Chocolate & Banana's

 Banana's. The only thing goes through my head for months. I made classic banana cake endlessly for the past few months. I tried to make Momofuku milk bar banana layer cake for a change, which was a decision I made quickly because my banana's are very ripped. Sadly I didn't have most of the ingredients decided to tweak the recipe as I please. I called it the messiest cake on earth, I just piled things over each other and voilà its delicious. What I did is I made banana cake, banana cream, and chocolate fudge. I tweaked by adding hazelnuts to the chocolate fudge sauce and cornflakes crunch between the layers.

 

I had some banana cream left over from the banana cake. On that day I made dark chocolate ice-cream, I used half of the batch and mixed the banana cream and the result is .. Amazing!

 

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream
adapted from The Cilantropist

1 cup fat free milk

2 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon dutch process cocoa powder

2/3 cup sugar

5-6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place the fat free milk in a medium bowl (enough to easily hold 3 cups liquid), and place a fine mesh strainer over the bowl.  In a separate small bowl, whisk two egg yolks.  Set both bowls aside.

In a large saucepan, combine heavy cream, cocoa powder, and sugar.  Whisk well to evenly incorporate solids, and then heat over medium-high heat until it just boils.  Remove the pan from the heat, and whisk in the chocolate in three additions, making sure that all the chocolate pieces are dissolved before continuing.  Next, use a soup ladle or large spoon to transfer a small amount of the warm chocolate mixture to the small bowl with the egg yolks; add the hot liquid all at once to the yolks, whisking the yolks constantly.  Then transfer the entire contents of the small bowl back into the saucepan and return to medium-high heat.  Heat the chocolate mixture, stirring constantly, until the liquid begins to thicken slightly.  Remove the pan from the heat.

Strain the chocolate mixture through the fine mesh sieve and into the medium bowl that already contains the fat free milk.  (The sieve catches any egg pieces that might have 'cooked,' so if you don't have a sieve or don't care about if you have some egg in your ice cream, just skip this and add the hot chocolate liquid directly to the milk.)  Finally, stir in the vanilla until everything is smooth, and then transfer the bowl to the fridge to let it cool completely (about 3 hours). Once it is cool, process according to instructions on your ice cream maker.

 

Shaikha x

Chocolate Chocolate x2

 

The best part about these cookies, that they last really long. They are dry and melt in just few seconds. The biggest mistake was, I didn't double the quantity. Having this piece of heaven with a cup of cold milk and a book to read, the ultimate comfort.

The good thing about this recipe its not too sweet, doesn't contain a lot of sugar. Perfectly balanced with the bittersweet chocolate.

Double Dark Chocolate Shortbread
(makes about 12-14 cookies, double the recipe if you want to) 


1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

• Put the flour, sugar, and cocoa powder in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine well.
• Drop in the butter and vanilla and pulse until the mixture just comes together. 
• Stir in the chocolate chips and turn the dough out onto a board and form into an 8" log. 
• Wrap it in waxed or parchment paper and twist both ends to secure.  Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.  You can also freeze the dough for later use.
• Slice the log into 1/2" slices with a sharp knife.
• Put on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven at 325 for 12 to 15 minutes.  They will feel slightly soft, don't over bake them.
• Cool for a few minutes on the pan and then transfer to a rack.
• If you're going to give them away make sure they are completely cool before you package them.

A box of it? I win

Shaikha xx,

French breakfast [Croissant]

My love for croissant has no limits, it my favorite breakfast, snack, sometimes dinner and lunch. In other words, all day. I was thinking of croissants all week, until the weekend. Making croissants may take up to 12 hours & the day I start making my croissant, my father decided we should go for a mini-trip which made the dough rest more than it should be, when I came back home the dough was sticky, when I started to knead the dough, it came back into a soft ball. I spread the butter did all the steps, and while I was rolling I noticed the butter was coming out of the dough, I tried to be delicate and when I finished cutting and rolling the croissant, the dough didn't rise and decided to bake them, they turned really awful, the butter oozed out and it was just a dry dough witch soaked up all the butter.

 I gave it a second shot, and this time I was patient, didn't want to rush the process of making it, and it took me 2 days, because I left the dough in the fridge over night, so I could focus and be careful, and let me tell you, as soon as those croissant came out of the oven, I celebrated and the whole family got excited and happy.

I used Julia Child's recipe, it was a success. I can't wait to give it another shot.

I would love to post the recipe, but the internet made it easy. I'll post few pictures on the steps how to make croissant.

These are 2 pages of several on how to make croissant from Julia Child's book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"

 FULL RECIPE [Mastering the Art of French Cooking]

Those flaky, hearty, french croissant. Soft from the inside, crunchy and flaky from the outside, just the way it is.


Shaikha xx

Roll cake

 

This is my first attempt in making roll cake, the mistake I almost did is over cooking the sponge cake. I was looking at it in the oven and touching the top of it and it felt so sticky, I actually over-cooked it slightly. Thankfully, I folded it without cracking. 

For the filling I used cream-cheese vanilla bean, I added fresh pomegranate on the filling and rolled it out. I rested the cake in the fridge over night.

 

Shaika x

Sooka

This picture is dedicated to my father. He's a fisher man, a man I'm proud of. This is the traditional food - white rice and fried fish. This is the ultimate comfort food.

Ignore the chopsticks this doesn't connect to our culture at all loool. It's just giving the picture third dimension look.


Love,

Shaikha x

S'mores

 

Looking at my current situation, its not that I don't have time to blog it is about me being lazy. Since I joined college my plans where to major in marketing, but sadly things didn't work out and I've been forced to major in HR. Lucky me! I found HR a good alternative. I've been busy thinking about companies corporate social responisbility and preparing training on how to manage time professionally, doesn't sound fun ha? I guess not. 

