Goodbye 2011......it was a good year!

We've come to the end of 2011. It feels like we just welcomed it.... It has been a good year for me. I started blogging this year. That's a good thing because it gave me the incentive to bake more often than usual. It's also an avenue for me to share my recipes. I've also made new friends although we've never met. Starting  this blog also leads to some surprises. Photography is now my new hobby. I would never have thought that I would go beyond snapping pictures randomly. Now I've bought some books on photography &  attended a workshop too. Of course,  I now own a dslr camera! Thanks to my husband. You are so sweet......

I really would like to write more but I  have to go. My husband & the kids are watching a show at Vivo while I'll be attending a complimentary workshop on how to use my camera. I'm excited!

So my final recipe for the year is Cranberry Snowdrift Bars. I saw this on Jane's blog & bookmarked it since then. Finally I managed to bake it. There are three layers, the rich crust, the tart cranberry filling & the snowy meringue. These bars are really delicious. The only change I would make the next time I bake it is I would reduce the filling to, perhaps, 3/4 or 1/2 cup. I thought the filling was too thick. One more thing, the baking temperature & time below should only be a guide. You really need to check now & then. With my oven, I only needed to bake for about 20 minutes for each layer.

Before I go, I would like to wish all readers a Happy New Year! May the year 2012 be a blast for all of us!

 Cranberry Snowdrift Bars

Recipe from Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal

Crust:
1 and 1/4 cups / 170g all purpose (plain) flour
1 pinch of salt
1/2 cup / 125g of unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup / 50g granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 deg F / 180deg C. Coat an 8" x 8" square pan with vegetable spray.Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. In the large bowl of your mixer, on medium-high speed, beat the butter for a few minutes, until it's creamy. Gradually add in the sugar, beating now on high speed, until the mixture is light and fluffy; this may take several minutes. Add in the vanilla. In thirds, pour in the dry ingredients gradually, beating just until blended.

Pat the crust firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for about 15 minutes, before baking.

Bake until dry to the touch and light golden brown, with darker golden areas around the edges--about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool the pan on a rack for five minutes, then spread the cranberry sauce over it. Don't turn off the oven when you take the pan out.

Filling:

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (homemade or canned; needs to be thick and not watery)

(I cooked the cranberry sauce using the recipe from Allrecipes.com below.)
12 ounces cranberries
1 cup white sugar
1 cup orange juice (I used only 1/4 cup since I need a thick sauce.)

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop (about 10 minutes). Continue cooking until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken further as it cools.

Topping:

whites from 2 large eggs (about 2 oz. of egg whites, total; whites at room temperature whip up best)

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 cup / 100g granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

In a smaller mixer bowl, using the whip attachment, whip the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Add in the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Then, gradually add in the sugar, beating on high until stiff--but not dry--peaks form. Add in the vanilla.

Spread the meringue evenly over the cranberry filling, using the back of a spoon to push it out to the edges. Make some cute swirls in the top of the meringue.

Put the pan back into the oven, and bake for about 25 minutes, until the meringue is just very lightly browned.
Cool the bars, in their pan, on a cooling rack.

Brownie Biscotti

Just three more days to 2012 & five more days to the new school term! I can't imagine the chaos on Tuesday as everybody in my house will be leaving the house in the morning. Amir has to leave the house at 6.15  to catch a bus to his new school. In the past, he woke up at 6.15 for school! And for the first time, Maisur will be going to school in the morning. So I can imagine myself raising my voice like a tarzan next week!

I made Brownie Biscotti before we left for our annual trip to Malaysia. This is my first time baking this crispy Italian favourite. This dry & crispy biscuit is perfect when dunk in any hot beverage. I like it with my white coffee. The chocolate flavour is to die for. Must be the Varlhona cocoa!

Brownie Biscotti

Recipe from Better Homes & Gardens, Complete Book of Baking.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (90g) butter (no substitute)

2/3 cup (130g) granulated sugar

2 tsps baking powder

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Varlhona cocoa powder.)

