Sponge Cake (Cocoa)

This might not something special as I know many of you know how to make it. I did have a cocoa sponge base recipe that I used quite frequently but this is something I found which is better than my previous one.

It's quite easy to make and the result was good with a spongy, light and fluffy texture. My previous cocoa sponge was slightly dry whereas this one stay moist which you can eat it straight. Not only that, the main thing is the sponge can be used as a cake base for making all kind of celebration or party cake. Feel free to watch the video clip on how the lady chef did it as well as my final result of experiment. See how spongy it is :)

Cocoa sponge cake recipe for 8 inches round cake pan : whole eggs 203g、egg yolks 32g、caster sugar 135g、glucose 21g、 salt 1g、oil 32g、cocoa powder 21g、plain flour 106g、baking soda 1g、milk 21cc

Bumble Bee

Many thanks to Baking on Cloud 9 for the method of making this bumble bee. Look! Each one of them had their own character and emotions. That's very unusual for me to make this but I feel that sometime it's quite fun playing with it. Thanks quizzine!

Cherry Crumble Cheesecake

After the first attempt on durian cheesecake, I feel quite encourage to try another cheesecake from the same recipe book 我和起士蛋糕的秘密. At first, I was thinking to make an apple crumble cheesecake but at the same time I want to use the canned apple cherry given by PH. I was very curious about the taste of that apple cherry so ended up I make cherry cheesecake.

The cheesecake was not too bad but I still like the texture of durian cheesecake as it's very smooth and silky texture that melt in the mouth was great! This texture is slightly thicker that might take a few more second to melt in your mouth.

I tried to place a piece at room temperature for 15 minutes and the texture was not that thicker then. The crumble is very tasty and goes well with the cheesecake but the apple cherry wasn't that very special. It taste ok but nothing so special for me.

I've done a few study from the recipe book and found that some cheesecake had a very silky smooth texture. I remember before baking the durian cheesecake, the batter was quite liquid or should I say runny whereas this batter of cherry cheesecake was quite thick.

I guess it's due to the ingredients used. Although they both used the same amount of inggredients like cream cheese, sugar and eggs. The different is batter that added with same milk or cream is smoother than the batter made with cream cheese and eggs only. The durian cheesecake was added milk whereas this is not, may be that's make the difference. Please correct me if I'm wrong but so far this is the experiment I've gone through. Anyway, people who are not very choosy like me will still love this cheesecake. It's just an ordinary one for me :P

Recipe from 我和起士蛋糕的秘密 for (7 inches cake tin)

For the base:

200g digestive biscuit

100g butter

For the filling:
400g cream cheese

80g caster sugar
3 eggs

140g cherries

For the Crumble:

60g plan flour

60g caster sugar

50g ground almond

30g butter

1 tbsp cooking oil

1. To make the base, stir all ingredients until combine. Press mixture into base of 7 inches cake tin.
2. To make the filling, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat until well blended.
3. Place cherries into the tin. Pour in cheese filling.
4. To make crumble, combine flour, sugar and ground almond, rub in butter and oil until mixture resembles bread crumbs. Sprinkle over the top.
5. Steam-bake in preheated oven at 160C for 1 hour 20 minutes or until cooked. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Chill in fridge for 5 hours or overnight.

Cinnamon Bread Pudding

I've some leftover cinnamon buns and I want to give it a twist to something else. Bread butter pudding is a very traditional English dessert that usually serve with a dollop of ice cream or custard.

I made this pudding for breakfast so we eat it without adding any toppings. The bread pudding is very tasty with the smell of cinnamon together with the raisin and walnut. I like the crusty texture on top and soft moisture texture at the bottom. It's simply the best!

How I made it:

Lightly grease an oven proof shallow dish and preheat the oven to 170C. Cut three cinnamon buns into chunky pieces and place on the dish. In a sauce pan, warm 150ml fresh milk and 150ml fresh cream (or you could use 99% fat free butter milk). Add 1 tablespoon of natural maple syrup or honey until well combine. In another bowl, lightly beat 1 egg and add in the warm mixture and whisk until well combine. Pour the mixture to the cinnamon buns and bake at 170C preheated oven for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Cinnamon Buns

The smell of cinnamon is really good, it goes very well with some desserts. One study found that the smell of cinnamon gives you a clear of mind. No wonder I always feel so good with the smell :) Cinnamon roll is one of the best breakfast and afternoon tea served with a cup of coffee... urhhhh... that's the most enjoyable yet relaxing moment.

I baked these cinnamon rolls into buns shape by baking it on a muffin pan. They looks like quite happy sitting on the muffin pan! Other than adding the raw sugar with cinnamon powder, I gave it some extra texture.

The buns was added with some honey toasted walnut and raisins soaked with rum. The texture is very nice with a bit of crunchy nuts and chewy raisins. Not to forget, the smell of cinnamon with the raw sugar is a winner!

Ingredients:

(A) 210g bread flour / 56g plain flour / 20g milk powder / 42g sugar / 1/2 teaspoon salt / 6g instant yeast

(B) 30g eggs / 85g water / 84g water roux (refer to water roux recipe)

(C) 22g butter

(D) 30g raw sugar / 1 tablespoon cinnamon powder / 40g raisin (soak with rum / 40g honey toasted walnuts

Recipe for the water dough "water roux": Cook 125 water with 25g bread flour at medium low heat, keep stirring until it become thicken and no lumps left (please don't over cooked it!). If you've a candy thermometer, measure it until the temperature turn to 65C then turn of the heat. I didn't measure it with thermometer, so I cook it until like a baby porridge. Transfer to a clean bowl and cover with a cling wrap to avoid skin forming. The amount of water roux here would be more than a recipe required, please according to the amount of the recipe required and do not add more or less.

How I made it:

1. Put all the ingredients (A) for kneading until it form a dough. Add the butter little by little and continue the kneading process until smooth and elastic and the dough no more sticking at the side of the mixing bowl (this method for dough hook kneading mixer, if using bread machine, add all the ingredients (A) and (B) together). Let it proof for 40 minutes in a clean bowl cover with cling wrap.


2. While waiting for the dough, prepare the fillings. Mix the raw sugar and cinnamon powder together untill well combine. Soak the raisin with some rum. Toast the walnut on a medium low heat of non stick pan for about 5 minutes then add the honey continue to toast it for another 5 minutes. After the walnut cool down, chopped it into small pieces.


3. Flatten the dough with your hand and roll it out in longish shape with a rolling pin about 25cm x 40cm. Brush some water on the surface of the dough then sprinkle over all the raw sugar cinnamon mixture evenly.


4. Sprinkle the chopped walnut on the dough. Drain the soak raisin and sprinkle on top of the dough as well.


5. Roll it up to a long sausage shape and seal it tightly. Lightly floured a sharp knife. Cut into 12 portions and place on a muffin pan lined with the casing.


6. Cover with a cling wrap and let it proof for 40 minutes.


7. Egg wash the dough before send them into the oven. Bake at a 180C preheated oven for 15 minutes. Enjoy!