la Cuisine de Wafae

Yasmine's Official B'Day Cake (Princess Castle Cake)

2010-05-07T08:41:00.000-07:00

Like I promised, here I am posting Yasmine's Official 2010 Princess Castle Cake. Assembling the cake was a bit challenging, but I made it.
All the decorations apart from the kit were 100% home made marzipan, given we are an almond-lover family; I sandwiched the cake with my favorite White Chocolate Mousse, that I discovered chez Hanaa and loved when I tasted the Chocolate Apricot Roll with Lacquer Glaze, another HCB favorite.
The white outer frosting layer is made of whipping cream, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla & almond flavoring. the cake itself is a three 15'' by 11'' carrot cake, adapted from Sweet Melissa's book.
Enjoy pictures..!!

ABC- Mocha-Almond O'Marble Cake

2010-05-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

This is our (myself and Hanaa) third ABC entry, and so far I have been enjoying every recipe I made in our new baking club from our Flo Braker's splendid book: Baking for all Occasions.

My adapted usual marble cake has always been a family Moroccan recipe requiring the use of oil in lieu of butter, yogurt in lieu of milk. It has always been a hit in my family.

When I picked this recipe, I furthermore wanted to compare and contrast my adapted and Flo Braker's recipe only to realize that both recipes are winners with all their specific components.
I dug on the net to find this great recipe here

I baked mine in a bundt pan, some of it got stuck to the pan (shortage of spraying pan error:)), but that was quickly covered with some sprinkled powdered sugar; it looked great...

Although my MAO'M cake was to be given to a friend, I managed cutting a couple of slices (in hurry) at her house.

Not perfectly sliced, but at least I possess an inside look picture of the cake. Yeh!!
The cake's texture was marvellous, it instantly melts in your mouth, and it tastes so goooooood!
Good job ABC team for another winner recipe!!! and Chaya! welcome to the club:)

Coming up next...
June 2010: Spicy Yogurt Pound Cake
July 2010: Cinnamon Bubble Buns
August 2010: Apricot-Almond-Berry Buckle

ABC: Lemon-Scented Pull-Apart Coffee Cake

2010-04-06T12:00:00.000-07:00

A very lemony favorite is this cake, which I consider more like a brioche than a cake. This is our second ABC of the month entry. I was really excited about this recipe when my friend Hanaa chose it, especially that we have shared great enthusiasm about making it in a long phone conversation we had about three months ago, when were roughly getting prepared for the ABC Project.

No wonder, the cake/brioche tasted wonderful; the classic American companion of lemon and cream cheese made the glaze very special, and the dough was a breeze to make. Above all, the lemon zest, sugar, and butter heavenly intermingling rendered this creation simply marvellous. In sum, this is an excellent recipe; I highly recommend it to the lemon-butter flavored brioche lovers.
Click here for full recipe: http://leitesculinaria.com/535/recipes-lemon-scented-pull-apart-coffee-cake.html

I used the glaze as a drizzle instead of brushing it, eaters can always get more if they ask:)

The cake was genuinely a pull-apart deal, no need to cut slices.

I was amazed by how the dough sprang up.

Note that I used only 3 tbs of butter in lieu of half a stick. I also let the dough sit overnight in the fridge, after having it go through the first rise.

The second rise phase came to an end. It's time to make a trip to the oven.

After slightly over tanning, I came to the conclusion that the cake/brioche needed only 28 minutes to bake. This is as far as my oven is concerned. Results may vary though.

My tangy layers almost popping out of the loaf pan. I like that!

Yasmine's Mini-Birthday White Velvet Cupcakes

2010-03-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

Yasmine has been impatiently waiting for her birthday; but since her birthday fell on a weekday, I decided to arrange a mini celebration with just me, the kids and my close friend Hanaa. (Hubby couldn't attend neither since he's out of town :( )
The official birthday party is postponed to the first Saturday of the month of April Inshallah to fit all my guests' schedules. So stay tuned for another birthday cake...

