Tomato, Fetta and Bacon Frittatas

Tomato, Fetta and Bacon Frittatas recipe from The Australian Women’s Weekly  - the junior chef

Ingredients

2 rindless bacon slices (130g) chopped coarsely ( I used back bacon)

100g feta cheese, broken into small pieces (can use less about 80gm)

¼ cup (20 g) finely grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil ( I replaced with a few spoons of peas)

6 eggs

2/3 cup (160ml) pouring cream – I used Emborg cooking cream

9 baby egg tomatoes, cut in half lengthways

Method

1.       Turn oven to 180 deg celcius and let it heat up.  Use a cooking oil spray to grease a 6 hole muffin pan or use disposable aluminum cases.  Cut 6 circles of baking paper just large enough to line the base of each pan hole. No need to line aluminium cases, just spray with oil will do.

2.       Divide bacon, feta, parmesan and peas between pan holes.  Break eggs, one at a time into a small bowl, then pour into a large jug. When all the eggs are in the jug, beat them well with a whisk.  ADD the cream and whisk it into the eggs.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan holes. Note : Do not fill to the top,  up to ¾ will do or it will overflow when baking. 

3.       Put the muffin pan in the oven and bake the frittatas for about 25 minutes.  Take the pan out of the oven, leave it for 5 minutes.  Use a palette knife to loosen the edges of the frittatas before carefull y turning them out.  Remove the baking paper from the bases of the frittatas before serving.

4.       If using basil leaves, you can decorate the top of frittatas with some leaves also before serving.

Please take note as bacon is salty, you may want to reduce the portion used.

I also used the frittata and sandwiched it to become my breakfast the next day.  Please keep in the fridge if you cannot consume them all. Just warm in the microwave the next day before eating.

Easy French Toast

 

Saturday morning, woke up feeling a rumble in my tummy. I decided to whip up something fast and tasty and the whole family can enjoy - French Toast. 

 

There are many versions on making French Toast and I made amendments to the following recipe to suit my family tastes.

 

Original recipe, pls follow this link http://www.wikihow.com/Make-French-Toast

 

Ingredients
1 egg for every 2 slices of bread
some butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon caster sugar

Mix 1 egg,  with the milk, caster sugar and vanilla essence.
Coat the slices of bread with the mixture on both sides.
Melt the butter on the frying pan on low heat.
Fry two slices of the egg covered bread side by side. Turn over when one side is browned.
Serve with bacon and cherry tomatoes.

 

Breakfast is served!

 

Honey Rice Krispies and Cornflake Cups

 

 

With Hari Raya, just around the corner, I could not help but think of all the goodies my neighbor used to give me including the cornflake cups.  So I went to try the recipe from Noobcook blog. Last year I tried but failed to do it properly and got stuck to the cups.  This year I am so glad to have succeeded and I made 2 versions.

http://www.noobcook.com/cornflakes-cups/

Kindly refer to original recipe from above link. You can use crushed cornflakes or replace with a box of  Rice Krispies 130gm

Ingredients

2 tbsp honey

50gm unsalted butter

150 gm cornflakes (crushed to smaller pcs) or 1 box of Rice Krispies 130gm (no need to crush)

Coloured sprinkles

 

Method

1.       Prepare a baking tray with at least 60-70 pcs of mini baking cases.

2.       Crush your cornflakes. Or  if using Rice Krispies – no need to crush.

3.       In a saucepan or small pot, place the honey and butter. Melt over gentle heat until mixture is frothy. You will see many bubbles.

4.       Remove from fire and add the Rice Krispies or cornflakes into the honey butter mixture and coat them evenly.

5.       Spoon using a teaspoon into the mini baking cases and sprinkle coloured sprinkles.

6.       Bake at preheated oven of 150 degree celcius for 10-12 minutes or until the cornflakes or rice krispies turn  a darker shade of golden. Once cooled, store inside an airtight container.

This is for crushed cornflakes recipe

 

Honey butter mixture is frothy.  Then add the cornflakes or rice krispies.

 

After baking - golden coloured and so yummy!

 

 

 

 

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!