Chocolate Kahlua Banana Cake

This cake is so awesome.. I ate 2 slices at one go. I also did not take as much time preparing this as I thought I would. My tummy is satisfied! Now.. what am I going to do with the rest of the cake?! :P

This is the chocolate sponge cake batter.

Ta-daaaa.. it rose beautifully! I used a 9" round cake tin when I should have used a 8" so that it would be even taller. :(

This is the chocolate mousse mixture.

Placing the mousse on one layer of the cake and then topping it up with loads of bananas!

The second layer also topped with mousse.

Yay! Time to decorate with the chocolate coating and sliced bananas!
The finished product!

Layers and layers of goodness - bittersweet chocolate coating, smooth creamy mousse, moist fluffy chocolate sponge, sweet ripe bananas, more mousse and lastly, another layer of sponge cake!

Yummy Yum Yum!!!!
Adapted from Yochana's cake delight:

Chocolate Sponge cake:

3 nos. Extra Large egg yolks of about 90 gm. each (or use 4 medium eggs of about 60 gm. each)
100 gm. castor sugar
120 gm. Self Raising flour
1/2 tsp. Baking powder
1/2 tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda
50 gm. Corn oil
1 teasp. vanilla essence

3 1/2 X.Large egg white (or use 4 1/2 medium eggs)
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
60 gm. castor sugar

30 gm. cocoa powder + 120 gm. of hot water - stir till smooth

Method:

(1) Mix egg yolks, sugar, oil, SR flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and vanilla essence into a mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon.
(2) Add in cocoa mixture and stir together till smooth.
(3) Beat egg white with cream of tartar for 2 mins, then pour in sugar gradually till egg white becomes fluffy but not too stiff.
(4) Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture. Do not overmix otherwise the egg white will be deflated and the cake will sink. If you feel that you are mixing too long and can still see traces of egg white it means that you have overbeat your egg white. Stop mixing anymore, don't worry about the egg white traces, just pour into a 9" round cake tin and bake.
(5) Bake at 175C for about 50 mins. or till cooked.
(6) Cool the cake on wire rack and then slice into 3 layers.

Chocolate mousse:
300 gm. Dairy whip cream
1 tsp. Vanilla essence
1 level Tablespoon of Gelatine powder - mix together with- 4 Tbsp. water and microwave for 20 secs
50 gm. Cocoa powder ) mix together
80 gm. icing sugar )
1 1/2 Tablespoon of Nescafe )
1 1/2 Tablespoon of hot water ) mix together
1 Tablespoon "Kahlua" or "Tia Maria" coffee liquer

2 large ripe Del Monte Bananas - slice thickly

Coating for the cake: Put into a mixing bowl and double boil till mixture thickens.
Cool before pouring onto cake.

35 gm. cocoa powder
50 gm. sugar
150 gm. Dairy whipping cream
80 gm. chocolate - chopped
30 gm. Butter

Method for the mousse:

(1) Beat the whip cream.
(2) Mix all the ingredients together.
(3) Spread 1/3 of the mousse on the first layer of sponge cake, lay the slice bananas on top and then top up with another layer or sponge, continue till the last layer of sponge is used up. (4) Cover the whole cake with the balance mousse and keep in the refrigerator till the mousse sets.
(5) Pour the coating onto the cake and let the chocolate mixture flows down the side smoothly.
(6) Decorate the cake and put into the frige till coating sets.
(7) Slice with a warm knife and serve.

Japanese Sponge Cheesecake

This recipe is by far the best Japanese Sponge Cheesecake I have ever tried! It is moist, fluffy and light with a cheesy yet spongy texture and a tinge of lemon. A must try!

Add the sugar to the egg white and cream of tar tar mixture and beat until soft peaks form and mixture appears glossy.

Japanese Sponge Cheesecake!

