Ferrero Rocher Brownie - Rich Version

 

FIL is finally back home since last Monday. There are a lot of adjustment for everyone after he is back home, especially for MIl and helper. FIL has been activated them so much even though there is a nurse to take care of him for 12 hours from 8am to 8pm for 2 weeks interim period. However FIL still prefer to call MIL and helper, house chores has been piling up, dear son's schedule has been disturb, MIL's relax time has lessen so much. Only for a week, I can see that MIL is so drained up, as she needs to serve my FIL 24 hours, walk in and out the room countless times when FIL rang the bell. Yup, dear husband got him a bell as he has complaint that MIL and helper didn't go in immediately after he shouted them for a few times. Although I have told MIL many times to wake us up if FIL needs to change diaper at midnight etc, she didn't as she do not wanna disturb our sleep since we need to work the next day. 

Although we prefer not to have 2nd live in helper but looking at MIL's haggard face and dragging foot steps due to the tiredness, the hiring is necessary to relief MIL especially the waking up by FIL at midnight as I dun think she can take it any longer. She is not only drain physically, mentally too as it is not easy to serve a not so good temper patient. Hope once the new helper comes in will be able to relief MIL, at least from physically....

Well back to my bakes, you may have spotted the Bakericious's chopping board in the above photos, that is the birthday present from my friends. So nice and sweet of them to carve the logo on it, I love this present to bits :D. I used it immediately for photo shoot with my bakes but only wait till now then have chance to post up the front face heeheehee....

I always think that chocolate and hazelnuts are the best combo, a perfect marriage of intense cocoa flavour and nutty fragrance.So there is no doubt that I cannot resist to keep baking the FR brownie which come with best of both worlds heeheehee...

Recipe adapted from Jessie's Cooking Moments and Eileen's Diary

Ingredients :
150g dark chocolate, chopped (I used 65%)
90g butter, chopped
80g brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 eggs at room temperature + lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used 1/4 tsp pure vanilla powder)
65g plain flour, sifted
15g cocoa powder, sifted
4 ferrero rocher (I used 8 ferrero rocher)

Method :
1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line an 8" x 3.5" x  3" inch baking pan with baking paper.

2. Mix flour and cocoa powder together, set aside.

3. Melt chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir gently and constantly until smooth. 

4. Add sugar and salt, stir until all sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.

5. Continue to stir for 30 seconds. Add beaten eggs and mix well.

6. Add vanilla extract and mix well.

7. Add flour and cocoa powder mixture in 3 separate rounds, mix well in each addition.

8. Pour 1/2 brownie batter into the baking pan. 

9. Add an even layer of Ferrero Rocher and push in the rocher and cover with remaining 1/2 of brownie batter. Flatten with dough scraper.

10.  Bake at 170C for 5 mins, reduce to 160C and continue to bake for 25 mins or until the cake tester come out clean.

11. Let it cool down completely in the baking pan .

12. Chill it for 4 hours before slicing.

Tips :

1. Take a picture of the Ferrero Rocher after placing them on the brownie batter to remind you the position of them after baking. This is for perfect cutting when ½ of the Ferrero Rocher will show up on each piece of the brownie.

2. Use a hot knife for cutting and clean the knife after each cutting.

Verdict?

The luscious brownie is deep, dark, chocolaty, moist, rich, definitely will satisfy all of your sweet-tooth and chocolate cravings.
This is a hit for everyone, I have baked many times and no one is able to resist these moist, fudgy bites of brownie! The only "negative" comment is too rich for some of them that cannot eat much, so some will vote for this version of FR brownie. Although I like both of them but if need to vote for one, I will definitely choose this version for the taste and texture, a definite keeper.  And since I love this recipe, I actually came out a light version out from this recipe, will post it out soon.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Jozelyn Ng of Spice Up My Kitchen.

Golden Sponge Cake

  

 

   

Thanks to all my baking friends that left messages to comfort me,I am so much better now. I am learning to take thing more easier, 看开点。What others want to do, I cannot control so most importantly, I just need to do my part and ignore others so I will be more happier.

