Baking 101: Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

My hibernation from the blogsphere stopped when Christmas songs are constantly playing everywhere. I realized that I have not posted anything since August.  My workload is preventing me from posting and cooking! Haha! Seriously, It was simply "no time to cook and experiment". Though there were days that I cooked, but was to tired to write about it. 

Since it's almost Christmas, I forced myself to cook...er bake. Every year, I am giving my office friends my homebaked goodies. This time, I whipped a new found recipe, which i am loving to the max, Dulce de Leche cupcakes. 

I can say that this cupcake is very close to us Pinoys. When you taste this, you'll be reminded of our favorite pinoy candy...the infamous yema.

To make this cupcake, you have to make Dulce de Leche by simmering a can of condensed milk over low fire for 2 hours. But I found out that when you simmer a can of milk, there's a tendency for it to explode. So, what I did is cooked it the yema way - opened the can, poured in a pan and simmer while continuously whisking it to prevent the bottom from burning. The problem was, I overcooked the poor milk and still did not achieve the dark golden color of Dulce. The milk became close to solid hehehe. So to make it thin and pourable again, I placed them under low fire and added water and continuously mixed them until the hardened milk melted, then the dark golden color was also achieved.

The dulce de leche was added to the buttercream and made the tast of the cing milky-caramel-y. Wondering if it's too sweet? All I can say is that it complemented well with the cake (the cake itself is not too sweet).

The cake? I don't know how to describe it, but it's dense ala pound cake, but soft. You know what I mean? And I really enjoyed eating the cuppies.  

   

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

(from JoytheBaker.com)

makes about 27 regular sized cupcakes

Cupcakes

3 cups All purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1 1/2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup softened unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cup buttermilk (I used the regular pour and drink milk)

For the Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter

8oz cream cheese

3/4 cups dulce de leche, plus more for topping

1/4 tsp salt

3 cups confectioners sugar

Dulce de Leche

2 cans of regular size condensed milk

Instructions

1. Prepare dulce de leche. Pour the milk in a saucepan and continuously mix it ove low fire until thickened but still pourable. Set aside then cool. You can prepare this a day before you bake the cupcakes.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.

3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and powder and salt. Set aside.

4. In another bowl, using a mixer (or a beater, if you have powerful arms) beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

5. Add 1 egg at a time, beating them for 1 minute after each addition. Add the vanilla extract.

6. Add half of the flour mixture and slowly mixed them until incorporated. Add the milk. Add the rest of the flour mixture, then mix them until just combined.

7. Pour the batter into cupcake pans, about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.

8. Cool the cupcakes in a wire rack completely before frosting. 

Frosting

1. Place butter in a bowl and beat using a mixer until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and dulce de leche and beat them together until smooth. Add the salt. Add the powdered sugar in batches, mixing well after each addition. 

2. Pipe the frosting or generously smear them onto the cooled cupcakes.

3. Drizzle or pop a small dollop of dulce de leche on top of the frosting.

Why not share this with your friends and love ones this Christmas?

Merry Christmas everyone! Love y'all!!!



Baking 101: Fudgy Revel Bars

My world stopped. There is no turning back, I can smell the aroma...the warmth...I am so into it...so addicting. I found myself slowly and gently biting it. Then felt the sudden burst of that warm and sticky-gooey filling. So delicate and sweet and...CUT!!!

Now that's food porn! hahaha!!!

That is exactly what I felt when I ate my homemade revel bars. Revel bars include chocolate and oats...it's like sinner or saint! Junk yet healthy food.

Whatever it is, this recipe is worth a try. Some said, these are best eaten cold, but I still go for the warm revel bars. 

Here's the recipe. This recipe is good for two 8x11 pans or 48 bars.

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 tsps. vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 can condensed milk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Procedure

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

1. Set aside 2 tbsps of the butter. Beat the remaining butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the eggs and 1 tsp vanilla and beat again.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and the baking soda. Add the oats and mix until well combined.
3. In a saucepan, over low heat, melt the chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons butter and condensed milk.  Add the remaining vanilla. Remove from heat then set aside.
Assembly
1. Set aside a quarter of the oat batter mixture. Divide the 3/4 part of the mixture into two, then gently press in the 2 pans. 
2. Generously spread the chocolate filling on top.
3. Course crumble the remaining oat batter on top of the two pans.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
5. Cool completely before slicing. But since I want my bars warm. I did not wait for it to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Poptarts...Pinoy Style

It's been more than two months I know!!! I've been busy with a lot of things. Mostly with work, but I also had a short vacation, my first vacation outside the country! Yay!

