Dulce de Leche Chiffon Cake

'An evening when everything goes wrong'
I intended to bake Dulce de Leche Pound Cake then I realized that I left 100g of butter. So I changed my mind to bake a chiffon cake instead and this was where all the disaster happened. :(


Firstly, while I was wiping the spill around the tube pan chimney, I accidentally tilt the chimney and batter leaked out from it base.
Next, my cake stuck in the pan as the previous batter leaked has caused the base to stick onto the pan. In the end, my tube pan was dented after forcing the base out from the pan.
Lastly, after the first shot, I intended to drizzle some caramel sauce over few slices of cake but ended up with another mess. :O


So here were the few slices left from my 'Rough' evening. The rest were either in the dustbin or in our tummies. I can only describe the evening as ‘祸不单行’.

The shortcut method which I adapted in preparing Dulce de Leche didn't give this chiffon cake a good caramel flavour. It taste more like milky chiffon cake. :(

Recipe

Ingredients
3 egg yolk
40g butter (melted)
1/4tsp salt
70g cake flour
70g Dulce de Leche
1tsp vanilla paste
40g milk

3 egg white
1/4tsp cream of tartar
25g caster sugar

Step:
1. Preheat oven to 175C.
2. Mix Dulce de Leche, vanilla and milk together, set aside.
3. Sift flour and salt together.
4. Use a hand whisk mix egg yolks, melted butter, Dulce de Leche mixture and flour together.
5. Use a cake mixer and whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar till frothy.
6. Gradually add in the sugar and whisk till stiff peaks form.
7. Fold in 1/4 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture until combined.
8. Then fold in the rest of the meringue lightly in 3 portions until well combined.
9. Pour batter into a 20cm tube pan.
10.Put into a preheated oven and bake for 40mins.
11.Remove pan from oven, invert cake onto table until completely cool.
12.Remove from pan and serve.

Dulce de Leche Mini Tortes

Recipe is from Sugar 3 hosted by Anna Olson.
You can view the demonstration on You Tube Sugar 3 Part 1 and Part 2.

Note:
-Do not cook the condensed milk for more than 15mins. It should be thick but runny consistence while it's hot as it will thicken when it cool. If you find that your Dulce de Leche is too thick for spreading, don't panic. Add in some hot milk at a time while it's still hot, stir till you get the right spreadable consistence then set aside to cool.
-This method take a shorter time in preparing Dulce de Leche but the caramel taste is light with an enhance vanilla flavour.
-You can refer to 'Table for two...or more' for another alternative for preparing Dulce de Leche.

Dulce de Leche Gelato with Mini Tortes

Steamed Pumpkin Custard

I have been craving for pumpkin since I saw some blogs posted their drooling Pumpkin Bakes and Desserts. ;p


When I saw this small pumpkin at the vegetable store, I didn't hesitate and quickly buy it. I intended to make something simple which I can enjoy the pumpkin itself. So here I made this 'Steamed Pumpkin Custard'.


I didn't use any particular recipe. I mainly mixed 1 egg with some milk (I preferred a firm custard so I used less milk.), some sugar to taste, few drops of vanilla essence and dash of cinnamon powder. Strain and pour it into the cavity of the pumpkin. Steam for 15mins at medium-low heat.


Unfortunately, I forgotten to lower the fire during steaming (attending to my mischievous boys) as a result the surface appeared rough, the cap was too soft and broke into two pieces. :( Although it didn't turn out perfect but it taste great. Yum...yum... :)

Chocolate marble Bread

Recipe

Ingredients
Gelatinized Dough(烫种面团):
80g bread flour
55g boiling water

Bread Dough:
(A)
320g bread flour
15g milk powder
65g sugar
4g salt
6g instant yeast

(B)
125g water
1 egg

(C)
45g butter (cubes)

Filling:
80g butter
35g icing sugar
40g bread flour
10g cocoa powder
15g milk powder

Steps:
Filling:
1. Sift flour, cocoa powder and milk powder together and set aside.
2. Use a wooden spoon or spatula, cream butter and icing sugar until smooth.
3. Add in the sifted flour and mix until well combined.
4. Put filling into a plastic bag and press it into thin sheet.
5. Put it in the fridge to chill for 25mins or until it is firm but not harden. (Can prepare a day in advance and thaw it for 10mins before use.)
6. Break the fillings into small pieces and it ready to be use.

Gelatinized Dough:
1. Add boiling water into the bread flour, mix until it form a dough.
2. Cover and set aside to cool.
3. Keep it in the fridge to rest for at least 12 hours.

Bread dough:
1. Leave the gelatinized dough at room temperature to thaw for 10-15mins.
2. Mix (A) in a cake mixer with a dough hook attracted until well-blended.
3. Add (B) into the dry ingredients, beat at medium speed until it form a rough dough.
4. Tear the gelatinized dough into pieces, add into the dough and continue to beat until well-blended.
5. Lastly, add in (C) continue to beat until it form a smooth and elastic dough.
6. Cover dough and leave it to prove for 50mins.
7. Divide dough into 55g each.
8. On a lightly floured surface, mould it into round ball.
9. Cover and rest for another 10mins.
10.Pat the dough slightly flat, wrap in small piece of the filling and seal it. (Make sure it is properly sealed, if not the filling will ooze out during rolling.)
11.Flatten it and roll out the dough into oblong shape, don't press to hard while rolling as the filling will ooze out from the dough. (If filling started to ooze out during rolling, place dough in a tray, cover and rest in the fridge for 10-15mins.)
12.Use a pastry wheel to cut through vertically about 2mm apart from each cut.
13.Twist the dough into round shape and place it into a greased mould.
14.Cover and leave it to prove for 50mins until it doubled in size.
15.Preheat oven to 190C.
16.Brush surface with egg wash.
17.Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15mins until brown.
18.Remove bread and cool it on a wire rack.