Now, since Yasmine is into princess a lot. I decided to create mini princesses cakes made of stacked cupcakes and decorated with pink frosting, I'll let you discover it on your own...see more pictures below!

I used white velvet cupcake recipe from HCB, with the minor change of subbing 1.6 oz of oil with 2 oz of butter

The cupcakes came out with great flavor, I baked them in both 12 cupcakes and mini cupcakes liners, so as I can stack them, and insert a princess pick right on top

Asian princess(on the back) waiting for her turn to get dressed.

Princesses enjoying an early spring day... I know, I know Asian princess, I didn't forget about you!!

Finally dressed! Asian princess seems to enjoy her pink outfit.

the dresses were decorated with white rosettes (See the pink dot in the middle ??!)

As a final touch, I added white ribbon around the princesses'waists. Can you see it..?

I wish I did something with the hair, as it looked a little messed up:).

Amine's 1st Birthday

2010-03-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

The cake was made as a surprise gift to one of my friends' son's 1st birthday. The family received the cake with great joy and appreciation.Teddy Bear's smile was magically transferred to all kids attending the party.

Teddy bear looks under-stuffed, as one batch of Chocolate batter is a little short for a big wilton teddy bear pan

Smiley Teddy after a shower of piped stars

I used coffee chocolate beans for eyes and paws. Isn't that neat??:)

The chocolate cake tasted great as always...:):)

Happy Baking :):)

Pain D' Epice

2010-03-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

I suggested this bread recipe as an opening of our ABC Project, first because I wanted to break the rule of having to start with making a cake; and second for the richness of its aroma. While baking, the oven released a fantastic smell.
It really was a breeze assembling the ingredients. However,I sensed that the amount of flour was too much for one loaf of bread. I insisted that the recipe should stay as is especially I've never made this type of "Sans Yeast Bread". the only minor change I did was subtracting 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and adding the same amount of baking powder, (and that based on a prior experience when I used too much baking soda in one of the online recipes I made, and it tasted awful...Uhgg!!)

The batter was very stiff to the point I could hardly scrape it off the mixing bowl. Hmm...!

Looking good so far..!

Still looking good ..

ahhaaa!! even though I added 10 minutes to its suggested time (I also covered with alumnium foil to prevent any further browning)

the bread was still not done.

Also, I couldn't cut perfect slices.

Impressions about Pain d'epice:

The taste was great, it was even ideal when spreaded with butter.

The bread turned out really dense and dry, considering the amount of flour used; perhaps this is normal for this type of bread, I'm just not used to it.

I will definitely consider using this bread again, but I will consider using more fluids and using less flour. We'll see how it will turn out...

Thanks for looking...feel free to join The ABC of the Month, and stay tuned for more monthly pickups...

ABC of the Month

2010-03-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

Starting March of 2010, my friend Hanaa and I will be launching a new monthly baking project, called the "ABC of the Month", which stands for the "Avid Baker's Challenge of the Month". Each month, one of us picks a recipe. We alternate every month. And on every first Tuesday of the month, we'll post our experiences and photos of the baked creation, but never the original recipe from the book, as we'd like to encourage everyone to buy the book.For the year 2010, we've chosen to bake from Flo Braker's "Baking For All Occasions".
We are in no way affiliated with Flo Braker. We're just fans of her books.At this time, the plan is to pick a different book for 2011 to bake from. The final decision on this will come at the end of this year.

Yasmine's 3rd Birthday 2009

2010-02-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

This last year's Birthday cake was themed with Shrek Movie as my kids love this movie so much.
I was lucky one day to find this kit (used on cake) on clearance for one dollar. My hubby should have been thinking: "I'm lucky or what to have such a frugal wife:-)"

Yasmine's 2nd Birthday cake pictures 2008

2010-02-26T12:22:00.000-08:00

The pictures below are little outdated, but I thought I would share them with my blog visitors.
Enjoy..!
Stay tuned...Yasmine's next birthday is drawing near..

