Rocky Road

This is a fabulously easy and utterly irresistible recipe that even the kids can make. Sweet, deliciously crunchy and really tasty. There are so many varations, you can add nuts, dried fruits and biscuits it really up to you.

Ingredients:

• 125g soft butter
• 300g best quality dark chocolate ( minimum 70% cocoa solid) broken into pieces
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 200g rich tea biscuits
• 100g mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a heavy-based saucepan. Scoop about 3/4 cup of this melted mixture and put to one side.

Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and then bash them with a rolling pin. You are aiming for both crumbs and pieces of biscuits.

Fold the biscuits pieces and the crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture in the saucepan, and then add the marshmallows.

Tip into a foil tray ( 9 inch square), flatten as best as you can with a spatula. Pour the reserved cup of melted chocolate mixture over the marshmallows mixture and smooth the top.

Refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight.

Cut into 24 fingers and dust with icing sugar by pushing it gently through a tea strainer or small sieve.

Orange Cream Cake

Found this recipes from wendyinkk@blogspot. This recipe uses some corn flour. It makes the cake much lighter than the sponge cake. I prefer to eat the cake the same day as as the cake taste moist and tender at room temperatur  and it's quiet a delight to eat. If you keep the cake chilled, you can reheat each slice for 15-20 seconds in a microwave. Eating the cake cold will be a bit too firm, unless you enjoy it this way.

Ingredients:

• 100g butter
• 100g sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 185ml milk
• zest of 2 oranges, plus some extra for garnish
• 3 egg whites
• 50g sugar
• 50g corn flour
• 150gplain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

Cream:

• 150ml fresh orange juice
• 100g sugar
• 25g plain flour
• 40g unsalted butter

Method:

To prepare the cake: Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the base. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Sift flour,corn flour and baking powder and set aside. Beat the egg yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy. Add in the butter and beat until smooth.

Put half of the sifted flours into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until smooth. Gradually pour in the half the milk and beat on a low speed until well blended. Finally put in the balance of the flours into the butter mixture and again beat until smooth. Pour in the remaining milk and orange zest and beat until all the mixture are well incorporated.

In a clean bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy. Put in the sugar and beat until stiff.
Add 1/4 of the beated egg whites into the batter with a ballon whisk, fold until no lumps are seen.Repeat with another 1/4 of the egg whites.

Use a spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl. Fold in the balance egg whites. Divide the batter into the 2 prepared sandwich tins.

Bake for 180C for 30 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool down in the tin for 10 minutes then tranfer into a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the cream filling: Combine flour and sugar in a heavy saucepan and mix until the flour is free of lump. Pour in the orange juice and butter. Cook the mixture on medium low heat until the mixture thickens and turn translucent. Pour into a bowl and let it cool down before use.

To assemble the cake: Spread 80% of the filling onto the top of the cake and top it with the other cake. Sift icing sugar over the cake as much as you prefer. Put the remaining orange cream into a small plastic bag, snip away a small corner and pipe the cream over whichever way you prefer. Sprinkle with some of the reserved orange zest.

 

Carrot and walnut cake with cream cheese icing

For this classic carrot cake recipes, it is important to use full fat cream cheese for the icing. If you use a low fat version, the icing will just rin off the cake. Carrot cake is beautifully moist, so keeps well. If your kitchen is warm, store the cake in the fridge.

Ingredients:

• 250ml sunflower oil
• 4 large eggs
• 225g light brown sugar
• 200g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
• 300g self raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 75g walnuts, shelled and chopped, plus 8 halves to decorate

For the icing:

• 50g butter, room temperature
• 25g icing sugar
• 250g full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
• a few drops of vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C for fan oven. Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases of the cake tins with baking parchment.

In a large bowl, put the oil, eggs and sugar and whisk until all the mixture is well combined, lighter and thickened. Gently fold in the carrot into the cake batter. Then stir in the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, ginger and chopped walnuts until evenly blended. Spoon the mixture evenly between the tins.

Put the cakes intothe oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until golden brown, risen and shrinking away from the side of the tins. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

To make the icing: add the butter, icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla extract into a bowl and whisk until smooth and thoroughly blended.

Spread half of the icing on the cake, sit the other cake on top and spread the remaining icing on top. Decorate the top of the cake with halved walnuts.

 

Coffee & Walnut Cake

On the Remembrance Sunday decided to bake a traditional British cake.

Ingredients:

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 150g castor sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 150g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp coffee granules dissolved in 1 tbp boiling water and 1 tbsp Camp coffee
• 50g walnuts, roasted and chopped

For the coffee buttercream:

• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tsp coffee granules mixed with 1 tbsp boiling water and 1 tsp Camp coffee

For the coffee glace icing:

• 150g icing sugar, sifted
• 4 tsp coffee granules mixed with 2 tbsp boiling water
• 75g walnut pieces for decoration

Method:

Grease and base-lined with baking parchment paper 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C.

Place the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very pale and creamy.

Gradually add in the eggs a little at a time, beating continously until all incorporated.

