One Bowl Chocolate Cake

This recipe is a keeper and is one of the moistest chocolate cake I've ever made, and it's so so simple!

I suggest watching this video to see how Donna Hay wraps the tin for easy removal of the cake.

If you're planning to eat it not long after it's been baked, then just refrigerate for 1-2 hours to firm it up. However if you are planning to make ahead of time, then just leave it to cool on the counter until you are ready to eat it.

Keeping it too long in the fridge will make the cake rock hard. 

Best eaten with whipped soft cream.

Ingredients

125g butter, chopped

375g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup (175g) brown sugar

¼ cup (35g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup (120g) almond meal (ground almonds)

5 eggs

cocoa, for dusting

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (325°F).
2. Place the butter and chocolate in a medium sized bowl and either microwave in short bursts until melted or melt in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
3. Into this bowl, add the sugar, flour, milk and almond meal and mix to combine with a spatula.
4. Add the eggs in and mix well.
5. Pour mixture into a greased 22cm round springform tin lined with non-stick baking paper.
6. Cover the tin with aluminium foil and bake for 40 minutes.
7. Uncover and cool in the tin.
8. Dust with cocoa and serve with cream and berries.

Oat, Raisin & Chocolate Chip Cookie

Been looking out for a Oat & Raisin Cookie, and this recipe from Donna Hay is a keeper.

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 175g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of (baking) soda
• 2 cups rolled oats
• ¼ cup raisins
• 150g dark chocolate, chopped
• 
  

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). I used a turbo fan setting.

Place both the sugars, vanilla, butter and egg in the bowl of a food processor and process until well combined. 

Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda and oats and process until combined. 

Add the raisins and chocolate and using a spoon, mix to combine. 

Roll 1 tablespoon of dough at a time into balls and place on baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper, leaving room to spread. 

Bake for 10–12 minutes or until golden. Cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 24.

Recipe : Blueberry Muffins & Chocolate-Banana Muffins

Donna Hay's tagline for her recipes are - fast, fresh and simple!

And that's exactly what her blueberry muffins are.

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

2½ cups (375g) Self-Raising flour - sifted
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 cup (220g) Caster Sugar
½ cup (125ml) Vegetable Oil
1 Egg
½ cup (125ml) Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
300gm Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Granulated Sugar for Sprinkling - optional

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). 
2. Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl. 
3. Place the oil, egg, milk and vanilla in a separate bowl and whisk to combine. 
4. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the blueberries and mix to combine. 
5. Spoon mixture into a 12-hole ½-cup capacity (125ml) muffin tin lined with paper patty cases. 
6. Sprinkle the tops with sugar and bake for 30–35 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. 
7. Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.

The entire recipe probably took me only 15 minutes or less to prepare. How awesome is that!

This was my first time baking anything with blueberries.
Tip : Use frozen berries instead of fresh. They taste better!
Tip : If you don't have muffin cases, use big size cupcake cases, you'll get about 16 muffins.

Few days later I bought some bananas and voila!

Chocolate-Banana Muffins

And I thought this tasted even better than the blueberry muffins.

Donna even has a simple video that you can follow along if you're not too confident in baking. But trust me, it's really simple to do!
 

Stash from BBW Sale : The Oprah Magazine Cookbook @ RM25

A must get book with recipes from especially all the celebrity chefs that appear on The Oprah Winfrey's Show.

Recipe : Chocolate Ice-Cream (with egg)

This is a slightly more complicated recipe compared to the Chocolate Ice-Cream (without egg) one. But it's worth the trouble, trust me.

To make this classic, use good quality chocolate to give the best flavour.

Serves 6.

Got this recipe from 500 Delicious Desserts Book.

Ingredients:
750ml / 3 cups milk
10cm / 4inch piece of vanilla pod
4 Egg Yolks
150gm / 5 oz or 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
225gm / 8oz Dark (bittersweet) Chocolate, melted
* If Milk Chocolate is used rather than Dark Chocolate, you'll get a very sweet ice-cream. Too sweet for my taste buds. Good quality bittersweet dark chocolate is best!

