Ingredients:
Ruby bundt cake:
1 tbsp butter (for the pan)
2 tbsp sugar (to coat the pan)
115 g (4 oz.) Callebaut ruby chocolate callets, melted
375 g (3 cups) all purpose flour
2 tsp beet powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
300 g (1-1/2 cups) granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
240 ml (1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
2 tsp beet powder

Ruby ganache:
125 g (4.5 oz.) Callebaut ruby chocolate callets
120 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
2 tsp beet powder
1 tbsp butter

To decorate:
Freeze-dried raspberries
Sanding sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 175C or 350F.
2. Butter and sugar the bundt pan. Yes, coat the bundt pan in sugar. Just trust me on this one.

3. In a small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the ruby chocolate. Set aside to cool.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and 2 tsp beet powder. Set this aside.

6. In a stand mixer fitted with a beater, beat the butter and sugar on medium high speed until ... you guessed it ... light and fluffy.... all. the. time... light and fluffy is my mantra.
7. Reduce the speed to medium, then add the eggs, one at a time, waiting for one to be fully incorporated before adding the next one.
8. On the lowest speed setting, fold in the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture. Start and end with the flour.
9. Fold in the melted ruby chocolate.

10. Transfer the batter to the prepared bundt pan, making sure to fill all nooks and crannies.
11. Place a thick layer of kitchen towels under the pan, and bang the pan on the counter a few times to settle the batter and pop the air bubbles.
12. Bake in the center of the oven for 55 - 60 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
13. Rest the cake in the pan for 5-10 minutes, before inverting it onto a rack to cool completely.

When the bundt cake has cooled, make the ganache:
14. In a microwave safe bowl, place the ruby chocolate and heavy cream, and heat it in 15 second bursts, stirring in between.
15. When just melted, stir in the butter and the beet powder.
Adjust the consistency of the ganache: if too thick, add a bit more butter, and if too thin, refrigerate it a while.

16. Set the bundt cake, still on the cooling rack, on top of a pan or a large plate to catch all the chocolate drippings.
17. Pour the ganache all over the bundt cake, taking care not to miss the crevices.
Collect the chocolate on the pan/plate to drip on the cake again if needed.
18. Sprinkle freeze-dried raspberries and sanding sugar to decorate.

It’s that time of the year when love and (wind)chill is in the air. Baking calls for something rosy, something fruity and yet something decadent for the occasion.



Enter this ruby chocolate cheesecake! It is a no-bake delight, creamy and luscious, fresh and fruity, and oh-so-pretty in pink.



An almond-tinged crust made with amaretti makes for an ideal base, upon which this berry-scented cheesecake rests. Then a velvety pour of ruby chocolate ganache is draped on top, with almond slivers, freeze-dried raspberries and fresh juicy berries adding texture and visual interest.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:

Crust:

120 g (1 cup) graham cracker crumbs (about 10-12 full cracker sheets)
60 g (1/2 cup) amaretti (Italian almond cookie) crumbs
35 g (3 tbsp) granulated sugar
70 g (5 tbsp) butter, melted

Cheesecake:

14 g (5 tsp or 2 pouches) Knox gelatin
120 ml (1/2 cup) cold water
225 g (1-1/2 cups) Callebaut ruby chocolate callets
30 ml (2 tbsp) heavy whipping cream
240 g (2 cups) icing / confectioners sugar, sifted
15 g (2 tbsp) beet powder, sifted
360 ml (1-1/2 cups) heavy whipping cream, cold
750 g (26-1/2 oz or 3-1/3 cup) full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
15 ml (1 tbsp) vanilla extract

Ruby Chocolate Ganache:

75 g (1/2 cup) Callebaut ruby chocolate callets
120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream
3 g (1 tsp) beet powder

To decorate:

Fresh berries
Freeze-dried raspberries
Slivered almonds

Make the cheesecake:

Yearning for something cakey, yet has a crispy crunchy bite to it? No, seriously! It exists, and it's this one right here. Why, it's like having the cake and eating it too. LOL!

I'm a big fan of bringing textures and flavours to the table. And just like a well executed dish, this one sings. Because what could be sweeter than the scent and taste of fall spices, or where I come from, everyday spices? I'm talking about cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and vanilla. And what could be more satisfying than having a crumbly crackly bite along with a soft and moist one? All at one go!