My sister went home last May and brought us to Hongkong. I enjoyed the stay there...the places we visited were great and the food...HEAVEN! A bit disappointed with the shopping part though...everything's expensive. The tiangge items here in the country are expensive there.

When we came back, I must say I missed Pinoy food. I wanted to eat comfort food so off we went to Mom and Tina's for some simple homecooked style food. yum yum...truly soothing and comforting. You have to try to eat there.

Yes, nothing really beats homecooking, just like this Ube Poptart-style pie. Who would've thought that poptarts are so easy to make. That even a newbie cook can whip up these treats with a minimum effort (I can't say "with no effort" because of the kneading part hehehe)!



homemade poptarts!

 I got the idea and the dough/pastry recipe from Smitten Kitchen. But instead of using chocolates and other sugar laden fillings, I chose our humble purple yam or ube spread for filling.

Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) milk

Purple yam (Ube) filling - I used the one bought from Baguio. 

1 egg for egg wash
1 tbsp water

Instructions:
1. Mix flour, sugar and salt thoroughly.
2. Add the butter. Using your hand, mix everything well until they hold together when squeezed.
3. Whisk the egg and milk together and pour it in the flour mixture. Mix everything until you form a ball.

Note: If the dough is soft, because the temperature is too hot, wrap it using a cling wrap and chill it for 10 minutes.
4. Spread flour in a flat surface. This is to prevent the dough from sticking on the surface when kneading.
5. Whisk the remaining egg and water set aside.
6. Divide the dough into half and roll the first half into rectangle. Divide them into the desired size. Brush with egg wash and put the ube filling.

knead...

kneaded, trimmed, brushed with egg wash

with ube filling

7. Roll the other half and divide them again, the same size as the first half of the dough. Lay each on top of the first batch.  Using a fork, seal the edges and prick the top of the poptarts. Brush top with egg wash.

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
9. Line the baking pan with parchment paper and place the poptarts.
10. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
11. Serve warm.

yummy poptarts!!!

Note: You can also reheat these treats and you will still have the same result.


ENJOY!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think most of the bakers out there will agree that their baking careers started with a humble recipe of chocolate chip cookies.

Who wouldn't? It is very easy to make a batch -- no special equipments needed, ingredients are very easy to find, and the best of all...the bliss of eating these treats! From this simple cookie (usually a hit, never a miss!) you'll soon find yourself ready to try the more complicated baked goodies. I bet you...you'll get addicted to baking!

It is said that Ruth Graves Wakefield, accidentally invented the chocolate chip cookies. She ran out of her bakers chocolate and substituted it with chopped Nestle bars, thinking that it would melt with the batter. But she was wrong, the chocolates just softened...and the rest is history.

I have tried the chocolate chip cookies many times before. I must say that I perfected it. But I have to try the chocolate version. So I look for a promising recipe and found this from my favorite baking site Joy of Baking. I followed everything, except for the nuts, which were not available when I baked this.

The cookies are just perfect! Cruchy, caramalized edges but soft and chewy in the middle. It might be because of the 2 kinds of sugars in the recipe.



perfect with a tall glass of cold milk



so yummy!!!

Here's the link to the recipe. Try it and let me know your feedback!

Enjoy!!!

Baking 101: Ham and Cheese Bread Roll

I was not feeling well last week, so I took a 2 days off from work to rest. I went to a doctor for a check up and apparently, I had a slight asthma attack na pala...I didn't even know I have that! So the doctor adviced me to take a rest. The whole thursday, I just stayed in my room and just literally sleep and rest...sarap!

Friday, though I can still sleep again the whole day J, I can't deny that I was bored. So my best way to kill boredom was to bake. For so many days, I've been wanting to bake breads...and I'm glad that i found the perfect time. I started early, 12 noon, because it will consume a lot of time, you need to rise the dough for 1 to 1 1/2 hours then knead, and then rise again for an hour before baking them. I finished at exactly 4PM just in time for snacks.

...and the bread? Soft and delicious! I just need to add more filling to make it more flavorful.

 

inside of the bread

 My family loved it! Will definitely try this again.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 tsps instant active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
4 to 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
egg wash
ham (of your choice) slices
Cheddar cheese

Procedure

WITH MIXER
1. Melt butter with milk in microwave oven. Let it cool to room temperature.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix the yeast and warm water and let stand for 10 minutes until creamy, thick and bubbly.

bubbly and creamy yeast in warm water

3. Whisk the sugar and eggs to the yeast mixture. Add the butter and milk mixture, mix well.

4. Add 4 cups of flour and mix over low speed, using a mixer with dough hook. Sprinkle the salt.

5. Knead at medium speed until the dough comes together and sweeps the side of the bowl clean. If the dough is too moist, add the flour by tablespoons from the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Total kneading time is 10 minutes.

