cranberry scones

i know i haven't posted too many new entries lately, regardless if it was food related or exercise or whatever. this last week has been really tough. i think i averaged about 4-5 hours of sleep each night. yeah, pretty brutal. i'm not sure how i made it through though, but somehow i managed.

almost two weeks ago one of my uncles passed away. in doing my part or pitching in, i volunteered to bake some goodies for the funeral service this past weekend. my volunteering to make some cookies as snacks to pass out throughout the day during the weekend service turned into baking enough goodies for one morning breakfast (there are 3 mornings, i ended up with one morning). not knowing how many people i would be serving, i just knew there would be a lot of people. i asked my mom how many cakes and other goodies i should make and she said at least 10 breakfast cakes. and so with that number i spent literally the entire friday last week (from 11am to 11pm) baking a bunch of lemon loaves, fruit cakes (apple, strawberry, raspberry, lemon), and banana breads. in all, i think i had about 11 or 12 different cake-like goodies. in addition to all the cakes there were also a bunch of cranberry and raisin scones for the non-sweet eaters, blueberry muffins for the muffin fans and over 100 chocolate chip cookies. i think there was about 125 cookies or more in all. i lost count after so many dozens. in all, there were probably about at least 300-400 pieces of baked goods once all the cakes and loaves were sliced/cut. by friday evening i think my entire family was annoyed at me for being in the kitchen all day and taking up every counter space in the house, plus the dining room table. but i am glad and very pleased to say that m was so impressed with all my goodies that next morning (saturday) when i served all the goodies at the funeral service. he couldn't stop eating the toffee apple cake and rosemary lemon cake i made. he's such a tough critic, i couldn't believe he loved them. i will have to make those two again, take some pics and write a blog about it.

i have to say, that 12-hour baking marathon last friday in addition to the previous two nights of baking for the event was so worth it. it felt really good knowing i could contribute/give something to my uncle who has passed. everyone in my family: mom, dad, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles and cousins all wanted to make sure we gave my uncle the best send off we possibly could, especially since he never had a family of his own. he lived a tough life, but i'm sure in a way it was a very happy life. i know everyone loved him and will miss him dearly.

i'm terrible at taking pictures and i was so tired after all the baking i couldn't be bothered to take pictures of most of the goodies. what i did manage to take was the cranberry scones and banana bread. as for the others, i only took a few and those i posted them onto my instagram. below are the pictures and recipes for the cranberry scones if you'd like to make some for your next event or just because. i say these scones were quite the hit and i love how flaky they turned out. yummy! :)


this was only part of the kitchen that was captured on instagram. the dining table was a giant mess as well with baked goodies cooling, cakes waiting to be bake, ingredients and lots of miscellaneous baking items.


i never got to try these blueberry muffins or the strawberry cakes in the background. but from what i gathered on saturday, everyone liked it. i hope to make it again one of these days and actually eat one myself.


my instagram photo of the scones


this is only my second attempt at making scones and i have to say i've fallen in love with these delicious english biscuit-like treat. they are buttery and perfectly flaky when done right. add some butter or jam on them and you've got quite a treat for tea time or any time of day!


noticed all those layers in the scones? omg! so flaky and good.


i can't wait to make this recipe again. i know that from now on when i make scones, i will think of my 12-hour baking marathon for my uncle's funeral; and how special that feeling felt knowing i was part of the celebration of his life.

cranberry scones
adapted from cooking light

ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg white
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 2 teaspoons turbinado or granulated sugar

directions:

1. preheat oven to 425°F.
2. lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. combine flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; stir with a whisk.
3. cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. combine 1/2 cup milk, vanilla, and egg white in a bowl. add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist (dough will be soft).
5. turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. sprinkle surface of dough with dried cranberries. with floured hands, knead 4 times or just until the cranberries are incorporated.
6. pat dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. cut dough into 12 wedges, cutting into, but not through, dough. note: at this point, i like to chill my shaped dough in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (okay, 15 minutes if you can't really wait the whole 30). see tip notes as to why below.
7. just before baking, brush 2 teaspoons milk over surface of dough; sprinkle with 2 teaspoons turbinado sugar. bake at 425°F for 17 minutes or until golden.
8. serve warm, or cool on a wire rack. optional: if you like you can even dip the slightly cooled scones with some icing glaze (i like my glaze w/ a hint of lemon so i add a little bit of lemon juice to mine for a lemon glaze to dip them in) or drizzle the glaze over the scones for an added touch of sweetness. oh so good!

makes 8-12 wedges depending on how you cut your dough. enjoy! :)

tips to making and eating delicious scones:

• freezing scone dough for 30 minutes in the freezer relaxes the gluten in the flour, which makes the scones more tender and allows them to rise higher. it also chills the fat, which will make the scones a bit flakier.
• scones are best served warm. they're delicious as is, but add butter and/or jam (or clotted cream as they do in england), if you like. to reheat room-temperature scones, place on a baking sheet, tent lightly with foil, and warm in a preheated 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

the best baked apple tart ever!

