French Macarons with Mint Chocolate Ganache (Sucre Cuit / Italian Method)

It’s Christmas Eve! I bet everyone or at least majority of you are feeling as excited as I am. And I am extremely thrilled because I will be hitting the road up north of Florida in a couple of hours for my 10-day road trip to various cities in the sunshine state. I’m sure it’s going to be a well-deserved break after days of baking some homemade sweet treats for this festive season.

It was a bold attempt I would say since it was a first-time for me, or rather, the first time I am trying out a new recipe – the baking of French macarons! Bold because I would end up with no gifts for giving in the event my baking experiment fails. Haha! Well, I suppose you guessed it right that my experiment pulled off successfully since I am blogging about it now. Oh wait, does anyone blogs a failed recipe? Not that I have come across so far. *Grin!

Strictly speaking it’s not my first time making French macarons. In the past, I have relied on the French method – a more commonly used method of creating the meringue by whipping together cool egg whites with granulated sugar until they form a stiff consistency which is said to yield lighter, tastier with a more delicate, cookie-like texture of authentic French macarons. Unfortunately the results of my macaronage were not quite consistent each time I tried. Until much research and read-up, I discovered the Italian (also known as Sucre Cuit or Sugar-baked) method of making macarons – a method that relies on a hot sugar syrup slowly whipped into egg whites to achieve its meringue which is regarded as more complicated than the French method. Despite so, many who have tried the Italian method said it actually yields a more stable meringue consistency. And I have witnessed that for myself indeed.

French Macarons with Mint Chocolate Ganache

For those who still have “fear” of trying to bake macarons at home, stop hesitating! If I can do it, you can do it too. ^_^

Longan Red Dates with Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls)

It's officially winter! Are you feeling the cold? ^_^

I happened to chance upon the Lunar calendar on my mobile phone and noticed that Dōng Zhì 冬至 (Winter Solstice), a festival traditionally celebrated by the Chinese and East Asians with family getting together falls on the 22nd of December this year. This is my second winter solstice away from home. Recalling back, my husband and I were travelling in the Washington D.C. last winter solstice and had missed the eating of tang yuan (glutinous rice balls), a festive food that symbolises reunion traditionally eaten by the southern Chinese. It has been a year now, time flies!

In the past, my Mom used to cook our favourite store-bought glutinous rice balls with peanut fillings during this day of the year. Since this winter solstice came ahead of my year-end trip and glutinous rice flour was surprisingly available in this small city in the west of Florida, I decided to attempt my first home-make (plain) tang yuan from scratch. 

Longan Red Dates with Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls)

After cracking my head on what to go with my plain home-made tang yuan, I decided on this sweet dessert soup which is quite commonly served to the newly-weds on their wedding day as it seeks to symbolise bliss and reunion. And it kind of brought me back to my wedding day. Much memories~

Have you had your tang yuan this winter solstice?

Reindeer Cupcakes

Can't believe it's already mid-December. My last baking post seems like yesterday. My apologies to those who have been checking back this space but find no updates. I have been pretty tied up with all the crafts-making for Christmas and itineraries planning for the holiday trips that I hardly had the time to bake these days. >,<

Fortunately or unfortunately, it was a stay-at-home over the last weekend since my husband was still recovering from his flu. Hence, I'm turning weekend shopping time to weekend baking time! This reindeer cupcake idea triggered by my non-stop-pretzels-snacking of late (a good snack find recommended by a friend during my Washington D.C. trip over the last Thanksgiving holiday) which very much resembled the horns of a reindeer has been in my head for awhile (although a quick search online found that it's nothing new actually). However, I'm glad it pulled off well and tasty as imagined after putting all my flavour ideas into one cupcake. ^_^ 

Reindeer Cupcakes

But wait, perhaps they look more like bears? Haha! Well, up to your imagination then...

Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Nutella® Buttercream Frosting and Mint Chocolate Ganache

The end product of an inspirational cake idea from a friend turned out well to my surprise! And I was surprised partly because I was actually working with mint chocolates, definitely one ingredient I wouldn't think of using in my own bake creation. Honestly, I'm no fan of mint chocolates, saved for After Eight® dark chocolate thin mints which is by far the only mint chocolate I would eat. In fact not just mint chocolates, I don't actually fancy mint flavour of cookies or ice cream either, except for peppermint candies of course. What strange taste buds, I know. Haha! Well since this cake is my homemade, I had no choice (not that I'm forced) but to taste the cake and I was actually glad that I didn't "reject" it. I suppose this cake may well be a "turning point" for those who don't have a liking for mint chocolates too. ^_^

Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Nutella® Buttercream Frosting and Mint Chocolate Ganache

I am sharing this post with CookBlogShare event hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes because sharing is caring.

