Chocolate Crinkles

Am so sorry, this blog have been neglected for more than a month now.  This morning, I got a comment that gave my blogging mojo back. Well, am not sharing it muna until we finalize it.  But I hope it will push through (fingers crossed).

Anyway, just to get back in the rhythm, sharing new recipe I’ve tried.  Been wanting to bake the perfect Chocolate Crinkles and I found the recipe already courtesy of KrisTV.  hehe.. It’s the episode where Piolo and Toni Gonzaga guessed and cooked for the show. Liam and I enjoyed preparing this as well as eating them.

CHOCOLATE CRINKLES

 

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg.  bittersweet baking chocolate
• 1 stick butter
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• powdered sugar for coating

How to:

• melt the chocolate and butter together in a double broiler
• set aside to cool down
• on a separate bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder and set aside
• beat the eggs until frothy and light
• gradually beat in the sugar
• add the vanilla
• add the melted chocolate and butter (mix well)
• then gradually beat in the dry ingredients
• put inside the ref for about 2 hours or until hard enough to roll
• Scoop, roll and cover the dough with powdered sugar (used ice cream scoop)
• make sure to cover it generously as it will still expand and crack
• set on a lined cookie sheet
• bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 180 degrees celcius

As Dino have described it in his FB, it is warm and moist. Well, we devoured it as soon as it was baked, that’s why it’s still warm. I really enjoyed making these as Liam was able to help me from start to end.  It’s a bit messy having him as an assistant but it was all worth it. 🙂  ENJOY!! 🙂

from Dino’s FB: Liam making sure that the powdered sugar for the Chocolate Crinkles is of the right taste. 😉

Oatmeal Cookies

I first tried baking this oatmeal cookies when one of my high school friend was breastfeeding. She told me about lactation cookies and we thought of doing business out of it.  Unfortunately, with the geological distance, we decided otherwise.

But that did not stop me from trying these recipes out… 🙂 First batches I made I sent to my friend, she told me that it really was yummy and was effective. It helped boost her milk supply and our recipe tastes way better than the one ahe bought.  🙂

Since she baked her own cookies already and am not breastfeeding naman (how I wish!) I tried the recipe without the 2 lactating agents.  It was yummy!

Choco Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 med sized egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup all purpose flour (you may also use 1/2 APF and 1/2 wheat flour to make it “healthier”)
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt (you may drop this if you are using salted butter)
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cup thick rolled oats
• 3/4 cups choco chips

How to:

• beat together butter and brown sugar (you may use whisk or electric mixer)
• beat in egg, do not over mix
• add in vanilla and set aside
• in a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon
• combine everything (wet and dry)
• stir in (with a spatula) rolled oats and choco chips
• scoop the batter onto lined baking sheets
• bake for 10 to 12 mins in a preheated oven at 180 deg. C.

If you love peanut butter, you may also use above recipe, just drop the cinnamon and the chocolate chips and add 1/4 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of peanut butter (I prefer using the crunchy one for added texture).  Last time I baked this, I still added 1/4 cups of choco chips. everything tastes better with chocolates, right?

For those who love ginger and Lemon, you may also use the same recipe as above, drop the choco chips and cinnamon, add 1/4 of white sugar, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tbsp lemon zest and 1/2 tsp baking powder.  reduce the oats to 1 1/4 cups and add 1/2 cup of chopped roasted pecans.  YUM YUM!! 🙂

If you’re interested in making lactating cookies, just add 1tbsp of flaxseed dilluted in 2tbsp of water in the butter mixture.  Then add 3 tbsp. of Brewer’s yeast to the flour mixture.  Oats also play a big role in lactation.  Oh!! If you are curious about how these lactating cookies works… Check this out.. 🙂

Enjoy!! 🙂

Carrot Cupcakes

Since I was a kid and upto now that am 34, I really hate carrots! Even if it’s cooked in a viand like Mechado or Curry.  What my sis-in-law (Bro’s wife) would do before is to grate it and mix it in fried rice, lumpiang shanghai or anywhere she can mix it with so just we can eat it.

For so long, I really never tried eating carrot cakes since I thought it has that distinctive taste.  I was already dating Dino when I first tried carrot cakes.  Hmmm.. If I remember it right, I think it was Leah’s favorite that’s why I tried it.  They have it at home so I tried and wow! it was delish!! 🙂

I decided to give this a try after I read Maqui’s post.  I did not exactly copied her recipe, since I want to use my pecan nuts that’s been sitting in our ref for a few months now.  So I settle down with the one I got from Real Simple.  Everybody liked it.  Even Leah gave it a two thumbs up. 🙂

Carrot Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinammon
• 1/4 tsp nutmet
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 stick melted butter (instead of using canola oil, I copied this from Maqui’s recipe)
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups of carrots (no so packed)
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted pecans

