Chicken Farm Baker's Project#12 Low Carb Dessert : Yogurt Mousse and Strawberry Jelly

For the Chicken Farm Bakers' Project of this month, we need something light, ^ ^. As the host of this month (Nok) she wants all of us to find the dessert that make us feel slim.


I have to admit that I don't know much about the low carb diet, but I try to make the dessert that use less sugar than usual.
I end up with this creation, the light dessert with a tangy taste, Yogurt mousse with strawberry jelly. The yogurt mousse, is light and tangy (well, the sugar is needed for the balance of the taste), with a vanilla fragrance, this mousse is getting along well with the strawberry jelly.

The strawberry jelly is tangy too, but with a bit of sweet, and if you love tangy taste I suggest you to double the quantity of the jelly and pour it over the mousse (my mom don't like dessert to be too tangy, so I use only one layer of the jelly).

I think this dessert will serve the purpose of this project, it's refreshing, delicious and don't make you feel heavy ^ ^.

Yogurt Mousse and Strawberry Jelly
serves 2

Strawberry jelly
50g	Frozen strawberry
20g	Sugar
1g	Gelatin
Yogurt mousse
150g	Plain yogurt
50g	Sugar
100ml	Milk
4g	Gelatin
1tsp	Vanilla extract
For decoration
	Fresh strawberry

Bloom the gelatin in the water (if using gelatin powder, mix the gelatin with 2 tbsp of water).
Put the strawberry in the food processor and process until smooth, pour the sugar into the strawberry and process again.
Pour the mixture into small sauce pan, set over low heat. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolve but not boil.
Take the pan out of the heat, then add the gelatin, stir until smooth. Let the jelly cool to room temperature.

Bloom the gelatin in the water (if using gelatin powder, mix the gelatin with 2 tbsp of water).
Put the milk in the microwave safe measuring cup, then heat in the microwave about 1-1.30 minutes until heat through.
Put the gelatin into the milk and stir to dissolve, then add the vanilla extract.
Let the milk cool completely.
When the milk cool, pour the yogurt into the bowl.
Pour the milk bit by bit into the yogurt, until mix through.

Pour 1 tbsp of the yogurt mousse into the glass, cool in the refrigerator until set then decorate with the strawberry. Put more mousse over the strawberry, and refrigerate until lightly set (15-20 minutes)then pour the strawberry jelly over. Refrigerate again and top with the mousse.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: if you make double quantity of the strawberry jelly pour the rest of the jelly over the mousse.

Chicken Farm Baker's Project#12 Low Carb Dessert:

Yogurt Mousse and Strawberry Jelly

Chocolate Tiramisu Torte : My delicious unfinished bussiness!

This is the second time for this cake. First time when my friends came to my house at January (well, a long time ago, haha). But at that time, I just baked the cake, and my friends took the cake home.
So, for me it feels like an unfinished business, ^ ^, I need to make it again, because my friends said that it's delicious (and I didn't have a chance to eat it >*<). This time, when my beloved friend come to visit, I make this cake as a welcome dessert, and well, her husband love this cake. So, this cake is a huge success! I make a little change in the recipe (as I always do, haha). First I make only half of the recipe, so the full recipe will be 20cm cake (just double the recipe) if you want to serve a lot of people ^ ^. Then I adjust the frosting a bit, to make it more controllable (well, I can't find the double cream, so I use the whipping cream instead). But I find it delicious with a lot of mascarpone, you can't go wrong ^ ^. After frosting it and refrigerate for 1 hour, it's better to finish the cake at that day, or the frosting will be dry and crack, but I know that for the delicious cake, it's an easy job, haha.

Chocolate Tiramisu Torte
Make 15 cm 4 layers cake

Cake
150g	unsalted butter, at room temperature
135g	cake flour
2 ½tsp	baking powder
150g	golden caster sugar
3	eggs
2tbsp	cocoa powder
1tbsp	Instant coffee dissolved in ½ tbsp boiling water
Frosting
50 ml	espresso or strong instant coffee
3tbsp	Coffee liquor
250g	mascarpone
250ml	Whipping cream
1tbsp	amaretto
50g	dark chocolate, grated for decorating

• Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Butter and base line 2 15cm-cake tins.

Sift the flour baking powder and cocoa powder together.

Beat the butter until soft then add the sugar and egg, beat to combine.
Add all the ingredients into the bowl, beat until combine. (Or put all the cake ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.)

Divide between the tins and cook for 25-30 minutes or until the sponge is springy.
Cool completely then cut each cake in half horizontally.

• To make the frosting, Beat the mascarpone until it softens then stir in the cream, bit by bit.

Add the 1tbsp Coffee liquor and amaretto then lightly beat until softly whipped.

•Mix the coffee with 2 tbsp of the Coffee liquor and sprinkle over the cut sides of each cake. Sandwich the 4 layers together with the boozy cream, leaving plenty for the top. Finish the top and side with a layer of cream and finely grated dark chocolate. Chill for an hour before serving to make the cake easier to cut.

Chocolate Tiramisu Torte : My delicious unfinished bussiness!

Banana and Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

I just got a new book (ok, again and again, but I just can't stop buying haha) Well, most of you might have it on your shelf too, I think ^ ^.

Actually the recipes in the book is not new, most of them can be found in Martha Stewart's website but when print in a book it's easy to search for the one that you want or take a look for the inspiration.
The book is full of pictures and that is better than print them out by ourselves haha ! As you know the recipes are trustworthy (will if you're not sure about the recipes, you can try them by choose some of them from the website).

This time I choose the banana and nut cupcakes with caramel buttercream, as a sample. The reason is easy, I love banana cake and my sister is crazy for everything caramel, so when two of them are together, it must be yummy!
I make a little change in the recipe (due to the fact that I have whipping cream in my fridge and I think it will make the cupcake softer), I use a mix of milk, cider vinegar and cream instead of the buttermilk.
And for the buttercream, I add a bit of salt to balance the sweetness of the buttercream.
I make a full batch of buttercream, but make only 2/3 batch of the cupcake. Because I need a lot of bettercream for decorate the cupcake this way (well, I use almost all of the buttercream, only 1/2 cup of it left but it's delicious and you can use it on other cake.)
This cake is best eating at room temperature, because refrigerate it harden both the buttercream and the cake.

Banana and Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream
Makes 18 standard muffin pans

Cupcake
200g sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
120g unsalted butter, softened
200g light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/2 very ripe large bananas, mashed
60ml milk
60ml whipping cream
1teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts

Caramel buttercream
200g + 2 tablespoons sugar
50ml water
50ml whipping cream
340g unsalted butter, softened
4 large egg whites, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Beat together the banana, vanilla extract, milk, whipping cream and cider vinegar.

Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with banana mixture and ending with dry.

Scrape sides of bowl, stir pecans into batter Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.

Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.

1. Bring 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Cook, undisturbed, until caramel is dark amber. Remove from heat, and slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Let cool.
2. Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

1. Place whites and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
2. Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add beaten butter, cup at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla and salt.
3. Switch to paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, add caramel, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately, or cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)

Banana and Nut Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream