Yoghurt and Walnut Cake with Figs: Finally I got my fig form my garden !

I love to grow trees and I have a dream of a garden full of many fruits and vegetables, well it's only a dream because every time that I tried to grow something it died, haha.

 

Anyway I just can't stop trying, so this time I told my brother to take care of the trees for me, ^ ^. I really want to grow the fig tree for a long time, and my first attempt for fig  D-I-E-D (like other kind of fruit or herbs which I tried to plant -*-). So this year, when my brother asked me what to buy I choose fig. It's like something that I need to make over.

Months after months, I had to take a look at the trees almost everyday, hoping that I will get the fresh fruits for baking (I had to tell myself not to touch it, haha, there was a time that I had a jasmine tree, it was beautiful with a lot of flowers, it died after I tried to take care of it, -*-).
Finally, the time that I waited for is coming, the fruits are here, like you can see in the picture, and I start finding the recipe to use them. It's not hard to find the recipe for the fresh fig, (eat it plain, haha), because I have a lot ^ ^.

Luckily, I found the recipe for this lovely cake in the Vogue Entertaining + Travel (issue: February/March 2010), in the Turkish inspired menu. Fig usually used in the Mediterranean region because it widely grown in that climate.

I love the look of this cake, it's very lovely with the green and red jewel (from the pomegranate seed). The cake is a little dense because the cake contains nut and and soaked with the lemon syrup.

If you can find the pomegranate with the red seeds, the cake will be very lovely, but there are some kind of the pomegranate, that the seed is not red, it's yellow. So, if your pomegranate is not ruby red, just add the red food coloring when simmering the seeds in the syrup (or if you don't think the look is important use it as it is).

Some people don't like to eat fig, because it's quite sweet and it has a distinguish taste and smell. Anyway, for this cake, if you don't like fig or don't have it, don't worry it's still delicious. 

Adaptation from: Vogue Entertaining + Travel issue: February/March 2010.

Yoghurt and Walnut Cake with Figs

Makes 20 cm cake

75g .................................... plain flour
80g ................................... fine semolina
¾ tsp ............................... baking powder
¼ tsp ............................... baking soda
75g ................................... walnuts, roasted, finely ground
2 ....................................... eggs
260g ................................ caster sugar
70g ................................... unsalted butter, melted
30ml ................................ vegetable oil
1tsp .................................. vanilla extract
150g ................................ yoghurt
.......................................... Finely grated zest of 1 lemons
.......................................... juice of 1½ lemons
½ ..................................... cinnamon quill
3 ....................................... cardamom pods, crushed
1 ........................................ pomegranate, seeds removed
4 ....................................... black or green figs, torn in half
1 tbsp .............................. slivered pistachios or chopped pistachios, to serve


Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 20cm springform tin, then line the base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm beyond tin rim.

Sift flour, semolina, baking powder, baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt into a bowl, then stir in ground walnuts.

Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs and 110g of sugar together until thick and pale.

Combine butter, oil and vanilla in a jug, then pour over flour mixture. Add yoghurt and one-third of the egg mixture and stir together to combine, then gently fold in the remaining egg mixture. 

Spoon into the prepared tin and bake on the lowest shelf in the oven for 40-45 minutes, covering the top with baking paper towards the end of baking to prevent over-browning, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of’ the cake comes out clean.

Meanwhile, place 110g of sugar, 90ml of water, lemon zest and the juice of 1  lemons, cinnamon and cardamom in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the mixture, discard spices.

Using a skewer, prick the top of the cake, then gradually brush the hot syrup (I slowly pour the mixture over the cake) over the hot cake and leave to cool in the tin.

Place remaining 40g of sugar, juice of ½ lemon and 2 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add pomegranate seeds and simmer for 2—3 minutes or until the seeds tint the syrup pink.
Place the cake on a platter with a lip, arrange figs over the top of the cake, scatter with pistachios, then drizzle over the pomegranate syrup.  

Yoghurt and Walnut Cake with Figs: 

Finally I got my fig form my garden !

