Happy Chinese Lunar New Year!  Red represents danger in the western world but it denotes fortune and good luck in the Chinese society.  Gift-money in red packet distributed to singles, couplet (對聯), red candy tray, firecracker, new year floral, red wear (outer and under),  nameless…..

I wish you all 鴻運當頭, 龍馬精神, 萬事勝意!  It means good luck, health and fortune.

New Year dessert should be red.  So, I tried a recipe adapted from Claire Clarke, pastry chef of French Laundry.  Raspberry is always a delight and the best lover to chocolate.  To give it a twist, I also took mango.  Fabulous colours, melting chocolate, cookies-like tart –  Wow, wow!

Chocolate Pastry (I used 2/3 of the portion)
100g butter
80g icing sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
225g plain flour
25g cocoa
salt

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to form a soft but not sticky dough. 

Flatten the dough to about 1cm thick, wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

Roll it out to fit for a 13cm, 10cm cake pan and 6 tart moulds.

Lightly prick the bases with a fork and return to the fridge for 15 minutes. to rest.  Preheat the oven to 180C.

Bake the pastry blind for 10 minutes.  Remove baking beans and bake for 5 – 8 minutes further.

Tart filling
200g chocolate (I used 55% instead of 70% cocao)
120g butter
2 medium eggs
3 medium egg yolks
20g sugar
raspberries to decorate

Melt the chocolate and butter over simmering water.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until pale, fluffy and tripled in volume.  Fold in the melted butter and chocolate with a metal spoon while the mixture is still warm.

You can place raspberries inside the case and then pour over the chocolate mixture.  Or spoon chocolate mixture into the tart case.  Bake for 5-6 minutes.  The centre should look damp and not quite cooked.  Either serve immediately with lots of raspberries and creme fraiche.

If you like a more fudgy texture, let the tarts cool and decorate them with raspberries, mango.  Enjoy!

I ate 2 tarts.  Warm, gooey chocolate, fragrant raspberry and exotic mango.  Yummy!    With a sip of latte, it’s divine.  Yes, I am aware of the weight adding to my hip…..  I ended up doing 45 minutes stretching

Today is the end of 2011.  It has been weeks that I haven’t met the church friends.  Most of them are married.  Meetings around the festive time were cancelled.  Fortunately, the meeting today will be on.  A new trial, Manhattan cheesecake from Eric Lanlard, will be served.  A colleague asked me what Manhattan Cheesecake is.  Well, I think it’s just a name.  Manhattan is in New York, right?  If you know the difference between New York and Manhattan Cheesecake, please tell me.

I like this one. It is smooth, melting in mouth though it is baked.  I guess the trick is the addition of sour cream and low temperature baking.  The kick of fresh lemon lingers in the mouth for a long while, can even take the equivalence of wine’s long finish.

The cake can be either served on its own, with bare decoration with strawberry or blueberry coulis.

Click here for recipe.  Mine is 70% of the ingredients to make a 18cm cake and 13cm cake.  Plus, I cut 20% sugar.

Chocolate, chocolate!  Charming, indulgent and gorgeous!  I attempted chocolate cheesecake last time in October.  Now, the star comes again.  Yes, I can’t resist it.  It keeps haunting.  What’s more, my work mate loves chocolate.  So, a thank-you!

Chocolate gateau is always a big temptation, a seduction.  There are different interpretations.  Mine is rich chocolate coating.  Others can be chocolate layered cake, anything with chocolate.  I can’t remember where I got this recipe, but with my twist.  Addition of ground hazelnut, Ferrero Rocher and chocolate nibs.  Instead of double cream, I took milk and butter for the gateau.  Result?  Kenny said it’s best two among the few he tried from me.  Well, he is a young gastronomist.   His comments can be trusted.  Ha ha!

I cut the cake during a conference call.  People wondered.  What if they see the cake but not being served during the call?

150g dark chocolate, 72% cacao
60g raw sugar
150g butter, diced
1 tbsp runny honey
4 large eggs, separated
100g ground almonds
100g ground hazelnut
75ml milk

Melt chocolate, sugar, butter, honey in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Let cool.

Beat in eggs, ground almond and hazelnut, then milk.

Whisk egg whites until stiff.  Fold it in the chocolate mixture in 3 batches, gently.

Pour it into a 20 cm cake pan.  Bake at 170C for 30 minutes until just set.

Chocolate ganache
100g chocolate, 85% cacao
80g milk
40g melted butter

Melt the chocolate over simmering water.

