They really MELT in your MOUTH :D

Here is another inspired bake from MASTERCHEF! I've wanted to try these cookies out ever since I saw Julia make them on Masterchef but just didn't have the time. But last Sunday was a lazy baking day (don't you love those days? ^^) so I decided to give them a go. They are REALLY SIMPLE to make!!! All you need is an electric beater, measure and mix and you're ready to bake!

I didn't have any fresh berries to make my own jam but I think store bought jam is fine. Also the original recipe said it made FIVE biscuits... they must have been HUGE cookies!! because I made twice as many and I still thought the ones I made were quite big. So just a warning, they do expand a little once baked.

Melting Moments Biscuits

Recipe adapted from Julia http://www.masterchef.com.au/recipes/melting-moments-biscuits.htm

Ingredients

Biscuits

180g unsalted butter

60g icing sugar

60g custard powder (I didn't have any so I used 60g corn flour/starch with a few drops of vanilla essence)

1 tsp baking powder

180g plain flour

Vanilla buttercream

100g unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted

Strawberry Jam

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line oven tray with baking paper.
2. For biscuits, cream butter for two minutes in an electric mixer. Add icing sugar and custard powder/corn flour and mix until combined.
3. Sift in baking powder and flour and mix well.
4. Roll dough into small balls (roughly 20c piece or smaller), place on a baking paper lined baking tray and press each ball with a fork to leave an indent.
5. Bake biscuits for 16-18 minutes or until light golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Baked biscuits cooling~

6. For buttercream, whisk butter and vanilla until smooth. Add icing sugar and beat until mixture forms a paste. You can either pipe this or I just spread it using a knife.
7. To assemble, place a spoonful of strawberry jam on the base of half the biscuits. Pipe/spread buttercream onto the base of the other half of the biscuits. Gently press one of each biscuit together to form a melting moment.

So... ENJOY THE MOMENT!!! :P

These are just screaming out "EAT ME"

Back to Baking~

So I've had a little rest from baking the past 2 weeks. I haven't been baking because of a number of reasons.. I guess laziness, lack of motivation, "busy"-ness... but yesterday I baked for the first time in 2 weeks. 2 weeks is a long time for me not to bake actually XD I wanted to make something fresh and fruity but we only had frozen berries not fresh. I also wanted to make a whole cake but since I started baking a bit late at night I thought it would take too long so I baked them in smaller muffin tins. I used the same recipe as Fruit Pastry Cake but am calling these: MINI BERRY PASTRY CAKES ^____^

Can't go wrong with berries :D

You can find the recipe here.

Felt really good to be back baking!~ 

Rising in the oven ^____^

Looks like a face!! haha

Berries making funny shapes XD

Brought these to lab meeting =) hope u guys liked it~

EDIT: Since this post I've already made Orange poppy seed cake and also this morning I baked Cinnamon scrolls ^__^ BAKINGTRAY IS BACK BAKING :D :D :D

Chocolate Banana cake

I think I've mentioned before how good a combination chocolate and banana is.. but I'll say it again! Chocolate + Banana = Delicious =D

So when I saw this recipe in a cookbook~ I just had to try it out! It looked so simple.. (and it was!). Took me 15 minutes from beginning to the oven. The only test of patience was waiting for it to bake in the oven, especially when I could smell the melted chocolate and baked banana.

Mmm.. love it how u can see the banana and chocolate pieces~

Actually, I haven't been in a baking mood recently (I baked this last month). Not sure why... haven't really been inspired to bake anything and also maybe because I'm not stressed enough - I usually bake the most when I''m stressed. Anyways, enjoy this recipe :)

Chocolate Banana Cake

Ingredients

3 medium bananas, mashed

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 1/2 cups self raising flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3 tbs milk

3 tbs oil

100g dark chocolate, grated

100g walnuts, chopped (optional - I didn't have any so didn't add them)

1. Preheat oven to 170oC and grease/line loaf tin. 

2. Place bananas and sugar in large bowl and mix.

3. Sift in flour, add eggs, milk and oil and mix.

4. Fold in chocolate and walnuts.

5. Pour batter into loaf tin and bake for 55 minutes or until skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

How simple was that!? x)

Slice it up!!! tastes so good warm~

So hopefully I'll be in a baking mood soon =D So I can share more recipes with you all :)


EDIT: I was just watching an episode of MASTERCHEF last night and it was SO AWESOME!!!! =D It had Adriano Zumbo who made a cake tower!!! so def inspired to bake now =p

