Cake French Toast

Adapted from alexcrumb.

Ingredients

1. Cake (e.g. pandan chiffon cake)
2. Milk
3. Bananas

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mash bananas.
2. Add milk and mix until combined.
3. Soak cake into milk mixture.
4. Fry cake on a pan for about 3min on each side, until golden.
5. Serve immediately.

Sesame Pumpkin Kueh

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

1. Pumpkin puree, 100g
2. Glutinuous rice flour, 40g
3. Plain flour, 40g
4. Icing sugar, 10g
5. White sesame seeds
6. Oil

Instructions

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients except sesame seeds and mix well.
2. Divide into 6 portions and shape into flat round cakes.
3. Cover with sesame seeds.
4. In a pan, add oil and heat until hot.
5. Cook the cakes in the pan on both sides until golden brown.
6. Serve hot.

Semolina Cake

Adapted from here.

Ingredients

Cake

1. Butter, 110g
2. Greek yogurt, 280ml
3. Sugar, 200g
4. Semolina flour, 260g
5. Baking powder, 1 tsp

Syrup

1. Sugar, 230g
2. Lemon juice, 2 tsp
3. Water, 160ml

Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. In a bowl, mix butter, yogurt and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, mix semolina and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture.
4. Mix thoroughly.
5. Fill a cake tin greased with butter. 
6. Bake for 25 min.

Syrup

1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan.
2. On medium heat, stir until sugar dissolves.
3. Bring mixture to a boil and let simmer for 10-15 min. 
4. Remove from heat and let cool.
5. When the cake is baked, remove from oven and spoon syrup over the cake.
6. Let the cake cool, then cut into slices and serve.

Kinnathappam (Indian sweet cake)

Adapted from Yummy Tummy.

Ingredients

1. 195g short-grained rice (eg Basmati)
2. 591ml coconut milk
3. 225g sugar
4. 2 eggs
5. 2 tsp cardamom powder
6. Pinch of salt
7. Oil, for greasing

Instructions

1. Soak rice for 3h.
2. Drain rice and add to blender, with sugar, salt, coconut milk, egg and cardamom powder. Blend until smooth.
3. Grease a steel bowl with oil. 
4. Pour batter into bowl, place over a pot of boiling water, cover and cook for 20 min, until the top of the cake is firm when pressed. 

E-Z Bake Individual Angel Food Cakes

From Try This At Home by Richard Blais. Serves 8.

Ingredients

1. Unsalted butter, for greasing
2. 3 eggs
3. 5 tbsp sugar
4. 1/2 cup pastry flour

Instructions

1. Lightly grease the insides of cupcake liners. 
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs on medium-high speed and add the sugar in a slow, steady stream.
3. Continue whipping for about 6-8 min, until the eggs have tripled in volume.
4. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand, and using a fine-mesh strainer, sift the flour onto the top of the eggs. 
5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the flour until just incorporated.
6. Fill each cupcake liner 2/3-full of batter. 
7. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 30s, or until the cakes are set.
8. Cool the cakes for 5 min before serving.

Tiramisu Three-Ways: Classic, Tea-ramisu, and Tiramiso

Classic Tiramisu 

Adapted from Kitchen Joy Blog.

Ingredients

1. 4 eggs, room temperature
2. ¼ cup granulated sugar
3. 1 cup mascarpone
4. 2 tbsp Marsala 
5. 12 sponge fingers (or as many as you need to fit your baking pan)
6. 1.5 cups water
7. 3 tbsp instant coffee powder
8. 1 tbsp white sugar
9. ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Brew coffee with coffee powder, water and 1 tbsp of white sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
3. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/8 cup of sugar until pale. Whisk in mascarpone, a little at a time.
4. In another bowl, beat egg whites and remaining 1/8 cup of sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
5. Fold egg whites into mascarpone mixture.
6. Add Marsala to the coffee.
7. Dip the sponge fingers into the coffee completely (but do not soak) and line them out at the bottom of a pan/tray.
8. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top.
9. Repeat Step 6, adding another layer of sponge fingers on top.
10. Repeat Step 7.
11. Refrigerate the tiramisu at least 2 hours, or overnight. 
12. Dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder before serving.

