French Apple Tart

Since its apple season, I made several of these apple tarts to Thanksgiving parties. These are simple to make, only needs Butter, sugar, apples. :)

Blueberry-Lime Cake

I got inspired from this recipe and used lime instead of lemon, but I think either one would be great.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour


• 2 tsp baking powder


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened


• 1 cup sugar


• 2 large eggs


• 1/2 cup milk


• 1 1/2 cups blueberries

Lime Glaze:

• 1/3 cup sugar


• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F).


2. Grease and flour 9" by 5" metal loaf pan.


3. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.


4. In large bowl, in mixer at low speed, beat margarine and sugar just until blended.


5. Increase speed to medium; beat about 5 minutes, until light and creamy.


6. Reduce mixer speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition until well blended, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula.


7. Alternately beat flour mixture and milk into egg mixture, mixing just until blended.


8. Gently stir in blueberry.


9. Spoon batter into loaf pan.


10. Bake loaf 1 hour 5 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


11. Place sheet of waxed paper until wire rack.


12. Cool loaf in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes.


13. Remove from pan and place on rack.


14. With cake tester or skewer, prick top and sides of warm loaf all over.


15. Prepare Lemon glaze: In small bowl, mix lemon juice and sugar. With pastry brush. brush top and sides of warm loaf with lemon glaze.


16. Cool loaf completely on rack.

Applying A Glaze: Besides adding flavour to a cake, tea bread, or tart, a glaze can give a smooth, lustrous finish and seal in its moisture. Glazes can be as simple as melted jam, or a mixture of sugar and liquid. Set the cake over waxed paper to catch drips. For a flavor that permeates, prick the cake all over, then brush glaze over the top and sides of the still-warm cake.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

I always wanted to try making a flourless cake but never got to try it. The ingredients seemed like a brownie recipe, except lighter, with eggwhite mixture to make it fluffy and light as air.  Definitely this is an easy dessert to impress your guest!

Ingredients:

12 oz Guitard 75% bittersweet chocolate
5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) butter
5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) milk
5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) finely ground almonds
4/5 cup (180 g) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs, separated

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).


2. Line a 9 in (23 cm) cake tin with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin.


3. Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter and milk over hot water.


4. Beat the egg yolks with half of the sugar.


5. Fold in the melted butter and chocolate mixture.


6. Fold inn ground almonds and baking powder.


7. Beat egg whites until frothy by using an electric mixer; gradually add the remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.


8. Fold in the beaten egg whites.


9. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Please note that cakes of this type will collapse and look like a pie (see the picture).

The Flourless Chocolate Cake may be served warm or cold with whipped cream. The cream may be dusted with cocoa powder before serving, and the cake may be dusted with powdered sugar.

Fruit Tart

I made these over the weekend for my husband's bday party. I used a different vanilla filling recipe from the ones I used to make before.

Tart Pastry:

• 1 large egg yolk


• 1 tablespoon heavy cream


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla


• 1 1/4 cups of unbleached flour


• 2/3 cups of confectioner sugar


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 8 tablespoons of butter

Method:

1) Whisk together cream, vanilla, and egg yok.

2) In a bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar.

3) in a food processor, put the flour mixture and then small pieces of cold butter.

4) Pulse the mixture until the flour is blended like a course cornmeal.

5) While the machine is running ( or in a stand mixer) mix the flour mixture with the egg mixture until the dough forms.

6) Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hrs before using it.

7) Press and fill individual molds.



Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream:

• 1 1/2 Cups Whole Milk


• 1 vanilla Bean


• 1 Large egg


• 2 large egg yolks


• 6 tablespoons sugar


• 14 cup of unbleached all purpose flour


• 2 tablespoons of butter

Makes about 2 cups.

Steps:

1) Fill the large bowl halfway with ice and water and set aside. Pour the milk into the medium saucepan. Use the tip of a pairing knife and cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Turn the knife over and use the dull side to scrape the seeds into the saucepan, then add the pod. Heat until mixure just begins to simmer. Remove from heat and let steep for 30 mins.

2)  Heat the milk to just below the boiling point and remove from the heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolks, and sugar until well blended and smooth. Add the flour and whisk vigorously until the mixture is very smooth. Pour about 1/2 cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Slowly pour the yolk back into the hot milk, whisking all the time.