Cooking KOREAN sweets: Hoddeok 호떡

One day I received a little sweet treat from a church sister because she knew I liked Korean food, especially sweets! (thank u ^^).. I had no idea what it was and the best way I can describe it is a flattened sweet red bean bun minus the red bean floury taste. Later on she told me it was 호떡 "Hoddeok"~ a filled Korean pancake that is a popular street food in Korea (wikipedia =p).

deliciously freshly fried HODDEOK :D

This sister also shared with me a Korean blog that she follows and I found the recipe for HODDEOK! it looked very simple and even came with a youtube video showing you how to make it. So I gave it a go .. and happy to say.. THEY WERE DELICIOUS! so I must share with all of you!!

HODDEOK~
Recipe adapted from Maangchi.

Ingredients
1 cup lukewarm water
2 tbs white sugar
2 tsp yeast (I used a 7g sachet)
1 tbs vegetable oil
2 cups plain flour

Filling
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

*note: this is supposed to make 8 pancakes about the size of a cd .. but i managed to make 12 =p*

1. Place water in a large bowl and add sugar, yeast and oil. Mix together to activate the yeast. *make sure the water isn't boiling otherwise you will kill the yeast!*
2. Add plain flour and mix with together to combine.
3. Place clingfilm over the bowl and allow to rise in a warm place for ~1 hour.
4. After dough has risen, mix again to remove gas bubbles from dough. Cover and let rise for another 10-20 minutes.

dough risen and then kneaded~

5. Make filling by mixing brown sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.

(I think savoury ones will be just as nice! Try ham and cheese, cheese and chives...:D)

6. Knead dough again to remove gas bubbles. 
7. Dust cutting board and hands with plain flour.
8. Place dough on cutting board and knead. Make into a lump and cut into 8 equal-sized balls (or 12 ^^ however small/big you want them to be).

such a light and soft dough ^^

9. Take 1 dough ball, flatten it, place filling in center of dough and seal to make a ball.

Filling placed in dough and sealed

10. Heat up non-stick pan over medium heat, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil.
11. Place 1 ball on the pan and let cook for 30 seconds. When bottom of dough ball is light golden brown, turn it oven and press dough with spatula to make a thin and round pancake.

Frying dough balls~

flip over and flatten!!!

cover with lid and let it fry for another minute or so...

12. Let cook for about 1 minute until the bottom is golden brown.
13. Turn it over again, turn heat down to very low. Cover pan with lid and leave to cook for around 1 minute.

mmm.. syrup melted in the center :)

LOVELY when served HOT! the brown sugar becomes and syrup and its a delicious sweet filling ^_^ 맛있어요 ("mas-iss-o-yo")

my hoddeok vs. store bought ready made hoddeok

Upside down is right way up!

After watching an episode of Masterchef, I was inspired to try out this Maggie Beer recipe! The contestants had to bake an Upside down grape cake during a pressure test and the cake looked SO DELICIOUS! the glistening fruit on top and the lovely soft and fluffy cake!!! (watching cooking shows definitely makes me want to bake =p).

So I decided to make the cake~ with a few adjustments as I didn't have grapes or verjuice and I didn't have the strict time limit =p

I received good reviews from family and friends (which is good to know).. so thought it was worthy to share on my blog!

Upside down Pear and Raspberry cake

Adapted from Maggie Beer's Upside down Grape cake (http://www.masterchef.com.au/recipes/upside-down-grape-cake-verjuice-and-extra-virgin-olive-oil-ice-cream-with-vino-cotto-raisin-and-ginger-wafer.htm)

Ingredients

Topping

2 tbs butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 pear, sliced

1/4 cup raspberries

Cake batter

4 eggs, separated

1 cup caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

100ml vegetable oil

50ml lemon juice

1 cup plain flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Line base and sides of 20cm round cake tin.

2. For topping, melt butter with brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Pour into bottom of cake tin.

3. Arrange sliced pear and raspberries on base of tin.
4. For the cake batter, beat egg yolks and half the sugar and lemon zest until thick and pale using an electric mixer. While mixing, slowly pour in the vegetable oil and lemon juice. Beat for 30 seconds to combine.
5. Sift in the flour and baking powder and beat for 1 minute or until the batter is smooth.
6. Place egg whites into clean bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar while whisking, until sugar has dissolved.
7. Using a spatula, fold meringue into cake batter 1/3 at a time.
8. Pour mixture into cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin before turning out. 

