I have been looking for recipe for cupcakes. In the past, those cupcakes I made is a bit hard on top and inside is not soft. Today I try using the recipe from here. The texture is soft and I like it very much. That’s what I want it to be. I did change a bit from the original recipe.

Ingredients :

55g butter

80g sugar

110g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

60g dried cranberries

150ml low fat natural yoghurt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method :-

1. Preheat the oven to 175 deg C.
2. In a small bowl, mix together yoghurt and cranberries. Allow it to rest for 30 mins at room temperature.
3. Cream butter and sugar till light and pale in colour.
4. Add egg.
5. Add in vanilla essence.
6. Stir in yoghurt and cranberries mixture.
7. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder till well combined.
8. Divde batter evenly into paper cups. Bake for 20 – 25 mins or till an inserted skewer comes out clean.

I don’t know why my muffins are so hard and not so soft as those sell in the bakery. Did they add something which the book did not tell? Or my method is wrong even though I follow the instructions from the book? Can someone tell me why? All the muffins I did in the past, it didn’t rise.

Ingredients :

300g plain flour

2-1/2 tsps baking powder

Pinch of salt

50g granulated sugar

270g chocolate chips (reduce to 250g)

250ml milk

4 tbsp butter, melted

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp vanilla essence

Method :

• Preheat the oven to 200 deg C.
• Arrange baking cups on baking sheets.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar & chocolate chips. Make a well in the centre.
• Stir in the milk, butter, egg, honey & vanilla.
• Spoon the batter into the cups, filling each 3/4 full.
• Bake for 15-20 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Cool the muffins on racks.

Today I try do something new from the book title “The Chocolate Cookbook” which I borrow from the National Library. My 1st (I put some chocolate chips on top) and 2nd batch looks different. I put more for the 2nd batch and it seems to rise but not for the 1st batch.

Ingredients :

300g plain flour

75g unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsps baking powder

Pinch of salt

125g butter, softened

250g granulated sugar

1 tbsp honey

2 large eggs

180ml milk

60g semisweet chocolate chips

Method :-

1. Preheat the oven 180 deg C.
2. Line with paper baking cups.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
4. Beat the butter, sugar and honey in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium spped until creamy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.
6. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk. Stir in the chocolate chips.
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups.
8. Bake for 20-25 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centres comes out clean.
9. Cool the muffins on racks.

I bought this book “Everyday Chocolate – A Collection of over 100 essential recipes” from Popular quite sometimes back. It is partiall successful because I didn’t add in the white chocolate as I bought the wrong type. It should be in bar white chocolate instead of white chocolate chips as it is very difficult to melt. Anyway, it tastes nice even though without the white chocolate. I did toast the hazenuts before chopping into pieces. My elder son said that it would taste better in put in the fridge. So I put some in the fridge and bring some for my colleagues to try it.

Ingredients :

175g white chocolate

100g digestive biscuits

100g chopped macadamia or brazil nuts (use hazenuts)

175g plain chocolate

Methods :

1. Line a baking sheet with a sheet of baking parchment. Break the white chocolate into small pieces and melt in a mixing bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
2. Break the disgestive biscuits into small pieces. Stir the biscuits into the melted chocolate with the chopped nuts.
3. Place heaped teaspoons of the chocolate cluster mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Chill until set, then carefully remove from the baking parchment.
4. Melt the plain chocolate and cool slightly. Dip the clusters into the chocolate, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Return to the baking sheet and chill until set.

It has been quite sometime that I did not bake anything. Firstly I was busy with my sons exam and secondly I am lazy too. Hehehe……. I ever told my friends that I need to have the mood to bake otherwise it will not taste nice.

Ingredients :

225g butter or margarine

125g soft light brown sugar

125g caster sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

225g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g rolled oats

75g desiccated coconut

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C for 10 mins before baking. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. Cream together the butter or margarine and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Cradually stir in the egg and vanilla essence and beat until well blended.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in another bowl.
5. Add to the butter and sugar mixture and beat together until smooth. Fold in the rolled oats and coconut with a metal spoon or rubber spatula.
6. Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on the baking sheet about 5 cm apart and flatten each ball slightly with the heel of the hand.
7. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 mins until just golden.
8. Remove from the oven and transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to completely cool and serve.

Taken from Biscuits, Baking & Cakes – The Essential Recipe Cookbook by Gina Steer

I know this is nothing related to baking. However, I want to include here as my collection. I happened to read Food & Travel issue in May 09 that apple and celery will help to slim down. I have drank it last week and my boy loves it too. He is a bit fat and can afford to drink it. Today I add carrot which is good for the eyes side too.

2 red apples

2 green applies

2 carrots

6 sticks of celery

I have this recipe from a book borrowed from the library. Forgot to write down the author and title. I didn’t really follow the steps and use my own method. I follow the 1st time and throw away as it sticks together and the butter cannot melt.

Ingredients : -

1 egg

100ml milk

75g unsalted butter, softened

150g plain flour, sifted

3 tsp baking powder

100g caster sugar

75g frozen cranberries, partially defrosted (use dried cranberries)

Method : -

• Beat sugar and butter together.
• Whisk egg and milk in another bowl.
• Combine the batter (egg & milk) to the sugar & butter and whisk and beat.
• Sift plain flour and baking powder together.
• Add the flour into the batter.
• Add in the cranberries.
• Spoon the mixture into the muffins cups.
• Preheat the oven at 180 deg C.
• Bake the muffins for 20 mins and leave it in the tray to cool for 2-3 mins before take out.

Ingredients :

125g unsalted butter

125g caster sugar

2 eggs

150g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

125g ground almonds

2 tsp vanilla extract (use vanilla essence)

Methods :

1. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, ground almonds & vanilla essence in a bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Fold in 2/3 of the cranberry.
2. Grease & line the base and sides of a 500g loaf tin with a double thickness of greaseproof paper, maing sure that the paper comes 2.5 cm above the rim. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan, level the top and sprinkle with the remaining cranberry.
3. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 deg C for 40-45 mins or until the cake is well risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins.
4. Turn out the cake on to a wire rack.

Extract from Cakes and Bakes by Hamlyn.

 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.

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.