Tuesday, August 11, 2009

LEMON POPPY SEEDS CUPCAKES WITH MANGO CREAM CHEESE FROSTING


My new adventure of creating a poppy seeds cupcakes. After hearing from my friend Su from Cooking Momster, she baked this poppy seeds cupcakes last week and turn out the cupcakes is not soft and fluffy. So I told her that I will try it myself and make her recipe little bit different and it really turns out to be super moist and fluffy. Here I would like to share my ideas of baking to all of you and Happy Baking!!!


Always remember to preheat the oven before doing any baking. This is a MUST!!! I boiled a pot of hot water and pour it in a baking sheet and leave it in the oven while I do my cupcakes mixing.


After mixing all the ingredients, I fold in the poppy seeds until well mixed.


Then put the mixture in a prepared lined muffin cups at about 2/3 full ( I'm lazy to do the 2nd batch so I put all the mixture in the muffin cups till full).


Put the muffin cups to the baking sheet with hot boil water ( that's called Water Bath Method ).


This is the batch of cupcakes look like after baking for 30 minutes at 350 F / 175 C


After the cupcakes cooled, I frosted with some Mango Cream Cheese Frosting and topped off with a lemon for decorations.


INGREDIENTS :

For Cupcakes:

3 large eggs, at room temperature
150 g fine granulated sugar/caster sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
100 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100 ml milk, at room temperature
210 g self-raising flour
1/4 tsp fine salt
2 lemon, zested
1 lemon, juiced
50 g poppy seeds


For Mango Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/4 cup mango puree
4 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
8 oz ( 2 sticks ) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract




METHOD :

For Cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C. Place the cupcake liners in the 12 muffin cup tin.

In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy for about 5 minutes. Then gradually add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy for about 15 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time until incorporated and then add the vanilla extract and the lemon zest.

Add the flour in 3 batches and the milk and lemon juice in 2 batches. Always start with dry ingredients then the wet ingredients. Always end with wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Then fold in the poppy seeds until well mixed.

Example : add the flour, then the milk and lemon juice. Then again flour then the milk and lemon juice. And lastly the flour.

Using a ice-cream scoop, scoop the mixture to the lined muffin tins until at 2/3 full.

Bake in the water bath for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cupcake comes out clean.

Leave cupcakes in the cupcake muffin tins for 3 minutes before taking out and let it cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.



For Mango Cream Cheese Frosting

In a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Then add the mango puree and the vanilla extract until incorporated.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.

Beat the frosting at low-medium speed until it smooth and ready to frost.

These cupcakes are so yummy, moist and fluffy. With the Mango Cream Cheese Frosting combination with the LemonPoppy Seeds Cupcakes....I can said is a best dessert for summer time!!!

Monday, August 10, 2009

BROILED PEACHES AND MERINGUE


In summer, there are plenty of ripe peaches in the grocery stores and markets. Last week while I was checking my Foodbuzz profile, Kiss Me Spatula sent me a post regarding her new recipe of Peaches and Meringue and her post was selected in the top 9.

I follow step by step of how to make these peaches taste right. My family and I really love this recipe. When you bite on the peaches and the meringue, the combination is just right and tasty. I hereby would like to share this recipe with you'll and happy cooking!!!


INGREDIENTS :

2 large ripe peaches, halved and pitted
3 tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar, divided
1 large egg white, at room temperature
2 tbsp finely chopped graham crackers


METHODS :

Preheat the boiler. Put the peaches, cut side up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp sugar on each half. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat until tops begin to brown, about 2 to 4 minutes.

Beat egg white with a pinch of salt in a deep bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining 3 tbsp sugar, beating until white holds stiff, glossy peaks. Then fold in the finely chopped graham crackers.

Place a dollop of meringue on each peach half and broil for about 10 to 15 seconds. Turn off the broiler and leave the peaches in the oven just until tips of meringue are browned, for about 20-30 seconds ( watch carefully and makes sure it don't burn ).

Sunday, August 9, 2009

THAI GREEN PAPAYA SALAD ( SOM TUM )


The main ingredient in Thai Papaya Salad is fresh green papayas and that is the reason why this papaya salad is also referred to as the Green Papaya Salad. There are a few variations in the recipes for this popular Thai dish and mine, I added some 'Cincalok' ( Malaysia fermented shrimp ) and is so tasty. If you don't have the fermented shrimp, you can omit and use the dried shrimp ( hair- bee ) instead. Green Papaya Salad/Som Tum is traditionally made using a mortar and pestle (or kloke in Thai). If you don’t have a kloke, mince the Thai chili and garlic and combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.


