Winter feel good.

Is that time of the year again where everyone is just busy with the coming celebrations of Christmas and New Years. And over here we have Sinterklaas to top that busy December month off.(Sinterklaas is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands,Belgium, Aruba, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles he is celebrated annually on Saint Nicholas' eve 5 th December. The feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of Amsterdam, children and sailors. He is the basis of the mythical holiday figure of Santa Claus in the United States.)


 I, myself have been busy with the kids and getting involve with school so much that i hardly have time to update my blog as the end of the day i am all knackered. But told myself i want to built my site up so i have to make time. Here i have shared an easy Chocolate Brownies recipe that even your kids can do it. Quick, easy, moist and most definitely no laking in taste!


Chocolate Brownies


125g Butter
125g Dark Chocolate
2 Eggs
3/4 cup Superfine caster sugar
1 cup Plain flour
2 tbsp Self - raising flour
3/4 cup chopped Pecan or macadamia nuts
1/2 cup mini marshmallow

• Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat. And stir until mixture is just smooth.
• Place eggs and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until mixture is pale and thick. Fold in the chocolate mixture, sifted the flours, marshmallow and nuts through butter and eggs and pout mixture into a greased brownie tray or 20cm square cake tin.
• Bake in a preheated 180c oven for 30 minutes or until the brownies are set.
• Allow it to cool and cut them into squares.
• Served  with either whipped cream or some vanilla ice-cream. And a strong cup freshly brewed coffee.

Halloween Specials

Halloween is just around the corner and i am really in the mood for it. Even though in Holland its not that big like in USA but there are still little ghosts, ghouls, goblins knocking on your door. And especially now that Lucas is older (5) i thought why not get more involved in the spirit of Halloween. So we have done our Jack O lantern deco and next will be the little treats. And i thought why not make some red velvet cake as i have always wanted to try making them. Now will be a great moment with the red color just look so cool for this theme.

I hope you enjoy Halloween as much as we did Happy Halloween.

Red Velvet Cake


For the cake

115g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp red food coloring
2 tbsp cocoa powder (heaping)
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking soda

For the Frosting

2 packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 cups icing sugar, confectioners'sugar                                                                                                                         

For the cake

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• In another bowl, mix red food coloring and cocoa until cocoa is completely dissolved. Add to the creamed mixture.
• Mixing on low speed, add buttermilk and flour alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Mix well but do not over-beat to ensure a light fluffy cake. Add vanilla essence, mix well.
• Blend the baking soda into the batter. Transfer into a floured and greased 9 inch round cake pan. Bake in preheated 180C oven for 30-40 minutes. Cool.

For the frosting

• In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. 
• Mix the vanilla and then gradually stir in the icing sugar. Store in the refrigerator after use.

Once cake is cooled halve it and then spread some frosting in between and sandwich the cake. Frosted the rest of the cake or to your liking. I have made some chocolate spiders to give it a spooky feel. But like i say the cake is up to you to decorate to your liking.


Also what you can do with this recipe like i did i used the cake to make little truffle cakes.
Just baked the cake crumble it after baking, mixed it through the frosting, and then roll it to the shape you want and chilled it in the fridge for or a few hours or pop it in the freezer. When the shapes are firmed up you can than coat it with chocolate or anything you want. Decorate and design it to you liking and allowed it to dry and its done.
Here are some of mine for the Halloween theme.

Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Fall break is here, weather is cold and wet so the kids have to be indoors. What better than to get them involved with cooking. Here is a easy recipe for kids and adults. Believe me these little treats goes fast!

Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

80g of butter

1 pack of regular Marshmallows

6 cups Chocolate Rice Krispie or (Coco Pops)

1 cup to 1 1/2 cups Good quality Cocoa powder

  

• In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallow and stir until completely melted.
• Remove from heat and add the chocolate rice krispie and cocoa powder. Mix well might be a bit hard as it gets very gooey.
• Have a square tray of your choice either deep or shallow dish cover it with baking paper. Spread the mixture on to the tray pressing it down with a oiled spatula and smooth the top.
• Make sure it is nicely packed. Cool it down and then its ready to cut to any shape you want.
• You can also use them on Cupcake trays.....eat it on its own or add candies,sprinkles the choices are endless.

