Butter Cupcakes

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup milk
Chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line 24 standard muffin cups in muffin tins
2. Cream butter & sugar until light in color and fluffy using a stand mixer on medium speed. Switch to lower speed and add eggs one by one, blend well after each addition. Add vanilla.
3. Fold in half of the flour, followed by milk, blend well. Add the remaining flour and blend until it fully combined.
4. Add the chips and stir using a silicone spatula to combine.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, filling about 3/4 of each cup.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes 
7. Cool completely on a wire rack

Devil's Food Cupcakes

The Day: Saturday
The Theme: ALL ABOUT CHOCOLATE
The Book: Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking
The Recipe: Devil's Food Cupcakes

The ingredients:
1 cup (125g) cake flour
1/3 cup (30g) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
6 tbsp (90g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (125g) caster sugar
1/2 cup (105g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk
  

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line 12 standard muffin-pan cups
2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and both sugar until light in color and fluffy (about 5 minutes).  Add the eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. 
4. Using a rubber or silicone spatula, fold in half of the flour mixture until almost fully incorporated. Add the buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour. Mix until well combined.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about three-fourths full.
6. Bake until the cake tester inserted in the center for the cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
7. Cool completely on a wire rack  before applying any frosting. I used Whipped Cream Frosting.

Whipped Cream Frosting
1 cup whipping cream/heavy cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Using a stand mixer: 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream, sugar and vanilla. Put the whisk attachment and mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes.
2. Beat on medium-high speed until medium peaks form

   

 

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

The Day: Saturday 
The Theme: ALL ABOUT CHOCOLATE
The Book: Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking
The Recipe: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:
125g unsweetened chocolate, chopped (didn't have them, so i used bittersweet Manjari 64%)
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter
1.5 cups (235g) all purpose flour (I used cookie flour)
1/2 cup (45g) cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 large eggs
2 cups caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups (280g) miniature semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (60g) icing sugar (sifted), more if needed

1. Put the chocolate  & butter in a microwavable glass bowl and heat it for 15 seconds, stir with silicone spatula, heat it again for 15 seconds and stir, repeat the process until the chocolate & butter fully melted and well blended. Put aside to cool. You can also use a double boiler method as per suggested by the book.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light in color and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the chocolate mixture on low speed until blended. Add the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls, about 2-3 hours
5. Preheat oven to 165 degree Celsius. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper
6. Roll a rounded tablespoon of dough between your palms into a 4 cm ball, roll it in the icing sugar. Place the them 3 cm apart on the prepared baking sheets
7. Bake it for 15 minutes. Let cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely
8. Store in an airtight container  

 

Growing my own herbs...

My cute little thyme....adding a nice aroma to your roasted chicken and a must in your creamy soup..

a bit creepy crawlie..need to trim once in two weeks

Mr Mint...if you somehow ran out of toothpaste... :) or adding it to your beverages, hot tea or cold fizzy drinks...

Miss Rosemary....does wonder to my lamb chop or roasted chicken...a bit bantut la this pokok.

Mr Basri...oopsss Mr Basil...he's not very healthy...bugs are keep bugging him.

Dairy Challah

I have been meaning to make Challah for quite some time...ok...ok..when I said some time, it means a few years :). Like the croissant in the previous posting, I did some research on it, reading from a number of books, multiple websites, youtube-ing etc. So today, I finally baked Challah...a dairy one. Traditionally, the classic Challah is made with water instead of milk and oil instead of butter. For those who loves bread pudding, Challah is great to be used in making it.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup milk

2 tbsp honey

1 1/8 tsp instant yeast

2 large eggs, at room temperature

3 tbsp butter, softened

2 1/2 bread flour, plus more if needed

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:

