My Bright Yellow Kitchen

Auntie Nel's Pineapple Chiffon Cake

2014-04-11T22:02:00.002-07:00

This is a favorite in my husband's family. Auntie Nel, who lives in Chino Hills, CA, can whip it up in no time like magic. She sent us a whole cake last year and it disappeared from the kitchen counter so fast I knew I had to learn to make it myself. I asked her for the recipe and she gladly sent it in the mail saying it's easier for her to write than "type" it in a facebook message :)

After a few attempts, I am now ready to share it with you. I tweaked Auntie Nel's original recipe a little bit by changing the quantity of some of the ingredients i.e. less eggs, less oil, a little bit more sugar. Notice the pineapple extract stain on the recipe? ;-)

You can enjoy this cake as is (like i did in the photo below), drizzle with a glaze or put fillings and frostings for special occasions. It is usually served flat side up.

Auntie Nel's Pineapple Chiffon Cake

Tools you'll need:
Electric Mixer
Tube Pan (ungreased)
Wire wisk/spatula

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups cake flour

1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar (divided into two)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

8 egg whites
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2/3 cup pineapple juice (i use Dole 6-oz can; reserve extra juice for the glaze)
1/2 teaspoon pineapple extract or flavoring (optional; can also be increased to 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon lemon rind (optional)

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 portion of the sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk the oil, egg yolks, pineapple juice, pineapple flavoring or extract and lemon rind until blended.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid mixture. Mix manually until smooth. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar. Gradually add the remaining half portion of sugar until stiff peaks form (see photo).

Add your whipped mixture to the batter mixture and fold gently until blended. Be careful not to deflate the batter.

Transfer into an ungreased tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife or spatula to remove air pockets.

Bake on the lowest rack for 55-60 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Also, cake springs back when lightly touched. Note: Do not open oven to check cake before the 50-minute mark.

Immediately turn cake upside down and balance it on top of any flat-bottom cup or a bottle/jar with a flat lid. This way, cake will not shrink while it cools.

Cool completely for at least an hour.

Run a knife around the side and center tube of pan to release cake. Transfer to a serving platter or cake stand.

For the glaze, you will need:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 to 3 tablespoons pineapple juice (i use leftover juice from the 6-oz can)

Combine the confectioner's sugar, butter and enough juice to achieve a glaze consistency. Drizzle over the cake, allowing it to drape down the sides.

Enjoy... and don't forget to share! :)

sweets for my sweet tooth: yema balls

2012-12-23T23:40:00.000-08:00

This is another of my holiday cravings: yema! Yema is a custard candy made simply from egg yolks and condensed milk. I love mine with a nutty taste so i always jazz it up with a few tablespoons of chopped peanuts. It is usually shaped in a pyramid and wrapped in colorful cellophane but i don't have the patience to do that so i just shape them into balls. whatever shape it is, it's the taste that matters.

The yema i grew up knowing is brown in color and a bit crusty on the outside and soft in the inside. It has a distinct nutty and milky taste i can never reproduce in my experiments. could it be the use of fresh cow's milk back in the days? or maybe adding corn syrup? I've searched high and low online for the recipe but failed. I kinda have this feeling that those who know it would rather keep it a secret. hmmm...

So after trying so many recipes, i've finally settled on this one. Try it and let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 can condensed milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (i use dry roasted)

Note: This makes about 20 yema balls. i always double/triple the recipe when bringing it to potluck parties.

Procedure:

1. Heat a saucepan and drop butter until melted under medium heat.

2. Pour the condensed milk and stir until combined (about 2 minutes).

3. Add the egg yolks and stir continuously for about 2 minutes.

4. Add the vanilla and chopped peanuts.

5. Stir continuously under medium heat until mixture becomes thick (about 20 minutes). Lower the heat during the last 5 minutes.

6. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

7. Scoop using 1/2 tbsp measuring spoon and shape into balls using your palm.

8. To serve, one option is to wrap it in colorful cellophanes. I use colors depending on the occasion. Green and red for Christmas, orange and black for halloween, etc. If you don't have colorful cellophanes (i got mine from the Philippines), you can use cocktail sticks or mini-cupcake papers.

Enjoy!

chocolate crinkles

2012-12-22T23:54:00.000-08:00

Woke up to a rainy Saturday morning, 3 days before Christmas, too lazy to go out. My idle mind suddenly had this "evil" thought of baking something sinfully sweet and delicious not only to satisfy my craving but also to share with friends as a holiday giveaway. I thought i'd give chocolate crinkles a try. I've never done it before and have been thinking about it quite a lot lately for my next baking project.

Chocolate crinkles are delicious, soft fudge-like cookies generously coated with confectioners (powdered) sugar. My guess is that it is named "crinkles" because the powdered sugar crinkles or cracks, revealing a little of the chocolate underneath. They are best eaten fresh from the oven or on the day they are baked. You can also store them in an airtight container and will stay fresh for about 3 days.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

Procedure:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips in the microwave for about 1 minute. Stir the chocolates until completely melted. If not, run the microwave again for about 30 seconds, stir until shiny and smooth. Set aside.

If you don't have a microwave, you can use a double boiler or any metal/glass bowl that fits over a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water over low heat until it just begins to simmer. Turn off the stove and place the chocolates on the top bowl and stir continuously until completely melted. Set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

3. Cream the softened butter in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer.

4. Add the granulated sugar and continue mixing for about 2 minutes.

5. Add the cocoa powder and melted chocolate. Mix for about a minute.

6. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until light and fluffy.

7. Add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder) and mix again until all the ingredients are combined.

8. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. You can also leave it overnight in the fridge if you plan to bake it the next day.

9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.

10. Place the sifted confectioners sugar in a shallow bowl.

11. Scoop the chilled mixture using 1/2 tbsp measuring spoon and form into 1 inch balls using your palm.

12. Roll the chocolate balls over confectioners sugar until fully covered.

13. Arrange on a baking tray, each ball should be about 2-3 inches apart. You should have about 12-15 balls on a baking tray.

