Lemon blueberry madeleine

Got some fresh blueberries, thinking we can make some desserts... hmmmm... wonder if there is a good blueberry madeleine recipe and voilà!
This is originally from a French recipe, I am glad that I read French so I can try it out!

The lemon taste is stronger since I added one blueberry per madeleine, but I like that :) Next time I will fold in more blueberries to see the result.

Anyways, my husband's colleagues and my church friends are happy and all are gone after a meeting :)

Ingredients (24-28 madeleine)
30g honey
100g butter

60g sugar
2 eggs

30ml lemon juice
lemon zest
100g flour
1/2tsp baking powder

Instructions
You can prepare it the day before or 4 hours in advance

1. In a small pot, melt butter with honey, set aside and let it cool down

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg and sugar until egg becomes a bit light in color
Add in lemon juice, zest, mix well
Add in flour and baking powder
Be careful, do not over mix the mixture

3. Pour the honey butter mixture into the flour mixture, mix well
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap, place in the fridge and leave it overnight or 4 hours

4. When you are ready to make the madeleine:
Preheat the oven at 230°c
Take out the batter, incorporate blueberries

5. If you use metallic mould, grease and sprinkle flour first

6. Fill the mould 3/4 with the help of a spoon
Place it in the oven

7. Bake for around 4mins, then drop the temperature to 200°c to bake for another 4mins. The middle part starts puffing up!

Before the last 4mins finishes, if the edge starts turning brown, reduce the temperature and let it bake until golden color

8. When time is up, take the mould out
Remove the madeleine from the mould immediately and place them on a cooling rack to cool down

Enjoy!

Traditional Madeleine

This recipe is original a French recipe. 

Madeleine batter needs to be stored in the fridge, to relax the gluten in the batter after beating or folding the batter, gluten can be formed. It also helps the flour completely dissolved into the egg mixture

After trial and error, the technique to create the boat shape relates to the oven temperature.
High temperature cooks quickly the edge of the madeleine, while the middle part is still uncook. Then the middle part starts rising and puffs upward because the edge shape is "fixed".

Ingredients (about 30 madeleines)
120g melted butter

3 eggs
120g sugar
20g honey (running)
a pinch of salt

150g flour
5g baking powder

1tsp vanilla extract or zest of 1/2 lemon

Preparation:
1. Use bain-marie method, by using electric hand mixer, whisk the eggs with sugar, honey and salt; whisk until the volume is doubled

2. Add in flour and baking powder, use a spetula to fold quickly and gently until flour is well blended into the egg mixture

3. Add in melted butter and vanilla extract or zest of lemon. Again fold the mixture quickly and gently

4. Leave the mixture in the fridge at least for 2 hours or overnight ideally i.e. 6-8 hours (maximum 12h)

When it's time to bake...
5. Preheat the oven to 230°c
Use a table spoon, fill the mixture to the madeleine mold, without spreading out the mixture

6. Place the mold into the oven and reduce the temperature to 200°c. (My oven is 225°c)
After around 4 mins, the middle of each madeleine forms a hollow - reduce the temperature to about 180°c (Mine is 200°c) for another 4mins
Then the middle of the madeleine starts rising and creating its distinct feature - like a boat

*Note 1: Especially after baking for more than 1 round - Your baking time might be shortened silghtly, because your oven becomes hot enough.
*Note 2: Within the last 4 mins, if the edge starts turning brown, reduce the temperature (Mine is 180°c)

7. When the middle of the madeleine puffs up and the shape is formed, take them out and immediately remove them from the mold to the cooling rack

Enjoy!

Blueberry muffins

I love dessert, but healthy dessert is even better :)
Since I discover that muffin is healthier than cupcake, I make more muffins. My favorite muffins are with oatmeal or yogurt....

This is my favourite combination - oatmeal and blueberries :)

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups uncooked quick oatmeal (I used coarse ones)
1 1/4 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar (original recipe = 1/3 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup oil

3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven at 200°c
 In a mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients

2. Add in milk, egg and oil, mix briefly

3. Fold in blueberries

4. Use an ice-cream scoop, scoop the batter into muffin paper mould
If you use tin or silicon mould, grease the mould before you place the batter

5. Put them in the oven and bake for 20-25mins or until golden color

6. When time is up, take them out of the oven

If you use silicon or tin mould, let them cool down for 10mins. Then remove them from the mould

You can serve with honey for breakfast!

Enjoy!

Intense coffee cake - strong coffee flavor

This is not a sponge cake but a dense cake with strong coffee flavor! If you are fan of coffee, don't miss this cake :)

I will try to make the icing next time...

Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking powder

226g butter
1 cup boiling water
3 tbsp instant coffee powder

1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Icing
170g butter
454g icing sugar
2 tbsp instant coffee powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions
Cake - 
1. Preheat oven to 175c

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar, flour, salt, baking powder
Set aside

3. In a small pot, melt butter over medium low heat
In a small bowl, add boiling water to coffee powder
When butter starts melting, add in coffee water mixture, let it slightly boiled. Turn off heat

Set aside and let cool down a bit 

4. In another mixing bowl, mix buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix till well combined

5. Pour butter coffee mixture into flour mixture, mix gently and briefly
Add in egg mixture and stir till combined

6. Pour the batter into a greased mould or a mould lined baking sheet
Bake for 20-22mins or until cake is set

Note: insert a toothpick in the middle to test if ready => it won't come out completely clean, but at least not come out with a thick batter sticking on the toothpick

Let the cake cool completely before you remove the mould

Icing -
1. Whisk butter until becomes smooth paste

2. Add in icing sugar, coffee powder and salt, mix well

3. Add in cream, whisk until all ingredients blend well

4. Ice the cake
Chill for an hour before serving

Enjoy!

Japanese cheese cake - successful for the first trial

Japanese cheese cake is soft and fluffy, it's like a cloud :) The flavor is not very strong, but just right. Oh, it's heaven!!

I saw a friend made one, it looks very successful like the ones in Japan. She shared her recipe with me, so I want to share with you all :)

Ingredients
250g cream cheese at room temperature
20g sugar
4 egg yolk

120ml cream (at least 30% fat)
40ml vegetable oil

30g flour
20g corn starch

4 egg white
40g sugar
few drops of lemon juice (optional)

Instructions
1. Place a baking sheet at the bottom of a 6" cake mould, grease the side
If the mould is amovible, wrap the bottom with aluminium foil to prevent cake mixture leak out or water enters the mould

Place a large mould that you can fill hot water before baking

2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar

Add in egg yolk, beat until blend well

3. Add in cream little by little at beginning, until you see the mixture blends well, then add in more each time - ensure cream cheese mixture has no lumps

Add in oil,  mix well

4. Sieve flour & corn starch, then add in little by little, mix well

Preheat the oven to 170°c

5. In another mixing bowl, whisk egg white with lemon juice until the whisking marks stay

Add in sugar in 2-3 times, until egg white becomes firm

Note: do not whisk until the egg white has firm peak, or it will be hard to blend egg white evenly into egg mixture later

6. Fold in egg white in 3 times into the egg mixture, with light and quick motion

7. Boil water
Pour the cake mixture to the mould, tape the mould several times to remove excess big air bubbles

When water is boiled, pour it into the large mould, fill until 1/2 height of the cake mould

8. Bake the cake for 45mins
If the cake surface becomes golden before time is up, cover aluminium foil on the top

Note: I cover mine at last 20mins

9. After 45mins, turn off the oven, open the oven door a bit and use a wooden spoon to prevent the door closes, leave the cake cools down 8-10mins - prevent cake from being collapsed/ shrinking because of the cold air

Note: do not leave it longer than 10 mins, or the humidity in the oven creates wrinkle marks

10. Take the cake out of the oven, tape the working surface several times gently to remove the heat
Leave the cake cool down completely in the mould, then store in the fridge for 3 hours
After 3 hours, take the cake out and remove the mould

Enjoy!

Swiss roll with coconut cream & mango filling

I like this Swiss roll cake base, it is easy and without oil :) Love the combination of coconut & mango, very exotic!

Rolling technique needs to be improved, it's the first time I roll the cake with so much cream that it ends up both edges overlap a little bit. I should let the edges join next time!

If you like traditional way of rolling, then reduce the cream in half quantity, also place the mango filling by the edge 1" away from the side near your body (see Assemble step 3).

Ingredients
Coconut cream:
1 cup cream (at least 30% fat)
50g coconut cream powder
25g cane sugar*
160g mascarpone

*or white sugar

Swiss roll cake:
4 egg yolks
100g sugar
50g corn starch
50g flour

4 egg whites
pinch of salt

Mango filling:
80g mascarpone
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp mango flavor

Instructions
Prepare Coconut cream:
1. In a small saucepan, heat cream, coconut powder & sugar until all ingredients completely dissolved into the cream. When the steam appears, turn off the heat and let it cool down until room temperature

2. In a mixing bowl, whisk mascarpone cream until it becomes spread out from being a block
Add in coconut cream mixture, whisk the whole mixture until it becomes fluffy and firm
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let it fix & cool down in the fridge

