U3WLdH-hmJ_NQxDjBqxZzk7a7nCTkF56lc0q/s640/Cheese+Cake+Blue+Berries_1348.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><u><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">Tips</span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0in;"><ul><li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Crush biscuits in small plastic bag with a rolling pin – but not too finely, as it's nice to have a fairly uneven texture.</div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To get aromatic crumb layer, it is important to have the butter & sugar mixture starting to boil, before you add the crushed biscuits.</div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Use flat-glass bottom to press biscuit crumbs onto the pan bottom.</div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To prevent water from seeping into the springform pan, wrap aluminum foil completely around the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan.</div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature. Cold cream cheese will result in lumpy cheesecake. Also, using cold cream cheese will also lead to overbeating and hence, incorporation of too much air into the batter.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">For the water bath, use a roasting pan with at least 2” gap on both sides of the cake pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until at least halfway up the sides of the cake pan.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A </span>cheesecake never looks done when it's done. A properly cooked cheesecake will still have a wobbly 2 – 3” circle in the center. It should look set and firm, but still jiggly. The whole top should move like one semi-solid piece. There may also be some tiny dry cracks at the edge. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To unmold, run knife around the edges before you un-clamp the springform pan.<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"></span></div></li>
</ul><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u>Future improvements</u></div><ul><li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My cheesecake was slightly overcooked. It did not jiggle when I turn off the oven. How sad! Still taste good though, but a little hard. Will need to monitor baking time more closely the next time. </span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Water seeped through the springform in my experiment batch. I used 2 layers of aluminum foil the 2<sup>nd</sup> round. Also, I learnt from another baker to mold the aluminum foil from bottom, i.e. pan facing down to prevent tear in the foil. </span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Blueberry filling is slightly too runny, it seeps through the sides. Probably need to add more corn starch to thicken it up.</span> </div></li>
</ul></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">I serve this cak</span></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">e for <span style="color: #3d85c6;">dad and aunty LC’s birthday</span>, and yes, it is affirmative that rich, dense cheesecakes do have “wow factors” that other cakes don’t. Glad dad enjoyed it!</span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPVj6u_W0vm1FDt86qsFKFCiHqFbb6IuqbKWvO9aqi2JBm6pP4TN2Q__qSfqUA9kEKuT0qXDfRMQA7qtBEjbREp-wgPR_VTy88XqZKuBFsmW1iyI84ZtRI-c0Z1kwy6Q6tNdzShZy_d_A/s1600/Blueberries+Cheesecake+try+2_1423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-65958884731208537182011-08-26T02:48:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:34:53.710-07:00Butter cake – for Linda’s Birthday<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwr8EgvanJbYIpB8u6bvajNyGfYXOG6S1K36yvXE3oJkXoR8EM9aQTSEmcU6Qk0CmjxvifOWH7mUrwLbqvhpf8Ze4YlrfglWPLV1P-_1XVc9rHJDQ8H9ZXA5-kp_HdZhiGSVGfcRBeOeXB/s1600/7c.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwr8EgvanJbYIpB8u6bvajNyGfYXOG6S1K36yvXE3oJkXoR8EM9aQTSEmcU6Qk0CmjxvifOWH7mUrwLbqvhpf8Ze4YlrfglWPLV1P-_1XVc9rHJDQ8H9ZXA5-kp_HdZhiGSVGfcRBeOeXB/s640/7c.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-no-proof: yes;">At the time when I baked this cake, I only know how to bake butter cake. So, I baked this for my good old friend, Linda for her birthday. I decorated with fresh strawberry, ‘glued’ to the cake with some </span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-no-proof: yes;">frosting</span><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-no-proof: yes;"> made earlier, use the same frosting to do the writing, and dust lightly with icing sugar. Lastly, I wrap the sides with clear plastic sheets & finish with a red ribbon. I am pretty happy with how it turned out. But, would need to brush up my frosting skills so that I could do a properly frosted birthday cake the next time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2OTVoBBzCSmoUo5PLxWwNlcht7KjS70_Jtzj2PNM8LeuCiXXFPX9TdetXwjfVj3WfLo61a33NAbPL3Ygd4wO-Px_0d2WrxglAer4cCq-032cpBrSv6EnbznyzmLFi_kjl-WPOoYw_LUS/s1600/7e.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2OTVoBBzCSmoUo5PLxWwNlcht7KjS70_Jtzj2PNM8LeuCiXXFPX9TdetXwjfVj3WfLo61a33NAbPL3Ygd4wO-Px_0d2WrxglAer4cCq-032cpBrSv6EnbznyzmLFi_kjl-WPOoYw_LUS/s640/7e.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-no-proof: yes;">Well, birthday girl was pretty surprised that I brought a home-made cake, and am glad that everyone enjoyed it.</span></div><br />
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 805.1pt;" valign="top" width="1073"><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Butter Cake</span></span></b></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">(from: Amy Beh, Kuali)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="color: #595959;">Originally posted </span><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/08/butter-cake-first-time-right.html"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">here</span></a><span style="color: #595959;"> (with tips)</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">Ingredients</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">250g butter (I use SCS unsalted)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">210g castor sugar (I reduced to 190g)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">4 eggs (I lightly beat before mixing in)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">1 tsp vanilla essence (I only use 1/8 tsp)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">200g self-raising flour, sifted with 1/2 tsp salt </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">4 tbsp fresh UHT milk (I use Farmhouse full-fat milk)</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">Method</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">1.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Grease and line a 20cm cake tin (or 8” tin) with greased greaseproof paper. Preheat oven to 170°C. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">2.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy. Add essence. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">3.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Fold in sifted flour gradually to mix. Finally stir in milk. Mix until well combined. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Turn out mixture into prepared tin. Level out mixture at the sides but allow a shallow well in the centre. This is to enable the cake to level up evenly during baking. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">5.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New;">Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;"><i></i><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i> <br />
<br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-87339865999435911752011-08-19T00:53:00.000-07:002011-08-19T02:00:26.993-07:00Khau Yoke Recipe (Pork Belly Cooked with Taro) 客家芋头扣肉<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13pRYxYM4fbIMML9FNGE2xLE_JHc9AnDdwYH3emSIXPo7in4fXSfreB0S7hhhlhL4OsbXkYKHD79rcSAwebK-LaEQP-0_5dS-cauG0lpE4QSgo4G-XJDBO3NeKQzgNA5ukrgB2pe873GN/s1600/Pork-belly-with-Yam-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh13pRYxYM4fbIMML9FNGE2xLE_JHc9AnDdwYH3emSIXPo7in4fXSfreB0S7hhhlhL4OsbXkYKHD79rcSAwebK-LaEQP-0_5dS-cauG0lpE4QSgo4G-XJDBO3NeKQzgNA5ukrgB2pe873GN/s640/Pork-belly-with-Yam-1.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">If you like this dish and have not try making it before, give it a try! It is actually easier than you think as I found out from my first ever attempt.</div><br />
After steaming for 3 hours, my end product is a melt in your mouth pork with creamy yam. Having say that, I could have made it with more gravy/source and maybe add a few more spices for a richer taste. But overall, I have no complain and were happy with it.<br />
<br />
The basic steps in cooking Hakka Khau Yoke (Pork Belly Cooked with Taro) in sequence are:<br />
<ol><li>Blanching (2-3 minutes)</li>
<li>Marinating (30 minutes) </li>
<li>Frying (15 min, give or take)</li>
<li>Making steaming sauce (10 minutes)</li>
<li>Sandwiching yam and pork (10 minutes)</li>
<li>Steaming ( ideally 3 hours - you don't have to do anything)</li>
</ol>Don't be fool by the long hours needed, the active kitchen time is around 20-30 minutes. You are going to have a lot of idle time during marinating and steaming.<br />
<br />
Ingredients are simple and you don't have to buy any special, hard to find spices. Basically you need the following (serves 3-4 person)<br />
<br />
<u>Core ingredients</u><br />
<ol><li>300g strip of Pork belly (五花肉或三层肉) ideally about 5-7 cm in width which will then cut cross section to slices. </li>
<li>Yam (taro) - medium size</li>
<li>Nam Yue <i>(</i>preserved red beancurd) - 1 1/2 cub</li>
</ol><u>For Marinating Pork Belly </u><br />
Coat/rub the pork belly with the following<br />
<ul><li>Dark soy sauce - 1/2-1 tbs<br />
</li>
<li>Chinese 5 spices - 2 tsp</li>
</ul><u>Making steaming sauce</u><br />
This will be the sauce to pour over the pork belly and yam for steaming<u><br />
</u><br />
<ul><li>3/4 cup – 1 cup water (add more water if you prefer more sauce)</li>
<li>1 tbsp oyster sauce</li>
<li>dash of pepper</li>
<li>pinch of Chinese 5 spice powder</li>
<li>1 tsp soya sauce</li>
<li>1 tbsp sugar</li>
<li>1 tsp <i>Shao Hsing</i> Wine</li>
<li>1/2 cube <i>nam yue</i> </li>
<li>1/2 tsp thick soy sauce</li>
</ul><u>Things I learned</u><br />
<ul><li>The steaming sauce is very important, it enhanced the overall package of yam and the pork belly, and yes, it make a super tasting gravy with white rice. May be next time I would consider adding others flavourings agents like five spice powder, pepper, onion, ginger, oyster sauce, fish sauce , sesame oil, shao hsing wine (I do not use this since this is my 1st time)</li>
<li>There was another version that fried all the flavoring ingredients and coat them on the pork belly (after deep frying) and yam before steaming. I believe this method may produce a stronger tasting dish!</li>
<li>Very useful tips on how to handle the yam, the pork belly and the selection of dish for steaming is<a href="http://www.houseofannie.com/khau-yoke-recipe-pork-belly-taro/#more-425"> here.</a></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqx9CwM2U37bed8GlrAVG8gjhtNZNYpbcKYuu0Qsj2dm8MrZ-PHeyqY6axHXy5KrQ3fGQuaSQGHUBCWU8lZG0gQi5rUnHTWuUl2GJkLYIUf4qaMmUYgM9i-C_hJiFPDIRBu6hLd2IYmMSa/s1600/Pork-belly-with-Yam-Jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqx9CwM2U37bed8GlrAVG8gjhtNZNYpbcKYuu0Qsj2dm8MrZ-PHeyqY6axHXy5KrQ3fGQuaSQGHUBCWU8lZG0gQi5rUnHTWuUl2GJkLYIUf4qaMmUYgM9i-C_hJiFPDIRBu6hLd2IYmMSa/s640/Pork-belly-with-Yam-Jpeg.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjartwww4pucK1BsnnGFm2sKeQhYq5aWksXdEGysZbpc0iwOtD2niHWMGaidf2sQEMvYNV4tENU3AIcKyr7Rpz1R0CkMLPt6kKDFkpSSW7jcuj5v3eYNBE91f1cI91vHCxBGGtM-lGZoMTh/s400/Marinateing-pork-1st-time.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marinate Pork Belly after blanching for 30 minutes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOKpDkwTumqIEmNDq_d2sSXQ7vWq892A2B3KojPTpqOLx5SoVGx-3u7kFz5uEOyHqsbz-JvNxL4ERq3kZlYtOFnCS4qszPQFFHc1QeKGvAia6k3-SgTHypokkoft2AHMQ1coP02wkkMgcN/s400/Slicing-and-Deep-Frying-Yam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slice and fried yam into sizes<br />
to match with the pork belly</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch_DUfEwq4dM5mTaiuuhv_fHrdcoMMGdtOC9t3coO0alIwz_zZA3rwgSazxJqnaSJiWDP8QUlxoYyRH6jsQPPyyooTJhOfAwqX3GiaUyuQO_ETPfyAMGcrKXKFQ4Nk1FC3T5JKunsRdpA/s1600/Slicing-pork-belly-after-deep-frying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhch_DUfEwq4dM5mTaiuuhv_fHrdcoMMGdtOC9t3coO0alIwz_zZA3rwgSazxJqnaSJiWDP8QUlxoYyRH6jsQPPyyooTJhOfAwqX3GiaUyuQO_ETPfyAMGcrKXKFQ4Nk1FC3T5JKunsRdpA/s400/Slicing-pork-belly-after-deep-frying.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slicing pork belly after deep frying. <br />
Don't worry if still uncooked for now</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdqXVusrSxRVlMXukRgh1ZYewYd1PRdmDvpUOx8VrzBS86DVYlEUq39Dbfz3OwoDGsZ2pj2w61s85aW2mUtCoKEz8E0vj2zAycdwXii_k8CAvKVpLffNdqcD9a52CJSn13cWk8cVskS_rP/s400/Laying-pork-belly-and-Yam-before-steaming.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arranging yam and pork belly for steaming<br />
(3 hours for maximum tenderness)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-62365866042624561132011-08-15T20:18:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:33:59.490-07:00Yummy Brownies<a href="http://www.blogger.com/"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJggZntbVr7QJNL3Z2ubhiD7HLvO8QN3LcbIZcuhe1Zsse5IphzeEZ73Q_eHY9nV5kFqaQFGioXfyaQL87YwcDyD4Zz3cPGzhfYIMx2KpH61i7DxkQES0QSs-zUnpT6wDWthg2MHWR4dSe/s1600/4+Brownie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJggZntbVr7QJNL3Z2ubhiD7HLvO8QN3LcbIZcuhe1Zsse5IphzeEZ73Q_eHY9nV5kFqaQFGioXfyaQL87YwcDyD4Zz3cPGzhfYIMx2KpH61i7DxkQES0QSs-zUnpT6wDWthg2MHWR4dSe/s640/4+Brownie.JPG" width="600" /></a><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;"></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">I do think that brownies are relatively easy to make and perhaps the most forgiving of all recipes; it is hard to go wrong with them. I wanted a recipe made from melted dark chocolate, as brownies made with all cocoa powder tend to be drier in texture and does not give a deep chocolate flavor. </span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="color: #595959;">There has been much rave about the brownie recipe from the </span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1584797215?ie=UTF8&tag=broeyebak-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1584797215">Baked: New Frontiers in Baking</a></span><span style="color: #595959;">, which calls for a whooping 11 ounce of dark chocolate. It is supposed to be the favourite brownies loved by Oprah Winfrey and America’s Test Kitchen. I do not owned the book, instead got the recipe from </span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/10/08/the-baked-brownie/">Brown Eyed Baker Blog</a>.</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div></div></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"></div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-insideh: .5pt solid black; mso-border-insidev: .5pt solid black; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;"><tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"><td style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0in; width: 805.1pt;" valign="top" width="1073"><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #595959;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;">The Baked Brownies</span></span></b></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="color: #595959;">(from: </span><span style="color: #0070c0;"><a href="http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/10/08/the-baked-brownie/">Brown Eyed Baker Blog</a></span><span style="color: #595959;">)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">Yield: 24 brownies</span></div><ul><li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1¼ cups all-purpo</span><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">se flour</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1 teaspoon salt</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Van Houten, dutch-processed)</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I use Lindt 85% dark chocolate)</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (omitted)</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1½ cups granulated sugar</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">½ cup packed light brown sugar</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">5 eggs, at room temperature</span></div></li>
<li><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></div></li>