There are some baking tips that I learned from internet and friends, I seldom share in my blog. I always thought that other bakers should know better than me as I am an amateur baker that always bake within comfort zone. My baking area is quite "narrow" and boring, I dare not try some of the bakes as I always think I sure cannot make it, so dun waste time hahahaha....

Until Jessie shared the tips of dropping the cake pan from high once remove from oven to prevent the cake to shrink too much during cooling process. Then I realised such good baker as her also might miss out some tips, I have been using this method for quite sometimes, ever since I had failed my golden sponge cake. In order to get a successful cake, I google and read up a lot to find why and some tips to get it correctly, this tips was found during the searching. Since then, all the cakes that will shrink after cool down, I will use this method. However I read from somewhere that some baking chef actually dun encourage this method, but I forgot the reason, age catching up lol, will share with you if I can find the info again.

Recipe modified from Nasi Lemak Lover.

Ingredients (*6" round cake pan with removable base - cannot use non-stick)

50g butter (salted)

50g cake flour
3 egg yolks *
55g milk

3 egg whites *

50g caster sugar
6g corn starch

* the estimate weight of the 3 eggs used by Sonia is 66-68g with shell, 56-57g without shell. The eggs that my mil bought were small 49g-53g with shell, so I used 4 eggs but if the total eggs weighed is much more than what Sonia's used, I will change to 7" cake pan. So far I need to use 7" as if use 6", the cake will explore and crack terribly. If use 6" cake pan, there will be spare batter for 2 cupcakes - 5cm dimension base.

** updated on 24 June 2014 : I used 3 bigger eggs weigh approx. 63g each, the batter is still too much for 6" round cake pan that I have to transfer to 7". The batter can only fill the cake pan about 60% full or not more than 70%. If more than that, the cake will "explode" and crack terribly base on my past experience.

Method

1. Prepare a cake pan, don’t need to grease or line paper.
2. Separate egg white and egg yolk into two mixing bowls. (if I wanna bake last min, I will soak the chilled eggs in warm water to speed out the process to room temperature)
3. Melt butter in a saucepan, once you see small bubbles, remove from heat.
4. Immediately add in sifted flour, quickly stir to become batter. (the batter is like very soft paste)
5. Pour the milk into a empty mixing bowl, scape in the butter + flour batter and mix well with the milk. (like mayonnaise kind of texture)
6. Add in egg yolk one at a time, stir well on each addition. The batter is slightly runny if compare to normal chiffon batter. (I added in all egg yolks at once, the batter is runny)
7. Mix sugar and corn starch together. Beat egg whites till foamy, gradually add in sugar and corn starch mixture (three times) and continue beat until approaching stiff peaks (meringue stand straight up with a little curve at the tip) or till stiff peaks (this stage is a bit difficult to fold with egg yolk mixture)
8. Take 1/3 of meringue and use a hand whisk to mix well with egg yolk batter.
9. Fold in 1/2 of meringue and use a silicone spatula, gently fold with egg yolk batter till slightly combined. Fold in the balance meringue and gently fold till well combined. 
10. Pour the batter from high slowly into cake pan to release bubbles, then lightly bang the cake tin to further release the bubbles.

11. Bake at pre-heated oven at 140C (no fan) for 25mins at low rack, then increase to 170C (no fan) for another 25mins. (for my oven I baked in 120C for 30 mins and 150C for 25 mins as mine is 7")
12. Remove the cake pan from oven, drop it from high side to prevent the cake shrink too much during cool process.

13. Turn the cake pan upside down and cool completely before remove from the cake pan. (I turned the cake pan and use 2 cups to support the side of the cake pan, this is to prevent the cake top with the wire mash printing.)

Important tips to get this sponge cake right:-

1. bake it over low temperature first then later increase temperature to medium, and always bake it at the lower rack. So the cake will not shrink at all after it gets cool.

2. Also you need to have stable meringue which requires you to beat till stiff ..Don't worry stiff meringue created dry cake texture, because the batter is using 烫面 "Tang Mein" method (that means cook the egg yolk batter first).

Verdict?
The cake is moist, light, fluffy and very cottony soft, taste like light cheesecake. It taste nice even when chilled, something like softer version of Sarah Lee cake. This is the best sponge cake I ever eat and has became one of my favourite recipe that I have baked many times, definitely a keeper. There is a chocolate version here.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Jozelyn Ng of Spice Up My Kitchen - butter theme.

