Sunday, December 20, 2009

Chiffon Cake



The green chiffon cake is one of the hardest cake type that I have ever tried. It has spongy texture. The cake does not need any butter. It needs cooking oil as subtitute.

I made the pandan chiffon cake. The green color from the pandan leaves that grow in my backyard. For the rich of flavour, I use fresh coconut milk.

In my first attempt, the cake is okay but the pan is to little. I think I need to buy a bigger one. But I am very happy with the result. I can conquer this cake.... :P

Monday, December 14, 2009

Eggtart, the best of Macau

Macau is one of the city in China. It was rented by Portugese. The city is very small, only 28Km2. No wonder if I felt that the bus always turns on the same direction until forth times before it changes direction.

The downtown has marvellous landmark, such as ruins of st. paul, largo de senado, etc. Yes, in portugese.

The other side of city is full of night life activity likes casino, night club, etc. I don't think I would like go there...

But, I have some eating problem here. Because of my religion, I can not eat pork and lard. So I can not tell you the best place to eat out. But one place for sure I recommend you to go to Cafe de Nata. It places near Largo de Senado. They sell many pastry and good coffee. You must try the famous eggtart there. It tastes so good. Eggtart is pastry with custard. So soft and melt in your mouth. Don't forget to ask the hot cappucino. They are best couple. Well, that's all I can say... Eggtart is the champion

Onbijtkoek, the colonial breakfast style


Onbijtkoek is one of the old time cake recipe. Made from tropical ingredients that plants in Indonesia, such as palm sugar, javanese almond, clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg make this cake is very rich. Usually this cake is eaten hot in the morning (onbijt = breakfast in dutch) with butter. Don't forget to drink a cup of jasmine tea... really makes your day....


Onbijtkoek
6 eggs
250 gr palm sugar
25 gr milk
225 gr flour
2 tspn emulsifier
3 tspn spekoek (mixed spice)
1 tbspn water
100 gr margarine, melted
salt, vanila, and almond

1. Put all ingredients into bowl (except margarine). Mix them well
2. Pour melted margarine
3. Put on the baking ware, pour the almond
4. Bake it until smell good


mad about cupcake

Cupcakes strikes back. Yeah, seems people now are always have it on every occasions. Cupcakes is very individual, you can give it without cutting the main cake.
I am challenged to make cupcakes as a goodie bag for my parents 50 years wedding ceremony. I have to try it over and over since I can not find the best cupcakes. Maybe next week I will try another recipe.

Cupcakes is based on butter type cake. Because of heavy decorated later, the cake must be hard enough.

Here my first trial on making cupcakes. They are not perfect yet. I think the cup is not have soft texture but the taste is OK. Well, let's see if on the next week I can finish my cupcakes project.
I wish I could make it before the party's. Does anybody have an idea how to solve the cupcakes problems?

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Baking with my kids

On Saturday morning, still don't have any plans. I don't want to go to mall or place that too crowd. So I decided to stay at home. But my kids want to do something. So, I just go to the kitchen and see what I have there.

Lulla likes to draw so much. So I can ask her to do this project, The Heart Cookies...
I made the cookies and she decorated it. Well, this is her masterpiece....
And the cookies are gone in a second. She is proud that she make them and give them away to her friends..... Well, today she learns how to make a cookie, cooperates with me, and be generous to her frineds... Good job Lulla!!

Monday, December 7, 2009

Blueberry Cheesecake

I tried a slice of New York Cheesecake in 1995, on a fancy restaurant in Georgetown with my sister. Everybody said that cheesecake is one of the tempting dessert. Don't know why, my taste bud seemed not to like it very much. I even asked my sister, Did you think that cake was overnight? I felt It was rotten... :P

My tongue was not able to detect the good taste of a cheesecake. Maybe, I got used to taste the rich, sharp, sweet and spicy cake from home. Or I'd got wrong perception about "this cake". But thanks to my sister to challenge me of eating the first cheesecake. It really makes me aware that I have to change my perception to accept one thing that I never know.

Well, back way home now... Cheesecake seems to be one of the popular cake. (hmmmm plus fancy coffee house of course). It has more variations such as, blueberry, coffee, fruit, etc. But still, you can not eat cheesecake like you eat ordinary cake. You have taste it slowly, let the one bite melted in your mouth perfectly. Beware!!! One is enough, unless you want to put some kilos on you belly...hehhehehhe

Making a cheesecake needs some patient. You have to combine the way you cook. First you have to bake it in "au bain marie" style. Au bain marie is a way to bake a cake in a pan with water. So, it makes the cake very soft. After 90 minutes in au bain marie, you have to cool it and put the cake on refrigerator for about 3 hours more to set the cake perfectly. But, all the patient is worthed when you taste the softness of a cheesecake.

Well, let's try to make it, and your perception will be changed in a minute.





Cute small token from Japan

My friend went to Japan and brought me this cute square tin box. I thought it was a pencil colour box. I opened it and found that I was wrong. Inside, there are some cookies covered with pink chocolate. The cookie called Yatsuhashi. Yatsuhashi is traditional Japanese cookies made from rice flour and cinnamon. The people from Kyoto start to sell yatsuhashi since 250 years ago as souvenir.

I adore this souvenir because of their briliant packaging. For more just click http://otabe.co.jp/item/aki/tyoko.html (Don't understand, in Japanese). The industry is very seriously design it.
Wish, someday I could find local food packaging on beautiful design. Just a crazy idea... Dodol garut in tin box with a girl in kebaya's sunda clothes design in anime or CB style hehehhehhehehe