How to:

• Whisk together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and cinammon
• In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar
• Add egg to the butter mixture and whisk until well blended
• Add in the carrots to the butter mixture
• Add in the flour mixture to the carrot mixture until well combined (I did this gradually)
• fold in the pecan nuts
• Scoop into cupcake cup-lined muffin pans
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 deg F or until toothpick comes out clean

YUMMY!! 🙂

 

 

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

I’m fixing my pics now and found few food pics that I haven’t post.  So please bear with me as next few posts will be all about baking and cooking. 🙂

Anyway, a few weeks ago, during our before bedtime routines, Liam just blurted out that he wants to bake chocolate popcakes (cupcakes) for his Teacher.
Liam;  I want to bake chocolate popcakes for Teacher May
Mommy (kunsintidora):  Ok, we will bake cupcakes tomorrow
Liam:  I will bring 2 popcakes
Mommy:  ok, one for Teacher May and 1 for ate Vibe?
Liam:  No, 2 for teacher May, 1 for ate vibe
Mommy:  So 3 popcakes
Liam: and one for me
Naguluhan na ko sa dami.. 🙂

So as promised, we baked his cupcakes when we get home from work that night.  I chose this recipe, cause this is really easy to do. Put all ingredients in the bowl and mix away. 🙂

Mixing mixing..

“Let’s taste if it’s sarap na..”

Best of all, since the recipe is eggless, no worries about salmonella.  I knew very well that this will happen once this we finish mixing all the ingredients…

“Masarap nga!!”

He even got angry with me when I tried to get all the mixture so I can make more cupcakes..

He really can’t help himself..

And our finished product..

Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 

How to:

• Mix together all dry ingredients
• Make a well and put all the wet ingredients
• Beat away and pour on baking cup-lined muffin pans
• Bake for 25 minutes at 350 deg. F or until toothpick comes out clean
• Cool cupcakes and dip top of each in melted chocolate or chocolate ganache

Dino liked it, the teachers and officemates love them too.. 🙂

Semi Flourless Brownies with Walnuts and Mallows

Perfect!!! That’s how I will describe my brownies! hahaha.. Sorry for the yabang factor, but it was really good that I myself can’t help myself from eating it. I usually don’t eat much of what I bake.  But this one is really an exemption.  It’s not too sweet and it’s really heavenly! 🙂

It’s my third time to cook this and I will say that I now have perfected this recipe.  I tried this first when my officemate got a whole block of Beryl’s baking chocolate as a gift and she don’t know what to do with it.  Knowing that I bake, she gave it to me instead.  So I searched for the perfect recipe choco fudge photo there is in the net.  (Can’t find the source now..)

First try, I decided to replace half of the cocoa with APF and it was nice and yummy.  Second time, I did the flourless version and it was too rich.  So this time, I go with my first attempt and decided to add mallows and some nuts to give it more texture. I also lessen the sugar so it will not be too sweet.

Semi Flourless Brownies with Walnuts and Mallows

Ingredients:

• 250 grams bittersweet baking chocolate
• 125 grams dark sweetened baking chocolate
• 1 stick butter
• 4 medium sized eggs
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 2/3 cup (less 3 tbsp) white sugar
• 100 grams roasted walnuts (coarsely chopped)
• mallows

How to:

• Melt the baking chocolates together with butter on a double broiler, set aside to cool
• On a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients – all purpose flour, cocoa and sugar
• When chocolate mixture drops temperature, mix in egg, one at a time (used wire whisk all the way)
• Mix in  flour – cocoa mixuture until well blended
• Fold in mallows and nuts
• Pour mixture to a line square pan
• Baked in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celcius for 30 minutes or until toothpick test comes out clean

Ok, sorry, since we are in a hurry for the mass, I initially baked it at 180 degrees Celcius for 25 minutes and increase it to 200 degrees and baked for another 10 minutes.

Here’s what’s bugging me, I know I fold in all the mallows but after baking it, all the mallows were on top.  Paano nangyari un? Is there any science to this? But it was all nice and the mallows are gooey on top kaya it gives it extra niceness.  Am sorry am really not good at describing food!! I ask you guys to try this recipe and judge it from there.  But I tell you this is really winner! 🙂

PS:  Time does not make you know a person very well.. after 12 years of being with Dino, mantakin nyo un, now ko lang nalaman na ayaw pala nya ng walnuts, pecans daw ang gamitin ko next time. Aba!! Choosy! hahaha 🙂

Calamansi Cupcakes

2 weeks ago, Dino and I brought Liam to Boracay.  Sa kamalasmalasan naman, binabagyo si Bora when we got there.  It was not raining naman the whole day, but we stayed in our room most of the day, since mahirap nang maabutan at baka magkasakit pa ang bugoyito namen.  Better safe than sorry. (will have a separate post about our trip)

Anyway, once my office mate learned that we are going to Bora, she told us to make sure to visit Real Coffee Cafe.  This is where the famous Calamansi muffins originated and they also serve all day breakfast.  She also told me that the Pesto Scrambled Egg is to die for.  Pero dahil nga naulan, we weren’t able to go around, less visit the cafe.