And for the first time, I am sharing my bake with Bake of the Week event organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello.

Mini Orange Chiffon Cakes

Hello! I'm finally back to this space and sorry if I've kept you waiting! As mentioned in my previous post in August, I was back at home and I actually managed to stay for two good months. Those two months past pretty quickly since I had a great time catching up with my family and friends, minus about two weeks when I fell ill, which I suspect was due to the humidity and bad haze. Strangely, I kind of missed the lifestyle in this small city in the west of Florida which I'd spent little time compared to a familiar place where I'd grown up in for years. I guess I wouldn't mind leaving the place I used to feel proud as a citizen if not for my loved ones. Anyway, it was a short time back at home and I didn't have time (or rather I didn't want to spend my time) to get down to work in the kitchen, which explains the lack of my blog post. I hope you don't feel neglected! ^_^ Now that I'm back and "free", I'll try to compensate for my absence and get back to "work", literally. *Grin!

The recipe for these cute lil' orange chiffon cakes was one which I didn't manage to share in time for Little Thumbs Up July's theme event on Chiffon Cakes. And to kick start my blogging, I've decided to make them again since there was a request from a friend who had the lingering taste of these cakes which he said were really delicious. Wow! I bet this is one achievement for a humble self-taught home-baker like me when I get such compliment. Well, I'm just easily contented. And what's a better way  of saying "Thank you" to those who appreciates other than "feeding" them with what they crave?! =)

Mini Orange Chiffon Cakes

I am sharing these Mini Orange Chiffon Cakes with Treat Petite November 2014 theme, Thank You, hosted by Stuart of Cakeyboi and Kat of The Baking Explorer. This can't be more appropriate. At the same time, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those of you who have been taking time to visit and to read my blog. =)

And I would also like to share this post with CookBlogShare event hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes, a wonderful channel that allows sharing without boundaries.

French Madeleines

Looking at the calendar I can't help but must say, as if one cannot be reminded enough, that more than half a year has passed! Gosh~~ August feels like the peak of Summer as the weather gets exceptionally hotter, even during the nights. However, I guess I should be thankful that it's just about the right weather for me to get used to since I will be returning to Singapore this month! How exciting is that?! Haha! For those who are not familiar with the weather in Singapore, it's literally Summer all year-round less the days when rain falls. Correct me if I'm wrong since I have been away from home for the longest time! And because it's Summer, we had been experiencing unusually slow traffic when we headed out to the neighbouring city during the past couple of weekends, since we were in the same direction where many (seemingly coming from everywhere) were heading to the beach; pretty much a trend that I've observed since the start of Summer. This is one very different from Singapore as people in Singapore gets to go to the beach almost throughout the year.

Anyway, the cooped in the car due to the jam prompted me to bake something that's handy to pack and go without the need for special care handling. And immediately these French Madeleines came to mind. They are just one of the best snacks to enjoy in the car since they aren't messy to eat and they taste good whether hot or cold. Packing them for the road trip totally helped ease the anxiety from being stuck in the jam. Actually, they are just perfect for any occasions! ^_^

French Madeleines

Fried Curry Puffs

One who knows how to cook (and make delicious food) doesn't mean one is willing to do it; while one who is willing to do it doesn't mean one is able to make delicious food (after all it's the thoughts that count). Hence I never fail to tell my husband it's his double-win fortune to take me as his wife after I made him yummy food that satisfy his cravings every time. Haha! And the mister has been "pestering" me to make him curry puffs for the longest time before he gave up after I turned him down every time with the consequences from deep-frying, that is the lingering smell of oil in the apartment and the oil stench that stays on the carpet and sofa. *Giggle! It may be my plain excuse for "rejecting" his request time and again since I never like deep-frying but the consequences from deep-frying were all true. Let alone the amount of grease-cleaning to be done, it took almost the entire can of air fresher spray to rid the oil stench in the entire apartment. >,<

*Oops! I hope I've not dampened your eagerness to try out this recipe at this point. Despite the post cleaning chores, I'll totally do it again if you ask me (in fact I've already made this recipe twice). If you're yearning for some traditional curry puffs made of crisp yet flaky crust similar to those bought from the local food markets sold traditionally by the Malays, this is the one or even better -- because you can wrap in as much filling as you want! *_*

Fried Curry Puffs

I'm linking this post to the event, Little Thumbs Up (July 2014: Potato) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Mui Mui of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Jasline of Foodie Baker. You may find that there are already many other curry puff versions linked to the above event, but who doesn't like to be spoilt for choices?! ^_^

And I would also like to share this post with CookBlogShare event hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes because caring is sharing!