Method:
1. To make the custard, heat the milk with the vanilla pod in a small pan. Remove from the heat as soon as small bubbles start to form. Do not boil. 

2. Beat the egg yolks with a wire whisk or electric beater. Gradually incorporate the sugar, and continue beating for about 5 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow. Strain the milk, and slowly add it to the egg mixture, drop by drop.

3. Pour the mixture into a double boiler with the melted chocolate. Stir over moderate heat until the water in the pan is boiling, and the custard thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

4. Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and let it mix till thickened. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If you would like a firmer consistency, place them into a container and in the freezer for 2 hours.

5. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, after point 4 - Pour mixture into a freezer container and freeze until set, about 3 hours. Remove from the container and chop roughly into 3 inch pieces. Place in a bowl of a food processor and process till smooth. Return to the freezer container, and freeze again until firm. Repeat the freezing-chopping process 2 or 3 times until a smooth consistency is reached, then freeze until it is to be served.

I don't have a picture of this ice-cream cos we walloped it before I could manage to snap one. =p

Perfect Gift

Mum got me this book on her last trip to Singapore. A book just on desserts!! The perfect gift!

I've tried out 2 recipes from this book so far, the chocolate ice-cream and vanilla ice-cream and they both turn out perfect! (ah, just realised I've not posted the recipe for the chocolate ice-cream from this book).

Saw this book and variations of it at the Big Bad Wolf Sale, going for really cheap prices. If you are looking out for good recipes book, one with recipes that actually turn out well, this is definitely the range to go for.

I've recently looked through this book again and marked out the recipes that I want to try out next. Stay tune for that!

Stash from BBW Sale : Mediterranean, Food of the Sun @ RM8

Got this book thinking mainly of Z =p She loves experimenting new cuisine and has made quite a few Middle Eastern dishes. This is a really thick book filled with healthy, hearty, light meal, and only at RM8.

Recipe : Maryland Chocolate Chip Cookies

These delicate cookies are quickly and easily made and taste distinctly better than any shop-bought version. Using ready-toasted chopped hazelnuts can save even more time. 

Ingredients:
4oz / 110g Dark Chocolate Chips - good quality
1 Vanilla Pod
4oz / 110g Soft Butter - good quality (I use either Tatura or Anchor)
4oz / 110g Light Soft Brown Sugar
1 Medium Egg
2oz / 50g Toasted Hazelnuts - chopped
3oz / 75g Plain Wholemeal Flour

Method:
- Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius.
- Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

1. Begin by splitting the vanilla pod lengthways and, using the end of a teaspoon or a small sharp knife, scoop out the seeds.

2. Put the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy.

3. Beat in the egg and vanilla seeds before adding the remaining ingredients, then stir until thoroughly mixed.

4. Take spoonfuls of the dough, sufficient to form small rounds about the size of a walnut, then arrange them, well spaced out on the baking trays. (You will find it easier to bake one batch at a time).

5. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies turn golden color and feel firm in the centre when slightly pressed. Once baked, remove from baking sheets with a palette knife. Cool them on a wire rack and when cold, store in an airtight container.

* Makes about 60 small cookies or 30 big cookies.
** The dough will spread out quite a bit while baking.

Stash from BBW Sale : Grill @ RM8

Another steal at the BBW Sale. Will come in handy now that we have a BBQ grill at home, thanks to my lovely mum who got the grill for me.

Sweet Treats

Source

 

Just made a batch of chocolate ice-cream cos mum was saying how nice it would be to have a  scoop of ice-cream after a hot and spicy Indian meal. 

With the ice-cream maker that mum bought me, it took oh no longer than 15 minutes to prep the ingredients and dump it into the magical maker.

And voila! A tin of ice-cream is in the fridge, ready for snacking!