1. Place milk, honey, 2 eggs, butter, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set for Dough/Knead and press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly knead, add more flour if needed. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. With flattened hand, roll each piece back and forth, forming a 15 inch rope with tapered ends.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat and lay the 3 ropes on the sheet with the ends facing you. Pinch together the three ends furthest from you and braid the ropes together. Tuck the ends under just slightly.
4. Cover the braid loosely with oiled plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 40-50 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180 degrees C a few minutes before baking.
5. Glaze the braid with beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes until golden.
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing it with serrated knife

Saffron Rice and Roasted Chicken

Saffron Rice

2 cups of basmathi rice
1 cup water
a good pinch of saffron threads - soak in 2 tbsp hot boiling water for 5 minutes - put aside

1 garlic - diced
2 shallots or 1 small yellow onion- diced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp or 2 oz salted butter
2 cups chicken stock

1. Wash the rice thoroughly. Soak the rice with the saffron & a cup of water for about 10 minutes.
2. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Saute the garlic and onion until translucent. Add the butter. Pour the chicken stock in and remove from heat.
3. Pour the rice together with saffron & water into the rice cooker. Add the chicken stock. Switch it on and let the rice cook nicely, make sure to stir the rice when the water in the pot has subsided.

 
Roasted Chicken

The recipe can be found here.

Caramel Peach Pudding

I'm kind of very unlucky with pudding..this is my second attempt to make another pudding recipe. The first pudding in this blog turned out ok though and I have already got a hang on it. This particular pudding has a story of its own but in the end alhamdulillah..turned out ok. I guessed I need more practice on pudding making which for most of people, this is probably very easy to make..but not me! The pudding kind of challenging me always...

Peach Pudding

4 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 can evaporated milk 

1 cup diced peaches

1. Put a deep saucepan or a medium pot on medium heat, pour in water, sugar and milk. Stir and let the sugar dissolve. When the liquid reaches its boiling point, remove from heat. 
2. In a casserole or pudding mould, arrange the peaches in the bottom and pour in the liquid on top.
3. Let cool completely before putting in the fridge. This pudding is best served cold.

Caramel

1 cup sugar

80 gm salted butter

1/2 cup heavy cream

• In a heavy bottomed pan or a dutch oven over a low heat, put the sugar in and let it liquifies and caramelizes
• When the sugar at the edges beginning to brown and liquifies, start whisking and drag the sugar into the center to prevent it from being burnt. 

•  When all the sugar has dissolved and turned into amber colored liquid, add in the butter, whisk until the butter has completely melted

• Once the butter has melted, remove from the heat
• With your glove on, slowly pour the cream into the caramel and continue whisking it very carefully as it will bubble furiously
• Whisk until the caramel is smooth

• Let it cool and serve with the pudding

Pulut Pandan & Sambal Tumis Ikan Bilis

Pulut ini sama seperti Pulut Kuning tetapi semasa mengukus pulut ini, saya lapiskan periuk kukus dengan 4-5 helai daun pandan yg agak besar dan letakkan beras pulut yang telah direndam semalaman dengan sedikit pewarna hijau (green leaf) di atasnya atau daun pandan yg telah diblend. Kemudian letakkan lagi 2-3 helai daun pandan yg telah dicarik-carik sedikit di atas beras tersebut. Kukus seperti biasa.

Soft Choc Chips Cookies

This is an old time , all time favorite and repetitive RECIPE.
Actually this recipe was Googled by my husband long long time ago...can no longer remember which website it was on.

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour or cookie flour
1 tsp baking soda
250gm salted butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups choc chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven 175C
2. Sift flour & baking soda
3. Cream butter & sugar until fluffy. Fold in pudding mix until blended. Add in eggs one at a time & vanilla extract. Mix until just combined
4. Fold in the flour. Mix well.
5. Using a silicone spatula, add the chips in and stir.
6. Drop cookies by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets.
7. Bake 10-12 min.Cool on wire rack...(or into your mouth!)

