Tim Tam Cheesecake with Salted Caramel.

OH-MY-GAWD.

This cheesecake has been in my to do list for a long long time. 

But I just doesn't have the time to do it. 

I think my baking list is piling up.

The amount of recipes I have on hand can take F O R E V E R to finish. 

And the best thing is I keep collecting them. 

But I'm happy. Who cares??

Soon I think I will have to sleep with my recipes and cookbooks because I have no space to store them.

Tim Tam Cheesecake with Salted Caramel.

Slightly modified from here

Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients: 

Base:

200grams oreo, cream remove (about 27 oreos)

7 tablespoon - 100grams melted butter.

Filling:

150ml Whipping cream

3 teaspoon gelatine 

1/4 cup - 60ml water

250grams cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 cup - 50grams castor sugar

1x200 grams Tim Tam chocolate biscuits, chopped.

Salted Caramel:

3/4 cup - 150grams sugar
Tiny bit of water
6 tbsp - 85grams butter
1/4 cup - 60 grams heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Base:

Crush your oreos using either a food processor or if you don't have one, dump all your oreo cookies into a plastic bag and using a rolling pin, crush it until it becomes fine crumbs.
Mix the crushed oreos together with the melted butter and combined till it looks like wet sand. 
Press it onto your cake base pan and chill the base in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

Whip the whipping cream till stiff and place in fridge for later use.

Sprinkle gelatine over water and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Place in microwave for 30 seconds or over stove top to melt the gelatin. 
Stir and cool. Set aside. 
Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth using a stand mixer about 4 minutes.
Stir in the cool gelatine mixture.
Add the chopped tim tam biscuits and combine together. 
Fold in the whipping cream.
Pour filling onto base. Smooth the top and cover with a plastic wrap and place in fridge to chill at least 4 hours or overnight before consuming.

Salted Caramel:

Place sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan over stove top over medium high heat. 
Add a tiny bit of water and cook the sugar until it reach a deep amber colour, about 3 to 4 minutes. You have to monitor as it will burn very quickly. 
At this point, add the butter in and stir until melted. 
Slowly pour in heavy cream.
**Be careful as it will splatter! 
Add the salt.
Mix well and pour onto a flat tray to let cool before drizzling on the cheesecake.

Earl Grey Chocolate cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Today as I was walking out to get lunch, the rain suddenly came down.
So heavily. I have no choice but to grab something below my office food court. 

And it's not really nice.
Not that it matters you know. 
Not that I wanna mention.
Not that it has to be the top of this post.

Anyway.

This post won't be having a recipe as it isn't improvise yet..

Just..... Photos. 

The lady who requested this actually asked me for a long time but I didn't have the time to do it. 
I'm always afraid of doing piping because my piping skills really sucks.

And the reason I didn't post a recipe for this is because my cake taste weird. 
I don't know, just weird. But if you like to try the cake you may refer to shutterbean blog.

Her photos are so beautiful.


It's my bad actually, It's not the recipe giver's fault.
I might have over fold my batter. It taste dense. 

But those who have tried, a few said that it's quite good. 
But I still feel the need to improvise. 


And of cause, brush up on my piping skills.
But on a happier note, this is my first time piping roses on a whole cake!

OH YAY!

I'm just trying to praise myself. 

For the roses, I am using SMBC and I used colour gel to achieve the type of colours I want.
I just did a crumb coat for the cake and later on pipe on the roses. 

PHEW.

Thank you for viewing and I hope you have a nice day.

Baked Churros.

It's good to indulge once in awhile. 
But it's even better to indulge everyday..

As in if you are not afraid of gaining a few more pounds,

Or growing sideways.


Just saying.
As a Singaporean, I would say a lot of people here are very self concious. 
Not too sweet (dessert), not too salty(food), not too fat and many more ''NOT TOO''.

Actually I'm talking about myself. 
But I like desserts. Any kind of dessert as long as it's not outrageously sweet, I can accept it. 
Like these churros here, they are not overly sweet and one plus point is it's baked! Not fried. HORRAY!!! You can have more without the guilt. 

The first time I tried these babies was at Universal Studios .
The ones that I've eaten were the fried ones. Rolled in cinnamon sugar and served warm, they taste so heavenly! And the ones they are selling are really long probably about 8 to 10 inches. I've been wanting to make these but I couldn't find the time to do it. 

Excuses. 

Anyway.

Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar mixture, these babies are heavenly. 

Or maybe your could dipped them in some chocolate sauce...
I dipped them in white chocolate. I have problem sprinkling them with sugar mixture probably because they were baked.

So I have to brush them with some melted butter in order for the sugar mixture to stick on the churros.

These heavenly churros are best eaten warm. So good.

Baked Churros
Yields: A dozen or more depending on how long you pipe it.


Ingredients:

1 cup - 240ml water

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup - 75grams unsalted butter

1 cup - 125grams all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract Sugar mixture:

1/4 cup - 50grams sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or to taste) 1 tablespoon - 14grams melted butter, to be brushed on churros.

Some white chocolate, melted

Method:

Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Line 2 baking tray with parchment paper. 
In a medium saucepan, combine water, brown sugar and salt.
Add butter and place over medium high heat. 
Heat until butter is melted and mixture starts to boil. 
Remove from heat and add the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. 
Mixture will start to clump. Keep stirring until no streaks of flour can be seen. 
Place the saucepan back on low heat, stirring slowly until a thin layer of flour mixture sticks on saucepan. 
Remove from heat and using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, press it flat to let it cool for about 5 minutes. 
In a small bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla extract and lightly beat the eggs. 
Once the flour mixture has reach room temperature, slowly pour in the egg mixture bit by bit, mixing well after each addition before adding in the next. 
It will look curdle but don't worry, it will come together eventually. 
Stir well until the egg are incorporated and mixture has the appearance of mashed potato.
Transfer dough to a pipping bag fitted with closed star tip or whatever tip you may like. 
It will still be as delicious as it is. 
Pipe dough onto baking tray lined with parchment paper in long strips. 
You can also pipe them in different length. (like me)
Use a scissors to cut off the end of the dough from the pipping tip, leaving about  inch in space between the churros in order to let them rise and expand during baking.
Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the churros turn golden brown. 
Turn oven to broiler setting and watch carefully as churros toast and turn brown.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly. 
Combine the sugar and cinnamon and pour onto a long dish.
Brush the churros with some melted butter and roll them all over with cinnamon sugar mixture.

Bon Appétit 

Source: Latina.com

Green Tea Cream Cheese Brownies.

Hi. How is everyone? Baked anything during the weekends?

As my last post, I mentioned that my mind is filled with all the cheesecake & cakes stuffs.

I let the sweet devil succumb over me and I made these babies. 

Sweet evil little babies.

Sometimes I wonder how sweet devil looks like. 

Oh dear, I don't want to know.  

I just grew a pound by sniffing them.

SIGH.

Warning**

These are definitely not healthy at all. Not gluten free nor sugar free.

If you can see my post, you will notice that I seldom make brownies. 

I'm not really a big fan of brownies and I seldom eat them. 

But I just brought two blocks of cream cheese and I still have quite a lot of green tea powder, hence I decided to make some cream cheese brownies.

Luckily they didn't disappoint me.

These are fudgy and delicious. Every bite is filled with cream cheese in the mouth.

Thank GOD.

I added one more teaspoon of green tea powder to my cream cheese batter because I thought that the green tea wasn't strong enough for me. 

These brownies are not too sweet. Just nice for me.

Green Tea Cream Cheese Brownies

Yields | 8 inch square pan.

Ingredients:

Green tea cream cheese batter

3/4 cup - 170grams cream cheese

2 1/2 teaspoons - 35grams granulated sugar

1 tablespoon plain flour 

1 egg

2 tablespoon whipping cream

2 teaspoon green tea powder

 Brownie Batter

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon - 70grams all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon - 130grams unsalted butter

7 oz - 200grams dark chocolate, chopped (60-70%)

3/4 cup + 2 tablespoon - 175grams granulated sugar

3 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Line baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Prepare the cream cheese batter first:

Beat the cream cheese and granulated until smooth. 

**You may use a hand whisk or a electric whisk to do so. Whisk for about 3 to 4 minutes for electric whisk. Hand whisk might take longer.

Add in whipping and egg, beat to combine. 

Sieve the green tea powder into the cream cheese batter and stir until smooth.

Add flour and stir till combine. Set aside. 

Brownie Batter:

Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water not touching the base until the chocolate mixture has fully melted. 

Alternatively you may melt the chocolate mixture in the microwave in 30 seconds interval until the chocolate mixture has fully melted. 