Sift together the flour and baking powder and gently fold into the butter mixture along with the dissolved coffee and the walnuts.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins, smoothing the top with a palette knife. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.

While the cakes are baking, make the coffee syrup. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and stir until it has all dissolved.

Pour the coffee syrup evenly over both the sponges while they are still in the tins. Allow the cakes to cool completely before turning out on to a wire rack.

To make the coffee buttercream, place the softened butter in the bowl, add the sifted icing sugar and dissolved coffee and beat until smooth. If the icing is a little stiff then add a few more drops of boiling water until you have a spreadable consistency.

For the finishing touch, make the glace icing. Place the icing sugar and dissolved coffee in a bowl and beat intil smooth, adding more boiling water until you have a glossy, spreadable consistency.

To assemble the cake, place one cake on a large plate, spread over the coffee buttercream and sandwich with the other cake. Be careful not to let it break.

Spread the glace icing over the top and decorate with walnuts
 

Vampire Teeth Cookies

Decided to make a scary mouth for this halloween. This cookies is so easy to assemble.  All ingredients are ready made which can be obtained in any supermarket.

Ingredients:

• packet of hob nobs, any flavour
• mini marshmallow
• silvered almond, cut to look like fang
• some buttercream icing mixed with red colouring. You can buy a ready made from Betty Crockers and put into a pipping bag. Cut the tip off to make a small hole.

Method:

Cut the biscuits into half. Then pipe the red icing along the edges of the biscuits. Arrange 6 mini marshmallows along the icing and add one marshmallow in the centre so that the biscuit hold properly.  Ice the other side of the biscuit and place over the marshmallows to make it looks like a mouth.
Add a little icing on the almond and stick onto the marshmallow to make it looking like a fang.

Happy trying !!!!!
 

Creepy Eyeball Cupcake

                     HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!!!!

Screams of delights will accompany these eye-catching cupcakes. Who needs candy when you can bake a batch of these creepy Halloween cupcakes?

 

Ingredients:

 

For the chocolate cupcakes:

• 140g butter, softened
• 250g castor sugar
• 2 medium size eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 150g plain flour
• 75g self raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 50g cocoa powder
• 200ml buttermilk or plain yoghurt

For the buttercream icing:

• 140g butter, softened
• 280g icing sugar
• 2 tbsp milk

For decoration:

• gummy eyeballs for supermarket

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C for fan oven. Line 12 muffin tins with muffin cases.

For the cakes: beat together the butter and sugar with a hand-held mixer until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract with the last of the egg.

Sift together the flours, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa into a large mixing bowl.

Gently fold the flour mix into the butter mixture along with the buttermilk until completely combined and smooth.

Place a dessert spoonful of the batter into each muffin case then bake in the oven for 20 minutes until firm to the touch.

Place in a wire rack to cool. This makes about 18 cupcakes

For the buttercream icing: beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth.

Add the remaining icing sugar and milk and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth.

Take 5 tablespoon full of the ready buttercream icing and add red colouring. Mix well and put into a pipping bag. Set aside. This will be used to for the blood shot.

Iced the cool cupcakes with the buttercream icing. Add a gummy eyeball in the centre of the cake. Then pipe the red icing to decorate the cupcakes looking like blood shot

 

 

 

 

 

Jam Doughnut Muffins

This jam doughnut will not stay long on the cake stand!!!! They are yummy

Use a silicone muffin tray for these muffins so they pop out easily or place in a metal tray without paper cases.


Ingredients:

• 200g butter, softened
• 200g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 300g self raising flour
• 100ml sour cream or creme fraiche
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 12 tsp strawberry jam
• 3 tbsp caster sugar to dust

Method:

Set the oven to 180C/160C for fan oven.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, then beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat well until just smooth.

Place a little of the mixture into each muffin hole. make a dimple the centre of each cake with a teaspoon, then add a teaspoonful of jam to each one. Top with a little more mixture, and spread to make sure the jam is covered.

Bake for 25 minutes until risen, golden and just firm to the touch.

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes then remove from the moulds and roll gently in caster sugar whilst still warm. Allow to cool then store in a cake tin.

Passionfruit & mango meringue roulade

A tropical pavlova all rolled up!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

• 5 large egg whites
• 150g castor sugar
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 25g icing sugar, to dust
• 400ml double cream
• 175g mango, chopped
• 3-4 passion fruits, seed scooped out
• 10g desiccated coconut, to garnish

Method:

Preheat oven to 150C/130C for fan oven. Line a 30cm x 20cm swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper.

Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks, then gradually whisk in the castor sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Whisk the cornflour in.

Spread out the meringue evenly in the prepared swiss roll tin and then transfer to the oven to bake for 1 hour. leave to cool completely in the tin.

Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper on the work surface and sprinkle with the icing sugar. Carefully turn out the meringue onto the paper and peel away the sheet attached to its base. Carefully flipback over.

