Work catering #46: Citrus week~

Winter has arrived!!! Time to stock up on vitamin C~ haha so decided to use citrus in my bakes this week! I've used orange and lemon as I have an abundant supply at home (we have a lemon tree ^^). Disclaimer: the vitamin C levels in these bakes are probably not enough to protect you from the flu or colds =p and the sugar probably outweighs the health benefits.. but HEY! they are tasty ^___^

Orange Zested Cranberry White Chocolate Bliss Bars
(I just realised I named all my photos wrong =_=")
Recipe adapted from Mels Kitchen Café

Ingredients

Blondies
113g butter
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp freshly grated orange zest
2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
113g white chocolate

Frosting and topping
250g cream cheese, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup soft icing sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
113g white chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line rectangular (20x30cm) baking pan.
2. Melt butter in microwave. Stir in brown sugar until well combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time until combined. Stir in vanilla essence and orange zest.
3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well combined. Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate.
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Be care not to overbake... I think I may have). Allow to cool completely in pan.
5. For frosting, beat cream cheese and icing sugar together using electric mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla and half the white chocolate.
6. Spread frosting on cooled bars. Sprinkle with cranberries and orange zest then drizzle with remaining white chocolate over the top. Refrigerate until chocolate is set.

having fun drizzling the white choc

new style of cut! the triangle!

should be "zested orange" T_T

Lovely colours... of autumn! hehe

Lemon Lemonies

Recipe adapted from Bakerella

Ingredients
1 cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbs lemon zest
3/4 cup (170g) butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
3 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Icing
1 1/2 cups soft icing sugar
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line 23x23cm square pan.
2. Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and zest together with whisk.
3. Add melted butter, lemon juice, eggs and vanilla and stir until completely combined.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.
5. For lemon icing, sift icing sugar in medium bowl. Add lemon juice and zest and mix. Add enough water until you reach smooth consistency. Pour over lemonies and let rest until icing sets. Place in the fridge to speed things up.
6. Cut into small bite size pieces and enjoy~

I like the light and crumbly texture~

bite size lemonies!

with zesty icing!!

So hope you are all well and staying away from catching colds! I still have so many recipes to blog about!!!

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (June 2014 Event: Butter) organised by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Mui Mui (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Jozelyn Ng (Spice Up My Kitchen)

Work Catering #45: For peanut butter lovers

I'm not sure how we came about the topic but my friend and I started talking about peanut butter and baking. To be honest, I haven't baked a lot with peanut butter. I know it's quite popular in America but the craze hasn't really caught on in Australia. It's not that I don't like peanut butter.. I used to have it on toast and in sandwiches all the time when I was younger! So when I came across this recipe for Peanut butter stuffed brownies, I decided I would make this for all the peanut butter lovers out there!

Peanut butter stuffed brownies
Recipe adapted from Sallys Baking Addiction

Ingredients
1/2 cup (115g) salted butter
230g dark chocolate
3/4 cup (150g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup + 2 tbs (80g) plain flour
2 tbs (16g) cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt

Peanut butter filling
3/4 cup (185g) creamy peanut butter
1 cup (120g) icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbs (30ml) milk
2 tbs each chocolate chips and peanut butter chips (I used butterscotch chips)

1. Melt butter and dark chocolate in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
2. Make peanut butter filling by beating peanut butter, icing sugar, vanilla and milk together with electric mixer until combined. The mixture will be thick. Set aside.
3. Adjust oven rack to lower third position and preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line 23cm square baking pan with baking paper. 
4. Whisk sugars into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Add in vanilla. Gently fold in flour, cocoa powder and salt. 
5. Pour half of the brownie batter into prepared baking pan. Take large chunks of peanut butter filling and flatten with your hands. Place flat pieces in an even layer on top of the brownie layer. 

Pour the remaining brownie batter on top. Top with chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Bake for ~35 minutes or until skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Don't overbake them!