14. Bake for 10 minutes.

15. Remove from oven and allow to cool then transfer to wire rack to cool.

16. Arrange in a serving platter, serve and enjoy!

And here's my holiday treat to all of you. Merry Christmas!!!

halloween cupcakes

2012-09-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

It's still 5 weeks away but TV/radio/retail stores are screaming halloween already. In fact, as early as August while shopping for a dress at Marshalls, I was baffled by the overpowering eerie sight of orange and owl-inspired home decor. I was like "what's with all the owl?" ^_^ It wasn't until i entered another store with the same themed decoration that i realized it was all for halloween.

Last night while digging into my files i stumbled upon some photos of the halloween cupcakes i made last year. They are cute and so easy to make and my little cupcake monster loved it!

Here's what you need:

chocolate cupcakes
jet-puffed marshmallows
m&m candies or skittles
gummy worms
lifesaver gummies
licorice candy laces
chocolate chips
white frosting (vanilla)
chocolate frosting (or you can color your white frosting dark brown)
red and brown decorating icing (i use ready-to-use icing tubes; if you don't have it, just color your white frosting with red and brown and snip a small hole in a ziplock bag to pipe the frosting)
oreo cookies, finely crushed
toothpicks

1. Bake your favorite chocolate cupcake recipe.

2. To make spider cupcakes:

Cover your cupcakes with chocolate frosting. If you don't have chocolate frosting, you can use vanilla frosting and color it dark brown
Cut a marshmallow in half crosswise. Stick two marshmallow pieces to each cupcake to make the eyes
Dab one side of the M&M candy with a little frosting and stick it to the marshmallows. Use another M&M candy to make the nose.
Sprinkle the rest of the cupcake with finely crushed oreo cookies (you can also use chocolate sprinkles)
Using a toothpick, poke 4 holes on each side of the cupcake
Cute your licorice lace into 8 equal pieces and insert into each hole. Remember: a spider has 8 legs. ^_^

3. To make eyeball cupcakes:

Frost your cupcake with vanilla frosting
Insert one chocolate chip into the center of the lifesaver gummy
Stick the lifesaver gummy at the center of the cupcake
Use red decorating icing to draw small veiny lines on the eyeballs.

4. To make spider web cupcakes:

Frost your cupcakes with vanilla frosting
Squeeze circles of brown decorating gel on each cupcake.
Using a toothpick, draw a line from the center of the cupcake outward to make a web.

5. To make worm cupcakes:

Frost your cupcakes with chocolate frosting
Cover cupcake with finely-crushed oreo cookies (or chocolate sprinkles)
Top cupcake with gummy worms. Make a hole into the cupcake and insert the gummy worms to make it appear that they're coming out of the dirt.

How fun and simple is that? The secret is using candies you can all find at the store. There are tons of them, in different sizes and shapes. Special halloween edition candies are already available at this time so grab them and be creative.

puto with cheese

2012-09-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

Puto is a steamed rice cake popular in the Philippines. It is usually round-shaped and comes in bite-size and cupcake-size, topped with cheese or salted egg or with shredded coconut on the side. It is also a favorite pair to a savory dish known as dinuguan. It can be served as a snack or dessert, infused with different flavors with colors to match e.g. purple puto (ube-flavored), green puto (pandan-flavored) or the usual white puto (buttered) topped with cheese.

While puto is so easy to make, your major challenge is getting the bamboo steamer and plastic puto molds. I already have a bamboo steamer but where, oh where, can i buy plastic puto molds?

Back in May, I experimented on using two alternatives to the traditional plastic molds: silicone baking molds i got from World Market ($2.49/set of 6 regular size; $2.49/dozen of mini cups) and stainless-steel condiment cups (2.5 oz) from Walmart (less than $1 for a set of 4). Here's the comparison:

The only visible difference is the size and shape. The ones i made using the stainless-steel condiment cups are much taller and slimmer while the ones from the colorful silicone cups are shaped like a regular muffin/cupcake with pretty ridges on the side. While they tasted the same, i personally prefer the silicone cups.

From then on i've been making puto using the silicone baking molds in both mini- and regular sizes. I have about 4 dozens of these molds so i don't have to hurriedly remove the puto, wash the molds and use them again. It's also best to remove the puto from the molds after they have cooled completely.

Here's a simple recipe i adapted from Panlasang Pinoy. This makes a LOT of puto so i usually just use half of the ingredients. Even that is more than enough for my family of three.

I've also tried using puto mix i got from the Filipino/Asian store and tasted just as good. Just follow the directions in the box and add cheese.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour, sifted
2 cups sugar, sifted
2 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 cup evaporated milk
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup butter, melted
pandan essence (optional)
1 piece egg, raw
small slices of cheese (i use Kraft American Singles sliced in strips)
water for steaming

Procedure:

Note: If you're using puto mix, skip #1 & #2 and proceed to #3.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar and baking powder then mix well.

water

3. Pour the mixture in individual molds about 3/4 full. For a cheesier taste, i fill the mold enough to cover the bottom, drop about an inch strip of cheese and fill it again. By doing this, your puto is not only cheesy on top but also inside :)

(I experimented on this too out of curiosity. I used a glass lid and as expected, the puto didn't rise).

Enjoy!

filipino style chicken empanada step-by-step guide

2012-05-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

Empanada is a type of pastry stuffed with meat, potato, carrots, and green peas, among others, which is made by placing the filling in the middle of a flattened dough and sealing it by folding the edges. It is common in the Philippines, Latin America and Western Europe.

It can be baked or fried and usually stuffed with either chicken, pork or beef...perfect for breakfast, parties and snacks.

My husband always brags about her Lola Ester's best-tasting empanadas. His aunts say the same thing but unfortunately, none of them knew how to replicate it or at least kept a recipe. *tsk tsk* Auntie Norma found a set of dough press in their kitchen couple of years ago, she said it belonged to Lola Ester and since she has no use for it, she passed it on to me. They looked new, still in the original package. It's as if Lola Ester bought it but decided not to use it (my guess is that having done it countless times, it must have been easier for her to fold and press the dough manually).