Tiramisu

"How difficult can making tiramisu be?"
I thought to myself after I was successful in baking my Homemade Ladyfingers, one of the key ingredients in the popular italian dessert. And I was all confused after I began my recipe research, the foremost step which I would spend a great amount of time before I decide on a comfortable and "reliable" recipe to work on. Amongst the search results generated, many recipes "claimed" to be that of an authentic italian tiramisu or otherwise termed by some as the classic tiramisu. In the list of ingredients specified in the recipes I've shortlisted, the biggest "headache" lies with the type of spirit used since I'm not familiar (or rather I've not worked) with alcohol in baking. Majority suggested rum or dark rum, some recommended kahlua, while few others used Masala in their recipes. That aside, the rest of the ingredients and its respective proportions differ greatly from one recipe to another which made it harder to compare. When I was finally down to three recipes - the Classic Tiramisu, Tiramisu II and Easy Tiramisu after eliminating the rest, I decided to work out my own list of ingredients and its proportions through a "mix and match" after assessing what's available in my pantry. Since this is a no-bake recipe (typically if you're using store-bought ladyfingers or have already pre-made the homemade ladyfingers), I felt the key to a delicious tiramisu lies with the overall taste and texture from the combined layers.

Tiramisu

Verdict? It just makes me crave for more! ^_^ Years of feeling intimidated by the difficulty in making tiramisu (from what I've been told by many) have been uncalled for after pulling off this experiment successfully. I totally agree with the quote of saying, "you'll never know until you try it".

And this is definitely a dessert that requires patience before you could sink your teeth in because the tiramisu has to be set in the fridge for at least 4 to 6 hours, or better if chilled overnight. So I did this at night instead, just when I was still feeling full from dinner. *Grin! Although it was already 11 p.m. by the time I put away the tiramisu in the fridge and was done clearing up the mess, the time and effort spent was totally worth it! And strangely, I find myself enjoying the tiramisu so much despite the evident taste of coffee since I'm a non-coffee drinker. *_* I hope you like it too!

Vanilla Chiffon Mango Charlotte

It's a joy to be able to do something you enjoy doing than being forced to do it. So while I find it a joy to bake, I also find it a joy to share my bake and to see people enjoying my food. Although my recent bakes have been (mostly) driven by the themes of the ongoing baking events, they were actually part of my to-bake list too. And I'm so glad to finally execute some of them (with the "force" from the interesting baking themes). So to level up the challenge (I posed to myself), I have been cracking my brain on how to put a bake idea (that fits the baking theme) into a real bake product. With so many birthdays coming up, the idea of a Mango Charlotte (cake) automatically came to my mind. I was first introduced to a Mango Charlotte (cake) when my sister was tasked to buy a birthday cake for the family, and we had charlotte cakes on so many occasions that I can't remember who in the family was the first to have a charlotte cake on birthday. So I started by searching what exactly made up the "wall" around the cake. Haha! That was pretty much how my previous post on Homemade Ladyfingers came about. too. ^_^ To fit the current Bake-Along's theme event on chiffon cake, I have decided to make a vanilla chiffon for the cake layer.

Ta-da! Here's a debut of my Vanilla Chiffon Mango Charlotte, and what a long name! Honestly, it took me a long while to decide the name for this cake. *Grin!

Vanilla Chiffon Mango Charlotte

And I am so pleased with the looks of the cake and extremely satisfied with the taste combination. *_* Looking at this cake feels like a dream come true! It looks just like how I'd imagined. ^_^ I guess I will be using chiffon cake as the cake layer (more than regular sponge cake) in future when making whole cakes! Yeah~

Homemade Ladyfingers (Sponge Biscuits)

Whenever I come across recipes calling for ladyfingers, the first that would appear in my mind is the image of an okra, the edible green plant, otherwise correctly known as lady's fingers. Haha! Then what exactly are ladyfingers? According to Wikipedia's explanation, "ladyfingers are light and sweet sponge cakes roughly shaped like a large finger". If you are familiar with making charlottes and tiramisu, I'm sure you'd know what they are. But honestly, I didn't know they are called ladyfingers except knowing them as sponge biscuits, or cakes maybe. *Oops! Many recipes mentioned using store-bought ladyfingers which I don't remember seeing at the supermarkets. After some recipe research, I realised that ladyfingers are actually made of few simple ingredients and I presume most people (especially those who bakes) would have in their pantry, and that's including me! So I have decided to give it a shot since it doesn't look quite complicated to bake. I bet you'll agree with me after you've tried it. ^_^

