Mango Muffin

Its mango season again.  We can see most of the fruit stalls are full of mangoes from local and many from Thailand.  We can even see there  are extra stalls or lorries and trucks selling mangoes from the back of the vehicles.  Because it is a very big season, mangoes are selling very cheap.  I will usually go for local mangoes rather mangoes from Thailand.  I was lucky this morning, manage to buy a  local species of mango.  The fruit selling told me in Cantonese(pak fa mong) but cant find out the name of it.   Very cheap, I got 4 kilo at only RM 10.00.

These are the mangoes that I bought from the market this morning.  Tasted, very sweet but with a little fibre.  Its ok for me and my family.  I have 12 fruit of mangoes weighting 4 kilo, its many.

I gave 2 fruits to my neighbour auntie.  Balance of 10 more fruits.  They can't keep long.  So I have to do something to finish up before they get spoiled.

I have bake cake using mangoes before.  Now I wanted to try baking muffin with mangoes.  Internet will do the job to look for a suitable recipe for me.  Going through many recipes, finally I settle down with a simple and easy muffin recipe that I want to share here.

The ingredients are,

2 cups of normal flour,
4 tsp of baking powder,
1/2 tsp of salt,
1 cup of sugar/3/4 cup of honey (I used 2/3 of sugar),
1/4 cup of vegetable oil,
1 cup of milk (I used 2/3 cup),
1 egg,
1 to 11/2 cup mango, pulp of ripen mangoes.

First peel and cut the mangoes.  Chop and reduce to soft pulp and juicy.  Set a side.

In a large bowl, sieve in the flour and the baking powder.  Add in salt and sugar and mix well.

 In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the egg, add in the milk and the oil.  Mix well.

Once the liquid are well m mixed.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Mix until both are just moist and stir in the mango pulp.

Use a large spoon to scoop the batter 3/4 full into the greased muffin tins or line with muffin papers.

Bake in preheated oven of 180 degrees C for 15 to 18 minutes or until when the tester is clear when pull out from testing.

I like the soft texture of the muffin, unfortunately I cant smell the mango from the  muffin.  It may be  due to the not so fragrant mango spices.  It would be better if you can get (kunning).  This is a very fragrant type of mango.  I bake my chiffon mango cake with this spices , really taste and smell good.  I hope I can buy this mango and try to bake mango muffin.

Anyway it taste great though.

Classic Lemon Pound Cake

I was watching Asian food Channel last week, I was attracted to what Anna Olson baking on the TV show. I watch the way she did the measurements for the ingredients, and the whole process until she completed the baking.  I like her way of preparing baking and cooking as well, simple, easy and delicious.  She was baking classic lemon pound cake. Immediately after the show I got the recipe from the web and copy down.

As the recipe call for sour cream, so I have to buy from the grocery the next day. I started preparing the baking after gathering all the needed ingredients,

 The ingredients are,

1 cup of unsalted butter, just cooler then room temperature,
1 1/2 cups of sugar( I reduced to 1 1/4 cup)
1 tbsp of finely grated lemon zest.

5 large eggs, room temperature,
1/3 cup of sour cream (full fat),
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract,
1 cup all purpose flour,
1/2 cup cake + pastry flour,( I used self-raising flour),
1/2 tsp salt.
1   9"x5" loaf pan (greased)
preheat the oven to 160 degree C.

Beat the butter and sugar and lemon zest  until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Lightly whisk the eggs with a fork in a bowl, add this to the batter in a few additions, scrapiong down the bowl in between.
In another bowl stir the sour cream and vanilla together and beat this in to the batter .

In another bowl, sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour and salt.  Add into the batter, mixing un til fully incooperated, scarping to the bottom of the mixing bowl to ensure this.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap it a few times to make it level, and allow any air bubbles to escape.

Bake the cake for 65 tp 70 minutes, until tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clear.

Oh!  smell so good.   Next , have to prepare lemon glaze while the cake is still hot.

I need, 3 tbs lemon juice,  2 tbs water and 1/3 cup of sugar.

This is a very simple glaze.  Put all the ingredients into a small sauce pan,

cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.

At the meantime, poke holes in  the warm pound cake using a bamboo skewer,

This is to ensure that the glaze can get into the cake.
Brush the glaze over warm cake.

Can see the shine after brushing the glaze onto the cake.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan before removing to serve.(the glaze will set once the cake is cool).

The cake smell and taste so good, I had 2 slices after my dinner.  Oh, I like it very much because
 the sweetness is cover by the sourness of the lemon, so it is not very sweet but feel so fresh, AS Anna Olson said that this lemon pound cake will bring freshness to your table weather served with afternoon tea or as dessert after a big meal.

Chocolate Chips Chiffon cake

I have been baking pandan and orange chiffon cakes for many years.  I was amazed to see this chocolate chips chiffon cake from a blog.  I wanted to try to bake this for my tea today.

