Orange Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

 

This continues my dessert making with fruits.

I have three large oranges Outspan from South Africa sitting at home and my girl rejected drinking the juice because it tastes different from the carton ones... sigh... they will not be wasted if I can use them somehow in baking.

 

Flipping through Cupcakes with Attitude, I found Gold Rush Cupcakes which used the juice of  half an orange in the cupcake. I decided to do an orange frosting as well with the juice of the other half orange.

 

These are really large and juicy oranges. When I sliced open, they are red and not orange. But the juice I squeezed out is light orange.

Cupcake Ingredients you need
Unsalted butter 125g
Caster sugar 125 g
Eggs 2 lightly beaten
Orange oil 1 tsp or orange essential oil 5 drops (omitted)
Orange juice from 1/2 orange
Orange zest grated from 1/2 orange (I used 1 whole orange)
Self raising flour 125 g
Orange liquer (Grand marnier) (omitted) 2 tbsp and more for drizzling

I added a few drops of Bake King orange paste and also a little vanilla essence.

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line the muffin tray with cupcake liners.
2. Cream butter using my handheld electric whisk for a few minutes. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat till well combined.
3.  Add eggs and beat until mixture is well blended, light and fluffy.
4. Add orange paste, vanilla essence, juice and zest. Mix well.
5. Add flour and continue to beat until well mixed. Stop immediately when all flour has been mixed well into the batter. (add orange liquer if you have at here)
6. Spoon batter into cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cupcakes sit in muffin tray 5 minutes.
7. Remove cupcakes from tray and let cool on rack before frosting.

If you have orange liqueur, now pierce the cupcakes with several holes while still warm and drizzle the orange liqueur.  Cool and then frost.

Orange Frosting
Vegetable shortening 150g (I used Crisco)
Orange paste
Icing sugar 150g sifted
Orange Juice 3 tablespoon

Method
1.  Beat the vegetable shortening  in an electric mixer for about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.
2. Add orange paste and continue beating.
3. Add icing sugar and continue beating - I added 1/3 at a time in case the sugar flies out. Beat till well combined.
4. Gradually add 1 tablespoon of orange juice to achieve desired consistency.
5. Use a piping bag and star tip to add frosting to the cupcakes.
6. If you find it hard to pipe, just store in the fridge 15 minutes and then use the frosting.

Cooling my cupcakes on rack

 

Pipe them differently for a more interesting display. I also added orange sugar on some and drizzled melted chocolate.

Cupcakes are soft, and the frosting a slight orange taste. Make them soon and enjoy!

 

 

Chocolate Panna Cotta

 

Lovely Chocolate Panna Cotta served with strawberries and chocolate sauce

 

Recipe from Family Circle

 

http://www.recipe.com/chocolate-panna-cotta/

 

Ingredients

1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon unflavoured gelatin
2/3 cup of half and half
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped semisweet chocolate
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Note :
To make half and half - use a cup of milk less 2 tablespoons and add in 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

1. Place milk in saucepan, sprinkle with gelatin and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes just until gelatin dissolves, do not let milk boil.

2. Add half and half, sugar, chocolate, vanilla and salt, and whisk constantly over medium high heat 4- 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves and chocolate has melted.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.  Pour into a 8 ounce ramekin and chill overnight.

3.  To serve, dip ramekin into bowl of hot water for about 30 seconds, then invert onto serving plate. Garnish with strawberries and chocolate sauce.

I used a measuring spoon to put my milk and gelatin and later poured into the cooking pan.

 

Whisk - I forgot and used a wooden spoon later the liquid will turn chocolate colour when chocolate melts.

 

In the bowl before chilling

 

Serve it with strawberries and chocolate sauce for a great tasting dessert - can be shared by 2 persons!

Enjoy!!

 

 

Cream Cheese Panna Cotta

First attempt at Panna Cotta - which is defined as an Italian dessert made by simmering together cream, milk, and sugar, mixing this with gelatin, and letting cool until set.  It is also described as an silky eggless white custard.