Homemade Ladyfingers (Sponge Biscuits)

Mini Lemon Cranberry Chiffon Cakes

The combined fragrance of lemon + cranberry still lingers after I baked those Lemon Cranberry Scones last month. And when I was thinking of making chiffon cake with cranberries, I was reminded immediately of the white and fluffy cranberry chiffon that I would often buy from the bakery at Bugis Junction for tea-time or breakfast (the next day) during lunch time when I was still working. Anyway, those were the days~~

Most recipes on cranberry (yogurt) chiffon cake I've found require plain yogurt which I don't normally stock in my fridge. So I've decided to transform those lingering fragrance and twist them into these Mini Lemon Cranberry Chiffon Cakes!

Mini Lemon Cranberry Chiffon Cakes

Results from a successful experiment using the recipe of a lemon chiffon cake and the technique of incorporating cranberries from recipe of a cranberry yogurt chiffon cake. Ta-da! Although these don't look white like the ones store-bought (which I'm suspecting they might be using a steam-bake method), they are still soft and fluffy!

Mini Chocolate Chiffon Cakes

The 2014 FIFA World Cup™ has finally come to an end. Have you guessed this year's champion team correctly? Anyway I was so amused by the anti-betting advertisement promoted by Singapore's NCPG which created quite a big "hooha" after Germany emerged as one of the final teams, and now that Germany has finally won. I wonder how the scriptwriter feels about it. Haha! Well back to reality, much of my time will be freed up and life shall resume back to "normal" without these football matches to catch at the regular timing of the day. And since there's a current baking event theme on chiffon cakes, I am so going to maximise the use of my mini angel food cake pan!

Mini Chocolate Chiffon Cakes

I have decided to bake a chocolate version of chiffon cake since two of my friends here have each given me a box of cocoa powder. I didn't know the difference in cocoa powder until I noticed recipes specifying "Dutch-processed" cocoa powder in their list of ingredients. As usual, a quick google search generated a whole list of information on the differences between Dutch-processed cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder, where the latter is more commonly found in supermarkets and is what I realised I have in my kitchen too. Personally, I like the post on Baking 101 tips by Joy the Baker as it provides an easy yet informative understanding on the differences between the two types of cocoa powder. Since natural cocoa powder is all I have (in abundance), I have decided to go ahead with the substitution even though this recipe I took referenced from called for Dutch-processed cocoa powder. It was one of the webpages I have bookmarked when I was trying to learn and understand the techniques of baking the "perfect" chiffon cake. I find it pretty useful as the baker gave quite a detailed explanation on the basics of baking chiffon cake and troubleshoots the common problems faced. And I'm indeed very happy with the results of the mini version of my chocolate chiffon cakes. I hope you like it too! ^_^

Mini Pandan Chiffon Cakes

It's been a long while since I last used my mini angel food cake pan for the first and only time. To satisfy my husband's craving, I've decided to transform my previous Pandan Chiffon Cupcakes recipe into the "genuine" shape of how chiffon cake looks, or rather, how chiffon cake looks traditionally. ^_^

To my surprise, the same recipe works just well for my (4-cavity) mini angel food cake pan with just the right amount of batter! These mini pandan chiffon cake just takes a couple of minutes longer to bake than those in the form of cupcake. And although they taste just as great, I somehow get more "feel" when savouring these chiffon cakes in its traditional looking shape. Haha~

Mini Pandan Chiffon Cakes

For ease of reference, I have replicated the recipe for my Pandan Chiffon Cupcakes in this post and included some of my notes when baking these mini cake rings.

I am sharing this post with Bake-Along #64: Theme - Chiffon Cake jointly organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Joyce of Kitchen Flavours and Lena of Frozen Wings. Enjoy!

Chocolate-coated Shortbread Cookies

The talk topics lately have been surrounding the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. Fortunately this year, I was able to catch the matches without having to wake (or stay up) in the wee hours since we're in the Central Time zone. Though I'm not really a football fan, it's somehow the only sports tournament I enjoy (or perhaps love) watching, and that would make me sacrifice my sleep (in the past) especially since it's only held every four years.

