Moist Choloclate mud cake (Moist Chocolate rich cake)

It is an addication. I went to my friend's wedding last week. It is the best chocolate MUD cake I ever have. It is moist, have mud cake feeling and sweetness just right.

This mud cake is stayed in my head for a week. I can't make it during the weeks. When you addicted on something, no matter what you need to do, just want to have it. So what I do - I bought a Sara Lee Chocolate moist cake during the week. :) but it is not good enough.

This weekend mission - chocolate mud cake

This recipe pass my digestive system. I don't feel heavy at all and really moist but may be not enough mud cake feeling. It should call Moist and Rich chocolate cake.

Ingredients:
200 unsalted butter, 200 dark chocolate
1 tablespoon instand coffee
1 cup warm water
1/3 buttermilk
1 1/2 self raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
pinch of salt

What to do:
Grease the baking pan. (I used 24 inch baking pan)
Combine butter, chopped chocolate, coffee, water and butter milk in a bowl.
Put the bowl in the water-bath, let all butter and chocolate melt.
Let it cool down for few minutes.
Add caster sugar to mixture and beat well until dissolved.
Add sifted flour, cocoa, salt and lightly beaten eggs and vanilla.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
Baking at 150 degree for around 1 hour.
Test with skewer, cool cake in pan (I forget this step, what happen - my cake is boken into different pieces when it is still warm)


I use 70% Lindt Cocoa so the cake a bit bitter.

Falling apart chocolate cake - still taste great !!!

Artichoke

Italian love artichoke, stuff it with cheese and breadcrumbs to steam it. It does take a lot of time to do it. My mum has told me artichoke is very good for health, especially for our liver. So the more time-saving recipe is boiling it with some chickpeas and beans. Then we can enjoy this plant in a healthy way with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and chickpeas soup.


I never saw artichoke plant. Fortunately, my mother-in-law has put 1 in the garden and produce 1 artichoke per year. After 15 years +, finally it wakes up. This year, we have 15 artichokes, it seems more to come, very excited.


Nothing happen

First artichoke is coming!!

This week --

 Beautiful purple color. This is a wild plant which has a horns.  

Roast Pork Shoulder

This week have watched 2 different cooking shows to make Roast Pork. Saturday morning, what is in my mind - go to the supermarket get a Pork shoulder or leg.

It is a very easy cooking method. Preparation less than 10 minus, put salt all over pork skin. I also put some rosemary inside the meat and lemon zest on the top of the skin to add some favor.
I put some water in the tray as learning from one of the cooking show.

According to the package, 1 hour 200 degree for 1 kg pork, it is quiet accurate.

But my pork shoulder is wrapped by net, it seems take longer time to make the pork fully cook.

Pork skin become crackling  the meat is very soft and juicy.
It is not much different Hong Kong style BBQ pork (燒肉), especially the skin part. I haven't eaten it for at least 5 years.

I also pan-fired shredded cabbage for side-dishes.
Very simple- Heat up a little bit oil, add curry powder and turmeric first in order to bring up the spices favour and then add shredded cabbage and pinch of salt. When the cabbage become soft, it is done. I learnt it from one of my Indian's friend.

Turmeric is one of my favor - in summer time, I would boil rice together with turmeric and eat it with yogurt mixed with few drops of lemon juice.

French Brioche

After Opera cake, it should be Bread time.

When I did research about Opera Cake, also found some French Bread recipe.

I don't think I have eaten Brioche before. Seeing some photos from   - very attractive - that is the motivation !

This recipe is from my favor blog -French brioche

In the beginning, the dough is incredible sticky, not much difference from porridge. I started getting worry and try to think some quick fix - add more flour, do this, do that.... But author of this recipe is a very famous blogger and also author of some magazines - so I should stick to what she said.

It comes up very light, fluffy and not really feel the butter when you eat it.
It does remind me Maxim's at home, their long sweet bread. Love it, good for breakfast, afternoon tea. I keep it in the fridge and microwave for 20 second - Perfetto !