The crisp, the tender, the aromatics ... this cake was specifically engineered to pair with coffee. Hence the name, coffee cake, though no caffeinated beverage found it's way into the batter. Snicker if you wish, but when I first was introduced to a coffee cake, I was desperately searching for anything remotely coffee in it and was severely disappointed. Since then, I've watched, learned, and I've baked. And have come to name these cakes that pair with coffee as coffee cakes.

Let me tell you that this is the absolute favourite. Not only is it loaded up on things my hubby loves best ... nuts, it's a recipe void of electric appliances. This practically means I can whip it up clandestinely and wait for the waft of the spices to draw the customers in :)

Ingredients:

Streusel:
2-1/4 cups chopped toasted pecans
80 g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) granulated sugar
80 g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Pinch of salt
60 ml (4 tbsp) melted butter

Cake:
360 g (3 cups) all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
170 g (3/4 cup) softened butter
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
150 g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
360 ml (1-1/2 cups) sour cream

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix all the streusel ingredients together, and toss to combine.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C or 350F.
3. Butter and line the sides and bottom of a 9x15 inch baking pan with parchment paper with a 5 cm or 2 inch overhang on the sides.
This is so you can lift the cake by grabbing the excess parchment. Genius! Right? ... right? Saw this on a baking hack video :)

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter and sugar.
6. Into the butter and sugar mixture, whisk in the eggs, one at a time, waiting until fully incorporated before adding the next one.
7. Mix in the vanilla and sour cream.
8. Add the dry ingredients into the wet, taking care not to over mix. It will be thick.

9. Spread half of the batter on to the pan, using a spatula to extend it to the corners.
10. Sprinkle half the streusel on it, patting it down gently, just enough to let it sit, not sink into the batter.
11. Drop dollops of the remaining batter onto the pan, gently stretching it to reach the corners, ideally not upsetting the crumb layer it is sitting on.
12. Then sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top, again patting it down gently.

13. Bake for 50-55 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
14. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes before lifting it out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Restraint is the order of the day because the cake won't cut clean when hot or warm. Trust me, I tried!

Now for that coffee ....

Vruchtentaart met vla ... it's Dutch for fruitcake with custard, for if I should call it fruitcake, one would expect the old English classic. Not this one, though. This is a refreshing summery cake, enriched with cool thick custard and accented with summer's bounty: kiwis, strawberries, blackberries and canteloupes.



Tante Lily came to cook in our place one day and made a cake such as this for Mama's birthday, one of the many desserts for the buffet. This cake stole the show, not only because it was light and fruity, desirable qualities of desserts in the tropics, but also because it was decadent in its own way, rich with custard, unlike the many other buttercreamed cakes on the table.



There is a light coating of agar on top of the fruits which serves to plant the fruits firmly on the cake, preventing an avalanche as you slice into it, and also to prevent the fruits from drying out and discolouring. You definitely want to start making the agar after the cake has been fully assembled. It's an added bother, but will definitely extend the aesthetics of your baked good.

Vanilla Cake
Ingredients:
2 tsp cream of tartar
50 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
150 g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
250 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tsp vanilla extract
200 g (1-2/3 cup) all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder

Directions:
1. Butter and line 3 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper on the bottom.
2. Preheat the oven to 175C or 350F.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until it starts to froth.
4. Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and continue whisking until soft peaks form.
5. At this stage, start adding the 50 g of sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until the egg whites come to stiff glossy peaks.
6. Transfer this meringue to another clean, large bowl.

7. Replace the whisk with a flat beater and give the bowl a good wipe, then beat together the butter and 150 g of sugar for about 10-15 minutes, till pale and fluffy.
8. While waiting, sift the flour with the baking powder into a medium bowl.

9. To the butter and sugar mixture, add the yolks, one at a time on a slower speed, followed with the vanilla extract.
10. On the slowest speed, add the flour in four additions, mixing just until no visible lumps remain.

11. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and with a wooden spoon or a large spatula, fold a third of the egg whites to the batter.
12. Gently fold the rest of the meringue in.
13. Divide the batter among the cake pans, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
I placed one on the top rack and two on the lower rack, swapping them after they have risen.
14. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting it on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Custard
Ingredients:
50 g (4 heaping tbsp) custard powder
1000 ml (4 cups) UHT milk
100 g (1/2 cup) sugar, or to taste
1 vanilla bean, scraped (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)

Directions:
1. In a saucepan, boil custard powder and milk.
2. Add vanilla and sugar, stirring constantly.
3. When done, turn off heat and cool in a larger pan filled with cold water, keep stirring so as not to set the custard.