6. Transfer the dough to a large and lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise and develop the flavors for 1 to 1 1/2 hours

The before and after

7. Punch the dough and transfer to a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. Cut the dough equally into 16 pieces. With a rolling pin, roll out each dough and put the ham and cheese filling at the center. Carefully tuck the filling inside the dough. 

8. Lightly grease a baking sheet and place the rolls in it.

9. Cover with slightly damp kitchen towel and let rise again for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. preheat the oven at 350F, 10 minutes before the rising time ends.

After the second rising

10. Brush the top with egg wash, and bake 25 minutes. 

uncooked bread inside the oven...

WITHOUT MIXER

Note: My cheap mixer broke down when I was mixing the dough. The dough became heavy that's why the mixer gave up (need to buy a new one). I decided to manually mix and knead the dough...my goodness labor of love!! I saw this process from my mother when I was younger. She manually kneaded all the breads that she baked before.

Those who do not own a mixer, you can still make the bread, here's how:


1. Follow steps 1-3
2. In a clean, flat surface, dump the flour. Add the salt. Make a well in the middle and pour all the liquid ingredients (from steps 1-3).  
3. Using your clean hands (or use gloves), carefully mix everything together. Knead the dough well until they become elastic. (I had swollen arms i swear!)
4. Follow steps 6-10.

Note: I used the bread recipe of yummy's cinnamon roll 

Enjoy!!!

Baking 101: Easy Chocolate Cake

Happy valentines everyone! What is the most popular gift for V-day? Of course chocolates! Forget about the diet...why? because chocolate makes you feel good. It also associated with passion, romance and love. Surprise your lovey dovey with a lovely dinner and end with this decadent dessert.


The cake is moist and very chocolatey. I suggest that you eat this at room temperature so you'll have a taste of the bursting chocolatey goodness of this cake. The frosting also tends to harden when refrigerated. If you'll check the ingredients, it has cream in it, which is very high in fat. If you refrigerated them, pop it quickly in a microwave oven to soften the frosting a bit, about 20-30 seconds or lesser.


Ingredients


for the Cake
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
2 tsps coffee granules, dissolved in 1 cup of very hot water
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract


Frosting
1 cup cream, I used Nestle cream in can
1 stick unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
450 g semisweet chocolate, chopped


Procedure:


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.


1. Sift together sugar, flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Pour the hot coffee over the chopped chocolate. Stir until chocolate has melted completely. Set aside.
3. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, sour cream and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate. Mix until well blended.
4. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture by thirds. mix until well blended.
5. Pour batter into 2 lined 9" round baking pans.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before turning out of the pans. Cool completely before frosting the cake.


Frosting
1. Heat cream, butter, sugar, salt in a saucepan until the butter is melted. Add chopped chocolates and melt over low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat.


2. Cool the frosting while stirring constantly. For faster cooling, put the bowl inside the freezer for two minutes, then take them off and stir. Repeat the process until the frosting is cool and of spreading consistency.


To assemble
1. Trim the dome part of the cakes to have an even surface. Place 1 cake in a cake stand.
2. Pour frosting on top of the first cake. Spread the frosting until the top of the cake is covered.
3. Put the remaining cake, upside down on top of the first cake. Spread the remaining frosting all over the cake.


Enjoy!

Baking 101: Cassava Cake with Coco Custard Topping

I don't know, but aside from the meat and pasta, we always have kakanin in our Media Noche...suman, bibingka, biko, kalamay basta anything kakanin. We usually order them or buy them in the market. 


This year, I thought of making the cassava cake. Tired of the usual yema like topping (which I can buy from a nearby kakanin seller here, even everyday), I searched for something new and interesting twist of the usual cassava cake. And voila! The goddess of all Cassava cakes (well, for me!)...

I got the recipe from here, and the recipe was from Ms. Nena Zafra, though I don't have any idea of her, I can't find any information about her in the net, I thank her for this recipe...uber yummy! 


Even if I tweaked the recipe because I don't have enough amount of the ingredients, it still turned out wonderful. 


For the original version, click here. For my version, see below. hehehe!


My recipe is good for one 11x7x2 pan or 13x9x2 pan.


