Tuesday, June 29, 2010Y
Let there be Alcohol!
I have a thing for alcohol. But the thing about alcohol is that it has bad associations. Tell people you use alcohol all the time, they give you the look like you are some kind of troubled teenager with family issues and developed some alcohol problems. But no. It's very unfair to alcohol... it didn't do anything wrong! It's just merely an edible substance that we humans stupidly devour without much conscience and responsibility (aka ex-me). But of course gone were the days when I can afford to skip a day of school, throw the covers over and say 'Fuck it, I'm gonna stay drunk all night.' Now with a day job, the kid just gotta learn to GROW UP.
Aside from all the awesome effects of alcohol, it really brings out the best of other ingredients in the same pot. Think of wine and I imagine a pot of stew or casserole, with the meat tenderised and sweeten by the sweet concord of fermented grapes. Think of a fruity or nutty liquer like Creme de Lychee or frangelico, I immediately thought of those wonderful creamy puddings in Nigella books. Worse... think of Baileys. It totally spells chocolate eggs and sugar for me.
Yes. 3rd spatula I bought this month *Bling*
As much as I can, I try to bring in the alcoholic element into my bakes. But not because I am a total alcohol fanatic, but I find that alcohol compliment the flour, the eggs, the sugar, the vanilla etc very very well. Make some plain vanilla cupcakes with some fruit liqueur butter cream and you'll see what I mean.
Don't you find the blue contrasting the dark chocolate brown so perfectly?
These, started off as very very simple Texas Fudge from Cookie Baker Lynn's blog. I made this on several occasions and I've got people bleeding chocolate out from it. It's so good, I have this with a scoop of ice cream just as dinner on nights I'm alone at home. But good things can get better, especially with Baileys in it. Oh how I freaking love Baileys. It's definitely one of my favorite favorite liquer in this world other than Advocat and Cointreau. The list definitely goes on but for now, let's just talk bout the fudge shall we?
I made the cake part as usual but added some Baileys to the fudge icing... SO GOOD. You know what, I'm gonna add in some orange zest and some Cointreau next =D
Yeah that's me... in the kettle's reflection =(
Btw, I kindda seem stupid to mention this only at the end of my post but yea... 3 Bling related posts in a row!!! I'm a total spoilt kitchen whore yay!!!!
Katherine blogged@ 1:17 AM
0 comments
Wednesday, June 16, 2010Y
Pineapple experiment #1
In continuation of the new blings in the kitchen saga, today's post features something more cheery looking yet more lethal to the hand. That is... my new yolk yellow pastry cutter.
Actually, this has been in my pantry for years. How long? I don't remember but I know it has been sitting in the drawer for quite a while. Heck, I don't even remember when and where I bought it but the color is definitely not very me. It's pretty rare that I would choose something bright like this cause given what I know about myself, I would usually go with normal colors like white or black. But anyway, I remember stating in one of the old post that pineapple tart week was to reroll again. Well, here it goes.
My pineapple tart sale this CNY was a complete fiasco. I don't know whether anyone has the cheek to admit this or not but... I've screw up myself so badly I think there's a huge hole in my pants. Customers were quoted saying "I taste the flour, the pineapple is sour, everything was horrible!" Not exactly the kind of thing you wanna hear during CNY. You can imagine the kind of expectations being shouldered and then with chilling cold water splashing all over like River Nile.
Still I don't think it's time to give up. I may not be selling pineapple tarts for quite a while but still the whole project will go full blast in the kitchen. I've twig the recipe around, adjust the amount of yolks and butter used and made them with leftover pineapple jam froze during CNY.
The dough came out well and fragrant, quite similar to my old recipe but still there are much more rooms for improvement. After baking and after tasting, mom said it's exactly the one I use to make but oh come on... all mothers are encouraging aren't they?
Worse is the how long the tarts can remain fresh. My old recipe yield tarts that remain crunchy (wonder what's the right word) for days but this one completely turns soggy and air out after like 3 days. The filling really suck and all I can say to myself is 'Katherine, please get a proper grater soon!'. But well let's be reasonable... that filling has been stash in the freezer since CNY!
But anyway bout the pastry cutter. Hey it's pretty good! Slice up the cold butter nicely and gives you exactly what you want in a dough within few squirts. But have to be careful as the blades are pretty sharp and I almost cut myself with that.