The recipe called for only 3 eggs and using 7 " chiffon baking pan, I modified to 6 eggs because my baking pan is 9" in size.

The ingredients for egg yolks,

240 grams superfine flour,(sifted)
5 tbsp. caster sugar,
1 tsp salt,
1 tsp baking powder,
6 egg yolks,
8 tbsp. corn oil,
120 ml coconut milk/milk,
1 tsp vanilla,
100 grams chocolate chips.

Preheat the oven to 170 degree C. 
Put the flour in a mixing , make a well in the centre, add in the rest of the ingredients, mix well.  Add in 1/2 of the chocolate chips.  Set a side.

Ingredients for egg whites,

6 egg whites,
1/2 tsp cream of tartar,
6 tbsp. of caster sugar,
some cocoa powder(optional)

Whisk egg whites until frothy, add in cream of tartar and continue whisking when foamy. Gradually add in sugar, whisk until soft and stiff peaks formed.

Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into egg yolk mixture until well combined.  Then fold in well blended mixture into the balance of the egg whites until well cooperated.  Add in the balance chocolate chips, fold lightly.

Pour in 1/3 of the batter into the baking pan , sieve some cocoa powder over the batter(to make some lines in the cake), repeat for a second layer and the top layer.

Wow, the cake is baked, smell so good.

Just in time for my tea.  Taste so good with the chocolate chips just melted in to the cake.

Banana Choc Chip Muffin

Its been a long, long time since I come into this blog.  I was really lost and cannot log into this blog for the last whole year and my lap top gave me  a lots of problems as well.  finally I bought a new Toshiba lap top.  I started to look and search for the ways to log into my blog after  familiar with my new lap top.

I have two blogs, this and the other (allreasonsforcakes).  I can easily sign into my second blog but not this one.  Finally, I found a line typed(sign in as another person), I tried using my other email, oh!  I made it,  I was so happy and excited and started to share my experiences in food and travel again.

Here, I wanted to share my new baking.  Banana Chocolate Chips Muffin.  My son used to visit Starbucks coffee and always love to order the banana choc chips muffin.  He bought back one of the muffin  for me one day.  Ya, it really taste good.  I wanted to bake this for him too.

Finally I settled with a recipe from Internet and started to bake the muffin the next day.

the ingredients are

3 large ripe banana,
3/4 cup sugar,
1 egg,
1 teaspoon soda,
1 teaspoon baking powder.
1/2 teaspoon salt,
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour,
1/3 cup oil,
1 cup chocolate chips.
170 degrees Celsius
I used a folk to smash the bananas.  Leave a side.

In a mixing bowl, put the flour ,sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, mix well.
Lightly beat the egg and pour into the flour mixture.  Mix in the oil.  Stir just well blend.

Add in smashed banana and chocolate chips.  Mix well.

Use a large spoon to scoop into prepare muffin or cupcake paper cups.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes .

The result of my first time baked banana chocolate chips muffins.

Though the muffins do not have that good look as those of the Starbucks, but they taste as good.
Me and my son love it, he will not buy from Starbucks anymore.

Jackfruit cake

My nneighbour gave me a jack fruit which was a cross breed of jack fruit and artocarpus integer. Artocarpus integer in fact has more fragrant smell then jack fruit.  When both mix together the fruit become so fragrant and has better taste.  I have not bake any jack fruit cake before and I would like to try to bake one it.  So, got a recipe from the Internet and follow the steps to start baking jack fruit cake.

The ingredients are,
for the cake(chiffon)
4 egg yolks,
70g sugar
120 g super fine flour
80ml water
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
100 g jack fruit(pureed)
1/2 cup corn oil

4egg whites
70g sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

for the filling
350ml whipping cream
150g jack fruit (pureed)
1/2tsp gelatin(dissolved in 50ml of water)
another 250g jack fruit flesh(pureed)
for the topping
60ml milk/soy milk/coconut milk
1 tbsp corn starch/custard powder
1 tsp gelatin(dissolved in 1 tbsp water)
100g jack fruit flesh (pureed)

 Crossed breed of both jack fruit and artocarpus integer looks just as a normal artocarpus integer.

 and the fruits just look exactly like artocarpus integer.

 Remove the seeds and add 2 tbsp of sugar , cook the flesh until soft.  About 15 minutes. Let cool.

 Puree the flesh by the blender.  Leave aside for later use.

Meanwhile prepare the chiffon cake.  Preheat the oven to 170 degrees cecious.  In a bowl, hand whisk the egg yolks and sugar until the egg turn pale in colour.  Add in the water, 100g pureed fruit flesh, oil and mix well. Finally add in the salt, baking powder and the flour.  Mix until the batter become smooth.  Leave aside.