1 & 3/4 cups (230g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (80g) miniature semisweet chocolate pieces

1/4 cup (30g) walnuts, finely chopped

For glazing:

1 egg yolk (beaten)

1 tbsp milk or water

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, beat butter until softened. Add in sugar & continue beating until well blended.
2. Add egg & vanilla & beat until well combined.
3. Stir in flour & cocoa powder.
4. Finally, stir in walnuts & chocolate pieces.
5. Divide dough into 2 portions.
6. Lightly grease a cookie sheet (I line cookie sheet with baking paper.). Shape each portion into a 9x2x1-inch loaf. Place the loaves about 4 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. 
7. In a small bowl stir together the egg yolk & milk. Brush mixture over loaves.
8. Bake in a 190 deg C (375 deg F) for 25 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for 30 minutes.
9. Cut, use a serrated knife, each loaf diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Lay slices, cut side down, on cookie sheet.Bake in a 190 deg C for 10-15 minutes. 
10. Turn slices over. Bake 10-15 minutes more or until dry & crisp. Remove from cookie sheet & cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Cinnamon Rolls again......

            Many of my friends & relatives are out of the country for their holidays. In fact, I can sense many Singapore residents are out of the country...... the malls are unusually less crowded & the peak-hour traffic is a breeze to drive through. My family & I are still stuck here....My children's 3 different school holiday schedules plus my husband's work schedule pose a challenge to plan a family holiday. We are still waiting for Maliah, my second daughter, to be done with her school camp which ends tomorrow. Thursday will be Amir's reporting day to his new school. So we can only leave the country on Friday........

           In the meantime, the boys are happy at home on the computer & Amirah multitasking between using the computer & watching the television. For me, besides the daily errands, I'm busy playing with my latest toy, my first SLR camera......hehe... I must say I'm overwhelmed! Can't wait to attend the complimentary workshop next week.!

          I also baked cinnamon rolls again, my third time this school holidays. This time, I decided to use the dough recipe posted by Jane of  Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal. I followed the recipe very closely as far as the ingrediets are concerned but I mixed them  using my usual method of mixing bread dough. The dough is very easy to handle, thus making the rolling part less a challenge. However I still keep the roll-out dough in the freezer for a while, considering the hot & humid weather here in Singapore. The cinnamaon rolls are very soft & delicious. I'm sure I'll be using this recipe again!

Cinnamon Rolls

makes one 9x13 or two 8x8 inch pans
Dough:
(Recipe from  Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal)
3 and 3/4 cups All Purpose flour (I used unbleached, Gold Medal.)
2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, unsalted (I used salted.)
1 egg, large
1 tsp salt (I reduced to 1/2tsp.)

Filling:
(You may adjust quantity accordingly..)
4 tbsp butter (softened)
2 tsp cinnamon (I sprinkled generously directy from the container.)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed

Method:

1. Combine flour, yeast & sugar in a mixing bowl & mix to combine.
2. Add water, milk & vanilla & mix using a dough hook until combine for about 3 mins. (I'm using  Kenwood cake mixer, so I always use speed no 3 for mixing bread dough, as advised by the service centre.)
3. Add butter & keep mixing for another minute.
4. Add salt & mix for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove dough and mould it into a round dough. Place it in a bowl and cover it with a cling wrap. Leave to prove for about 45-60 minutes.
6. Remove dough from bowl & punch it to remove air. Divide into 2 portions. Leave them to rest for about 10 minutes.
7. Then roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thick.
8. Place the rolled-out dough on a pan lined with silicone or grease paper. Then place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This way, it's easier to roll up and cut the dough. Continue with second portion. Then remove first dough from the freezer and the pan. Roll out the dough again into a rectangle of about  30 x 20cm (12 x 8 inches). 
9. Spread soft butter evenly on rolled-out dough. Sprinkle  cinnamon powder generously and evenly, followed by dark brown sugar.
10. Roll up the dough tightly and pinch the edge. Then cut the log into 9 equal parts & arrange them on a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) pan lined with grease or silicone paper. Continue with second portion. Leave the dough to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
11. Bake at 180 deg C for about 35 minutes.
12. Remove rolls from pans & leave to cool. Spread frosting evenly.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

125g cream cheese

35g butter

70g powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat  until smooth & creamy. Spread evenly onto the warm cinnamon rolls.

Japanese Soft Cotton Cheesecake

           The soft & moist texture of the sponge cake used for my Strawberry Shortcake I made two weeks ago reminded me of the cotton cheesecake which I've not baked for sometime. Yesterday, I managed to bake it in the morning. 