Agar Glaze
Ingredients:
10 g (1 pack) clear Agar (I use Swallow)
720 ml (3 cups) water
25 g (2 tbsp) sugar

Directions:
Make agar only when cake is assembled.
1. In a small saucepan, combine agar with cold water and sugar.
2. Cook till it boils.
3. Turn off the heat, keep stirring so it doesn't coagulate.

Assembling
Ingredients:
4 cups of cut peaches, plums, cherries, pineapples, strawberries, blueberries, or the like.

Directions:
1. Invert one cake layer onto a serving platter.
2. Spread a little less than a third of the custard on top.
3. If desired, place half a cup of fruit (diced small) on the top of the custard.
4. Top with the second cake layer.

5. Repeat layering with the same amount of custard earlier and optional fruit.
6. Place the last cake layer on top.
7. Pour and spread the rest of the custard on top, letting it drip over the sides.
Work quickly, this stuff can set and thicken.
8. Arrange the rest of the fruit on top of the custard.

9. At this time, the agar glaze can be made, stir to cool, then slowly pour on top of the fruit and to the sides to set the fruit and prevent them from discolouring.
10. Refrigerate a few hours or overnight.

Nothing quite screams Americana as apple pie. Well, maybe burgers, corn dogs, and mac and cheese, but we're not going there today. So for our Fourth of July little celebration, we, in our home in Vancouver, Canada, made apple pie. Yes, we celebrate the Fourth up here too. And why not? Because any celebration is a wonderful cause, and opportunity, to instagram enjoy the foods so strongly associated with it ;) Right?


I've made apple pie many many occasions and by jove it's the same recipe I've used time and again, and surely giving credit where credit is due, I thank Grandma Ople for sharing this recipe. My kids thank her too because her recipe is da bomb! It's that sweet roux that is poured on the apple sliced that makes it superb! You should try it too!


Do you have enough apples sitting in your fruit stand now? You best start working on the pie crust then ...

Crust
Ingredients:
470 g (3-3/4 cup) all purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
340 g (1-1/2 cup) chilled butter, diced small
180 ml (3/4 cup) ice water

Directions:
1. In a cold large bowl, mix the flour with the salt.
2. Scatter the butter cubes all over the flour and work it into the flour with a pastry blender or a fork, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add water, a tablespoon at a time, taking care not to overwork the dough. Mix until it just barely comes together.
4. Pat the dough into two disks, wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 220C or 425F.
6. Remove the dough from the fridge.
7. Start rolling out one of the dough disks to fit your 9 inch pie dish, creating a bit of an overhang, pressing it onto the rim. This just makes it less likely to shrink.
8. Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough, fill it with (baking) beans, rice, or pie weights.
9. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until the edges turn golden.
10. Remove the pie dish from the oven, carefully remove the parchment paper with the contents, return the dish to the oven and bake a further 5 minutes to dry the bottom.
11. Cool the pie crust to room temperature before filling.

At this point, I take my coffee break and have some biscuits ;)

Pie filling
Ingredients:
8 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
150 g (2/3 cup) butter
4 tbsp all purpose flour
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
100 g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar
60 ml (1/4 cup) water
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp granulated sugar, to sprinkle on top

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C or 425F.
2. Arrange the apple slices on the cooled pie crust.

3. Remove the other disk from the fridge and roll it out, cutting it into strips.
4. Cover the pie with the strips to make a lattice design.

5. Make the sweet roux by melting the butter in a medium saucepan, then stirring in the flour to make a paste.
6. When the flour cooks out and starts to bubble a bit, add the sugars, water, and the vinegar. Bring to a soft boil. It should be of a syrup-like consistency.

7. Very carefully pour this sweet roux into the nooks and crannies of the pie, between the lattice crust.
8. Brush the remaining 2-3 tbsp of roux on the lattice strips, then sprinkle with sugar.
9. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 175C or 350F and bake a further 30-40 minutes until the top is a beautiful golden brown.

10. Cool to room temperature before slicing and serving to let the juices meld into the apples.
Trust me, this is the hardest part. LOL!