Prepare swiss roll cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°c

In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks & sugar until the color becomes paler
Add in corn starch & flour, beat well

2. In another mixing bowl, whisk egg white & salt until it forms soft peak
Place 1/3 egg white into flour mixture, fold with quick and light motion
Fold in the rest of the egg white, again fold with quick and light motion

3. Line baking sheet on a swiss roll mould
Pour the mixture onto the mould, tape several times the mould so that air will pop
Bake for 8-10mins or until the surface become golden color

4. Let the cake cool down on a cooling rack a bit, when it is warm you can touch it with your hands, try to roll the cake carefully without removing the baking sheet
If the cake can stay rolled, then let it cool down like that

Prepare mango filling:
1. In a small bowl, use a spoon to mix all ingredients until the orange color is even

2. Place the filling in a piping bag with 1.5-2cm round piping tip
Place it in the fridge

Assemble:
1. Place the cake on the working surface (lengthwise), separate the cake from the baking sheet, remove carefully!
You can cut the 2 edges (=> reduce the length of the cake) to make it neat when roll
Place the baking sheet at the bottom, with the cake surface faces upward

2. Spread the coconut cream on the cake, from the side near your body and leave the end 1" length empty, also leave the left and right sides (0.5" empty

3. Pipe the mango filling towards the middle of the cake, but nearer to your body, from left to right

4. Roll the cake carefully, try to roll it with the 2 ends touches one another without overlapping
Press gently the middle if it isn't even

5. Place the cake on a plate and let it fix & cool in the fridge several hours before serving

6. Before serving, cut both ends with a sharp knife

Enjoy!

Pear upside down cake/ tarte tatin

Tarte tatin is famous French dessert, having the apple at the bottom when bake and then flip the cake over before serving. Honestly I am not fan of it, I think I would prefer apple tart. Now it's the season of apple & pear, I can use this idea for pear! Why not?!

I used pistachio mascarpone cream :)

Ingredients
Caramel sauce:
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup sugar
15g butter

2 medium pears

Cake mixture:
3/4 cup & 3 tbsp flour
3 tbsp yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar
100g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, separated yolk & white
1/2 cup whole milk

Optional: caramel ice-cream or whipped cream

Instructions
1. Line a baking sheet on a 7-8" cake mould

2. In a small saucepan at medium heat, heat up water & sugar, stir regularly until the sugar dissolved
Then leave it cook without stirring, for 8mins, or until the color become light golden
Turn off the heat, add in butter, stir well
Pour it on the bottom of the mould

3. Peel, halve & core the pears, slice it in lengthwise into 1/8" thick slices
Place slices over the caramel sauce, overlap the pears around the mould

4. In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder & salt
Set aside

Preheat the oven to 175°c

5. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugar and melted butter
Add in vanilla extract, egg yolks, mix well

6. Add in 1/3 flour mixture & then 1/4 cup milk alternatively (= flour, milk, flour, milk, flour) to the egg & sugar mixture
Each time when adding flour mixture or milk, ensure to mix well first

7. In another large mixing bowl, whisk egg white until it has soft peak
Fold in egg white to egg yolk mixture in 3 times, with quick and light motions

8. Pour the cake mixture over the pears carefully, smooth top
Tap the mould gently to remove excessive air bubbles

9. Bake for 1 hour
Insert a toothpick to test if ready. If it comes out clean means it is ready

10. Let it cool in the mould on a wire rack for 30 mins
Run a thin knife around inside of the mould to release cake

11. Place a serving plate over the cake and invert cake
Remove baking sheet carefully

Serve with caramel ice-cream or whipped cream is perfect!
Enjoy!

American scone

The first time I ate scone was in a fast food restaurant, it doesn't exist anymore :( :( My mother loves this taste and so I do! At that time I didn't know it is called scone, I just know it is more tasty than the bread.

These few years I have some American friends, they told me about scone - that is how I found it again (very touched).
This recipe is really basic and very very easy to make - since you just mix all the ingredients together in one bowl!

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
113g (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

1 cup heavy cream
1 beaten egg

Another beaten egg (for brushing on the top before putting in the oven)
2 tbsp sugar

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 160°c. Line a sheet pan with baking sheet or baking mat, or use a nonstick pan.
Note: I used baking mat

2. Add all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub butter and flour mixture together just until butter pieces are the size of peas and covered with flour. 
Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in cream and then beaten egg. Mix ingredients together by hand until a shaggy dough is formed.
Note: I mixed all ingredients with my kitchen aid with the flat beater

3. Turn out onto a floured surface and gently knead dough together just until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated.