            The cake is super delicious! Unlike the regular cheesecake, this cake is spongy, moist & tastes very light. Preparing it is quite similar to preparing chiffon cake. Like the regular cheesecake, it is baked using the water bath method. I thought it would taste better if eaten with chocolate ganache & strawberry. I was right! The rich ganache & fresh strawberry provide a good balance!

Japanese Soft Cotton Cheesecake

Adapted from Diana's Desserts

Ingredients:
250g/9 oz. cream cheese
50g/2 oz. butter
100 ml/3 fluid oz. fresh milk

6 egg yolks
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla paste (I added.)
60g/2 oz. cake flour /superfine flour (sifted)
20g/1 oz. cornflour (cornstarch)

140g/5 oz. fine granulated sugar
6 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Instructions:

1. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. (I used a hand whisk to stir.) Cool the mixture. 
2. Add in egg yolks, lemon juice & vanilla to the cream cheese mixture & mix well. 
3. Fold in flour. Set aside.
4. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form. 
5. Fold in the egg white mixture into the cheese mixture.   
6. Lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with greaseproof baking paper or parchment paper. Wrap bottom of pan with aluminium foil to prevent water from seeping into the pan.
7. Pour cake batter into pan &  bake in a water bath for 1 hour 10 minutes or until set and golden brown at 160 degrees C (325 degrees F). (I baked for 30 minutes in my small oven.)
8. Remove pan from oven & leave to cool slightly for about 10 minutes.
9. Remove cake from pan & leave to cool completely or store in fridge.
10. To serve, slice cake & pour ganache over & serve with sliced fresh strawberry.

Makes 1 (8-inch) cheesecake.

Chocolate Ganache 

Source: Creative Making of Cakes by Alex Goh.

500g chocolate
270ml whipping cream
20g butter

           Melt chocolate over double boiler. Cook whipping cream till boiling. Pour into chocolate & mix till well blended. Add butter & mix till well combined.

Another good time......

           Had another girlfriends fun time yesterday afternoon....... My colleagues & I went out for a lunch treat for 2 colleagues who are leaving for another school. We met at the Singapore's latest shopping mall, Changi City Mall & ate at Manhattan Fish Market. I didn't realise the mall was being built until somebody asked me if  I had checked out the place. It's quite big & I think an expansion of the mall is underway..... need to confirm that. There are many food outlets, so that's good news for workers around the area. Anyway, we had a good time. The food was good & we had a good bargain too since we made use of the discount coupons specially issued for that particular outlet. Of course, we talked & laughed a lot. This time, we talked a lot about workplace politics......hey, what's new.....

          On Tuesday, I made Cinnamon Buns, my family's favourite. I started preparing the night before, so before lunch, the buns were ready for the boys to eat. Between the two boys, they finished 7 pieces within a few hours! I had to stop them from eating more or they would be too full to eat dinner.

          This time, I used the recipe that uses Tangzhong. If you are not aware of this method of preparing bread, you may refer to  Do What I Like for Florence's explanation. I doubled up the recipe to make 2 pans. 1 is just not enough for my family. In fact I have to make more soon for my siblings!

My family likes it with cream cheese frosting. Yummy!!

Cinnamon Buns 

(recipe by Florence of Do What I Like. Makes 1 8x8 inch baking pan.)


Tanzhong:
50g bread flour
250ml water

Method:

1. Mix flour in water to form a smooth mixture. (I used a hand whisk.) Cook over medium-low heat, stirring consistently with a wooden spoon, whisk or spatula to prevent burning and sticking. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes thick.
2. Once some 'lines' appear in the mixture for every stir  made with the spoon, remove from heat.
3. Transfer into a clean bowl. Cover with a cling wrap sticking onto the surface of tangzhong to prevent from drying up. Let cool. Chill in fridge for several hours. (I chill it overnight.) The tangzhong is ready to be used.

Note: When you are ready to use the tangzhong, just weigh the amount required & let it rest in room temperature for a while before adding to other ingredients. The tangzhong can be stored up to a few days as long as it doesn't turn grey. If so, discard and cook some more.)

