Sunday, March 26, 2017

Springtime Chocolate Cake

For quite awhile I have been looking for a special chocolate cake recipe and I think I have found it. I will call it my 'go to' chocolate cake recipe for either that 'special occasion' or just because I want to make it :) Either way, it will be fun making it and those I share it with will be smiling too !

Here it is, I found this Most Amazing Chocolate Cake recipe. Now of course I had to put a few 'Joanne twists' to the basic recipe, such as the cream cheese buttercream frosting with a hint of peach pastel. I wanted to welcome spring with my party and my cake in a light and pretty way. But without the twists, its not really mine to share with others. But I have done some good things with this recipe so please give it a try yourself. I think you will be happy with it too !

I made this cake for my annual springtime party and everyone who tried it loved it. They also liked the way it looked and I was happy they thought it was pretty too.

It is a good feeling to make others feel good. Food, especially baked goods are almost always a popular feature at a party. It just makes people happy to see a nice, big cake sitting there. So take a look and see if my pictures give you a hint of happiness as well.





Here a snapshot of the last piece cake standing!

Ingredients:
1 cup hot water plus 1 tsp instant coffee
1 1/2 cup buttermilk ( add 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice and milk to fill  to measure 1 1/2 cup)
4 eggs
3 cup flour
2 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup Hershey Cocoa
1/2 oil
1 tsp vanilla

Direction:'
Preheat oven at 350.
Lined 3 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and oil side of pans.

In a big bowl, combine dry ingredients; flour, sugar,baking powder, baking soda and Hershey cocoa. Toss and mix well for a good blend.
In mixer, mix eggs and oil, add in buttermilk.
Mix in dry mixture into mixer.
Add in hot coffee.
Pour cake mixture equally into cake pans.
Bake for 35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
Let cake cool for at least 15 minutes.
Place cake on cake stand, layer with cream cheese buttercream frosting (my recipe here)
Crumb coat sides and top of cake, place cake in refrigerator for 15 mins.
Smooth coat cake and decorate with more buttercream frosting.
Keep cake cool in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Candied Clementine Orange Peel

This reminds of my childhood snacks and I couldn't get enough. I would buy lots of these each time I go visit my home town in Penang, Malaysia.

I thought instead of throwing away the cementine peels, I try making candied clementine peels, I search online for a recipe and found this TBA.

Take a look these that I made :)









Sunday, March 5, 2017

Turkey Ham Chilli

It is the time of the year again, the excuse is we suffer too much winter and when we are dying for Spring to come. Those cold winter days, not this year, we have the warmer winter ever... really ever. Whatever the reason, we just want to have the Chilli cookout contest at church.

Today, my version of chilli is turkey ham, since I have these at hand.



Here is my recipe:

1 small can of corn
3 big pieces of ham, cut into small cubes
2 can of 28 oz Diced Tomato
1 cup of red beans
1 cup of chickpeas
1 can of baked bean (14 ozs)
1 medium onions (chopped)
1 cup of pepper (chopped, I used a mix of red & green)
1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
3/4 Tbs korean chili powder ( reduce to 1/2 Tbs for not so spicy )
1 Tbs cumion
1 lb of ground turkey
1 cup water

Saute ground turkey in the pot of pressure cooker.
Add onions, diced tomatoes, stir and let it cook for a few mins.
Put the rest of the ingredients to the pot, cover.
Cook for 30 minutes.

Turn of stove. Let it rest for 15 mins.
Stir and serve.
Or transfer to slow cooker to keep chilli warm until ready to serve.

Tall Chocolate Mocha Cake

   I am always looking to find my "Go To" chocolate cake.  A recipe that is so good I can use it for any occasion and it will be a hit ! That is not always so easy to do because I don't usually bake with heavy ingredients like Paula Dean. I like my treats to be somewhat healthy as well as fun and delicious. I think this chocolate mocha cake recipe falls somewhere in the middle between decadent Paula Dean and health conscious Joanne Teh. Let's take a look .
   For this cake I used whole milk, cream cheese and butter with no substitutes at all ! And the icing is pure sugar and cream cheese. Wow, it is this really my cake ? The answer is yes and I hope this cake will be enjoyed by all chocolate lovers who try it. Will this be the recipe that finally takes the prize ?








Recipe:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup Hershey cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 eggs separated
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 stick butter, melted with 1 oz of milk chocolate
1/2 cup of strong instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven at 350. Lined bottom of 3 6inch cake pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl, measure flour, cocoa, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and baking soda, Mix well, set aside.
In a mixing bow, stir together melted butter and chocolate.
Add in 1 cup of sugar, then mix in egg yolk and vanilla.
Mix in sour cream. Stir in 1/2 of coffee.
Gradually add and mix in 1/2 of the flour mixture, alternate with the other 1/2 of the coffee.

While preparing the above batter, in a mixer, beat egg while until it forms to a peak.
Gradually sprinkle in the other 1/2 of sugar.
Once the batter is ready, fold in the egg white.

Pour cake batter evenly divide among the 3 cake pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until cake comes out clean on toothpick.
Let cake cool for 15 mins, use a thin knife and go around the side of cake to loosen cake.
Ice cake with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting.
1 package 8oz cream cheese
1 3/4 stick of butter
1/4 cup of shortening ( or just use butter )
7 cup confectioner sugar
3 Tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat cream cheese until sooth, add butter and beat well. Add shortening and beat well too.
2. Stop mixer, add 1/2 of icing sugar, re-start mixing at slow speed until sugar is incorporated
then increase speed to mix frosting.
3. Repeat step 2 again.
4. Add milk 1 Tbsp at a time and adjust accordingly to consistency that you like. (so you could add 2 to 4 Tbsp of milk ), ice cake and store leftover in refrigerator on leftovers.