Mont Blanc almost

I'm almost there and I just need creme de marron, but the frustrating thing is, after visiting 2 big supermarts, they don't carry the product. I shall make my own since it's just chestnut, sugar and vanilla.

Mont Blanc, almost there. 

周末了，让心灵放假了！keep calm and bake on. 

Swiss Roll

I like Swiss rolls because the flavours vary according up the filling at the center. Its versatility allows the baker to be really creative with the filling. Because the mango I originally wanted as the filling wasn't ripe, I had to use the lone pear I found in the fridge. The crispy pear worked quite well with the soft Swiss rolls , though the textures are totally different. Here's the recipe to the Swiss roll.

(Makes 23 cm by 33 cm roll)

To make the sponge

70g caster sugar
40g cake flour
25g melted butter
3 eggs (separated)

To make the pear filling

160ml whipping cream
1tbsp icing sugar
1 pear thinly sliced 

1. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees and line the baking tray.

2. Beat the egg white and sugar till stiff peak.

3. Add the egg yolks and beat for a minute at low speed till combined.

4. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold to combine.

5. Add the melted butter and fold gently to combine.

6. Pour the batter over into the tray and spread evenly. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes till the sponge springs back when touched.

7. Turn the sponge out when ready and roll together with a clean cloth so the shape is set and allow to cool in the rolled form.

8. Prepare the filling, whipping the cream and the icing sugar till soft peak.

9. Once sponge is cooled, unroll and spread cream all over the sponge and add the sliced pear

10. Reroll the sponge and chill till ready to serve. 

You can change the fruit according you your liking. 

Accidental Pear Swiss Roll

I had set out to do a mango Swiss roll, but the mangoes are not ripe and I'm too lazy to go buy some, so I rampaged the fridge and managed to find a pear. I hope this works because pears are crisp and the Swiss roll is really soft. Oh well, we'll see.

Macha Crepe Cake

So I want to slap myself for forgetting to press 'save' after drafting the post for a long time, now I got to start all over again, this time, I will remember to press 'save'.

Tried chocolate crepe cake previously and didn't think it turned out well, so I took a break for a good many months, but I decided to try again, this time, working with green tea. I think it turned out pretty decent, so here's the recipe.

(Makes a 6-inch cake)

For the pastry cream

100g sugar
40g corn flour
28g unsalted butter at room temperature
400 ml milk
6 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

*You may flavour the cream with orange or lemon zest*

For the crepe cake

130g plain flour

240 ml milk

120 ml warm water

4 eggs

58g unsalted butter at room temperature

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp macha powder

a pinch of salt 

To make the pastry cream

1. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and corn flour together.

2. Heat the milk till very hot and drizzle the milk into the yolk batter. When all the milk is added, return the batter to low heat. 

3. Heat till the mixture thickens, stirring continuously.

4. Take the cooked cream off the heat and leave to cool slightly before whisking the butter in. Place a cling film directly on the surface of the cream. Leave in chill in the fridge till ready to use.

5. When assembly, whisk the cream till smooth before use.

To make the macha crepes

6. Place all the ingredients in a mixture and stir till the batter becomes smooth.

7. Leave the batter to chill in the fridge for at least an hour before use.

8. Heat a 6 inch non-stick pan over low fire and butter the pan using paper towel.

9. Pour the chilled batter in the pan and tilt the pan to cover the base thinly with the batter. Cook crepes for a minute or two on both sides. 

10. When all the crepes are cooked and cooled (about 20 pieces), place a cake board or a serving plate on the bottom and line the first piece of crepe on it.

11. Spoon some cream on top of the crepe and spread the cream over the entire crepe. Place another piece of crepe over, apply the cream and repeat till all the pieces are used up.

The finished product doesn't look that impressive till the cake is cut open.

I thought the layers are even and soft, but the amount of cream can be increased.

Green Tea Latte

Because I forgot to save my draft for the macha crepe cake and now I got to start all over again *give myself a 2-D smack*, I'll document an easier recipe first.

