Chocolate Cherries Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

350g bread flour 

40g cocoa powder

320g water

80g active starter 

8g salt

5g diastatic malt

Inclusions:

leftover cherries

semi-sweet chocolate chips

Foodnote: Recipe here. So I bought Cacao Barry cocoa powder to try due to the good reviews. It really smells amazing. Found this simple recipe however could be due to my technique, the bread ends up flat. Is it due to the inclusions? Will keep trying and learning.

Taste wise... it is ok with strong cocoa taste. Nice to bite into the cherries though. It taste awesome with cream cheese. Hhmmm will try chocolate cheddar sourdough bread.

Steamed Moist Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1 cup cocoa powder

1.5 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1.5 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp bicarbonate soda

(combine the above dry mixture)

2 eggs

1 can evaporated milk

1 cup melted butter

Directions

• prepare and pre-heat steamer
• beat eggs till light
• add milk and melted butter
• mix together dry ingredients until batter is smooth
• pour into baking cake tray that have been greased earlier
• cover lightly with aluminium foil
• steam for about 45mins till stick comes out clean
• let cool before serving or topping with fudge

Chocolate Fudge Topping

200g condensed milk

0.5 tsp vanilla essence

2 tbsp coconut oil

20g cocoa powder

a pinch of salt

Directions for Fudge

• combine and cook the above in slow fire until thicken
• let it cool before scooping the fudge over the cake (just covering the top and let the fudge drip to the sides)
• other decorations may be added (eg. sprinkles, shave chocolate, cocoa powder, m&m etc)

Foodnote

(Sun, May 10, 2015) I don't usually bake cake but this is just too simple to make and yummy too. Also since I'm already using the steamer to make apam beras, might as well just continue while I'm still in the mood. Also to celebrate mother's day lah for mum, her super assistant bibik and my 2nd sister in law as she is coming later. Love this cake on its own.... not sweet, so moist, soft and delicious. It is actually bitter sweet... just like our life and memories aaaawwww...

Made this again on Fri, Dec 10, 2021 for my friend's birthday. This time I use Valrhona cocoa powder just to clear the stock. Love the decadent bitter sweet taste of it. Brought out memories of the last time I made it for my mum. Will continue making it for special occasions as it is easy to make and delicious. Super glad everyone loves it.

Chocolate Chiffon

Ingredients of Part A
Group 1
108g egg yolks (6 nos large eggs)
120ml milk
75ml oil
30g castor sugar

Group 2 (sift together)
120g cake flour (I use Hong Kong flour)
30g cocoa powder (I use Valrhorna)
3g baking powder
3g baking soda
4g salt

Ingredients for Part B
Group 3
228 egg whites
90g castor sugar
3g cream of tartar

Directions

Part A

• in a large mixing bowl add egg yolks, milk and sugar and use hand whisk till fully combined
• pour in oil and mix again using zig zag motion
• add in Group 2 in batches and mix till well incorporated and batter is creamy flowy

Part B

• in a mixer with balloon whisk attachment, whisk in eggs white till frothy before adding in cream of tartar
• whisk till soft peak and gradually add in caster sugar
• increase speed (KA4) and whisk till firm peak

Final Steps

• add 1/3 of egg whites meringue into Part A mixture with hand whisk to lighten the batter
• add another 1/3 mixture till fully combined
• lastly add the final portion and whisk till fully combined before switching to spatula to scoop up from bottom to fold up until no streaks of Part A batter can be seen
• fill in 3/4 of chiffon pan (23cm) and use a skewer to run around through the batter to remove anyair bubbles
• bake at 160°C for at least 40-50min
• remove from oven and turn it upside down on a rack to cool down
• once cooled, use a sharp knife to release the edges and inner ring through pulling motion
• remove from pan and use the knife again to releave the cake from the base of the pan
• ready to serve!!

Foodnote: I usually like the normal pandan chiffon cake but fell in love with this one! It is so soft and the taste is oh so awesome. We even eat it with chocolate ganache... oooh la la... Thank you Chef Susan for this recipe. Hope to attend her bread class next?

So I tried to make this chiffon cake on 12 Sep 2020 and it was a success!! I followed Chef Low advise to use Hong Kong flour instead. Turns out very nice and this really gives me more confidence to bake more chiffon cake woohoo... 

Vanilla Swiss Roll with Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients for Sponge Cake
160g egg whites
120g castor sugar
120g egg yolks
70g cake flour (sift 3x)
a pinch of salt
40g vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• pre-heat oven to 170 degree C and prepare baking pan lined with baking paper
• whisk egg whites on medium speed with balloon attachment till soft peak
• gradually add in sugar till firm peak (ie when whisk is lifted, egg whites form peak that is hooked)
• add in egg yolks one at a time on low speed just till evenly mixed with every addition
• sift flour and salt directly over the batter in 3 batches and use a hand whisk to mix it evenly (do not over whisk or the batter will deflate
• temper oil with 2 scoop of batter
• pour back tempered oil into the batter and mix well
• add in vanilla extract and use a spatula to fold the mixture to fold gently until evenly mix
• bang mixing bowl on counter top 2 - 3 time to remove big air bubble
• spread batter into baking pan and spread evenly with a spatula pushing batter into the corners
• jiggle pan lightly to level the batter and tap on countertop gently twice
• bake on middle rack for about 20min till middle of cake is springy
• remove from oven and drop pan from 1" high for 3-4x to release side of cake and to prevent cake from sinking
• remove cake from pan and flip cake on a clean baking paper, skin side facing down
• place a clean baking paper on top of cake and flip cake over again, now skin side facing up
• leave cake to cool on wire rack

To assemble cake

• place cake on a new piece of baking paper, skin side facing down now
• peel baking paper on cake
• spread chocolate ganache
• roll cake on baking paper to guide along

Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache filling
200g dark chocolate couveture (55%)
200g heavy cream (35% whipping cream)
20g honey to add shine
20g butter (optional)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• heat cream on low heat and keep stirring till bubbly on the sides
• remove from heat and pour in the chocolate
• let it soak for a while
• using a spatula, stir center to side... center to side
• to put aside before using, cover with clingwrap touching the chocolate and use another clingwrap to cover the bowl

Foodnote: TBC

Fudgy Pecan Brownies

Ingredients
140g butter at room temperature
200g melted semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup fine sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 tsp liquid coffee/expresso (optional)
2/3 cup plain flour
0.5 cup chopped pecan
0.5 cup of chocolate chips

Directions

• pre-heat oven to 160 celcius and prepare approx 8x8" pan lined with baking paper (spray or grease the paper with butter)
• beat sugar and butter till well combined and add in eggs, vanilla and coffee
• whisk in melted chocolate and fold in the rest of the dry ingredients but do not over mix so that brownie will be less cakey
• pour into baking pan, levelled and drop the balance chocolate chips over it
• bake for 40-45min till stick comes out clean
• cool for 5mins before transferring on cooling to cool completely

Foodnote
It is valentine's day today... so that explains the colorful love sugar confetti hehe. Even though I don't celebrate valentine's day but I am so feeling loved aaawwww...

This brownie is so nice and fudgy and so chocolatey and so decadent and so sweet and oh so sinful. Good for that time of the month when I'm craving for chocolate. Would be nice to eat warm with a scoop of vanilla chocolate... ooh yummyyyy.

My niece love it. Very easy recipe.

Big Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

100g French Butter

3/4 cup brown

3/4 cup caster sugar

a pinch of salt

1tsp baking powder

2 1/4 cup plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups semidark chocolate chips

Directions

• combine sugar, salt, baking powder and flour in a bowl
• add mixture to softened butter with wooden spoon or spatula
• add in eggs, vanilla extract and finally chocolate chips
• bake in low heat about 160 degree C for about 20 to 30mins until edges are browned and cookies are properly cooked
• cookies should be soft and moist in the inside
• immediately store hot baked cookies in airtight container to keep it chewy and soft

Foodnote
This recipe is from my good friend Jerry. Made this in giant size and thick chunks because it is for personal consumption. Good recipe and easy to make as all I need to do is mix, drop the dough and bake. So sinfully good and will make more next time to store and eat whenever I have chocolate cravings yummm....

Rice Cooker Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
1.5 cups all-purpose-flour (I used wheat flour)
0.5 cup sugar
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp cinnamon powder
0.25 tsp baking powder
90 ml cooking oil
0.5 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup water

Directions

• mix together all the dry ingredients
• add all wet ingredients and combine till smooth
• pour batter into greased rice cooker
• choose bake setting and cake should be done when toothpick comes clean
• let cool for 15mins before transferring on cooking rack

Foodnote Actually I just replaced my rice cooker and the new one has a cake baking feature so I want to try it lah. Found a simple recipe where I just need to toss all the ingredients together. I really love this. It is not soft cakey... but firm. Reminds me of kek sarang semut. So yummy.