Ingredients


Cassava Cake


3 1/2 cups grated cassava
1 cup white sugar
2 small cans (154g) evaporated milk
1 cup coconut milk
3 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter


Mix all the ingredients, pour in a baking pan and baked for 35 mins or until done. 


Coco Custard Topping


2 small cans (154g) evaporated milk
3/4 cup condensed milk
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsps flour
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten


Mix the evap, condensed, coconut milk and flour in a sauce pan. Cook over low heat, stir constantly. When the mixture is thick, add the egg yolks. Make sure to stir the mixture to incorporate the eggs well. 


Turn off the fire and pour the mixture evenly on top of the cooked cassava cake and broil the cake until light brown.


Enjoy it warm. 


Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Baking 101: Carrot Cake / Cupcake

According to Wikipedia, carrot cake was first concocted during the medieval period, the time when the sweeteners were said to be insufficient and expensive. Since carrots have high sugar content, and were abundant that time, the early people made used of these to create this wonderful dessert. If not to their ingenuity, we would never have a taste of the carrot cake.

I cannot specifically remember when I first tasted this dessert, but I just had the courage to bake it last year and I was happy with the result. Here's the link for the picture. Last year, I used buttercream for frosting. This time, I shelled out a little more moolah for the frosting, I used cream cheese (cream cheese here are expensive!). And it made a HUGE difference in taste...the cream cheese and the carrot cake are definitely a match made in heaven.

Enough with my blah blahs hehehe! Here's the recipe for the carrot cake.

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Oops, by the way I got this recipe from Joy of Baking.

Ingredients

For the Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups grated carrots
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 cup walnuts
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 tsps vanilla extract

For the Frosting
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Garnish: Toasted and choped walnuts

Procedure
For the cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking pans with parchment papers.
2. Toast the walnuts until lightly brown. Cool and coursely chop.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the dry flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
4. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs for a minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until thick.  Add the oil and then the vanilla extract. Beat until well incorporated.
5. Fold the grated carrots and nuts in the batter.
6. Pour the mixture in the prepared pans. 
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 
8. Remove from oven and cool completely. 
9. Prepare the frosting.

Frosting:
1. Using an electric mixer set on a low speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until you see no lumps. 
2. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat again until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. 

To assemble:
1. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. The bumpy top must be faced down. Spread frosting on top.
2. Place the second cake on top, top side down again (so you'll have a flat topped cake). Cover the entire cake with cream cheese frosting.
3. Garnish the cake with toasted walnuts.
4. Chill before serving.

UPDATE: AUGUST 26, 2011

Here's the cupcake version of the cake! Equally yummy!

Baking 101: Easy Bread Pudding

You have a week old left over bread, hard but without molds...what are you going to do with them? Throw them? Nope!

Why don't you make a pudding?

That's what I did with the week old loaf in the house. I just cut the bread into small pieces, put them inside in the individual sized ramekins, poured custard mixture, sprinkled some cinnamon and sugar on top, and baked them. How easy was that? You only need an hour to make this pudding.

Make some of these and you'll be happy to know that good things really come in small packages. Heaven...

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3 small cans of evaporated milk
2/3 cups of sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon mix with 1 tbsp of sugar
6 slices of "tasty" bread, sliced into small pieces

Procedure
1. Put the sliced breads into 5 individual sized ramekins. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, beat the eggs, and pour milk and sugar. Mix well.
3. Pour the milk mixture in the ramekins with bread. The bread will absorb the milk, once absorbed, pour more milk.
4. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top.
4. Bake them at 350 degrees Farenheit for 30 minutes.

This can be served warm or cold.

Baking 101: Custard Cake

Custard cake is a chiffon cake covered with custard (an egg and milk mixture). It can be bought from the local pinoy bakeries. I was a frequesnt buyer of this when I was still a kid and it is still one of my favorite panaderya pastries. The silkiness of the custard goes well with the chiffon cake.

I have been wanting to bake chiffon cake but too afraid to do it because I might not beat the egg whites properly and the cake would turn flat and not fluffy...

But thanks to the video of Panlasang Pinoy, I was able to do it.

But being a first timer, here are some of the things that went wrong. hope you can all forgive me...hehe!
1. I burnt the caramel. I left the pan over the stove and washed the dishes. When I saw the pan, the caramel was burning hahah! I know it's weird, but after chilling the cake, the burnt caramel -- slightly bitter in taste, tasted good!
2. The cooking time from the site where I got the recipe is 60 minutes. I followed the temperature, pre-heated the oven and put the cake batter inside. After 20 minutes, I noticed that the cake cracked and the top is already brown but not burnt. I still baked it for another 15 minutes, feared to underbake it...but NOOO, I overbaked the cake...I wonder what went wrong...was the cooking time wrong? maybe...
3. See those ridges in the custard? That's because I did not use the baine-marie method. I have a small oven and a bigger pan wont fit inside. Next time I'll bake them in ramekins.