At dahil frustrated ang pag kain at pagbili ko ng Calamansi muffins, I promised myself that I will bake this when we get back to Cebu.  I searched the web and found this site where they talk about food and restos and try to hack some famous recipes.  I usually try to tweak recipes I find in the web (tweak to suit our tastebuds), but for this, I followed the recipe religiously.

Calamansi Cupcake

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 pcs. eggs
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup calamsi juice

How to:

• Mix together dry ingredients – APF, BP and salt, set aside
• On a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until well mixed (I used wire whisk)
• Beat in the eggs one by one, set aside
• Mix the milk and calamansi juice together
• Add in Calamansi juice mixture and Flour Mixture to butter mixture, alternately making sure that all is blended well
• Scoop batter to muffin pans lined with paper cups
• Bake in preheated 175 deg C oven for 23 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry.
• makes 12 cupcakes

Dino didn’t like it at first, he said it’s too tangy for him.   General comment was that it’s not too tangy and it’s lighter than the original from Bora.

Anyway, if you’re wondering why I called it cupcakes instead of muffins, read this.  I researched about it since it bugged me why some are called muffins, some are called cupcakes.  Magkaiba pala talaga sila based on ingredients and methods used.  Yes, I researched it, kasi di ako mapakali. 😉  Enjoy! 🙂

Tomato and Basil Pasta with Baked Chicken

Pasta! Pasta! Pasta!  Definitely, one of our favorite food.  When I was younger, only pasta I know exist were Spaghetti and Carbonara.  Ang dami pala nila.. hehehe.. This is also one of Dino’s favorites.  I’ve tried preparing all types of Pastas pati Ravioli tinahak ko na.. (un lang, it was not that successful.. haha, am still gathering more courage to try it again..)

Anyway, I got the pasta recipe from my SIL, Leah of The Bright Spot. So I will just share my Baked Lemon and Herb Crusted Chicken Fillet.  Been trying to create diet recipes and this came to mind.  here goes..

Tomato & Basil Pasta with Baked Lemon and Herb Crusted Chicken Fillet

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breast Fillet
• Olive Oil
• Garlic (grated)
• Bread Crumbs
• Parmesan Cheese
• Dried Basil Leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Chopped Parsley

How to:

• Mix oil and garlic
• on a separate bowl mix bread crumbs, parmesan, basil leaves, parsley and pepper
• Season chicken with salt
• Dip each chicken into the oil mixture then crumbs mixture
• Arrange breaded chicken in prepared baking pan and top with remaining crumb mixture
• Bake for 30 mins in a preheated oven (175 deg C)
• Serve with your favorite pasta and drink

ENJOY!!

Special thanks to my SIL for sharing the recipe and to my good friend Jessilyn Uy for the fresh basil. 🙂

Frozen Brazo de Mercedes

Everybody who knew me knows how I love desserts and Brazo de Mercedes is one of my favorite.  It’s already been years since I planned to bake one for us. But never put my hands on it until last week.  While researching for a good recipe, I ran through a Frozen Brazo de Mercedes recipe from Yummy.  Why not do this instead.  Dino likes this better than the classic Brazo de Mercedes.  So the baking begins. 🙂

My very own Frozen Brazo de Mercedes (taken from my instagram)

Ingredients – for the crust:

• 1 pack Crushed Graham
• 1 stick Butter (melted)
• Sugar

for the custard:

• 1 can Condensed Milk
• 6 Egg Yolks
• Cornstarch diluted in water
• Lemon Flabouring

for the Merigue:

• 6 Egg Whites
• 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar
• Pinch of Salt
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• Confectioner Sugar for dusting

• a tub of Vanilla Ice Cream (you may also opt to use other flavor)

How to:

• Prepare crust by mixing all ingredients together and press down onto baking dish; set aside 
• Prepare the custard by whisking egg yolk and condensed milk
• Cook in a saucepan stirring constantly
• Pour in diluted cornstarch while stirring
• Add in Lemon Flavor; set aside to cool
• Prepare the Meringue next by beating the egg whites with the cream of tartar until frothy
• Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form
• Pour the mixture into wax paper lined pan and bake at 150 degrees Celcius for 30 minutes (brush wax paper with butter)
• Turn the baked maringue on another wax paper dusted with confectioner sugar
• Pour cooled custard onto Graham crust
• Scoop Vanilla Ice Cream to create another layer
• Last, top the layers with Meringue (Brown side up)
• Freeze again and enjoy with your loved ones – YUMMY!!