From "My Favourite Recipes"

Ingredients:
250g cream cheese
50g butter
100ml fresh milk
60g superfine flour / plain flour - sifted
20g corn flour - sifted
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt

6 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
140g caster sugar

Method:
1) Melt cream cheese, butter and milk in a bowl over a pot of water.
2) Cool the mixture.
3) Beat in egg yolks and lemon juice. Fold in flour and mix well.
4) Whisk egg white with cream of tartar until foamy.
5) Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
6) Pour into a lined cake pan.
7) Bake in a water bath for 1 hrs 10 mins or until set or golden brown at 160C.

Note: I halved the recipe and made a round 8" cake.

Thai Lemongrass Chicken

Since I had leftover lemongrass from the Chicken Satay I made over the weekend, I decided to google "Thai Lemongrass Chicken" and I found this! This is so good, you guys definitely have to give it a try.

Marinate the chicken for 1-2 hours..

The end product!

Thai Lemongrass Chicken!!!

INGREDIENTS:
2 stalks fresh lemon grass
1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless is preferred; wash thoroughly and cut thighs in half)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground Thai chilli (I used fresh chillies)
2 tbsp palm sugar
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
4 tbsp peanut oil

METHOD:

1. Cut off the woody tops and bottoms of the lemon grass. Remove the outer 2-3 layers of the stalk and cut the tender middle section into 1 inch lengths. Bruise the lemon grass by hitting it with the back of a Chinese cleaver.
2. Combine bruised lemon grass, chicken thighs, garlic, black pepper, ground Thai chili, palm sugar, salt, and fish sauce in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
3. Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add the peanut oil, swirling to coat the entire surface. 4. Heat the oil for 1 minute and add the marinated chicken mixture. Stir-fry for 15 minutes (the chicken and sauce will thicken and become caramelized).

Garlic Shoots with Oyster Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS:

2 cloves of garlic - chopped

4 slices of ginger

Garlic shoots

Oyster Mushroom

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

Pinch of pepper

METHOD:

1. Stirfry garlic and ginger in 1/2 tablespoon of oil.

2. Add Garlic shoots and oyster mushroom

3. Add 1/2 cup of water and then add pepper and osyter sauce

4. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Chicken Satay & Peanut Sauce

SATAY INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
2 stalks of lemon grass

METHOD:

In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, curry powder, coriander powder, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Place the chicken breasts in the marinade and refrigerate. Let the chicken marinate at least 2 hours, overnight is best.

Preheat a grill to high heat.

Weave the chicken onto skewers, then grill for 5 minutes per side, brushing lemongrass on chicken whilst grilling.

PEANUT SAUCE INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon palm sugar or brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 cup thin coconut milk

METHOD:
Combine all ingredients together over saucepan and simmer until thick sauce is formed.

Banana cupcakes with Chocolate Glaze

Fresh out from the oven!
Very light, moist and fluffy!
I covered the cupcakes with a simple chocolate glaze and then decorated it with M&Ms and Cadbury chocolate cubes.
Bananas and Chocolate are a match made in Heaven!

Ingredients (from Jas's Kitchen) - makes 15-18 medium-sized cupcakes.

170g butter
170g castor sugar
2 eggs
3 tbsp milk
3 large banana, mashed
225g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate soda

Method:
1) Cream butter & sugar.
2) Add eggs, one at a time and beat well.
3) Add milk and banana, mix well.
4) Sift flour, baking powder & bicarbonate soda and add to mixture.
5) Bake at 180C for 35 minutes.

Blueberry Cheesecake

BEST Cheesecake ever!

Ingredients (taken from The Lazy Chef):

Base:
250g digestive biscuits
120g butter

Filling:
375g cream cheese
110g castor sugar
2 medium eggs
60ml lemon juice(from 1 and 1/2 small lemons)
100ml dairy whipping cream
1 tbsp cornflour, sifted
Grated rind from 1 lemon

Topping
100g blueberry filling

Method:
1) Prepare a 8 inch loose bottom or springform round cake tin. Wrap loose base of tin with aluminium foil or parchment paper.

2) To prepare base, melt butter . Use a little of the melted butter to lightly grease bottom and sides of cake tin.