My friend showed me a Panna Cotta dessert she had in Taiwan and I searched the internet for a recipe which I hope I can try.  There are lots of recipes available and I decided to do a Cream Cheese Panna Cotta.  Original recipe is titled Mascarpone Panna Cotta comes from www.food.com  and I paired it with strawberries compote from another recipe in  www.taste.com.au. A compote is described as a cooked fruit dessert which combines an assortment of fruits and a rich thick syrup.


Ingredients  for Panna Cotta :

http://www.food.com/recipe/mascarpone-panna-cotta-34807

1 tablespoon mik
1 1/4 teaspoons unflavoured gelatin
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (I used Kraft cream cheese)
1/4 cup sour cream

Method
1. In a small bowl, pour 1 tablespoon milk
2. Sprinkle the gelatin, and allow it to soften about 10 minutes.
3. Combine the cream, 1/3 cup milk, vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar in a saucepan.
4. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring often.
5. Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture and stir until melted.
6. Let the mixture cool slightly down to a warm temperature.
7. In a medium bowl, whisk together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.
8. Slowly add in the now warm cream mixture into the bowl, whisking constantly.
9. Spray 3 or 4 ramekins with cooking spray.
10. Pour the mixture inside the ramekins.
11. Chill until cold and set (3 -4 hrs and up to 12 hrs).  Run a small knife around the edge of the ramekins to loosen the panna cotta.
12.  If it doesn't work, dip the bottom of the ramekin in hot water for a few seconds.
13. Invert the ramekin onto a plate.


Strawberry Compote Ingredients
3 tablespoons of strawberry jam.
3 tablespoons of cold water.
12 pcs of small strawberries, hulled.

Method
1. Place the jam and cold water in  a small saucepan.
2.  Stir over low heat till jam melts.
3. Add strawberries and stir to coat in jam.
4.  Cool before use.
5. Spoon over panna cotta and serve.

Note : I did not stir my strawberries in the low heat so they remained firm.  Actually should stir them in heat till they soften a little. Next time I shall do that.

 Milk, Bulla thickened cream (whipping cream), vanilla, caster sugar, gelatin on milk.

 

 

Gelatin absorbed by milk

Bring ingredients to a boil.

After cooking.

After whipping the cream cheese and sour cream

After combining the boiled cream and whipped cheese and sour cream

 

Into the ramekins

 

 Panna cotta set.

 

 

After inverting the panna cotta.

 

 

Melting the strawberry jam.

 

My strawberries for decoration on the panna cotta.

 

 

 

 

Tasty, and a nice combination of sweet and sour taste.  Firm enough to hold the fruits on the panna cotta. I  managed to make 3 portions.

 

Do try out this recipe, I am sure they will be well received! Enjoy!

 

 

Coffee Jelly Dessert

Coffee Jelly served with ice cream and attap seeds and biscuit stick.

 

Inspired after a visit to St Marc's at Vivocity and eating their ice cream with coffee jelly, I decided to do some of my own.

 

My coffee jelly which I chilled over night

 

 

 

Frapuccino coffee drinks with whipped cream

 

I followed the steps on wikihow.com

Coffee Jelly ingredients
1 cup coffee (Espresso)
1/2 tbsp. unflavoured gelatin powder
1 tbsp. sugar
water

Mix the gelatin powder with 2 tbsp. of water.
Prepare 1 cup of coffee - I used 2 teaspoons of espresso coffee powder
Combine this hot coffee in a saucepan with the gelatin water mixture
Stir the coffee mixture over low heat, until sugar is totally dissolved.
Pour the mixture into a bowl. Chill until firm and you get jelly like consistency.
This will take several hours. You can prepare this the night before.
When serving, dice the coffee jelly into cubes or just scoop with your spoon.

Fracpuccino ingredients

1.5 cups of chilled coffee
2 cups of milk
2 cups of ice cubes (original says 4 cups)
4 tablespoons of caster sugar
1 small packet whipping cream

I used this brand of espresso coffee - very fragrant!

 

My whipping cream done

 

To make the frapuccino drink, you need to chill 1 and  1/2 cups of coffee in the freezer for about 2 hours.
When it is really chilled, take the coffee out and pour into the blender, add the milk, 2 cups of ice, 4 tablespoon of sugar.
Blend on high till ice has been crushed.
Prepare whipping cream ( I added a little sugar to whip)

Put some cube coffee jelly into a tall glass, add the blended coffee and top with the whipped cream and you have a delicious glasss of frapuccino!