Pour the sugar and salt into melted chocolate and stir to combine. Leave aside for about 5 minutes. 

Beat the eggs together and pour into the chocolate batter. Stir well. 

Sieve the flour and baking powder together into the bowl and stir again. Mix well, stir until smooth.

Pour brownies batter into prepared pan. 

Scoop the cream cheese batter on top of the brownie batter and make swirl using a bamboo stick or chopstick to create marble effect. 

Bake brownies for 40 to 45 minutes. 

Generously adapted from here

Chocolate Elcair.

Hey Guys. 
How was your weekend? 
Baked anything? 

Recently I'm having childhood reminiscing. 
I'm trying to find my favourite show to watch, and one of them is Pocahontas
But I can't seem to find this show any more.
The only way is through ITunes store. 

This isn't my first time doing elcairs.
Did it quite a few times. I don't have the chance to take a good photo of them.

I'm always rushing. 
To be short, I'm clumsy. 
I should have dust some icing sugar over them. Why didn't I think of that?!

Chocolate Elcairs
Makes 20 medium size elcairs.


Choux Pastry: 

3 fl oz + 1 tablespoon - 100ml water
4 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon - 60grams unsalted butter
Pinch of salt
60grams cake flour 
3 eggs, beaten

Pastry Cream:

1 2/3 cup - 400ml full cream milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup - 100grams sugar
2 tablespoon cake flour
2 tablespoon corn flour
100ml whipping cream

Chocolate Gananche:

100ml heavy cream
4 oz - 113grams dark chocolate, chopped


Method:

Choux pastry:

Preheat oven to 400F/205C.
Sieve together your cake flour and corn flour, set aside.
In a medium pot, combine the water, butter and a pinch of salt.
On medium low heat, bring it to a boil to melt the butter.
Once butter is melted, turn off fire and quickly add in sieved flour and stir.
When the flour has absorb the butter mixture and turn gooey, turn fire on low and continue stirring until a thin paste is stick on the pot. 
Remove from heat and place the flour mixture onto a bowl.
Using a rubber spatula, press it flat and wait for about 3 minutes to cool down before adding eggs.
Gradually pour beaten egg into flour mixture in 4 to 5 times, adding in between each addition until mixture is fully incorporated.
The mixture might seem curdle but feared not, as you mixed it the mixture will come together. 
After the 3rd addition of the egg, you will come to see that the batter will be more smooth.
The reason of not adding the eggs at one go, is to test the consistency of the batter. 
You might not need to add all the three eggs. 
You can test the consistency by scooping up the batter using your spatula and gradually let it drop down.
If your batter forms a ''V'' shape beneath the spatula, that is the right consistency.
Using a pastry bag or ziploc bag inserted with a plain tip, transfer batter over to pipe out the choux puff.
On baking tray lined with baking/parchment paper, pipe out a straight line about 3 inches long leaving a 1 inch gap between the choux pastry as they will expand during baking. 
Using your fingers, dip a little water and damp the end part of the pastry to avoid drying. 
Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. 
Remove from oven and cool on cooling rack.  


Pastry Cream:

In a medium pot, pour milk and turn fire on low heat.
When it begins to boil, turn off fire. (You will know when the side starts forming little bubbles)
In another medium heatproof bowl, light beat egg yolks and add in sugar. 
Using a balloon whisk or a normal whisk, beat the mixture together until light in colour.
Combine the cake flour and corn flour and sieve together. 
Add in to egg yolk mixture and combine.
Gradually add the slightly cooled milk in 3 to 4 addition to egg yolk mixture and stir thoroughly. 
(Add in slowly to avoid cooking the eggs!)
Strain the egg yolk mixture back to the pot.
Over low heat, stir quickly but slowly to let the mixture thicken. (It should take about 3 minutes)
**You have to stir very quickly as this is very important to not let the eggs be cooked or burn the bottom 
When it begins to form bubble at the sides, remove from heat and transfer to a flat tray beneath a ice bath

Image source here

The reason for having a ice bath is to let the pastry cream cool faster because at a certain temperature, bacteria will start to form therefore it is very important to let the custard cream cool as soon as possible!
Once cooled, cover the pastry cream with cling wrap touching the cream. 
The reason for doing this is to prevent a crust from forming. 
Store it in the fridge as soon as possible as pastry cream spoils fast. 
This pastry cream can be done a day in advance.