Overall, never mind the (slightly) bitter taste of the burnt caramel, the cake is delicious and divine! I will definitely bake this again...don't laugh at the picture...the cake deserves a second chance ahahahah!

Here's the recipe for the classic Pinoy custard cake. For this recipe I was able to fill an 8x8 and 11x7 pans.

Ingredients:

Caramel

1/2 cup sugar for each pan

Custard

6 pcs eggs

1 big can condensed milk

1 cup fresh milk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Cake

for the batter

6 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar, you can make it 3/4 cups if you want it sweeter.

11/2 cups cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup milk (I used evaporated milk) mixed with 1/4 cup water

1 tsp lemon rind (optional, but recommended)

for the meringue

6 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

Procedure: 

CARAMEL

1. Place the baking pan on top of stove over medium heat.

2. Pour the sugar until melted. Set aside.

CUSTARD

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Pour over the caramel. Set aside.

CAKE

Cake Batter

1. Sift cake flour and baking powder together in a bowl. 

2. In another bowl, with a wire whisk, beat the yolks and gradually add sugar while beating.

3. Alternately add the cake flour mixture and the milk and water mixture to the egg and sugar mixture (too many mixtures, hope my instruction is clear). It should begin and end with the cake flour mixture. Mix until well combined.

4. Mix the lemon rind. Set aside. 

Meringue

You can now preheat the oven to 350 degress Farenheit.

1. In a bowl, pour the egg white and add the cream of tartar. 

2. Using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat the egg white until soft peaks form.

3. While continue beating, gradually add the sugar until the meringue is shiny and firm

4. Add a cup of the cake batter to the meringue and gently fold it in the meringue until combine. Continue adding the batter, then fold again until all the batter has been used up.

5. Pour the mixture over the caramel and custard and spread evenly. 

6. Put the pan in a larger pan. Halfway fill the larger pan with water. 

7. Bake for 30 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Cool and chill before serving. 

Enjoy!

Baking 101: Double Chocolate Muffins

Note: I pulled the picture and recipe from my flickr account.

This is my second try of Nigella Lawson's Chocolate Chocolate-chip muffins. The first one was a failure. I followed the recipe religiously, but wondered why the muffins were bland.

So after checking the video of her's, found out that she actually used 1 and 3/4 cups of sugar. In food network's site, it was written there that she used only 3/4 cup of sugar.

I wonder what's written on her book...hmmmn...

check the video below.



So after a week of  eating those not so yummy muffins, because I don't want to just put them to trash, I then again found the guts to bake them. I used a good quality cocoa powder and chocolate chips, followed the correct recipe and yes, I finally found heaven in those muffins...

Before baking them, I made sure to research on how to achieve those high and mighty dome shape that a perfect muffin should have. So I found out that instead of setting the temperature to the usual 350-375 degrees F, you will have to set it to 400degrees F to "shock" the batter. You have to keep the high temperature for 10 minutes. The batter will rise rapidly and will create the dome. After that, temperature must be dropped to 350 degrees F until you pull them out of the oven.

And the result? The lovely crusted but moist muffins.

Another tip which I will try next time, because I just found that after I baked them, is to completely fill the muffin cups with the batter. Usually, in baking cupcakes, the cups must be 3/4 full so it won't spill. But for muffins, you should fill them up. And it will make your muffins mushroom shaped. Gorgeous!

So here again is the link to the recipe. Please make sure add 1 more cup of sugar! 

Enjoy your freshly baked muffin!

Baking 101: Chocolate Cheesecake - My New Found Love

Here's an addition to my cheesecake recipe collection...the chocolate cheesecake. I used the the basic cheesecake recipe from Dessert Comes First, added some chocolates and voila...a mouth-watering dessert! Yum-o! (borrow lang rachel ray heheheh!)

From this recipe, I was able to fill a 6-inch spring form pan and 9 cupcake liners.

Here's the recipe.

Ingredients

For the cheesecake
Make sure that all the ingredients are at room temperature.
2 - 8oz bars of cream cheese
1 can of condensed milk
3 large eggs
juice from 2 calamansi or lemon juice
120g semisweet chocolate (must be of good quality!!!)