Chocolate and Nut Caramel Shortbread

Shortbread again, but this time with a lot of delicious additional, caramel, nut and chocolate. The best combination for everyone! The original recipe uses only one layer of chocolate (but I like to have more chocolate flavor, I'm a chocoholic, haha), so I add another layer of dark chocolate.

I made the caramel myself, but if you feel lazy (or don't have time, you can use 570g of already made Dulce de leche (like Nestlé Top ‘n’ Fill Caramel) , instead of spending time in the kitchen, (^ ^).

This cookie is very good to have with tea or coffee, I think the additional layer of deep dark chocolate make the cookie great for adults. But if you make this cookie for the children you might change the chocolate thin on top or omit it complete.

Chocolate and Nut Caramel Shortbread

Makes 24 pieces

Shortbread base
175g	unsalted butter, softened
55g	caster sugar
250g	plain flour
¼ tsp	Salt
Caramel sauce
150 g	Sugar
2 tsp	Water
½ cup	Whipping cream
40g	Butter
Nut
150 g	Salted roasted nut (peanut or cashew nut)
Chocolate topping
175g	Bitter chocolate (dark chocolate), chopped
25 g	Butter
24 pieces	Dark chocolate thin

First prepare the caramel cream:

Put sugar in a heavy saucepan. Put the cream in the microwave proved measuring cup. Place the sugar pan on medium heat and cook undisturbed until the sugar begins to melt and caramelize-you’ll see a few wisps of smoke coming out of the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and stir occasionally so that the sugar melts and caramelizes evenly. Put the whipping cream cup in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds, add it to the caramel, averting your face-the caramel will boil up and may splatter out of the pan.

Pour the diluted caramel into a medium bowl, add the butter and stir slowly until the butter melted, then cool it to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Line the base and sides of a 25cm x 25cm tin with baking paper.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Add flour and beat until the mixture just comes together. Press into the prepared tin, then bake for 25 minutes or golden. Let the shortbread cool to the room temperature.

Scatter the peanuts over the shortbread layer, then spread over the caramel mixture and refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.

Stir chocolate and remaining butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until melted. Cool slightly, then spread over the caramel layer. Place the chocolate thin on top and refrigerate until set.

Before serving, take the shortbread out of the refrigerator about 20 minutes (if the chocolate is solid hard, it will break when you are cutting), cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Refrigerate again until serving.

Chocolate and Nut Caramel Shortbread

Chicken Farm Bakers' Project #5: Finger Food Party, Mini Strawberry Savarins

Another recipe from: Chicken Farm Bakers' Project #5: Let's Celebrate Finger Food Party. "Mini Strawberry Savarins" The recipe is an adaptation from ................ the magazine that I can't live my life without it, haha.

But for this time, I change the recipe a lot, because we are not allowed to use any kinds of the instruments except our fingers, (^_^). So from the sweet that most serve in the plate, I use the paper cup instead (the savarin had to soak up the syrup so it's not easy to pick it up with finger). And I use very simple syrup than the Champagne one, the reason is I don't have the Champagne at home, and anyone who don't drink (or not allowed to drink) alcohol, can enjoy it!
This bread is very easy to make, you don't have to knead anything, just put the ingredient in the bowl and stir to combine. I add a little bit of salt into the ingredients to round out the flavor and control the yeast, anyway the dough rise very quickly, it's good if you don't have so much time. You can use any kinds of fruits if you like, the sweeten cream and the savarin bread can be a good companion to many things up to your imagination.

Mini Strawberry Savarins
Makes 14 pieces (6.5cm savarin mould)

Savarin bread
50g	unsalted butter (melted and cool)
2	eggs
125ml (½ cup)	milk
7g	dried instant yeast
200g	plain flour
¼ tsp	salt
2tsp	sugar
Syrup
50 g	Sugar
50g	water
Crème Chantilly
100 ml	Whipping cream
2 tsp	Superfine sugar
½ tsp	Vanilla extract
Decoration
2tbsp	Strawberry jam
14	Small strawberries

Whisk eggs with 2 teaspoons sugar. Place milk in a small pan and heat to lukewarm, then stir in yeast.