And for the same reason, I haven't been blogging lately since there were matches almost everyday during the past weeks. *Oops! So here's a quick recipe that I've made as my snack companion for my chilled diet soda or iced tea which I haven't been able to live without since Summer kicked in. Though I would prefer such seasonal Summer heat over the almost all-year "summer" weather experienced in Singapore (because it's not just hot but humid), I'm still very much overwhelmed by the scorching July sun. And yes, it has been a chilled beverage with snack during tea-time instead of my usual hot floral or green tea. ^_^ But be it a chilled or hot beverage, these cookies are a great treat for sure as you can simply grab and bite into it without taking your eyes off the "ball" on the screen, if you know what I mean. Hee~

Chocolate-coated Shortbread Cookies

I am sharing these Chocolate-coated Shortbread Cookies, one of my Summer tea-time snack companions with Treat Petite July 2014 theme, Summer hosted by Kat of The Baking Explorer and Stuart of Cakeyboi.

Cinnamon Baked Doughnut Holes

I was reminded of the National Doughnut Day that fell on 6 June 2014 when I was clearing my email inbox as I came across a mailer which I have subscribed from this famous doughnut brand, which created a craze (and was there an overnight queuing?!) when it first launched in Singapore last October. I was astonished when I was told of the prices of the doughnuts sold there compared with the prices of the doughnuts sold here in United States. @_@

During my childhood days, I remember my Mum would often buy us the "traditional" sugar-coated doughnut rings and doughnut holes on a skewer from our neighbourhood bakery for our tea-time snacks. Unlike these days, the assortment of doughnuts I could recall came only in chocolate coated, chocolate coated sprinkles and chocolate coated nuts back then. And if I wasn't wrong, each assorted doughnut cost only a dollar or slightly over. It is unbelievable how the prices of the fancy doughnuts these days have sky-rocketed (let alone the cause of inflation) just with its novelty transformation and branding. But well, it has been proven that there are still people who are willing to queue and pay for it. 

I've never thought of making doughnuts at home because of the dough proofing and oil frying involved until I pullout this recipe which I have bookmarked sometime ago from what I've watched on my all-time favourite food channel. 

Cinnamon Baked Doughnut Holes

The addition of the cinnamon spice to the doughnut and coating creates an elegant touch and taste to the plain sugar coated version I had during childhood which was already tasty. Unfortunately I ran out of skewers, or else savouring these doughnut holes from a skewer would have resembled much like every bite taken during the childhood days. ^_^

White Lover's Cookies (Shiroi Koibito)

Recently, my sister posted a photo of the souvenirs she'd received from a friend's recent Japan trip. It reminded me of my own trip to Tokyo, Japan with my husband last May after we got married in November the year before, which he had always regarded as our "mini" honeymoon. Well, I kind of agree with him since it was a place we haven't been to, but only so reluctantly because I didn't consider honeymoon a honeymoon anywhere within Asia. Haha~ But don't ask me where we went for our "actual" honeymoon because it wasn't really planned to date, although we went on a holiday to New York last fall. @_@

Thinking back about the Japan trip, I miss the snacks and the food there more than anything else. One of the goodies that I couldn't resist from buying was this 白い恋人, also known as "White Lover" in English translation, which is a very popular snack from Hokkaido (no, we didn't travel up to Hokkaido but this snack can be found easily at the airport and many departmental stores in Tokyo). Here's a picture of the packaging I took back then if some of you don't know what I'm referring to. It is also called the "Chocolat Blanc et Langue de Chat" as the name on the packaging suggests. It consists of chocolate sandwiched between two butter cookies.

Nowadays, with the advancement of international trade and shipping services, one may easily get it from a local store or purchase it online even if one don't get to travel. But ever since I got into baking, my natural chain of thoughts wasn't to look up an online store that sells and delivers the snack to where I am, but instead, the possibility of making them myself at home. ^_^ I hope everyone will enjoy these home-baked Shiroi Koibito as much as I do.

White Lover's Cookies (Shiroi Koibito)

Strawberry Shortcake (Shotokeki)

Today is one of my bestie's birthday, and I'm sure this year's (and the forward years') birthday will be especially different for her. Not (entirely) because her bestie (me) won't be able to feast with her this year like we did in the past, but (significantly) because she will be celebrating it with a new addition in the family (as a mother), her baby daughter who is about 3-1/2 months' old now. Thinking back, our affinity with each other was quite an interesting one.

