- Chicken Farm Special Project: Ultimate Roll: Colour, Flavour and Glitter!! : Passion fruit meringue rolls!-

Special project again ^ ^, well, the fact is this project is very old, haha! My friend talk about this project about 4 month ago but there were a lot of things to do, so I just begged her to wait for all of us to have time.
So, this month is the month, Chicken Farm Special Project: Ultimate Roll: Colour, Flavour and Glitter!! The rule is so easy, just make the roll and you have to option to choose the well decorated one or play with flavor. And I choose to play with the flavor, the passion fruit and the meringue!

I love the passion fruit, the smell and the tangy taste, both of them are the charm of this little fruit. The tanginess of the passion fruit is very sharp, and I think it will work very well with the sweetness of the meringue.
After I choose the flavor, I think about the texture, I use the sponge cake for the base, because it's soft and quite dry, so it can take a lot of liquid from the filling and the topping. It's plain too, because I want the flavor of the passion fruit and the meringue come out without any obstacle. And for the meringue, because we won't bake it, I decide the Italian meringue will be the best option ^ ^, and I use the blowtorch to burn it.

So, with each bite you will receive the tanginess and the sweetness, with a hint of the caramel (from the burned meringue). I think I got my new favorite roll cake, that uses the ingredient that I love, the passion fruit!

Note: When fill the cake, don't put all the curd in it or the cake will be very hard to roll. You might have the ¼ cup of the curd left.

- Passion fruit meringue rolls!-

Sponge cake
3	Eggs (separated)
70g	Sugar
60g	Cake flour
1 tbsp	Oil
1 tbsp	Hot water
Passion fruit curd
4	Eggs
2	Egg yolks
70g	Sugar
180ml	Passion fruit puree
20ml	Lemon juice
40g	Unsalted butter
1½ tsp	Corn flour
Italian meringue
2	Egg whites
65g	Sugar
1tbsp	Water

Preheat the oven to180°C
Line the base of 30X30 cm pan with baking paper.

Using hand mixer, beat the egg white with sugar (add the sugar gradually) until stiff peaks form.
Pour the egg yolks into the egg white, beat with low speed for 1 minutes.
Sift the flour into the bowl and fold to combine.
Pour the oil and hot water into the bowl, and fold lightly to combine, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden.

While baking the cake, spray the clean table clothes with water.
As soon as the cake came out of the oven turn the cake over the clothes, pull the baking paper off.
Roll the cake with the clothes, then let the cake cool on the wire rack.

Make the passion fruit curd:

Mix the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and corn flour together.
Heat the passion fruit and lemon juice, then pour the mixture into the egg mixture slowly and whisk all the time.

Put the mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly to avoid scorching until it becomes very thick.

Remove from heat and whisk in the butter and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool.

Unfold the cake and spread the passion fruit curd over the cake.
Reroll the cake and refrigerate for 1-2 hour until firm.

Make the Italian meringue:

To make the sugar syrup, place the candy thermometer in the saucepan and heat the water and sugar over medium-high heat. Partially cover with a lid to capture the evaporating water this helps to moisten the sides of the saucepan to prevent sugar crystals from forming.

With the mixer on high speed, begin whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. When the peaks are stiff, with the mixer still running slowly pour the remaining sugar into the meringue.

Raise the heat under the sugar syrup to bring the syrup to 245°F, if it is not there already. When the syrup is at 245°F, remove the thermometer and slowly pour the syrup into the meringue.

After 1 to 2 minutes reduce the mixer speed to medium for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the meringue is cooled.

Finishing touch:

Take the cake out of the fridge, cover with the meringue.
Using a cook’s blowtorch over the surface to burn the meringue.

- Chicken Farm Special Project: Ultimate Roll
: Colour, Flavour and Glitter!! :
Passion fruit meringue rolls!-

Simple Shortbread: So simple, but so delicious too!

Shortbread again!, well, I will have a lot more, haha, because this easy and simple cookie is delicious ^ ^.

This time I got the recipe from my new book  which I just bought it last month ( Actually I shouldn't buy it that day, I went out with my friends and did a lot of shopping >*< , I just couldn't carry anything more, but whenever I see that book that I like I just have to take it home, haha.) This time the shortbread is the pure one, without any fragrance added. So, the butter is the point, I have to admit that I didn't use the best one (and I'm regret about it), because the taste is good! But because I choose the plain butter, well, what can I say about the butter, I think if you bake a lot and love to eat like me, you may know about the butter that have butter taste and fragrance (like Europe style butter). But (well, I always love to give you the option, haha) you can add the vanilla too if you want, because not all of us love the plain smell (but delicious) of the butter and the sugar, the shortbread will be delicious anyway. I need to talk about the book too ^ ^, I will review it later, but now let me say that this one is great. I love the tip and technique, which will help you bake better. Like for this shortbread they suggest to knead it, to make the shortbread less crumble (and this is what I want, every times I make the shortbread they will turn out crumble). So, try this recipe as a sample to this great book will be a good idea for everyone too, and I hope you will enjoy this simple cookie too.