Using the electric whisk, whip the cream to soft peaks then spread over the meringue, leaving 1cm border round the edge. Scatter over the mango and passion fruit then spoon over the passion fruit pulp.

With one of the short ends of the meringue closest to you use the greaseproof paper carefully roll up into a roulade. Dust with icing sugar  and scatter with the desiccated coconut to serve.

Teowchew Mooncake or Thousand Layers Pastry

These spiral pastries ( also know as Teowchew mooncakes) are really wonderfully flaky and so light and delicious. It might look like quiet a bit of work but if you follow the instructions carefully, they are not difficult at all. And considering how beautiful they look, people will be so impressed.

Ingredients:

For the yam filling:

• 1kg yam peeled, cut into chunks
• 150g castor sugar
• 60g butter

Method:

Steam the yam chunks at high heat until soft. While still hot, add in sugar and butter and continue to mash until the yam is creamy. Set aside to cool.

Weight 50g each and shape into a ball.

For the pastry:

Oil dough:

• 250g plain flour
• 120g shortening ( can use ghee too)
• a few drop of purple food colouring

Method:

Mix the flour and shortening together until is soft and pliable. Then add in the purple food colouring and knead untill the colour is uniform. Cover and rest the dough for about 20 minutes. If you wish to use the food processor for this, you may do so.

Water dough:

• 300g plain flour
• 25g icing sugar
• 100g shortening (or ghee)
• 115g cold water

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients together and knead until the dough is pliable and soft. Cover and rest for min 20 minutes. Again you may use the food processor for this stage.

To make flaky swirl yam mooncake:

1. Weight water dough 60g each ball and oil dough 40g each, shape the dough into ball each.
2. Flatten water dough and wrap oil dough inside.
3. Roll out into long shape and roll up like swiss roll.
4. Roll from the shorter side into long shape and roll up like swiss roll from shorter side.
5. Cut the dough into 2 portions and repeat the rest of the dough until finished.
6. Flatten the dough start from the swirl side and roll out into a round disc.
7. Flip over and wrap in yam filling and seal it tightly, seal edge facing downwards.
8. Place on baking tray and bake in preheated oven 170C /150C for fan oven for 25-30 minutes.
9. Cool well before cutting

 

White Rustic Loaf

This basic loaf  is a cinch  to make. It's best eaten on the same day or used for toasting the following day.

Ingredients:

• 500g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast
• 1tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 300ml warm water

Method:

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast.  Make a well in the centre and gradually mix in  300ml warm water and the oil until the dough comes together, add a dash more water if it seems dry.

Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth. Shape like a rugby ball and put onto a oiled, large baking sheet. Set aside in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size. This is know as proving or rising.

Preheat oven to 220C or 200C for fan oven.. make a deep slashes with a sharp knife in the top of the dough and dust with flour. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until risen, golden and cooked. To test id its's ready, tap the base of the loaf. It should sound hollow. Cool on a wire rack and slice to serve.

 

Chocolate Brownie Cake

This chocolate brownie cake is perfect for both adults and children.

Ingredients:

• 275g good quality dark chocolate (at least 55% cocoa solids)
• 225g butter
• 350g castor sugar
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract
• 200g plain flour

For the peanut butter frosting:

• 400g full fat philadephia cream cheese
• 4 heaped tbsp icing sugar
• 340g peanut butter (the American brands are best)
• 50g melted dark chocolate and a handful honey-roasted peanuts, chopped to decorate

Method:

Grease and lined the bottom of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C for fan oven.

To make the cake, melt the chocolate and the butter over a low heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, before stirring in the sugar.

Add the eggs and vanilla a little at a time, stirring well. Don't worry if is splits, it will come back together when you add the flour.

Fold in the flour in batches and stir in 1/2 tsp salt. Divide the mixture between the tins and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the skewer inserted into the cakes comes out with only a few crumbs.

Remove the cakes from the oven and cool in the tins for a few minutes. Turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together until smooth, then stir in the peanut butter until completely incorporated. Don't over stir as it will split. If it looks like going to split, add a little cold water and stir.

To assemble, place one of the cakes top down on a platter, spread with half the frosting then add the other cake top side up and spread with the remaining frosting. Drizzle over the melted chocolate with a teaspoon then scatter with the honey-roasted nuts.

This cake needs to keep cool before serving, and will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or can be frozen in-iced.
 

Bee Koh Moy/ Bubur Pulut Hitam (Black Glutinous Rice Pudding)

This dessert brings back my childhood memory when growing up in Penang. Those early days, an old Indian man will walk around the village selling this dessert.
Bee Koh Moy is a thick, creamy nutty dessert made with the simplest ingredients. Sweet Black Glutinous Rice, water and sugar. Jusr before serving, you can opt to add a splash of creamy coconut milk and you'll have a yummy treat!! This is just like the English Rice Pudding.

Ingredients:

• 200g black glutinous rice
• sugar to taste
• 5 cups of water
• 2 pandan leaves, knotted
• 1 cup coconut milk plus 1/2 tsp salt (mix well)

Method:

Soaked the black glutinous rice for 30-60 minutes. Then rinse the rice throughly.

In a pot add water, pandan leaves and the rice and bring it to boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and continue boiling for 40-60 minutes or until the rice becomes soft and breaks up. Keep checking the water level and if it's too dry, add more water & also stir once a while as the rice will stick to the pot. Add the sugar to taste.

Serve the bee koh moy in a small bowls topped with spoonful of coconut milk. If you like it creamier, add more coconut milk.

Chocolate and banana cake

Just one look at this chocolate and banana treat is enough to know it won't stay in the cake tin for long.

Ingredients:

• 100ml sunflower oil plus extra for grease
• 175g caster sugar
• 175g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder
• 100g chocolate chips or chunks
• 175g very ripe bananas
• 3 medium eggs, 2 separated
• 50ml milk

For the topping:

• 100g milk chocolate
• 100ml sour cream or cream fraiche
• handful dried banana chips, roughly chopped

Method:

Heat the oven to 160C or 140C for fan oven. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment (allow it to come 2cm above top of the tin).

Mix sugar, flour, bicarb soda, cocoa and chocolate in a large bowl.

Mash the bananas in a bowl and stir in the whole egg plus 2 yolks, followed by the oil and milk.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Quickly stir the wet banana mixture into the dry ingredients, stir in a quarter of the egg whites to loosen the mixture, then gently fold in the rest. Gently scrape into the tin and bake for 1 hr 10-15 minutes, or until the skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool in the tin on a wire rack. To make the icing, melt the chocolate and soured cream or cream fraiche together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Chill in the fridge until spreadable.

Remove cake from the tin, roughly swirl icing over and scatter with the banana chips.
 

Watermelon cookies

These watermelon cookies are so cute and easy to make. They are a perfect start for beginners too. They are so yummy....

Ingredients:

• 170g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups of plain flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• chocolate chips for decoration

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C for fan oven.

Beat butter and sugar until well combined.  Add in the egg and the vanilla extract. Beat until combines.

In a separate bowl add in the sifted flour, baking powder and the salt. Whisk the dry ingredients until they are well combine.

Add in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture a little at a time, continue to whisk until all are combined well.

Divide the dough into half. The first half, add in the red gel colouring and knead well until all the dough is well incorporate with the red colouring which looks like the watermelon colour. Roll the dough into a log of about 6 inches long. Once you finish, cover the dough with a plastic cover of clingfilm & put into the fridge for an hour.

In the mean time, divide the other half of the dough into two. Add one with a green gel colouring and knead well until all the dough is well incorporates. The other  half is in white colour.  Wrap both the green & the white dough separately in a plastic cover & put it in the fridge for an hour.

Lightly floured the surface and flatten the white dough big enough to roll & cover the red dough. Then follow by the green dough. Again floured surface and flatten the green dough large enough to wrap the log. Once completed, cover with plastic or cling cover and put back in the fridge for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Once firmed, slice the dough not thicker than a 1/4" thick. Once completed, cut the round dough into half. Then use the chocolate chips with the pointed end down & push into the dough to look like watermelon seeds.

Put into a baking sheet & bake in the oven for 9 to 11 minutes. Cool the cookies on the wire rack.

You can also view this on You Tube http://youtu.be/g3mObv2EwT4

Apple, pear and pecan upside down cake

A delicious moist and light fruit and nut cake with sticky golden syrup, which can be served warm as a pudding.

Ingredients:

• 1 conference pear, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1-2 red apples, cored and sliced
• 75g pecan nuts, halves
• 6 tbsp golden syrup
• 175g, butter, softened
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 medium size eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 175g self raising flour, sifted

Method:

Preheat oven to 180c/160c for fan assist. Grease and line the base of a deep 20cm cake tin.

Arrange the pear and apple slices with the pecan nut halves in the base of the tin. Drizzle over 3 tablespoons of golden syrup.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs one at a time. Then add in the vanilla essence and mixing well between each addition.

Fold in the flout and mix well. Then spoon the micture into the cake tin. Spread evenly to cover the fruits and nuts.

Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 50-60 minutes until golden brown and firm to touch.
Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a serving plate.

Drizzle over the remaining syrup and serve. For indulgent pudding, serve with vanilla ice cream or some lightly whipped double cream.

 

Choc Chunk Cookies

Is so easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients:

• 100g butter, softened
• 100g light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 150g self raising flour
• 75g milk chocolate chunks

Method:

Preheat oven to 180c/160c for fan assist oven.

Beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then beat in the golden syrup. Sift over the flour and work into the mixture to form a rough dough.

Divide the dough into 12 evem sized balls and place on greased baking sheet with chocolate chinks, pressong them lightly into the dough.

Bake for 12-14 mins until just set and a pale golden colour. Leave on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely (the cookies will firm on cooling)

Lemon cake with lemon curd buttercream

Found this recipe in Woman's Weekly. Tried and tasted, this light lemon cake with lemon curd buttercream is sweet and citrusy and most important only takes 35 minutes to bake. With a sweet syrup glaze and a creamy lemon buttercream topping, this cake is delicious. The sponge is soft and moist, even more so with the syrup and is full of grated lemon zest which gives it a natural lemon flavour throughout. Decorate with drizzles of lemon curd and it's ready to enjoyed.

Ingredients:
For the cake:

• 250g butter , softened
• 250g caster sugar
• 250g self raising flour
• 4 medium eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• finely zested rind of 2 lemons

For the syrup:

• 4 level tbsp caster sugar
• juice of 2 lemon juice

For the filling:

• 2 tbsp lemon curd

For the frosting:

• 125g unsalted butter
• 250g icing sugar
• 4 level tbsp lemon curd

For the decoration:

• 3-4 tbsp lemon curd

Method:

Greased and line 2 x 18cm sandwich tins. Set the oven to 180C/160C for fan assist oven.

To make the cake: Beat the butter, add to the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Divide the mix between the 2 tins and level the surface. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until they are just firm to the touch in the centre then remove them from the oven.

To make the syrup: Pour 4 tbsp water into a small pan and add the caster sugar. Place on a low fire and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Allow it to rapidly for 1 minutes, then remove the panfrom the heat and add the lemon juice.

Remove the cakes from the oven and immediately pour over the syrup, half over each cake. Leave in the tins for about 10 minutes, until all the syrup has soaked in, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sandwich the 2 cakes together with the lemon curd filling.

To make the frosting: Beat the butter until very soft, then add remaining ingredients and beat until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

To decorate, spoon lemon curd into a pipping bag, cut off the end to create a small hole and drizzle in a zigzag over the top of the cake

 

Apple & Almond Sponge

A soft moist cake cake that smells sooooo good. This recipe only takes 20 minutes to prepare. Top with flaked almonds for a crisp, golden finish.

For the topping:

• 25g flaked almonds
• 1 tbsp golden castor sugar
• 1/2tsp ground cinnamon
• 120g peeled, chopped dessert apple

For the sponge:

• 180g soft butter
• 100g golden castor sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g ground almond
• 100g self raising flour
• 2 tbsp milk
• icing sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 160C/ 140C for fan oven. Gease and base line a 22cm cake tin.

Put all ingredient into a bowl and mix gently together.

Put the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add a little of the flourif the mixture begins to separate. Stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Add the ground almonds, flour and milk and mix to a soft consistency.

Spread the mixture in the prepared tin. Sprinkle over the topping and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until risen and golden brown. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

Sticky Jaffa loaf

Found this recipe on Women's Weekly. This sticky and sweet jaffa loaf combines citrusy orange with a dense sponge to make one delicious loaf recipe that you’ll want to make time and time again. Warm marmalade and a creamy, yogurt mix makes this loaf different to the rest. This cake only takes 1hr  to rustle up and is well worth the wait.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsps good-quality thin-cut marmalade
• 150g tub 0% fat plain yogurt
• 3 medium eggs
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 175g spreadable butter
• 175g self-raising flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Zest of 1 large orange
  

For the glaze:

• Juice of ½ an orange
• 5 tbsps good-quality thin-cut marmalade
• 900g loaf tin, buttered and strip-lined

Method:

 

 Set the oven to 160C/140C for fan oven.

 Warm the marmalade, beat in the yogurt and set aside.
 

Beat the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Quickly beat in the yogurt and spoon the mixture into the tin.

Bake for about 1 hours or until a skewer, when inserted, comes out clean. Check loaf after an hour.

Leave in the tin for 10 mins to cool. Make holes in it with the skewer.

 

To make the glaze:
Bring the orange juice to the boil in a small pan, then add the marmalade and heat until bubbling and smooth. Spoon it over the cake. Leave to cool in the tin.

 

Blackberry & Almond Meringue Cake

Impress your friends and family with this fabulous cake!!!!

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 200g butter , softened
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 200g self-raising flour
•  50g ground almonds
• 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks , beaten
• 2-4 tbsp milk
• 150g punnet blackberries

For the Meringue

• 2 egg whites
• 100g golden castor sugar, plus a sprinkle
• 2 tbsp flaked almond

For the filling

• 200ml double cream, lightly whipped
• 4 tbsp bramble jelly

Method:

 Line the base of two loose-bottomed 20cm non-stick sandwich tins with baking parchment. Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3.

Put all the cake ingredients (except the blackberries and using just half the milk) in a bowl, then beat until creamy and well mixed. Stir in 100g blackberries, along with the extra milk if you need it to loosen the mixture a little. Divide between the sandwich tins and level the tops.

Quickly whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl, adding the 100g sugar, a spoonful at a time, until really thick and glossy. Lightly spread onto one of the cakes, then sprinkle with the flaked almonds and extra sprinkle of sugar. Bake both cakes for 40 mins, then take the cake without the meringue out of the oven and set aside. Bake the remaining cake for 30 mins more until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Carefully remove cakes from the tins and cool on a wire rack. When the cakes are cold, peel off the paper.