a while back one of my coworkers brought in this delicious apple tart. it is definitely one of the best if not the best apple tart i've ever had. so good that i had to make one myself so m and my MIL can confirm it with me. and since i had made that lemon cream tart recipe from tartine and had 3 extra pie/tart dough leftover, why not?! the sweet tart dough would be perfect for this apple tart recipe.

this recipe was adapated from dalloyau, a very well known and popular pastry company in paris and comes from dorie greenspan's paris sweets book. of course, i missed out on tasting all the goodies from dalloyau the last time i was there. one, let's just say i wasn't aware of them as i am now and two, i'd been eating paris sweets literally every day we were in paris. i know, i was too spoiled. i remembered we even walked pass dalloyau's pastry stands inside galeries lafayette (the giant shopping mall in paris). they had so many opera cakes, macarons and every pastry you can possibly imagine! but at the time i remembered all i wanted was real food (no more sweets, at least at the time anyway) and opted for some thai food. i know, thai food in paris (kind of disappointing huh?). but this place is for sure on my to-eat-list the next time i'm in paris. i can't wait to go back and try everything (okay, maybe not everything, but almost?!) on their menu.

so, what's sooooo good about it? let's just say not only do you get these nicely sauteed caramel-y sliced apples, but the added almond cream with the apple is just delish. it's really THAT good! i've never had a tart with almond cream before and i have to say, the almond cream makes a giant difference. it's a nice added sweetness to the tartiness of the apples. ever since i've made the almond cream in this tart recipe, i've been making the almond cream and putting it on everything! it's super simple that you can whisk up in a few short minutes. one of my personal favorites i like to put the almond cream on is french toast. it's sort of like a take on those delicious bostocks i had at b. patisserie a while back, but homemade and just as good. i'll have to put up a post on these later at some point, but for now… let's enjoy this delicious apple tart.

oh, so what did m and my MIL say? they loved it. like absolutely loved it! m said it's the best he's ever had and the only kind of apple tart or pie he'll ever eat! we're for sure adding this to the list of many baked goodies we make during the holidays. he loves the sweet dough tart with the apples. it's like a nice shortbread crust that compliments the apples and almond cream nicely. i told him i could also make it with puff pastry sheets as the pie crust but he said no. the sweet dough tart is perfect and loves the apple tart exactly the way i had made it. so i guess i'll stick with what i have.

below's the recipe if you'd like to make it. seriously, it's the best apple tart ever! :)


this is really the best apple tart ever. even if you don't like apple pies or tarts, i say you should still give this a try. the almond cream will make you fall in love with it. really.


a close-up shot of a tart slice. seriously, so good. i can't wait until we go to paris again so i can really hit up dalloyau and have an actual slice made from the recipe maker themselves!


as i was taking a shot of this slice, little miss v couldn't help it. she wanted to get a piece (or this piece) of this delicious apple tart!

tarte aux pommes au four
dalloyau's baked apple tart recipe from sabrina ko's blog

ingredients:

the almond cream:
1-1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce; 20 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup (30 grams) ground almonds
1 large egg, preferably at room temperature
2 tablespoons (30 grams) heavy cream
1 tablespoon calvados or apple brandy (or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)

the apples:
6 large apples (2-1/4 pounds; 1 kilo), preferably Fuji or Granny Smith, peeled and cored (note: if you want to skip the grated apples part, you can use 4-5 apples instead)
7 tablespoons (3-1/2 ounces; 100 grams) unsalted butter (note: this can also be reduced without much sacrifice to the taste. i actually halved the butter here and it still came out delicious!)
1/2 cup sugar (75 grams)
2 tablespoons calvados or apple brandy (or 1-1/2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract)

the crust:
1 unbaked 9-inch (24-cm) tart shell made from sweet tart dough (recipe here) or you can use puff pastry (homemade or store-bought)
confectioners’ sugar for dusting

directions:

the apples:

1. center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°c).
2. cut 4 of the apples in half and slice each half into thirds. grate the remaining 2 apples on the coarse side of a box grater (you can skip the grating if you like – i didn't though).
3. melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a large skillet over high heat. add the grated apples and cook, stirring, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes. using a slotted spoon, transfer the apples to a plate (if you skipped the grating, you can skip this step). add the remaining 6 tablespoons (85 grams) butter and the rest of the sugar to the pan and, when the butter is bubbling, toss in the apple slices. cook the apples, stirring frequently, until they are lightly caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. pour in the calvados, turn off the heat, and carefully touch a match to the liquid. when the flames die down, pull the pan from the stove. (note: if you don't have the calvados, you can just add in the vanilla extract after turning off the heat. no need for lighting up a match or anything like that.)
4. transfer the apple slices to a baking pan (or keep them in the skillet if it is ovenproof) and bake for 20 minutes, or until they are almost cooked through. cool for 30 minutes.
5. while the apples are baking, make the almond cream. working in a medium bowl with a whisk, beat the butter and sugar together for a minute or so, until the sugar dissolves and the butter whitens a little. whisk in the almonds, then the egg, beating until the mixture is blended. finally, whisk in the cream and calvados (or vanilla extract). cover the bowl and refrigerate until needed. (the cream can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.)