Here is a new twist for cupcakes, S'MORES! Who doesn't like it ha?

Anyways, this is a basic chocolate cupcake recipe topped with meringue, graham crckers and hershey's chocolate.

A definition for s'mores. 

A s'more is a traditional night-time campfire treat popular in the United States and Canada consisting of a roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate (Hershey's) sandwich between twi pieces of graham crackers.

Shaikha x

Tarte Tatin

Tarte tatin , is an upside down tart. You have a wide choice in what kind of fruits or anything you wold like to add to a puff pastry or any kind of pastry dough, tarte tatin is usually famous with caramelized apples. I've tried 2 kinds of tarte tatin apple and mangos. They say tarte tatin was accidentally created by two sisters who own Tatin Hotel back in France 1898.

The recipe is extremely easy to make, all you need is apple and puff pastry, you don't need measurements just add sugar to a hot pan until it melts & gets dark, add you apple and sauteé until tender. You can use a pie baking sheet, but I used souflé cups for baking my tart. For the dough I used the normal puff pastry the frozen one you find is any grocery store.

After you caramelize your apples, lay them inside your baking cups make sure you squeeze them in, because you will flip them after they bake, when apples are in top it with your puff pastry dough, bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden.

Simple as that,

Bon Appétit

Chocolate cupcakes

Chocolate cupcakes

Ingredients for the cupcakes

• 2 cups Sugar
• 2 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 2 whole Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 sticks 1 Cup Butter
• 4 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa Powder
• 1 cup Water, Boiling
• 18 whole Hershey's Kisses, Unwrapped

For the Ganache

• 8 ounces, weight Bittersweet Chocolate
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 6 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

 

 Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 18 muffin cups with baking spray.
To make the cake batter, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate container, combine buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir to combine and set aside.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and stir to combine. Add boiling water, allow to bubble for a few seconds, then turn off heat.


Pour chocolate mixture over flour mixture. Stir a few times to cool the chocolate. Pour buttermilk mixture over the top and stir to combine.
Pour 1/4 cup cake batter into each muffin cup. Lightly set one kiss in the middle of each cupcake; do not press down.

Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove cupcakes and allow to cool on a baking rack.

To make the ganache, heat cream and corn syrup over medium heat. Chop chocolate and add to a bowl. Add vanilla to cream mixture, then pour cream mixture over the top of the chopped chocolate. Whisk together until melted, smooth, and glossy.
Dunk cupcakes in ganache. Allow to cool and set before serving.

Posted by Ree on January 29 2010

I added some strawberries to the recipe, more color & flavor.

Bon Appétit

 

Shaikha xx 

Meat Pie

Ingredients for the crust :

3 cups white flour

200g cold butter

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup water ( depending on the humidity )

Ingredients for the meat filling:

1 pound ground beef

1/2 yellow onion

3 garlic cloves

2 carrots (shredded)

tsp thyme

1 cube beef stock ( or 1 cup if liquid )

1 tbsp tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

For the filling: add oil to a hot pan then cook your garlic, add your onions cook for few minutes then add your ground beef , thyme, beef stock cube and carrots. Add salt & pepper to taste, let it cook until the mixture is browned.

Crust: Place in the bowl flour, butter (cut in cubes) beat for a minute of so. Then add egg yolk and cold water until the dough holds together. 

Cut the dough in half, roll the dough to your baking sheet size. Lay the dough on the baking sheet and add your beef filling and add your other half of the dough on top of the mixture. Brush the pie with egg wash and sesame seeds on top. 

Bake in the oven 375F for 30-35 minuets. 

Bon Appétit

 

Shaikha xx 

Tomato Risotto

I'm obsessed with risottos, I just love it. I can't remember exactly when was my first time to eat risotto but let me tell it, it was a very long time, I recall that my eldest sister made it with cheddar cheese (not so original). She taught me how to make mushroom risotto and from that my love for risotto grew to obsession.
I tried to experiment different kind of risottos, I once made corn risotto with apple juice and broccoli. Anyways, you won't regret making this risotto.

Tomato Risotto 
Enough for 4 as an entreé.

- 1 1/2 Cups Arborio (or Risotto) Rice
- 1 Cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped finely
- 1 Cup cherry tomatoes, halved and roasted
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 6 Cups chicken stock, hot.
- 2 Tablespoon heavy cream (optional)
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
- Salt and Pepper
- Fresh dill for garnish.

Chop your cherry tomatoes in half and toss them with some olive oil and sprinkle salt. Then lay them cut side up on a baking sheet in 325 degree oven for about 1 hour, check on them ever 15 minutes or so to make sure they aren’t burning.

Pour all  your chicken stock in a large pot and get it simmering.  It has to be hot when you add it to your risotto later. Mince your garlic, chop your onion, and mince all your sun-dried tomatoes.

Start with a heavy pot, put it over medium high heat and add your butter and oil, once the butter is melted, add your onions to the pot.  Let them cook down for a few minutes (you don’t even want them browned).  Then add your garlic and cook for another thirty seconds or so.
Next, add all your risotto rice. Let the rice cook with oil, butter, garlic, and onions for no longer than a minute.  Stir it constantly during this time so the rice doesn’t stick to the pan. Then add your chopped sundried tomato.  Start adding chicken stock and once you add the stock to the rice, stir slowly.  When the rice starts to get dry, add another ladle and keep stirring.

Taste the risotto regularly to test the texture.  The final product should have a very tiny bite to it.  You don’t want it mushy.  But you also don’t want it crunchy it may take 30-40 minutes or so of cooking.

Bon appétit

Shaikha,

xx