Blueberry Cheesecake

This is a very simple baked blueberry cheesecake recipe from Taste.com The original recipe is Baked Lemon and Blueberry cheesecake however, I had adapted the recipe to suit my taste and preference. You see, I prefer my cheescake baked so this recipe was quite handy.

Adapted ;)
Ingredients
375g cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
300ml cream  did not use, seriously, I forgot!
1 teaspoon lemon zest used in making coulis
2 tablespoons lemon juice used in making coulis
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups Coles Brand Australian Fresh Frozen Blueberries
Icing sugar, to dust (optional)
Fresh blueberries, to decorate (optional) I added strawberries 
200g Scotch Finger biscuits   Used biscuits crumbs from a packet
80g butter, melted

Method
1. Preheat oven to 170C (150C fan). Spray side and base of 22cm springform pan with oil. Line base with baking paper.
2. In a food processor, process biscuits until they resemble fine bread crumbs. Add butter and pulse until mixture comes together. Press crumb mixture into base of pan. Refrigerate.
3. Wipe processor clean and add cream cheese, sugar, half of the cream, zest, juice and vanilla. Process until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and process in short bursts. Pour into pan, scatter over blueberries and stir gently to distribute evenly.
4. Bake for 1 hour; the cheesecake should still be slightly wobbly in the centre. Cool completely in oven. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Dust cheesecake with icing sugar and serve with remaining cream, whipped, and fresh blueberries.

Cherry Blossom Macarons

Hi there all, it's spring time in Australia and I can't helped but be inspired to make some Cherry Blossom Macarons. I have been wanting to make these for quite some time, ever since I got hold of a cherry blossom flavouring last year. Now with the cherry blossoms in bloom, it's the perfect time to do this blogpost.

Now this recipe is a basic French Macaron recipe which I had learned from a Macaron making class. You can adapt this recipe to any flavours and colouring to suit you by flavouring the ganache and as for the shells, you can use any colouring. Do try to use gel or powdered colours as liquid colouring will change the texture of your shell.

One of the secret to a successful macaron making is, that you have to aged the egg whites. This means that you store your eggs whites up to a week in the fridge to liquify it, the breaking down of the albumen does makes a difference, to a pass or fail. :)

Ingredients:

120g liquified egg whites
125g Almond meal
210g pure icing sugar (NOT Icing Mix)
90g caster sugar

1. Pulse gently in a blender, mix icing sugar and almond meal till smooth, do not let it get hot.
2. Then sift. Set aside
3. Beat egg whites to a soft peak then add caster sugar till dissolved
4. Fold thru almond meal mix with meringue
5. Now pipe to a round shape button and tap tray to ensure no air bubbles trap inside.
6. Let it sit for 40 minutes to form skin. 
7. Bake at 130 degrees for about 15 minutes, check your oven, don't bake them too hot, adjust accordingly.

For the purpose of this post, my fillings will be a cherry flavoured ganache

Fillings:

1. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. 
2. Bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat in a small saucepan and pour it over the chocolate. 
3. Allow the mixture to rest for about two minutes, then stir until the mixture is smooth and the white chocolate is completely melted. 
4. Allow to cool for about five minutes, then add a few drops of cherry blossom essence. Cover the bowl with foil and refrigerate it until the mixture thickens.

FoodIAM French Macaron class

I have had so many fails at macaron making, that I stopped counting. At my last tanty tantrums cries, after yet another fail, I decided that I was going to enrol in a class. Never mind the costs, I was just going to do it!!

Much to my delight, I found that, there was a cooking school in Wagga called Foodiam and they have macaron masterclass in March. So I signed up, enrolled and paid up immediately to ensure my place. What luck! It saves me from having to go to Sydney or Melbourne, (flights and hotel) for classes. Bonus!! The extra money I saved, I can do another class. Thinking of Italian dessert class next.

I didn't think this day would get here, but it sure did, so I went this morning with my bells on! Okay, so I was just a little excited, I am going to learn from a professional! Tania promised me that Melina will have me making these babies like a pro, there won't be any tears!

About the class, for more info, click on the link. http://www.foodiam.com.au/

• Cost $129
• Demo and hands on approach.
• Printouts of recipe and instructions are given to attendees.
• Coffee and tea and cold water are provided. 
• Runs for 3.5 hours. 