Recipe : Hazelnut "melt in your mouth" Cookies

2 batches of this 'melt in your mouth' cookies just fresh out of the oven for Christmas. I love simple and yet great tasting cookies. This recipe is mum's genius invention, also published in her second book, Heritage Cookbook.

Ingredients:

175 grams Salted Butter

75 grams Icing Sugar

125 grams Plain Flour

75 grams Cormflour

50 grams Ground Hazelnut

75 grams Roasted & Chopped Hazelnuts

Method:

1. Mix plain flour, cornflour and ground hazelnut together in a medium sized bowl.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. (tip : use good butter like Anchor or Tatura, the quality of your butter determines the quality and taste of your cookies)
3. Mix in the dry ingredients, followed by the chopped hazelnuts.
4. Keep mixture in the fridge (not freezer) to firm up a little.
5. Remove from fridge, make small balls and flatten a little with a fork.
6. Bake for 15 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius.
7. Remove and cool on rack.

* makes about 64 good sized cookies per batch.

Recipe : Simple Chocolate Ice-Cream (without egg)

I've made this recipe twice and both times it vanished from the freezer in just a couple of days.

A simple ice-cream which takes only 15 minutes to prepare. A must-try for everyone who loves to bake and loves it easy and fast.

Ingredients:
1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
*I used Hershey brand
2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups whole Milk
3 1/4 cups Heavy Cream
*I used Anchor Whipping Cream
1 tbsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Method:
1. Place the cocoa and sugars in a medium bowl, stir to combine.

2. Add the whole milk and use a hand mixer on low speed or whisk with a balloon whisk to combine until the cocoa and sugars are dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.

3. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.

4. If not freezing immediately, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and let it mix till thickened. The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If you would like a firmer consistency, place them into a container and in the freezer for 2 hours.

6. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, after point 4 - Pour mixture into a freezer container and freeze until set, about 3 hours. Remove from the container and chop roughly into 3 inch pieces. Place in a bowl of a food processor and process till smooth. Return to the freezer container, and freeze again until firm. Repeat the freezing-chopping process 2 or 3 times until a smooth consistency is reached, then freeze until it is to be served.

Use good cocoa powder and heavy cream for a better taste.

This recipe makes about fourteen 1/2 cup servings.

Recipe : Classic Vanilla Ice-Cream

Nothing beats the creamy simplicity of true vanilla ice-cream. Vanilla pods are expensive, I paid about RM25.90 for 2 pods, but well worth buying for the superb flavour they impart.

This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 Vanilla Pod
300ml / 1/2 pint / 1 1/4 cup Milk
*the original recipe states to use semi-skimmed (low-fat) milk but I just used regular full cream milk
4 Egg Yolks
75gm / 3oz / 6 tbsp Caster Sugar (superfine)
5ml / 1 tsp Cornflour
300ml / 1/2 pint / 1 1/4 cup Double (heavy) cream
*I used Anchor whipping cream

Method:
1. Using a small knife, slit the vanilla pod lengthways. Pour the milk into a heavy pan, add the vanilla pod and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and leave for 15 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.

2. Lift the vanilla pod and scrape the black seeds out of the pod with a small knife and add them back into the pan of milk. Bring the milk back to a boil.

3. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl until the mixture is thick and foamy. You may either use a balloon whisk or an electric mixer (I used a balloon whisk and it took less than 5 minutes to whip it up). Gradually pour in the hot milk, whisking constantly.

4. Return the mixture to the pan and cook over gentle heat, stirring constantly.

5. When the custard is thick and smooth, pour it back into the bowl. Be careful not to overcook the custard as it burns easily in the pan.

6. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge.

7. Whip the cream until it has thickened but still falls from a spoon. Fold it into the custard and pour into a freezer container. Freeze for 6 hours or until firm enough to scoop, beating twice with a fork or in a food processor.

8. Alternatively if you have an ice-cream maker, you can skip step 7. Stir the cream into the custard and churn the mixture in an ice-cream mixer until thick. If the consistency is not as desired, freeze for a couple more hours.

