Bake and Shake: Smooth Berry Buttercream

Buttercream goes best with cupcake, but I am never a fan of those grainy textured buttercream that is always too sweet but this buttercream recipe that I'm going to share with you is different. It is creamy, smooth and not too sweet. 

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

*CAUTION: Care should be taken when making sugar syrup. They are extremely hot and will stick on skin when spilled or splattered causing serious burns! 

Bake and Shake: Rainbow Cupcakes

I'm back from my hiatus. Yay! I'm finally back in Singapore and after a few days of jet lag, shopping and some well deserved rest I've got my hands back on baking! As requested from my friends, they wanted to learn how to make rainbow cupcakes thus I've decided to hold a cupcake 'masterclass' teaching them how to make cupcakes. To be honest, I've never tried making rainbow cupcakes before so I was really excited to see the end product.

If you want to find something to bake with your friends, Rainbow Cupcakes would be ideal since it's fun and simple to make.

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Strawberry Shortcake Biscuit

(This is a scheduled entry, I am still on hiatus. Will be back soon!)

I baked this last year for one of my close friend's birthday. I was thinking of making him something with strawberries and mango since it's his favourite fruits but at the same time I want to bake something he have never had before. So I've decided on Strawberry Shortcake Biscuit with Strawberry and Mango Coulis 

Shortcake Biscuit - This recipe makes 3, so if you want you have to increase the measurement

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Mango Cupcakes

When I have the urge to bake something, I'll usually bake cupcakes because they are really simple to make and most important of all, they are always so yummy!

This recipe came about when my Dad tricked me to eating a really sour mango and was surprised that I did not find them sour. So he told me to finish all the four mangoes he bought in the next few days since no one at home will be eating them because they are too sour. So to prevent myself from falling sick eating all those mangoes, I came out with an idea and decided to add them into my cupcakes. And because this cupcake recipe is not as sweet, I've to add a homemade marshmallow to even out the sourness from the mangoes.

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Jm's Chicken Pie

I've always love chicken pie, I used to have chicken pie from Hans at least once a week. So one day I thought, why not try making one myself? And after the very first one came out decent (The photo on top) I made this for grandma & grandpa for their birthdays instead of cakes since they can get to enjoy it and I have cousins who requested for it. Even Dad loves it! (Finally Dad is eating something I bake!) And since almost everyone is calling it Jm's chicken pie, I shall just name it Jm's chicken pie.

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Chocolate Ganache

Basically a ganache is made from Chocolate and Cream and we would usually use the same ratio of Chocolate to Cream. But it really depends on what you are using the ganache for and what consistency you would want to achieve.

This Ganache recipe that I'm making is for frosting cakes, brownies etc.

When I went back to Singapore, I had a request from a friend to make brownies with good fudge. So I decided to make my own Ganache rather than getting chocolate fudge off the shelves in our supermarkets since the fudge are always such a disappointment. 

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Brownies

Almost everyone I know love Brownie. Who doesn't? 

Chocolate Brownies are actually originated from America, and they are rich and chocolaty. Brownies are normally heavy like fudge and glazed with rich chocolate ganache. 

To serve Brownies as dessert: On a warm plate, serve a warm brownie (without the ganache) with icing sugar dusted on, place some chocolate sauce on the side of the plate with your choice of ice-cream and some strawberries. Yums!

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Banana Walnut Muffins

Muffins are so fun to make and they can be flavoured in so many ways... You can add things like diced apples, sultanas, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, banana, dried apricots, walnuts etc to your plain muffin recipe. There's so much more, the variety of muffins is unlimited, don't stop experimenting.

But while experimenting, you have to take things into consideration like if you are adding fruits with high water content then you should add lesser water to your plain muffin recipe. 

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Tiramisu

This was made some time ago, it was my first Tiramisu and it is really simple to make.

I replaced my coffee with rose tea. If you know me well enough, I love everything rose (except the flowers, because I'm a Daisy person) so I've decided to try making some Tiramisu with rose tea instead of coffee. Although the combination with the chocolate taste really good, but the taste of the rose was really weak. It might be the tea leaves that I'm using or I need something else like rose water to further enhance the flavour. 

One who loves coffee, chocolate and pudding would definitely want some tiramisu. But it's difficult to find a tiramisu that contains alcohol (which brings out the taste of the chocolate and the coffee to a even greater level) in Singapore. So here's one good recipe if you want to try making one yourself!

Please send your recipe request to lpr.request@gmail.com

Sponges

Hey guys, I'm back from the almost a month hiatus. I was having exams and now that I'm finally done with all of them, I'll have more time to update this blog. Also, let me know if there is anything you want to try out, I might have some tips and recipe for you!

For today, let's talk about sponges! I know I need to start taking decent photos of things that I bake. Pardon me for all the unprofessional snaps.

So how do you describe a sponge? Basically, sponge is a soft, light and sweet cake. The aeration of sponge is solely achieved by whisking the eggs which then traps small air cells that expands when baking. 

There are a few methods to achieve good sponges. 

1. Traditional method

2. Enriched method

3. Emulsified/Stabilised Sponges

4. Delayed Soda method

5. Separate Sponges

I would normally use the traditional method at home or sometimes the enriched method where I would add clarified butter into the batter together with the flour.


Traditional method

The traditional method, also called the orthodox sponge is a method where maximum aeration can be achieved. This basic sponge has a ratio of 1 part flour : 1 part sugar : 2 parts egg. Remember this ratio and you can make genoise anytime, anywhere.

First, whisk the eggs and sugar over a pot of simmering water until it reaches 38 Degree Celsius. Continue to whisk until sabayon stage. Secondly, fold in sifted flour carefully. Making sure you are very gentle so that you won't lose the trapped air. Once done, immediately fill a already prepared cake tin and bake it. Try to avoid delays in baking sponges because as time passes you tend to lose the trapped air. 


Once done, remove from cake tin immediately, the reason why you would want to remove the cake from the tin immediately is to prevent it from sweating in the tin and losing moisture. 
Brush syrup onto sponge while it's still hot so that it will absorb the syrup. While waiting for the sponge to cool, whip up some cream or make some ganache , cut some fruits and then frost and decorate the cake once it is completely cool and you are done! (Pardon me for the messy frosting, I ran out of cream!)

Try Outs

Vanilla Cupcake with Royal Icing

Strawberry Cupcakes with Royal Icing

Christmas Cutout Cookies

Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Fillings

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Just some pictures. These were made a few years back and I did not keep the recipe. I've already forgotten how all these taste like. But they shouldn't taste that bad since my friends ate them all.

My Dream

I've decided to start this blog so that I can share what I always love doing with those who read my blog. It took me lots of determination and courage to give up my Interior Design Diploma to come all the way to Melbourne to take up another Diploma (Advance) in Hospitality specialising in Patisserie. But at least this is something that I know I want to continue to do in the future. Many times I have people asking me how do I work in the kitchen if my day was bad and my answer to them is once I start baking or cooking everything seems to feel much better.

Every time after baking or trying out a new recipe, I'll log them down on my personal blog but I find it really difficult to track them down after a few months. So with this blog, everything posted here will be about food, sweets, recommendations and what not. Hope you guys enjoy and don't forget to leave some comments on my entries!

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.