This is the slice we cut when it just cooled enough to safely handle. A hot and sticky mess, and I loved it!

Some of my best recipes start from what I call the fridge trance. It's those moments that I stare into the fridge, survey its contents and think. Think ... why did I get that pack of gruyère? Did I even buy that hummus? Who bought that hummus? How did that jar of preserves get there? Is that mold on it? How long do I have before the goat's milk quits on me?

Now I'm not just staring into the cold space in there, I'm processing all these thoughts in my mind ... what should I make now, what can I make tomorrow, and what could I make to use most of what is on my short list. I give myself bonus points for making a dish that uses more than 2 items on my short list. Yay! As you can see, cooking has really taken a toll on me mentally. LOL!



This is how this amazing bundt cake came to be. We had a dinner to attend. Surely I was to bring dessert. And a survey of the fridge contents directed me to the open pack of cream cheese. Aha! I had just the recipe in mind for it. It was from America's Test Kitchen and I remember bookmarking it a few weeks ago. It was for a cream cheese pound cake, out of which I adapted to make it a marbled version here.

So moist, so flavourful, the chocolate and vanilla batter coming together to create a rich dessert that accompanied our chai after dinner. This bundt cake was definitely more suited for an after meal dessert than an afternoon tea fare. And I'm happy and proud to report that it was well received by our friends who invited us over, for it was a happy compromise for the lady of the house who preferred vanilla cakes, and her husband, who loved chocolate. Aaah ... if everything were that simple and easily worked out.



Ingredients:
340 g (3 cups) cake flour
1 tsp salt
4 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
400 g (2 cups) granulated sugar
340 g (1-1/2 cups or 3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

Belle was here to celebrate Christmas with us and this was the only dessert she asked of me. I was more than happy to oblige. In fact I made two of them, a classico and a matcha tiramisù, the recipe of which I will be posting soon.


Ingredients:
120 ml or 2 double shots of espresso
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp marsala (or a coffee liqueur)
3 large egg yolks
65 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
2 tbsp marsala (or a coffee liqueur)
225 g (8 oz) mascarpone
120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
48 Savoiardi fingers
Cocoa, to dust

Directions:
1. Line the loaf pan with cling wrap, leaving enough to cover the top when filled.
2. In a bowl, combine the espresso, sugar, and liqueur and leave to cool.

3. In a metal bowl over a pan of simmering water, beat the eggs and sugar until tripled in volume.
An electric beater is your saviour here. This may take 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Turn off the stove and remove from the bowl from the heat.
Congratulations! You have just made zabaglione, which is superb when enjoyed just on its own!
5. To the egg mixture, whisk in the marsala and mascarpone.

6. In another bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form.
7. Gently fold the whipped cream into the egg and mascarpone mixture.

8. Working one at a time, dip the Savoiardi fingers into the cooled espresso mix and lay them on the bottom of the pan. You may need to trim some pieces to fit.
9. Spread half of the mascarpone mix on the fingers.
10. Dip more fingers, and lay them on top of the filling.
11.  Spread the rest of the mascarpone on them and top with the remaining fingers.

12. Cover with the overhang of the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
13. Half an hour before serving, remove the tiramisu from the refrigerator, and invert it onto a serving platter.
14. Remove the plastic wrap, dust with a generous layer of cocoa powder, and let stand. It is so much better chilled, rather than cold.

This beautiful rendition of a classic angel food cake was popularized by Rose Levy Beranbaum in her book, Rose's Heavenly Cakes. It is essentially an angel food cake evenly studded with chocolate shavings that it resembles the fabric after which it is named.





You'd have to get a really really dark bar for this and coincidentally I picked up a Ghirardelli 100% chocolate bar last week on my cross border shopping. It was perfect for this recipe! I didn't have to compensate for the sweetness of the angel food cake to allow for more sweetness in the chocolate.




Lindt also carries a 99% which would may do the job well enough. Anything under 85% is probably a no-go.



