Devil's Food Cupcakes

I love chocolate! And I can't imagine anyone who doesn't. The aroma, the deep brown color, the lingering taste all adds up to a pretty pleasurable experience visually and on the palate.

There are so many different techniques in recipes to bring out the best chocolate flavor in a chocolate cake. This recipe uses a unique method adding hot water directly to the cocoa powder, and whisking it fast so that it develops into an aromatic chocolate flavored liquid. This technique releases all the chocolate flavors in the powder, and gives an full-bodied chocolate intensity in the cupcakes.

Its simple to make and very delicious. Not to sweet nor too bitter, adults and children will both like it!

Recipe adapted from Cindy Mushet's The Art and Science of Baking, Sur La Table

Makes 28 Cupcakes

70g Dutch-process cocoa powder
115g plus 230g Water
170g Unsalted butter, softened
200g Castor sugar
170g Light brown sugar
3 eggs (60g each, weighed with shells), room temperature
2 Tsp Vanilla extract
200g Cake flour, sifted
35g All-purpose flour
2 Tsp Baking powder
¼ Tsp Salt

Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl. Heat 115g of the water. Pour it over the cocoa powder and whisk until blended and smooth. Add the remaining 230g water and stir until the mixture is smooth. Mixture must be cool before adding to the cake mixture, as the heat will melt the butter and ruin the texture of the cake.
Cream the butter with the sugars: Beat on medium-high speed until very light in color, 4 to 5 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl with the spatula.
Add the eggs. (Beat the eggs and vanilla in the other small bowl to blend.) With the mixer on medium, add the eggs to the butter mixture about 1 tablespoon at a time, allowing each addition to completely blend in before adding the next. About halfway through, turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl, then resume adding the eggs. Scrape down the bowl again.
Add the dry and wet ingredients alternately: With the fine-mesh strainer, sift the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt into the medium bowl and blend with the cleaned whisk. With the mixer on the lowest speed, add the flour mixture and the cocoa water alternately, beginning with one-third of the flour mixture and half the cocoa water. Repeat, then finish with flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl and finish blending the batter by hand, if necessary.
Bake the cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly among 28 of the paper liners. Fill each liner 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Verdict: This cake is moist, soft, extremely chocolately and yet amazing light on the palate. Its chocolatety and not too sweet. A keeper!

Tools: Whisk, Cupcake Liners, Muffin Tray, Stand Mixer, Silicon Spatula

Tips: Do not use waxed cupcake liners. The cake will shrink away from the casing, and look small and lonely.

Sugee Cookies

Chinese New Year was an extremely busy time for me, mostly with family events. I have to admit, I am not much of a CNY person. I much prefer Christmas. So it takes some effort to muster up the enthuaism for this festival. I baked two types of cookies, packed them into pretty glass bottles, ribboned them and gave them as gifts to family.

Here's the recipe that I used for the Sugee Cookies:

Sugee Cookie
(Adapted from Aunty Yochana)

Ingredients:

150g Clarified Butter (also known as Ghee. I used the QBB brand)
90g Icing sugar
1 Egg yolk
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
200 g Plain flour
40 g Ground almond Meal
1 tsp Baking Powder

1 egg yolk for Glazing

Method:

(1) Use a stand mixer. Cream ghee and icing sugar till creamy. Add in egg yok, vanilla, salt and mix thoroughly.
(2) Add in sifted plain flour, baking powder and ground almonds. Mix till a dough is formed.
(3) Roll into small round balls for about 5-6g each. and arrange on baking tray.
(4) Use a chopstick to dip into egg yolk and then press it on top of each roll ball.
(5) Bake at 165C for about 15 - 20 mins or till cooked.
(6) Cool on wire rack before storing in cookie containers.

Verdict: Texture is melt in your mouth and extremely fragrant.

You need: Cake Mixer, Seive, Baking tray, Parchment Paper, Chopsick, Cookie Shovel, Cooling Rack

Sugee Cake

Sugee cake is a very rich, buttery, almondy cake with a grainy texture. Its sort of a traditional Eurasian celebration cake, and often makes its appearance at events such as weddings and christmas. Semolina, which is granulated wheat flour is the special ingredient in the cake is what makes the cake texture so special.

I made this cake using my husband's family sugee cake recipe. When the cake was baking, the aroma of the cake filled my kitchen and diffused into my hall and I couldn't wait for it to be ready. After it was done, the cake was warm and tasted slightly dry, however, after sitting for a day to let the flavors blend and merge, the cake was perfect!

Pasta with Braised Duck Sauce

I have seen this recipe on Chubby Hubby's blog and have been wanting to try it. I'm very selective of the type of meats that I eat, and I'm not a fan of duck, having tried versions which were for very "ducky" for the lack of a better word. But I read positive reviews of this from reputable blogs, and I could picture in my mind, how the flavours of the celery, onions, carrots and tender duck meat would blend together. I decided that this one will make it to my "Recipes to try list". I hunted for duck legs, and found them at the frozen food section in Carrefour at Suntec city. Bought a 1 kg bag and scaled down the recipe by a third for dinner for two.