Now, I don't want to give too much away on this blog, it is a very good class, you have to be there to experience it. I am a visual learner, I learn by hands on approach and from looking at demo by the instructor. I could never have made macarons from just recipe printouts alone. Hence why, this was really good class and it works out better for me. I can see now, where I had gone wrong in the past when I made my macarons at home. Sure, a lot of it was because I was just winging it and not following the technical side of recipe. :)

Chef MELINA PUNTORIERO from Manuelina Culinary Institute instructs and demonstrate in the fabulous shiny spacious kitchen. I am totally in love with that kitchen. Then we are paired off to work in a team in a small group. At the end of the class, we get to take home our macarons. I have learned so much this morning. I can't wait to try this at home.... but I have to wait, for the eggs to age, so that I can replicate these macarons at home.

Notes to myself:

• Aged the eggs to liquify, never use freshly open ones. (Can freeze egg whites, to liquify later for use)
• Use gel colors, not liquid.
• Beat egg whites and gel colour first, then when small bubbles formed, add caster sugar, continue on medium speed, till peak and glossy.
• Add flavours to ganache fillings, never to macaron shells. (My past mistakes) 
• If ganache is too runny, add whipped butter.
• After piping, set aside to form skin for 40 minutes before putting in oven.
• Lower the oven temp (140 deg fan forced for 15 mins) 
• Always do a wiggle test before taking tray out
• Put in fridge to cool down faster, before peeling out of baking sheets.

Thank you so much Melina and Tania for an amazing class this morning. I'll be back for other dessert classes. First thing I did when I came home was to crack open some eggs to age. 

Post by YummyStuffGoesHere.

Pineapple Jam

Chinese New Year is coming. Every year I try to make at least one Chinese New Year cookies, last year, it was peanut cookies, so yum..... the year before it was pineapple jam tarts. My household loves this jam tarts. So I try to make an effort to make this.  You would think that, one would find it easier as time goes by with the jam making. But strangely for me, not so much.

This is my second batch of jam making this week. The one that I made last week was a tad watery, I think I shall have to use it for glazing or dessert flavourings or saucing. It was just not fibrous enough, to hold the shape of a round ball to put on top of my open faced tart.

I wanted it to be drier than the first batch. No tears this time, just a lot of determination. I must be getting old because I forgot to strain it last week. It works so much better if one follows the recipe and don't just wing it! :) I blame getting old... Thank goodness, the pineapples are not too dear to buy this time of the year. I would have cried if it was. Besides, there more to CNY than pineapple jam tarts, right? Errr, NO! Not for all the Ang Pows in the world :)

Ingredients

3 - 4 Pineapples
2 cups of sugar ( you can add more but I don't like it too sweet.)
I cinnamon stick

Method

1. Remove pineapple skins, 
2. Cut into pieces
3. Process in a blender, I use chop instead of grind for coarser result
4. Put mash pineapple thru strainer
5. Collect the juice, you may need it for your Rum or if jam gets too dry. 
6. Heat up pan or wok
7. Put strained pineapple pulp into pan and leave alone to cook till soft
8. Add two cups of sugar, mix and leave alone
9. Check on cooking to ensure it is caramelising nicely and not burnt. Stir it as needed.
10. When it nice and thick and golden hue, turn heat off
11. Leave to cool. 
12. Once cooled, put in a sterile jar and keep in refridgerator till you are ready to use it.

You can use it for toast. This jam is so yummy, you shouldn't restrict yourself to just having it on the New Year. As for my other batch... hmmmm I can still use it for icecreams, cakes, or meat glazing on the BBQ. Meanwhile, ahem... need to find some use for juice, Where's that rum??

See how much juice you collect, if you strain it? If you don't strain, that works too but it takes longer for the jam to reduce the liquid and I am sure, no one wants to spend hours on it. Not when there's rum to be drunk !!! 

Madeleine Cookies

It's winter now in Australia, so I usually hibernate till work day Monday on my weekends. I do my shopping straight after work on Friday so that I can get home and spend as much time watching korean dramas and do some pottering around the house and baking. Okay, not so much the baking part though.

Few weekends ago, I watched a korean drama titled "My name is Kim Sam Soon". It's an oldie, I was watching it for the Danny oppa fix but little did I know, that I was going to be more fixated with the baking in the drama and all the lovely cakes and pastries that was featured on that drama.