Mix the milk and butter until incorporated.

Blend in the melted chocolate. Let it set in the refrigerator for a few minutes

Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake

Sprinkle chocolate nibs on the circumference. Decorate with Ferrero Rocher in a floral shape

Refrigerate the cake for half hour to get it set. 

Leave it at room temperature for half to an hour before serving.  Enjoy!

Tender sunlight at the late afternoon, tiresome…..  A cheerful job of taking photo of the Tiramisu made at Christmas time.  It’s both physically and emotionally ‘picking me up’.  Physically, for its velvet mascarpone cream mixture with a bit brandy in the mouth.  Emotionally, a lift from the gloomy chilly winter with the delightful dessert.  Ah, it’s not yet dinner.  Dessert is too early.  It’s gorgeous, anyway!

Tiramisu has been a long-time favourite dessert.  So, it’s time for a twist.  Brandy is used instead of dark rum.  Savoyardi biscuits are fencing the dessert.  Isn’t it great?  Nice with the eyes.  I can’t wait to enjoy a slice!

With the biscuits on the circumference, I could spare to make an extra small one.  Hurray!

3 egg white is left upon making one of my favourites, blueberry cheesecase.  What to do?  No eagerness to make souffle nor meringe.  Hmm, just a simple egg white cake, a new attempt.  A quick search online came ideas from David Lebovitz.  It calls for 6 large egg whites.  I had 3, not that large.  No probem, let’s try.

What can be extra new?  Well, orange, zest and juice.  A slight tangy favour gently caresses the taste bud.  And a coffee.  Excellent! 

It’s like a normal chocolate cake, not especially light.  I guess the reason is whipped egg white is not added at the end like chiffon cake or angel cake.  It’s good with coffee.  For the few bites, orange taste lingered but no trace of the orange zest.  Where are they?

3 large egg whites
75g caster sugar
Zest of an orange
Juice of 1/2 orange
A few drops of vanilla essence
60 g cake flour
20g cocoa
1/2 tsp heaped Tbsp cornflour
1/2 tsp baking powder
50 g melted butter
icing sugar

Whisk the egg whites with 1 Tbsp of sugar until thick and pale and very foamy.

Add orange zest and juice.

Mix the rest of the sugar with flour, corn flour and baking powder, then sift into the egg mixture and fold in gently.

Fold in cool melted butter.

Pour the batter into a bundt-form and bake in a pre-heated 180C oven for 30-40 minutes.

Cool slightly before turning out of the cake tin.  Sprinkle icing sugar on top and decorate the way you like.

I dread for comfort food, something easy, homemade and have a sentimental appeal.  Here comes my version of Carbonara, with a twist of toasted walnut, parsley and mint.  Years ago I followed a recipe to make Carbonara.  It’s not good.  I did not order Carbonara in Italian restaurant because I thought it’s easy to make and my failed experience.  It did not worth to pay for such a dish.  It changed when it was part of a menu in a restaurant in Vatican.  I could taste nuts inside and it’s good.  Thereafter, I searched for tips of cooking superb Carbonara.  The trick is egg yolks only, no egg white.  A bit of cream will enrich the flavour. 

Portion for 1 person:

100g spaghetti
2 slices bacon, diced
Around 20g walnut, toasted and crushed smaller
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cream
parsley and mint
Parmesan
Salt & pepper
Pasta cooking water

Cook the spaghetti according to the cooking instruction, or until it is al dente

Blend well the egg yolks, cream, parmesan, chopped parsley, mint and little salt and pepper

Melt a knot of butter.  Add in the diced bacon. Let the flavour come out.

Add the cooked pasta with a bit of the pasta water onto the bacon.  Toss well.

Turn the heat off.  Pour the egg yolk mixture onto the pasta.  Toss well.

Serve on plate.  Sprinkle parmesan on top.  Decorate with mint.  Enjoy!

Saturday, a day meant for experiment with success.  Today’s star is creme fraiche, added to chocolate cake to enrich the flavour and linger the taste.  Experiment: chili added, homemade yoghurt used instead of sour cream, nespresso instead of coffee.  Together with cinnamon, gorgeous!

This Mexican version is from Melissa Pitts.  Well, I don’t have Mexican chocolate and cream. No problem, easily substituted by European chocolate and creme fraiche.   If it is hot and spicy.  No no, I could not taste the heat from the chili.

This is very easy to make.  No need for an electric mixer.  Just blending all ingredients by hand.  The only little effort is to melt the chocolate and butter.