Red orange salad

                                                                               
In Jamie's Italy book, it has a dessert recipe - quality vanilla ice-cream mixed with Olive oil. You may think this dessert is a bit strange. If you know somebody is Italian, you will find out how much they love olive oil, just like Chinese love soy sauce.

First time, when Mia Marito made this orange salad for me. I looked at him and didn't know what to say, have a big question mark on my head - Orange with Olive Oil. As usual, I gave it to go.
Now, I am the one to make it. This salad is great for hot summer.

Mix Red orange and orange, not only taste good but also look very attractive. 

Red orange Salad recipe
Cut 2 red oranges and 2 oranges into small cubes.
Mix it with quality Olive oil (plenty), pinch of salt, pepper and fresh oregano

Incomplete Opera cake

Have flipped through my French dessert cook book in the past few weeks which was bought from online bookshop. Every picture looks great, but it always includes 4 or 5 items to compose the whole cake. Looking at the lengthy process, it is really made me hesitating.

The term of “French dessert” give me impression which is only born at Professional kitchen.
Last year, I have made a very creative cake for Jess’s birthday. So what am I going to do this year? It may be a good excuse for me to pick 1 from this book related to chocolate – OPERA CAKE - goal set!

It needs: 4 rectangular sponge cakes (thin layer), Coffee mousse – but need to make Italian meringue first

Coffee syrup, Chocolate ganache, Silky chocolate ganache topping – I leave this one, wait for next time

After prepared all items, next step is layering the cake.

First layer is sponge cake, coffee syrup, chocolate graache, then sponge cake again, coffee syrup, coffee mousse this time, repeat 2 times. All done – no, no, no. it needs to look pretty. Nearly 10 pm at night, my brain just a little exhausted, try to use the Italian Mergiue to pip rose, but I forgot how to do it. Just the name would do. It is very simple decoration but I love the silky and shiny look of the meringue.

Look at each layer - can you smell the chocolate ganache blend with coffee mousse.

Considering how much time and effort to spend, it made me understand why the cost of quality French dessert is a little bit more expensive.

Lemon Mousse Tart

I have made mango mousse in summer which is not a good one. It only mixed gelatin powder, milk and mango together. My mum has made a very good mango mousse which need to blend on the top of ice but i can't find the recipe. Mango is not the season at the moment so I choose lemon to make the mousse. Lemon mousse is not in the top of my list. It's winter time and currently tart is my favour ~ lemon mousse tart should be well matched, sour lemon mousse with sweet pastry. 

4 tablespoon of unsalted butter used in Lemon curd - start getting a bit concern. I know it is a bit contradiction in here. I love dessert but concern about how much sugar and butter in used.

To make myself feel butter I select high quality ingredients than go for the price.

 High quality ingredients = good for health - that's how my mind works. 

Pastry - Jamie Oliver's short crust pastry (my favour)

Lemon mousse recipe is made from lemon curd and whipping cream.

Lemon curd recipe (make 360 ml)
3 Eggs
1/3 cup (2-3 lemons) must be Fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Lemon zest
3/4 cup Caster Sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)

In a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.
Put eggs, sugar and lemon juice in the bowl and whisk.
Stir constantly to prevent it from curdling.
Mixture becomes thick when temperature reach 160 C (~ take 10 minutes).
Remove from heat and pour it through a strainer immediately to remove any lumps (I haven't done this step because no lumps at all).
Cut butter into small pieces and put it into the mixture until all melted.
Add lemon zest and let it cool down.
Cover immediately to prevent a skin form.
It can keep in the refrigerate up to 1 week.

How good - can't stop licking it, just not me

Lemon mousse

Lemon curd 50g

Gelatin powder 2g

Cold water 10g

Whipping cream 50g ( I used non-diary cream) - whipped

Put gelatin powder into cold water.

When all gelatin powder dissolve in cold water, put it into lemon curd, mix well.

Then, mix whipping cream together.

Finally, put lemon mousse in the prepared pastry case and garnished by strawberry and fresh mint leaves.