to assemble the tart:

1. position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and put the tart shell on the sheet.
2. spoon the almond cream evenly into the crust. top with the baked apples, arranging them attractively in a single layer. check the grated apples—if they are wet, press them either between your palms or between paper towels. fluff up the grated apples with your fingers or a fork and arrange them over the apple slices, leaving a bare border of an inch (2.5 cm) or so.
3. bake the tart for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the almond cream has puffed and the apples are beautifully browned. cool the tart on a rack; unmold and serve it when it is either just warm or at room temperature. dust the tart generously with confectioners’ sugar right before bringing it to the table.

notes:
while all of the elements can be prepared ahead, once the tart is assembled, it should be baked immediately, and once it is baked, it should be served soon thereafter.

this tart is perfect on its own or if you prefer, is also delicious with either a bit of crème fraîche or vanilla crème anglaise. but in our household (being the very english people we are! hehe) we have it with evaporated milk and it's delish! of course, a giant scoop of good ol' vanilla ice cream is yummy as well. i do love my vanilla ice cream. :)

makes 8 servings. enjoy!

tartine's lemon cream tart

it seems like lemons are popping up everywhere these days. it is definitely lemon season you can say! a couple of weeks ago a friend gave me some meyer lemons from her garden. i knew exactly what i wanted to make with it. for sure some lemon curd and maybe some lemon cake or something lemony anyway. upon researching different lemon curd recipes i discovered tartine's lemon cream tart. i've gone to tartine multiple times, but i've yet to try their lemon tart. i don't know… must be because it's always so crowded there (the lines are ridiculous no matter what time of day – this place is hugely popular here in sf) that i feel a bit overwhelm sometimes even when i know exactly what i want to get (usually a morning bun and/or almond croissant).

okay, so after reading what it would take to make tartine's delicious lemon tart (as attested by many who've tried it and have made it themselves), i decided i too would attempt to make this yummy piece of goodness. so… how did it turn out? absolutely delicious! it is so lemony, creamy… and just so, so, good. even if you're not a fan, i say you fall in love it (and become a fan!?! =/). and if you are, you've got to make this! i love how the sweet dough for the tart gives that perfect amount of sweetness to offset the tartness from the lemon cream. everything just works well together in one scrumptious bite.

below is the recipe should you want to try and make this. it's super easy to make. usually i don't care for pie/tart dough because it's such a pain sometimes, but this one is a piece of cake. and the lemon cream is nothing if you've done plenty of double boiler stuff before. actually, even if you haven't, just follow the recipe and everything will turn out fabulous.

good luck and let me know how yours turn out! happy baking and eating, as always.





sweet tart dough
by tartine (makes 4 9-inch tart shells or twelve 4-inch tartlet shells)

1 cup + 2 tbsp (9 oz/255 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (7 oz/200 grams) sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3 1/2 cups (17 1/2 oz/500 grams) all-purpose flour

directions:

1. using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, sugar and salt and mix on medium speed until smooth.
2. mix in 1 egg. add the remaining egg and mix until smooth. stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
3. add the flour all at once and mix on low speed just until incorporated.
4. on a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1/2 inch thick. wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight or freeze 3 for future use (this dough will keep for up to 3 weeks).
5. to line a tart pan, place a dough disk on a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/8 inch thick, rolling from the center toward the edge in all directions. lift and rotate the dough a quarter turn after every few strokes, dusting underneath as necessary to discourage sticking, and work quickly to prevent the dough from becoming warm. cut out a circle 2 inches larger than the pan. if the dough is still cool, carefully transfer the circle to the pan, easing it into the bottom and sides and then pressing gently into place. if the dough has become too soft to work with, put it in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up before transferring it to the pan. if the dough develops any tears, just patch with a little extra dough, pressing firmly to adhere. trim the dough level with the top of the pan with a sharp knife. place the pastry shell in the refrigerator or freezer until it is firm, about 15 minutes.
6. if you are making tartlet shells, roll out the dough in the same way, cut out circles according to the size of your pans, and line the pans. the rest of the dough, including the scraps, can be frozen for future use.
7. preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.
8. dock (make small holes in) the bottom of the tart shell or tartlet shells with a fork or the tip of a knife, making tiny holes 2 inches apart. place in the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes for a partially baked large shell or 5 to 7 minutes for tartlet shells. the pastry should be lightly coloured and look dry and opaque.
9. let cool completely on wire racks. the pastry shells will keep, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

lemon cream
by tartine (about 2.5 cups /625 ml)

