Pumpkin cheese cake with speculoo base

Thanksgiving is over, but winter is not over yet. I like pumpkin and I found a recipe of pumpkin cheese cake. I altered this recipe because I think speculoo is perfect with pumpkin and the spices.

Ingredients (9"amovible mould)

Crust
125g speculoo
75g butter
1/2tsp cinnamon

Filling
230g cream cheese in room temperature (I used Philadelphia)
1/4 cup sour cream
425g pumpkin puree (= one can)
3 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar (original recipe= 1.5cup)
1tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp nutmeg
1/8tsp cloves
2tbsp flour

Toppings
Whipping cream
Optional: cinnamon powder

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven at 150°c
Line the mould bottom with baking sheet

2. In the food processor, mix all crust ingredients
Place the crust mixture on the mould, use a spoon to press the mixture evenly until it becomes smooths
Set aside

3. In a mixing bowl, to prepare the filling - beat cream cheese until it becomes smooth
Add in other wet ingredients and mix well

4. Add in all dry ingredients, mix well

5. Pour the filling onto the mould

6. Bake for 40mins, leave it in the oven with the door close for another 40mins
Take the cake out and let it cool down
Put it into the fridge for 1 hour or until it is cold

7. When serve, put whipping cream on the top
You might sprinkle some cinnamon powder if you love it!

Enjoy!

Swiss roll with mascarpone filling

I think I really miss baking, yesterday I just baked a lemon cake, today I want to bake something!!

Found another recipe of swiss roll! The cake is not too dry, because there is oil in the cake :)

Ingredients of cake (28-30cm)
3 egg yolks
20g sugar
30ml vegetable oil (except olive oil)
40ml water
25g milk
60g flour

3 egg whites
40g sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven at 190°c

In a small bowl, mix green tea powder and warm water, set aside

2. Mix egg yolks with sugar, mix well

Add in oil, water and the green tea water, mix well

3. Add in flour, little by little, mix well

4. In another large mixing bowl, beat egg white and sugar, it is ok to add sugar in the beginning, it works

Beat the egg white until it is firm enough - when you turn the bowl upside down, the egg white stick the bowl

5. Fold in 1/3 egg white into the egg yolk mixture, with fast and light motion, not to break the egg white

Add the rest of the egg white

6. Line the swiss roll mould with baking sheet

Pour the mixture onto the mould, scrap the mixture to flat & even surface

Hold the mould and slightly tape it towards the table, to remove the excess air bubble

7. Put in the oven 190°c and bake for 12mins or until it is golden color

Let it completely cool down on a rack

8. Cut off the edges and set aside

Ingredients of filling

250g mascarpone

5cl whole milk

1g vanilla extract*

50g icing sugar

Optional: fresh fruits = strawberry, raspberry, kiwi

*If you have other flavor such as mango, yam, alter the portion to 1tbsp

Mix the above ingredients and put it in the fridge for few hours before use

Combination

1. Lay the filling onto the cake (the golden part face upward)
If you have fresh fruits, lay them horizontally in 2-3 rows: start from laying one row at the edge near you
Note: be careful! DO NOT lay any fruit at the other end, otherwise the fruits will be squeezed out when you roll the cake!

Use a spetula to spread evenly the filling

2. Roll the cake delicately upward, from one end to another end

3. Put the cake into the fridge for few hours before serving

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving - mashed sweet potato

Thanksgiving is coming! We will make some sweet potatoes this year to celebrate our thanksgiving!

This recipe is given by our American friends, years ago we celebrated the thanksgiving together and they made delicious sweet potato :) I miss them...

This one is without any toppings, but still taste good :)

Ingredients
3 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

group a:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp butter (softened)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg or powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or powder

group b:
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice
2 beaten eggs
1tsp vanilla extract

group c:
1/4 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

If you have fresh sweet potatoes like I do, here are the steps to cook the sweet potatoes:
1. Peel off the skin, wash them
Prepare a pot with water, heat it up until boiling

2. Put the sweet potatoes in the boiling water for 10-12 mins or until it is soft
Put them in a large mixing bowl and set it aside

3. Preheat the oven at 175°c

Put group a ingredients into the large mixing bowl with mashed sweet potatoes
Mix well

4. Put group b ingredients into the large mixing bowl
Mix well

Pour the sweet potato mixture into a casserole dish

5. In another mixing bowl, mix well group c ingredients
Sprinkle the mixture on the top of the mashed sweet potato mixture

6. Put the dish in the oven for 45 mins or until the surface becomes golden color

Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Crochet teddy bear

Another teddy bear is born! I am going to give it to my precious sister who got a new born baby!

The arms and legs are movable! So cute

So excited to visiting her soon!

I miss cooking!

Since I am back I can't stop cooking :D I miss cooking so much!

Some Asian (Japanese seaweed soup, Korean spinach side dish, veggies fried rice) for dinner

Chinese sweet soup - beancurd barley egg

Mushroom risotto for lunch

What's next !?

Fun paper craft

This morning got a chance to do some fun craft, here is what I have done! It's so nice to do craft! I love paper craft =)

It is a happy birthday card for someone I love and care :D

Pumpkin pie spice

As I wanted to make pumpkin latte, I found that I don't have one ingredient in the list = pumpkin spice.... so I wonder what does it consist of?

You can buy different spices in America very easily, but not in Europe!
American loves pumpkin, I guess when they move to Europe, they usually have the same problem -they couldn't find the spices that they are used to buy!!

Ingredients
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8tsp ground cloves

Instruction
1. Mix everything well with a small spoon

2. Store in an airtight container