To serve, spread the cream on the plain cake right up to the edges. Spoon over the bramble jelly, then sandwich with the meringue-topped cake and decorate with the remaining blackberries.   

                                                    

White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies

Bought too much raspberry from the Farmer's market. Decided to google for a recipes and stumble upon this one from bakewithstork.com. It so simple and easy to bake, decided to have a go................
It was deliciousssss

Ingredients:

• 115g Stork packet
• 115g castor sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 125g plain flour
• 200g white chocolate, chopped
• 115g fresh raspberries

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 190C/170C for fan oven

Melt the Stork, add half the chocolate and stir until nice and smooth.

Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until creamy and slightly thickened.

Sieve the flour into the bowl and fold in gently with the chocolate mixture, then add half the remaining chocolate and half the raspberries.

Carefully pour the mixture onto a 18cm square pan, lined with baking or greaseproof paper brushed with oil.

Sprinkle the remaining chocolate and raspberries on top.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minuted until beautifully golden.

Leave to cool before cutting into delicious squares. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

 

Twice-cooked Melting Pork Belly

Saw Gok Wan cooking this recipe on his TV show. Look so delicious and tender. Decided to look on Channel 4-4Food and found his recipes. Decided to have a go at it. It is so simple to prepare. This is gloriously sweet, sticky and melt-in-mouth yum....yum...yum...heaven

Ingredients:

• 1-1.25kg pork belly
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and bashed
• 5cm piece of ginger, peeled, bashed until roughlt flattened
• 2 whole star anise
• 3 spring onions, trimmed, white and greens separated
• 3-4 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2-3 tbsp light soy sauce

For the glaze:

• 3-4 tbsp runny honey
• 1-2 tbsp light soy sauce

To garnish:

• 2 springs onions, sliced diagonally
• 1 red chilli, sliced diagonally

Method:

Place the pork belly, garlic, ginger,star anise, spring onions, Shaoxing wine and soy sauce into a large pan. Cover with hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and simmer gently for 11/2 to 2 hours, turning the pork once or twice during the cooking process to ensure even cooking. Once tender remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 215C/195C for fan oven.

Remove the belly from the stock, remove the skin and a little of the fat below the skin. Place on a roasting tray lined with baking paper or parchment to make it easier to clean at the end of cooking. Mix together the glaze ingredients and pour over the pork belly. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, turning often, spooning the glaze over the meat until glossy.

Remove the belly from the oven and place on a serving plate. Slice and serve garnished with the chopped spring onions and chilli.

Stacie Stewart's Black Beehive Frosted Guiness Cake

Found this recipes while searching for cakes using Guiness. After reading the ingredients and method, decided to have a go with it. This is a rich moist cake. It's unusual method, but trust me, you won't be disappointed. The large amount of sugar is necessary to counterbalance the bitterness of the Guiness, so don't be tempted to cut it down. The classic cream cheese frosting cuts the richness of the cake beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 250ml/1 cup Guiness
• 400g caster sugar
• 100g cocoa powder
• 250g unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 100ml buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp bicarbonate soda
• 1 tsp salt

Cream cheese frosting:

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g full-fat soft cheese
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 500g icing sugar
• cocoa pwder, for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C for fan oven. Grease a 20cm baking tin and line with baking parchment.

Put the Guiness, sugar, cocoa and butter in a pan over a low heat and stir gently until the butter has melted. Leave to cool slightly.

In a large bowl or food mixer, beat the eggs with the buttermilk and vanilla, then add the Guiness mixture, beating until combined.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate soda and salt together. Add in the flour mixture to the Guiness mixture in 3 stages, stirring gently after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix to make sure everything is evenly combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin; it will be really runny. Bake for 60 minutes, until the skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely before decorating.

To make the frosting, beat the butter until softened. Add the soft cheese and beat gently, then add the vanilla and icing sugar and beat until thick and creamy. Spead over the top and sides of the cake and dust with cocoa.

Chocolate Mocha Cake

I found this recipes in goodtoknow recipes. Try out this recipe recently and yes I totally agree this cake is an adult cake which comes with strong, dark coffee and rich dark chocolate. Serve this cake with dark chocolate frosting and plenty of walnuts for crunch. Serve with a warm cuppa as an afternoon treat.

Ingredients:

• 175g butter, softened
• 175g castor sugar
• 3 medium eggs, beaten
• 200g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2tbsp instant coffee, dissolved in 2 tbsp boiling water, and cooled
• 60g plain chocolate,finely chopped

For the icing:

• 125g dark chocolate, broken into pieces and melted
• 125g butter, softened
• 250g icing sugar
• walnut pieces to decorate

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/ 160C fan. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Put all the ingredients for the cake mixture in a mixing bowl  of an electric mixer and, starting on a low setting, beat together all the ingredients well, Beat for a couple of minutes to make sure all the ingredients are well combined and you have a creamy cake batter. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 to 45 minutes or until the skewer tested in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Cool in the tin for about 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire cooling rack.