Use electric mixer to whisk the egg whites ,sugar and cream of tartar until thick peak.  Pour the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites.  Fold in the egg yolk until well mix.  Pour into a 9'' baking tine and bake for 35 minutes or until done. 

Turn the cake upside down to cool.  Slice the cake into 3 horizontally.

Now, prepare the filling. Whisk the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Stir in jack fruit puree and the dissolved gelatin . Mix well.

To assemble the cake, place a layer of the cake on the board, spread a layer of whipped cream then a layer of pure fruit puree and repeat the next layer.  Cover the whole cake with the rest of the whipped cream.  Put in the freeze to set about 3 hours.

AS for the topping, combing the milk,custard powder in a sauce pan. Stir over low heat until mixture boils and has thicken.  Add in gelatin mixture and fruit puree. Mix well. Let cool.

Spread the topping on the cake and I decorated with sliced fruit flesh.

The whole freeze was smell of the fruit, so pleasant and nice.  Well, my first jack fruit cake is done.  Lets taste it.  Wow!   Good....mm mm, the taste of the real fruit taste. I like it.

Banana Muffin

Too much banana and is overripe now, banana cake again?  No...this time bake some banana muffins.  Fumble from my recipes, finally settle with this simple recipe.

ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
11/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 to 5 overripe bananas(mashed)
1 cup sugar
3/4cup oil
2 eggs
walnut(optional)

Preheat the over to 180 degrees cecious.  Mash the bananas with a fork.  In a large mixing bowl combine the flour and all other ingredients together.  Mix well . Finally add in chopped walnuts, stir well.

Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Well-mixed batter for the muffin

Line muffin pan with muffin papers, scoop the batter 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes

After 20 minutes, the mouth watering banana muffins are ready to be served.  These muffins taste better with black tea or coffee.

It is really simple and quick way to prepare, these muffins also great for bread fast as well.  Try it out.



Durian layered cake

It's durian season again.  We can see the durian stalls displaying the king of fruits along the road sides, morning and night markets , supermarkets and the wet markets too.  Alfred bought some kampong durians from Jalan Gopeng on the way home from Teluk Intan.  They were so tasty .....he bought too much, so the left over I decided to bake durian cake.  This time I will try to bake durian layered sponge cake.

The recipe is as follow that I got from a recipe book.

for chiffon cake
A:   4 egg yolks
      80 ml water
      70g caster sugar
      1/2 tsp salt
      120g super fine flower
      11/2 tsp baking powder
      1/2 cup corn oil
B:   4 egg whites
      1/2 tsp cream of tartar
      70g caster sugar
for the filling
1.   350ml whipping cream
2.   150g durian flesh(pureed)
3.   1/2 tsp gelatin(dissolved in 50ml water over low heat)
4.   250g durian flesh(pureed)
topping
60ml milk/santan
1/4 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp custard powder(optional)
1 tsp gelatin(dissolves in 1 tbsp water over low heat)
70g pureed durian flesh
9 inches loose-base round cake tin

Preheat oven at 170 degrees cecious.  Separate the egg whites from the yolks.  In a mixing bowl whip the egg whites and 70g of sugar and cream of tartar till stiff, leave aside.

  In another bowl, beat the egg yolk by hand with the sugar, add in the remaining ingredients of A, mix well.

 Pour the whipped egg whites into the mixture of egg yolks, mix well then pour into the lined baking tin to bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
Remove from oven when is baked.  Leave to cool for 10 minutes, invert to cool further.  Slice the cake into 3 layers horizontally.

To prepare filling, first whisk the whipping cream on medium speed until soft peaks form.  Stir in ingredients 2 and  3, mix well.

To prepare the topping: combine milk/santan,custard powder and sugar in a saucepan.  Stir over low heat until mixture boils and has thickened. Add in gelatin mixture and lastly add in durian flesh.

Durian flesh before puree

Next is to assamble the cake. Place a layer of the sliced cake on the cake board, spread some of the filling and the topping on the cake, sandwich with another layer of the cake and repeat for the next layer.

Sandwiching the layers of cake

Spread the top and sides with remaining cream.  Leave to set before piping topping over top of cake. Chill well before serving.

Decorate as you like.

Yum ,yum..so delicious and is full of durian taste, just like eating durian ice cream



Welcome 2011

We were invited for a new year countdown party in Sungai Siput, about 40 minutes drive away from Ipoh. I decided to bake a butter cake with some decorations.;(butter cake recipe from my earlier post)
This is result of my 2011 party cake.

There were many other home cook food prepared by out host and visitors.

We had fried chicken, fish fillet salad, assam curry fish head, blended fish paste stuff in bitter guards, jelly, fried beehoon, curry chicken, deserts too and so many more.  We all enjoyed our food and fellowship until midnight when the minute has come for countdown.  Well, another year has pass and we have to welcome the new year no matter how or where, the days has to go on.  I hope everyone will have a healthy and happy new year.