This chocolate tweed angel food cake came out delightfully airy and spongy. It was well received and tastefully enjoyed by the onlookers (read: husband and kids) who were waiting patiently as I finished taking these pictures :)


Ingredients:
56 g (half of 1) Ghirardelli 100% cocoa unsweetened chocolate bar
300 g (1-1/2 cup) granulated sugar, divided
100 g (3/4 cup) cake flour
pinch of salt
480 ml (16 large) egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp cream of tartar
4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Grate the chocolate bar into a bowl, cover, then place in the freezer while you prepare the rest of the batter.
2. Preheat the oven to 175C or 350F and get your ungreased tube pan ready.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together 150 g (3/4 cup) of the sugar, the cake flour, and the salt.
4. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until it becomes foamy.
5. Add the cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high and whisk until the egg whites have reached the soft peaks stage.
6. Spoon in the rest of the sugar ... 150 g (3/4 cup) in three additions, whisking until the egg whites have reached firm or stiff peaks.
7. Reduce the speed to medium and add the vanilla to the egg whites.
8. Turn off the mixer and fold the flour in with a spatula in four additions until just combined.
Alternatively, you can substitute the flat beater for the whisk attachment and fold the flour in with the beater.
9. Fold the chilled grated chocolate into the batter.
10. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and give it a few final folds with the spatula.
11. Transfer the batter into the tube pan, then run a small spatula or a knife around to make sure there are no air bubbles trapped inside.
12. Smooth the top and place in the oven to bake for 30 - 40 minutes.

13. When the surface has turned a nice golden colour, insert a skewer into the center of the batter to check for doneness.
14. Remove from the oven and immediately flip over a cooling rack.
My tube pan has handy dandy 'stilts' or 'feet' which allows it to hover while cooling. In its absence, get an empty bottle with a narrow neck and invert the tube part of the pan onto the neck so the cake cools upside down helping it to retain its height.
15. Let cool completely, then run a thin offset spatula or a thin bladed knife around the sides of the pan to release the cake from the sides. Repeat around the centre and on the bottom of the pan.

Serve with a dollop of sweetened cream if you like.

This Diwali, the challenge was to create a totally vegan meal, from main course to dessert. Main course was easy enough to tackle. Most desserts, though, relied on cream or milk, at least the ones I loved ... like kheer and kulfi.



Now I already have a fab kulfi recipe ... rich, creamy and dreamy, laced with saffron and a hint of cardamom and you can see it here. But of course, it wasn't vegan. Sure I could replace milk with a non dairy or nut milk easily. But it would be quite shallow (for want of a suitable word) and not 'rich' enough. Coconut cream? naaahh ... too overpowering. After scouring online for ideas, I came across a superb ingredient to lend this kulfi a velvety texture it needed ... cashew!



Yep, raw cashews are a vegan godsend. It makes a great cream substitute for cooking, you can do a cheese sauce with it (with the right combination of spices) ... heck, it even makes ice cream! So yes, cashews will do. And it performed marvelously. Soaked cashews, when blended, lent this kulfi the structure, the creaminess and richness it needed. And because it was laden with mango purée, you couldn't really tell. It was so freaking awesome! Score for a dessert veganized!

Ingredients:
1 cup raw cashews
1-1/2 cups boiling water
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup almond milk
1-1/2 cups almond milk
5-6 saffron strands
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 cups mango purée
Sugar, to taste
Pinch of salt

Directions:
1. In a small bowl or a mug, soak cashews in boiling water. Set aside.
2. In another small bowl or mug, dissolve the cornstarch in cool or cold 1/2 cup almond milk. If it starts to settle on the bottom, just stir again.

3. In a large saucepan, place the 1-1/2 cup almond milk, saffron, and cardamom, and bring to a simmer to release the flavours.
4. Add the mango purée, the stirred cornstarch mixture, and the soaked cashews along with the soaking water, to the saucepan and bring to an almost boil.
5. Turn off the heat and either use an immersion blender on the saucepan or place the liquid into a blender. Very carefully!
6. Taste for sweetness, adjust if necessary, then add a pinch of salt.
Because the can of mango purée was already sweetened I didn't add any sugar at all.
You may want to blend again after adding sugar.
7. Pour into kulfi or popsicle molds, then freeze.

To serve, sprinkle chopped pistachios or slivered almonds on top.

A fabulous looking dessert, the pavlova is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, and was supposedly created in a hotel in Wellington, New Zealand during Anna's visit in 1926. The exact origins are still much debated as both Australia and New Zealand lay claim to this meringue cake and declare it as their celebratory and holiday dessert.

The pavlova is a meringue cake that serves as a base, crispy on the outside with a soft and moist interior that is typically made in the summer months when a bounty of berries are in season to grace the top of the cake.