3) Heat the mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the flour from lumping, until it reaches a boil. Continue to cook and whisk for another minute, until the pastry cream is very thick. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter ( and vanilla extract). Stran the pastry cream through the strainer set over medum bowl to remove lumps or tiny bits of eggs.

4) Press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream, then set the bowl into the bowl of ice water.  Once the pastry cream has completely cooled, use or store in the fridge until needed.

Strawberry Cake

Yellow Cake Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 plain cake flour


• 4 large eggs


• 1/2 cup of milk


• 2 teaspoon of vanilla


• 1 1/2 cups sugar


• 2 teaspoon baking powder


• 3/4 teaspoon salt


• 2 sticks of butter

Filling ingredients:

• strawberries
  sugar to taste

Whipped Cream:
Use heavy cream and beat in the mixer until stiff foams form.

1: Make 2 yellow cake by using 2 cake pans. Mix ingredients together and let it cool completely.
2: Make filling. Slice strawberries and add sugar. Let cool in the fridge.
3: Put cake together. Put yellow cake first, then 1 layer of whipped cream, and then a layer of strawberries. Then layer again with whipped cream. Repeat.
4: Decorate. Apply whipped cream around cake, and decorate with fruits.

Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake

Ingredients:
140g/5 oz. fine granulated sugar
6 egg whites
6 egg yolks
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
50g/2 oz. butter
250g/9 oz. cream cheese
100 ml/3 fluid oz. fresh milk
1 tbsp. lemon juice
60g/2 oz. cake flour /superfine flour
20g/1 oz. cornflour (cornstarch)
1/4 tsp. salt

Instructions:
1. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Cool the mixture. Fold in the flour, the cornflour, egg yolks, lemon juice and mix well.

2. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.

3. Add the cheese mixture to the egg white mixture and mix well. Pour into a 8-inch round cake pan (Lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of the pan with greaseproof baking paper or parchment paper).

4. Bake cheesecake in a water bath for 1 hours 10 minutes or until set and golden brown at 160 degrees C (325 degrees F).

Makes 1 (8-inch) cheesecake, 12 servings.

Matcha Roll Cake

I love drinking matcha so i thought i'd try desserts with it. Its awesome!

Ingredients:

¾ C cake flour
1 T plus 1 tsp matcha powder
¾ tsp baking powder
4 eggs, separated
¾ C sugar
2 -3 T milk

Filling: beat 2 C heavy cream until almost stiff, add 1 - 2 T sugar

Pre-heat oven to 400°F
Sift together flour, matcha, and baking powder 3 times, set aside.
In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, set aside.
In another bowl beat egg yolks until very light. Add sugar gradually and beat until light. Add flour mixture, stir on low speed. Add 2 T milk, continue stirring until mixed.
Fold in beaten egg whites.
Spread mixture on a parchment paper-lined jelly roll pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Trim edges.

Using paper as guide, roll cake from short side, leave on a rack to cool completely.

Unroll cake, spread the whipped cream. Re-roll cake, peeling paper as you roll. Refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing.Jelly roll cake recipes usually say to transfer the cake on a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. It is not really necessary and the powdered sugar will make the outside of the cake whitish and of course add to the sweetness. The paper is better because it will remove the brownish surface layer of the cake and the result is a cleaner, prettier cake.

Of course by the appearance you can tell i didn't do the last part and i left the brownish side on the outside. I should try to peel it off next time.

Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

I made this for a halloween bake sale at work.

Ingredients:

• 1 C flour


• 3/4 tsp baking powder


• 1/2 tsp baking soda


• 3/4 tsp cinnamon


• 1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg


• 1/4 tsp salt


• 1/3 C granulated sugar


• 1/3 C packed brown sugar


• 2 eggs


• 1/2 C vegetable or canola oil


• 1 1/2 C lightly packed finely shredded carrots (I used 2 carrots)


• 1/3 C dried cranberries (or raisins or omit)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease them.

 

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 bar of cream cheese (4oz)


• 1/4 C maple syrup


• Optional topping: finely chopped toasted pecans

1. Shred your carrots on a box grater (be careful, mind your knuckles) or in a food processor with a shredding disc, set aside.