After years of ignoring the dough press, I have decided to give it a try. The filling was easy - similar to making menudo - but it's the dough that intimidates me. I started really slow but after the first batch finally got the hang of it. Practice... practice. I've made about 2 batches for the past couple of weeks. I'm thinking of bringing it to our next potluck party :)

For all of you out there who thinks it is a difficult task, let me show you how to do it step-by-step complete with pictures. Grab your rolling pin and let's have fun! :)

Chicken Empanada Recipe

Filling

2 lbs coarsely chopped chicken (you can use chicken breast but thighs taste better)

2 tbsp cooking oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 piece medium-sized yellow onion, minced

2 gloves garlic, minced

1 medium potato, diced

1 carrot, diced

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 can cream of asparagus soup

1/2 cup green peas (if you don't like green peas like me, you can disregard this)

2 hard-boiled eggs cut into strips (optional...boil the eggs when you are ready to put the filling onto the dough)

In a heated pan with cooking oil, saute garlic, onion & carrot until onions are soft and translucent.
Add chicken and stir fry until meat is cooked thru (about 5 minutes).
Add cream of asparagus soup and potatoes and cook until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes).
Add green peas and raisins and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat. Set aside to cool or store in refrigerator overnight.

Tip: Prepare the filling ahead of time. I usually cook it at night and refrigerate overnight to make the flavors blend really well. If you're in a rush, give it at least half an hour to cool down... you don't want to put a hot filling straight onto the dough.

I've also tried freezing the extra filling i had and used it for the next batch a couple days later. Works great too.

Dough

3 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, cold

6 tbsp ice water

1 raw egg (for use later as egg wash - see instructions #16-18)

Tools you need: rolling pin, pastry blender (if you don't have one you can use bread knife/fork), pastry brush, round cookie cutter or dough press

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt then mix well.
Cut the cold butter into small thin pieces and drop them on the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients.
Using a fork, two bread knives, a pastry blender or your fingers, work the butter into the flour (i use both pastry blender and fingers).
Don't stop until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add cold water one tablespoon at a time and mix all the ingredients thoroughly.
Keep mixing until a dough is formed.
Divide the dough into individual pieces by grabbing a piece from the whole mixture and rolling it in your hand until a pingpong-sized ball is formed. Do this until all the dough is consumed. Chill in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or until ready to use.
On a floured surface and with floured hands, press the spherical dough with your palm to make it flat.
Use a floured rolling pin to flatten it fully while creating a round shape. Make sure the flattened dough is wide enough to fit on your dough press or a round cookie cutter.

Got that? Easy, huh! :) Now time to put the filling. If adding hard-boiled egg, make sure you have it ready, sliced into strips.

If using a dough press:

10. Pick the size you want for your empanada (i use medium mold)

11. Take the flattened/rolled dough and place it directly onto the "bowl" shaped, top side of the mold. Gently press and stretch out the dough into the bowl area and over the ridged edges. Fill with about 1 tbsp of chicken filling and 2 small slices of hard-boiled egg on half of mold. (using your fingers or a small brush, you can also moisten the edges of the dough with a little water so that the dough will stick together better. I'm too lazy to do this.)

12. Gently close it and apply light pressure. Remove excess dough and use again when you have enough excess dough to shape a ball.

13. Gently open the mold. See how pretty it is? ;)

If you have no dough press:

Use a round cookie cutter or top rim of any bowl to press on the dough, cut a spherical shape then remove excess dough. Place the filling and slices of hard-boiled egg at the middle of the dough. Fold the dough so that opposite ends meet then press the edges together and seal with fork or twist/fold/pinch. As you can see in the photo, i'm not very good at it.

14. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

15. On a greased baking tray or lined with waxed paper, arrange the sealed doughs.

16. Prepare the egg wash by cracking an egg and separating the white from the yolk.

17. Beat the egg white lightly and mix about 1 teaspoon of water.

18. Brush each empanada with egg wash.

19. Bake for 25 minutes.

10. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tray for 5 minutes.

21. Transfer on a cooling rack.

Note: You can also deep fry at 365 degrees F for about 5 minutes, turning once to brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

ENJOY!

IKEA meatballs (some assembly required)

2012-05-16T17:37:00.000-07:00

Last time we went to IKEA, i grabbed a bag of frozen meatballs and mashed potatoes, a packet of cream sauce and a jar of lingonberry jam with the thought of satisfying my craving for swedish meatballs without having to drive an hour or so and make up an excuse to buy furniture or home accessories. And that's exactly what we had for lunch today.

Like all things IKEA, I followed the instructions, assembled them all together on a plate and voila! IKEA lunch right in my very own home. My son loved it and i was thrilled that i can have as much jam as i want. Lately we've noticed that IKEA only serves a teeny weeny serving of this jam (about 1 teaspoon) and my husband complains everytime 'coz he wanted more.

For the cream sauce, the instruction was a bit vague as it says "add cream and contents of packet." Cream? what cream? I thought it meant the cream sauce packet but why does it have to say cream AND contents of packet? hmmm... After looking it up (thanks google!) i figured it requires heavy cream but since i don't have one, i used whole milk. No problem there, tasted just the same.

nom nom nom...

cheesecake squares

2012-05-04T00:28:00.000-07:00

Pardon the lack of art in my photo but this will do for now until i take a better picture. This cheesecake bar recipe is so easy and simple, anybody can do it. I first made it a couple of years ago when we had a party at home for the World Cup championship game between Spain and Netherlands. I couldn't count how many times i've made this since.

Ingredients

for the Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans or macadamia nuts

for the Filling:

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine flour, brown sugar, pecans or macadamia nuts, and butter in bowl.

3. Press dough into an ungreased 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

5. Make the filling: beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a bowl until smooth, using a handheld electric mixer.

6. Add eggs and extract, beat well. Pour over crust.

7. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into squares before serving.