Most pavs, as they are affectionately known, will have a sweetened whipped cream layer upon which the fruits will lay. We are upping the ante with crème pâtissière ;) in addition to the traditional whipped cream layer. Oh yes! Going all out on this one.


Fortunately, our fruit platters runneth over with luscious and succulent fruits this week: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwis, and mangoes, and they all played a part in making our summer pavlova as exquisite as it looks.


How about that mango rose ;)? My mom in law was staying with us and roses are her favourite. We came across a picture of it online and she promptly convinced me to try my hand at it. We were both elated to see it come out so beautifully.


This recipe makes an impressively tall-ish 9 inch deep dish meringue base to serve as your canvas.

Ingredients:
Pavlova
150 ml or 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
180 g (1-1/2 cups) icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla  extract
1 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp cornstarch

Crème pâtissière

Sweet cream
300 ml (1-1/4 cup) heavy cream, cold
2 tbsp icing sugar


Directions:
Pavlova
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to fit, then trace a 9 inch circle (using a cake pan) with a pencil.
2. Turn the paper around so you won't be piping onto the penciled side.

3. Preheat the oven to 130C or 260F.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on high speed until it forms soft peaks.
5. Add the icing sugar to the egg whites, a tablespoon at a time until the meringue has turned smooth, glossy and holds its peaks firmly. This could take 4-5 minutes.

6. Remove the bowl from the stand and fold  in the vanilla, vinegar and cornstarch quickly.
7. Spoon large chunks of the meringue in the middle of that circle and even it out to make a smooth disk with raised sides to hold in all that goodness.
8. Use teeny bits of meringue to 'glue' the parchment down to the baking sheet in the corners. They have a tendency to curl up and touch your pretty sculpted meringue.

9. Bake for 75-80 minutes until firm to the touch. Turn the oven off but leave the pav inside with the door closed for another hour and half until completely cool. It should be crisp on the outside but still fluffy and soft inside.

Crème pâtissière
While the meringue is in the oven, start your crème pâtissière ...
1. With plastic wrap, line a heatproof dinner plate and set aside.

A childhood favourite! My parents made this a regular treat each time we visit the hill station aka neighbouring mountain. Puncak Pass is a pretty place with an amazing view. Quite like a Swiss chalet, it has bungalows perched on the mountain slopes, winding trails, and a cozy restaurant that serves, what I have been conditioned to believe is, the best poffertjes in the world.


Airy, bready, yet filling and satisfying, we enjoyed their poffertjes with a drizzle of 'gula jawa' or palm sugar syrup, and the ubiquitous dusting of icing sugar. This place also served an amazing banana pancake ... but it was the poffertjes that reeled us all in.



It somehow seemed perfect against a backdrop of fog-covered slopes and dewy grass, where we would often brave the chills to sit outside in the patio, if only for a while, to down these amazing bites. My parents would retreat indoors to a warmer seating option, while my brother and I would walk around the grounds all the way to where the swings and slides were. Then after, we would join them to enjoy another round of poffertjes.



Interestingly enough, we didn't find these same kind of poffertjes in the Netherlands, oh ... we had them everywhere we saw them. They were delicious, though, but not as puffy, chewy and satisfying. You could say that the ones we grew up with had more bang for the buck, or in this case, more bread for the ball.

This is my kind of poffertjes recipe...

Ingredients:
2 tsp active dry yeast
2-1/2 cups warm milk
180 g (1-1/2 cups) buckwheat flour (you could do with whole wheat)
250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
4 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
4 eggs

Butter, for the poffertjes pan
Powdered sugar to serve

Preparation:
1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. Set aside to proof until bubbly.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flours, sugar and salt.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour, place the eggs, then mix it into the flour.
4. Drizzle in the milk, gently whisking it into the batter.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest for an hour in a warm place.

6. When the dough has risen, give it a gentle fold.
7. With a brush, butter the poffertjes wells, and when it sizzles, ladle the batter just shy of the rim. Cover the pan.
8. As soon as you can see the sides start pulling away, flip the poffertjes upside down using two skewers.

9. Continue cooking until the batter is used up.
10. Dust with icing sugar and serve with honey, maple syrup, or my favourite ... gula jawa.