Ham and Mushroom Pizza Bread

Recipe

Ingredients
Gelatinized Dough(烫种面团):
80g bread flour
55g boiling water

Bread Dough:
(A)
320g bread flour
15g milk powder
65g sugar
4g salt
6g instant yeast

(B)
125g water
1 egg

(C)
45g butter (cubes)

Topping:
5pcs ham (slice into small pieces)
12 button mushroom (sliced)
adequate tomato sauce
adequate grated cheese (I used mozzarella cheese.)

Steps:
Gelatinized Dough:
1. Add boiling water into the bread flour, mix until it form a dough.
2. Cover and set aside to cool.
3. Keep it in the fridge to rest for at least 12 hours.

Bread dough:
1. Leave the gelatinized dough at room temperature to thaw for 10-15mins.
2. Mix (A) in a cake mixer with a dough hook attracted until well-blended.
3. Add (B) into the dry ingredients, beat at medium speed until it form a rough dough.
4. Tear the gelatinized dough into pieces, add into the dough and continue to beat until well-blended.
5. Lastly, add in (C) continue to beat until it form a smooth and elastic dough.
6. Cover dough and leave it to prove for 50mins.
7. Divide dough into 45g each.
8. On a lightly floured surface, mould it into round ball.
9. Cover and rest for another 10mins.
10.Flatten doughs and roll it into round shape.
11.Place it on a greased tray.
12.Cover and leave it to prove for 50mins until it doubled in size.
13.Preheat oven to 190C.
14.Brush surface with egg wash.
15.Arrange ham and button mushroom on the dough.
16.Top with 1tsp of tomato sauce and cheese.
17.Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15mins until brown.
18.Remove bread and cool it on a wire rack.

Milo Swiss Roll

Recipe here.

Molasses Sugar Swiss Roll

Recipe

Ingredients
3 egg white
1tbsp castor sugar
65g molasses sugar (sift sugar first to get the fine grain then weigh the amount require for the recipe)
4 egg yolk
40g cake flour
15g corn flour
1/4tsp salt
40g butter (melted)
1/4tsp vanilla paste

adequate buttercream

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 200C.
2. Lined and greased a 10" by 13" tray, set aside.
3. Sift cake flour, corn flour and salt together, set aside.
4. Use a cake mixer and whisk the egg whites until foamy.
5. Add in the castor sugar first then gradually add in the molasses sugar and whisk till stiff peaks form.
6. Change the speed to medium and slowly add in the egg yolks and whisk for another minute till well blended.
7. Fold the flour into the meringue lightly in 3 portions until well blended.
8. Mix vanilla paste into melted butter.
9. Lastly fold the melted butter into the batter until well blended.
10.Pour the batter in the prepared tray.
11.Bake in a preheated oven for 10mins.
12.Remove cake from tray and cool on a rack with the skin facing up.

Assemble the cake:
1. Carefully transfer the cake onto a greaseproof paper with the skin facing down.
2. Spread the buttercream on the cake.
3. Gently roll the cake by using the paper to lift the cake and guide roll.
4. Rest the roll in the fridge to stabilize it shape.
5. Remove, slice and serve.

Buttercream

Recipe from 'okashi sweet treats made with love' by Keiko Ishida.

Recipe

Ingredients
400g unsalted butter (softened)
140g egg white
140g icing sugar
1tbsp orange or cherry liqueur (optional)

Steps:
1. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy.
2. Gradually add in the icing sugar and whisk till stiff peaks form but not dry, set aside.
3. Beat the butter until pale and creamy.
4. Add the meringue some at a time into the creamed butter and whisk until well blended then repeat procedure. (Make sure that the whipped butter and meringue are well mix together to avoid the buttercream separating.)
5. Add in orange or cherry liqueur and mix well.
6. Keep buttercream in an air tight container and store in the fridge.

Note: I made half of the recipe and yield about 320g of buttercream.

Maple Syrup Shortcake Biscuits

Recipe

Ingredients
190g plain flour
1 1/2tsp baking powder
1/4tsp salt
85g unsalted butter (cubes and chilled)
55g pure maple syrup
55g whipping cream
1/2tsp vanilla paste

adequate coarse sugar

Steps:
1. Mix maple syrup, whipping cream and vanilla paste together and set aside.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a big bowl.
3. Rub-in butter into the flour mixture till it resemble bread crumb.
4. Pour in liquid mixture and mix till it become soft dough. (Add extra flour if the dough is wet.)
5. Cover and rest dough in the fridge for 15mins.
6. Preheat oven to 180C.
7. On a lightly floured surface roll out dough about 1/2inch thick.
8. Use a 1 1/2inches pastry cutter and cut out dough.
9. Arrange it on a greased tray.
10.Brush surface with egg wash and sprinkle some coarse sugar on it.
11.Bake in a preheated oven for 20mins until brown.
12.Remove from tray and cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Tea Cake

Recipe

Ingredients
150g butter
150g icing sugar
1/4tsp salt
3 egg (about 170g)
150g cake flour
1/2tsp baking powder
15g ground almond
2tsp tea dust ('Lipton' Red tea/Earl Grey)
25g lemon juice
40g milk
1tsp grated lemon zest

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 175C.
2. Sift flour, ground almond, tea dust and baking powder together, set aside.
3. Cream butter, salt and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Slowly beat in egg until well combined.(If batter curdle add in some flour.)
5. Fold in flour, lemon juice, lemon zest and milk alternately until well combined.
6. Pour batter into a lined and greased loaf pan.
7. Bake for 50mins or when insert a skewer into cake and it came out clean then it done.
8. Remove cake from tin and cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Ice-cream