Bananas  sauteed  in  brown  butter  sauce 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 medium bananas, peeled

Chunk of high-quality bittersweet chocolate

Creme fraiche or vanilla ice cream (optional)

Method:

Heat saute pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, cut bananas in half lengthwise. Add butter to pan and let it foam. Add cinnamon and swirl pan to incorporate. As soon as the butter begins to brown - you'll notice a nutty smell - add bananas.

As they cook, tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter over the bananas. The fruit will soak up the golden, buttery goodness. Continue cooking for 4-5 minutes until the bananas are soft but not mushy. They should hold their shape. Take care not to burn them; turn down the heat if necessary.

With a spatula, carefully transfer the bananas, flatside up, to a plate. Try to keep them intact as you do this. While they're still hot, shave chocolate over bananas with a  microplane zester. Serve immediately with a dollop of creme fraiche.

p/s  Avoid bananas that are overly ripe with big brown spots on the inside. The best ones have light freckles on the skin, but are still firm to the touch.  We could really go, ahem, bananas with the toppings. Add toasted nuts, coconut flakes or caramel sauce. Or we can keep it dead simple and it will be simply delightful.

Frangipane  Pineapple  Tart

Ingredients:

1 piece 22 cm / 11 inches blind-baked Tart Shell 

¾ cup / 6 oz  almond paste – see below**

¼ cup / 2 oz  castor sugar

1 cup / 4 oz  cream butter, softened

1 large egg

1 Tbsp / ½ oz custard powder or corn flour (cornstarch)

¼ cup / 2 oz brown sugar

1 fresh pineapple - skinned, cut into rings and halved

Cinnamon powder for dusting

Handful of sliced toasted almonds

2 Tbsp / 1 fl oz dark rum (optional)

22-cm Blind-baked Base Ingredients*:

150 g / 5 oz butter, cut into large cubes, chilled

¼ cup / 2 oz castor sugar

1 egg

1½ cups / 12 oz all-purpose slour

½ cup / 4 oz sliced toasted almonds

Green beans / chickpeas – enough to cover pan for a layer

Almond Paste:

¾ cup / 6 oz raw almond (with skin attached)

¼ cup / 2 oz castor sugar

½ cup water

Finely ground castor sugar, raw almonds, and water together.

 22-cm Blind-baked Base:

Place flour, butter, sugar and almond in a large bowl, and rub them through fingertips till rough dough is formed. Add in egg, and continue to knead the dough till smooth. Add cold water if necessary. Place to rest in fridge for 20 minutes. Place dough in a 22-cm non-stick spring form pan. Pat pastry into corners of the pan, making sure the pan is evenly lined with pastry before trimming off the excess. Score the pastry with a fork, and then place tin foil over the pastry and fill the top with green beans. Bake the pastry for 20 minutes at 180°C (360°F), till crust becomes nice and golden. Remove foil (together with green peas), and set aside to cool.

Method:

Melt ½ cup Butter on high heat.

Sprinkle brown sugar (and rum) on melted  butter, and glaze pineapple in caramel mixture till brown. Do not crowd the pineapple slices too much or they will not caramelized easily. Turn  pineapple from time to time. When done, turn off heat and allow pineapple to cool down.

In another bowl, mix cream butter with remaining sugar. Beat in almond paste, egg, and custard powder.

Pour batter into blind-baked base, and bake tart in a preheated oven, on the lowest shelf, at 180°C (360°F) for 25 minutes.  

Decorate tart with caramelized pineapples and glaze the pineapples with the remaining caramel. Dust cinnamon Powder on top of the tart, and top on with almonds and castor sugar.

Beaboosa 

Bahan-bahan

360g tepung semolina

160g tepung serbaguna

1/2 suduteh serbuk penaik

240g gula

250g minyak

250ml susu segar

Bahan sirap

480g gula

500ml air

1 biji lemon (jus)

3 sudu teh madu

Cara Membuat 

Campurkan semolina, tepung, serbuk penaik dan gula. Kemudian masukkan minyak dan susu. Kacau hingga sebati. Tuang adunan kedalam loyang dan bakar selama 30 minit pada suhu 180C. Tuang sirap keatasnya.

Sirap

Campurkan semua bahan sirap dan jerang atas api sederhana sehingga mendidih.

Chocolate Mint Whoopie Pies

 These big, cakey whoopie pies are sandwiched with
i) nutella chocolate, and ii) fluffy, 

marshmallowy frosting and are predictably irresistible.