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (5 oz/155 ml) lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup (6 oz/170 g) sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup (8 oz/225 g) unsalted butter

directions:

1. pour water to a depth of about 2 inches into a saucepan, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
2. combine lemon juice, whole eggs, yolk, sugar and salt in a stainless steel bowl on top of double boiler. whisk ingredients constantly for 10-12 minutes until the mixture becomes very thick and registers 180°F on a thermometer.
3. emote the bowl from over the water and stirring from time to time to release the heat.
4. meanwhile, cut butter into 1 tbsp-pieces. when the cream is ready, using either a regular blender, or an immersion blender, add 1 piece of butter at a time to lemon mixture, blending after each addition of butter. the cream will be pale opaque yellow, and quite thick.
5. you can use the cream immediately, or pour it into a storage container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

to assemble the tart

have the tart shell ready for filling. pour the lemon cream directly into the cooled tart shell. shake the tart pan gently to smooth out the top of the filling. chill the tart until firm, about 2 hours before serving.

that's it, enjoy!

chocolate profiteroles with chocolate passionfruit cream

a few weeks ago one of my coworkers gave me a quart (or carton?!) of passionfruit juice she brought back from berkeley bowl. she remembered me looking for some passionfruit whether it was in the form of the fruit itself or in juices, pulps, anything! anyway, since have this juice i figure i try and make something yummy out of it. and here you have it, these delicious chocolate profiteroles (the french's fancy way of saying cream puffs) with chocolate passionfruit pastry cream. :)

so, how did they turn out? pretty good i say. the passionfruit and chocolate definitely go together. only one unfortunate thing is that the passionfruit juice isn't passionfruity-enough in that it gets a little lost with the chocolate. unfortunately chocolate is one of those very powerful flavors. in this case it overpowered the passionfruit. although, i do feel that had i had actual passionfruit pulp or juices from the fruit itself (100% passionfruit) maybe you'd taste the fruit flavor a little more, even with the chocolate? all in all these cream puffs or profiteroles still turned out fantastic!

below's the recipe for these delicious chocolate profiteroles should you like to try them out yourself. enjoy!


these chocolate cream puffs are so good. usually i prefer my simple vanilla pastry cream or whipped cream filling, but the chocolate in this -- delish!


yup, that's a lot of chocolate profiteroles! :)

chocolate profiteroles with chocolate passionfruit pastry cream

ingredients

for the pastry cream:
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch salt
6 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup passionfruit juice
6 oz dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup cream

for the pâte à choux:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup water
4 large eggs, lightly beaten

for the chocolate ganache glaze:
4 oz chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1/3 cup heavy cream

directions

to make the pastry cream: heat the half-and-half and milk, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, and the salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. meanwhile, combine the egg yolks and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until the sugar has begun to dissolve and the mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. whisk in the cornstarch until combined and the mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.

also, while waiting for the milk mixture to simmer, heat the 1/4 cup cream in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until it comes to a boil (really, you want it hot enough to melt the chocolate). then pour it over the chocolate chips in a decent size bowl. mix the chocolate and cream together until the ganache is form. set the chocolate aside.

now, when the half-and-half and milk mixture has reached a simmer, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture to temper, whisking constantly. return the mixture to the saucepan, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. return the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until a few bubbles burst on the surface and the mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. off the heat, whisk in the melted chocolate and passionfruit juice. mix until everything is incorporated. strain the pastry cream through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl. press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.

to make the choux pastry: preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and place rack in center of oven. line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly butter or spray the pan with a nonstick vegetable spray.

in a bowl sift or whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.

place the butter and water in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil. (make sure that the butter melts before the water boils to reduce the amount of evaporation.) remove from heat and, with a wooden spoon, add the flour mixture, all at once, and stir until combined. return saucepan to the heat and stir constantly until the dough comes away from the sides of the pan and forms a thick smooth ball (about 1-2 minutes). transfer the dough to your electric mixer, or use a hand mixer, and beat on low speed to release the steam from the dough (about a minute) &ndash actually, i just do everything in the saucepan, beat the dough, adding the eggs, etc. once the dough is lukewarm start adding the lightly beaten eggs (dough will separate and then come together) and continue to mix until you have a smooth thick paste (dough will fall from a spoon in a thick ribbon). spoon or pipe small mounds of dough onto the baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. optional: you can gently brush the tops of the dough with a lightly beaten egg if you like. i usually don't.

bake for 15 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). continue to bake for a further 30 minutes or until the shells are a nice amber color and when split, are almost dry inside. turn the oven off, poke a couple of holes in each puff and, with the oven door slightly ajar, let the shells completely cool (and dry out).

to fill the puffs: use the tip of a paring knife to make a small cut perpendicular to the first, creating an X in the side of each puff. fill a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip with the pastry cream. pipe some of the pastry cream through the X into the side of each puff until it starts to ooze back out. repeat to fill all the puffs.