</ul><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;"> (I added some toasted walnuts to the batter)</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><div></div></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">4. Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.</span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: Courier New;">7. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 days.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">(Frosting and Decoration)</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Perfectly Rich Chocolate Ganache </span></b><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">(</span><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/07/perfectly-rich-chocolate-ganache.html"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">recipe here</span></a><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">)</span><br />
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Fresh Strawberries for topping</span></b><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New";"></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGDcOo4zgBWFDdogqbggzLkwwJ5JEeW35C2CGcOJiTsqA-TOuFxrtBla0tBnlBQjuQqfnnp0JCg8kQNUtK6AnQhDGtJ5gDqI_tbxW6HKNgTmbqL3xE_l0MjNaUPFqJIhhuV_IvnIB2YKH/s1600/Brownie+%2526+Raisin+Muffin_0493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlGDcOo4zgBWFDdogqbggzLkwwJ5JEeW35C2CGcOJiTsqA-TOuFxrtBla0tBnlBQjuQqfnnp0JCg8kQNUtK6AnQhDGtJ5gDqI_tbxW6HKNgTmbqL3xE_l0MjNaUPFqJIhhuV_IvnIB2YKH/s640/Brownie+%2526+Raisin+Muffin_0493.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jTDQDLC65-Lm1qUB6Ga2vZSbtTE8Sgzk_WxjHpY3hKPoWxKHvcgchyy5qAF-xCs1l2ScDllSBuSsa3Tx8YIbydHbG1C1jI-wDlEVYV6AL7tQXM08vlY91N1iYy141Jg6EtMd6Vh-2CJR/s1600/3+Brownie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5jTDQDLC65-Lm1qUB6Ga2vZSbtTE8Sgzk_WxjHpY3hKPoWxKHvcgchyy5qAF-xCs1l2ScDllSBuSsa3Tx8YIbydHbG1C1jI-wDlEVYV6AL7tQXM08vlY91N1iYy141Jg6EtMd6Vh-2CJR/s640/3+Brownie.JPG" width="424" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I made these brownies 3 times so far, it does seem to be one of those ‘can’t-go-wrong’ type of recipe. My 1st attempt was an experiment. Second try, I topped it with </span><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/07/perfectly-rich-chocolate-ganache.html"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">ganache</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> and for my recent attempt, I made these brownies for Mother’s Day, and decorate with fresh strawberries. These yummy brownies go very well with big dollop of vanilla ice cream</span>.<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-no-proof: yes;"><u><span style="color: #666666;">Tips:</span></u></span></div><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="color: #666666;">Make sure you use good quality chocolate (i use Lindt) – it makes all the difference. </span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span id="goog_1605267711"></span><span id="goog_1605267713"></span>If you use glass pan, reduce oven temperature by 25F.</span></span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"></span><span style="color: #666666;">Brownies are best mixed by hand for good results. Overmixing can cause brownies to turn out tough. Do not over-mix after the eggs have been added.</span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">To test for doneness, use a toothpick. It should come out with few moist crumbs. If the toothpick comes out completely clean from the center, they are overbaked. Other signs include pulling from the sides and it should look slightly underbaked / molten in center. </span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #666666;">Brownies taste better after leaving if for half-a-day. It also cuts better when cooled completely. They will crumble if you remove them from the pan while they’re still warm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><span style="color: #666666;">To cut, dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and move it across in an up-and-down sawing motion.</span></div></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;"><u><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;">Future Improvements:</span></span></u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have heard a lot about Valrhona chocolate, and would like to try using Valrhona Manjari 64% Choc when I do this the next time.</span></span></span></div><div> <br />
<div style="color: #666666;"><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i></div></div><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-82626533220457665862011-08-13T03:51:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:32:46.654-07:00Butter cake – First time right<div style="color: #666666;"><smallfrac m:val="off"><dispdef><lmargin m:val="0"><rmargin m:val="0"><defjc m:val="centerGroup"><wrapindent m:val="1440"><intlim m:val="subSup"><narylim m:val="undOvr"></narylim></intlim></wrapindent></defjc></rmargin></lmargin></dispdef></smallfrac></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_6jNv9JlFA6_C7FQbcwEn4vvkFqYwrn3m_ZrPgwD5ezd-yvXIsgulEC2mV5dcZkzs1v_tXUBXTAjGn2MG8ff18rZ_qppWXbjaVj1hUGGTh_shInS9LVcR4ueadc0j45dlf9edp0r7Qip/s1600/20070603_0819.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_6jNv9JlFA6_C7FQbcwEn4vvkFqYwrn3m_ZrPgwD5ezd-yvXIsgulEC2mV5dcZkzs1v_tXUBXTAjGn2MG8ff18rZ_qppWXbjaVj1hUGGTh_shInS9LVcR4ueadc0j45dlf9edp0r7Qip/s640/20070603_0819.JPG" width="600" /></a></div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">This was the 1<sup>st</sup> cake I ever baked in my life, and the first since getting my beloved Kitchen Aid KA5 Bowl-Lift Mixer. Before this, I could only bake deserts which do not require mixer to bake such as muffins, brownies, pies, etc. </span></span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">My sister-in-law, who is an experienced baker, advised that novice bakers should always start with a simple butter cake. And that’s what I did.</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Without much cake-baking experience, I searched the internet for butter cake recipes and finally decided to try </span><a href="http://kuali.com/recipes/view.aspx?r=2514">Amy Beh’s Kuali Buttercake</a><span lang="EN-US">. To be honest, her recipe is totally unfriendly to first-timer. I did lots of side research on creaming step, emulsification of eggs to ensure I get it right. </span></span></div><br />
<div class="Blog" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 805.1pt;" valign="top" width="1073"><div class="Blog" style="margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-US">Butter Cake</span></b></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">(from: Amy Beh, Kuali) </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Yield: 8” Round Cake</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="Blog"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Ingredients</span></span></div><ul><li><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">250g butter (I use SCS unsalted)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span lang="EN-US">210g castor sugar (I reduced to 200g)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span lang="EN-US">4 eggs (I lightly beat before mixing in)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span lang="EN-US">1 tsp vanilla essence (I only use 1/8 tsp)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span><span lang="EN-US">200g self-raising flour, sifted with 1/2 tsp salt </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">4 tbsp fresh UHT milk (I use Farmhouse full-fat milk)</span></span></li>
</ul><div class="Blog"><br />