Place flour and salt in a large bowl, whisk to combine, stir in egg and milk mixtures until just combined, followed by 50g melted butter (don’t overmix).

Cover bowl and leave in a warm place until dough doubles in size (about 30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 180°C Using a piping bag with a plain nozzle, pipe dough into 6.5 x 6.5cm savarin moulds. Place moulds on an oven tray and bake for 12- 15 minutes or until risen and pale golden.

Make the syrup:

Place the sugar and water in a pan, and bring to boil.

Turn out savarins and place in the hot syrup until well soaked (or brush it heavily). Carefully remove and place on a wire rack over a tray to drain.

Assemble:

Pour the cream into a bowl, add the sugar and the vanilla extract. Using a balloon whisk or electric beaters, whip the cream until stiff peak forms.
Pipe the cream to fill the top of the savarin.

Put the jam in the microwave and heat for 40 seconds (or until melted).
Brush the strawberry with the jam and place the strawberry on top of the savarin.
Place the savarin in the paper cup.

Now the savarin is ready, ^ ^.

Chicken Farm Bakers' Project #5: Mini Strawberry Savarins

Strawberry Layer Cake: Finally I did it!

I had a love at first sight, at the moment that I saw this cake on the cover of Vogue E+T issue: October/ November 2008, I thought “it’s a very beautiful cake”. And after I read the recipe I's so sure that it'll be the great cake too. The strawberry, mascarpone, the almond cake and amaretto, they will be perfect companion to each other.

I really want to make it but I just couldn’t find any good strawberry at that time so this project was on hold for almost a month now. Last Sunday, my brother went to supermarket and I told him to buy me strawberries if they were good and finally I had strawberry to make this cake. But forgot to tell him how many strawberry that I want, >*<, so I had only 250 g of strawberry, not enough to make the full recipe.

So, I had to make only half of the recipe and I made a mistake again. The original recipe uses 23 cm cake tin and the right size for the half recipe is 18 cm, but I used 15 cm, so you can see that my cake is very very hight, haha. But in the good way it’s a luxury sky high cake! (Actually I try to accept this idea but my cake was too high and it collapsed when I cut it, what a shame! So, please don’t make the same mistake, ^ ^). Beside from all the wrong things which cause by me, the cake is so great. The almond cake is good when paring with the strawberry, the strawberry jam and the mascarpone. I love the smell of the marzipan and the amaretto they are so great together, and the white chocolate ganache makes this cake perfect. Anyway I made full recipe of the white chocolate ganache, you can make only half of it, but for me more chocolate mean more delicious.

Adaptation from: Vogue E+T issue: October/ November 2008

Strawberry Layer Cake

Makes 18 cm (2-layers cake)

FOR DECORATING
60 g	strawberry jam, warmed (I used reduced sugar strawberry jam)
200g	strawberries, hulled, halved (or cut into thin slice if large)
3	pesticide-free pastel pink roses (I couldn’t find them, so I use the paper flower instead)
1	egg white
	Caster sugar, to dust
80ml	pouring cream
1 teaspoon	glucose syrup
175g	Lindt white chocolate, finely chopped
ALMOND CAKES
3	eggs at room temperature, separated
110g	caster sugar
35g	marzipan, grated
⅛ teaspoon	cream of tartar
75g	cake flour
FILLING
5g	gelatine
30 ml	amaretto liqueur
60g	caster sugar
50g	Egg yolk
70 g	egg white
250g	mascarpone

Preheat oven to 180°C

For cakes, grease 2 x 18cm shallow cake tins and line bases with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, whisk yolks, 85g sugar, marzipan and ½ tablespoon water on high speed for 3 minutes or until mixture has tripled in volume. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a clean bowl, whisk whites and cream of tartar on high speed until soft peaks. Gradually beat in remaining sugar until stiff and glossy.

