Chocolate sour cream frosting

The #1 reason that puts me off making any kind of cake frosting is the amount of sugar and butter used in a recipe. I know without these two ingredients I won't achieve any good and stable frosting. So, I'm constantly googling for frosting recipes that are not so caloric. My search brought me to this recipe over at Kwanster.

I'm re-posting the whole recipe below in order for me to note down any tweaking needed to suit my taste. In saying that, it is already great recipe and you shouldn't hesitate to try it! And go over to Kwanster's blog to thank him/her.

Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting (for 12-15 cupcakes)
via : link above

Ingredients
170g bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped ** used 60% cocoa content, find the taste to dominating..
64g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted ** didn't follow exactly, adjusting to taste as I whisk
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
Pinch of salt, sifted
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. sour cream , room temperature **20% fat
** added rum for extra flavour

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool until just barely warm.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale.
3. Gradually mix in the sifted confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and salt, beat until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream.
5. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
6. Frost your cake immediately.

My note = **

1) as I was going through the process, the buttercream already tasted good before the addition of chocolate. So, perhaps I'll try without the chocolate next time

2) 60% cocoa content was overpowering the sponge cake as a whole. Next time will use a lower cocoa content also lesser quantity, perhaps 100gm instead of 170gm.

Cantonese-style vegetable dish

Last Sunday at the local market I was intrigued by one stall selling something I thought was pak choi ; but the seller told us the origin of this veg. is France. Whatever it is, the taste is good and do remind me of the chinese pak choi.

This is a simple preparation, you only need cooking oil, sesame seeds, ready-made crispy shallots/onions and soy sauce. This method also works well with iceberg lettuce, egg noodles, bean sprouts or anything that you could think of.

Cantonese-style Vegetable dish.

Ingredients
1 bunch of Vegetable of your choice,

1-2 tablespoon of cooking oil
garlic, optional
light soy sauce, to taste

For garnishing
ready made crispy shallots/onions
sesame seeds, toasted

Method :-
1) Heat water in sauce pan , and blanch vegetable just until wilted to take away the rawness. Drain.
2) In a non-stick pan, toast some sesame seed. After toasting, set aside to be used later as garnish.
3) In the same non-stick pan, heat up the cooking oil, once heated and if you're using garlic as aromatic, start saute until golden brown and remove from heat. If not using garlic, just removed heated cooking oil from heat and pour in dashes of soy sauce to taste. Mix in the blanched vegetable and mix well. And you're ready.
4) Serve on a dish, garnish with toasted sesame seeds and crispy shallots.

Shanghai Mooncake 上海月饼

Tomorrow, September 19, Chinese, Taiwanese and Vietnamese celebrate the the Mid-Autumn Festival . Traditionally the day is to celebrate the end of autumn harvest. You can read the legend of the festival from the link given and why moon cake is serve on the day.

There are many variations of moon cakes ; however, for a more manageable bake, I've chosen to try the Shanghai Moon cake. The traditional filling of lotus or bean paste has been replaced with poppy seed paste ; of which I think works well with the pastry. Give it a try!


Shanghai Mooncake
via :Simply Hanushi

Ingredients (Makes 4)
20 g icing sugar
6 g egg, lightly beaten
40 g butter, cubed
60 g plain flour
10 g custard powder (sub. with milk powder)
Some black sesame seeds / pumpkin seeds / melon seeds, for sprinkling

Filling
130 g ground poppy seed (traditionally it is lotus paste, but I couldn't make it in time)
 a little bit of milk
vanilla sugar, to taste
icing sugar, to taste
lemon zest

Method
1. Filling: Heat enough milk to turn ground poppy seed into paste, be careful not too wet. Once heated pour into ground poppy seed, mix in sugars and lemon zest. Mix well and divide into 4 portions and form into balls
2. Sift plain flour and custard powder together. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, sift icing sugar and add in egg and butter. Beat well till well-combined.
4. Add in the flour mixture slowly and knead into a soft dough. Divide into 4 portions of around 35 g.
5. Flatten a piece of dough into a round shape and wrap in a filling. Seal the edges to form into a ball.
6. Place the sealed ends facing downwards on a baking tray. Brush egg wash on the surface and sprinkle with some black sesame seeds / pumpkin seeds / melon seeds on top.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Semolina Pudding coated with toasted breadcrumbs

 

Despite the strange name, this is light and easy to prepare when you need a quick snack.

Semolina pudding coated with toasted breadcrumbs

via No Salty

Ingredients

For pudding

500ml Milk

5-6 Tbsp semolina flour (used 6 Tbsp)

3 Tbsp sugar

1 sachet x 8g vanilla sugar

grated zest of 1 lemon

bread crumbs

oil for toasting

To serve

powdered sugar+powdered cinnamon , for sprinkling

Jam of your choice

Method

1) In a sauce pan, mix together semolina flour and both types of sugar. Gradually pour in cold milk, mix ensuring no lumps.

2) Cook mixture on low heat by stirring continuously until thicken like pudding. Mix in zest of lemon. Pour onto a dish sprinkled with a little water to cool and to set. You can set it in the fridge as well.

3) Start toasting breadcrumbs with a little oil in non-stick pan. When bread crumbs is well toasted let it cool.

4) When pudding is set and able to cut into cubes, roll the cubes onto the cooled bread crumbs. Serve with some sprinkled powdered sugar, cinnamon and your favourite jam.

Salty shortbread

Salty Shortbread 

Source : No salty
Time : kneading + freeze 30 mins. + bake 20 mins. + rest 1 hour


Ingredients

For dough
200gm butter, melted - warm not hot!
100ml whipping cream
375gm plain flour
2 egg yolks
8gm salt

For Toppings
1 egg yolk, for egg wash
seeds of choice (sesame, poppy, sunflower) or
grated cheese

Method
1) In a bowl, combine salt and plain flour and set aside.
2) In another bowl, mix warm melted butter with whipping cream and egg yolks. Add in the flour/salt into wet mixture. Knead until just come together. Do not over knead!
3) Roll out dough to about 0.5 to 1cm thickness, depending on your liking. Place on a sheet and let it set in freezer for 30 mins.
4) When dough has been rested for 10 mins. Start pre-heating the oven at 200°c.
5) Remove dough from freezer after 30 mins. and let it defrost a little. Cut dough into desired shapes and sizes. Glaze with egg yolk, sprinkle with your choice of topping(s).
6) Bake in pre-heated oven for about 20 mins. or until golden brown and crispy.
7) Let it rest for at least 1 hour before serving.

Failed cake turned into Biscotti

Deep-fried Hungarian Lángos dough Burger!!!