Shortbread
Makes 16 wedges

2½cups (11½ ounces)	all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon	salt
16 tbsp (8 ounces)	unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (2 ounces)	confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon	granulated sugar

1. Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.

2. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined about 30 seconds.

Using your hands, press the dough into a ball in the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes.

3. Press the dough into a round disk, then place it on top of a piece of parchment paper and roll out into a 9-inch circle, about ½ inch thick. Transfer the dough and parchment to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Crimp the edges, then poke the dough all over with a fork and score into 16 wedges. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes.

4. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the dough. Bake the shortbread until pale golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.

5. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and, using a sharp knife, cut through the scored marks to separate the wedges. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving, about 1 hour.

Simple Shortbread: So simple, but so delicious too!

Chicken Farm Baker's Project# 13: Brighten up with ice*cream dessert! White and dark chocolate ice cream cake.

This month, we welcome the hot weather with the ice cream. Chicken Farm Baker's Project# 13: Brighten up with ice*cream dessert! And I choose "White and dark chocolate ice cream cake".

Actually I make ice cream almost everyday (well, my sister loves to have a little cup of ice cream after every meal, haha).
So, this one is the combination of my favorite ice cream, white chocolate and dark chocolate. As I always say, the quality of the chocolate is the key, use the one that you love. As the taste of every people different, the expensive one can be the one that you hate >*< , so, choose the brand that you can eat it with a smile.

Usually I use Lindt or Frey (this one is great too, I love the Noir Authentique 78% cacao, very delicious!). The taste of the chocolate will be the taste of the ice cream, esp. the dark chocolate ice cream will be intense or not will depend on the percentage of the cocoa mess too.

The decoration that I choose, the sweeten whipped cream and the white chocolate will add a lot of richness to the cake, so if you don't want you can skip the decoration, the cake will be delicious anyway ^ ^.
So, no matter how hot or cold the weather is, the slice of this cake will make you happy, I promise.

White and dark chocolate ice cream cake
Make 1 (20cm ice cream cake)

Sponge cake
4	Eggs (separated)
170g	Sugar
60g	Cake flour
35g	Corn flour
	White chocolate ice cream (recipe below)
	Dark chocolate ice cream (recipe below)
Decoration
350 ml	Whipping cream
4tsp	Icing sugar
	White chocolate grated

Preheat the oven to180°C
Line the base of 2 -20 cm pans with baking paper.

Using hand mixer, beat the egg white with sugar (add the sugar gradually) until stiff peaks form.
Pour the egg yolks into the egg white, beat with low speed for 1 minutes.
Sift the flour into the bowl and fold to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20minutes, or until lightly golden.
Let cool completely

White Chocolate Ice Cream

Make about 1100 g

140 g	White chocolate, Chopped
4	Egg Yolks
35 g	Sugar
¼ teaspoon	Sea salt
450 ml	Milk
450 ml	heavy (whipping) cream

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and the salt. Cook the milk, cream, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost simmering. Slowly pour the milk and cream into the egg-and-sugar mixture, whisking as you pour.
Whisk in the white chocolate until it is completely melted.

Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant plastic or wooden spatula, until the custard reaches 175°F and lightly coats the spatula.

Strain the custard into a clean bowl and cool over an ice bath until room temperature. Refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Churn the ice cream in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
Makes 850 g

110 g	Dark chocolate, Chopped
4	Egg Yolks
65 g	Sugar
¼ teaspoon	Sea salt
350 ml	Milk
350 ml	heavy (whipping) cream

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and the salt. Cook the milk, cream, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost simmering. Slowly pour the milk and cream into the egg-and-sugar mixture, whisking as you pour.

Whisk in the chocolate until it is completely melted.

Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant plastic or wooden spatula, until the custard reaches 175°F and lightly coats the spatula.

Strain the custard into a clean bowl and cool over an ice bath until room temperature. Refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

Churn the ice cream in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: You can speed up the churning process by put the custard into the freezer for 1 hour before churning.

Line the cake tin with a double layer of clingfilm or greaseproof paper.

Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers put the bottom layer in the lined tin.

Spread half of the dark chocolate ice cream (if you refrigerate the ice cream and it is harden, cut it and then place it on the cake layer). Put the upper layer of cake on top and put the whole tin in the freezer for at least an hour to firm up.

Spread about 400g of the white chocolate ice cream to make the next layer topping it with the bottom layer of the second cake. Freeze again for at least 1 hour. Finally, put on a layer of dark chocolate ice cream, and top with the last circle of cake. Freeze for an hour.

Take the cake out of the tin and peel away the paper or clingfilm. Cut thin layers from rest of the white chocolate ice cream and cover the top and sides of the cake completely. Use a palette knife to smooth the surface, then freeze for 2 hours to firm up.

Beat the whipping cream with the icing sugar.
Put the whipped cream into the piping bag fitted with star nozzle.
Pipe the cream on the cake and sprinkle the cake with the white chocolate, then freeze for 1 hour to firm up.

Chicken Farm Baker's Project# 13:
Brighten up with ice*cream dessert!
White and dark chocolate ice cream cake