Decorating suggestions: drizzle with melted chocolate, top with chocolate shavings, mint leaves or berries, you can also write your message on the bars (one letter per bar) using a decorating gel.

breakfast swirls

2012-03-23T10:30:00.002-07:00

Tired of the usual pancakes and toasts for breakfast? how about surprising your loved ones with a breakfast pastry that's pretty, light and delicious yet so easy to make? I'm talking about bite-size almond swirls guaranteed to disappear as quickly as you made it.

almond swirls fresh from the oven...yummy!

The secret? store-bought refrigerated crescent dinner rolls. It saves you half the preparation time because you don't go into the trouble of kneading, rolling and messing with the dough ... perfect for beating the breakfast rush hour so you can spend your precious time on more important things like actually sitting on the breakfast table and enjoying each and every bite with your family.

As my son's favorite Yo Gabba Gabba song goes... "try it, you'll like it!" :)

BREAKFAST SWIRLS

Ingredients

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla extract)

1/2 cup slivered almonds, chopped fine

2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (i use Pillsbury brand, original)

1 egg white

1 teaspoon water

for the Glaze

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla extract)

4 teaspoons milk

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, almond extract, and sugar until fluffy.

Fold half of the chopped almonds into the cream cheese mixture.

Separate 1 can of dough and assemble into 4 rectangles. Firmly press the perforations to seal. Do the same with the other can.

Spread each rectangle with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling to within 1/4-inch of the edges.

Starting at the short end, roll each rectangle tightly into a cylinder. The rolled dough should resemble an egg roll. Lightly press the ends and sides to seal in the filling.

Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while the rolls are chilling.

Remove from the refrigerator and cut each roll into 4 slices. Place 1/2-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

In a small bowl, combine the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Brush over the swirls. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped almonds. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light brown.

While the swirls are baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Cool the swirls for 3 minutes on wire racks placed over a sheet of waxed paper. Drizzle the glaze over the warm swirls.

Makes 32 swirls.

Tips

Now before you hurry to gather the ingredients, be sure to read this first:

For the almond extract in the filling, start with 1/4 teaspoon if you are making it for the first time. If you think it is not enough, then add more in your future attempts. It is better to start with less almond extract because with or without it, I guarantee that your swirls will disappear like magic!

If you don't like almond, you can easily substitute it with vanilla extract. No problem. Or you can skip the almond in the filling and still get the 'kick' because you are using it in the glaze. Or you can totally disregard almond in both the filling and glaze and use vanilla extract. It is really up to you.

You can make as many variations as you can think of. Use pecan nuts, chopped raisins, chocolate glaze, sprinkle some cinnamon, add orange or lemon extract, add strawberry jam or whatever jam you like. Try your favorite nut. I've done this with pecan and it was delicious!

Divide the rolls and make a variety. One time i made half of the batch with raisins and cinnamon for my son and half with just the basic recipe (my husband is allergic to raisins and he hates cinnamon). Both of them are happy. :)

Be sure to wait for the swirls to cool for 3-5 minutes BEFORE you pour the glaze. If you do it as soon as you take them out of the oven, the glaze will melt.

Divide the recipe into half if you think 32 swirls are just too much for you or your small family.

You can prepare the rolls at night before you go to bed, chill in the refrigerator overnight then in the morning just slice, arrange in baking sheet and bake. While waiting you can wash your face, comb your hair and put on your favorite lipstick! Everyone would be thinking how awesome you are while they munch on these yummy goodies. *wink*

cassava cake tried & tested

2012-03-17T17:29:00.000-07:00

Made cassava cake this afternoon for our snack and finally snapped a close-up photo of it before i rewarded myself with a slice. There are many versions of this classic Filipino dessert - there's the cassava leche flan, cassava bibingka, cassava with grated cheese and cassava with langka (jackfruit).

My recipe is very basic and so simple even my 4 yr old can whip it up in a few minutes (he actually started helping me when he was 2). I recommend it if you are making this cake for the first time. The batter consists of frozen grated cassava, condensed milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk, eggs, macapuno strings, vanilla and butter. For the topping I simply spread condensed milk evenly and let it bake until golden brown or slightly burnt which i like.

Personally, i prefer this version because it's guaranteed to please anybody. Not everybody likes jackfruit or cheese, right? And some people may not want a leche flan topping because that would be like a double whammy of sweetness. It's also the version i grew up with and having traveled extensively in the Philippines, this is the most popular (and affordable) version. Give it a try.

Click here for my recipe.

black forest cake ala Red Ribbon

2012-03-08T23:14:00.000-08:00

Filipinos love black forest cake and if there's a version that elicits moans and groans from anyone who takes a bite, that would be the one they sell at Red Ribbon Bakeshop. This mouth-watering liquor-moistened chocolate cake, brimming with cherries, cream and generous strips of chocolate shavings is no doubt Red Ribbon's most popular and best-selling cake.

I am one of those people who embrace and adore this cake, surrendering myself to its lusciousness while i pause and reflect, ponder and wonder about how different yet delightful it tastes. Even by doing so it has never occurred to me, after all this time, to ask about the origin of its name. Having said that I have a confession to make: for the past 2 decades that i have been enjoying this cake, i actually believed that it is simply called black forest because of the chocolate shavings that resemble tree branches. haha.

A couple of weeks ago I researched on this cake to satisfy my curiosity and here's what i found out: It is a dessert known as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte that originated from the Black Forest area in southwest Germany. It is named after the specialty liquor of that region, known as Schwarzwälder Kirsch(wasser) and distilled from tart cherries. With its distinctive cherry pit flavor and alcoholic content, this ingredient gives the cake its unique flavour.

The dessert has many versions, some without alcohol and others substituting kirsch with rum or other liquors. Since i am only interested in Red Ribbon's version, i searched the internet and luckily stumbled upon a recipe from LtDan'sKitchen.com. I followed his cherry filling and cream frosting recipes. Thank you so much Dan!

For the chocolate cake, i simply followed the recipe posted on the back label of Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder. I couldn't find cherry liqueur or kirschwasser so i grabbed a bottle of Kahlua rum and coffee liqueur instead.

The result is a delicious cake just like i imagined it: sweet and chocolatey with that strong but not overpowering cherry taste and a surprising kick coming from the rum balanced by the bittersweet chocolate shavings (you can use semi-sweet if you like). It was fun to assemble too and the cherries on top really made it look so pretty and tempting.