Steamed Taro Cake ( Wu Tow Ko)

This is a Malaysian version of Steamed Taro/ Yam Cake. Just had a craving for this local delight that i have not had for ages and since i manage to got my hands on some Taro why not give it a go. Mum used to make them too and everyone really enjoy the homemade ones as they are nicer and of cause we always add more of the ingredients (Liau) that makes it tasty.


Steamed Taro Cake


1 1/2 cups rice flour
1/2 cup cornflour
1 litre cool water
vegetable oil, for frying 
1 1/2 cups dried shrimps soaked in hot water 
squeezed and finely chopped
3 Chinese sausage/ lap cheong,finely chopped (for meat version)
1 cup dried chinese mushroom,soaked in hot water
squeezed and finely chopped ( 2 cups maybe use if not doing meat version)
400g yam diced in to 1cm cubes
1 1/2 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup chopped spring onions
red chilli finely chopped 
Fried shallots ( bought from store)
Garlic chilli sauce

For those who do not know, this is what Taro/ Yam looks like.

• Mix rice flour and cornflour with water to make a thin batter
• Saute shrimp,sausage and mushroom in oil till slightly colored and fragrant. Add Taro, five spice powder, salt, sugar and yam batter. Cook on medium heat, stirring and scraping the sides of the pan continuously till the mixture is thick starchy paste. Taste and season further if needed.

•  Heat water in the steamer. Transfer the Taro paste to a round spring form cake tin ( 22- 23cm)
• Turn heat up so the water is boiling and steam cake for 40 - 45 minutes.
• To check if the cake is ready test it with a pricker on the taro once taro is soft is ready.
• Do not worry if cake looks a little wobbly when first out of steamer, as it will firm up as it cools down.
• Sprinkle the spring onions, fried shallots and freshly chopped red chillies over the top.
• Serve with garlic chilli sauce.

Leftovers can be kept in the fridge and warm up the next day or slice them up and pan fry them till golden and served! Both ways yummy. 

It can also be frozen up so whenever you crave for it, you know where to find them.

Decadent Chocolate Roulade

I was just looking through one of my magazine Australian Women's Weekly and came across this recipe and it looks really good and thought why not give it a go as i've got the ingredients at home and the steps seems easy enough. And it was easy, simple, decadent cake!

Decadent Chocolate Roulade

 1 tbsp caster sugar
200g dark eating chocolate,chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) hot water
1 tsp dry instant coffee
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar,extra
300ml thickened cream
120g raspberries, strawberries or even banana

• Preheat oven to 180 deg C / 160 deg C fan-forced. Grease a swiss roll pan. Line base with baking paper.
• Place a piece of baking paper ,cut same size as the Swiss roll pan, on the bench and sprinkle evenly with caster sugar.
• Combine chocolate,hot water and coffee in a medium heatproof bowl. Stir over a medium saucepan of simmering water until smooth; remove from heat.
• Beat egg yolks and extra sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer for about 5 mins or till thick and creamy.fold egg mixture into warm chocolate.
• Beat egg whites in a small clean bowl with the mixer till soft peak form. Gently fold whites into chocolate mixture, in two batches. Spread mixture to pan.
• Bake for about 15 mins.
• Turn cake to sugared paper, peeling off the baking paper away; use serrated knife to cut away the crisp edges from all sides. Cover with tea towel; cool.
• Beat cream in a small bowl with mixer until firm peaks form. Spread cake evenly with cream; sprinkle evenly the berries you are using or banana. Roll cake, from long side to a log shape. Cover roll refrigerate for at least 30 mins before serving.