For the filling and topping, carefully melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Leave until cool, but still liquid. Beat the butter and icing sugar, then add the melted chocolate. Beat well before slicing the cake in half horizontally and sandwiching together with half of the icing. Use the remaining icing to swirl on the top and scatter with walnuts pieces.

 

Citrus olive oil cake

This cake gets its fat content from the healthier option of olive oil. Along with the citrus flavours of lemon and orange, this cake is light and zesty. It only takes 55 minutes to rustle up and is full of flavour. If you fancy jazzing this cake up a bit, top with a light icing and grated orange zest for the prefect finish. If you are on a dairy free diet, substitute the milk for soya milk.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 150g castor sugar
• 190g self raising flour
• zest and juice of one orange
• zest of one lemon
• 125ml olive oil (not extra virgin)
• 60ml milk
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C for oven assist. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line with baking parchment.

Whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the zest of the orange and lemon, and the oil  and mix until combined. Stir in half of the flour, mix well. Stir in half of the milk and orange juice. Stir in the remainder of the flour. Add in the remainder of the milk and orange juice. Pour into the prepared tin.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool fully. When fully cooled transfer to a serving plate and dust with icing sugar.

Raspberry & Blueberry Lime Drizzle Cake

I was greedy the other day & bought too much fruits from the farmer market. Who can blame me as the fruits looks so delicious and mouth watering. Decided to google & found this recipes on BBC Goodfood.  This cake is perfect for teatime treat, this moist and fruity cake is easy baking at its best.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 225g butter, softened
• 225g castor sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 2 limes, grated zest and juice
• 250g self raising flour sifted with a pinch of salt
• 25g ground almonds
• 100g each blueberries and raspberries

For the syrup:

• 5 tbsp lime juice ( about 2 limes)
• 1 lime, grated zest
• 140g golden castor sugar

Method:

Line the base and side of a 20cm/8in square cake tin with greaseproof paper and butter the paper. Set the oven to 180C/160Cfor fan oven.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually bet in the eggs, adding a little flour towards the end to prevent curdling. Beat in the lime zest, then fold in the flour and almonds. Fold in enough lime juice, about 3 tablespoons to give you a dropping consistency ( the mixture should drop easily from the spoon when tapped)

Fold in three quarters of the blueberries and raspberries and turn into the prepared tin. Smooth the surface, then scatter the remaining fruit on top, it will sink as the cake rises.

Bake for about 1 hour (cover with foil if begining to brown too much), a skewer pushed into the centre should be clean when removed.

Meanwhile make the syrup: put in the lime juice, zest and sugar in a small saucepan. Put over a gentle heat and stir, without allowing to bubble. The sugar should dissolve a little. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick all over with a skewer then spoon the syrup over it.

Carefully remove the cake from the tin, discard the lining paper and cut into 12 pieces to serve.

To store, cool before wrapping in paper and or foil.

Tiramisu Cake

These coffee infused cupcakes are easier to make than they look. With an extra soft and moist sponge and a creamy coffee-infused topping, these cupcakes only take 15 minutes to bake. Not only the look impressive, they tast delicious too with an extra strong coffee flavour. These cupcakes are elegant and would make a great food gift for friends and family.

Ingredients:

• 30g plain flour
• 30g sel raising flour
• 15g corn flour
• 15g custard powder
• 3 eggs
• 70g castor sugar

For the topping:

• 200ml double cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 250g mascarpone
• 60ml espresso coffee or strong coffee
• 25ml Masala wine
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160C and lone the trays with 12 cupcake cases.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the eggs for 1-2 minutes using electric mixer on medium speed, then turn up the speed and whisk for a further 10 minutes. Add the castor sugar gradually, beating until the sugar has dissolved, then beat on high for a further 10 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Fold the mixture into the flour until just combined.

Fill the cupcakes cases to three quarters full and bake for around 15 minutes. Test they are cooked by inserting a skewer, if it comes out clean, thet are done. Remove from the tray and cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.

For the topping:

Using a skewer or toothpick poke holes almost through to the bottom of the cupcakes.

Mix 30ml of cold espresso and 10ml of Masala and using a teaspoon or syringe or brush, dribble a little of the mix into the hole in the cupcakes.

Place 2 tbsp of cold espresso, 1 tbsp Masala, the mascarpone and double cream and icing sugar into a large bowl and whisk until the mix is stiff enough to pipe. Stop mixing just as its thickening or it will be too thick to pipe.

Pipe or spread the cream on to the top of the cupcakes. If you would like to pipe the topping, just snip the end off a disposable piping bag, there is no need of a nozzle. Start in the centre and pipe up around into a spiral, finishing by pushing down a little and pulling up quickly.

Dust with the unsweetened cocoa powder just before you serve them.

Apricot and Banana Loaf

A lovely cake to eat with a cuppa. This loaf is not too sweet but super moist and packed with fruits and nuts.