She's three years my senior and we first got to know each other when we attended the same part-time degree course at a local institution. I could still remember I was one of the few students who had arrived late on the first day of class and there were two or few empty seats left, and I made my choice to take the seat next to her. We were both "shy" and didn't speak to each other until break-time, and she was the first to initiate the conversation. But what we didn't know until (days, or maybe weeks) later was, we were actually from the same secondary school (some call it high school) after we bumped into a mutual friend. We were both extremely surprised as we had no impression of each other back then. And since then, we had endless topics to talk about and conversations seemed to flow like old friends catching up. Perhaps this is what fate is all about. To date, we have known each other for about seven years and still counting. Looking back, it was a tough time coping with studies while working full-time. But I could imagine it would have been tougher if I didn't have her with me during the two years of the course. ^_^ Reminiscing our good old times would make this blog post lengthier than the combined blog posts I have written to date. Just want to say a big thank you to her for being a friend more than anyone could ask for. *_*

And coincidentally, today happens to be the birthday of a new (local) friend I got acquainted in this foreign country. She has been rendering me her companion in many of our social activities and I thought I could make her a cake as a surprise since I'm sure she would be missing the blast celebration with her family and friends had she not been away from home. It was a risky surprise though because this baking experiment was my maiden attempt. But yes, the surprise pulled off successfully and the cake was not a disappointment at all. Although this bake wasn't made specially for my bestie (as she wouldn't get to savour it anyway), I would also like to dedicate this cake to her on this special day and to let her know that I will definitely make her one someday! ^_^

Strawberry Shortcake (Shotokeki)

Lemon Cranberry Scones

The summer weather has been unbearably hot and I've been so reluctant to step out of the house lately. Since I've barely made any trips out, I was searching through my pantry cupboard to see what's left when I found a packet of dried cranberries which has been sitting in there for some time. I recalled buying these dried cranberries with the intentions to try out a cranberry chiffon cake recipe which I've been putting off. Yet, I just couldn't find any good timing for that since the hot weather has literally drained my energy for what I considered a "tedious" bake. Considering I wasn't in the mood for any outing and reckoning that I would be staying home during most of the days in the coming week, I thought I should bake something for my stay-home afternoon tea for the next couple of days.

Though I don't really remember having tried scones, let alone really tasty ones, I thought I would have a go at it after recalling the simple steps involved in the making process from an episode on the food channel. As usual, I did some online research and comparison before settling on this recipe. And the results of my experiment? Double thumbs up! ^_^ Feeling so happy with the discovery of another simple and easy recipe to share with all, especially beginner bakers. After the sampling session, one of my "taste judges" even remarked that I can forget about trying store-bought scones as I'll just be lowering my standards. *_*

Lemon Cranberry Scones

So what are you waiting for? Nothing beats experimenting and experiencing it yourself. Not a fan of cranberries? No worries, simply substitute with any other dried fruits, nuts or even chocolate chips!

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (June 2014: Butter) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen.

I would also like to share this post with The Biscuit Barrel Challenge (June 2014: Summer) organised by Laura of I'd Much Rather Bake Than… because these lemon cranberry scones will be one of my good companions for my stay-home afternoon tea this summer.

I would also like to share this post with the summer event of Four Seasons Food (June 2014: The Colour Red) organised by Louisa of Eat Your Veg and Anneli of Delicieux hosted by Tina of The Spicy Pear.

Danish Butter Cookies

Danish Butter Cookies

One of my favourite childhood snacks is the danish butter cookies that come in assorted shapes and flavours packed in a round blue tin, which I'm sure many are familiar with. I recalled my brother, sisters and I would always snatched up those coated with sugar while leaving the ones that contains raisins, which are the least favourite to the last. Although I have been eating these cookies for years, I have little clue as to why they are called the danish butter cookies, except that the association is probably due to the famous butter cookies brand originating from Denmark. 

Ever since I got into baking, I have always like to try out recipes of every favourites that I enjoy, or as many as possible, in my home-made ways. While not every recipes could replicate the taste of store-bought ones, these danish butter cookies recipe which I've found is definitely a must-try recipe. It is simple yet versatile. It takes almost just one step or at most two to combine all the ingredients together to form the batter before turning them into yummy cookies. And it is versatile because the batter can be pressed (piped) out into shapes for baking immediately without first chilling the batter. At the same time, the batter can also be chilled to harden, before rolling out and cutting up into shapes for baking. This is definitely a must-try recipe for all danish butter cookies lover and beginner bakers.

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (June 2014: Butter) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Jozelyn of Spice Up My Kitchen.

I am also sharing this post to the event, AlphaBakes (June 2014: Letter "D") hosted by Caroline of Caroline Makes and Ros of The More than Occasional Baker. The name of this recipe says it all. The letter "D" represents Danish Butter Cookies. ^_^

Last but not least, I am submitting this post to Treat Petite June 2014 theme, Childhood Memories hosted by Stuart of Cakeyboi and Kat of The Baking Explorer.