</div><div class="Blog"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">Method</span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">Grease and line a 20cm cake tin (or 8” tin) with greased greaseproof paper. Preheat oven to 170°C. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until mixture is light and fluffy. Add essence. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">Fold in sifted flour gradually to mix. Finally stir in milk. Mix until well combined. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">Turn out mixture into prepared tin. Level out mixture at the sides but allow a shallow well in the centre. This is to enable the cake to level up evenly during baking. </span></span></div><div class="Blog" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until cooked through when tested with a skewer.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, how did my first cake turn out? Pretty good actually for 1<sup>st</sup> try, it is buttery with light crumbs, much better than the ones sold at bakery nearby. Since this 1<sup>st</sup> try, I have baked this cake another 3 times - first to <span class="BlogChar"><span lang="EN-US">practice </span></span>my frosting skills, the other for Linda’s birthday, and lastly, a delightful <span class="BlogChar"><span lang="EN-US">orange zest twist</span></span> for Uncle J’s birthday. This would be a recipe that I would bake again and again. One that I would turn to if I ever needed to produce a fool-proof cake in a jiffy. </span></div><div style="color: #666666;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black;"><smallfrac m:val="off"><dispdef><lmargin m:val="0"><rmargin m:val="0"><defjc m:val="centerGroup"><wrapindent m:val="1440"><intlim m:val="subSup"><narylim m:val="undOvr"></narylim></intlim></wrapindent></defjc></rmargin></lmargin></dispdef></smallfrac></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Tips:</span></u></span></div><ul style="color: #666666; margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Make sure you use good quality butter (either SCS or Golden Churn) to make this cake – it makes all the difference. Butter should be at room temperature, i.e. it should leave an indentation when touched by fingertips but still feel firm. However, make sure your butter is not too soft or melted when you start or you may get uncooked layers in the cake.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">For the creaming step, I start by mixing the butter on its own first. Then add sugar, little by little. Start mixer medium, then high speed and beat about 8 minutes until light & fluffy. The batter should be cream-cheese colour, doubled in volume and feels light when scraped. </span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Eggs & milk should be at room temperature. Use Size M eggs which is between 52g to 59g with shell. 4 eggs (without shell) should yield about 200g. I add the eggs by big tablespoon at a time, rather than one egg at a time. Just an extra careful step to prevent curdling.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">I added the flour & milk alternately. ½ flour, ½ milk, ¼ flour, ½ milk and lastly ¼ flour. I added more flour (1/2) initially so that more flour is coated with batter & less of it will form gluten when mixed with milk which can make the cake tough & hard.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Final batter should be thick & fluffy, should drop from scoop at the count of 3.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">To ensure even heat distribution and to prevent doming in center, I use </span><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/08/baking-perfectly-even-cake-layer-cake.html"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">home-made cake strips</span></a><span class="BlogChar"><span lang="EN-US"> <span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">and </span></span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";"><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/08/flower-nail-to-prevent-doming-baking.html">flower nail</a>.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Before placing pan in oven, gently tap pan on countertop to remove air bubbles. Then, gently swirl the pan so that the batter rise slightly at the side, and not the center.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">To test for doneness, use a toothpick. Other signs include pulling from the sides and spring back on touch. I prefer to over bake slightly so that the sides are browned as well.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Most cake, including this one, actually tastes better after leaving it for half-a-day. So, plan your baking/serving time accordingly.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Future Improvements:</span></u></span></div><ul style="color: #666666; margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">If you noticed in my picture above, there’s a layer of transparent, uncooked layer at the bottom of the cake. I think it is because I put the cake pan on a baking sheet, and this cause uneven heat distribution. Next time, I will place the cake pan on open rack.</span></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New";">Slightly too sweet for my liking, I will reduce sugar further to 190g the next round. </span></span></li>
</ul><div style="color: #666666;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2094796393823563093"></a></div><blockquote style="color: #666666;"></blockquote><div style="color: #666666;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666;"><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-76631136901442768102011-08-10T22:08:00.000-07:002011-08-15T20:14:08.238-07:00Flower Nail to Prevent Doming - Baking Tip #2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypmS7mgS6oVi2ITBrH31VLRnecmtkfE693eRmyVcAciR-4_G-6duyb-95IjE9bpbDn4vo_mNkiBfg3TjonSq9GuHs8VtLGTFWLXG0ZV7GW_8nl6y8oGLnP390g58AxMW3oawXaP9zYDO0/s1600/Flower+Nail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgypmS7mgS6oVi2ITBrH31VLRnecmtkfE693eRmyVcAciR-4_G-6duyb-95IjE9bpbDn4vo_mNkiBfg3TjonSq9GuHs8VtLGTFWLXG0ZV7GW_8nl6y8oGLnP390g58AxMW3oawXaP9zYDO0/s200/Flower+Nail.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Flower nails are used to pipe icing flowers. For me, I use it in baking to prevent doming and unbaked cake center. Cake domed on top because the sides cook faster than the middle. So, when the middle portion cooks, there’s nowhere for it to go but up.<br />
<br />
Flower nail helps to conduct heat to the middle of the cake to bake it evenly, preventing the edges from cracking before the center is done. This is particularly helpful when baking larger cakes (8” and above). <br />
<br />
Here’s how to use a flower nail to prevent doming:<br />
<ol><li>Spray flower nail with cooking spray. </li>
<li>Place it upside down (head of nail touches pan bottom) in the middle of cake pan.</li>
<li>Pour in cake batter gently. If flower nail moves, adjust back to middle position. The flower nail will be submerged by batter. Bake as usual.</li>
<li>Cool cake for 5 – 10 minutes. Invert cake to wired racks. Remove the flower nail gently as it will be very hot. Invert cake back so that the tops are up. Flower nail may leave a small hole in the cake, but it would be covered once the cake is frosted.</li>
</ol><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbDlfHQPXNgvTSNq6EtXhJzWj9NIGgVFvGwLMICEnxTqy0yfi_8pRkEWCpJLsvEKuBQjaT9NMz3Od6Q_EkCmEjXxrnvLqEIBhGxCxHP5pFh5glMsXRmdgnwr8pUgiY1X7Yn3pQ3Am2cT9/s1600/Flower-Nail-jpeg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbDlfHQPXNgvTSNq6EtXhJzWj9NIGgVFvGwLMICEnxTqy0yfi_8pRkEWCpJLsvEKuBQjaT9NMz3Od6Q_EkCmEjXxrnvLqEIBhGxCxHP5pFh5glMsXRmdgnwr8pUgiY1X7Yn3pQ3Am2cT9/s640/Flower-Nail-jpeg.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here, I placed the flower nail right at the centre of the pan</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<b>Summary & Tips</b><br />
See my other tips to prevent doming:<br />
1. Use home-made cake strips<br />
2. Before putting in oven, gently swirl the pan so that the batter rise slightly at the side, and not the center.<br />
3. Bake at slightly lower temperature for longer time to prevent cake from rising rapidly and cracking.<br />
<br />