My only complaint is that the whipped cream frosting is not sweet enough for my taste but then it's just a matter of personal preference. Next time i plan to add a little more confectioner's sugar to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Believe it or not i had it for breakfast today... perfect with my french-pressed coffee. From now on i'll never look at a black forest cake the same way again. :)

Cake: (Hershey's perfectly chocolate cake or use your favorite chocolate cake recipe)

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely preferably in the refrigerator so it will firm up a bit.

I usually bake my cake layers a day or two before using them and while still hot, cover/seal them with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use. It takes only about 15 minutes to thaw them.

Cherry Filling: (recipe from LtDan'sKitchen.com)

1 bottle (24-30 oz) of maraschino cherries

½ cup syrup from the maraschino bottle

¼ cup rum, brandy or coffee liqueur + 4 tbsp extra for drizzling (i used Kahlua rum & coffee liquer)

1 tbsp. cornstarch

Reserve about 16 cherries for garnishing and slice the rest into halves.

Simmer the sliced cherries and ½ cup cherry syrup from the bottle over low heat. Add the liqueur.

Dissolve the cornstarch in about 2 tbsp of water and add into the cherry filling. Let the syrup thicken. Make sure that the syrup coats the back of the spoon when lifted.

Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

Whipped Cream frosting: (also from LtDan's Kitchen or you can use your favorite whipped cream frosting)

4 cups of chilled heavy whipping cream

1 packet unflavored gelatin (dissolved in ¼ cup hot water)

¼ cup of confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp vanilla

Chill the cream in the fridge for at least a day.

In a cold metal bowl (freeze metal bowl and beaters for about 10 minutes before using it), beat the cream at medium speed and slowly drizzle in gelatin. Increase the speed to medium high and gradually add in the sugar. Continue beating until the stiff peak stage. Add the vanilla and combine to mix.

Keep the frosting in the fridge unless you are ready to use it. It is best to make the whipped cream prior to frosting the cake.

Assembly:

(Note: It is best to cool the cake in the refrigerator until it firms up before doing this or thaw for about 15 minutes if frozen)

In a large cake dish, lay one cake layer and sprinkle with 1 tbsp of liqueur. Spread a third of the cherry filling and top with about a fifth of the whipped cream frosting.

Lay the second layer of cake and do the same as above.

Drizzle the top layer with 1 tbsp of liqueur.

Cover the cake with a crumb coat and let it rest in the fridge for about an hour. Add the final frosting and pipe rosettes of the cream filling on top of the cake and garnish with chocolate curls (semisweet or bittersweet). Top rosettes with the reserved cherries. Let the cake rest in the fridge in a cake box for about 6 hours before serving.

watermelon baby stroller

2012-02-28T22:33:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday we had a surprise baby shower for soon-to-be mommy Mae or whom we fondly call "muffin." Too lazy to bake sugar cookies or cake, I decided to try my hand on making a watermelon baby stroller. Luckily i found a perfectly-sized watermelon at Safeway: large and oval-shaped.

I drew the cutting lines for the watermelon with a permanent marker the night before the party but carved it an hour before we left the house to maintain its freshness. I used orange, lemon and grape for the wheels and stuck them to the watermelon using a wooden skewer (toothpick is not enough to hold them together) and i created the handle using the extra piece of watermelon. I hollowed out the watermelon with a big spoon, sliced them and threw them back on the "stroller" and added red and green grapes and strawberries. For the baby i grabbed a lemon, drew the outline of the baby's sleeping face and framed it with a chinese cabbage.

And here's the result:

Isn't that pretty? I just fell in love with that baby sleeping in the stroller. Marianne and i had fun practice drawing the baby's face on a tissue paper... we were laughing 'coz the first one i drew was smiling too much :) It was a hit at the party and i was happy too that the fruits i got from the store were sweet and yummy.

If i am to do it again, there are two things i would change to improve it: the handle which should be slanted at the end to make it look more attached to the stroller and the wheels which should have been more upright.

The shower party was fun especially with all the food everyone contributed and the gifts for baby, the girls doing a great job in decorating, setting up the dessert table and facilitating the games and all the boys who participated in it. Wish we could do baby showers more often. :)

Anakin Skywalker cake

2012-02-18T00:25:00.000-08:00

My son who recently turned 4 is crazy about Star Wars. He is so into it he calls himself Anakin. He knows each and every character and everyday he works on his lightsaber skills. He can also play Lego Star Wars III: Clone Wars in Xbox recommended for anyone over age 10. When i watch him play, it really amazes me how he figures it out and sometimes when he plays with kids much older than him, he complains that it takes so long for the other kids to complete the level. His birthday wish is the Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga game which we got him day after his jump party.

So for his 4th birthday party with friends at daycare, i made him an Anakin Skywalker/Star Wars cake. It's a simple 2-layer 9-inch round chocolate cake with chocolate filling and vanilla frosting which i colored sky blue. I baked the cakes the night before and let them cool overnight. The following day I finished stacking, crumb-coating and decorating about an hour before we left the house.

Using a star tip, i made rosettes around the top of the cake and shells at the bottom. I then decorated the side and the rosettes with colorful jumbo stars. To sort of elevate the Anakin Skywalker figure, I used a cupcake placed upside down, frosted and sprinkled it with small stars. I glued a straw to Anakin's right leg, inserted it to the cake to stabilize the figure and with my colorful decorating icing gel i wrote "Happy 4th Birthday Racrac!"

My little Jedi loved his cake! When he woke up and saw me decorating he said "wow... i love it!" and during the party he wouldn't let any of his friends touch his cake! It's so easy and simple but enough to make my son beam with pride and joy. Tasted yummy too! :)

By the way, i forgot to put one more accessory which is the Star Wars logo. It should be right under Anakin in front of the cupcake. The logo is actually the figure stand that comes with the toy. I only realized i forgot it after we got home and i started cleaning up the kitchen. I found it buried under the spatulas and piping bags! Oh well... ;)

Happy decorating!

sweet Valentine's!