Tea-ramisu

Ingredients

1. 4 eggs, room temperature
2. ¼ cup brown sugar
3. ¾ cup heavy cream
4. ¼ cup condensed milk
5. 2 tbsp brandy/rum
6. 10 rich tea biscuits (or as many as you need to fit your baking pan)
7. 1.5 cups water
8. 3 tbsp chai tea powder (see below)
9. For topping: ¼ cup chai tea powder

Instructions

1. Brew tea with 3 tbsp of chai tea powder and water. Let cool to room temperature.
2. In a bowl, mix heavy cream and condensed milk together, just until incorporated.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks and 1/8 cup of sugar until pale. Whisk in cream mixture, a little at a time.
5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and remaining 1/8 cup of sugar until stiff, glossy peaks form.
6. Fold egg whites into cream mixture.
7. Add brandy/rum to the coffee.
8. Dip the tea biscuits into the tea completely (but do not soak) and line them out at the bottom of a pan/tray.
9. Spread half of the cream mixture on top.
10. Repeat Step 8, adding another layer of sponge fingers on top.
11. Repeat Step 9.
12. Refrigerate the tiramisu at least 2 hours, or overnight. 
13. Dust the top of the tiramisu with chai tea powder before serving

Chai Tea Powder

Makes about 1 ½ cups. 

(You may have extra, which you can add to hot water and make chai tea!)

Adapted from Food Retro.

Ingredients

1. 1 tsp ground cardamom 
2. 1 tsp ground black pepper 
3. 1 tsp ground ginger 
4. 1 tsp ground clove 
5. 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
6. 1 tsp ground nutmeg
7. 1.5 cup granulated sugar
8. 2 cups instant tea powder

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together evenly.
2. Store in a dry, sealed container/bag and set aside.

Tiramiso

Ingredients 

1. 1 cup tofu miso cream cheese (see below)
2. 1 tbsp mirin 
3. 1 Castella sponge cake (you can use store-bought or make your own from the recipe below)
4. Coffee jelly (optional) (see below)
5. 1.5 cups water
6. 3 tbsp coffee powder
7. 1 tbsp white sugar
8. ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Brew coffee with coffee powder, water and 1 tbsp of white sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Add mirin to the coffee.
3. Cut the Castella sponge cake into the size of the pan/tray you are using for your tiramisu, then slice the cake diagonally to about ½ to ¾ inch thick. Lay into the bottom of the pan.
4. Sprinkle coffee onto the sponge cake (but do not soak).
5. (Optional) Prepare the coffee jelly and pour over the sponge cake. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.
6. Spread half of the tofu cream cheese on top.
7. Add another layer of sponge cake on top of the tofu miso cream cheese layer.
8. Repeat Step 6.
9. Refrigerate the tiramisu at least 2 hours, or overnight. 
10. Dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder before serving.

Tofu Miso Cream Cheese

Makes 1 cup

Adapted from Peta2.

Ingredients

1. 396g firm silken tofu
2. 2-3 tbsp white miso paste
3. 1-2 tbsp unsweetened soy milk
4. ¼ cup granulated sugar/agave syrup
5. ½ tsp vanilla extract
6. 1 tsp salt
7. 1 tsp lemon juice  

Instructions

1. Using a blender/food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Cover and refrigerate for two hours to thicken.

Castella Sponge Cake

Adapted from Just One Cookbook, Japanese Cooking 101, Roti n Rice, Nasi Lemak Lover, and Guai Shu Shu. 

Ingredients

1. 4 eggs, room temperature
2. 75g caster sugar
3. 2.5 tbsp warm water
4. 120g bread flour, sifted twice
5. 1 tbsp mirin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. 
2. Line your cake pan (use a cake pan with length and breadth that is equal to or larger than the size of the pan you intend to use for your tiramisu, so that the sponge cake will be big enough) with parchment paper.
3. Beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar in 3 increments and continue whisking at high speed for about 5 minutes, until thick and pale.
4. Add in mirin and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
5. Add the bread flour in 3 increments, whisking at low speed for 15s for the first two increments, and 1 minute for the last increment. 
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan from a height (to minimize air bubbles), filling about 80% of the pan. 
7. To remove air bubbles, run a skewer through the batter in a zig-zag motion, then drop the pan flat on the counter for several times. Finally, smooth the top with a spatula.
8. Bake at 175°C for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 140°C to bake for another 40 minutes. Cover the top of the cake with aluminium foil if it turns too brown.
9. Immediately drop the cake from a height of about 20cm flat onto the counter to release the air and prevent the cake from collapsing.
10. Remove the cake from the pan, with the top facing down, and remove the parchment paper. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.
11. When ready to use, remove from refrigerator. When room temperature, slice off the sides of the cake.

Coffee Jelly

Adapted from Just One Cookbook. 

*You can substitute agar powder with gelatine, like in this recipe.

Ingredients

1. 300ml water
2. ¾ tsp agar powder*
3. 2.5 tbsp granulated sugar
4. 1 tbsp instant coffee powder

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, mix water and agar powder. Heat the mixture on high heat, until boiling, then reduce the heat.
2. Add sugar and coffee powder, stirring occasionally. Simmer for about 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. Pour onto tiramisu layer.
5. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to set.