For the Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate biscuits (crushed oreo or crushed hi-ro)
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsps melted butter

Procedure

Crust:
1. Mix crushed cookies and sugar in a bowl.
2. Pour melted butter into the cookie-sugar mixture. Mix until well incorporated.
3. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for 5 mins in a preheated oven (375 degrees F).
4. Set aside.

Cheesecake Mixture:
**Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
1. In a double broiler, melt chocolate. Cool.
2. Beat creamcheese with wire whisk or electric mixer until fluffy and lumps free.
3. Gradually stir in the condensed milk until smooth.
4. Add the eggs one at a time and the juice of calamansi. Mix well.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
6. For spring form pan, bake the cheese for 50-55 minutes or until the center is jiggly.
    For cupcakes, bake for 20 mins.
7. Cool the cheesecakes before you chill them.

You can garnish it with whipped cream. I used whipped all purpose cream (eheheeh).

My Favorite Cheesecake Recipes

I have mentioned before that cheesecake is my favorite dessert of all time. I like it with fruits on top and plain. yum yum!


Eversince I learned to bake this rich and decadent dessert, I never bought the commercially made cheesecakes. Thanks to the following sites, where I got my 3 best cheesecake recipes.

1. Joy of Baking



2. Homecooking Rocks - i also sent this picture to the blogger, to thank her for the cheesecake recipe! Thanks again!


3. Lastly, from Dessert Comes First. I don't have a picture of the cheesecake, but it was also equally good!

Try any of the recipe from the above mentioned blogs, and be a little adventurous with the toppings and I'm very sure that you'll have the best cheesecake! Trust me!

Baking 101: Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

This recipe was taken from yummy magazine, June 2009 issue. I was browsing my Yummy mag collection when I saw this recipe. We have lots of bananas that will be rotten in 2 days, so the recipe was just in time.

Since all of the ingredients are available, I did not waste time na to bake this.

I followed the recipe, except for the oil. I used canola oil instead of the corn oil.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
 
Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350degrees F. Line and grease 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan.
1. Combine all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chips) in a bowl. Stir to mix.
2. In another bowl, mix the brown sugar with the canola oil. Add eggs one at a time, stir in vanilla and the mashed bananas.
3. Add the flour mixture in the banana mixture, stir until well incorporated.
4. Transfer the mixture in a loaf pan.
5. Bake for 45 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

The recipe is simple right? Try it and give me some feedback. 

Baking 101: Chocolate Cupcake

My search for the chocolate fudgy frosting ala goldilocks is over. I sooo love the frosting that it almost did not make it to the cupcakes...oh well, I am not telling the truth. But really, I think i was able to consume 4 teaspoons of the frosting.


When I saw the recipe from here, I was quite challenged with the frosting. A lot of readers were not able to make the fudgy consistency...theirs was runny. I proved that patience is really a virtue. I had a good 25 minutes of stirring the frosting to achieve the spreadable consistency. But it was really worth it!

The cake itself was also good. It's not that sweet...it complements the sweetness of the frosting. But i'll experiment the next time buy adding half cup more of sugar.


These cupcakes are my post birthday cuppies. I'll bring them to the office tomorrow...

Some of these are dry, around 6 pieces, I overbaked them...sorry hehehe!.  

You can try making your own...here's the recipe. Very easy to make.

Ingredients for the Cake
1 cup Hershey's Cocoa
2 cups boiling water
2 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
2 tsps baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter softened
2 1/2 cup brown sugar
4 pcs eggs, large
1/2 tsp vanilla

Procedure

1. Mix the Cocoa and boiling water until well incorporated and lumps free. Set aside and cool.
2. In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder,and salt)
3. In another bowl again, cream butter, gradually add sugar, beat with mixer until light and fluffy.
4. With mixer at low speed, add eggs one at a time, mix thoroughly after each addition.
5. Add vanilla.
6. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the cocoa mixture. Mix thoroughly after each addition. Make sure to begin and end with dry ingredients.
7. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool completely before frosting.

Fudgy Frosting
1 can condensed milk
1/2cup cocoa
1/4 cup butter

1. Mix the milk and cocoa powder with wire whisk until you see no lumps
2. Cook in a double broiler (i used an improvised double broiler -- a smaller saucepan on top of a bigger saucepan half filled with boiling water). Continue stirring until thick, but not the yema thickness.It should still be spreadable.

3. Remove from fire, cool a little and spread it in the cupcakes.

Try this recipe and hope you'll like them.