Another reason why this dessert came out really good…

Look who’s my sous chef….

One.. Two.. Three.. 🙂

Yum! 🙂

Flan Cake

For years now, I’ve wanted to make this cake.  Buti nalang I ran into Cusinera’s blog on how to do this.  I’ve been making Leche Flans since I was in high school, and I have sort of perfected it na.. ehem ehem.. hehehe oh well, at least for my loved ones who loves it, perfect sya.. hehehe…  Recently, I have successfully baked a chiffon cake too.  So the thing is how to put it together.

Anyway, since it’s a long holiday, and I want to have a special cake for my birthday, I tried my very own Flan Cake (others call this Custard Cake, Cusinera called it Leche Flan Chiffon Cake).

The result!? UBER YUMMY!! hahahaha…

Okay, I miss my photographer.. hehehehe.. 🙂

Ingredients:  Leche Flan top:

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 egg whites
• 1 can Carnation Evap
• 1 can Carnation Condensada
• Few drops of Lemon flavoring
• White Sugar for caremel

Chiffon Cake:

• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 2 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 cup Sugar (for yolk mixture)
• 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup oil
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup Cold Water (+ 2 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar (or less depending on sweetness you like – for meringue mixture)

How to:

• Mix all ingredients for flan and set aside
• Prepare baking container by melting the sugar in the pan (put the pan directly on a stove top and wait til sugar is melted and change to caramel color); set aside
• In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients together (APF, Sugar, Cornstarch, BP and Salt)
• Make a well, and add liquid ingredients (corn oil, yolks, cold water, vanilla); beat til well mixed; set aside
• prepare the meringue mixture
• Beat egg white with cream of tartar til frothy
• Gradually add the sugar and beat til meringue is glossy and forms peaks
• Fold in the yolk mixture to the meringue mixture (fold til well mixed)
• Pour flan mixture to prepared pan (depends on how thick you want your flan to be)
• Pour the chiffon mixture on top til about 3/4 of the pan (don’t worry they won’t mix, chiffon is light enough that it will float)
• Prepare water bath (fill a baking tray with water then put the prepared baking pan on a pot stand)
• Bake at 180 degrees C (preheated) for 40 to 50 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry
• Let cool for a while
• Flip the pan on a serving plate
• enjoy with the family 🙂

Before I end my post, let me share how we enjoyed the cake…

Liam singing “Happy Birthday Mommy.. Happy Birthday Mommy!”

Liam trying the cake before mommy can make a wish.. hehe

Liam helping me blow my candle. 🙂

Happy birthday to me.. 🙂

PS. Apologies for the poor pic quality…  my photographer is not around so Ate Donna have to take pics.  What’s important is we were able to take our moment together. 🙂

Roasted Chicken in Tarragon with Herbed Baby Potatoes

Ang haba ng Title! kalowka!! hahahahaha

This is one of my favorite dish to prepare and munch lately. Dino liked it as well. Ever since kinulit ko si Dino to buy me a small Oven, I made sure na masulit ko sya. Dino love baking and grilling. Since this will entail less oil, he feels na healthier siya. and I think so too. 🙂

This is one of my original recipes.  I wanted to roast chicken one time so I checked what I have lang in our cupboard. It turns out well naman.  Experiment stage lang is the time of cooking and how hot will we cook it in. 🙂

Roast Chix and Baby Potatoes. Dino is complaining about my plating, no color contrast daw. hehehe..

Roast Chicken Ingredients:

• Chicken Quarter Cut (any part you like, but thigh with legs are better for this, since breast will be too dry for roasting
• Lemon
• Garlic Powder
• Cayene Pepper Powder (optional, you may also use Paprika for less spicy taste. But Dino loves spicy food, so Cayene is the answer)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Herbed Baby Potato Ingredients:

• Baby Potatoes (washed and cut into halves or bite size pieces)
• Butter
• Finely chopped garlic
• Rosemary and Thyme Leaves
• Salt to taste

How to:

• Squeeze a little lemon juice on the chicken
• Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayene
• top with dried tarragon leaves
• leave to marinade for around 15 to 30 minutes
• Roast at 150°C for about 10mins or until chicken turns white
• Increase heat to 250°C and roast until done (this will cook chicken faster, make it more juicy and crispier
• While roasting, you may put baby potatoes into salted water and boil until cooked
• Once cooked, on another skillet, melt butter and saute garlic until fragrant
• add in cooked potatoes
• season with rosemary and thyme leave
• add a little salt to taste (skip this if you’re using salted butter)
• Serve and enjoy! 🙂

By the way, I served this with fresh lemonade. Sayang naman the remaining Lemon. Nagutom ako while writing this post. hmmm.. yum! yum!