February Reading Companion

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling

I have some leftover Cream Cheese Filling from last week's tart, so I guessed it can be used as  fillings for some cute little RV cuppies eh? So RV it is today!

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups (125g) sifted cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp gel red coloring
1/2 tsp white distilled vinegar
1/2 tsp baking soda

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
2. In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
3. In bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg, beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
4. In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
5. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter. 
6. Working quickly, divide the batter evenly between the 12-15 cupcake liners, filling it quarter full and scoop in about one teaspoon of the cream cheese filling, top with the RV batter until 3/4 full  and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.  
7. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes on a wire rack.

 
 

 
 

Bihun Sup/Soto Ayam

Rempah sup/soto:

3 sudu besar jintan manis

3 sudu besar jintan putih

3 sudu besar ketumbar

2 sudu besar lada hitam

Basuh kesemua bahan dengan air. Toast atau rendang sekejap dlm kuali tanpa minyak, just untuk keringkan dia. Atau boleh panaskan dlm oven dlm beberapa  minit sehingga kering. Sejukkan sebentar. Masukkan ke dalam dry mill /blender kering. Blend kesemuanya. Simpan dalam bekas kedap udara.

Kuah Soto:

2 sudu kecil rempah sup/soto - seperti di atas

2 biji bunga lawang

5 biji  buah pelaga

sedikit kulit kayu manis

5 biji bawang putih}

1 biji bawang besar}  3 bahan ini diblend

1 inci halia }

2 batang serai dititik

1/2 sudu teh serbuk kunyit

2 keping asam keping/asam gelugor

1/2 ekor ayam (half bird) - dipotong 4

Air secukupnya

Garam secukup rasa

Sedikit minyak untuk menumis

Panaskan sedikit minyak di dalam sebuah periuk besar. Masukkan rempah sup, bunga lawang, buah pelaga dan kayu manis, biarkan seketika hingga naik bau. Masukkan bahan blend, serai, serbuk kunyit dan asam. Kacau hingga masak. Masukkan ayam. Goreng sebentar hingga separuh masak. Masukkan air dan garam secukup rasa. Biarkan mendidih. Keluarkan ayam, dan lerai-leraikan isi ayam itu dan asingkan di dalam bekas lain. Masukkan lebihan tulang ayam itu ke dalam sup semula. Kecilkan api dan biarkan ia selama lebih kurang 1 jam. 

Bergedil

1 biji bawang besar didadu

Sedikit isi ayam dari sup di atas atau boleh juga guna daging kisar (minced meat/chicken)

4 biji kentang Holland

Garam secukup rasa

Sedikit lada hitam - ditumbuk
Sedikit daun sup & daun bawang - potong halus

1 biji telur

Rebus kentang hingga empuk. Toskan airnya.

Tumis bawang bersama daging kisar sehingga masak. Ketepikan.

Lenyek-lenyekkan kentang, masukkan daging+bawang tadi dan masukkan garam, lada hitam dan daun. Gaulkan hingga rata. Bentukkan seperti bebola dan penyekkan sedikit.

Panaskan minyak untuk menggoreng.

Pukul telur sedikit.

Salutkan bergedil dengan telur sebelum menggoreng. Goreng hingga kuning keemasan.

Cili kicap secukup rasa - tumbuk 2 biji bawang putih & 6 biji cili api, masukkan ke dlm saucepan dan masak bersama 1/4 cawan stok ayam, 1/4 cawan kicap manis, 1 sudu besar kicap pekat, 1 sudu besar sos tomato & jus dari 2 biji limau kasturi.

Hidangan lengkap:

Sepeket bihun dicelur atau beberapa bungkus ketupat segera yg tlh direbus dan disejukkan

Secekak sawi dibersihkan dan dicelur air panas seketika atau taugeh - saya tak suka taugeh so guna sawi le

Isi ayam yg dicarik-carikkan

Bergedil

Cili kicap

Kalau rajin boleh goreng kacang tanah dan soohoon

Sup