So yea. This time round's tarts are not as awesome as I want them to be, but still it's considered a good start. At least it has got the texture I want. Anyway, definitely more pineapple tart experiments to come and absolutely more new bling related posts. In fact I already have 3 drafts sitting in my folder waiting to show off =D
Labels: Blings, Pineapple Tarts
Katherine blogged@ 11:03 PM
2 comments
Saturday, May 15, 2010Y
Blondies... and a $20 whisk
Okay so here's the blondie post. But before I go on to that, let me tell you something that I've spent on recently that most of you might... well, frown upon.
What you see above, is the recent purchase. Yes it's just a whisk, nothing special no big deal about it. But I'm telling you, that is the best SGD 21.06 I have ever spent on Amazon.com. WHAT?! THAT WHISK COST YOU $20!!! BUT I THOUGHT YOUR FAVORITE WHISK WAS A CHEAP $2 FROM DAISO!!!! Yes yes I know but hey... people need to upgrade you know. I first saw this whisk @ Youtube while watching Nigella series. That whisk appears in literally all her episodes.... since day 1. Initially I thought... well she's a celebrity of some sort of course she need to use high end stuff (you don't really see Singaporean bakers using that right?) but then I think it is some sort of conditioning, I have to get one too.
Not just any of those little hand whisk... a Nigella one... a Fox Run one. Yes no one here knows what brand is that but I tell you... their stuffs are good. Nigella approved. I realize so many equipments and tools she uses in her series are from Fox Run! I bought not just this whisk but also another one... but that will be another post.
So I got a new ang moh whisk.... I got a blondie to bake.... I got to do something or else this blog will melt with all that torching from the sun lately. And you know what? I am so gonna use that whisk in anything I am making now to make sure that my $20 and all those shipment is truly worthwhile.
I use it while stirring the white chocolate and butter....
I use it to mix the dry ingredients together...
I use it to mix the wet and dry ingredients together.... even though I shouldn't....
And you won't believe how easy and fast everything come together even though a spatula would make more sense for this job....
About 15 minutes later, my first ever blondie is in the oven already. And 30 minutes later there comes my first every blondie. And nope that's a Tupperware, not the brownie tray the blondie was baked in.
Well one thing though... I may have baked gazillions of brownies and cookies and cupcakes and even bread, I have never actually made blondies. Heck, I didn't even know what they were. Though the name is pretty obvious that it is the opposite of the brownie, I thought they were the coffee version of it and well... to dig the minorities or make something sound sexist. Well... blondies, right? (actually I'm not really sure if I should type that down...) But well, things were actually much simpler than I thought... they are just the blonde/white version of a usual brownie that's made of dark chocolate; they are just brownie made of white chocolate. A little racist but erm.... I'll just stop explaining okay?
I'm sorry that I didn't take more pictures but god they were divine. I brought them all to work and came back with like only a few sad pieces left (well not everyone like something called 'blondie' I guess but those who tried love them) A little note though, get proper white cooking chocolates. I bought those cheap ones made from one of the neighboring countries and the sweetness of the chocolate was pure shocking. If you are going to use those chocolates, omit the sugar totally.... no one would notice =)
Recipe from Exclusively Food
100g butter
200g white chocolate chunks
50g (1/3 cup) self-raising flour
150g (1 cup) plain flour
90g (2/3 cup) macadamia nuts, roughly chopped into quarters
200g (1 well rounded cup) white chocolate chopped into small chunks
112g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 large eggs (minimum weight of 59g each)
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 170 degrees and line a brownie pan with baking paper. Melt the butter and the white chocolate chunks in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir frequently to make sure the bottom doesn't dry or get burnt. Once done leave aside to cool and mix all the flours, the other 200g of white chocolate small chunks and nuts together in a bowl. Stir the caster sugar into the melted chocolate and butter saucepan (You were thinking of adding it to the flour bowl didn't you? =D) and beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add in the nuts and flour mixture and stir till everything coheres. Spread the mixture evenly onto a brownie pan and bake in the middle of the rack for 30-35 minutes.
p.s I over baked mine a little by letting the blondie bake for a full 35 minutes, so I suggest start checking around 20-25 minutes since oven varies a lot. But they are still awesome... even though they appears to be cakey but actually they were very chewy and fudgy.