<i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-2789858998644509592011-08-02T21:05:00.000-07:002011-08-15T20:13:13.700-07:00Cake Strips for perfectly even cake layer - Baking Tip #1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3xoJMe2CnfO9eHDgjUhT6jMTMR6yNO7sY-7cQ_1QaxNlENDPYPdJmOt9cnUCC0i2evzF7FE4fbO44-B8dqCyvCSpLpP4iZlTkVYzubgcNJkK3DJZZP3tZg2xspP2cIBXnNf9nOg4ZOOP/s1600/cake-strips-commercial-JPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin3xoJMe2CnfO9eHDgjUhT6jMTMR6yNO7sY-7cQ_1QaxNlENDPYPdJmOt9cnUCC0i2evzF7FE4fbO44-B8dqCyvCSpLpP4iZlTkVYzubgcNJkK3DJZZP3tZg2xspP2cIBXnNf9nOg4ZOOP/s640/cake-strips-commercial-JPEG.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready made, commercial cake strips</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<smallfrac m:val="off"><dispdef><lmargin m:val="0"><rmargin m:val="0"><defjc m:val="centerGroup"><wrapindent m:val="1440"><intlim m:val="subSup"></intlim></wrapindent><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Cake strip is one of the best solutions. </span></defjc></rmargin></lmargin></dispdef></smallfrac><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Cake strip insulate the cake pan and allows the batter to bake evenly, resulting in a nice evenly baked cakes</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">You can buy them at bakery shops or purchase online, but they are not cheap. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-collapse: collapse; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; border-top: black 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; width: 728.6pt;" valign="top" width="971"><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Here’s how to do a home-made cake strip:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">1. Cut a 2-inch wide strip from an old heavy bath towel.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">2. Soak the strip in water and put in the fridge for at least 1 hour (I leave it overnight). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">3. Before filling pan with batter, wrap the strip tightly around the pan and secure with safety pin. Bake as usual. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">4. Remove the strip after cake has cooled and you should get perfectly even cake layers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2-qLt4b5RdEpnx7cAPwP63iUwzm2kpp9guX9tHQNtd-03_nH0t9GMyDNhmIwcy6NZYov7qPLOtOoUyZFktIAeW44s0Zf1ZGNMC2BDEaEXx0TcVX-f_G4S_4W8dIJYM0vCzKG0-GgcYhL/s1600/DIY-cake-strip-JPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2-qLt4b5RdEpnx7cAPwP63iUwzm2kpp9guX9tHQNtd-03_nH0t9GMyDNhmIwcy6NZYov7qPLOtOoUyZFktIAeW44s0Zf1ZGNMC2BDEaEXx0TcVX-f_G4S_4W8dIJYM0vCzKG0-GgcYhL/s640/DIY-cake-strip-JPEG.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My DIY cake strip with an old bath towel</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Tips</span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">I also do these to prevent doming in center of cake:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Use a flower nail. </span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Before putting in oven, gently swirl the pan so that the batter rise slightly at the side, and not the center.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Bake at slightly lower temperature for longer time to prevent cake from rising rapidly and cracking.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-20019541953670043052011-07-27T21:55:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:35:35.442-07:00Perfectly Rich Chocolate Ganache<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2094796393823563093"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEytijqBl-16WYPOp5xO-ig5m-7KHllYS3ySfTvZ-3IX4wsDZ-360UCR-9nhnO-C7zkaMrTpwQ9pQsWvvwmAyldI85l82ERegLbmtZswzDzh99hhyGHda5qax_fl7aNA5eLAcK0Cadz5p7/s1600/Chocolate-Ganache.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEytijqBl-16WYPOp5xO-ig5m-7KHllYS3ySfTvZ-3IX4wsDZ-360UCR-9nhnO-C7zkaMrTpwQ9pQsWvvwmAyldI85l82ERegLbmtZswzDzh99hhyGHda5qax_fl7aNA5eLAcK0Cadz5p7/s640/Chocolate-Ganache.gif" width="600" /> </a><br />
<div style="border-bottom: 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; padding-bottom: 2pt; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><div class="underline"><br />
</div></div><div class="PadderBetweenControlandBody"><span id="goog_1435652015"></span><span id="goog_1435652016"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span id="goog_970095985"></span><span id="goog_970095986"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">I use the following recipe to make the ganache for my </span><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/07/perfect-chocolate-cake-finally.html"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Perfect Chocolate Cake</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">.</span></a></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 4pt; padding-top: 1pt;"><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Chocolate Ganache</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">(from: my own<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">)</span></i></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Yield: enough to frost & fill a 2 layer 6’’ cake</span></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></i></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
<span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">160g of good quality chocolate (i use 100g of 70% Lindt and 60g of Hershey’s SemiSweet Choc Chips)</span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">180g of heavy cream (i use Paul’s Thickened Cream 35%)</span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">27g of unsalted butter</span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">1. Chop chocolate to small equal size bits so that it is easier to melt.</span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">2. Place </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">chocolate</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> in a large and wide, heatproof bowl. </span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">3. In a small saucepan, on medium heat, bring heavy cream & butter to a boil (until bubbles break on surface). Turn down heat and slow boil for one minute. Stir often, making sure the cream does not burn. </span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">4. Immediately remove cream from the heat and pour over chocolate all at once. The cream must cover all of the chocolate. DO NOT STIR. Let mixture sit for 2-4 mins until chocolate starts to melt. </span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">5. Stir mixture with rubber spatula until thoroughly combined. </span><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehG7UShEbRKtrf_iKis3R_LPWuYvM74adIyEVfId7R3DoXLRjD-eYBdR_ys7JVHqSs2gHTJguN6g4qLV7Mm73wfL0sWNv2_cjcUcfRBpdRIXuub1HX7L4CGAOxd9DCa9Sf4gYy6OQ_hZA/s1600/3-ingredients.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjehG7UShEbRKtrf_iKis3R_LPWuYvM74adIyEVfId7R3DoXLRjD-eYBdR_ys7JVHqSs2gHTJguN6g4qLV7Mm73wfL0sWNv2_cjcUcfRBpdRIXuub1HX7L4CGAOxd9DCa9Sf4gYy6OQ_hZA/s640/3-ingredients.gif" width="560" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span> <span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://www.confectionaffection.net/ekmps/shops/canet/images/lindt-excellence-70-dark-chocolate-100g-1428-p.png"><span style="color: #333333; text-decoration: none;"></span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Tips:</span></u></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Heavy cream (UK), heavy whipping cream (US) and thickened cream (Australia) all refers to the same thing and can be used to make ganache. Choose one with 35-40% butterfat. </span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Try not to use a deep bowl to place the chocolate because it will take longer for the chocolate to melt. A large, wide bowl is the best choice.<b> </b></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">When mixing cream with chocolate, begin from the center in circles, and gradually widen it towards the edges of the bowl. Do not whip air into the mixture.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Classic ganache is a mixture of equal amounts of chocolate & cream, but since I am using dark chocolate (more than 60%), I increased the cream portion so that the ganache can set nicely on the cake.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Adding butter will make it a little glossier with a dark shiny glaze.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Ganache may take several hours to cool and set. Leave it uncovered for 1 hour, thereafter cover to prevent moisture loss.</span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Ganache has many uses.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">When warm and in liquid state, ganache can be poured over a cake for a smooth and shiny glaze. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIHhRfVlmlsNtr1JkOwios3uW9THjCz1zNUuTpHcUZDWlOSRUFz3xsE8jrdnn7fshZfECCYWOksvI3oW5DhssDAfjOzEngsb8y03VZlSaprYDXIvg0p6NfDdmGVb4hr5UK9Q0Su2kNPvM/s1600/choc-layer.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDIHhRfVlmlsNtr1JkOwios3uW9THjCz1zNUuTpHcUZDWlOSRUFz3xsE8jrdnn7fshZfECCYWOksvI3oW5DhssDAfjOzEngsb8y03VZlSaprYDXIvg0p6NfDdmGVb4hr5UK9Q0Su2kNPvM/s400/choc-layer.gif" width="379" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">When cooled to room temperature, it can be used for frosting and filling. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVMGr-1ZFO3Ijv3cWSxcbFTbkjiqvGkx8L82_EOO3E7HKKHmr-agSxCIf9RFbKmEySy6ttm5Obfd7ojnV0WzQrE8mEFGnSCsuJmbsdZC3B7xi_j727XCBt-1xl5lIEaEvID2J_OyzohZf/s1600/Double-layer-choc-cake_1175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVMGr-1ZFO3Ijv3cWSxcbFTbkjiqvGkx8L82_EOO3E7HKKHmr-agSxCIf9RFbKmEySy6ttm5Obfd7ojnV0WzQrE8mEFGnSCsuJmbsdZC3B7xi_j727XCBt-1xl5lIEaEvID2J_OyzohZf/s400/Double-layer-choc-cake_1175.jpg" width="400" /></a><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Leftover ganache can be refrigerated and be used to make chocolate truffles.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueik5i-pfAmY4X8yjHeSLpqYQIijnHYdFdOLekoYjWtGBq9w7FQ8SabTIInSkcXXA9Kh7XmtA9FCxxOwlX76SUgOIjEFFsQTMq_KJzwP5pgyqpPsVCIrWnT57jBxwqR9tZQqoyD3oiJVX/s1600/granche-ball.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueik5i-pfAmY4X8yjHeSLpqYQIijnHYdFdOLekoYjWtGBq9w7FQ8SabTIInSkcXXA9Kh7XmtA9FCxxOwlX76SUgOIjEFFsQTMq_KJzwP5pgyqpPsVCIrWnT57jBxwqR9tZQqoyD3oiJVX/s400/granche-ball.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-29147910289635146122011-07-08T19:40:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:35:57.761-07:00Perfect Chocolate Cake - Finally<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsZRrew4Ww2OLS1QR3oHdQw8EB_804mOx8GkihmT70ETJkG0Wqrr9TWvuZKsYVVicWCYDW59LFzvvJtX1HcAX5kuDKFES2fQxPWM_QVEYjTAzgocQTX76CPD1-sYI0K3N5S-jIDHuRTvn/s1600/Hersy-American-Choc-cake-2nd-attempt.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsZRrew4Ww2OLS1QR3oHdQw8EB_804mOx8GkihmT70ETJkG0Wqrr9TWvuZKsYVVicWCYDW59LFzvvJtX1HcAX5kuDKFES2fQxPWM_QVEYjTAzgocQTX76CPD1-sYI0K3N5S-jIDHuRTvn/s1600/Hersy-American-Choc-cake-2nd-attempt.png" /></a></div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2094796393823563093"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><smallfrac m:val="off"><dispdef><lmargin m:val="0"><rmargin m:val="0"><defjc m:val="centerGroup"><wrapindent m:val="1440"><intlim m:val="subSup"><narylim m:val="undOvr"></narylim></intlim></wrapindent></defjc></rmargin></lmargin></dispdef></smallfrac><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HkTKCxea4hBI084NAXg8FdOtqzVG3t0c-WR6RbA4nmD_ByMaQirHKVXC9JHciCeW7iCt4hfs7XVvaCdLaRgwS7GbrX6bbTDXSKJTtMLOOsinuylZbRdyQalVsaVDk2B-jKK194u_NuS3/s1600/American-Chocolate-Cake-Main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_HkTKCxea4hBI084NAXg8FdOtqzVG3t0c-WR6RbA4nmD_ByMaQirHKVXC9JHciCeW7iCt4hfs7XVvaCdLaRgwS7GbrX6bbTDXSKJTtMLOOsinuylZbRdyQalVsaVDk2B-jKK194u_NuS3/s640/American-Chocolate-Cake-Main.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">In my 2<sup>nd</sup> attempt to bake the perfect chocolate cake, I decided to move away from typical “moist choc cake” recipe in which everything is mixed together into one bowl before baking. After much research (lots of it) and recommendation from fellow bakers, I decided to try Rose Levy Beranbaum (The Cake Bible)’s Perfect All-American Chocolate Butter Cake. A wise decision, if you continue reading.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">I am making this for Father’s Day celebration with my relatives, and since this is my first attempt on this recipe, I kept my fingers crossed that it will turn out good, or at least edible. No trial run for this recipe.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">In studying the recipe closely and comparing it with the recipe from my </span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com/2011/06/hershey-black-magic-cake-sorry-kiddo.html">1<sup>st</sup></a> attempt</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> (<i>Hershey’s Black Magic Cake, sorry kiddo</i>), the RLB recipe uses butter as fat, and not oil, in which the former produces a more dense cake with buttery texture. Yum Yum!</span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Also, unlike the traditional method of creaming butter & sugar, RLB method is slightly different, more of a cake box mix method - where dry ingredients are mixed first, followed by butter, and lastly addition of eggs to build the cake structure. Am quite nervous actually as I am more comfortable with the creaming method – somehow seeing the mixture of butter & sugar fluff up gives me some confidence that everything is gonna turn out fine. Nevertheless, recipes from The Cake Bible are always worth a try.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">I decided to do a chocolate ganache for frosting and also filling, with sliced banana between the layers (Rose’s recipe suggested neoclassic buttercream).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 4pt; padding-top: 1pt;"><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">Perfect All-American Chocolate Butter Cake</span></b></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">(from: Rose Levy Beranbaum, <i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-style: normal;">The Cake Bible</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Courier New";">)</span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"></span></i></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Note: I halved the proportions of everything**, and baked in (2) 6’’ pan. </span></i></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Also converted everything to weight, as to me, it is the most accurate method of measuring.</span></i></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">**I later discovered that pan substitution is not as simple - you can’t just half all the ingredients and bake in smaller pans. Adjustment has to be made for amount of baking powder. See my other post on </span></i><i><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">baking powder proportions</span></u></i><i><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;"> for different cake size.</span></i></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">2.25 oz or 1/2 c + 3 T unsweetened cocoa powder (lightly spooned into cup)</span><span lang="EN" style="color: #0070c0; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><b><u><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">63g</span></u></b><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;"> </span></b><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">(I use Van Houten dutch-processed cocoa powder)</span></i><u><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;"></span></u></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">8.25 oz or 1 liquid c boiling water <b><u>236g</u></b></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">5.25 oz or 3 large eggs (weighed without shells) <b><u>150g</u> </b><i>(yes, i do weigh my eggs for accuracy!)</i></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">2 1/4 t vanilla <b><u>9g</u></b></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">8.25 oz or 2 1/4 c +2 T sifted cake flour <b><u>237g</u></b></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">10.5 oz or 1 1/2 c sugar <b><u>300g</u> </b><i>(I reduced to 280g)</i></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">1 T baking powder <b><u>15g</u></b></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">3/4 t salt <b><u>5g</u></b></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">8 oz or 1 c unsalted butter <b><u>227g</u><i> </i></b><i>(I use SCS butter)</i></span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><i><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">All ingredients should be at room temperature, except boiling water.</span></b></i><i><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif";"></span></b></i></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Prepare cake pans: (2) 8″ or 9″ cake pans – grease the pan, line bottom with parchment paper and grease the paper. Flour pans.</span></i><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;"></span></div><ol><li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Cool to room temperature.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">In another bowl, lightly combine eggs, 1/4 of the cocoa mixture and vanilla.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low-speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining cocoa mixture. Mix on low-speed until the dry ingredients are moistened.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Increase to medium speed (high-speed if using a hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Scrape down the sides.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients and strengthen the structure. Scrape down the sides.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Scrape the batter into prepared pans and smooth the surface with a spatula. The pans will be about 1/2 full.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Bake 25 -35 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. The cakes should start to shrink from the sides of the pans only after removal from the oven.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Let the cakes cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and invert onto greased wire racks. To prevent splitting, reinvert so that the tops are up and then cool them completely before wrapping them airtight. Finished cakes will be about 1 1/2″ tall.</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">Store airtight: 2 days room temperature, 5 days refrigerated, 2 months frozen. Texture is most perfectly moist the same day as baking.</span></li>