Verdict: The duck was extremely tender and flavourful after being stewed for two hours. The tangy tomato taste was subtle and well balanced with the basey duck meat. The sauce rested on a bed of spinach fettucine, cooked till al dente of course. This would be a dish I would serve up if I entertain, as it taste great and looks very presentable. Finish up the meal with a nice chilled sparkling Muscato. La Dolce Vita!

Recipe adapted from Chubby Hubby's Blog

BRASATO D`ANATRA
Chef Roberto Galetti’s Braised Duck Sauce

180 gr celery, julienne
180gr carrots, julienne
180 gr onion, julienne
1 kg duck legs
400 g of stewed whole tomatoes (SW brand, I used the whole can)
250g red wine
500 ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Pinch of Salt
4 Dashes of Black Pepper
Salted lurpak butter
Parmesan Cheese
Italian Parsley

In a big pot, sauté the vegetables with olive oil.
Meanwhile flour (with corn starch) the duck legs and then pan-fry them until golden. (The excess corn flour also helps to thicken the sauce later)
Put the duck legs into the pot together with the vegetables.
Then add the wine, the bay leaves, and the tomato. Crush the tomatoes into the pot with your hands. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring everything to a boil. As soon as it boils, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, separate the meat from the sauce. Remove excess fat and skin. Then debone the duck legs, mixing the meat back into the vegetables and sauce. Leave some meat in chunks. Leave to rest.

Cook the pasta till al dente. Then reheat a portion of the sauce in a pan with butter, black pepper, and salt. Add some of the boiled/cooked noodles and toss. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and Italian Parsley over the pasta and serve immediately.

Carrot Cake

Cordon Rose Banana Cake

I guess anything that indulges our senses, smell, sight, taste can bring us back to a a memory, be it a happy or sad one. I have always liked banana cake. I think it has something to do with the smell. The sweet scent that reminds me of family, comfort and it does tug at your heartstrings.

Having read very good reviews on this banana cake from Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible", I decided to purchase the book and this recipe was the first one that I would try. I had some bananas which were grown organically in my mother's garden, and gave it a go.

I used the Nordic Ware Bouquet Pan, which gives me two roses, two daises and two sunflowers. The little cakes rose in the oven and erupted in the center! I had to adjust the baking time as the time in the recipe was for a normal sized cake. After they were cooked, I flipped the pan over and placed it on a wire rack for about 3 minutes, placing some pressure on the pan so the erupted dome would retreat and I would get a somewhat flat bottom. It worked and here's a photo of my rose.

Cordon Rose Banana Cake (adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum's The Cake Bible)
Ingredients
2 large ripe bananas, at room temperature
120g sour cream
2 large eggs (about 60g with shell), at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
200g sifted cake flour
170g caster sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
142g unsalted butter, softened
Icing Sugar for Dusting

Method
Preheat oven to 175C.
Using a food processor, process bananas and sour cream till well combined. Add eggs, lemon zest and vanilla in. Process till smooth and set aside.
Combine the flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar using an electric mixer for about half a minute. Add butter and half of banana mixture in, beating batter on low speed till just combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for about a minute and a half. Add remaining banana mixture in 2 batches, beating for 20 seconds on low speed after each addition.
Pour batter into prepared Nordicware Pan, filling each mould till about three quarters full. Bake for about 22- 25 minutes or till skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and then from pan and let cakes cool completely on a wire rack. Sprinkle Icing Sugar before serving.

Macarons and Ganache

I finally picked up the courage to make these babies. In the past, I had tried, and it was a horrendous failure! I had everything that could go wrong with a macaron happen to me:

• Tops were cracked
• No feet (or at least inconsistent ones)
• Sticky Bottoms

and the list goes on.....

In my last failed attempt, I had some friends over at my home. The macaron batter was too runny and resulted in macarons which were so misshapen and ugly. Certainly not the perfect round delicate sweets which I had in my mind. I was so disappointed, didn't even want to create the filling and wanted to toss the whole batch away, but my sweet friends were so encouraging and gamely helped me eat up half the empty macaron shells. Awww....

It took me many weeks before I decided to be courageous and use my precious egg whites for another go. This time, I used the Italian Meringue method. I read and re-read the recipe many times, and made sure I followed every step, including the speed of my kitchen aid and the required mixing time in exact (well..close to exact) minutes. I piped these macs onto a non stick baking sheet and prayed to the macaron gods to grant me success. Voila! After 3 minutes of pacing to and fro to the oven, the little frilly feet appeared. I was so relived; I practically did a little dance. Now, I'm addicted and I need to find more recipes that will make use of only egg yolks, so I can have the whites for more macaron experiments.