Chocolate Éclairs (Minis)

It was a lazy week for me after a long weekend as the federal holiday, Memorial Day happened to fall on the recent Monday. After cracking my brain on what to bake to fit the respective themes of the baking events I have been participating over the past weeks of the month, I was inspired by a store-bought dessert, Chocolate Éclairs, which a friend had brought along to our recent potluck dinner. And that's definitely one of my favourite pastry desserts!

Chocolate Éclairs (Minis)

Just like my past bakes, I would do a fair bit of research by comparing the various recipes, reading the reviews and comments of others who have attempted, including watching online videos on the making process, if available before I embark on my own baking experiment. Honestly, I felt a little intimidated after doing my homework because it seems like the challenge faced by many is in the making of the choux pastry, otherwise called pâte à choux, or simply known as the "shells" of the éclairs. Finally, I decided and settled on Paula Deen's Chocolate Stuffed Eclairs recipe found on FoodNetwork.com, but guess what? My choux pastry, that is the shells of the éclairs turned out to be a success on my first attempt and I actually failed on the chocolate cream filling. @_@! I suppose I'm one of the fewer minority for that matter. The chocolate cream filling felt like the texture of red bean paste, if you know what I am referring. Somehow somewhere, I couldn't figure how and where it went wrong. So I quickly turned to the crème pâtissière of the alternative recipe by Gale Gand's Chocolate Eclairs which I've kept from my research and made a vanilla cream filling for my éclairs instead. And there goes my original plan of finishing up the last two episodes of my Taiwanese drama after my bake when a half day baking affair took almost the entire of my day. Thought I could enjoy these éclairs for my tea-break which I didn't get to have one today, and ended having these éclairs as an after-dinner dessert. Still, this is definitely worth it!

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (May 2014: Milk) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House.

(P.S. And I realised I have past the submission deadlines for the respective baking events, namely The Biscuit Barrel Challenge (May 2014: Favourites) organised by Laura of I'd Much Rather Bake Than…, AlphaBakes (May 2014: Letter "E") hosted by Ros of The More than Occasional Baker & Caroline of Caroline Makes, and Treat Petite May 2014 theme, World Baking Day hosted by Kat of The Baking Explorer & Stuart of Cakeyboi, which I had intended to share this baking post with when I was ready to publish this post. @_@!)

Cinnamon Rolls

After pushing back this recipe for sometime, I finally attempted my first trial in making these Cinnamon Rolls. My sister pretty much loves cinnamon rolls and she was the one who gave me the idea of making them. Oh wait, did I mention before I have two sisters? Since my previous baking post on Lemon Glazed Vanilla Pound Cupcakes was inspired by the elder of my two younger sisters, I shall dedicate these Cinnamon Rolls to my youngest sister. *_*

Cinnamon Rolls

Many of the recipes online involves double-proofing of the dough. Thankfully my diligent research paid off and I found this easy recipe that required only one time proofing. Though I have not tried one made from a double-proofing method, the cinnamon rolls made from this one rise method were just as tasty and definitely a must-try recipe, especially suitable for first-time bakers. While these rolls were slightly over-baked by me, I consider my first attempt an above average pass with rooms for improvement in terms of the fluffy texture (keep in mind not to roll out the dough too thinly). Meanwhile, I have also discovered an interesting guide about kneading which is worth reading. Now, wait no longer and get your hands dirty by trying out these yummy cinnamon rolls at home today. ^_^

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (May 2014: Milk) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House.

I am also sharing this post with The Biscuit Barrel Challenge (May 2014: Favourites) organised by Laura of I'd Much Rather Bake Than… because this is my youngest sister's favourite!

Lemon Glazed Vanilla Pound Cupcakes

I was going through the photos stored in my mobile phone when I recalled a snapshot of this recipe which my sister had sent me months ago that she had kept from a Chinese magazine cut-out (unfortunately we could not track back the original source of this recipe and the Chinese magazine since it was many years ago). Back to the time when I was still staying at my parents' place before I got married, my sister used to be the one baking at home. Then, I didn't have much time (and interests) for baking since I was seldom at home during my non-working weekends. *Oops!

Lemon Glazed Vanilla Pound Cupcakes

I remember there was once when I tried to help her with the preparation of the cupcake batter and made a mess since I wasn't quite good at handling the electric mixer. Back then, she would nag at my ears repeatedly to caution me not to over-mix the batter since I was having much fun with the electric mixer after having a grasp of it. It was not until I started my own baking experiments that I realised the importance of each and every steps in baking (and the reasons for her anxious screams at me). Haha~ Those were the days…

In conjunction with the World Baking Day (and instead of baking a whole cake), I have made these vanilla pound cupcakes with my own twist as a reminiscence of the good "young" memories. My sister is a fan of most lemon-flavoured products and the "marriage" of the vanilla pound cupcakes and lemon glaze definitely makes a great combination to commemorate our sisterhood. This vanilla pound cupcake batter itself is a very good cake base. Instead of this lemon glaze, mix in some chocolate chips, cranberries, raisins or nuts and you will be surprised how yummy they still taste.