to make the chocolate ganache glaze: place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 20 seconds at a time, until the mixture just begins to steam. whisk together thoroughly until completely mixed and glossy. allow ganache to cool slightly before dipping the tops of the cream puffs. set the puffs on a rack to let the chocolate glaze set completely. if you don't care for the chocolate ganache glaze, you can sprinkle confectioner's sugar on top of the filled cream puffs. i personally prefer dipping them in the ganache because it tastes yummier that way. serve within a few hours.

makes 40 decent size profiteroles. happy eating! :)

mini creme brulee cupcakes

sometime last week i saw a creme brulee cupcake pinned on my pinterest feed. i've never attempted making creme brulee before because i couldn't be bothered to make the custard on the stovetop, then bake it in a hot water bath. but creme brulee as a filling in a cupcake? i thought, sure… why not. that must be a whole lot easier than making actual creme brulee! and i tell you, it was because making the custard is easy peasy. i've done a bunch of pastry cream before, this is just like it, minus an ingredient or two.

i have to say, these mini creme brulee cupcakes turned out fabulous and they taste so good! i didn't have a blow torch so i stuck these babies in the broiler for a minute (although next time i might try less, more like 45 seconds) to brown before serving. so yes, i don't have a blow torch currently, although i have a feeling i may be getting one very soon in the near future as the hubby did ask me if i had one and would i like one – haha! i told him, of course you know i don't have one and sure, i could use one so we can have more of these yummy custard desserts! blow torch or not, you can still make them!

below's the recipe should you want to make them. i modified my eggless vanilla recipe for these cupcakes with a little bit of brown sugar. i say the brown sugar really adds something extra to the cake, because the custard and cake together is just divine! try it, you won't be disappointed. happy baking (and eating)!


yes, that's a lot of mini creme brulee cupcakes! but that's okay, because they are so good. :)


i think this is my new favorite cupcake! a must-try, for sure.

creme brulee mini cupcakes

ingredients:

cupcakes:
1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt
1 cup milk (if using buttermilk, skip vinegar)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

creme brulee:
4 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup brown sugar

directions:

mini cupcakes:

1. preheat oven to 350°f.
2. combine milk and vinegar and stir to combine. set aside for 5 minutes. mixture will curdle. if using buttermilk, skip this.
3. in a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. whisk sugar, oil, vanilla extract into curdled milk mixture (or buttermilk). make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. mix until relatively smooth.
5. fill mini cupcake liners with a scant tablespoon of batter (cups should be just under 2/3 of the way full).
6. bake for 14-15 minutes or until lightly golden, and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. transfer to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
7. once cooled, core out the middle, enough to fill it with the creme brulee mixture. this step is important to do before moving on to the creme brulee mixture as you'll want to pour the mixture into the cupcakes as soon as it's complete.

creme brulee:

1. beat egg yolks in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed (or you can use a hand mixer if you like, or do it by hand with a whisk or fork), 5 minutes or until thick and light yellow. gradually beat in sugar.
2. heat cream in medium saucepan over medium heat until just hot to the touch. stir in vanilla.
3. a little at a time, so the eggs do not curdle, stir half of the cream into the egg yolk mixture.
4. then stir all the egg yolk and cream mixture into the remaining cream in the saucepan. cook, stirring continuously, over low heat, 5 to 8 minutes, until mixture thickens; do not boil.
5. remove from heat and use immediately to fill your cored mini cupcakes.

assembly:

1. using a small spoon, spoon a generous portion of the custard to fill the cupcakes.
2. let the cupcakes sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before refrigerating. refrigerate the mini cupcakes at least 2 hours before serving.
3. before serving, sprinkle with brown sugar and place under preheated oven broiler (45-60 seconds, no more than 60 seconds unless you really like burnt sugar). or if you have a blow torch, torch the top of the cupcakes to get it to brown (like shown in the pictures above).
4. serve immediately. enjoy!

makes 36 mini creme brulee-filled cupcakes (or about 16 regular ones). happy baking and eating! :) oh, if you don't want to eat them all right away (although i don't know why you wouldn't because they're so good! hehe), you can keep them in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. anything after that, i'm not sure how good the cake or custard will be.

chocolate macarons with chili pepper chocolate ganache

as a last minute entry, i came up with this recipe for the chocolate adventure contest sponsored by scharffen berger chocolate maker and tuttifoodie. for 2012, i believe they are looking for a delicious phenomenal chocolate sandwich cookie, using scharffen berger chocolates and one or more of the 12 adventurous ingredients. the adventurous ingredients i chose were the chili pepper and coconut milk.

below's the recipe i came up with. it's pretty simple but i think the chili pepper chocolate ganache definitely adds a kick to your typical chocolate ganache and for sure, this macaron cookie is not your usual chocolate sandwich cookie.

so if you're adventurous enough too, please feel free to try this recipe out yourself and let me know what you think! happy baking and eating! :)


the chili pepper powder adds that unexpected but very tasteful kick to your typical chocolate ganache for this macaron filling.