</ol><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">(Frosting and Filling)</span></b></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">Perfectly Rich Chocolate Ganache </span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 9pt;">(<u>recipe here</u>)</span></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">Sliced Ripe Banana for filling</span></b></div><div style="background: white; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 0cm; padding-right: 0cm; padding-top: 0cm;"><b><span lang="EN" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New";">Toasted Walnuts for topping</span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Tips:</span></u></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Flouring pan for chocolate cake – use 1/3 flour and 2/3 cocoa powder. Mix & sift together. Then, sprinkle 2 tablespoon on pan using a strainer. Turn the pan upside down to tap out excess.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">For step (2) in the recipe, after whisking cocoa powder and boiling water, cover the mixture to prevent evaporation of moisture, otherwise you will get a dry cake.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">I add the eggs by big tablespoon at a time, rather than one egg at a time. Just an extra careful step to prevent curdling.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Do read your recipe carefully, “Sifted cake flour” means Sift, then measure. “Cake flour, sifted” means Measure, then sift. “Sifted cake flour” yields less flour.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Ensure you select the correct type of cocoa powder for your choc cake. Some recipes require dutch-processed, whereas some others use natural unsweetened.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> Read </span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">here</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">I use </span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">home-made cake strips</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> to ensure even heat distribution and to prevent doming in center.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Before placing pan in oven, gently tap pan on countertop to remove air bubbles. Then, gently swirl the pan so that the batter rise slightly at the side, and not the center.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Make sure you use good quality dark choc for the </span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">ganache</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"> – it makes all the difference.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Future Improvements:</span></u></div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">My cake turn out rather short, less than 1”. After much post-research, I discovered that I need to use more baking powder for smaller pans. Find out why </span><u><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">here</span></u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">.</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #595959;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">More bananas! Will use 2 layers of banana the next round to make it taller. Also, i left some gaps between bananas. Next round, will ensure the bananas fill the layer completely. </span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #595959; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10pt;">Other than that, I think it is quite a success. I do like it! Everyone loves it (including my dad)! The rich chocolate cake combined with heavenly ganache gives a melt-in-mouth feel. The best part - it is not too overly sweet. Banana filling also goes very well with the cake. This recipe is a keeper and I will definitely make it again. It’s a great Father’s Day after all! Happy celebrating everyone!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxqHmL8wxnUyEltu57VIjApTWAU8EVKRJNsQUPSAJ4fzkHV0Ed6K34Pp14j2AE7_1YD1EjMgzPg38wcYOCUKDyavrfnegL7Sn3ANCAuWoz8XkN8v_VJBzd1JXJFGsMdQbS67iQyKI1lK1/s1600/American-choc-cake-3-pic-compilation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="840" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxqHmL8wxnUyEltu57VIjApTWAU8EVKRJNsQUPSAJ4fzkHV0Ed6K34Pp14j2AE7_1YD1EjMgzPg38wcYOCUKDyavrfnegL7Sn3ANCAuWoz8XkN8v_VJBzd1JXJFGsMdQbS67iQyKI1lK1/s640/American-choc-cake-3-pic-compilation.jpg" width="560" /></a></div></div><br />
<i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-68216794370945114952011-07-07T03:22:00.000-07:002011-07-07T03:39:01.223-07:00Spangish Sandwich<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2094796393823563093"></a> <br />
<blockquote></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissQtKRZaUuBCRkAHtJP-OFfZjCIxzbFCoxJ1wHlOL2_5JvW4uT8vuYLaAQTiFzooFG0G2ix2bJU0ggKwubusLmlOnPmaj_1JrWZXjy3A4JbBgig9GlirDLbRQHcETA0aCiUNL6uQmi85n/s1600/spangish-sandwhich-Final4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJ97MCnRBWdpOIqLI3sKFo9FNPKNusQJFjdAl5S2BhG_YOrNI3NSTDO_RuSKd9a4qqamAGmyVcXdp6DttxNVN0S_pVWTfJgNZMJ4lfJOOEbd3epwmjUvkS99XhIXuesy-pUfL-WffGk2z/s1600/spangish-sandwhich-Fina5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="568" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPJ97MCnRBWdpOIqLI3sKFo9FNPKNusQJFjdAl5S2BhG_YOrNI3NSTDO_RuSKd9a4qqamAGmyVcXdp6DttxNVN0S_pVWTfJgNZMJ4lfJOOEbd3epwmjUvkS99XhIXuesy-pUfL-WffGk2z/s640/spangish-sandwhich-Fina5.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This is the sandwich that steals the thunder from Adam Sandler in the movie "Spangish".<br />
<br />
Created by Thomas Keller, this is a variant of the popular BLT sandwich (bacon, lettuce and tomato) added with fried egg; and grilled cheese. <br />
<br />
After making it for the very first time, I believed how the egg is cooked is probably matter the most, the egg yolk must be 'running' and as such it is able to bind of the ingredient together to give a mouth flavorful bite. My first attempt was a 'well-done' fried egg, it still taste good!<br />
<br />
Original recipe below<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients </b><br />
<i>3-4 slices of bacon <br />
2 slices of Monterey Jack cheese <br />
2 slices of toasted rustic country loaf<br />
1 tbsp of mayo <br />
4 tomato slices <br />
2 leaves of butter lettuce <br />
1 teaspoon butter <br />
1 egg </i><br />
<ol></ol><br />
<div class="content extended"><b>Preparation:</b><br />
<ol><li>Cook the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels </li>
<li>Place slices of cheese on one side of toasted bread. Place in toaster oven or under broiler to melt. </li>
<li>Spread mayo on other slice of bread top with bacon, sliced tomato, and lettuce </li>
<li>On non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Fry egg, turning over briefly when the bottom is set (keep yolk runny) </li>
<li>Slide finished egg on top of lettuce, top with other slice of bread (cheese-side down genius) </li>
<li>Place sandwich on plate and slice in half, letting yolk run down sandwich </li>
</ol><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDzmfE5WfHtl8ZXlZwfHC7qNLMfBBskPSRVa25TFGXFhch2UrCY77fcQY5hcWs6LYcPdi3HboGt5t4fukYLDGGalpV78bR0HX-LygvP3vrpUTyET_3j6_fCQ6AhCRjms_ZIyFGG-UkR8e/s1600/Spangish-Sandwhich_Final3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDzmfE5WfHtl8ZXlZwfHC7qNLMfBBskPSRVa25TFGXFhch2UrCY77fcQY5hcWs6LYcPdi3HboGt5t4fukYLDGGalpV78bR0HX-LygvP3vrpUTyET_3j6_fCQ6AhCRjms_ZIyFGG-UkR8e/s640/Spangish-Sandwhich_Final3.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 Future improvements are not to fried the egg till well done, and the egg should be placed on top of the lettuce</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