Chocolate Ganache:

Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
In a small pot, bring the heavy cream to a boil.
When it starts to boil, turn off heat and pour the cream into the bowl of chocolate.
Let it stand for 10 seconds before stirring the mixture until it becomes smooth.


Assembly:

Cut the choux pastry sideways or you can choose cut a hole on top of the choux puff for pipping in the pastry cream. 
Fill your pastry cream in a pastry bag filled with a small plain tip or open star pipping tip
Pipe filling into the empty pastry shell and dip chocolate ganache on top of the pastry shell. 
Place elcair on a tray and let it cool in the fridge for about 30 to 45 minutes before storing.


Notes:
Elcair is best eaten within 3 days. 

Chocolate and Almond Biscotti.

ok.......

I am thinking should I post this. Because my biscotti are too FAT. 
I sliced it too thick. 

A mess.
But I like messiness. 

Oh really, what am I trying to say?

But on a side note, they tasted good.

I need some comforting food again. 

Like cookies? or brownies.
Life just need to have some of this.

These are filled with chocolate chips and toasted almonds. 
The only regret I had, was that I sliced that biscotti too thick. 

TOO FAT.

drizzle with melted chocolate...

And more if you like..

Chocolate Almond Biscotti

Yields: 1 dozen

1/4 cup - 57grams unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup - 150grams granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup - 45grams unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 cups - 187grams all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces - 113grams silvered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup - 80grams semi sweet chocolate chips

1 ounce - 28 grams semi sweet chocolate, melted

Method: 

Kindly preheat oven to 350F/180C

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.

Add the eggs one by one, beating after each addition.

Mix in the vanilla extract. 

Gradually add the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt mixing until fully combined. 

Stir in the almonds and chocolate chips.

Mix until combined. The dough should be slightly dry to the touch.

Place the dough on a baking sheet and form the dough into a log 12 inches long by 3 inches wide.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the dough cracks on top and just begins to brown.

Remove it from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes or until the dough is cool enough to handle.

Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 1/2 inch slice.

Place the slice cut down onto the baking sheet.

Bake for additional 8 to 10 minutes.

For a crunchier texture, flip the biscotti over and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes. 

Place the melted chocolate into a plastic or zip loc bag and snip off the corner.

Drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti.

Allow to dry before storing.

NOTES:

Please do not slice thicker then that otherwise your biscotti will be as fat as mine!

Biscotti should be kept in a air tight container.

Cake Mix Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins. Super Easy!

Hey Guys. What are you baking today? 

You know I seldom have time to bake during the weekdays, so the only time where I could devote myself to baking is only during the weekend.

I know I know.. 
I think this is the 1023454621th times I'm mentioning
But I still want to rant.

So I will find excuses to stay at home rather heading out.
I think I'm obsessed.

Is there such a sickness call obsessive baking?
I think I might have it.


Frustrating.
Annoyed.

Anyway, nobody cares about calorie nowadays.
Especially when you need something comforting, y' know.

Ever since I did my Cake Batter Oreo Cookies I realised I still left with alot of cake mix.
And Marianne is saying that she wants to have some chocolate cake.


And the kitchen pantry is left with one banana, so this comes into my mind.
You can just call it one bowl muffins.
Cake mix muffins.
Super easy muffins.

This is a super easy recipe. You just dump everything in and mix. 

Dump your chocolate chunk in the muffin cups and pour over your batter.

Push it into your oven and wait for 20 minutes.

Ding!

It's ready.

Cake Mix Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins.

Makes 6 small muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow cake mix (I use betty crocker's yellow cake mix)

1 ripe banana, smashed

1 large egg

1/4 cup - 60ml plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 oz - 40grams dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Method:

Get ready 6 small muffin cups. 

Preheat your oven to 350F/180C

In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, oil and egg.

Mix till combine.

Add in smashed banana and mix again.

Place a few chocolate chunks at the bottom of the muffin cups (about 2 to 3 chunks)

Pour batter over the muffin cups. 

Add some more chocolate chunks.

Bake in oven for about 20 to 23 minutes. 

Remove from oven and place in oven rack to cool.

Store in airtight container

NOTES:

Recipe can easily be doubled, or tripled.

Muffins can be kept up to 3 days in room temperature.

By Black Baker

That's me, yours truly.

y' see?!!

I told you it was easy isn't it?

You don't even have to rake your brains for it.