I made smiley Bigbird carrot cake for my little guests

I also made this high cake for my adult guests

Beautifully covered with homemade marzipan on the top, on which I decided to practice my piping skills:):)

The side is sprinkled with toasted and chopped almonds. Mmmm!

Mon Pain Merveilleux (my original recipe)

2010-02-24T11:51:00.000-08:00

Being a bread lover, I came up with this idea of inserting sour cream in this recipe that I developed myself.
Try it and let me know how you like it.

Ingredients:

3 cups of A.P flour
5 and 1/3 to 6 cups of bread flour or hi-gluten flour (may vary depending on the flour used)
1/2 tablespoon of salt
3 teaspoons of instant yeast
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/3 cup of sour cream
1 tablespoon of veg. oil
3 cups of warm water
1 cup of warm milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (to counteract the egg flavor; optional)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon anise seeds (optional)

*For the eggwash:
you will need 2 egg yolks, 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract, and 1/2 tbs. of water/ or coffee to enhance color), 1/2 cup of sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

How to:
Place all the liquid ingredients, sour cream, sugar, yeast, salt in a bread machine (Kitchenaid stand mixer, food processor, or a big mixing bowl if you want to knead the dough manually) mix well; then add flours gradually to the mixture, knead until you obtain a good bread dough consistency not too stiff and not too runny. let the dough ferment in a warm place for 45 minutes.
Place the dough on your kitchen counte,r knead a little bit to deflate those nice bubbles. The dough should be sticky, so use some oil to manage rolling the small breads; form the dough into small balls (about the size of an apricot)then slightly flatten the rolls; brush with the egg wash (*see above); sprinkle with sesame seeds. Using a sharp paring knife or kitchen scissors, make one horizontal and one vertical slash on the top of each roll. This cross will open during baking. let the rolls rise or proof for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake in a preheated oven at 400 F to 415 F untill golden in color. Cool on a wire rack..

Bonne Appetit

Yields about 2 dozens of small rolled breads, if you want, you may try half the recipe.

Free choice week: Classic Carrot Cake

2010-02-22T12:56:00.000-08:00

I chose the classic carrot cake this week for one main reason: My kids love carrot cake, and it's healthier for them too..
This is my third time making this cake; I'm sure I'll make over and over.
I like the fact that this recipe requires using oil in lieu of butter, this keeps the cake moist either cold or at room temperature.

I messed up little bit (if not a lot) when I poured almost the whole batter in one 9" round pan instead of two 9" pans; when I realized that, I scooped some of the batter back into the kitchenaid bowl. I still recognize that I poured too much batter in one pan though. The result was a denser cake compared with the previous ones I made. The removed batter was devided into cupcake liners and baked along with the round cake. I liked the cupcakes better as they were much fluffier and lighter.

See the cake when sliced, I wasn't happy with its density

One of the things I loved when I made the cake is the fact that I sprinkled it with ground cinnamon on the top, giving it a richer color and taste (my friend Hanaa called it: marble effect:))

oh!! did I mention that I completely forgot to add cinnamon to the batter, so sprinkling it on the top instead was the ultimate compensation

Note how the cupcakes turned out lighter and fluffier, I wish I baked the whole batter into cupcakes

In overall my carrot cake was tasty as I added orange zest to the batter (adapted from Hanaa's idea), I used cream cheese and cool whip for frosting, flavored with orange zest and cinnamon ( YES!! CINNAMON AGAIN)

My whole family liked the taste of the cake. Can't ask for more...:)

HCB making: True Orange Genoise

2010-02-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

Here I am, gladly entering my first posting in HCB, although I baked several cakes from Rose's Heavenly Cakes in the past.
To paraphrase what Rose meant by "true orange" is the use of actual Seville oranges, the intense sourness of those oranges is served to win over the chocolate flavor which always dominates. I totally agree based on what I heard and read about the Seville oranges.
Not knowing that it would be a challenge to find the recommended kind of oranges to be used, I waited till the last three days to realize that it's impossible to make "La vraie genoise d'oranges avec les oranges de Seville". Plainly but deliciously, my last resort was to make the cake with Navel oranges which I had sittting on my kitchen's counter anyway.