Smörgåstårta (Sandwich Cake)

Adapted from Like a Strawberry Milk. Makes eight small individual tarts or one 24cm. The traditional smörgåstårta is more of a layered sandwich cake with egg filling, smoked salmon filling and cream cheese and prawn filling, but I have adapted this recipe for my own taste and preference.

Ingredients

Base

1. Rye bread
2. 75g unsalted butter, melted
3. Pinch of salt

Filling

1. 5g or about 3 gelatin leaves (add more if necessary)
2. 300g cream cheese
3. 200g creme fraiche
4. 1/2 red onion, finely minced
5. Juice and zest from 1 lemon
6. Pinch of salt
7. Freshly ground black pepper
8. 80g fish roe

Garnish

1. 300g cocktail prawns, de-shelled
2. Smoked salmon
3. Vegetables such as radishes, sugar snap peas, cucumber, dill, chives

Instructions

1. Prepare eight 8cm-wide rings or a 24cm ring on a tray, and line with baking paper.
2. Blitz bread into crumbs, and add melted butter and salt. Divide the mixture between cake rings and press to form a base.
3. Set aside in fridge until needed.
4. Soak gelatin leaves in ice water.
5. In a bowl, mix half the cream cheese with creme fraiche, lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper.
6. Heat the remaining cream cheese, then dissolve the gelatin the warm cream cheese. 
7. Incorporate cream cheese gelatin mixture into the creme fraiche with a whisk.
8. Gently fold in the roe into the mixture. Divide between the cake rings.
9. Refrigerate for 1h.
10. Un-mould by running a knife around the rim of the ring. Garnish with prawns, smoked salmon and sliced vegetables of your choice.

Liquid Cheesecake

From Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi.

Ingredients

1. 225g cream cheese
2. 150g sugar
3. 1 tbsp cornstarch
4. 1/2 tsp kosher salt
5. 2 tbsp milk
6. 1 egg

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300F.
2. Put cream cheese in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 2 min. Scrape down sides with spatula. Add sugar and mix for 1-2 min, until sugar is completely incorporated. Scrape down sides.
3. Whisk cornstarch and salt in medium bowl. Whisk in milk in slow, steady stream, then whisk in egg until the mixture is homogeneous.
4. With mixer on medium-low, stream in the egg mixture. Paddle for 3-4 min, until mixture is smooth and loose. Scrape down sides.
5. Line a 6x6" baking pan with plastic wrap. Pour batter into the pan, put the pan in over and bake for 15 min. Gently shake the pan. The cheesecake should be firmer and more set towards the outer boundaries but still be jiggly and loose in the centre. If cheesecake is jiggly all over, give it 5 more min. And another additional 5 min, if necessary, but never more than 25 min. If cheesecake rises more than 1/4 inch or begins to brown, take out from oven immediately.
6. Cool completely, and allow to set. Once cool, store in airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week.

Red Velvet Ice Cream

From Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi.

Ingredients

1. 1 gelatin sheet or 1/2 tsp powdered gelatin
2. 220g milk
3. 1/2 recipe Fudge Sauce
4. 50g chocolate cake scraps
5. 35g cocoa powder
6. 25g or 2 tbsp sugar
7. 25g or 1 tbsp glucose/9g or 2 tsp corn syrup
8. 12g or 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar
9. 2 tsp red food colouring
10. 1 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Bloom gelatin.
2. Warm a little bit of the milk and whisk in gelatin to dissolve. transfer gelatin mixture to blender, add remaining milk, fudge sauce, chocolate cake, cocoa powder, sugar, glucose, vinegar, buttermilk, food colouring and salt, and puree until smooth and even. Don't be stingy on blending time (need adequate time for cake scraps to soak liquid and dissipate into mixture).
3. Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Best spun just before serving or using, but will keep in airtight container in freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Graham Frosting

From Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi.

Ingredients

1. 1/2 recipe Graham Crust
2. 85g milk
3. 2g or 1/2 tsp kosher salt
4. 85g butter, room temp
5. 15g or 1 tightly-packed tbsp light brown sugar
6. 10g or 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar
7. 0.5g or 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
8. 0.5g or 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Combine graham crust, milk and salt in blender. Blend on medium-high speed and puree until smooth and homogeneous. 
2. Combine butter, sugars, cinnamon and salt in bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment and cream on medium-high for 2-3 min until fluffy and speckled yellow. Scrape down sides with spatula.
3. On low speed, paddle in contents of blender. After 1 min, turn speed to medium-high and blend for another 2 min. Scrape down sides with spatula. If mixture is not uniformly pale tan, scrape down sides again and paddle for another minute at high-speed.
4. Use frosting immediately, or store in airtight container in fridge for up to 1 week.