Add 2 large spoonfuls of meringue to egg-yolk mixture sift over flour and stir in. Gently fold in remaining meringue. Divide batter between tins, then spin tins to level batter.

Bake for 18 minutes, swapping shelves halfway through cooking, or until cakes spring back when pressed gently. Cool in tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks.

For filling, soak gelatine 3tsp of Amaretto. Meanwhile, place liqueur and 30g sugar in a small pan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Add gelatine and stir until dissolved.

Using an electric mixer, whisk liqueur mixture with yolks until combined. Add the yolk mixture into the mascarpone, whisk until just thick, then transfer to a large bowl.

In a clean bowl, whisk whites to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining sugar and whisk until stiff. Fold meringue into mascarpone mixture in 2 batches.

Grease, then line base and side of a 18cm springform tin with baking paper (I used the plastic cake side cover). Place one cake in tin the right way up and brush with half the jam.

Stand strawberry halves upright and slightly apart so cut sides touch perimeter of tin, fill the centre with the rest. Carefully spoon mascarpone mixture over strawberries, filling the gaps. Level top, then knock tin gently on a work surface to remove air pockets. Brush remaining jam over second cake, then place, jam-side down, over filling. Cover tin with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to firm.

Brush rose petals and brush each lightly with egg white, then dust generously with sugar. Place on a wire rack to dry for 4 hours or overnight at room temperature.

For white chocolate ganache, bring pouring cream and glucose to the boil in a small saucepan, remove from heat, then stir in chocolate until melted. Place pan over a bowl of iced water and stir occasionally until mixture is the consistency of double cream.

To serve, release cake from tin, remove paper and slide onto a plate. Pour ganache over the top and spread to cover, allowing a little drip down the side. Return cake to the fridge for 30 minutes to firm, then decorate with sugared rose petals.

Strawberry Layer Cake: Finally I did it!

I have been tagged by Elinluv at Elinluv's tidbits corner to write this meme ….7 facts about myself :)
This is the second times that I have been tagged (^_^).

Are you ready to know me ?

1. I have a lot of cookbooks, last year when I started my blog I had about 300 but now there are about 400+, I don't know why they grow so fast. Now my best friend told me to stop buying Haha. I had to make a promise not to buy any book for 3 months, and it's only one month after the promise I'm about to die !

2. Because I live with my mom and she always warn me about the baking pans and all the equipments (again I can't stop buying them), so when ever I buy new things they will be in my bedroom until I have a chance to use them. So, I end up have a lot of cake pans and cookie cutters in my bedroom and some of them sleep with me for almost 2 years now.

3. I got a driving license when I was 18, but I rarely drive and I start to forget how to drive. I always have a lot of idea in my head and I almost hit the other car so many times. So I decide I must stop driving before I hurt myself (and other people).

4. I'm still fall in love with Hello Kitty and all the Japanese manga. I don't know why people have to tell me that I'm too old for these kinds of stuff, I never think I'm old enough to resist them. ^^"

5. I addict to baking! I love to bake or cook or do something in the kitchen, actually if I didn't have a chance to cook or bake for 2 days I will have a migraine.

6. I'm not good at writing, if you saw my older blog you will know it. But I try to communicate with all the reader and I hope my writing will be better and better. I'm almost run out of thing to talk about myself now haha.

7. Last thing, the happiest moment in my life is whenever I have a good time with all of my family Mom, Dad, my brother and my sisters. I don't need anything more in the world.

I am tagging the following 7 bloggers:

1. Koy at Bake-Aholic
2. Khun Koy at Pepsakoy
3. Oum at La mia cucina
4. Kam at Cook with love bake with heart
5. P'House at "She said pastry, He said Food"
6. beansproutscafe - at beansproutscafe
7. Sorry I can't think of anyone Haha.


Here are the rules for tagging:

Link to my blog (tagger) on your blog.
Give seven facts about yourself.
Tag another seven bloggers by leaving a comment on their blogs and letting them know they were tagged and listing them (and their blogs) on your blog.