4. Pat dough into a rough rectangle shape. Divide the dough into 8 - 12 parts, shape the dough in your hands into the ball shape, then place it and press it gently on the pan or baking mat (it should be about 3/4- to 1-inch-thick). Keep each dough with a some space - because it will double its size when you bake it.

5. Brush tops with a beaten egg and sprinkle sugar on the top. Bake until light golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Lavender madeleine

Lavender smells so good, I saw some lavender desserts in culinary books but I can't make them because I couldn't find any lavender sold in the supermarket... until I found they are sold here!

Lavender's smell is strong, so 1 full tablespoon is enough.
It is great when serving with lavender herbal tea :)

This recipe is not too fatty/ oily as the ones you buy in the supermarket, I like it :)

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp (full) culinary lavender, crushed

2 large eggs at room temperature
75g sugar
1 tsp vanilla

115g butter, melted
Extra butter & flour for greasing & dusting

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 190°c
Grease madeleine mould. Dust with flour

2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, lavender
In another mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until light fluffy

3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, and then melted butter
Fold the mixture until well incorporated

Put the batter in the fridge and let it cool down for 1 hour

4. Use a table spoon to scoop the batter into each mould and place it in the center of the mould
Note: If you didn't cool the batter in the fridge, fill the mould almost full

5. Bake for 10-12 mins or until the edges become golden

6. Let it fix in the mould for 5-10mins then remove the madeleine from the mould

Enjoy!

Check out Madeleine Ispahan (rose) & green tea flavors also!

Matcha/ Green tea madeleine

My first recipe of madeleine is French chef Pierre Hermé Madeleine Ispahan.

But I love green tea, and I want to try Matcha madeleine... so I found green tea madeleine :) yay!
It is the best to serve with green tea as your tea time dessert!
This matcha madeleine from a Japanese cook :D

Ingredients
113g butter

1/3 cup sugar (original recipe = 2/3 cup)
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp matcha (green tea powder)

2 large eggs
1 tbsp milk

Optional: 
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp icing sugar

Instructions
1. Melt butter in either a small saucepan at low heat or microwave
If it is too hot, leave it cool down 

2. In a mixing bowl, mix sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and matcha, mix well until they blend together

3. In another mixing bowl, combine eggs & milk

Add the egg mixture into flour mixture, use a spatula to stir until combined

4. Add in melted butter, blend the butter into the flour egg mixture

Be careful not to over mix, mix it until it is well blended together

5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight

6. Preheat the oven to 190°c

7. If you mould sticks the madeleine, use some melted butter to grease it, then sprinkle icing sugar before you pour the batter

My mould doesn't stick so I skip this step

8. Take the batter from the fridge, use a tablespoon to scoop the batter, then use a spatula to scrap the batter & fill each mould

You need not smooth out the batter in the mould as it will melt & spread out evenly in the oven

9. Bake for 12 mins or until golden

10. When it is done, remove from the oven and let them sit in the mould for 5 mins

Serve warm!

Enjoy!

Banana & chocolate chips muffins

Since I found that muffin is healthier than cup cake, I look for new recipes, and I got this one ;)

Ingredients (12)
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk*
2 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 mashed banana
0.5 sliced banana
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

* Substitue
i/ 1 cup milk & 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, mix well and leave it for 10mins
ii/ 3/4 plain yoghurt & 1/4 water, mix well
iii/ 3/4 sour cream & 1/4 water, mix well

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°c

2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract, stir until combined

3. Fold in mashed banana
Pour the mixture to 12 muffin moulds, 80% filled
Place chocolate chips & then sliced banana on the top

4. Bake the muffins for 25mins or until it is golden
When it is done, place them on a wire rack and let it cool down

Enjoy!

Raspberry oat & yoghurt muffins

This recipe is healthy, definitely for breakfast :) oh or even tea time!

Love raspberry, oat and yoghurt so much, my favorite element of breakfast indeed :)

Ingredients (about 12)
2 cups All purpose flour
2tsp baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Greek-style plain yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup oats
1 cup / 150g frozen raspberries 

Optional: Oats for sprinkle

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 180°c

Place paper cases in the muffin tray

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder

Add in eggs, oil, yoghurt, mix until combined

3. Fold in oats & raspberries, blend well

4. Pour the batter to each muffin case till the top

Sprinkle extra oats on the top if you want

5. Bake for 30mins or until golden

Note: if you do not use paper cases, do not remove the muffins from the muffin tray immediately, wait for 10mins so that the muffins become fixed, then run a toothpick around the tray to remove each muffin carefully

Enjoy!