Tips for cooking the poffertjes:
1. Preheat the pan on medium heat.
2. Butter the wells.
3. When butter sizzles, remove pan from the heat and ladle in the batter.
4. Return the pan to the flame and cover.
5. When you see the bottoms start to set, quickly flip the poffertjes over to let the uncooked batter fill up the well, making a 'kinda' perfect sphere.
6. Remove the poffertjes and repeat.
7. It's not necessary to keep buttering the pan, once at the onset is plenty.
8. After the first batch, you may want to reduce the heat to medium-low.
9. We want to sufficiently brown the bottom while making sure the batter doesn't cook thoroughly so when you flip it, it flows to fill the other half, making a pretty spherical shape.

Practice makes perfect ;) Enjoy!

Aromatic and fragrant, saffron kheer is the epitome of an Indian dessert. The cardamom infused milk echoes the myriad Indian dishes you (may have) just enjoyed as a prelude to this sweet dish. The delicate fragrance of rosebuds suggests it is of an exotic, yet familiar nature. And the subtle yet unmistakable scent of saffron speaks of indulgence and luxury.
So whether of not you just enjoyed a fabulous Indian meal, you should try this kesar kheer. Because it is delicious, it is extravagant (you need to take your tastebuds on a wild ride) and you should treat yourself to something totally self-indulgent! If only for dessert ;)

Cooked or uncooked rice? For one, I don't see myself slaving over the stove waiting for the rice to cook while stirring constantly so the milk doesn't burn in the bottom. That is reserved only for special occasions such as Oma's Pudding with Vla. Also, if there is a shortcut available, I say: take it! Cooked rice it is!

As for the toppings, I went all out with slivered almonds, pistachios, cranberries, golden berries, and dried rosebuds. Restraint wasn't the order of the day where indulgence was concerned.

Ingredients:
5 cups milk
2 cups cooked rice (jasmine or basmati is fine)
3 cardamoms pods
1/2 tsp saffron
1 tbsp rosewater

To top:
Handful of craisins and golden berries
Handful of pistachios and slivered almonds

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk with cardamoms and saffron until milk tinges a nice shade of gold.
2. Stir in the rice, breaking up any lumps.
3. Cook until the mixture comes to a soft boil, stirring every now and then so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat, remove the cardamom pods, and introduce the rose water to the mixture.
6. Use the immersion blender to give this rice pudding a more uniform porridge-like consistency.
7. Top with dried berries, pistachios and slivered almonds, and dried rose buds.

Serve and enjoy warm.

There is this constant dilemma of what dessert to make for an Indian meal. And while I fancy gulab jamun, kaju burfi or the ocassional jalebi, we can only manage a petite bite of this sugar-laden treat before being turned off completely. So the need for a miniscule amount to satisfy this once or twice in a year craving doesn't justify making them.

This cake is so moist with the olive oil and milk, yet has texture from the cornmeal and the layer of pistachios on the bottom. But the best part of it is the honey saffron syrup that seeps into the cake delivering a subtle aromatic flavour. Layer on layer of saffron. Hey ... I don't bake this everyday. Or every year for that matter. So once in a while ... live a little better :)


This recipe is from WSJ where it was adapted from a recipe by Elizabeth Quijada from Abraço Espresso and Bakery in NYC. I adapted it again to make a tall-ish cake to fit my floral silicone cake mold and of course, decreased the sugar to allow for the syrup.

For the honey-saffron syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1/4 cup honey

For the cake:
1-1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 tsp saffron threads
Scant 2 cups flour
1-1/2 cup ground cornmeal
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped pistachios

Directions:
1. Make the syrup: In a small saucepan on low heat, stir all ingredients together until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

2. Place the warm milk and saffron threads in a glass measuring cup to bring out maximum aroma and flavour from the saffron.

3. Grease a 9 inch cake pan with butter or olive oil then line the bottom with parchment paper.
4. Preheat the oven to 350F.

5. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and baking powder and salt.
6. Make a well in the center, then add the eggs, milk and saffron, and olive oil.
7. With a sturdy whisk, mix the wet ingredients in the center together while slowly bringing in the dry ingredients into it, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

8. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios.
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.

10. Set on a cooling rack and let cool slightly before drenching it with that aromatic honey-saffron syrup.
11. Let it come to room temperature before inverting it into your cake platter.
12. Decorate with more chopped pistachios and maybe some dried rose buds.