I use the previous vanilla cupcakes recipe. Just add 3 tablespoon of ground almond. The recipe requires almond essence but I replace it with vanilla essence.
Citrus Clean March 28, 2009
Extraact from The Sunday Times on 22nd Mar 09.
Q : After baking, what is the best way to remove the smell from the oven so that it does not carry over to the next item?
A : First, clean your oven as thoroughly as you can, scrubbing off the baked on stains or spots from which off-smells can emanate. Next, cut an orange and a lemon into thin slices and place them in a wide cake pan or roasting dish.
Place the cake pan on the middle oven shelf, then fill it iwth boiling water. Shut the door, turn the oven to 180 deg C, and leave it for 20 to 30 mins. Switch off the oven and let it cool down a little, with the door closed.
Remove the pan and shelf. Soak a clean cloth in hot water and wring out, then give the oven a final wipe. The citrusy steam should have displaced any lingering smells.
Sweet Buns March 22, 2009
I use the recipe from Happy Home Baking for the Sweet Buns. Instead of using almond flakes, I replace it with garlic and cheese. Only one bun with cheese only. You may get the recipe from here. There is something wrong with my oven again. The bottom light bulb is not lighted up. As a result, all the stuff I bake are not really cooked at the bottom. I can’t get a bigger oven as my kitchen space is limited.
Old Fashioned Cupcakes March 22, 2009
Ingredients :
175ml full-cream milk
60g plain chocolate, finely chopped
125g caster sugar
60g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 large egg, beaten
150g self-raising flour
Fudge topping (I didn’t use this)
100g plain chocolate, finely chopped
1 tbsp golden syrup
25g unsalted butter, at room temperature
Method :
- Put the milk in a saucepan and heat until scalding hot but not boiling.
- Put the chocolate into a bowl, add about one-third of the sugar, then pour over the hot milk and stir until smooth and melted. Let cool.
- Put the butter in a bowl, add vanilla and remaing sugar. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg.
- Working in batches, stir in the chocolate mixture alternately with the flour.
- Mix well to make a smooth, thick batter.
- Pour or spoon into the paper cake cases until half full.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for 15-18 mins or until well risen and the cakes spring back when gently pressed with your finger.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the wire rack.
Fudge Topping : -
- To make the fudge topping, which can be used for large sponge cakes as well as small cupcakes and fairy cakes, put the chocolae in the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of streaming but not boiling water and melt gently.
- Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the syrup and butter.
- When smooth, let cool, stirring occasionally.
- When very thick and on the point of setting, dip the top of each little cake into the fudge topping (or spread it on) until thicky coated.
- Let set until firm.
- Beat eaten within 3 days.
Recipe from Heavenly Chocolate by Linda Collister.
Basic Vanilla Cupcakes March 15, 2009
This is nice cupcakes. Just a bit sweet even though I have cut by 20g. I didn’t follow the method as I don’t have mixer. I mix sugar and butter then put in the eggs and vanilla eseence, follow by the flour.
Recipe from 500 Muffins and Cupcakes by Fergal Connolly
Ingredients
110g unsalted butter, softened
110g caster sugar (I use 90g)
110g self raising flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder, sifted
2 egggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Method
- Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth and pale (almost as light & fluffy like whipped cream), about 2-3 min.
- Place baking cases in muffin tins. Spoon the mixture into the cases (about half filled).
- Remove the tins from the oven and cool for 5 min, then remove the cupcakes and cool on the rack.
Chocolate Whirls March 14, 2009
It has been quite sometime I never try to bake new stuff. Moroeve the school holiday is coming and my boys will always look for cookies to eat. This recipe is taken from the 500 cookies book.
Ingredients :
225g softened unsalted butter
50g icing sugar
25g dark chocolate, melted
225g plain flour
2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder
3 tbsp cornflour
Method : -
- Preheat the oven to 175 deg C.
- Beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the chocolate.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder and cornflour and stir into the creamed mixture.
- Pipe the mixture using a 1-1/2 cm fluted nozzle into 5 cm rosettes spaced 5 cm apart on a non-stick baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 12 min until golden.
- Allow to firm up slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