edit: I was shopping @ Pantry Magic last weekend to realize the exact same whisk selling for only SGD $7.00.... $7.00!!!! Well though the brand wasn't state but... Soooo much for being Nigella =(
What you see above, is the recent purchase. Yes it's just a whisk, nothing special no big deal about it. But I'm telling you, that is the best SGD 21.06 I have ever spent on Amazon.com. WHAT?! THAT WHISK COST YOU $20!!! BUT I THOUGHT YOUR FAVORITE WHISK WAS A CHEAP $2 FROM DAISO!!!! Yes yes I know but hey... people need to upgrade you know. I first saw this whisk @ Youtube while watching Nigella series. That whisk appears in literally all her episodes.... since day 1. Initially I thought... well she's a celebrity of some sort of course she need to use high end stuff (you don't really see Singaporean bakers using that right?) but then I think it is some sort of conditioning, I have to get one too.
Not just any of those little hand whisk... a Nigella one... a Fox Run one. Yes no one here knows what brand is that but I tell you... their stuffs are good. Nigella approved. I realize so many equipments and tools she uses in her series are from Fox Run! I bought not just this whisk but also another one... but that will be another post.
So I got a new ang moh whisk.... I got a blondie to bake.... I got to do something or else this blog will melt with all that torching from the sun lately. And you know what? I am so gonna use that whisk in anything I am making now to make sure that my $20 and all those shipment is truly worthwhile.
I use it while stirring the white chocolate and butter....
I use it to mix the dry ingredients together...
I use it to mix the wet and dry ingredients together.... even though I shouldn't....
And you won't believe how easy and fast everything come together even though a spatula would make more sense for this job....
About 15 minutes later, my first ever blondie is in the oven already. And 30 minutes later there comes my first every blondie. And nope that's a Tupperware, not the brownie tray the blondie was baked in.
Well one thing though... I may have baked gazillions of brownies and cookies and cupcakes and even bread, I have never actually made blondies. Heck, I didn't even know what they were. Though the name is pretty obvious that it is the opposite of the brownie, I thought they were the coffee version of it and well... to dig the minorities or make something sound sexist. Well... blondies, right? (actually I'm not really sure if I should type that down...) But well, things were actually much simpler than I thought... they are just the blonde/white version of a usual brownie that's made of dark chocolate; they are just brownie made of white chocolate. A little racist but erm.... I'll just stop explaining okay?
I'm sorry that I didn't take more pictures but god they were divine. I brought them all to work and came back with like only a few sad pieces left (well not everyone like something called 'blondie' I guess but those who tried love them) A little note though, get proper white cooking chocolates. I bought those cheap ones made from one of the neighboring countries and the sweetness of the chocolate was pure shocking. If you are going to use those chocolates, omit the sugar totally.... no one would notice =)
Recipe from Exclusively Food
100g butter
200g white chocolate chunks
50g (1/3 cup) self-raising flour
150g (1 cup) plain flour
90g (2/3 cup) macadamia nuts, roughly chopped into quarters
200g (1 well rounded cup) white chocolate chopped into small chunks
112g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
2 large eggs (minimum weight of 59g each)
1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 170 degrees and line a brownie pan with baking paper. Melt the butter and the white chocolate chunks in a saucepan over very low heat. Stir frequently to make sure the bottom doesn't dry or get burnt. Once done leave aside to cool and mix all the flours, the other 200g of white chocolate small chunks and nuts together in a bowl. Stir the caster sugar into the melted chocolate and butter saucepan (You were thinking of adding it to the flour bowl didn't you? =D) and beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add in the nuts and flour mixture and stir till everything coheres. Spread the mixture evenly onto a brownie pan and bake in the middle of the rack for 30-35 minutes.
p.s I over baked mine a little by letting the blondie bake for a full 35 minutes, so I suggest start checking around 20-25 minutes since oven varies a lot. But they are still awesome... even though they appears to be cakey but actually they were very chewy and fudgy.
edit: I was shopping @ Pantry Magic last weekend to realize the exact same whisk selling for only SGD $7.00.... $7.00!!!! Well though the brand wasn't state but... Soooo much for being Nigella =(
Katherine blogged@ 7:10 AM
0 comments