 

Enjoy this on a hot afternoon to quench your thirst!

 

 

 

 

 

Mango Sorbet Ice Cream

Would you love to have a bowl of refreshing mango sorbet ice cream in hot Singapore weather? I do!

I made this effortlessly. Following is the link to how to make this without an ice cream machine.

Mango Sorbet Ice Cream recipe from About.com by Darlene Schmidt

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaidesserts/r/mangosorbet.htm

http://video.about.com/thaifood/How-to-Make-Thai-Mango-Sorbet.htm

I would recommend to reduce the sugar if you are using super sweet mangoes. 

Ingredients

2 fresh ripe mangoes (Taiwan Mangoes)

1 cup white sugar (can reduce to ¾ cup if you have very sweet mangoes)

3 tbsp coconut milk

1 tsp lemon juice

1 small container of whipping cream (about  1 cup I used Bulla Thickened Cream)

Method

1.       Slice the mangos open and scoop out fruit from the skins and around the stone.  Place the fruit inside the blender or food processer.  Add the sugar and blitz for 1 minute or until sugar has dissolved and you get puree.

2.       Add the coconut milk and lemon juice and briefly blitz for a few seconds.

3.       Pour the mango puree into a bowl while you use the blender to whip the whipping cream until form stiff peaks.

4.       Add the mango puree back to the whipped cream and blitz for 5-10 seconds  or until you get a mango cream consistency. Pour into a large ice cream container (1 litre) . Freeze for at least 6 hrs, preferably 8 hrs.

5.       To serve, take out from freezer at least 10 to 15 minutes before scooping out.

Blitz Mango with sugar and add coconut milk and lemon to blitz again

Remove into bowls

Blitz whipping cream till stiff peaks

Add in mango puree to blend till mango  cream consistency

 Pour into a 1 litre tub and freeze 6-8 hours

After frozen overnight....

Serve your ice cream with some dark chocolate and cubed mangos all round...yummy!!

 

Enjoy!!

Croquettes with potato n minced beef

These lovely and tasty croquettes recipe comes from justonecookbook. Ms. Nami is always sharing her wonderful Japanese recipes.  I followed her recipe to use minced beef. You can also substitute with minced chicken or pork.

Please check her post at here : http://justonecookbook.com/blog/recipes/moms-korokke-croquette/

Original recipe as follows :

2 lb. or 4 russet potatoes about 906gm, peeled and halved

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp butter (15gms)

2 Tbsp oil

1 large onion

1 lb ground beef (453gms)

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

3 eggs

2 cup Panko

1/2 cup flour

Optional : some Kikkoman Soy Sauce

Oil for deep frying

Tonkatsu Sauce

Method.

Prepare potatoes.

In a large pot, put water and potatoes and bring to boil.  Cook potatoes until a skewer goes through the potato easily.  Move the pot back to the stove. On low heat, shift the pot so that remaining moisture will completely evaporate but make sure don't burn the potatoes.

Transfer to a large bowl and mash the potatoes.  Add salt, pepper and butter.

Peel and chop the onion.  Heat oil on medim high. Saute onion until soft. Add meat and break up with a wooden spoon.  When meat is cooked, add salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and let the meat cool.

I also drizzled some Kikkoman Soy Sauce over the meat when frying.

See the oil? Drain away the oil and juice before you add the meat into the potato.

Form the mixture when still warm, but not hot into the balls.  Let them chill in the fridge for about 15-30 minutes before frying.

Prepare the flour, panko and egg mixture.  I only used 2 eggs because I reduced ingredients to 2/3 of original recipe.

Coat the balls with flour, then dredge in egg mix, then cover with panko crumbs.  Put inside fridge until oil is ready.

In a wok or use an electric fryer, heat oil to medium high heat. Deep fry croquette until they are golden brown. Drain on paper towels. 

Serve them with Tonkatsu sauce or with a dish of mayonnaise.  They are really delicious!  I will make them again.  Enjoy!