chocolate macarons with chili pepper chocolate ganache

ingredients:

macaron batter:
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup almond meal
3 tablespoons Scharffen Berger unsweetened natural cocoa powder (any brand cocoa powder will do too if you don't have this kind)
more cocoa powder for macaron shell topping (optional)
2 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

reduced coconut milk:
1/2 cup coconut milk

chili pepper ganache filling:
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 (9.7 oz) Scharffen Berger 62% cacao semisweet chocolate baking bar, cut into pieces (any chocolate baking bar or chips will work too)
1/4 cup reduced coconut milk* (see above)

directions:

to make the macaron batter/shells:

1. line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.
2. sift together the powdered sugar, almond meal and 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder so there are no lumps. set aside.
3. in the bowl of a standing electric mixer (or if you prefer, you can use a bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. while whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.
4. carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. when the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).
5. pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1.35-inch circles evenly spaced one-inch apart. quickly after it's piped, if you wish, sprinkle some cocoa powder over each shell using a small sifter.
6. rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. then let it sit for at least 30-60 minutes depending on humidity before baking them in the oven. about 10-15 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. bake for 15 minutes.
7. once macaron shells are out of the oven, let them sit for 30-60 seconds before removing the hot baking sheet underneath. let the macarons cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper.

for reduced coconut milk:

1. bring coconut milk to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. reduce heat to medium-low; boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.
3. remove from heat. transfer to small bowl.

for the chili pepper chocolate ganache filling:

1. using microwave-safe bowl, place chocolate in microwave oven at medium power (50% power) for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. remove and stir. if chocolate is not melted, return to microwave and repeat heating step, stirring every 20 seconds to avoid scorching. when small lumps remain, remove and continue to stir to complete melting.
2. heat the reduced coconut milk in the microwave for 30 seconds. then add it to the melted chocolate. stir until combine.
3. add in the 3/4 teaspoon of chili powder. mix until incorporated.
4. let ganache cool completely before using. you can put it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process a bit if you like. i do it all the time. or if ganache looks like it's spreadable and not too thin (like in drizzle form) you can go ahead and use it to assemble the cookies.

to assemble the macaron cookies:

1. before assembling these cookies, make sure to pair up all the cookie shells so they are as close as possible in size.
2. using a knife, spread a good amount of the chili pepper chocolate ganache on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together.
3. let them stand at least one day (keep them refrigerated) before serving (serve at room temperature), to meld the flavors.

store in airtight container for up to 5 days. makes 20-24 macarons. happy eating! :)

mango macarons

this is the outcome of a good afternoon when you get 3 hours nap from the little ones. yes, this past sunday both my little babies slept a good 2-3 hours; and with that time i was able to make these delectable mango flavored macarons (along with the coffee nutella seen here). i think they turned out quite nice. you see i had a bunch of very ripe mangoes in my fridge that has gone a little stringy on me. instead of eating it, i decided to puree it to get most of the juices out and use it to make a mango flavored buttercream (see recipe below). i think the buttercream frosting turned out great. the color was very beautiful and the flavor of the mango really came out. you can definitely tell it was mango. i should have taken a photo of it, but i forgot, so i guess we're stuck with just the macaron pictures here. enjoy! :)


these macaron shells turned out perfectly!


the flavored mango buttercream filling is definitely a refreshing change from the typical vanilla buttercream


these look so good!


mango french macarons -- i must try them again, with added mango bits in the filling next time


mango buttercream

ingredients

2 tbsp butter, softened or melted
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1-2 tbsp mango pulp/puree

directions

using a fork or hand mixer, cream softened or melted butter with the confectioner's sugar in a bowl. once mixed (it may start to look like crumbs here), add the mango pulp/puree in. keep mixing until ready. add in more sugar if it's too runny or more pulp/puree if the buttercream is too thick. it shouldn't take too long, just a few minutes and there you have it. enjoy!

coffee nutella macarons

i think i've really perfected my macarons recipe. yes, i'm super proud of myself. there are no longer any hollow shells or cracked/broken bottoms. and the cookies don't really stick to the parchment paper like they used to anymore. of course occasionally i get a few mini sticks here or there taking them off the sheet, but for the most part they come off just fine. i'm just so glad that after many, many trial-and-errors that i think i've gotten it down. i'm sure there will be future batches where it may not be 100% perfect, but for the most part will do just fine.

so what did i do differently these last few times? ummm... first off, not a whole lot. everything else is still pretty much the same, the only difference is my confectioner's sugar and almond flour ratio is now 1:3/4 instead of 2:1. before i used to do 2 parts sugar, 1 part almond flour, but now it's 1 part sugar and 3/4 part almond flour. for some reason the extra almond flour added has really allow the cookie to not have any hollow/air pockets and cook evenly.

