Red Velvet Cupcakes

The color scares me. D=

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

56 g	Unsalted butter, room temp
150 g	Granulated sugar
1	Egg
3 tbsp	Unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp	Red food coloring
½ tsp	Vanilla extract
½ cup	Buttermilk
135 g	All-purpose flour
½ tsp	Salt
½ tsp	Baking soda
1½ tsp	Distilled white vinegar

@_@

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.

2. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.

5. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.

7. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Note:

I fail at making frosting. T.T Please follow the cream cheese frosting recipe by Brown Eyed Baker or any you prefer.

Make your own buttermilk: ½ tbsp white vinegar (you can use cider or lemon juice) plus enough milk to make ½ cup. Let stand 5-10 minutes.

Non-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

Non-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Small Small Baker

(Recipe halved)

Ingredients:

Biscuit base:

50 g	Oreo cookies, cream removed
25 g	Butter, melted

Cream cheese filling:

½ tbsp	Gelatin powder
35 g	Water
130 ml	Whipped cream, whipped (medium peak)
125 g	Cream cheese
20 g	Icing sugar
30 ml	Milk
½ tbsp	Maple syrup (or honey)
¼ tsp	Vanilla extract
5	Oreo cookies, chopped coarsely

Topping (optional):

Finely crushed Oreo cookies

Method:

Biscuit base:

1.     Crush (or blend) the cookies as fine as possible.

2.     Combine with melted butter and press firmly into a springform tin.

3.     Chill it for at least 2 hours.

Cream cheese filling:

1.     Measure water into a bowl and sprinkle in gelatin (don’t stir). Set aside to allow the gelatin grains to swell (10 minutes) before setting the bowl over a pot of simmering hot water. Stir with a spoon and once the gelatin melts, remove the bowl from the pot and set aside to cool to room temperature.

2.     Beat cream cheese with icing sugar till well combined.

3.     Add in fresh milk and mix till well combined. Add in gelatin mixture and mix well.

4.     Fold in whipped cream and divide mixture into 2 portions.

5.     Fold in crushed Oreo cookies into 1 portion and maple syrup (or honey) and vanilla extract into the other portion.

6.     Pour in the white portion into the chilled biscuit base. Level the cream cheese filling and put into the fridge to let it set.

7.     Pour the Oreo cream cheese filling onto the set white cream cheese and level it.

8.     Put into the fridge to let it set for 2 to 3 hours.

9.     Remove from freezer, sprinkle Oreo cookies on top (or decorate as desire) and put back into the fridge. (None for mine because I ate them D= )

10.  Slice and serve chilled.

Nom nom~~

Also, cream corn custard whomeal buns and mini chocolate cupcakes

My First Macarons!!!

No fillings. =P

Chocolate Macarons (shells only)
Recipe shared by Daily Delicious

Ingredients:

110 g	Icing sugar
65 g	Ground almonds
13 g	Dutch cocoa

60 g	Egg whites, at room temp
20 g	Caster sugar
A pinch	Cream of tartar

Method:

1.     Sift icing sugar, almonds and cocoa through a fine sieve, pushing mixture through with a wooden spoon; this will help to make a smooth macaron.

2.     Using an electric mixture, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar, whisk to combine and add caster sugar a little at a time. Whist to firm soft peaks.

3.     Stir in almond mixture, in three or four additions. When all the dry ingredients are incorporated; the mixture will look like a cake batter.

4.     Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with nozzle (5mm). Pipe (or spoon) mixture into 2.5cm rounds onto baking paper.

5.     After piping all the macarons, lift the baking sheet with both hands and then bang it down on the counter. This is to get rid of the air bubbles.

6.     Set aside for 1 hour or until the surface is no longer sticky to light touch.

7.     Preheat oven to 150°C. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until firm to touch.

8.      Remove from oven and cool on trays. Slide a knife under each macaron to release from paper.

9.      Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or until ready to assemble.





Aspiring Bakers #8: Wholemeal Bread

Sponge and Dough Method (Wholemeal Bread)
Recipe adapted from 'The World of Bread' by Alex Goh

Ingredients:

Yeast mixture:

2 tsp	Instant yeast
2 tbsp	Water, lukewarm
10 g	Sugar

Sponge dough:

220 g	High-protein flour
200 g	Wholemeal flour
240 ml	Water

Main dough:

120 g	All-purpose flour
60 g	High-protein flour
1 tsp	Instant yeast
30 g	Milk powder

45 ml	Water
1	Egg
80 g	Sugar
10 g	Salt

Kneading:

60 g	Butter, room temperature

Method:

1.     In a small bowl, mix instant yeast, lukewarm water, and sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes. (To make sure the yeast is still active)

2.     In a big bowl, add the yeast mixture with the sponge dough ingredients and knead to form dough.

3.     Cover the dough with a cling film and let if proof for 2½ hours in a warm and draft-free place.

4.     While the dough is fermenting, measure the dry ingredients for the main dough and set it aside. In another bowl, mix together the water, egg, sugar and salt, set aside.

5.     After 2½ hours, the dough is ready if it is double in size or use the “poke method” to test it.

6.     Punch down the sponge dough and add in all the ingredients for the main dough.

7.     Mix/knead all ingredients until well blended – sticky dough.

8.     Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough till smooth (about 10 minutes). If the dough is too sticky to knead, add a bit more flour.

9.     Knead in the butter. Continue to knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hand. The dough should be smooth and elastic. (Takes about 15 – 20 minutes, may be longer but don’t give up!)
Do the window pane test, if the dough can be stretched into a thin membrane without tearing easily, the dough is done.

10.  Place the dough back into the big bowl and cover with cling film. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

11.  Shape and fill buns according to recipe. (I divided the dough into 60g portions - got 18 buns)

12.  Place the finished buns on baking sheet and lightly cover with cling film. Let it proof for another 60 minutes or until the dough double in size.

      Egg wash the dough. Bake in preheated oven at 190°C for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Sausage buns always a hit with my family members.

 

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #8: Bread Seduction (June 2011) hosted by The Sweetylicious. Join in the fun! Info can be found here.



Couldn't resist posting pictures of our homemade dumpling.