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (May 2014: Milk) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House.

I am also submitting this post to Treat Petite May 2014 theme, World Baking Day hosted by Kat of The Baking Explorer and Stuart of Cakeyboi because this is a bake for my sister as a commemoration of our sisterhood. *_*

Lastly, I am also sharing this post with The Biscuit Barrel Challenge (May 2014: Favourites) organised by Laura of I'd Much Rather Bake Than… because this is my sister's all-time favourite!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

The weather in this small city in the west of Florida is getting unbearably hot in the day as summer approaches. And I wonder if the bananas in the kitchen are ripening at an accelerated speed due to the heat. Personally, I'm not a fan of banana baked goods. I seldom explore baking with bananas except for these banana chocolate chip muffins which is everyone's favourite and my recent attempt in making my husband's favourite Awfully Chocolate Banana Cake. If I'm not wrong, this is the fifth time I am making these banana chocolate chip muffins. However, what's worth mentioning is that the recipe which I had referenced for my previous four bakes (which were all successful) was from my sister's best friend's sister and her friends' blog, Forget Those Calories (Umm by the way, this is not a paid advertisement for their blog). *Grin*

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I tend to settle with one recipe for each of my bakes as long as the end product turns out well for me. But this time, I resorted to looking for an alternative recipe because I'm out of plain yogurt and sour cream (and its equivalent substitutes) called for in the usual source recipe I'd referred, and the bananas sitting at the kitchen table doesn't look like they could "survive" another day! Ok alright, I am over exaggerating here. *Lol! Anyway, this alternative recipe turned out to be a successful one too. In both recipes, the ingredients used were almost similar except for the difference in quantity which I have no intentions of doing a comparison analysis. @_@ Instead of using plain yogurt or sour cream, I could make do with milk for these muffins. This was also in a way helping me "kill two birds with one stone" as I realised that the bottle of milk sitting in my fridge is nearing its expiry too. *Oops~

Conclusion? There were no significant difference in taste and texture from those made from plain yogurt, sour cream or milk! The muffins were just as moist but not dense on the inside. The trick in this taste and texture test comes from balancing the ratio of the ingredients which is always so in baking. After all, baking is a science! So here's sharing the banana chocolate chip muffins made out of milk which were gobbled up by my friends in a wink.

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (May 2014: Milk) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House.

I am also submitting this post to Treat Petite May 2014 theme, World Baking Day hosted by Kat of The Baking Explorer and Stuart of Cakeyboi because sharing is caring. =)

Glazed Fruit Tarts

If you have tried making these angel food cakes, then save the egg yolks for this must-try and mouth-watering recipe! Without further ado, here's presenting the prettiest and yummiest fruit tarts filled with silky smooth and delicious custard filling. Simply irresistible! ^_^

Glazed Fruit Tarts

I am sharing this post with the event, Little Thumbs Up (May 2014: Milk) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House.

I am also sharing this post with the event, Tea Time Treats (May 2014: Open Top Tarts, Pies and Quiches) hosted by Jane of The Hedge Combers and Karen of Lavender and Lovage.

Custard Pudding

It wasn't until recently that I felt my efforts put into setting up this blog and sharing my baking experiments have been worthwhile. It's very heart-warming to know that there are serious people reading my posts especially after my recent participations in the baking events (refer to the sidebar) organised by other bloggers. Thanks to all who have left me very encouraging comments and kind compliments. I really appreciate it. And to the organisers/founders/hosts of the respective baking events, I really salute all of you because you have certainly created a meaningful cause for people (bloggers) with passion in baking, on top and above of your time spent and efforts put into garnering those recipes from people in different places.

Coming to know these baking events sort of motivated me to carry out (at least one of) my experiments rather than immersing my time in countless drama series (my plain excuse for being lazy actually). To have the best of both worlds, I have been marking out recipes from my list that are quick and easy and here's definitely one not to be missed! ^_^

Custard Pudding

I am sharing this post to the event, Little Thumbs Up (May 2014: Milk) organised by Bake For Happy Kids and My Little Favourite DIY hosted by Tze of Awayofmind Bakery House.

I am also sharing this post to the event, AlphaBakes (May 2014: Letter "E") hosted by Ros of The More than Occasional Baker and Caroline of Caroline Makes. The letter "E" represents one of the star ingredients, Eggs!