I just had to buy myself a Madeleine pan immediately after that. I love that drama, it's a light comical romance with enough soppy parts to make you reached for the tissues and yet with a sudden change of scene, it would have you drooling and pausing the show, just to admire the baked stuff. This drama is so evil! So, if you haven't seen this drama, please go watch it now for the drool factor!! OMO, Danny oppa, you do get my undivided attention though in your scenes!

And so it began, I needed to bake these babies to see what all the fuss is about. Last nite, I made the batter and chill it in the fridge as per the recipe instrution, you can find the recipe and video demo link from http://www.joyofbaking.com/madeleines.html

I am hoping mine turns out edible at least. I do love Joy of Baking website. Stephanie has video demo which is a whole lot easier than reading a bunch of words. I am terrible at following manuals or word instructions, I need visual display. :) Yes, I am a bit special! LOL :)

Err Mah Gerrd!!!! I have eaten two already, second tray is in the oven now.. they taste like lemon cakes, crunchy on outside, nice and warm buttery lemon inside! So good!! So glad I have enough batter for two trays. So simple, sinful and good for you! It's got lemons! That's Vitamin C, right?

Enjoy and have a great weekend everyone! Nomnomnom! Peace out!

Thai Mango Sticky Rice Dessert

Thank goodness mangoes are still available this week. I just got this craving for Thai Mango and sticky rice dessert since last week, and decided to make it this weekend. I have had this when I was in Bangkok last year and it was unforgettable. These stalls are everywhere in the streets of Bangkok. Be sure to try them if you haven't tried. It is very yummy.

Things you will need :

2 cups of glutinous rice ( from your Asian grocer or supermarket if they have them) '
1 can of coconut milk or cream
Water to soak rice in and to cook
2 ripe mangoes or more if you like lots of mangoes.
1/4 teaspoon of salt
5 small cubes of palm sugar or brown sugar if you don't have them

Method:

1. Soak glutinous rice in one cup of water overnight
2. Do not drain liquid
3. Add soaked rice and liquid to pot, add in salt, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or palm sugar
4. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer.
5. Once coconut has been absorb into rice, turn off heat but let sit.
6. Now, you will need to make the coconut sauce.
7. Put the remainder coconut cream/ milk into a milk pan. Add in the rest of palm sugar, taste test the sweetness. Add more or less as you wish
8. Do not let it boil. Turn off heat
9. Remove skin and cut up mangoes. 
10. Served warmed rice with freshly cut mangoes and pour coconut sauce over it!
11. Yum Yum in my tummy time :) If you are like me, you'd loved the coconut sauce and want to drown the sticky rice in it.. see my last photo :) LOL

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I have been wanting to make this for a while now but the steps was too challenging and complex...okay you bakers out there... shut up! If I can burn toast, I can burn anything ;) I may not be able to bake to save my life, at least I am still trying..

So, these steps are not too hard... I think!

Credits:
Recipe is from my friend Suz @ 
http://thesuzchef.blogspot.com.au/2011/12/elmo-red-velvet-cupcakes.html


Ingredients (for 12 normal sized cupcakes or about 30 baby cakes)

60g unsalted butter - at room temperature
150g caster sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
10g cocoa powder
20mL red food colouring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
120mL buttermilk
150g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon bicarb
1 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Frosting
300g icing sugar, sifted
50g unsalted butter - at room temperature
125g cream cheese

Ingredients

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a cupcake pan with cases.
2. Cream together the butter and the caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the food colouring, cocoa and vanilla extract into a thick paste.
4. Add the paste to the butter and beat together until the colour is evenly mixed through, making sure to scrape down the sides.
5. On slow speed, add half the buttermilk and beat, and then add half the flour and beat for a minute or two.
6. Add the remainder of the buttermilk and flour and beat together until all combined.
7. Add the salt, bicarb and vinegar, turning up the speed and beating for a few minutes until the mixture is completely light and fluffy.
8. Spoon into the patty cases and bake for 22 minutes if normal sized cupcake and 15 for babycakes.
9. Allow the cupcakes to cool for a few minutes in the tin and then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
10. For the frosting, beat together the icing sugar and the butter for a few minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat on medium-high speed for a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
11. When the cupcakes are cool, frost the cupcakes and enjoy

Jackie's tips: While I was waiting for my cupcakes to bake, I started beating the frosting. I filled the piping bag full of frosting and sat it in a tall cup, in the fridge for a few minutes.

And.....voila!!! Even my furkid wants one!