210g butter, original recipe 225g
180g chocolate, 75% cocao
180g sugar, original recipe 225g
80g yoghurt
120g crème fraiche
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Nespresso, Arpeggio
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Chocolate Sauce (optional)
270g chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup evaporated milk

I skip the chocolate sauce as I did not it to be so extravagant.  It will add too much weight to my hip. But, feel free to serve the cake with the sauce. 

Grease and flour a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 180°C.

Melt butter andchocolate in a large saucepan over another pot with a low level of simmering water at low heat.  Stir till smooth. Let cool.

Add the sugar, creme fraiche, vanilla, nespresso, cinnamon, chili powder, and eggs to the chocolate.  Whisk until smooth.

Sieve the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the first mixture, whisking until well blended.

Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until it feels firm to the touch and has slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan. Cool in pan on a rack for 20 minutes.

Pprepare the chocolate sauce.

Combine the evaporated milk, chocolate with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Let cool. If too thick, thin with a little more milk.

An original attempt this morning is a ginger butter cake.  Unfortunately I don’t have crystalised ginger and grand Marnier at home.  So, it has to be something.  Huh, fresh blueberry at home!  Why not trying out another blueberry muffin recipe?  Here it goes!  Blueberry muffin from Thomas Lui, a winner of various pastry competitions.  After years of serving in big hotels, he now has his own pastisserie, Thomas Trillion.

100g Butter
180g sugar (90% of original recipe)
2 eggs
150g milk
300g flour (I used half plain and half cake flour)
10g baking powder
2g salt
100g blueberry

Preheat the oven at 180C

Beat softened butter and sugar till creamy

Mix in eggs in two batches

Add sieved flour, baking powder and salt into the butter mixture

Add milk and mix well till smooth

Add blueberry

Divide the muffin batter between 16 muffin cups

Bake for 25 tyo 30 minutes

Let cool for a few minutes

That’s my breakfast enjoyed with my parents

I was ill yesterday.  So this cake was postponed.  A friend coming from Japan/Macau was expecting a cake.  Well, I couldn’t fulfill her wish.

The original attempt was to try out a new recipe of rich chocolate cake made with crème fraîche.  But it’s changed to this sumptuous rich chocolate passion fruit cake as I tried out one a few days ago and hoped I could make one similar.  Well, the texture is different.  The piece I bought is a mousse cake.  Mine is made of a chocolate sponge cake with a yummy chocolate coating.  Ja ja, a dash for fresh passion fruit!

This is not from one recipe but a mix of different ones for the result I was looking for.  The sponge cake is from Tony Wong.  The passionfruit jelly from Coup Kitchen.  The chocolate coating from a blogger with an addition of corn starch.  Here is my creation!  Yeah yeah!

Passion Fruit Jelly
120g passion fruit puree
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
5g gelatin
120g apricot gel

Soak gelatin in cold water

Cook passion fruit puree and vanilla with slow heat.  Remove from heat.

Add soften gelatin and mix.  Blend in apricot gel. 

Sieve the mixture.  Refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight.

Sponge Cake
4 eggs
75g sugar
70g cake flour
15g cocoa powder
40g butter (melted)

Layer the passion fruit gel between the sponge cake.

Chocolate Coating
80g water
60g cream
135g sugar
50g cocoa powder
8g gelatin
1/2 tsp corn starch

Cook the water and sugar until sugar has dissolved.  Add soften gelatin, cream, cocoa powder.  Mix well.  Add the corn starch and blend until smooth.

Sieve the mixture.  Let’s cool and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.

Pour the mixture over the cake and keep it in the refrigerator for a few hours.

This Dutch Apple Cake is made in memorial of Steve Jobs, a legendary person of Apple Inc, an innovator.   The world gets quieter….. His spirit remains.  Certainly, his name remembered.

November, a hot day, scores 30°C.  A Saturday, after a busy week, a day after the availability of iPhone 4S in Hong Kong.  A tired day for me.  Well, at least it’s a day of mine.  Thank you!

The pastry is not easy to handle. It’s quite fragmented and a lot of work to put it in shape, artistically.  It’s called a cake, the Dutch way?  Half pie and half cake.  Perhaps, I should ask a Dutch if it’s genuinely Dutch.   When I saw the picture on the internet, I loved its latticed decoration.  So, give it a trial.  My version is an addition of pecan nuts and extra dash of nutmeg.  Hooray!