Lemon Yogurt Cake

I have made this cake before in October last year and also had a post on it but I realised it didn't look appealing. We always judge a book by its cover,well most of us.I know I do. Today I decided to follow the recipe exactly, word by word. It turned out good the other time as well but mum just got a new oven so I just wanted to be on the safer side.This is a very simple one bowl lemon yogurt cake!Delish~

Recipe from Donna Hay's book - Fast,Fresh, Simple. Barely adapted.

180ml vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tablespoon lemon rind

2 tablespoon lemon juice, about two medium lemons

280g thick natural yogurt

400g caster sugar

300g self raising flour

For the lemon frosting

150 g caster sugar

1/2 cup lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 180 C/160 C - for fan forced/gas 4
2. Place oil,eggs,rind,lemon juice,yogurt and sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine. Sift over the flour and stir until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into a greased 8"/9" round baking pan and bake for 65 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. While cake is still hot remove from the tin and place on a plate.
4. To make the lemon frosting, gently stir together the sugar and lemon juice. Spoon over the cake and allow to set.
5. Serve warm. It's so good on it's own!

Double Chocolate cupcakes

It's been really a stressful and tiring week. My laptop for some unknown reason decided to died on me,suddenly after surviving a trojan virus 'infection' a couple of months back when I was still in Sydney. I am normally in KL during the weekends but last weekend I decided to take a break from travelling but boy, was it the longest weekend ever, but I guess it was good to take a break cause I am leaving for Sri Lanka this weekend for 10 days. And then after that,it's Sydney all over again.Gosh I dread going back to my final semester in uni but when you think of it,final semester in uni for my entire life,feels good.I dont have to go back to Sydney for a long time. When Sydney is over,I know Paris is just a corner away.Now I am excited. Somewhere new and different.You dont have to put up with certain people in life you cant avoid.

I have been wanting to bake a batch of cupcakes but never came to a decision to which flavour I wanted to try first.

My bake wishlist - cupcakes:

[x] double chocolate cupcakes

[ ] ispahan (lychees,rose and raspberries)

[ ] red velvet cupcakes

[ ] vanilla cupcakes with swiss meringue frosting

I decided on double chocolate cupcakes because chocolate is universally loved.Why this particular recipe because firstly it is by Donna Hay.Secondly, the blog author made it very convincing that this was the best chocolate cupcakes the author has ever made.I, however, used Lindt dark chocoalate and Van Houten coco powder.

I adapted Donna Hay's double chocolate cupcakes from bossacafez but I doubled the quantity for the cupcakes but I found that the recipe for the buttercream given by bossacafez was sufficient for making two batches of cupcakes.

250g unsalted butter

2 cups plain flour

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

1/2cup cocoa powder

3teaspoon double action baking powder

4 eggs

1 cup milk

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

150g dark chocolate,melted

for the chocolate buttercream frosting:

250g butter

2 cups icing sugar,sifted

1/2 cup cocoa powder,sifted

1/4 cup cold milk

1. In a bowl, soft together the plain flour, cocoa powder & baking powder.
2. In another bowl,cream butter,sugar & vanilla extract for about 10-12 minutes until pale and creamy. Add in eggs one at a time and continue to beat until well combined.
3. Add in milk and flour mixture alternately in 3 additions, mixing well in between each addition.
4. Fold in melted chocolate thoroughly.
5. Fill cake mixture in cupcake liners until about 2/3 full.Bake in a preheated oven of 160 C for 20 minutes.Leave it cool on wire rack.
6. To make the chocolate buttercream frosting, cream the butter in bowl for about 6-8 minutes until pale and creamy.
7. Add the icing sugar,cocoa powder and mik and continue to cream for another 6 minutes until fluffy and creamy.
8. Frost completely cooled cupcakes.

Note: 

Before adding the milk, check the consistency of the icing. You want a medium consistency icing for easy piping. If frosting is 'soft', place in the fridge for 15 minutes and whip again. 

Brownie cookies with peanut butter frosting

Adapted from Donna Hay's 10th birthday magazine

Brownie cookies

350g dark chocolate,chopped ( I used buttons )

40g butter

2 eggs

150g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

60g plain flour,sifted

1/2 teaspoon baking powder, sifted

Peanut butter frosting

Somehow, the peanut butter frosting was very soft. I seriously hate the Malaysian weather when it comes to frosting or making desserts. Having no air conditioning at the moment, it's pretty annoying to get the right consistently for the frosting.=(

160g icing sugar

280g peanut butter

80g butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

80ml single cream *

• Preheat oven to 180C.
• Melt 200g of the chocolate and butter using the double boiler method. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.




• Place the eggs,sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk for 15minutes or until pale and creamy.
• Stir through the flour,baking powder,chocolate mixture and remaining chocolate and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
• Spoon tablespoonfuls of the mixture,at a time, onto baking trays lined with non-stick baking paper.
• Bake for 8-10minutes or until puffed and cracked.(8minutes is sufficient because if longer, I reckon it would be dry and crunchy like) Allow to cool completely on trays.

• To make the peanut butter frosting,place the sugar,peanut butter,butter and vanilla extract and whisk it using a stand mixer or hand held mixer for 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Add the cream and beat for a further 2 minutes.
• Spread peanut butter frosting on half of the cookies and sandwich with the remaining cookies.

*In Malaysia, it's called whipping cream,check fat content, it should be 35 % fat content.

Salmon and Sabo noodles with mirin dressing

I made a similar recipe earlier but that one was a soup base noodle recipe.