My husband love to buy this dish at his favorite Thai restaurant all the time. So I took this opportunity to make one of my own for him to try. If you don't like too spicy, just add 1 to 2 thai chilies in the mixture.....we love spicy so that's why I added more. And the result....he loves it and he said taste better than he brought from the restaurant.



INGREDIENTS :

1 1/2 tbsp palm sugar/gula melaka
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp Cincalok / dried shrimp
5 Thai chili peppers
7 cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp roasted peanuts, finely chopped, unsalted



METHOD :

1. Cut papaya in half (lengthwise) and remove seeds. Peel the skin of the papaya and shred the flesh using a shredder or knife (the shreds should be thin and long). In a mortar and pestle, pound the chilies and garlic until they’re broken up.

2. Add the shredded papaya, tomato, sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, roasted peanuts and cincalok/dried shrimp, pounding until everything is thoroughly mixed together. This dish should taste sweet, sour, and a little bit salty, so you may need to add more sugar, lime juice, or fish sauce to get the taste you like.

3. Som Tum is commonly served with roasted or grilled meats, fried fish, sticky rice, and fresh cabbage or lettuce.




Friday, August 7, 2009

BALSAMIC CHICKEN DRUMETTES


I got this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis at Food Network show. I always love to watch how she introduce each ingredient and she always teach you step by step how to prepare each meal.

Chicken drumettes are always one of my family favorite. These drumettes is so yummy and is really a WOW to my family. Here I would like to share the recipe with all my friends and anyone who visit my blog.




INGREDIENTS :

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey ( I used Organic Honey for more pure taste )
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 sprigs of rosemary
5 garlic cloves, halved
10 to 12 chicken drumettes from the chicken wings
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley ( Italian parsley )



METHODS :

Combine the balsamic, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs and garlic cloves in a large resealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken drumettes to the bag and seal with as little air as possible in the bag. Place in the refrigerator and marinade for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven for 450 F.

Place the chicken drumettes on a non-stick foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the marinate liquid in a small saucepan. Bring to boil ( in order to kill the bacteria ). Reduce the heat to simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Reserve on the side.

Use a pastry brush to brush some of the reserved cooked marinate sauce on the chicken drumettes. Place the chicken drumettes on a serving platterand sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.


Cook's note from Giada : I like the rosemary and garlic flavors in the background.
Brushing the
cooked drumettes with the reduced marinade helps
the flavors along.
Also, re-moistening helps the parsley and the
sesame seeds to adhere.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

STEAK AU POIVRE WITH CREAMY MASHED POTATOES


Recently in Foodbuzz, I find out this Steak au Poivre recipe from The Gourmet Foodie Blog. It's almost familiar to Pepper Steak because it used a lot of freshly crushed black peppercorns. The taste of this steak is so yummy and little heat from the peppercorns.


I marinated the steak with crushed peppercorns for almost 1 hour and closed it firmly with wax paper


With a heavy skillet, I cook the steak with butter and vegetable oil


In the plate, I put a scoop of creamy smashed potatoes and add the steak on top of it. Then I poured the Steak au Poivre sauce on top of the steak and add some steamed broccoli on the side. Finally I ganished it with a sprig of fresh parsley.



INGREDIENTS :

3 tbsp black peppercorns
4 (3/4-inch thick) sirloin steak
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/2 very good quality of Cognac
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tsp dijon mustard
some freshly ground sea-salt
some fresh parsley for garnish



METHODS :

Coarsely crush the peppercorns from a grinder or in a sealed plastic bag, or between two sheets of wax paper with the bottom of a heavy skillet.

Pat dry the steak. Then with a pastry brush, brush the dijon mustard onto both sides of the steak and then press the pepper onto both sides too. Let it stand at room temperature, loosely covered with wax paper for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 200F. Season the steak with some freshly ground sea-salt.

Heat the oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a 10 to 11 inches heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add the steaks in 2 batches and cook, turning once, until meat is just springly to the touch, about 4 to 5 minutes per batch for medium-rare. With a slotted spatula, transfer steaks to a baking sheet with sides and keep warm in the oven.

Pour off the fat in the skillet, then add shallots and remaining 2 tbsp unsalted butter and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until shallots are softened about 1 to 2 minutes. Add cognac (do this slowly if you used gas stove because the brandy can caught fire), bring to boil until reduced to a glaze, about 2 minutes. Then add the cream and any meat juices that accumulated on the baking sheet. Bring it to a boil and stir occassionally until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup for about 3 minutes. Season the sauce with some freshly ground sea-salt to taste.

Pour the sauce on top of the steak and serve hot.