Kek Batik Marie

I can't remember the last time I make this cake (you don't need to baking it, just cook and super easy) it could be more than 5 years ago.  So I decided to make it again ar previous my aunt showed me how to do it and roughly I think I can remember lar.  Actually its so easy that you can put anything you like ...
*Photos has been deleted

Ingredients


1 bag of Marie Biscuits
Butter
Sugar
Vanilla Essence
Cocoa powder/Milo powder/Holicks (up to you)
Milk (to bind the ingredients together
Sliced Almond (optional, I happen to have balance so I put it in)

Methods


Heat butter and sugar in a wok.  I use a wok so its easier to work with.
Once the butter is melted and the sugar dissolve add vanilla essence and milk and cocoa power
Mix well and let it simmer abit
Break the biscuits into 2 or 4 mix it to the liquid mix.  Mix well
Off heat.
Press it in the container try to make it as smooth, level and compact as possible.

optional: dust it will cocoa powder, drizzle with chocolate, sprinkle with chocolate chips

Tapak Kuda (Horse Shoe)

Sun is the last day to baking and need to wrap up really soon.  So many things to do so little time.  I'm exhausted cos I came home at 4am and I deserved a good rest but no ... people have to wake me up early in the morning ... I had miss call as early as 8am!!! and messages kept coming it.  I left so irritated cos I can't go back to sleep so I decided to make full use of the day.


Dragged myself to the toilet (with 4hrs of sleep I hit the wall in the way to the toilet).  Sunday was quite fruitful, I bake tapak kuda and kek batik (will upload later).  Day time tapak kuda looked skinny hee hee ... after break fast I did one more batch it looks much better lar ...


Note to self: When cracking eggs, crack in a small bowl and transfer to the big bowl do not crack straight in the big bowl cos u never know u'll get bad eggs.  Cos after cracking 6 eggs ... the 7th egg is a bad egg and I have to throw all of it so wasted.  Lesson learn.


*Photos has been deleted

Ingredients

10 eggs yolks

5 egg white white

225g Castor sugar

110g plain flour or refined flour (I use the Hong Kong flour)

10g milk powder or vanilla ice cream flour

135ml melted butter

1 tbsp sponge stabilizer (ovalette)

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp chocolate flavoring (I used chocolate emulco)

1/2 tsp baking powder

Nutella or chocolate hazel nut paste for filling

Method

1. Combine eggs, sugar and stabilizer.. whisk at low speed and then to medium high speed on ur stand mixer and whisk for a good 8 mins or till thick and fluffy. Add sifted flour, milk and baking powder. Beat again till well mix.

2. Add in the cool melted butter and vanilla essence, mix well.

3. Take five scoops of batter and add chocolate paste to it.. put it aside. Place the rest of the plain batter into a big piping bag.

4. Prepare two greased with baking paper (10x10x1").. Pour chocolate mixture and spread evenly in pan. Then pipe in plain batter on top of the chocolate batter (the reason being so that the the plain batter will not mix with chocolate batter) For some reason I did the other way round cos I did not read the instruction hee hee

5. Bake in oven at 180c for 20-25 minutes. Cool slightly (mine was done within 15mins)

6. Remove cake from pan. Cut around edge of cake... ( i cant be bother hehe) Spread Nutella. Cut cake into 
two or more. 

Roll into two tightly.. wrap with clingwrap.. store in refrigerator.

Becos I had so much fun ... I made 2 batches ... hee hee ... 

Source: Kak Rima

Espresso-Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

Okay this will be my last cookie baking for this month eh hee hee ... I had fun lah although of rejected cookies hee hee I learnt my mistake, what I should and should not do..... erm I think hee hee anyway ... this shortbread cookies are super easy to make.  A good recipe for lazy person like me hahahah ... Stumble upon Smitten Kitchen while blog-hopping. 

I love the smell ... my entire house smells of coffee last nite ... 

*Photos has been deleted

Ingredients


1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (plain, or a toffee variety), finely chopped, or 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method



1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid.


2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is 
incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.


3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.


4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.


5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.


6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.


7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

Yeah success!  So come Sunday will be tapak kuda (horse shoe). All the cookies recipes i tried this month are all 1st attempt except the Almost Famous Chocolate Cookies from Kak Rima which I've done it for a couple of times.  You should try it too ... infusing the coffee oil in the egg overnight makes a difference tao so try ok ...

Chaotic Week Part 3 of 3

Cookie Containers

Project Y!!! YEY! ... ok lame ... anyway why I decided to make the bottles on my own cos I saw one of the fbian (Maraini - E's School mate) did it last year and I was like waaaaaaaaaaaaah so pwetty.  So this year I give it a try lar.

I imagine it to be black and white shiny material with elegant white lace.... and the end product ... PURPLE!!! ... hee hee i loveeeeeeeeee purple ...

*Photos has been deleted

Chaotic Week Part 2 of 3

Almond Cookie Cups


Beginning of the week Imah (my sch skool classmate/fb) asked for the following recipe.  So I google it hee hee ... cos I also want the recipe ... erm ...I did not use the aluminum cuppies cos I'm lazy to go phoon huat hee hee so far ... 


So i try lah ... conclusion ... u NEED the aluminum cuppies ... hee hee 
*Photos has been deleted

Ingredients:

• 8 oz chopped chocolate or chocolate-flavored candy coating
• 24 small candy cups
• 1/2 cup (5 oz) almond butter or other nut butter
• 1/4 cup (1.5 oz) chopped semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
• Toasted nuts for decoration (optional)

Preparation:

1. First, prepare the chocolate cups. Temper the 8 ounces of dark chocolate, or melt the chocolate-flavored candy coating.

2. Using a small pastry brush (or clean paint brush), brush the chocolate up the sides of your miniature candy cups. Try to make your coating as even as possible, and swirl the cups upside down to help distribute the chocolate. Hold the cups up to the light to determine whether there are any translucent spots that did not get covered adequately. Set the remaining melted chocolate aside to use later. If you have questions, here is a photo tutorial showing how to make chocolate cups.

3. Let the chocolate cups harden completely in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

4. While you're waiting for the cups to set, prepare the filling. Melt the 1/4 cup of chopped chocolate and the almond butter together in a bowl in the microwave, stirring after every 20-30 seconds to prevent overheating. Stir until they are melted and smooth.

5. Add the powdered sugar and stir until it's incorporated, then add the crispy rice cereal and stir it in as well.

6. When the cups are set and the filling is made, use a teaspoon or small candy scoop to drop balls of filling into the chocolate cups. Pat them down gently so they don't mound up over the top of the cup. Fill them until they are almost full, but leave space at the top to cover it with chocolate.

7. If the remaining chocolate has hardened, re-melt it gently. Spoon a bit on top of each cup, smoothing it to the edges to create a chocolate “seal” over the filling. While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle crushed nuts or any other decorations on top, as you desire.

8. Refrigerate the cups to set the chocolate, about 20 minutes. Store Crispy Almond Chocolate Cups in an airtight container for up to two weeks. If your almond butter requires refrigeration keep them in the refrigerator, otherwise, they can be stored at cool room temperature. Always bring them to room temperature before serving.

Source: About.com

But I think the recipe is not the correct one lah ... cos I dont remember tasting crispy rice cereal before ... anyway its a nice recipe to try.