2012-02-14T00:06:00.000-08:00

sweet and creamy heart-shaped leche flan for Valentine's. it's the little extra to ordinary things that make it extraordinary...

♥ Happy Hearts day everyone! ♥

2012 cake project #2: camouflage cake

2012-01-29T01:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we had a birthday party for Noel, one of our close family friends here in California and also a member of the abtikdabarkads group. He is also my husband's firing buddy so i first thought of making him a rifle target cake but after doing some research realized that it would only look good with fondant.

So i decided to make him a camouflage cake instead and piped the frostings one by one (!) using a small star tip. I wasn't successful in getting the camo pattern and colors right 'coz i got lazy and only had primary colors available but i hope you get the idea hehe.. And surprise, surprise! it's a camouflage cake inside and out! :)

For the cake, i used a white cake recipe, divided the batter into three and colored them with green, dark brown and tan (achieved by adding only a little brown to the white batter). Then i randomly filled three 9-inch round cake pans with spoonfuls of the colorful batter. Here's how they looked before and after i baked them:

After the cakes have completely cooled, i stacked three layers and filled with store-bought rich and creamy chocolate frosting. I applied a thin crumb coat, let it rest in the fridge for about an hour, then took it out again to pipe the camouflage design. I used vanilla frosting colored with green and light brown and the remaining chocolate frosting. Like i said i got lazy and was running out of time so i randomly piped around the cake.

Here's the finished product... Happy 39th Noel! :)

2012 cake project #1: Chocolate Mocha Cake

2012-01-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

my first cake project of the year! it's a 3-layer chocolate cake with mocha buttercream filling and frosting topped with dark chocolate-covered coffee beans and wrapped with chocolate lattice. For my friend Shelle who recently rediscovered her love for coffee.

thanks to some useful internet sites out there, i was able to come up with a really pretty cake. except for the chocolate-covered coffee beans, everything else are made from scratch. the chocolate cake recipe is the 'better than sex chocolate cupcakes" which i got from 52 kitchen adventures. While the recipe is for cupcakes which i've tried last year for my halloween treats and loved it, I had no problem using it for the cakes. I just doubled the recipe and filled four (instead of 2) 8-inch round pans. That way, i don't have to use a cake leveler to cut the cakes in half. The best thing about this recipe? the cakes come out flat so no need to use a serrated knife to flatten the top. I only used 3 layers so the extra cake i kept in the freezer for my husband to enjoy later.

The mocha buttercream is from sweetpaprika.com. I checked a number of recipes online but some of them used cocoa powder which i think is too much given the fact that i already have a chocolate layer cake. Sweet paprika did not use cocoa powder and the frosting amazingly tasted light and fluffy...just the way i imagined it! Since i am making a 3-layer cake and will be using mocha buttercream both as filling and frosting, i doubled the recipe.

For my favorite part: chocolate lattice. Our friends asked me how i managed to make a lattice around the cake without breaking it? Thanks to Irvin Lin over at eatthelove.com. I stumbled upon his blog while looking for a triple chocolate recipe when i saw that beautiful chocolate lattice and thought i had to make it! It's perfect for covering imperfections on the side of the cake and it's so pretty that people will think you actually slaved for it! Don't get intimidated, i guarantee it's one of the easiest way of decorating a cake.

For the final touch i piped some swirls on top of the cake and at the bottom using a 1M tip and topped each swirl with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans i got from Trader Joe's. And since it's for a birthday, i wrapped a ribbon around the cake for some added drama :)

Happy 40th Birthday Shelle!!!

leche flan recipe tried & tested

2011-08-21T02:05:00.000-07:00

In the Philippines, leche flan is a VERY popular dessert. It is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top.

The first time i made this dessert years ago, i followed the traditional way of doing it by first scalding the milk. Scalding is the process of heating the milk just below the boiling point or until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Back in the days, older recipes require scalding to kill potential harmful bacteria in the milk but that's not necessary anymore because almost all store-bought milk are pasteurized these days.

My mom would always make this dessert not only during birthdays and holidays but also everytime I had the crave for it. Now that we're thousands of miles apart, I have no choice but to learn how to make it myself. I have experimented with so many versions of leche flan and the recipe below is by far the best. It is also similar to my mom's recipe. Give it a try.

Tools you need:
- oval-shaped aluminum molds (llanera); you can also use a round aluminum cake pan
- steamer
- kitchen tongs
- fine mesh strainer (optional)

Ingredients
10 pieces egg yolks
1 can (14oz) condensed milk
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
zest of 1 lemon
granulated sugar for the caramel

Procedure:

1. Boil water in a steamer pot.

2. Place the egg yolks in a big bowl then beat them using a fork

3. Add the condensed milk and mix well

4. Pour-in the evaporated milk and mix thoroughly

5. Stir in vanilla extract and the lemon zest. Mix gently. Do not whisk so as not to create bubbles in the custard. Set aside.

6. Put the mold (llanera) on top of the stove and heat using low fire

7. Put in the granulated sugar on the mold - for small or medium-sized oval-shaped llanera, use 2 tbsp sugar; 3-4 tbsp for large/jumbo. if using 9 or 10-inch round mold, use 1 cup sugar

8. Watch closely until sugar turns into liquid (caramel) having a brown color.

9. Spread the caramel evenly to coat the bottom of the mold using kitchen tongs

Don't forget to use kitchen tongs to spread the caramel - photo uploaded 4/14/2014

10. Remove from heat and wait for a couple of minutes for the caramelized sugar to harden (it will start to crack)

11. Using a strainer, pour the mixture on the mold about 3/4 full.

12. Cover the top of the mold with aluminum foil.

13. Arrange molds in a steamer basket and steam for 35 minutes.

14. Remove steamer basket and let the temperature cool down then refrigerate.

15. To unmold, run a knife around the edges and carefully invert into a serving platter.

Serve cold.

Note: Recipe yields one 10-inch round leche flan as shown in the picture above OR 4 small llaneras
OR 2 large llaneras.

Share and Enjoy!