</div><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-45550125866901290752011-06-22T23:18:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:36:32.162-07:00Hershey Black Magic Cake, sorry Kiddo!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGBDT5a7zA9EaXq0wBXvpQl1WF0hIBFpVcbZkmHWHjaPxBmE1Bpq0fiRPwYbr546ynfJyJLFD8onIT82clf9VyL8rBuCSVZyv7SRpM8s1Y_Qq0v9oRszuusHiyETAXRq38wq_WD9pfKFy/s1600/hers-black-magic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnGBDT5a7zA9EaXq0wBXvpQl1WF0hIBFpVcbZkmHWHjaPxBmE1Bpq0fiRPwYbr546ynfJyJLFD8onIT82clf9VyL8rBuCSVZyv7SRpM8s1Y_Qq0v9oRszuusHiyETAXRq38wq_WD9pfKFy/s700/hers-black-magic.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvDJzEsaxmqYiE-CRit-k8A9-J_rAd6jP2w6zBob5aByOtf9Uke4xDvcwX0vIDm-FPijzGGONmehD76Et0MW6Qcf3WlUHmnocwtmyVfeuYC4hjm5701rsR9mwxMqek07qIyRsH57YTbsrX/s1600/hers-black-magic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Sorry Kiddo, magic not working this time!<br />
<br />
I kind of modified the ingredients from the original recipe. But know what, the magic wasn't happening. <br />
<br />
I replaced all purpose flour + Baking powder with self-raising flour. I also do without baking soda because I am using a dutch processed chocolate which has been alkalized. The original recipe uses Hershey chocolate which is acidic and needs baking soda to alkalized it. <br />
<br />
My cake turned out to be rather 'short" (flat) and very compact. Worst, once it cuts (got to cut and try anywhere), two separate layers are clearly visible which indicates that the inner part was not well baked as the outer part.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUhhgFKnQjd4ezax1fFn3L9cWsE79rcdETSO6uwUnP4uxWv8z5lSXYlpp5tG7dIhiJRY-EcEyGrhMO4QGGP7BrSj6uEztP-yiPKAsDNx1zDYItQsztUT32XMozJuCxpWxpQUW2RdAzwBb/s1600/Hersy-Coffee-cake-went-bad_0986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGUhhgFKnQjd4ezax1fFn3L9cWsE79rcdETSO6uwUnP4uxWv8z5lSXYlpp5tG7dIhiJRY-EcEyGrhMO4QGGP7BrSj6uEztP-yiPKAsDNx1zDYItQsztUT32XMozJuCxpWxpQUW2RdAzwBb/s640/Hersy-Coffee-cake-went-bad_0986.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over and under baked cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
What did I learnt? Honestly, It is difficult for me to reproduce the final cake the way it should by following the recipe as diligently as I could, let alone to modified the original recipe! Lesson well learn.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61EaMm0wqLSEEULW0ymJGl7voJvu7AcQIRHaGp9wL0qYP89pe-5ItXTF54MhWFEflajA0EVh9sluNr-TF8NnCzaZ3W8kRDFnuarXKGGV755KIwM_h7VUypniGTGHxLZZAO320oqJuC8Lw/s1600/Hersy-Coffee-cake-went-bad_whole-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61EaMm0wqLSEEULW0ymJGl7voJvu7AcQIRHaGp9wL0qYP89pe-5ItXTF54MhWFEflajA0EVh9sluNr-TF8NnCzaZ3W8kRDFnuarXKGGV755KIwM_h7VUypniGTGHxLZZAO320oqJuC8Lw/s640/Hersy-Coffee-cake-went-bad_whole-cake.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magic lost in the translation</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
The Hershey's Black Magic Cake is <a href="http://www.hersheys.com/recipes/4754/Black%20Magic%20Cake.aspx">here</a>, reproduce below:<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
* 2 cups sugar<br />
* 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
* 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa<br />
* 2 teaspoons baking soda<br />
* 1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
* 1 teaspoon salt<br />
* 2 eggs<br />
* 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk*<br />
* 1 cup strong black coffee OR <br />
2 teaspoons powdered instant coffee plus 1 cup boiling water<br />
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Directions<br />
<br />
1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.<br />
<br />
2 Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (Batter will be thin). Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.<br />
<br />
3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost as desired. Yields 10 to 12 servings.<br />
<br />
* To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=2094796393823563093"></a><br />
<blockquote></blockquote><i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-59888836042345209212011-06-14T10:35:00.000-07:002011-06-23T11:04:37.548-07:00Japchae - Stir Fry Starch Noodles with Vegetables<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6nOmC8ocpFw60g_O3VoQ8uzDC5IWbdgNFqwr1sLV_HZ99ogypQUOufbcZi16p4O50m0PavSFE3iJQXcB6Fw58v6AkSac6dpqeChow7esdYRBvSpE5uVJXmpqzvub_jxGmH2bAHo-jYzg/s1600/Japchae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit6nOmC8ocpFw60g_O3VoQ8uzDC5IWbdgNFqwr1sLV_HZ99ogypQUOufbcZi16p4O50m0PavSFE3iJQXcB6Fw58v6AkSac6dpqeChow7esdYRBvSpE5uVJXmpqzvub_jxGmH2bAHo-jYzg/s640/Japchae.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
A second attempt cooking korean dish.<br />
<br />
The English translation is bit off because strictly speaking, this is not a stir fry dish. First the noodles are cooked in a hot water, just like cooking spaghetti. This follow by blanching spinach, rinse with cold water and seasoning with soy source and sesame oil.<br />
<br />
The next step is a quick stir fried of carrot, scallion, fresh mushroom and onion separately in a hot pan. Lastly, stir fry the beef with shitake mushrooms.<br />
<br />
Each of these ingredient then mix thoroughly with the noodles with soy source, sugar and sesame oil<br />
<br />
It was quite fun to make such a dish. It is fast to make, very colorful and appetizing.<br />
<br />
So how was my dish? Well it turned up well - all the vegetables and the meats were flavorful. except the noodles which was a bit plain tasting.<br />
<br />
I like this dish. The only down side finding the starch noodle, which price is slightly on the high side.<br />
<br />
Will definitely try again.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF6BFuDaeL5h68RbFfN6u0Mxr-dMaqsFpqaZ9GkxrjAjGyivMME-UyY13eNjJ06BUsLl58vm-QgtTM1KWDd7UxpDRI9Q4JqruQm0zinUmm3zqkoKFnMEZWZCb9Kq2bOWFUX7aVaTUlVrl/s1600/Japchae-1st-try.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF6BFuDaeL5h68RbFfN6u0Mxr-dMaqsFpqaZ9GkxrjAjGyivMME-UyY13eNjJ06BUsLl58vm-QgtTM1KWDd7UxpDRI9Q4JqruQm0zinUmm3zqkoKFnMEZWZCb9Kq2bOWFUX7aVaTUlVrl/s640/Japchae-1st-try.jpg" width="600" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My fist Japchae in which I used chicken instead of beef</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Full recipe by maangchi is <a href="http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/japchae">here</a><br />
<br />
<i>© copyright fiddling with recipe 2011</i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2094796393823563093.post-58066131885181513102011-06-14T01:51:00.000-07:002011-06-23T10:55:02.125-07:00First Korean Dish - BiBimBap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwxvJ9zY1wU6iPQu36bjp2j167GZWSYHDdvrUdEwLPwKDABgc-T-vrE8GX5sacP0OckCbCU1sO9isUbBLslI-KXQH8kiQF-Fgt6Km6fcoJoV75RB1_w1KRQYUYhu-uf809BK2Uk92HYtz/s1600/bibimbap-final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWwxvJ9zY1wU6iPQu36bjp2j167GZWSYHDdvrUdEwLPwKDABgc-T-vrE8GX5sacP0OckCbCU1sO9isUbBLslI-KXQH8kiQF-Fgt6Km6fcoJoV75RB1_w1KRQYUYhu-uf809BK2Uk92HYtz/s640/bibimbap-final.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
After watching the cooking demo and being totally convinced by her, I tried making Bibimbap by maangchi and my plate turned out just all right ( i.e. edible) at best.<br />
<br />
The spinach is a bit too wet as I did not squeezed the water out the way it should. Too much of the sesame oil too!<br />
<br />
And the dish's signature Kosari was missing! May be that explains my rather plain testing dish. But apart from that, other fresh vegetables were holding up well.<br />
<br />
Overall BiBimBap is easy to prepared and filled with generous fresh green, it is quite healthy too! Apart from Kosari, all the ingredients are easily available and are inexpensive.<br />
<br />
Will try again soon.<br />
<br />
The full recipe from maangchi is <a href="http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/bibimbap">here</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><hr /> <a href="http://recipefiddling.blogspot.com">Recipe Fiddling</a></div>****************************http://www.blogger.com/profile/14625559810983663368noreply@blogger.com1