9. Serve scooped into bowls or cones.

White Chocolate Truffles

I made this for the first time last December for my parents' 29th anniversary. It's the easiest dessert to make, and it doesn't require any baking!

Inspired by Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa.

Ingredients

2 tbsps Heavy Cream or Whipping Cream
7 ounces Good White Chocolate - chopped
*you can get 1kg of Selbourne chocolate for under RM15*
2 tbsps Baileys
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 cup Chopped Hazelnuts - lighty roasted
6 ounces Bittersweet or Dark Chocolate

Method

1. Place the cream in a heat-proof bowl, and set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. This is also otherwise known as double boiling.
2. Cook until heated through. Using a wire whisk, slowly stir the white chocolate into the warm cream until completely melted. 
3. Whisk in the liqueur and vanilla. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until pliable but firm enough to scoop.
4. With 2 teaspoons or a melon scoop, make dollops of the chocolate mixture and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Refrigerate for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll into rough spheres.
6. Melt the bittersweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, set over a pan of simmering water.
7. Drizzle the melted bittersweet chocolate over 10 of the truffles. Roll the remaining truffles in the chopped nuts. 
8. Chill until ready to serve.

This makes about 20 truffles. 

You could also roll the truffles in hazelnut and top it with drizzle bittersweet chocolate.

Best served with a cup of good coffee. Try this the next time you want to whip up an easy dessert without much effort. You surely will not be disappointed. 

Recipe : Apple Cream Tart

Been watching Laura Calder lots on AFC and last week I decided to try her recipe on Apple Cream Tart. It didn't turn out the way I expected it to be so tweaked the recipe a little using mum's Tart Shell recipe as well as amended the filling slightly. 

This tart is slightly different from apple pie you're used to eating, but it is just as comforting. 

Goes great with whipped cream or ice cream. 

Ingredients

Tart Shell
200 grams Plain Flour - sifted
50 grams Icing Sugar - sifted
Pinch of Salt
100 grams Butter
Little ice water to bind to a dough

Cream Filling
1 Egg
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
8 ounces Softened Cream Cheese
1/4 cup Sugar

Topping
2 Large or 3 Medium Red Apples - peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Sliced Almonds or Chopped Walnuts

Method

Tart Shell
1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celcius.
2. Put flour, icing sugar and salt in a bowl. Rub in the butter till it resembles bread crumbs.
3. Bind to a soft dough with the cold water.
4. Roll out pastry between two plastic sheets and cover a greased 8" pie tin with the pastry.
5. Prick all over with a fork and bake 'blind' for 10 mins at 175 degrees Celcius. Baking 'blind' means baking  it without filing. You may also use beans or rice to prevent it from puffing up.
6. Remove from the oven.

Cream Filling
1. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together till creamy. Add in the egg and the vanilla essence until smooth. Don't overbeat.
2. Make the topping in a separate bowl by tossing the apple slices with the cinnamon, sugar and nuts.
3. Remove the tart shell from the oven. Spread over the cream mixture.

Topping
1. Arrange the apple slices on top, then scatter over the nuts.
2. Bake until apples are tender and golden for about 40 minutes.

Ring Ring.. YES!!!

I just collected my phone from the shop.. Woohoo!! No longer phone-less..

A lady reporter and photographer from Flavors Magazine came over to the house yesterday to do a story on mum's cake baking and her latest book - Heritage Cookbook.. It was so exciting.. Mum was working the whole week preparing different little numbers for them including a 3-tier wedding cake and lotsa various desserts.. Guess who gets to eat them??

Also just collected my blood test in the afternoon..

Cholesterol high and low calcium.. Yikes!!! Have to watch my diet.. Doc wants me to come back in 3 months to check again..

Caught 4pm Fast & Furious 4 @ One Utama with mum.. Mum initially was so not interested in going.. But I kinda pujuk her to follow me.. Had no other kaki to go with.. She loved the show!!! haha.. So did I! A good watch! You guys should go catch it..