Can u see the peanut butter layer??

There's the peanut butter fudge layer!

Another easy slice I baked was this Chocolate rough slice. It's egg free! And kind of tastes like a rum ball but slice version~ Coconut lovers will love this slice!

Chocolate Rough Slice
Recipe adapted from Baker's Corner

Ingredients
Base
1 cup self raising flour
1 tbs cocoa powder
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/3 cup caster sugar
125g butter, melted

Topping
1 tbs cocoa powder
3/4 cup condensed milk
100g dark chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 cups desiccated coconut

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Line an 18cm x 28cm baking pan with baking paper.
2. Combine base ingredients in large bowl and press into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until golden.
3. Combine topping ingredients in another bowl and spread over base. Cool and then cut into slices.

Rough looking? haha

Smaller portions look nicer

Coconutty and chocolatey!

"This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (June 2014 Event: Butter) organised by Zoe (Bake for Happy Kids) and Mui Mui (My Little Favourite DIY) and hosted by Jozelyn Ng (Spice Up My Kitchen)" 

Work Catering #44: Cookie Dough Brownies!

How did I not discover this before!? Cookie Dough + Brownies :D :D!! Another brownie variation ^^" I do like finding different brownie recipes.. adding berries, nuts, cream cheese... and now COOKIE DOUGH :D The cookie dough is raw but don't be afraid because it's eggless and acts like a frosting for the brownies.

Cookie Dough Brownies
Recipe adapted from The Baker Upstairs

Ingredients
Brownies
1/2 cup (113g) salted butter
225g dark chocolate
1 cup caster sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line rectangle baking pan (20x30cm).
2. Melt butter and chocolate in medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. Stir in sugar into cooled mixture until combined. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Mix in vanilla.
4. Gently fold in flour and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a knife.
5. Bake for ~30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean (it's better to underbake these brownies than overbake as they will turn out too dry).

Cookie dough
3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup caster sugar
3 tbs milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

1. Beat butter and both sugars in medium bowl with electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla and mix until combined.
2. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips with spatula.
3. Spread an even layer on top of the baked brownies.

So yummy!!! it's like cookie and brownie all in one!

The chocolate chips really give great texture and flavour~

I was reading a cook book and found a recipe for some cookies! They looked really good.. simple and delicate.. so I decided to make them...

However mine didn't exactly look like the pictures in the book XD
Coconut and Chocolate Sandwich cookies
Recipe adapted from Sugar and Spice by Callie Maritz and Mari-Louis Guy

Ingredients
250g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup (200g) caster sugar
2 1/2 cups (250g) fine desiccated coconut
2 cups (280g) plain flour
1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
100g dark chocolate, chopped + extra for decoration
80ml thickened cream

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy.
3. Add coconut, flour, cocoa and baking powder and mix through.
3. Roll the dough into about 60 balls with your hands and place on baking tray. Press each one to slightly flatten. Press a small block of chocolate into the middle of each biscuit. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove and allow the biscuits to cool completely.
4. Make chocolate ganache by melting chocolate and cream in a heat proof bowl over pot with simmering water. Allow to cool or even refrigerate to thicken.

5. Sandwich two biscuits together with chocolate ganache.

Yummy biscuits :D

OK so they don't look super pretty...

but still taste good =p

These turned out a bit bigger than I would have liked... tastewise, a little bit dry but the ganache helps with that :) It kind of tasted like an Anzac cookie because of the coconut.

More coconut recipes coming soon :D oh and brownie recipes ^_^

Work Catering #43: Have a Chai Latte (cheesecake)

Hello all! A belated post from work catering a few weeks ago~ Work has been pretty busy this month >_<" but still have been baking! Just not as much posting~~ hopefully will get round to it soon!

I only recently discovered Chai Lattes a couple of months ago! Call me stupid... but I always thought lattes were just another type of coffee.. and I dont like coffee! Only did I realise that it was more the chai spices and milk! really yummy :D AND... my friend also introduced me to the chai tea powder!!! Apparently they use this same one in cafes so now i can just make it at home :)

makes awesome chai lattes!