Maja Blanca con Maiz

2011-06-12T00:19:00.000-07:00

Another popular Filipino native delicacy is maja blanca made primarily from coconut milk. As the name suggests, it is of Spanish origin and means "white delicacy." Traditionally it is prepared by heating a coconut milk and cornstarch mixture added with milk and sugar until it thickens. While still hot it is poured into a serving dish and allowed to cool then sprinkled with latik (browned coconut milk curds).

Over the decades it has been adapted to include other ingredients and my favorite, the version that i grew up with, is that which includes corn kernels. It's the only version i know and it's impossible for me to imagine maja blanca without the corn.

So in search for the perfect maja blanca recipe i turned to my favorite pinoy cooking website panlasangpinoy.com.

MAJA BLANCA
(Recipe from panlasangpinoy.com)

Ingredients
4 cups coconut milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1 can (14 oz.) condensed milk

3/4 cup fresh milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 can (15 oz.) whole sweet kernel corn

latik for toppings

Procedure

1. Pour the coconut milk in a cooking pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add the sugar, condensed milk, and whole sweet kernel corn then stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Simmer for 8 minutes
4. Combine the fresh milk and cornstarch then whisk until the cornstarch is diluted
5. Pour the fresh milk and cornstarch mixture in the cooking pot and stir thoroughly.
6. Allow to cook while stirring until the mixture reaches your desired thickness
7. Pour the mixture in a serving tray then arrange and flatten the top using a flat tool such as a wooden spatula
8. Allow to cool down then refrigerate for at least 1 hour
9. Garnish with latik* or toasted shredded coconut
*To make latik, pour coconut milk (you will need about 1 cup) in a saucepan and cook under medium heat. Stir until oil separates from the milk then miraculously form brownish residues. Turn off the heat, drain the fat and place in a container.

This maja blanca recipe is a keeper and i recommend that to make it authentic, always (i repeat, always) top it with latik. I've seen some Filipino stores here sell it with toasted shredded coconut (you can buy unsweetened shredded coconut at walmart and toast it) but they just look so fake to me. I have to warn you though that if it takes 15 minutes to cook maja blanca, it will take you twice the time (or even more) to make the latik.

Well, what worth's having is worth sweating for. *wink*

Tinolang Manok

2011-05-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

Very happy to see fresh malunggay leaves at the asian supermarket this morning. Here in the US it is such a rare commodity that more often than not, i had to substitute it with spinach. So just imagine my surprise and excitement when i found bundles of it at the supermarket, never mind that one bundle (about 10 branches) costs $3.28.

In the Philippines, malunggay trees can be easily grown everywhere and if you don't have one, you can always ask for some leaves from a neighbor (for free!). Until now, i can visualize myself painstakingly pulling each and every leaf out of the branches while mama boils the chicken and cut the other vegetables that go with the dish. It wasn't one of my favorite chores back then.

Yet here i am now going crazy over the mere sight of it! haha. What's a pretty girl to do? Cook one of every filipino's favorite dishes, Tinolang Manok. It's a chicken stew with ginger and vegetables. The vegetables, of course, are usually green papaya and malunggay leaves. Chayote can also be used in lieu of the green papaya. The result is a hot and steamy chicken stew perfect for those cold rainy days or when you or anyone in the family are hit by cold or flu. It works like magic! :)

TINOLANG MANOK

Ingredients

1 tbsp cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 thumbs garlic, cut in strips (can be adjusted to personal taste, i usually put more ginger)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 lbs chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 tbsp. fish sauce
10 cups rice washing or chicken broth
1 green papaya or chayote, sliced into wedges
2 cups malunggay leaves or pepper leaves or spinach
salt and pepper

1. Saute the garlic, onion and ginger in hot cooking oil, cook until soft.
2. Drop in pieces of chicken, season with fish sauce
3. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add the rice washing (or chicken broth), put to a boil and simmer until chicken is tender (about 40 minutes)
5. Add the papaya (or chayote) wedges and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add the malunggay leaves (or pepper leaves or spinach).
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Serve hot.

pinoy cheese cupcakes

2011-05-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

french-pressed coffee and pinoy cheese cupcakes for breakfast straight from my oven. hot, moist and crisp!

Here is the recipe from food.com
1 3/4 cups flour, sifted
8 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1/2 of 14 oz can)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
1/2 cup Velveeta cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
In a medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs and orange extract using electric mixer
Pour in flour mixture in thirds adding 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk in between (beginning and ending with the flour mixture)
Add in grated Velveeta cheese and blend well.
Put in muffin cups 3/4 cup full only.
Top with grated cheddar cheese. I prefer to press the grated cheddar cheese down the dough to avoid spilling over the muffin cup. This will avoid the muffin from sticking to the pan and makes cleaning easy.
Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes (check your muffins after the 20-minute mark)
Remove from oven and top with more grated cheese if desired.
Stays moist for 1 week in room temperature covered in tight lid container.

Marble Cake

2010-10-06T10:33:00.000-07:00

Husband's recurring request: marble cake. He is not a fan of layered cakes with lots of icings or frostings so a marble cake is, by far, the closest to a fancy cake that he'd crave for. This is my 3rd attempt and while I admit it's still not perfect, it is hands down wayyyy better than the first two cakes i made in terms of taste, texture and appearance.

Not perfect because i'm still not satisfied with how i swirled the vanilla and chocolate together to create the marbled effect. I want (no, demand!) equal amounts of both on every slice, not just a streak of chocolate. But it tasted really good, thanks to Martha Stewart's website for the recipe. I don't have dutch-processed cocoa powder (it's so hard to find one) so i used regular unsweetened cocoa powder instead.