Ingredients:

Cookies

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla or mint extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (or half all-purpose, half whole wheat)
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
 
Filling
 

3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. light or golden corn syrup or honey
2 Tbsp. cup water
1 large egg white
1 tsp. mint extract
a few drops of green food coloring

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar for a minute or so, until well combined. It will have the consistency of wet sand. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa and salt. In a small bowl, stir the baking soda into 1/2 cup very hot water until dissolved.

3. With the mixer on low or stirring by hand, add about a third of the dry ingredients, then half the buttermilk and half the baking soda mixture, mixing each time just until blended. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, the rest of the buttermilk and baking soda mixture, and then the rest of the dry ingredients, mixing each time just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips. The batter will be quite wet, almost like cake batter. (We want them to be cakey and soft, so that the filling doesn't squish out the end when you bite into it.)

4. Drop large, round spoonfuls of batter 2" apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops no longer appear wet and just spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5. To make the filling, in the top of a double boiler or in a clean stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and egg white. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed for about 7 minutes, until it stands in billowy peaks. Remove it from the heat and beat in the mint extract and green food coloring.

6. When completely cool, spread the bottom of one cookie with filling, then sandwich with a second cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and cream. Store extras individually wrapped in plastic wrap. Makes 1 dozen pies or 2 dozen cookies.

p/s   These sweet treats are said to have originated from the Amish who would make them and pack them in lunches. The lucky lunch recipients would shout "Whoopie" when they opened their lunch  packs ... or so the story goes. Today we can find whoopie pies in just about every boutique bakery across the country in the UK! These desserts are perfect for just about any occasion and the flavour possibilities are limitless! 

Green Pistachio Ice Cream

• 250 ml best quality vanilla ice cream, softened
• 50 grams pistachio nuts
• some green food colouring 

Grind pistachio nuts in a food processor until finely chopped.
Mix it well with softened vanilla ice cream and some green food colouring.
Put it back in the bowl, cover with cling film and pop it back in the freezer for 1-2 hours, or until serving time.

p/s   creme  glacee  folle  

Fabulous 5-Minute Fudge Wreath

INGREDIENTS:
 
Unsalted butter, softened
One 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (save the can)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
One 8-ounce can walnuts, plus more for topping
½ cup raisins or dried currants (a couple of handfuls)
Candied red and green cherries (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
 
1. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with softened butter. Pour the chocolate and butterscotch chips, condensed milk and vanilla into a medium saucepan. Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to low.

2. Cover the empty condensed-milk can with plastic wrap and put it in the center of the round cake pan.

3. Stir the chips and milk until they melt together, about 3 minutes. Then move the pan off the stove if it's too heavy. Place the pan on a pot holder so it does not burn the kitchen counter. Stir in the nuts and raisins. Scoop the fudge into the cake pan all around the plastic-covered can in the center to form a wreath or ring shape. Let it be all bumpy and funky on top. Keep pushing the can back to the center if the fudge moves it away from there. Cut the red cherries in half with scissors and the green cherries into quarters. Use the green pieces to make leaves and the red to make holly berries. Decorate the fudge with several groups of holly berry sprigs made from the cherries and garnish with walnuts between the sprigs.

4. Put the fudge in the fridge and chill until firm. Remove the can from the center, then loosen the sides and bottom of the fudge with a spatula. Cut the fudge into thin slices to serve.

Chocolate  Tiramisu

      Tips: 

Tiramisu is a no-cooking cake dessert; unlike most cakes we can make it in 15 minutes. It's inexpensive, elegant, super easy and fun to make. Instead of using espresso to soak our cookies, use 1 pot of very strong coffee chilled in the refrigerator overnight. It's cheaper, much easier than using shot after espresso shot and works just as well! Tiramisu stores a long time. It's easily frozen and thawed. Great to serve at a party for the holidays or tea-time. Chocolate, ladyfingers, coffee and mascarpone are four layers of wonderful.Hmmm...yummy yumster!!!

*** yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients: 

12 egg yolks

½ cup granulated sugar

2 pounds mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)

1 box ladyfinger cookies

1 pot strong American coffee

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 medium chunk dark chocolate

 Method:

 Make a strong pot of coffee or espresso and let it chill in the fridge completely.

Whip egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Once the mixture has reached a nice fluffy stage, fold in the mascarpone cheese or use the electric mixer on low.

Let the mixture set up in the fridge for approximately 30 minutes.

Pour cold coffee in a mixing bowl and add the vanilla extract.