Can't wait for Wolverine to be released!

Double Chocolate Crips

Made this little number for my girls during Valentines' Day... As a token of appreciation for playing a special part in my life..

Prep: 15 mins
Bake: 10 - 12 minutes per batch
Yield: 4 dozen

250 grams Butter
1 3/4 cups Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
4 ounces Unsweetened Chocolate - melted & cooled
2 teaspoons Vanilla Essence
2 1/4 cups Plain Flour
1 teaspoon Sodium Bicarbonate or Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Chopped Pecans or any other nuts of choice

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Beat in chocolate and vanilla.

4. Combine and sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

5. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.

6. Drop by tablespoonfuls (small portions) 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets.

7. Bake at 175 degrees Celsius for 10-12 minutes or until tops are cracked.

8. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Chock-full of chocolate, these crispy cookies have a tantalizing aroma while baking. They'll surely satisfy a sweet tooth. They taste better the next day.

Mum wants to try them again but with white chocolate bits and macadamia nuts.

Heritage Cookbook

Mum wrote her second recipe book and published it about 7 months ago. Unlike her first book 'Simply Delightful' where all the recipes were her own, this second book is named 'Heritage Cookbook' as it is a collection of recipes from dear family and friends.

Recipes that are family secrets are revealed in this book!!!

The recipes are simple and easy-to-do... It's a gr-r-reat buy and I'm really glad that this book came out better than the first one.. More effort, time and love was put into it.. I use the book so often at home to bake.. and have even started using it to cook some recipes... Many know that I can bake well but when it comes to cooking, sigh, not so good.. but I'm getting there.. and mum's recipe book comes in real handy..

It's only selling for a good RM29.90 per copy! It's certainly a good buy and makes a great pressie.. Worth the RM29.90 to learn some good recipes..

Ping me if interested!! Would really appreciate your support..

Recipe : Awesome Blossom Gingercake

I made this cake a week ago and it was absolutely delicious. I took the recipe from a baking book by 'A Taste of Home' and 'Reader's Digest. It's definitely a book worth getting because so far I've tried about five recipes from it and they've all turned out very nicely. Although most of the recipes are a little sweet so I tend to reduce on the sugar. For this Gingercake however, I've made a few changes to the ingredients.

When you make this dessert cake, the wonderful aroma of gingerbread will fill the house. A dollop of sweetened whipped cream crowns each piece.

250gms or 1 bar Butter, Softened
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
1 cup Molasses
3/4 cup Hot Water
2 1/2 cups Plain Flour
2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Baking Soda or Sodium Bicarbonate
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Topping:-
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1 to 2 tablespoons Icing Sugar
Additional Nutmeg - optional

1. Prepare oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line and grease a 13 inch x 9 inch x 2 inch or 10 inch x 10 inch baking tin. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg and leave aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Gradually add the molasses and hot water.

3. Gradually add in the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Beat on low for 1 minute.

4. Pour mixture into greased baking tin and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the centre comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

5. For the topping, beat cream in a chilled small bowl until it begins to thicken. Add the icing sugar; beat till soft peaks form. Serve with the gingercake. Sprinkle with nutmeg if desired.

Rich Chocolate Brownies

I just made this.. It's super simple and taste absolutely delicious!!

Prep : 15mins
Bake : 25mins + cooling
Yeild : 12 Servings

1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
125gms Butter, Melted
1/2 cup Plain Flour
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius and line and grease a 8 inch square tin. Instead of greasing the tin, I usually just use parchment paper (best invention ever) and line the tin till the top. So it's easier to lift the brownie out of the tin once it's cooked.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add butter and mix well. Sift and combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; add them to batter and mix well.

3. Pour mixture into the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

4. For the frosting, I just melted chocolate and spread it over the brownie. The brownies taste nice without the frosting but the frosting adds an extra ummmpphhh to it.