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

Chamonix

The beautiful Mont Blanc/ France.

Aiguille Du Midi 


Shaikha,

xx

Lu Lac D'Annecy

Lake of Annecy, steals your breath. This has been my favorite place on earth, light air, wind chills that really comforts your inside. The sight of the famous french mountains, I've seen similar beauty, but this time it was different. The smell of hot baked crossiants to the smell of roasted peaches in different forms. This, I felt it.

Some of the random shots

Those aprons didn't leave my mind since I saw them, found them in a small shop which is filled with floral printed item, from pots to mugs, dolls, signs, magnets & aprons ♥


Shaikha,
xx