Cakes

My friend has started a cake business, and my work has hired her for two occasions. Her first cake was amazing! It was in the shape of a globe for a family moving away.  Her second cake was my request because we needed a cake for our UK reception.  She made the top layer an apple cake with white chocolate ganache (for Rich because he loves anything with apples), and the bottom layer was chocolate with chocolate ganache. 

Then we had a farewell party for two friends at work.  So we gave her a henna design, and she replicated onto the cake.  This cake was gorgeous! Almost too pretty to eat.  But eating it wasn't a problem.

I hope my friend's cake business really gets going. Hopefully she'll start a page on facebook soon.

Sunday Roast

Usually on Sundays my husband will make a Sunday roast which is a traditional British main meal served in the early afternoon.  It is made up of a meat, potatoes, vegetables and sometimes a Yorkshire pudding if you're having beef.  He makes a really good Sunday roast.  This past Sunday he was busy out in the garden so I thought I would give it a go.

First I pour one cup of vegetable oil into a small baking tray and heat it up on the oven at 180 degrees C. While this oil is heating up, I boil 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into large chucks. Boil them halfway. When you can stick a fork into it and it seems partly done, take them off the stove. Drain them, and then shake them up on the pot to break them up a bit.

Then place the potatoes into the pan with oil. When you put in the potato, the oil should sizzle. If it doesn't, heat the pan longer.  Prepare the chicken by putting them into a baking dish with some oil, salt and pepper.  At the same time, place the chicken into the oven.  We like dark meat, so I used chicken thighs and drumsticks.  Bake for about 40 minutes with the potatoes until the chicken is done.

The potatoes are done, then they turn nice and golden brown.

Then I boil frozen peas until they become soft.

For the gravy, I use already made gravy.

And then you're done! For my first time, it wasn't bad, but I still prefer my husband's Sunday roast. Maybe b/c I don't have to prepare it.

Bakewell Tarts

My husband loves cherry bakewell tarts. We usually have a box of Mr. Kipling's cherry bakewells in the cupboard.  I wondered. How hard is it to make a cherry bakewell tart? Is Mr. Kipling the only one who can do it well?

I used this recipe from BBC good food website.  However, this recipe makes a loaf size tart.  I was able to make about 35 tarts without blind baking them.  I baked them for 20 minutes at 160 degrees

Next time, I'll use a large pastry cutter to make bigger pastry shells. I'm going to try and make them like Mr. Kipling.

Mr. Kipling, we're having a showdown.

Banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting

 At work, every other week we have coffee morning.  Since I had some nice ripe bananas (basically black), I decided to make these banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.

I found the recipe from Bon Appetit magazine. I must have seen this recipe awhile ago and just saved it. Instead of chopping peanuts for a topping I decided to top them with dark chocolate shavings. To make the shavings, using a large knife, scrape the knife towards you along the chocolate bar.  Then you get these nice shavings. Something I learned from Jamie Oliver.  Very easy and quick! This recipe says it makes 12, but I doubled it and made 32 cupcakes.  The frosting recipe was enough (and some) to frost all 32 cupcakes.

Even though it was my first time making them, it was a hit. I think my office enjoys being my guinea pigs. :)


Makes 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

cupcakes

• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 very ripe large bananas, peeled
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (133g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk

frosting

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter (do not use old-fashioned or freshly ground)
• Chopped lightly salted roasted peanuts (optional)

Preparation

CUPCAKES

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F (Gas Mark 4/ 180°C). Line 12 standard (1/3-cup) muffin cups with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Mash bananas with fork in another medium bowl until smooth. Mix sour cream and vanilla into bananas.
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk and beat until well blended. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with banana-sour cream mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating just until blended after each addition. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups (generous 1/4 cup for each).
• Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center of each comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to rack and let cool completely.

FROSTING

• Sift powdered sugar into large bowl. Add cream cheese, butter, and peanut butter. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until smooth. Spread frosting over top of cupcakes, dividing equally. Sprinkle lightly with chopped peanuts, if desired. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Victoria Sponge Cake

For my one month anniversary, I decided to make a British cake since I married a British bloke, . What is more British than a Victoria sponge cake named after Queen Victoria. She enjoyed a slice of sponge cake with her afternoon tea (stated by wikipedia).  Victoria sponge cake is made of two vanilla cakes with cream and strawberry jam in the center.

I followed a recipe from BBC good food website. (This recipe is all in metric units.)  Sadly I haven't figured out my oven so the top layer did not bake entirely so the middle sunk.  However, I think it turned out nicely for my first Victoria sponge cake.

We enjoyed it for dessert, and I've brought most of rest into my office to enjoy.

Kung Pao and Hot and Sour soup

Because my friend, Jen was going to have surgery, a friend organized meals for her family so she wouldn't have to worry.  I signed up for last night.  I decided to make a Chinese meal, but it had to be gluten-free.  So the menu was shrimp fried rice, kung pao chicken and hot and sour soup.  I've made shrimp fried rice before, but I had to search for the recipes for kung pao chicken and the hot and sour soup. Hopefully Jen's family didn't mind being guinea pigs for me. I don't have a recipe for the fried rice. That will have to come at a later time.

Overall, it turned out really well! Next time I want to make both of them spicier. They both could use more of a kick. Instead of changing the servings on the recipe for the kung pao, I just doubled it and followed the recipe as is.  It makes it easier to follow it. I did receive a wonderful message from Jen's family telling me how much they loved the meal. So these two recipes are definitely keepers!

Now, I just need to find a good Chinese take-out place in my town.  Yes, I can cook it, but sometimes you just want to call for Chinese take-out. There's something about eating out of those Chinese take-out boxes.

Apologies

Apologies to any readers following this blog.  I've been a bit busy getting engaged, planning a wedding, and getting married.  Now that I'm settling back into married life, I plan to post regularly to this blog.  So readers, don't lose hope!