Blueberry Mascarpone Roulade

 

Haze has worsened here at my area since this morning to late afternoon. I can even smell the smoke inside the house...gosh!. But tonight it is all about the Supermoon...it is a full moon tonight and it coincides with the supermoon. By definition, supermoon is when the moon is closest to the earth.  There are 3 supermoon phenomenons this year which has already happened on May 25 and will occur again in July 23. But tonight and tomorrow nights are the most super. My son is still outside with a tripod and zoom lense to capture the moment. 

 Berries

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup blueberries

Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the blueberries and remove the pan from the heat. Let the berries syrup cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator.

Roulade

1/2 cup cake flour

1/4 cup corn flour

6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

2/3 cup caster sugar

Some icing sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Line a 12 x 17 inch (30 x 42.5cm) rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Sift cake and corn flour into a small bowl.
4. In a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg white at a medium speed until foamy and slightly thicken. Gradually add the sugar and beat until firm peaks form. 
5. In a separate medium bowl, add the yolks and whisk for about 1 minute until smooth. Gently scoop one quarter of the meringue into the yolks mixture and whisk it to lighten them.
6. Scrape the lightened yolks mixture onto the meringue and fold in the dry ingredients over the yolks. Gently and carefully fold the ingredients together with a large silicone spatula.
7. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a long metal spatula
8. Bake the cake for 8 minutes. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack.
9. Generously dust a large parchment paper or a clean kitchen towel with icing sugar. Invert the cake onto the paper or sugared kitchen towel. Roll the cake snugly in the towel or paper. Allow the rolled up cake to cool to room temperature.

Mascarpone filling

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

3/4 cup whipping cream

1. Drain the blueberries, discard the syrup.
2. Put the mascarpone and icing sugar in a medium bowl and whisk gently. Add in the vanilla.
3. Whip the cream in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until firm peaks form.
4. Using a silicone spatula, scoop a quarter of the whipped cream onto the mascarpone mixture and stir until blended. Fold in the rest of the cream. When the whipped cream is almost incorporated, add in the berries and fold them in.

Assemble the Cake:

Unroll the cake. Scoop the filling onto the cake and spread them evenly using a large metal spatula, leaving an inch or 2 bare around the edges. Gently lift and re-roll the cake. Wrap with a plastic film and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Just before serving, neatly trim the edges to expose the filling. Dust the top with icing sugar.

And here is my son's masterpiece... :)

 

And this one is mine...

Carbonara Farfalle with Mushrooms and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

I have been so busy with one project in the office for the past two months, and will still be very busy until August. But I need to bake something, I need an outlet to channel my stress :). Was not really doing any baking today but definitely get the oven heated at least..hehehe.

Ingredients:

300 gm bowtie pasta (farfalle) - cook according to instructions on the package

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 medium-sized portobello mushrooms (cut stems, take out gills and sliced)
4 medium-sized white button mushrooms (sliced)
3 garlics - ground
3 shallots - ground
1 tbsp flour
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
10 medium-sized roasted cherry tomatoes - recipe follows

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat, saute the mushrooms for about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlics and shallots. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
2. Add in the flour, stir until it blended. Pour in the cream and milk at once and let it boil, occasionally stir.
3. Add in the cheeses, salt and pepper. Stir until the cheeses melted, about 2 minutes. Add in the roasted tomatoes. Turn off the heat.
4. Serve with the pasta and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top if you like....but it has already quite cheesy, isn't it?

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
2. Halve the tomatoes and put them in one medium bowl.
3. Toss in some chopped basil, oregano, dash of salt and pepper. Add some olive oil and using your hands, just mix them all together, making sure all the herbs coated the tomatoes.
4. Arrange the tomatoes on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Seed sides up.
5. Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes. You can bake this ahead or while preparing the pasta and sauce.

Something called LOVE.....

A wedding ring which doesn't fit anymore because it is too small for the owner after 15 years of marriage...

 

Being a dad...

Seeing your son smiles...

Happiness in your daughter's eyes...

Watching them catching waves...

A bond that can't be broken....

Providing your loved ones with good food....

Surrounded by the people you love...

Wake up with his drools and morning breath...

A visit from the young ones asking how are you doing...

A wrinkle on your mother's face depicting years of hardship raising her kids...

Adab Memuliakan Tetamu...mana perginya?

Seingat saya, ada beberapa hadith shahih tentang memuliakan tetamu yang saya pelajari semasa di sekolah dulu (SHAMS). Antara isi-isinya adalah memberi salam kepada tetamu, menyambut di depan pintu, memberi hidangan terbaik seadanya, mendekatkan hidangan dengan tetamu sehinggalah menghantar tetamu ke muka pintu apabila tetamu ingin pulang. Amalan memuliakan tetamu serta adab-adab menerima tetamu terutamanya orang asing atau orang yang lebih tua dari kita telah lama kami sebagai satu keluarga mempraktikkannya sejak dari arwah ibu bapa kami masih hidup lagi. Malahan ianya sudah menjadi satu 'norm' atau kebiasaan bagi kami apabila kami mempunyai keluarga masing-masing. Kebiasaan itu jugalah yang kami cuba terapkan kepada anak-anak kami. Kami juga percaya ianya adalah kebiasaan di tempat-tempat lain yang majoriti penduduknya beragama Islam dan khususnya masyarakat Melayu.

Walaubagaimanapun, baru-baru ini kawan saya mengalami satu peristiwa yang membuatkan saya agak terkejut kerana ianya sesuatu yang agak luarbiasa dan saya rasa saya perlu menyuarakannya di sini. This is my blog anyway and sharing is caring, right?

Ketiadaan tuan rumah atau wakil tuan rumah menyambut keluarga kawan saya di depan pintu membuatkan mereka  termangu-mangu dan tidak tahu ke mana arah mereka perlu pergi, di mana harus mereka duduk dan mereka juga tertanya-tanya apakah agenda untuk mereka. Di bawah cuaca yang panas terik, anak-anak kepanasan, mereka pun berlindung di bawah pokok-pokok yang ada. Sebahagian dari keluarga mereka pula berdiri di dalam khemah, mengikut adab sebagai tetamu kita tidak akan duduk sekiranya tidak dipelawa. Setelah hampir setengah jam, tiada juga wakil dari tuan rumah menjemput mereka.....if I were her, I was contemplating to just took off and go home but of course I couldn't do something that will hurt my family's feelings.

Ke mana hilangnya adab memuliakan tetamu sekarang ini...ini satu pengajaran buat saya sendiri supaya mendidik anak-anak, anak-anak saudara, cucu-cucu saudara dan generasi pelapis tentang adab memuliakan tetamu. I will definitely post the hadith once I've confirmed it.

Just my 2 cents...no heart  feelings!