I've also been experimenting with the chai tea powder in my bakes! Made these chai tea vanilla flavoured "takorons" and the recipe I'd like to share today... chai latte cheesecake!! If you have any other chai inspired recipes or suggestions, let me know :D

Chai latte cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Taste.com

Ingredients
Base
250g ginger nut biscuits
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
80g butter, melted

Filling
500g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tbs instant coffee powder
1 tbs boiling water
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 160oC/140oC fan-forced. Grease and line rectangular baking pan (20x30cm) with baking paper.
2. Process biscuits, cinnamon and ground ginger until resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add butter and process until combined. Press mixture over base of prepared tin. Refrigerate while making filling.
3. For filling, beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating in between each addition. 
4. Dissolve coffee in boiling water. Stir coffee mixture into cream cheese mixture. Pour over base and smooth the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and chai tea powder. 
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until filling is just set. Allow to cool to room temperature then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight before serving.

I love the sprinkle of cinnamon/chai tea powder for the finish^^

delicious squares!

close up of cheesecake~

The ginger nut biscuits are a great match for this cheesecake and the flavour is not too sweet. It may not appeal to all taste buds... I guess only if you like chai latte?? haha and cinnamon spices ^_^

Next up... another bundt cake :) I have previously made this for a friend's birthday but never saw what the inside looked like xD now I know... a tip.. maybe chop the apples into smaller pieces :)

Apple Swirl Bundt Cake
Recipe adapted from Magnolia Days

Ingredients
Cake
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups plain flour
1 tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tart apples (Granny Smith recommended)
2 cups caster sugar + 3 tbs, divided
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp vanilla essence

Glaze
1 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
4 tbs milk

1. Preheat oven to 180oc. Grease a 10 or 12 cup bundt tin.
2. In medium bowl, add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
3. Peel and chop apples into small pieces and place in large bowl. Sprinkle with 3 tbs caster sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. Stir to coat apples and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, add remaining 2 cups of sugar and oil. Beat using electric mixer on high speed for 2 minutes to combine. Add eggs, one at time, beating well after each addition. Add orange juice and vanilla and beat to combine.
5. Add flour mixture and beat on medium speed until smooth and combined. Do not over-mix.
6. Pour a third of batter into prepared bundt pan and spread evenly. Spread one half of the apples evenly over the batter. Repeat layers. Top with remaining batter and spread to cover apples. 
7. Bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes then remove cake from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack.
8. Prepare glaze by mixing butter with icing sugar. Add milk and mix until desired consistency they drizzle over cooled cake.

Take a slice :)

swirl~~

Due to the apple pieces being so big... they fell out >< that's why there are a lot of holes..

Still have quite a few recipes to blog about ^_^" so GET BAKING!!!

Birthday bake: Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee cake

It was my cousin-in-law's birthday a few weeks ago and so wanted to bake a cake for her! I knew that she'd probably get a lot of chocolates and cakes so wanted to go for something a little lighter! Then I remembered this AWESOME BRIGHT COLOURFUL cake I saw on .. (yes that's right!) Sally's Baking Addiction blog! Actually everything she makes is quite colourful but this cake really did stand out with her bright almost-hot-pink raspberries ^_^ The recipe seemed easy and I had all the ingredients in my pantry (don't you love those kind of recipes!) so here it is!