now, did i measure (weigh) all my ingredients precisely? i have to admit, i don't always measure/weigh everything. most of the time i eyeball all my ingredients. i know, it's not the conventional way one should bake because sometimes one little thing off and you can totally screw up a recipe (yes, i've done that plenty of times, like adding too much cornstarch when making pastry cream!). but somehow with macarons, now that i've made them a bunch of times, i feel like i know exactly what's enough, etc. of course i still use a measuring cup to measure my dry ingredients, but the ingredients aren't always leveled. yes, terrible, i know! so if you're just starting out or have been baking for a long time you still shouldn't do what i do unless you don't mind the outcomes. anyway, these macarons turned out great and i'm so happy because i absolutely love coffee nutella macarons. it sure beats paying $1.75-2 for one tiny cookie. ;)


piped macaron batter, resting waiting for skin to form before heading into the oven


macaron shells out of the oven and cooling


another view of these yummy coffee nutella macaron shells. the feet look great!


putting together these delicious coffee nutella french macarons


aren't they just scrumptious?


if you'd like to make some of these delicious cute little sandwich cookies yourself, i say david lebovitz's got a pretty decent french macaron recipe for anyone who wants to try a different recipe or make them for the first time. although i must say i think my mini adjustment to it makes it so much better. i'd love to share it, but i haven't put it all down and finalized it yet. when i do have the recipe all made up and ready to share, i will be sure to post it on here. i can't wait to see if you guys feel the same way as me, because it does make these cookies so much better! :)

***UPDATE 12/18/12***

here's the recipe at last! enjoy and let me know how yours turn out if you do make them! :)

Coffee Nutella Macarons
recipe adapted from David Lebovitz

Ingredients:

Macaron Batter:

1 cup (100 gr) powdered sugar

3/4 cup almond meal (about 3 ounces or 75 grams)

2 tablespoons instant espresso
more instant espresso for macaron shell topping (optional)

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

5 tablespoons (65 gr) granulated sugar

Filling:
1 Jar of Nutella (you won't need the whole jar! just enough)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.

Sift together the powdered sugar, almond meal and 2 tablespoons of espresso so there are no lumps (usually I just use a fork to break any large lumps). If your almond meal isn't so fine, you can put the ingredients into a blender or food processor to make it finer. Personally, I'd just use the sifter and dump out any remaining crumbs that didn't make it through the sifting process.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer (or if you prefer, you can use a bowl and hand mixer), beat the egg whites until they begin to rise and hold their shape. While whipping, beat in the granulated sugar until very stiff and firm, about 2 minutes.

Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).

Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1.35-inch (3.5 cm) circles evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart. Quickly after it's piped, sprinkle a few espresso powder over each shell (this step is optional, personally I do it because I like how the macarons look once they're baked).

Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. Then let it sit for at least 30-60 minutes depending on humidity (okay, I've done it with just 15 minutes before and they turned out fine, but whatever you do, do not skip this step; even at just 15 minutes) before baking them in the oven, 15-17 minutes (I typically bake mine on the middle rack). Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

To assemble: Before assembling these cookies, make sure to pair up all the cookie shells so they are as close as possible in size. Then using a knife, spread a good amount of Nutella on the inside of the macarons then sandwich them together. (You can pipe the filling it if you prefer less mess. I personally sometimes can't be bother to go through the hassle of putting my filling in a bag and cleaning up after it.)

Let them stand at least one day (keep them refrigerated) before serving (serve at room temperature), to meld the flavors. Or if you can't wait to dig in and eat, I say wait a few hours, at least! (Shhhh, I've eaten them newly assembled too, and they taste just as yummy. Just a little crunchy, but that's okay. hehehe). But really, for the best optimal flavor and taste, you must wait at least one day. They really are THAT good and worth the wait!

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Makes about 16-20 cookies. Enjoy and happy eating! :)

Note: I typically just bake mine for 15 minutes (middle rack in the oven) and they turn out fine. But yours may be different as all oven temperatures vary so letting them bake the full 17 minutes may be fine. I say set your timer for 15 minutes and add on from there. Regarding the sitting time, I've baked plenty of macarons with just having the piped batter sit for 15 minutes while the oven heats up because I don't always preheat my oven as the first step and they turn out fine too. You'll find it that once you've made these a few times, you'll get the system down. Good luck!

more macarons!

i have been baking lately. i've just been too busy or lazy to post up pictures. below are a few macarons i've baked within the last couple of weeks. i think i've got my own little french macaron recipe down now. i know i mentioned before how i use david lebovitz's, but i think from his... i've derived my own little recipe, which is almost foolproof (well, at least the 3-4 times i've made it, it's turned out great!). i cannot wait to make some more macarons. until next time, enjoy the photos below! and yes, i'm still working on my food photo skills. right now they suck. it doesn't help i don't have a fancy camera either. hehehe.. enjoy!


coffee macarons with coffee chocolate filling -- these turned out sooooo yummy!


