This cake has several steps to it which may put you off but grab a friend or a family member to split the work with and it will finish quickly.

Inside the cake is mango mousse and raspberry gelatin filling so in total 3 items to make.

This  recipe is enough for an 18 cm (round) x 16 cm (high) ring which generously serves 8 people.

First step is to make the raspberry gelatin filling. I used a 15 cm (round) x 5 cm (high) ring for this.




Next step is to make the cake & striped decoration. The decoration is made first and brushed onto the baking sheet and then use a decorating tool to make the design.

3. Put this in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes so that the mixture becomes firm.

The tool I used to make the design I used the side with the square teeth

Comb the baking sheet at an angle. Put on a baking pan & put in the refrigerator 

Next step is to make the cake.

80 grams powdered sugar
100 grams almond flour
30 grams flour
3 eggs
130 grams egg white
60 grams sugar
20 grams butter

Cut cake to fit inside the ring

Add the raspberry gelatin on top of the mango mousse

Raspberry gelatin tastes great paired with the mango mousse

Last muffin left with a few crumbs !

Cornbread is a tasty & hearty accompaniment to lighter meals such as fish tacos and salads.

There are many ways to jazz up traditional cornbread and adding jalapenos and cheddar cheese is among my favorites. These two ingredients are quick to put together and really add a zip to a traditional food.

This recipe only takes about 20 minutes to put together.

Makes about 8 - 10 muffins

Let's get baking!


Cornmeal 100 grams
Baking powder 8 grams
Baking soda 1 gram
Salt 3 grams
Brown sugar 40 grams
Canned corn 85 grams
Buttermilk 155 grams
Eggs 2
Butter 60 grams
50 grams jalapeno peppers (chopped)
50 grams cheddar cheese (chopped)

1.  Sift the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda & salt together.
2. Melt the butter over hot water or in the microwave.
3.  In a blender mix the corn. In a bowl, mix the brown sugar and milk and mix with a small whisk. Add eggs & corn and continue to mix until well blended.
4.  Mix the corn mixture above into the flour mixture and mix with a spatula. Add the melted butter. Mix until everything is just moistened – don’t over mix. Lastly, add the jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese.
5.  Prepare muffin cases by lightly buttering & dusting with flour. Fill about 85% full.
6. Bake at 170  degrees Celsius for about 25 – 30 minutes.

Ready for dinner

Cornbread & taco toppings

Delicious soup for a summer Sunday lunch

This soup really is super easy and quick to make, and I'm not exaggerating. The fresh vegetables are a delicious match. Before serving be sure to chill for an hour or two and it is really the right accompaniment for a summer sandwich.

Recipe

1/2 cup (125 mL) cold water
Juice of 1 lime
1 ripe avocado
1 cucumber, roughly chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/4 cup (80 mL) fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp  salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup (125 mL) low-fat sour cream (for garnish)
Zest of 1 lime (for garnish)



Serves 4

Lunch is ready!

Chocolate Brioche 

The trick to incorporate the chocolate into many layers of the dough is to fold the chocolate into the dough as if you are making puff pastry.  The chocolate should be well chilled before spreading it on the dough though otherwise it becomes difficult to work with.


2.   Add the milk mixture to the flour and use a bench scraper to mix and coat the flour thoroughly.  Put on a flat surface and knead for about 10  minutes. Dough should be soft but not sticky. Let rest under a bowl for about 10 minutes.

3.   Put the butter on top of the dough and use a bench scraper to incorporate the butter by slicing it into the dough. Knead again so that the bread is soft & supple. If tough, add a tablespoon or so of milk and knead again.  Put in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place for 50 minutes.

 4. Flatten the dough & divide it into 2 equal weight pieces. Roll each piece into a nice smooth ball. Place on the kneading board and cover with plastic and let rise for 20 minutes (bench time).


1. Finely chop the chocolate with a grater or with food processor.

2. Mix the sugar, flour, cocoa and egg whites in a bowl.

3. Heat the milk until just boiling. Slowly pour the milk into the cocoa mixture while stirring. Mix until well blended. Put everything back into the saucepan over low heat, stir until thickened.

4. Add the salt, butter and chopped chocolate and stir until everything has melted.

5. Pour the mixture into a bowl and let it cool completely. Spread the filling into two rectangles of oven paper about 25x20cm, cover each of the sheets with film and put it in the freezer until they are solid.

Putting together
1.  Take one of the dough halves and roll out into the shape of a rectangle of about 30 x 21 cm. Put the frozen dough in the center and remove the plastic wrap. Let the chocolate warm up a few minutes then use a palette knife to ensure it is spread evenly over the dough.

2. Fold the dough in thirds. Fold down the top half and then the fold the bottom half so that it is overlapping the top half. Flatten with a rolling pin and fold again using the same method. Finally, fold up the dough from the long end (like making cinnamon rolls) and then cut the 'log' into about 7 pieces.

3. Place each piece into a baking cup and brush with egg. Place in a warm place to rise until about doubled in size.

4. Repeat the same process for the other half of dough.

5. Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 20 minutes.

Ready for Breakfast

This was my first time to make donuts from scratch and I found that they were shockingly delicious! Warm fresh donuts have to be about the best treat for an early morning breakfast - or for anytime!

Actually, making donuts doesn't take that much more time than baking bread. In fact, all processes are the same except that you need to fry the dough instead of bake it.



Recipe
(makes about 12 donuts)

170 ml water
8 grams instant dry yeast
3 eggs (room temperature)
500 grams flour
8 grams salt
100 grams butter (room temperature)

Water temperature should not be above 35°C / 95°F, or it will destroy the yeast. 1.     In a bowl, mix  the flour, sugar and yeast & salt. In another bowl, mix the eggs & milk then add to the flour mixture and mix well with spatula.
2.  Put the dough on a flat surface and knead well until the dough is soft. Place the dough under a bowl and rest for 10 minutes. Then slowly incorporate the butter cubes and knead well with your hands until the dough is glossy and smooth. Shape into a smooth ball and place in a clean bowl.
3.   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to proof at a warm temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch down the dough, then re-cover the bowl. Put in the fridge to chill for 12 - 16 hours or overnight.
The doughnuts will be more delicious and easily digested if you leave them to chill overnight. If you don't have the time, leave that part out. 4.    The next day, take the dough out of the fridge and cut it into 45 gram pieces. Shape them into smooth, tight buns and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Leave plenty of room between them to proof. Leave for 1 hour, or until about doubled in size.
5. Get a heavy-based saucepan. Fill it up to the halfway point with oil. Heat the oil to 155°C. Carefully remove a couple of doughnuts from the baking tray, take care not to deflate them, and put them into the oil. Fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on a tray lined with paper towels. Set aside to cool before filling. Lightly dust with powdered sugar when they start to cool.


Custard filling
4 egg yolks
50 grams sugar
40 grams flour
6 grams gelatin (softened)

1.       Put milk in a saucepan and bring slowly to a light boil.

Breakfast buffet is ready

I love finding ways to bake with green tea powder called matcha in Japanese. Matcha does have a bitter taste but it matches well with many sweets such as white chocolate and fresh cream. Also, you don't need to use heaping teaspoons of it in recipes but just enough for a balanced flavor. This recipe has several steps but it is a great dessert to impress your friends.

By the way, this cake goes great with coffee. You don't need to worry that the matcha and coffee don't match, the sweetness of the chocolate is the dominate flavor in this dessert.
 


Cake is served Recipe Matcha Sponge Cake 80 grams powdered sugar 100 grams almond flour 30 grams flour 3 eggs 20 grams butter (melted) 130 grams egg white (about 4 eggs) 60 grams sugar 12 grams Matcha green tea powder  Cake: 1. In a bowl, measure & whisk together the green tea powder and flour. 2. In another bowl, mix eggs, almond flour, and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until yellow and fluffy. 3. In another bowl, make a meringue with egg whites and sugar. Add the sugar in portions and mix with a hand mixer. Then add the flour/matcha mixture and mix with a spatula. 4.  Add the one third of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture and mix with a spatula then add remaining mixture. Add a small amount of the mixture to the butter and mix then add back to the bowl and mix together. 5. Bake in 2 cake pans (20 cm x 20 cm). Bake the mixture in the oven at 190ºC for 12 - 15 minutes Matcha Cream 140 grams fresh cream 190  grams white chocolate chopped 1 teaspoon of Matcha green tea powder 3 grams gelatin softened 1. Boil the cream and the matcha powder and mix well to fully integrate the powder. Add the softened gelatin.  Add to the chocolate and mix with a whisk until fully melted. Cool until the consistency of pudding. Chocolate Cream 200 g fresh cream 140 g of dark chocolate chopped 3 grams gelatin softened 1.    Boil the cream & add the gelatin.  Add to the chocolate and mix with a whisk until fully melted. Cool until the consistency of pudding. Putting Together: 1.  I use a Stainless Steel Square Cake and Pastry Ring (12 cm x 12 cm) to make this cake.  First, cut a sheet of oven paper and put under the square pastry ring and place both on top of a plate the same size or larger. Cut the cake to fit inside the square and place at the bottom. 2. The process the is to layer the two chocolates and cake as below. The chocolate should be spread in a even layer using a palette knife. -          Sponge cake -          White chocolate cream (1/2 portion) -          Chocolate cream (1/2 portion) -          Sponge cake (same size as first cake) -          White chocolate cream (1/2 portion) -          Chocolate cream (1/2 portion) Put in the refrigerator while making the last topping below. Milk chocolate topping: 100 grams milk chocolate chopped 50 grams fresh cream 2 gram gelatin softened 1.    Boil the cream & add the gelatin.  Add to the chocolate and mix with a whisk until fully melted. Cool lightly. 2. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and spread the milk chocolate topping on top using a palette knife to spread evenly. 3. Put in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour before removing from the square. To remove the square, you can use a palette knife around the inside the ring to loosen the cake. Or use a baking torch to lightly heat outside the square to melt the chocolate clinging to the square. Be careful when using the baking torch !!