2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together.


3. In a food processor or blender, blend the granulated and brown sugar with the eggs until throughly combined. With the machine running, slowly pour in the oil and continue to mix until the mixture has lightened in color and is somewhat thicker, about 30 seconds. Pour it into the dry ingredients and add the shredded carrots and dried cranberries and mix until no streaks of flour remain.


4. Divide the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 17 to 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake in the center of the pan comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway into baking time. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool on a rack to room temperature.


5. As the cakes are cooling, take out half a bar of cream cheese and let it soften a little. To make the frosting, simply whisk the cream cheese with the maple syrup until smooth. Frost the cupcakes when they have cooled and top with chopped pecans if preferred.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Mini Fruit Tart

I made this for my friend's bday party. I think the cream was hardest to make; the cream tends to scorch...i finally got it right after 3 tries. Pastry Cream
2	cups half-and-half
1/2	cup granulated sugar
	pinch table salt
5	large egg yolks , chalazae removed (see note)
3	tablespoons cornstarch
4	tablespoons unsalted butter (cold), cut into 4 pieces
1 1/2	teaspoons vanilla extract
Tart Pastry (Pâte Sucrée)
1	large egg yolk
1	tablespoon heavy cream
1/2	teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (6 1/4 ounces)
2/3	cup confectioners' sugar (about 3 ounces)
1/4	teaspoon table salt
8	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Fruit and Glaze
	fruit , unwashed
1/2	cup red currant jelly or apple jelly

1. For the Pastry Cream: Heat half-and-half, 6 tablespoons sugar, and salt in medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until simmering, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.
2. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until sugar has begun to dissolve and mixture is creamy, about 15 seconds. Whisk in cornstarch until combined and mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 30 seconds.
3. When half-and-half mixture reaches full simmer, gradually whisk simmering half-and-half into yolk mixture to temper. Return mixture to saucepan, scraping bowl with rubber spatula; return to simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on surface and mixture is thickened and glossy, about 30 seconds. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer mixture to medium bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 3 hours or up to 48 hours.
4. For the Tart Pastry: While pastry cream is chilling, whisk together yolk, cream, and vanilla in small bowl; set aside. Pulse to combine flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture; pulse to cut butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal, about fifteen 1-second pulses. With machine running, add egg mixture and process until dough just comes together, about 25 seconds. Turn dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and press into 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours.
5. Remove dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable). Unwrap and roll out between lightly floured large sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap to 13-inch round. (If dough is soft and sticky, slip onto baking sheet and refrigerate until workable, 20 to 30 minutes.) Transfer dough to tart pan by rolling dough loosely around rolling pin and unrolling over 9- to 9 1/2-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Working around circumference of pan, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting dough with one hand while pressing dough into corners with other hand. Press dough into fluted sides of pan. (If some edges are too thin, reinforce sides by folding excess dough back on itself.) Run rolling pin over top of tart pan to remove excess dough. Set dough-lined tart pan on large plate and freeze 30 minutes (can be sealed in gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag and frozen up to 1 month).
6. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Set dough-lined tart pan on baking sheet, press 12-inch square of foil inside frozen tart shell and over edges and fill with metal or ceramic pie weights. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Remove from oven and carefully remove foil and weights by gathering edges of foil and pulling up and out. Continue to bake until deep golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Set baking sheet with tart shell on wire rack to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

7.
To Assemble and Glaze the Tart: When tart shell is completely cool, spread cold pastry cream over bottom, u

sing offset spatula or large spoon. (Can press plastic wrap directly on surface of pastry cream and refrigerate up to 30 minutes.) Arrange fruit on top of pastry cream, following a design on the related How To, "Three Fruit Tart Designs", (see right hand column) if desired.8. Bring jelly to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to smooth out lumps. When boiling and completely melted, apply by dabbing and flicking onto fruit with pastry brush; add 1 teaspoon water and return jelly to boil if it becomes too thick to drizzle. (Tart can be refrigerated, uncovered, up to 30 minutes.) Remove outer metal ring of tart pan, slide thin metal spatula between bottom of crust and tart pan bottom to release, then slip tart onto cardboard round or serving platter; serve.