3) Place biscuits in food processor and process until finely crushed. Transfer to a bowl. Add melted butter and stir until crumbs are moistened by butter. Transfer crumbs to the prepared cake tin. Press crumbs until it is flat and compact.

4) Preheat oven at 180 degC. Place the tin with the crumbs into the oven and bake for 10~12 minutes.

5)Cream cheese and castor sugar until light and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, incorporate it well into cream cheese mixture after each addition. Do not overbeat the eggs.

6) Add juice and whipping cream. Beat well.

7) Finally, fold sifted cornflour and grated rind into batter.

8) Pour cream cheese mixture over biscuit base. Tap sides of cake tin a little to break large, noticeable air bubbles on the surface of filling.

9) Bake cheesecake using top and bottom heat of oven at 170degC for 40 mins or until surface of cheesecake is just set/cooked. The whole baking should take about 35-40 minutes.

10) Leave to cool. Run a thin knife blade carefully around inside rim of tin to loosen the sides of cheesecake. Remove cheesecake from cake tin. Unwrap aluminium foil from base of cake tin. Transfer the whole cheesecake, with the aluminium foil, to a cake board. Wrap aluminium foil over the cake board. Refrigerate cheesecake overnight.

11) Decorate top of cheesecake with blueberry filling.

YO YO Biscuits

All about Eggs!

Portuguese Egg Tarts!

Chocolate Chip Meringe Cookies!!

Rasberry Frangipani Tarts

Served with Vanilla Ice-cream!

Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter is Deeeelicious!

Ingredients:
150grams of semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon of butter
70grams of peanut butter

Method:

• Melt chocolate and butter over water bath
• Fill muffin cup with chocolate mixture halfway
• Add a spoon of peanut butter and fill the rest up with chocolate mixture
• Let peanut butter cups cool and freeze before serving.

Taro Agar Agar

Chocolate Lava Cupcakes

Stirring in chocolate mixture.

Fill muffin cups halfway and add chocolate pieces then fill them up again.
Fresh from the oven!
Chocolate oozing out...
Just for Megan's 22nd birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEGAN!!!
An extra one just for me!

Chocolate Lava Cupcakes from "Cooking is my Passion"

Ingredients (Makes 4-5 cupcakes):

60g butter

60g dark chocolate

1 Large egg

25g caster sugar

25g plain flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

50g of extra chocolate pieces.

Method:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees, line the muffin tray with paper cups
• Melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave for 20seconds on high, stir through and melt again till combined.
• Sift the plain flour and cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat egg and sugar in a separate bowl till pale and fluffy
• Stir in chocolate mixture then fold in the sifted flour mixture.
• Do not over stir mixture
• Spoon mixture to prepared muffin tins slightly more than 1/2 filled, then add extra chocolate pieces into the centre as fillings
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20mins. The cupcakes will look puffed up and set on the surface but moist in the middle.

Chocolate Glaze:

25g Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips or any semi-sweet chocolate

1 tablespoons butter

1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoons water

Method:

• Melt chocolate and butter on a saucepan
• Add sugar slowly
• Add water to the correct consistency for a glaze.

Peanut Cookies

Perfect for Chinese New Year!

Taken from The Lazy Chef:

Ingredients:
250g ground peanut powder
200g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
110g icing sugar
1/4 tsp salt
140g corn oil

Egg wash:1 egg yolk lightly beaten with 1 tsp water

Method:

1. Mix ground peanut powder, plain flour, baking powder, icing sugar and salt in a big mixing bowl till well combined.
2. Pour in oil slowly and mix till a piable dough is formed. You might need a little more than the stated amount if the dough is too dry.
3. Shape into small bite-size pieces. I used a bottle cap and cling film to get a consistant shape.
4. Place about 2cm apart on lined baking sheet. Apply egg wash.
5. Bake at 170C for 15-18 minutes or till golden brown(depending on oven).

A blog to satisfy your sweet cravings!

I have decided to create a blog to keep track of my baking journey! Baking has always been one of my favourite past times and I hope you enjoy all the recipes as much as I do. There will also be other random simple recipes that I love and hopefully, you can try them out yourselves too!