Take a medium sized (6 x 9) baking dish, and spread a thin layer of the mascarpone cream mixture on the bottom.

Dip the cookies very quickly into the coffee and layer onto the cream. Repeat until the layer is covered.

With a cheese grater shave the chocolate on top of the cookies.

Repeat until the dish is full to the top.

Serve immediately or keep chilled in the fridge for later.

*** Mascarpone is an Italian cheese made from cream, coagulated with citric acid or acetic acid. Mascarpone is milky-white in color and is easily spread. It is used in various dishes of the Lombardy region of Italy, where it is a specialty. It is a main ingredient of modern tiramisu.

French Macaroons

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 7/8 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup egg whites
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 drops food coloring
• 1/4 cup water

Easy Buttercream:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Total Time: 1 hr 0 min

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 35 min

Yield :  6 -8 servings

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

 Stir together the confectioners' sugar and almond flour and sift it through a tammie or very open mesh strainer. In a mixer with a whip attachment, whip the whites until frothy. 
Add the sugar (and food coloring if using) and whip until stiff. 
Add 1/3 of the almond mixture and fold part way in. 
Add another 1/3 and fold partway in. 
Add final 1/3 and fold in leaving a few specks of egg whites. It will look like deflated marshmallow. 
Place a pastry bag with a close pin holding it shut in a tall round container folding the edge over the rim of the container to fill it easily. 
Pipe dots of meringue at each corner to stick down some parchment paper on a sheet pan. Pipe rows of kisses 1-inch each (size of a quarter) one half inch apart. 
Bake about 17 minutes until very light brown. Pour 1/4 cup water under the parchment paper at both ends of the sheet to steam them loose. Let cool and peel off.

Easy Buttercream: In a mixer with a whip attachment whip the butter very well, scraping the bowl often until it's light and fluffy.
Add the confectioners' sugar and mix on low. Drizzle in the flavorings with the hot water. 
Chill up to a week until ready to use, then bring to room temperature.

Pipe macaroons with buttercream and make little sandwiches. Keep in a covered box chilled.

p/s...these look like whoopies, but whoopies are much softer (like little cakes). Godwilling, will post the recipe of whoopies in future entry.

KUIH TAKO

Lapisan Bawah
25 gm tepung hoen kwe - hijau 
1 1/2 cawan air
1/2 cawan gula
2  biji sengkuang cina - di potong dadu (kalau tak de boleh guna buah pear)

Lapisan Atas 
25 gm tepung hoen kwe - putih
2 cawan sartan - 1/2 cawan santan Kara + 1 1/2 cawan air
secubit garam

Cara

Susun kotak pandan atas tray.
Aturkan potongan sengkuang Cina dalan kotak pandan tadi.
Campurkan semua bahan Lapisan Bawah  dalam periuk dan masak atas api sederhana sambil mengacau hinga dia meletup - letup dan pekat terus tutup api dan masukkan dalam kotak pandan tadi.
Kemudian kita ketepikan, dan buat pula Lapisan Atas.
Satukan semua lapisan atas dam periuk dan masak atas api sederhana sambil dikacau. Sama seperti proses memasak lapisan bawah. Bila ia meletup2 kecil tu terus tutup api.
Pastikan lapisan yg bawah tadi dah mengeras baru tuang lapisan putih.
Tuang dari bahagian tepi dulu supaya dia tak bolos ke lapisan bawah. Tuang perlahan.
Tunggu sejuk dan kemudian boleh di simpan dalam peti ais.

p/s  sedap dimakan jika ianya sejuk !

Puding  Karamel

 

Bahan (A) karamel:

3 sudu besar gula kastor
1/4 cawan air panas
Masakkan gula  hingga larut & perang.
Tuangkan air panas & pastikan gula karamel larut sepenuhnya dalam air.

Setelah larut, masukkan ke dalam loyang dan ketepikannya dahulu.

Bahan (B) pudding:

1 biji kentang saiz sederhana  (rebus hingga empuk)
1 1/2 cawan susu cair
1/4 cawan air
1/2 cawan susu pekat
1 sudu teh esen vanila
secubit garam

* 5 biji telur Gred A

(dikacau perlahan jangan sampai berbuih)

Cara2:

1. Kisar semua bahan B kecuali telur.
2. Satukan hasil kisaran dengan telur. 

3. Kacau sebati & tapiskan.
4. Tuangkan ke dalam loyang karamel tadi & kukus selama 20 min

 p/s  dimakan dengan buah peach (dalam tin) dan kismis...yummy yumster!!!