marbled coffee macarons with chocolate ganache


sometimes, the classic vanilla macaron is best. i love simple things and this is definitely one of them.


my gift packaging isn't quite there yet, but i'm trying. these look so much better than many of my previous ones.

french coffee macarons with nutella filling

last night i made some cream puffs (more on that later) with pastry cream filling. with the left over egg whites, i decided that i should use up the coffee almond mixture i had made up some time ago (the last time i made french macarons, using pierre herme's recipes) and is now sitting in the freezer waiting to be used. so yes, i went ahead and made some french macarons last night.

the coffee macarons turned out pretty good. but i must say, there is a big difference in how the cookies come out between the weighted dry ingredients vs. the cup measured ones. in the past i've mostly just use david lebovitz french macaron recipe and adapt accordingly to my liking. sometimes they come out okay, sometimes the cookie shells are hollow. these ones from last night was nothing like that. they're a tad more chewy in a good way and there are no hollow shells! plus, for some odd reason the batter was a little more forgiving. it felt like i had folded the batter a million times, but nope, that wasn't reflected in the outcome of the cookies. only one tiny thing i really didn't care about in these ones was how the feet look. i felt like david lebovitz recipe gave me better feet. these ones didn't look as pretty and the cookies came out flatter. they do look and taste the part so i guess it's okay. it's just a matter of my personal preferences.

caramel macarons

okay, so i managed to bake some macarons last night, trying out one of pierre herme's recipes. let's just say we're not quite there yet. i haven't figured out what temperature and for how long to bake these. very frustrating trying to get them right. by the looks of it they look like macarons, but some shells are hollow, some shells aren't fully cooked... ahhh! i guess i'll have to try again some other time.

***update: 4/3/13***

if you'd like to try and make some macarons yourself, you can certainly check out these recipes:

• coffee nutella macarons
• brown sugar salted caramel macarons
• chocolate macarons with chili pepper chocolate ganache
• peppermint macarons
• guava macarons
• chocolate banana macarons

enjoy!

cream puffs with vanilla pastry cream

all week last week i've been so busy or tired that i have not had any time to bake. usually these days, i feel like my nights are so precious, i can't afford to do too many things. either that or i'm usually exhausted and drained come 9pm to do anything.

anyway, i really have been itching to bake lately and finally earlier today i managed to have enough free time (no kids fussing, etc) and decided to make these delicious cream puff. that's because they're so easy to make, you don't need a whole lot of time to do this (okay, that's true for the prepping or making part -- but you do need some time for them to bake). now, usually the cream puffs i make have whipping cream in them. that's because about the only time i make cream puffs is when there's heavy whipping cream lying around the house. well, there were some this time, but i decided to skip the ones with whipped cream and go for the pastry cream filling instead. see, i stumbled upon the recipe for pierre herme's vanilla pastry cream sometime last week and since i do have some spare egg yolks around, i figured i'd try out his recipe. it didn't turn out quite the way i had hope. it could be because i made a little more than half the recipe and winged the rest of the other ingredients. but for the  most part, it came out okay and they still tasted delicious. the recipe below is an adaptation of pierre herme's recipe. for the most part, all the measurements are pretty accurate so, if you decide to make it, they should come out right.

oh, another thing about baking these goodies was that i could test out my photography skills (i don't have any, actually). well, i definitely don't have what you'd consider a cool camera. no fancy dslr or anything like that. just a typical point and shoot (canon powershot, model something?!). anyway, i've been playing around with the manual settings stuff with focus, aperature and shutter settings. i'm hoping i'll get the hang of those things and eventually make my way up to a dslr, whatever model i can afford.

so for now, do enjoy the two photos i shot and edited of these delicious cream puffs.

vanilla pastry cream
adapted from pierre herme's vanilla pastry cream recipe
1 cup milk (i used 1%)
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/6 cup cornstarch, sifted
1-1/4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

in a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla extract to a boil over medium heat (or do this in the microwave oven). cover the pan, remove from heat, and allow the mixture to rest for a few minutes, time enough for the liquids to be infused with the warm flavor of vanilla.

whisk the yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan (or a bowl). while still whisking, gradually whisk hot milk into egg yolk mixture. return mixture to saucepan over moderate heat and cook, whisking constantly, until pastry cream simmers and thickens, about 1 minute. remove from heat and whisk cream until smooth (i guess this is when you can add the butter in if you like. or follow pierre herme's tip below). transfer to bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto surface. chill until cold, generally a few hours.

pierre herme said he likes to cool the pastry cream before adding the butter. that's to ensure the cream doesn't separate so that the butter doesn't lose its smooth texture. plus, it gives you a pastry cream with a better, more buttery taste. i say you can certainly follow this advice and try it yourself. i for one can't stand for anything to cool down unless i really have to, so i usually just put my butter in right away after the stove. maybe next time i will try this little tip.

note: pastry cream can be made ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well with plastic wrap on surface, up to 3 days.