Adapted from Donna Hay's Oct/Nov 2011 Magazine

Fish

90g dried sabo noodles

2 x 100g salmon fillet,skin off and halved lengthways

vegetable oil, for brushing

sea salt and cracked black pepper

handful of coriander leaves

Mirin Dressing

1tsp toasted sesame seeds

2tbsp soy sauce

2tbsp lemon juice

~40ml mirin

2tbsp rice wine vinegar

To make mirin dressing- place the sesame seeds,soy,lemon juice, mirin, rice wine vinegar in a bowl and stir to combine.Set aside.

To make noodles - Place noodles in a medium saucepan of boiling water and cook for 3 -5 mins. Drain and set aside.

To make salmon - Brush salmon with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a non stick frying pan over high heat. Cook the salmon for 1-2 mins each side or to your liking.

Place the noodles and half the mirin dressing in a bowl and toss to coat.Divide the noodles between bowls,top with a salmon and coriander and drizzle with remaining mirin dressing to serve.

Melt-and-mix brownies

Adapted from White wings Plain flour package

300g chocolate ( 100g 70% cocoa Lindt Excellence dark chocolate + 200g Lindt Excellence Extra creamy milk chocolate)

250g unsalted butter,chopped

3tbsp cocoa

1 2/3 cups dark brown sugar

1 1/3 plain flour,sifted

1/4tsp baking powder

1/4tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 160C(fan forced).
2. Place 100g dark chocolate, 100g milk chocolate,vanilla extract,butter and cocoa in a double boiler over medium heat and stir until melted and smooth.



Place the sugar,flour and baking powder in a bowl.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the chocolate mixture.
Add the eggs and mix to combine.
Break the remaining milk chocolate into chunk size pieces and mix well.
Pour the mixture into a lightly greased square cake tin lined with non stick baking paper and bake for 45-50minutes or until brownie is just set in the centre.(Make sure not to over bake the brownie,a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the pan should come out with moist by crumbly-looking crumbs on it.

10. Allow to stand in the tin for 10minutes if serving warm or cool in tin.

Jam Doughnuts

(adapted by Donna Hay's APR/MAY Magazine 2011)

It was love at first sight, I mean the cover on Jam filled doughnuts. I made baked doughnuts last summer but somehow it didn't turn out right. I opted for the baked one previously because I didn't like the idea of frying my doughnuts and it being oily.There was a certain temperature you had to fry your doughnuts so that you don't get oil dripping doughnuts, that's a turn off I would say.=P I love doughnuts. And I wanted to succeed in making something I love and when I saw the cover of Donna Hay's Apr/May 2011 issue I knew I had to get it. Donna Hay's recipes always worked for me. It's simple and fool proof.

• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• ½ cup (125ml) + 1 1/2 tbsp lukewarm milk
• 2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar
• 50g butter, melted
• 2¼ cups (335g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 2 eggs
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 1 cup Strawberry Jam (store bought or home made )
• 
  

1. Place the yeast, milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl and set aside in a warm place for 10 minutes or until bubbles appear on the surface.
2. Add the butter, flour, eggs and remaining sugar to the yeast mixture and use a butter knife to mix until a sticky dough forms.
3. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean, damp cloth and set aside in a warm place for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
5. Roll out to 1cm thick and use an 8cm-round cutter to cut 10 rounds from the dough.
6. Place the rounds on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and set aside for 30 minutes or until risen.
7. Place the oil and a sugar thermometer in a large, deep saucepan over medium heat until temperature reaches 180°C (350°F).
8. Cook the doughnuts, in batches, for 1–2 minutes each side or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper.
9. Let it cool for a few minutes, make a slit and use the nozzle of the piping bag to poke a hole in the side of the doughnut and fill with a bit of jam.
10. Serve warm.

Mud Cake

(Adapted Donna Hay's 50th birthday magazine.)

• 200 g butter, chopped
• 200 g dark chocolate, chopped (I combined Lindt Excellence 50 % Cocoa Dark chocolate and Lindt Excellence Extra creamy milk )
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 30ml cup water
• 115 g self-raising (self-rising) flour, sifted
• 25 g Dutch Processed cocoa
• 3 eggs
• 220 g Brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 160° C (325° F). Lightly grease round cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper. Set aside.
2. Place the butter, chocolate, vanilla extract and water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour and cocoa into a small bowl. Repeat an additional 2 times.
4. Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for 6 minutes or until pale and thick. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
5. Using a large spatula, fold through the flour-cocoa mixture.
6. Pour into the lightly greased baking tin. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer**.
7. Allow to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Donna Hay's tip:
**To test mud cake, insert a skewer into the centre; it will emerge coated in cake. Roll the cake from the skewer on your fingertips, if it balls and feels tacky, it’s time to take the cake out of the oven.”

Chocolate Ganache

I always believe the best chocolates would make a huge difference in the ganache and also in the cake. My preference of chocolate is the Lindt Excellence Bar. Even though Lindt Excellence Bar is not cooking chocolate , you can still use it for baking. I have always used Lindt in my baking.

• 150ml Double cream **
• 150 g chocolates, chopped ( I combined Lindt Excellence 50 % Cocoa Dark chocolate and Lindt Excellence Extra creamy milk)

1. Place the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Spread ganache over the cooled cake to serve.

** Instead of using single cream as stated in the orignal recipe, I used double cream. It would give you almost similar taste but With double cream having 48 -60% fat compared to single cream only having 35% fat, The texture would be slight different. With double cream it would hold its shape better but with single cream in hot and humid climate like Malaysia, the texture would be a little runny.