Cream Cheese icing tops these cupcakes

There are so many delicious cupcake recipes available so it is hard try them all. I found a great recipe that made a delicious light and fluffy cupcake. The recipe from Natasha's Kitchen was easy to follow and quick to put together.

I used baking cups I bought at Ikea, however, they are shorter than the usual cupcake cups so please take this into consideration if you plan to purchase them too. Their good point is that they bake the cupcakes nicely and are easy to clean up for reuse.

Silicone baking cups from Ikea

Recipe (makes about 8 - 12 cupcakes depending on size)

135 grams flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs (room temperature)
120 grams sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
60 grams vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter milk

1. In a bowl, sift together all of the dry ingredients.
2. In another bowl, mix the eggs and sugar with a hand mixer until yellow and fluffy. Add in the other wet ingredients and dry ingredients alternatively and continue mixing.
3. Pour into the baking cups and bake about 15 - 20 minutes (depending on size).
4. Cool before icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
250 grams powdered sugar
50 grams room temperature butter
125 grams cream cheese (room temperature)

1. In a bowl, mix the butter and powdered sugar together with a hand mixer. When well mixed add the cream cheese and continue to mix. Add food coloring as you like.
2. You can put the icing into a pastry bag to pipe on the cupcakes.

Top the tart with your favorite nuts

I really like this recipe since the  tart has a deep chocolate flavor and a creamy texture. I've topped it with walnuts but pecans would match very well also.

Cover the dough with baking paper and baking beans before baking

Ready for Dessert?

This cake combines a nice buttery cake on the outside filled with custard cream and dark sweet cherries on the inside.

This is a nice cake to have for dessert during the cold winter months. Pair it with a hot cup of coffee and you will feel warm and cosy.

Preparation time is about 45 minutes and baking is another 30 minutes.

Recipe

Cake
100 grams butter (room temperature)
80 grams sugar
65 grams eggs
135 grams flour
20 grams almond flour (powder)
2 grams baking powder
pinch of salt

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In another bowl, mix the butter with whisk until soft then add the sugar in portions. Lastly, add the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula. Cover and set to the side.

Custard
130 grams milk
1 egg yolk
25 grams sugar
15 grams flour
10 grams butter
5 grams Kirsch liquor
100 grams dark sweet cherries

1. In a bowl mix together the egg yolk, sugar and flour with a whisk.
2. In a saucepan heat the milk until just boiled. Add the milk to the egg mixture & mix then add back to the saucepan and heat on medium and stir with a whisk until the mixtures thickens like pudding. .
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and mix well. Lastly, add the Kirsch liquor and mix. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let cool.

Putting Everything Together:

1. I used a  15 cm (round) x 5 cm (tall) baking ring. Put the ring on top of a sheet of baking paper then put on top of a baking pan.
2. Smooth about 3/4 of the cake ingredients on the bottom of the ring and up the sides of the ring (fill to about 80%  full). You will fill the inside of the cake dough with the custard and cherries so leave space for this.
3. Place the cherries on top of the cake dough along the bottom and then cover with the custard. Use a small spoon to evenly smooth the custard.
4. Use the remaining cake dough to cover the top of the custard so that the inside ingredients are sealed in. Then brush the top with egg wash and use a small knife to draw a design on top.
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for about 30 - 35 minutes. Let cool before removing from the ring.

Draw a nice design on top before baking

Cherries are on the bottom then topped with the custard cream The cake surrounds the filling on all sides



Ready for Dessert?