Dough:
210g bread flour
50g cake flour
5g yeast (I used instant yeast.)
50g sugar
2 tbsp milk powder (I added.)
1 egg + water = 110g
75g Tangzhong
30g butter
½ tsp salt

Filling:

15g butter (softened)

30g brown sugar

100g mixed dried fruits or raisins (I didn't use.)

cinnamon powder (Preferably, use freshly ground powder instead of store-bought. It's really worth it! Refer here on how I prepare my cinnnamon powder.)

Method:

1. Combine flour, milk powder, yeast & sugar in a mixing bowl & mix to combine.
2. Add water & tangzhong & mix using a dough hook until combine for about 3 mins. (I'm using  Kenwood cake mixer, so I always use speed no 3 for mixing bread dough, as advised by the service centre.)
3. Add butter & keep mixing for another minute.
4. Add salt & mix for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove the dough and mould it into a round dough. Place it in a bowl and cover it with a cling wrap. Leave to prove for about 45-60 minutes.
6. Remove dough from bowl & punch it to remove air. Leave it to rest for about 10 minutes.
7. Then roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thick.
8. Place the rolled-out dough on a pan lined with silicone or grease paper. Then place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This way, it's easier to roll up and cut the dough. Remove from the freezer and the pan. Roll out the dough again into a rectangle of about  30 x 20cm (12 x 8 inches). 
9. Spread soft butter evenly on rolled-out dough. Sprinkle  cinnamon powder generously and evenly, followed by dark brown sugar.
10. Roll up the dough tightly and pinch the edge. Then cut the log into 9 equal parts & arrange them on a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) pan lined with grease or silicone paper.
11. Leave the dough to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.
12. Bake at 180 deg C for about 35 minutes.

Feeling good..........

           I always feel good after a good work-out at the gym. The whole body  feels really energised! Must be the warm muscles & the blood pumping! Very often, the challenge is to make the time to go to the gym & ignore the excuses not to head there. It always feels good too after spending time with friends & doing  what we love doing; talking, laughing, eating & baking! That's what I did with my friends, Salina & Nura, last week. We talked, laughed, ate, baked & ate again!

          After tasting my Lapis Prune Ice-cream recently, Salina requested that I conduct a lapis- making training session. So  last week, we met at my place. Nura also brought her daughter & 2 nieces along. We made 2 types of lapis, Lapis Legit Betawi & Lapis Strawberry Ice-cream.

The ladies made these.....not bad.......:)

       
            As you can see, my trainees, all 5 of them, did a good job! Although it was their first time, the cake turned out very presentable. They liked eating them too! I had to cut the cake when it was still hot because the girls couldn't wait to taste them as the smell was just so irresistible! It was a day well spent!

The trainees........baking with a smile....

          

          The Lapis Legit Betawi recipe is by Wannah Alshatrie, my weekend baking class instructor & the Lapis Strawberry Ice-cream recipe is by Aini Salim.

Lapis Lengit Betawi

Recipe by Wannah Alshatrie.
Ingredients:
450g butter

20 egg yolk (use large eggs)
8 egg white
300 castor sugar

150g cake flour (sifted with baking powder)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp spekok powder
20g ground almond

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 160 deg C. Use top heat only.
2. Cream butter until white & creamy.
3. If using a big cake mixer, combine eggs & sugar in a clean & dry mixing bowl & beat until thick & fluffy. If using a hand-held whisk,  beat egg white in a dry & clean mixing bowl until soft peak. Then add sugar gradually & beat until stiff peak. Then add egg yolk one at a time. Continue mixing until mixture becomes thick & fluffy.
4. Add butter & mix thoroughly. (I used a hand whisk.)
5. Fold in flour,baking powder & spekok powder. Mix gently but thoroughly.
6. Pour 2 ladles of batter into a 10x7 lined & greased baking pan (Grease & line bottom of pan only). Grill for about 1-2 minutes till cook & top turns golden brown.  (You may need to adjust the temperature of your oven such that the layer will be cooked in about 2 minutes) .Remove baking pan from oven. Press the top of cake gently with a lapis presser (or flat glass) to pop up any bubbles & produce a neat lapis.
7. Repeat step 6 until finished.

NB: Once you are done with mixing batter (step 5), do not stir it anymore. Just scoop the top part of batter when layering the cake. For this recipe, you'll notice watery part of batter at the bottom of bowl. Discard this part. Don't use it.