Starting point: Friday afternoon when I made la Genoise, using the preferred beurre noisette, I added a hint of orange pineapple flavor in combination with vanilla extract, also I added a pinch of salt to the foamy batter. Ma genoise was baked in about 27 minutes; after it was cooled down, I sealed it with the plastic film and put it on the top of the fridge (in lieu of in the fridge). As soon as I turned off the oven I threw those Navel orange slices in there to dry out and get nice and crispy.
Next: I made the orange curd for the first time; the results were very satisfying, I really liked the orange zest flavor which camouflaged that eggy taste. I skipped straining the curd (with no noticeable impact on its quality) and I doubled the quantity of the orange zest (used 16 grams) for more zesty sensation on the palates..(in my case the sensation was in my throat :))
Saturday morning I made the dark Ganache using 72% cacao dark chocolate, when I tasted the ganache, it was leaning on the bitter side so I added 1 1/2 tbs of heavy cream + 1 tbs of sugar. Soon after, I made the syrup using exclusively Navel orange juice and sugar.
Sunday afternoon which marked the event of assembling, finalizing,and eating the cake. I used the bottom of the cake as a top for smoother glazing; I had some problems with the syrup not being sufficient, as I completely forgot about adding 1/4 of cup of additional orange juice as a sub for triple sec (can't consume any forms of liquor) the cake was a bit dry, but tasted goooooooood.:)

Fun Fact:
I never imagined that freshly squeezed juice, if concentrated and reduced to a thicker consistency will generate a totally strong and tart flavor. After boiling the orange juice in the microwave, I hated to waste the highly concentrated vitamin C sticking on the sides of the bowl , I scraped it down with a small spoon and ate it (yummy) despite its high acidity, it's supposed to be good for you skin :)) don't you agree?

La Genoise after last night's dinner
Hubby asked for a second piece:) yeah!!

I liked this picture :)

I sandwiched both halves of the cake with the curd for an even look

La genoise sans ganache drizzle.

From a slice perspective.

Soon after putting the choc. glaze, I had to compare /contrast my cake's look with Rose's cake picture for quality control

Yasmine's 1st Birthday 2007

2010-01-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

My daughter, Yasmine's, first Birthday was a great baking experience for me, as I set my mind into making the best pastries and cake I could for my lovely princess.

I invited many friends and everyone had fun; It was a special day for Princess Yasmine; I could see hapiness in her eyes.

Look at this splendid variety of home made Moroccan cookies

Cookies..
And more cookies...
Yummy in the tummy...

Here comes the masterpiece of the party....

Et voila !!

Themed with a cute coloreful caterpillar bearing Yasmine's name
The caterpillar is joyfully crawling over green grass. (Thank you Hanaa for the Mascara:))

My latest party's menu

2010-01-03T09:45:00.000-08:00

Spinach and eggplant dip Moroccan style

The heavenly taste of this carrot cake makes it disappear before you know it

Shrimp eggrolls were a big hit too

Bars of Chocolate cake made by my friend, they both taste and look good...

Banana cup cakes, glazed with apricot jam and sprinkled with toasted almonds

Breaded tilapia fish, baked in the oven instead of fried.

The chocolate cake with chocolate mint flavored frosting and topped with white chocolat

Vegetable soup

Chili

Snacks

Moroccan chicken with pickled lemon and olives

Moroccan Couscous

2010-01-01T20:08:00.000-08:00

There is really nothing better than enjoying this authentic Moroccan dish especially with family and close friends. Very healthy too...

End of the school year cake 2009

2010-01-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

The occasion was the TIZA Team performance 2009 for doing such a good job reaching their goal...Yeah

Blueberry cake

2010-01-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

Very tasty !!

Loved this one...