Nice colours of green oven mitts and brown cake :D

Piece for you! Look how fluffy it is!!!!

I realised that I didn't add that much fruit so I tried the recipe again and filled the bottom of the cake tin with fruit! ^__^ Was a MUCH better result! :) 

So go on there... get inspired and GET BAKING =D

Event bake #2: Melbourne church dedication

It's just been over a month since our Melbourne church dedication.. been meaning to blog for a while but got a bit busy with things >< 

I was asked to bake for this event... and what else to bake but MACARONS =D This was an even BIGGER bake than the previous 120.. This time I just tried to make as MANY as I could over the week - one batch a day. It took me 4 days but I managed to bake 149 and 5 different flavours: Chocoholic, Green tea delight, Strawberry surprise, Mocha madness and Cinnamon donut! I was really happy with the strawberry ones! =D 

my macarons :) thanks to the sisters for arranging nicely~

There were so many other yummy desserts at the lunch~~ YUM! We also made these Melbourne dedication muffins - the theme was blue ^^" 

BLUE!!! white chocolate and raspberry muffins and chocolate cupcakes

Here's a few more pics of the desserts!! Lots of talented masterchefs out there =)

DESSERT TABLE! Definitely the table to go to first =p

DORIYAKI!!! yummy! love this stuff~ red bean filling~

Blueberry muffins ^^

BROWNIES!

more desserts =D yum yum!

I ate sooooo much!! =D so delicious! Can't wait for the next event I bake for =) 

Stay tuned ;p

Inventive bake: Cakies n' Cream!!!! with special guest *MANDA*

One of my good friends, Amanda, came to Melbourne for a week for work experience and so I'm very happy to have her as a special guest on BAKINGTRAY =D!! We decided to bake one Friday night but didn't really have a recipe in mind, just a lot of packets of oreos and a leftover bottle of cream!! And so begins the start of our inventive bake!
I originally wanted to bake oreo cheesecake but we forgot to buy cream cheese =___=... so we decided to create our own cake! Here are the different layers:

1. Crushed Oreo biscuit layer
2. Nutella
3. Chocolate sponge
4. Whipped cream
5. Oreo biscut (whole)
6. Whipped cream
7. Chocolate sponge
8. Chocolate buttercream

It was pretty fun trying to think up the different layers as we went ^__^ and I'm glad they all turned out really well! So if you want to try it out.. here's the recipe!! Or you can use different elements of our cake and make up your own!
CAKIES AND CREAM - btw have to thank Annie for the inventive name =D we couldn't think of what to call it.. Chocoreo? Triple choc oreo cake? hehe.. but Cakies and Cream suited JUST FINE :D

The different steps in making this layered cake ^^

A. Oreo biscuit layer
Ingredients
1 packet Oreo biscuits
3 tbs butter, melted
1. Crush oreo biscuits finely using a food processor (or manually if you like). 
2. Add melted butter and mix. Spoon mixture into base of lined cake tin, pressing down firmly with the back of the spoon.


B. Chocolate sponge 
~Makes 1 20x30cm sponge 
Ingredients
3 Eggs
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup self raising flour
2 tbs cocoa powder


1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Line rectangle cake tin.
2. Beat eggs with electric beater until thick and creamy, gradually beat in sugar.
3. Triple-sift dry ingredients and gently fold into egg and sugar mix.
4. Bake for 25 minutes.


C. Whipped cream
1. Whisk thickening cream with a teaspoon of caster sugar until soft peaks form.


D. Chocolate buttercream
Ingredients
I hate to admit it.. but we used a packet mix ><" haha but you can make your own buttercream by beating 125g butter, 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, 3 tbs cocoa powder and 1-2 tbs milk :)


CAKE ASSEMBLY!!
1. Press down crushed oreo biscuit layer into cake tin and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Spread a layer of nutella onto biscuit layer.
3. Bake chocolate sponge. Cut 2 pieces of sponge that will fit into cake tin. Lay one sponge on top of nutella.
4. Spread a layer of whipped cream. Layer whole oreo biscuits and top with another layer of whipped cream.
5. Add final layer of chocolate sponge.
6. Ice with chocolate buttercream icing. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight.

side view of cake~

slicing straight down the middle!! love all the layers ^__^

cutting up the cake!! YUMMY =D

Was indeed such a FUN BAKE =D so THANKS AGAIN AMANDA for coming on my blog :) Hope we can bake again soon!