Ingredients:

• 175g butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 75g light brown sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 175g self raising flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed
• 100g ready to eat apricot, chopped
• 75g pecan nuts, chopped

Method:

Pre heat oven to 170C or 150C for fan oven. Grease a 900g loaf tin and line the bse and the side with baking paper.

Place the butter, caster sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs about 1 tbsp at a time. Sift over the flour and cinnamon and gently fold into the mixture then fold in the apricots, mashed banana and half the pecan nuts.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, gently level the surface and scatter over the remaining of the pecan nuts. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Leave in the tin for 15-20 minutes then carefully turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.

 

Bubur Cha Cha

This dessert is generally served during festival seasons in Penang, and a must have on Chap Goh Meh (the 15th and the last day of Chinese New Year) This dessert is basicaly made fom a medley of sweet potatoes, black-eye peas, yam or taro, banana and cooked in a sweet coconut milk base. There is many variaton of this dessert. For me the tapioca jelly, chewy & stretchy in its texture is the best part of it all.

Ingredients:

• 100g sweet pototoes in each colours, try to get the orange, purple & yellow.
• 150g yam or taro
• 20g sago, soaked for 30 minutes
• 75g black-eye beans, soaked for 1 hour

Tapioca jelly

• 100g tapioca flour
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• red colouring

Coconut milk base

• 3 liter water
• 1 cup thick coconut milk
• 100g sugar
• 3 bananas, slice about half inches thick
• 2 pandan leaves
• salt to taste

Method:

In boiling water, boil black-eye peas until soft.

In another boiling water, boiled sago until translucent and cooked.

Peel and cut all potatoe and yam into cubes or desire shapes. Steam separately until cooked.

To make the tapioca flour jelly, place the flour in mixing bowl. Pour in boiling water. Mix the flour and water until well incorporated. When the dough is cool, roll it out evenly on a well floured surface and cut into cubes or desire shapes.

Bring a pot of water and add in 1 tbsp sugar, pour in the banana and boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Boil the 3 liter water then add in the thick coconut milk, sugar, salt and pandan leaves and cook over low heat about 10-20 minutes.

Pour in all the ingredients, together with the sago, tapioca jelly into the coconut milk base and mix well.

Serve hot or cold as you like.


 

Cappuccino Cake

Found this recipe online and I am a coffee addict, therefore decided that I must make this cake...lol

This coffee cake is light, moist and frothy just like a cappuccino. This sponge is easy to make and is one you will end up baking again and again. It tastes great served warm from the cake rack or after cooling to room temp. Keep it in an airtight container and it will last for at least 3 days.

Ingredients:

• 300g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 110g unsalted butter
• 250ml milk
• 2 tbsp instant coffee
• 4 eggs
• 375g castor sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/fan 160C and prepare a 22cm round tin with butter and flour.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.

In a saucepan, warm the milk until just below boilling and stir in the instant coffee.

Add the butter to the milk and gently warm until melted and then remove from the heat.

In a separate bowl, whick eggs with an electric whisk until frothy.

Gradually add the sugar and continue to whisk until light and fluffy. This step should take about 10 minutes. Then add the dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture and fold in until just incorporated.

Add the milk and butter and mix with a spatula until smooth, then pour the mixture into the tin.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes and turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool fully.

 

Almond cookies

Decided to bake something different for the year of the snake. This is a traditional chinese new year cookies. This cookies remind me of my childhood days back in Penang. These Almond Cookies are the easiest cookie recipe I've tried. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl, make the dough into a small balls, apply some egg wash & bake in the oven. These cookies are exceptionally addicting that I can't stop helping myself with it.

Ingredients:

• 100g ground almonds
• 150g plain flour
• 75g castor sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 110ml corn oil
• 1 egg york, beaten

Method:

Sieve the flour, caster sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Add in the ground almonds to the flour/sugar mixture.

With the mixer on a medium speed, slowly trickle in the corn oil into the bowl containing the flour/sugars/almonds. Mix until a cohesive dough forms. You may need to add more oil-the aim is to reach a dough which is just able to hold it's shape ( and does not crumble) when you attemptto roll it into a ball.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C for fan assist oven.

Roll the dough into a 2cm balls and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all the dough is used up.

Using a pastry brush, lightly glaze the tops of the cookie balls with the beaten egg yolk.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cookies become slightly golden.

Leave to cool on a wire rack, then tuck in.

Blueberry Yoghurt Cake

This cake is moist and full with fruits, one of your five a day. The yoghurt adds a creamy texture and compliments the sharp bluberries perfectly. If you have not tried baking with yoghurt before, give it a go, it's really easy way to cook.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 500ml plain yoghurt
• 150g melted butter, allowed to cool
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 175g caster sugar
• 300g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g blueberries

Method:

Grease a bundt tin or a deep 24cm round cake tin and line with baking parchment.

Mix the vanilla extract into the yoghurt, then add the cooled melted butter and eggs and mix until combined.

Stir through the sugar, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Stir through the blueberries and pour into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the skewer inserted into the centre of the comes out clean. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack and allowing to cool fully.