I gave half to my lovely neighbour and she gave me 2 bags of lemon from her tree - so more lemon idea to come.

No Knead Ciabatta Bread

This is the third time to make this recipe within 2 weeks.

Here is winter now, it just perfect with soup. Besides that it is so easy to make. No need to knead. Before going to bed, mix all ingredients, cover it probably. Next day, just put in the oven for half hours, then you can have fresh bread in the table. Amazing !

Ingredients
Bread flour 3 Cups
Table salt 1 ¼ teaspoons
Dry yeast ¼ teaspoons
Warm water 1 ½ cups

Method
1. Put flour, salt, yeast together
2. Pour water in it, mix well, if not sticky add more water
3. Use foil or plastic wrap set it aside for 12 – 18 hours depends on room temperature
4. After 12 hours, the dough will be double size
5. Dust in work surface, make it round (just try to seam the side)
6. Place a cotton linen, dust generally
7. Lift the dough in the tea towel so it is seam side down
8. Folds the ends of the towel loosely over the dough to cover it
9. Place in the warm area for 1-2 hours
10. Dough will be become double size again
11. Pre heat oven 250 degree and put the pot in it, around 30 minutes
12. Put the dough into pre-heat pot coving the lid and bake for 30 minutes
13. Remove the lid and continue baking until the bread is a deep brown colour Around 10 – 15 minutes
14. Lift out from the pot and put in the rack for resting, around an hour

First time, I made it using the pot with lid (above method). This time, I just put the dough in a tray. But I add 1 ¾ cup water, a bit more than the recipe and baking time only 25 minutes because I worried it would become stone.

Remember the dough is very sticky, don’t worry. If you try to put flour to make a bit smooth like normal dough, it would become very dense inside, not very enjoyable.

My friend also forward me a youtube clip, I attached it below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX_6l2bmvQI

Non-dairy cream 甜忌廉

Who would like to have cream but NON-Dairy, taste like what – soy ?

In Hong Kong, non-dairy cream(甜忌廉)  is very popular for cake decoration. It’s because we don’t get use to milk and cheese, just like other Asian country. Whipping cream sometimes is too heavy for our taste buds. You hardly find any cake shop selling cupcakes with massive butter cream icing to cover it.

Personally, I am very health conscious. Cake with icing and whipping cream at the top - sorry not my cup of tea. After learning how to make butter cream in the cake decoration class, I am more resisted it by considering how much sugar and butter is used.

Can't find anywhere to sell non-dairy cream in Melbourne. Are you crazy, there have plenty of cow in here but you like to use non-diary cream.

I found the recipe in ehow webpage. Taste is really great, not so sweet, have lemon favor, soft and creamy.  It can form stiff peak and stand firm. I purposely kept in the fringe for 2 days to see whether it would change to liquid form or not. Answer is NO.

Next time, I will use it to decorate my cake, let see how it goes !

Ingredients
Non-Dairy Creamer 1 cup
Cold water ¼ cup
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon (chilled)
Icing sugar 3 tablespoons

Method
1. Before starting, put the mixing bowl and the beaters in the refrigerator to chill.
2. Put lemon juice, non-dairy creamer and cold water in the mixing bowl
3. Beat on high speed about 1 minutes or until soft peaks form
4. Add icing sugar gradually and continue to beat about 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form

* Non-Dairy Creamer is coffee whitener. I use Nestle coffeemate which is made from glucose syrup, vegetable fat, milk protein ...
I feel like meeting my long lost friend again. It was what I had on my birthday cake at home.
Love it !

Creme Burlee Cheese Tart

The first time to make this tart, so far so good. Someone love food said to me, even the presentation didn't look good, the taste would not be too bad as long as follow the recipe (what's the meaning behind :)
I used Jamie Oliver's Shortcrust pastry, very tasty and easy to do. You can eat it without any filling - somebody finish it before the filling was made last time !!
Filling is Creme Burlee Cheese from one of blog friend.
Finally, made caramel at the surface of the tart.
It just complement the sweetness of this tart because I normally use less sugar..


