Lemon Cheesecake

Lemon Cheesecake

Tanny will have her birthday tomorrow.    I baked a lemon cheesecake as a surprise for her.  The recipe calls for mascarpone.  I did not have it.  So, I substituted it with cream cheese, cream and sour cream.  Lemon zest and juice of two lemons were poured into the batter.  The cake was velvet and tasted very citrus.  It melted in the mouth.

Lemon cheesecake with blueberry coulis

I baked two because it was an attempt to substitute the mascarpone and I must taste it before presenting it as a gift.  It had been sitting in the fridge for a few hours.  I served myself at breakfast time with blueberry coulis and coffee.  The cake is a bit frakely but it tasted wonderful.  The lemon flavour lingered in the mouth for a while.  It’s fresh and fragrant. 

A group of friend, Tanny and I had karaoke in the night.  Some of them got crazy.   Everyone enjoyed.  A birthday cake and frizzy wine were presented by the Karaoke.   The time we sang happy birthday, I saw Tanny’s face different.  She was touched, no tears but not too far from.  I wish her a very happy birthday tomorrow and enjoy good wealth all the time.

 

Gongonzola Pistachio Pasta and Olive Rolls

Today is the Chinese Valentine’s Day, 15th day of January Lunar New Year.   It was the western Valentine’s Day two weeks ago.  I was still in Milan.   Time flies.   But memories of Milan and Venice are vivid.   I made two new attempts today:  Gongonzola pistachio pasta, a wonderful dish of the first dinner in Venice, and olive rolls, an attempt to challenge the olive focaccia  which my friend took for lunch in Milan. 

gongonzola pistachio pasta

I wanted to cook it in Milan as my friend loves gongonzola.    We bought the blue cheese but no chance.  Time was too short.  We could not put everygthing in our stomach.    Here in Hong Kong, I did my version.  

• Crush and toast the pistachio.
• Melt butter in a pan. 
• Crush the cheese and pour into the melted butter.   Stir to mix.
• Add cream and stir well.  Sprinkle nutmeg and sage. 
• Finish with a little bit salt and black pepper. 
• Toss well with the pasta.

It’s a rich, cheesy and creamy pasta.   I’ll use milk instead of cream next time as temperature is high in Kong Kong.

Olive Rolls

It’s food shopping day after the Venice trip.  My friend picked an olive focaccia from the supermarket.   It should be freshly baked on the day.   I only like focaccia fresh from the oven.  It should be warm, soft and fragrant to tempt my palate and induce my desire to eat.  But sorry, it’s cold.  I ate a bit and all left to his stomach. 

I baked bread twice in Milan:  Fig walnut and cranberry walnut.    Today, I made black olive rolls in Hong Kong.   It’s soft and fresh.    It springs back as you press it.   Tiny holes can be seen when it is cut.  I prefer mine and so will my friend.

Cinnamon Roll

cinnamon roll

I thought that I would stop bakery for a while upon my return from Milan because it would be a while to return and  prepare meals.  But it came out differently.   I flipped Essentials of Baking (Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking: Recipes and Techniques for Succcessful Home Baking (Williams Sonoma Essentials), borrowed from the public library last night.   My attention was kept by the cinnamon rolls, a good alternative for scone as breakfast.  The drive to delight friends with my sweet was only temporarily hidden.  It’s always there.  I prepared the dough for fermentation within the hour between getting up and leaving home for the church service.  Wow!

It took more than 2 hours to double the volume in this winter day.  I prepared the filling by mixing egg, cinnamon and sugar.  Then I roll up the batter into a log and cut into rolls, let it rise for another 30-40 minutes.  In the meantime, I found out that the recipe calls for butter, cinnamon and sugar.  The egg is for brushing after the second rise.  No wonder why the filling was so runny.    Don’t be surprised by my absent mind.  I forgot to put money in my wallet on the first day that I resumed work.  Never mind, let’s continue and see how it turned out.  The rolls were baked at 200°C for 25 minutes.    Gradually, the colour turned golden brown.  The air lingered a sweet smell.  The finishing is to mix icing sugar, double cream and vanilla extract.  Oh, it’s yummy!  Nevertheless, I will give it a second trial by adding back the butter as the filling.

A quick look of the ingredients (my adapted version):

Dough:
1.5 teaspoon yeast                       80g milk, warm          37g sugar          1 large egg          280g plain flour          2 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of one orange          40g butter, at room temperature

Filling:
30g sugar          1 teaspoon cinnamon          20g melted butter (overlooked)          1/3 egg, beaten

Vanilla Glaze:
15g icing sugar, sifted          40g heavy cream          1/3 teaspoon vanilla essence

Pavlova

Pavlova

A very special dessert made in Milan last Sunday, which coincided the Valentine’s Day.     It’s the third trial and the best.    The meringue was soft with a slight sweetness.   It’s perfect together with whipped cream and fruits.    Well, chilly winter and a day to celebrate love. 

The last time I made it is June 2009.    It was placed in the refrigerator overnight.   The texture was not as soft as the latest’s.    This time, I baked it in the morning and let cool in the oven until it was served.   Soft and velvet meringue melted in mouth.  It’s divine! 

One is exclusively for a friend who loves meringue.  I shared one with another friend.  We were satisfied and spoiled.

4 large egg whites at room temperature
130g castor sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream
Frozen fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries

• Preheat the oven to 140°C.
• Line a baking tray with baking paper and draw 2 7-inch circles.
• Beat the egg whites until soft peaks forms.
• Beat in sugar to the egg whites, one teaspoon at a time.
• Continue to beat the egg whites until glossy stiff peaks form.
• Fold in gently the cornstarch and vinegar.
• Fold in the vanilla extract.
• Spread the meringue in the circle on the baking paper.
• Bake it for about 1.25 hours or until pale egg shell color.
• Leave the door slightly ajar to cool it completely.
• Remove it from the baking paper and place on a plate.
• Whip the cream until it forms peaks. 
• Gently spread the cream and arrange the fruits on top.