This is easy peasy and since I have not used the milk frother bought quite some time back, I thought I'll make some green tea latte. It's rather nice and I like that I can froth the milk and attempt cafe style green tea latte. Far from the starbucks one, but good enough for a convenient make at home version.

2 tsp macha powder
2 tsp sugar (optional)
1 cup milk
1 tbsp hot water

1. Add the tablespoon of hot water to the green tea powder and mix. I used the frother to mix as well.



2.Warm the milk till very hot but not boiling.



3. Froth the hot milk till foamy. It was quite fun.

4. Pour the hot milk into the green tea and add sugar to taste.

Viola! My feeble attempt at latte art. A warm cup of green tea latte can be very comforting and it is a good way to use up the LOT macha powder I desperately need to use up.

“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

It's not all that hopeless, I'll claim the verses that follow.

"But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

James 3:16-18 NIV

http://bible.com/111/jas.3.16-18.niv

Press on

My motivation to finish the marking frenzy? To bake a Mont Blanc cake. Press on!!!!

Clear skies

Oh I love the clear sky! Run! 

Orange Soufflé in Orange Cups

And I did it! Orange soufflé in Orange cups! Who needs ramekins? And there's no need to wash either, eat and throw away the cups, unless you want to eat the skin of course. :) 

I must confess though, the first bake was a disaster, the soufflé collapsed in the oven, probably because I opened the oven to adjust the cups, so I tried again today. This time, of the 2, one spilled over the cup and thankfully, the other stayed in the cup and remained nicely risen and I had enough time to photograph it! I'll bake these for a nice, light and awe worthy dessert when I have guests over soon.

Here's the recipe, adapted from zencancook. 

(Makes 2 Orange soufflé Cups and 1 in a ramekin) 

2 large oranges

1 egg separated 

22g sugar, 1 tbsp for egg white and extra for sprinkling

1 tbsp corn flour 

To prepare the Orange cups and ramekins to hold any extra batter

1. Cut the top of the oranges, leaving about 2/3 of the Orange to form the cups and a tiny bit off the bottom, so the cups can sit. Do not cut too much off the bottom or the batter will seep through the bottom when baking. 

2. Zest the top of the oranges and juice the rest and save the juice and zest for later.

3. Remove the flesh from the Orange cups, I used my fingers to pull the flesh off because I do not have grapefruit knife that the original recipe suggests. 

4. Sprinkle the Orange cups with some sugar. 

5. For the ramekins, butter the ramekins and coat the surface with sugar. 

For the Orange soufflé 

6. Preheat the oven at 200 degrees. Whisk the yolk, sugar and corn starch till smooth. 

7. Add the Orange juice and whisk to combine.

8. Heat the batter over medium heat in a saucepan till the mixture thickens. Leave to cool. 

9. Whisk the egg white till frothy, add a tablespoon of sugar and beat till stiff peak. It was only an egg white so I used a hand whisk and exercised my arms. No need for mixer. 

10. Fold the stiff egg white into the orange batter. 

11. Pour the batter into prepared cups and ramekins and level to top with a knife.

12. Bake in preheated oven of 200 degrees for about 12-15 min until the soufflé puffed up puffy and the top is lightly brown. 

13. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. 

Souffles are supposed to collapse anyway, so serve or photograph quickly before they collapse. I like that they are served in orange skin and there is no additional washing after the meal. Nice!

 分担的痛苦是减半的痛苦，分享的喜乐是加倍的喜乐。

Strawberry Shortcake - photo

It's so difficult to keep documenting my bakes. I have so many posts in the draft, I don't know where to start. Starting with the most recent will be easier, won't it? I'm going to do a green tea crepe cake and orange soufflé this weekend and I hope that's not too ambitious. Some photos of a strawberry shortcake I baked for a friend's birthday for now. I'll find some motivation to upload the recipe, soooooooonnnnn.