Ferrero Rocher Brownie - Lighter Version

 

Encountered an issue yesterday that making me so upset, need to do some read up to calm myself down. What else can be said, 人在做天在看!

Well better back to my bake before getting too emotional again lol. I have bookmarked 2 ferrero rocher brownie recipes when I spotted in my favourite blogs, but I didn't bake it immediately as I do not have ferrero rocher with me. Not willing yet to part my $ to buy as I know I will sure receive this as gift during CNY. And true enough, I got 2 big boxes and there is no way we can finish by eating it, so is a good opportunity to make good use for baking.
 
 I halved the recipe as I was baking 2 recipes at one go :D.

Recipe adapted from Bisousatoi with modification.

Ingredients :
60g dark chocolate; coarsely chopped - I used 55% 
50g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
55g sugar
2 small eggs (about 51g with shell)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla powder
1/8 tsp salt
55g plain flour
6 Ferrero Rocher candies, sliced in half

Methods :
1. Preheat oven to 165C. Line an 8×3.5" x 3" inch baking pan with baking paper.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir gently and constantly until smooth. 
3.Whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Gradually add in flour; stir until just combined.
4. Spread 1/2 the batter into prepared pan. Add an even layer of Ferrero Rocher candies and cover with remaining 1/2 of brownie batter. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes; do not over bake.
6. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.


Verdict?
This brownie is rich and chocolatey, gooey and chewy. I like to heat up the brownie a bit before eating, or leave the brownie almost to room temperature. Imagine you bite into the gooey and chewy brownie, break the hazelnut wafer shell the chocolate centre is ever so slightly melted., wow that is heavenly. I had baked this a few times and always get good reviews.

This recipe is slightly lighter than the other recipe that I had baked, which will share with you next time. There are 2 groups of fans, votes are equally, 1/2 prefer this version which they found the other recipe is too rich for them. For kids, I will think they will more suitable for this recipe cos for the rich version, I scare might be too heaty for them lol.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Jozelyn Ng of Spice Up My Kitchen.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

Dear daughter came back from her trip last night, finally got to see my darling after a week, miss her so much. She was so enjoyed that kept sharing the trip with me and also the stuff that she bought during the trip. The night before her departure, she called me when I was on my business trip and said that she regret going for this trip as not gonna see me for 1 week, she cried her heart out that making me so heart pain :(.  I told her once she is on the trip, she surely will enjoy until dun remember her mummy until bed time lol. See, that is happening hahahaha....

This is another bake that was done at least 6 months ago, luckily the photos had been uploaded as I had lost some of the photos taken previously. Careless me, lost my precious photos twice, so sad :(.

Recipe adapted from Min's blog.

Ingredients :

175g carrot, finely grated 

100g raisin/golden raisins/sultanas 

100g walnuts, chopped (I used walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds, crushed)

175g butter

175g castor sugar（I reduced to 130g)

1 tsp vanilla essence (I used 1/2tsp pure vanilla powder)

3 eggs

200g self raising flour 

1 tsp cinnamon powder

Cream Cheese Fillings

55g butter, soften

115g cream cheese, soften

100g Icing sugar, sifted (I used 35g castor sugar)

Mix the above ingredients together till smooth.

Method :

1.    Beat butter and castor sugar together till fluffy.

2.    Add in eggs in a few additions.

3.    Add in vanilla essence.

4.    Shift in self raising flour and cinnamon powder, mix well.

5.    Add in raisins, grated carrot and chopped nuts, mix well.

6.    Scoop 1 tbsp of the batter into cupcake case, spread or scoop 1 tsp of cream cheese and top with balance batter to cover.

7.    Bake in preheated oven, at 170'C for 20-30 minutes.  

Verdict?

The cupcake is moist and fluffy, cannot detect much taste of the carrot. The cake's sweetness is just nice, taste good especially with the bites of raisins and nuts, the cream cheese filling definitely makes the cupcake perfect! However, I prefer to have more cream cheese filling so next time will need to increase. The cinnamon taste is very mild so for me, will increase to 1 1/2 tsp next time.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Jozelyn Ng of Spice Up My Kitchen.