MARBLE CAKE

(Martha Stewart's recipe)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature (if you don't have buttermilk you can easily make one: just mix 1 cup milk and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. stir and let sit for 5 minutes then use in any recipe requiring buttermilk. You can also use white vinegar instead of lemon juice but i haven't tried it yet.)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; set aside. Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour. Set aside 1/3 of the batter.
In a bowl, mix cocoa and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the cocoa mixture to the reserved cake batter; stir until well combined.
Spoon batters into the prepared pan in 2 layers, alternating spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate to simulate a checkerboard. To create marbling, run a table knife (or wooden skewer) through the batters in a swirling motion.
Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn out cake from pan and cool completely on the rack. Cake can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Share and enjoy!

cassava cake

2010-07-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

I've been craving for a slice of cassava cake for a long time and have reached the tipping point. so i gathered all my ingredients which i have - i always stock up on frozen cassava and macapuno strings just in case - and got busy with it while my son was taking his afternoon nap. Here's my simple recipe, anybody can do this!

CASSAVA CAKE

Ingredients:

2 bags frozen cassava, thawed

1 can (12 fl. oz) evaporated milk

1 can (14 oz.) condensed milk

1 can (13.5 fl. oz) coconut milk

1 bottle of macapuno strings

4 large eggs, beaten

1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Mix cassava, evaporated milk, coconut milk and 2/3 can of the condensed milk (set aside remaining 1/3 for the topping)

3. Add eggs, macapuno strings and vanilla. Add butter last. Mix well.

5. Pour in a greased 9x13 baking dish and bake for 50 minutes

6. Remove from oven and spread evenly the remaining condensed milk on top and bake for another 15 minutes or until brown.

8. Cool completely and cut into squares.

That's it. So E-Z! Sometimes i want it with a "burnt" topping effect so i bake it longer, 20 minutes instead of 15. Also if you're bringing it to a potluck party, you can line the baking dish with a banana leaf (you can get frozen banana leaves from any Asian store) for an authentic filipiniana appeal.

Enjoy!

Brazo de Mercedes

2010-06-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

Brazo de Mercedes is a rolled meringue filled with lemon flavored custard and is no doubt one of my all-time favorite cakes. Just the thought of that rich custard filling and the melts-in-your-mouth soft meringue makes me salivate. Luckily i don't have to travel a thousand miles to the Philippines to grab one from Goldilocks bakeshop because here in Fremont, we have 2 branches less than 7 miles from our house.

But for the past few days I've been thinking about making my own brazo de mercedes. I searched online and stumbled upon a recipe from panlasangpinoy.com that guarantees how easy it is to make. It only requires 6 ingredients which I already have in my pantry and with the step-by-step cooking video, i decided to give it a try. Here's my not-so-perfect end product:

Taste is perfect; appearance is a big FAIL 'coz my meringue did not rise.

Obviously, i need to practice more. For that, i am calling this "brazo de carmela" hehehe But the taste? YuMmY...!

Give it a try, you might do better than me.

BRAZO DE MERCEDES literally "the arm of mercedes" in Spanish)
Recipe from panlasangpinoy.com

Ingredients

10 large raw eggs, yolks and whites separated
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 can (14 oz.) condensed milk

Procedure

Combine egg whites and cream of tartar then beat using an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Make the meringue by gradually adding the granulated sugar while mixing the ingredients. Continue mixing until the texture is semi-firm.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place wax paper on top of a cookie sheet or large rectangular baking pan and grease the surface.
Place the meringue on top of the greased wax paper then spread evenly using a spatula.
Bake the meringue for 20 to 22 minutes or until the color of the top part turns light to medium brown.
While the meringue is in the oven, make the filling by combining the egg yolks and condensed milk in a small cooking pot. Apply heat and cook the mixture while continuously stirring until the texture becomes thick.
Add the vanilla extract to the condensed milk and egg yolk mixture, turn off the heat, and mix thoroughly. Set aside.
Remove the meringue from the oven and cool down for a few minutes.
Sprinkle the confectioners sugar on top of the meringue then place wax paper on the top part of the meringue followed by a similar sized baking pan or tray. The meringue should now be in the middle of two baking trays.
Flip the meringue: the new cookie sheet/baking tray placed on top should now be below. Remove the baking tray and the wax paper (you should now see the opposite side of the baked meringue) then spread the filling (cooked egg yolks, condensed milk, and vanilla extract mixture) over the meringue.
Roll the meringue. Complete rolling side to side starting at the longest side. Make sure that the layer with filling is rolled inward.
Transfer to a serving plate then serve.
Share and enjoy!

Watch the cooking video:

race track cake

2010-02-16T23:31:00.000-08:00

To celebrate my son's 2nd birthday i made my first ever fancy cake: a race track cake. It's a chocolate sheet cake recipe copied from the back of hershey's unsweetened cocoa box frosted with 7-minute white frosting which i colored green. I would have wanted a darker shade of green to mimic grass but instead came up with a lighter one which is still ok. For the race track i outlined number '2' and flooded it with chocolate fudge frosting topped with crushed oreo chocolate chip cookies to resemble dirt. Then i used white jimmies candy sprinkles (i chose the long ones) to create the track. Sooo easy!

I topped the cake with new cars toys and surrounded the side with oreo cookies to cover the imperfection... they look like tires too, don't you think? Then i added a California plate with his name on it (the letters i had to stick one by one which explains why they are not perfectly aligned). It was a party just for the three of us and he had fun licking on the oreo cookies, the chocolate frosting and "driving" his cars on the track. He loved it! Talk about eating your cake and playing with it too!

Now, our 2-year old is licensed to drive us crazy! ^_^

Happy Birthday baby!!!

heart-shaped egg in a toast

2010-02-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

This morning i was in the mood for fun so i thought of fancying up ordinary eggs and toast. The result: heart-shaped egg in a toast.

Here's how to do it:

1. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of a slice of bread.
2. Toast cut-out hearts and set aside. (i used bread toaster)
3. Lightly butter a frying pan over medium heat and place bread slice.
4. Carefully crack an egg directly into the heart-shaped hole, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Cook for a minute or two until your desired doneness is achieved. Cover the skillet to allow the egg to cook a little quicker.
6. Flip and cook the other side of bread (optional). When done, carefully remove and place on a plate.
7. Serve together with the toasted hearts for dipping into yolk.

How cute is that? My husband loved it and my little boy got excited he wanted me to make him a star-shaped egg next time. Well, why not?

Happy Valentine's Day!!!