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Coffee Cake
Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Ingredients
Streusel
3 Tbs (45g) unsalted butter, cold
1/4 cup (50g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (31g) plain flour
1/2 cup (64g) slivered almonds

Cake
2 cups (250g) plain flour
3/4 cup (150g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (60g) unsalted butter, softened at room temp
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 cup (180g) dark chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 1/2 cups raspberries (fresh/frozen)

1. Preheat oven to 180oC. Grease and line 8 inch square baking pan/dish.
2. Make streusel by gently mashing cold butter in small bowl. Add flour, sugar and mix with fork. Add almonds and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, baking powder, salt and egg. Beat on low until everything combined, remembering to scrape down the bowl if using stand mixer. Do not over mix.
4. Spread half of batter into baking pan/dish. Layer with half of the streusel, then most of the raspberries and chocolate chips. Repeat with rest of batter and streusel. Top with remaining raspberries and chocolate chips.

Layer 1

5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Loosely over with foil after 20 minutes to prevent sides from over browning.   

Big slices!

Slice for you!

The colours of the cake were really vibrant! However, the cake was a little bit too dense and I think it was due to over mixing... ideally I wanted the texture to be more crumbly and cakey... but the flavours were still there :) Hope she liked it ^^and if she didn't... it's the thought that counts right? XD

Work catering #42: It's MAGIC! (magic custard cake that is..)

I had seen this cake on quite a few blogs and was quite intrigued! How could a cake form these 2 distinct layers from one cake mix! One of the reasons why I wanted to bake it because I wanted to see if it was true! and it WAS!!! Amazing! Just like magic :) You can flavour it with any flavour you like. I went for green tea but you can go for chocolate... orange etc.

Green Tea Magic Custard Cake
Recipe adapted from Little accidents in the kitchen
Ingredients
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
1 cup (120g) icing sugar
105g plain flour
1 tbs green tea powder
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp white vinegar
2 tbs (30g) caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 160oC. Grease and line a 8 inch square baking pan. Melt butter and set aside to cool completely.
2. Whisk together the egg whites and vinegar till soft peaks form. Then whisk in the sugar till holds stiff peaks. Leave aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and icing sugar until pale yellow and fluffy.
4. Whisk in cooled butter. Sift in flour and green tea powder and whisk until batter is smooth.
5. Combine milk and vanilla in saucepan and bring to simmer. Remove from heat and whisk into the batter (the batter at this stage might look really wet but don't worry, just go with it!).
6. Fold in the egg whites gently into the batter in 3 additions.
7. Pour into prepared baking pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until the top is golden. The cake should still have a bit of jiggle. Allow to cool completely before cutting or refrigerate overnight and it should be easier to slice :)

Before serving, you should take it out of the fridge to get to room temperature because it tastes nicer =p Straight from the fridge kind of tastes like mochi!

Just looks like a normal cake but....

ta da~ magic 2 layers :D

Close up of the fluffy top layer and smooth custard bottom layer

Next up is something a little sweeter =p Back to my CHEESECAKES! This time with Toblerone =) This original recipe made an 8 inch square cheesecake but I thought the cheese layer might be a bit too thick so I spread it in a larger rectangle cake pan.
Toblerone Cheesecake Bars

Recipe adapted from Once upon a cutting board

Ingredients
Base
250g sweet biscuits (I used Arnott's Nice biscuits)
100g unsalted butter, melted
Filling
500g cream cheese, softened at room temp
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 sour cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup Toblerone chocolate, chopped
Topping
60g Toblerone chocolate, chopped
100g Toblerone chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 160oC. Grease and line rectangle (20x30cm) baking pan with baking paper.
2. Process/crush biscuits until fine crumbs. Add melted butter and mix until combined. Press into base of baking pan and refrigerate while you make the filling.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Beat in sour cream and vanilla essence until smooth.
4. Stir in the chopped Toblerone pieces and pour mix on top of base and spread evenly. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the edges are set but the middle jiggles when you shake the pan.
5. Allow to cool on rack until reaches room temperature then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or best, overnight before serving.
6. For topping, drizzle the melted chocolate on top of cheesecake. Sprinkle chopped Toblerone pieces.

YUM!!! so much Toblerone~~

Ready for service!

Bite size Toblerone goodness!

Having a break from catering this week but don't worry! Lots more baking to come ^___^