第一次做tart , 不過不失. 某某同我說, 就算差極味道都應該吾錯. 因為佢想食呀, 哈哈.
Tart 皮是 Shortcrust pastry, 我係用Jamie Oliver 的recipe, 好易做. 上次未做好filling ,就己經食清了.
餡是用其中一個 blog 友的Creme Burlee Cheese Cake 的做法, 餅底換了tart 皮
最後在tart 面上做焦糖. 其實做焦糖都幾好, 我通常都減糖,
有時D味道差小小, 有焦糖係面就互補不足.

Ciabatta

                                                                                     

我覺得中文名應叫農夫飽, 因為texture 幾粗, 同硬豬仔差不多. 如果你有去過French or Italian restaurant , 通常比Ｄ麵包dip with Oliver oil and balsamic vinegar, 就係D 個啦.

怕左Mr A 早上打開睇, 破壞我好事,寫番張note先.

足足發了18 小時, 由10 cm 發到20 cm diameter, 等到頸都長.

最後焗好, 還要resting １小時, 到了這個階段我的耐性只可以維持多 20 mins.

個飽好香, 個皮就脆,中間就軟但heavy.

Happy Man Happy Meal - Pasta al forno

Pasta al forno - from The Siclian Kitchen" mention that "it is the sort of cooking men get married over"
How lucky am I, he is making it for me, haha.

It is similar to lasagne but used penne instead of a sheet of pasta and put eggplants in between.

雪糕瑞士卷

細個另一至愛, 不過好似吾見再有得賣, in here - better don't think about it.

我還加了strawberry jam 在海綿蛋糕之上, 簡直做到十足十

豬仔包

細個最愛食, 今次自己搞吓先, 已經係第三次整麵包特別港式,

終於麵團可以發大成3 至4 倍, 都吾錯. 香味就一定不及出去買,

因為我用植物油而且只是足夠分糧, 對-沒有跟足recipe again !

Online Shopping

看其他blog 友有得上堂學做吾同的蛋糕, 我非常羨慕, 這裏 D class 好貴而且D餅好似無甘details. 只好係人地的blog 內學吓先.

無意中發現買書的website, 特別係cookbook, 價錢比起這兒平不單只, 還要是日本chef 呀, 我又點忍得手.
最後我選了這–本, 吾洗一星期就到, 我當然笑到吾停得口, 連發夢都想怎樣整, 因為有的技術性的問題睇書都學不到.

另外是中文書, 有Ｄ材料的名我真係吾知是什麽, 要translate 先完才可開始動工

Lemon & Almond Biscottini

Wog 每次見到免費 recipe 一定會拿番張返屋企, 睇完後就會同我講那一個好易做, 其實即係叫我造. 今次佢選了 Lemon & Almond Biscottini.    由於他了解我的習慣第一句說話就係 '吾好改過recipe'  我沒有改什麼, 只係減了些糖, 哈哈 .

好香杏仁味.

Broccoli & Italian Sausage Cannoli

Crepes & Apple tart

或者係冬天, 對Pie & Tart 特別有興趣, 加埋雪糕, 簡直是無敵.
個Crepes 其實係我的早餐, 同Apple tart 一樣加了秘制的plum.
Preserved plum 係前兩年用bandy 浸, 非常入味, 最重要係無發酶

有袖冷衫

終於完成了第一件有的袖冷衫, 足足搞在三年.

因為夏天無可能在火車上織衫, 而冬天,又想織D可以快收工的冷物

所以就拖了３年才完成.

如果等我件衫來著,一定凍死.

其實我係無跟pattern織, 或者細個睇得我媽多, 想下計下就織出來.

21 Chocolate Cake

This is the first massive project in my life. 21 Birthday cake for 100 people. I think it comes out quite ok, smell the fresh strawberry and chocolate. 

Tiramisu Birthday cake

Specially for my friend's cousin. Actually it is very hard to do the icing in the soft surface. Not really fun !