Cherry Cheese "Christmas Wreath" Pound Cake

This cake was inspired by the cover of this month's Coles magazine, which actually uses an instant butter cake mix. I decided to make the cake even more festive by making a cream cheese pound cake bursting with fresh cherries, drizzled over some orange glaze icing and decorated it with more cherries! A generous dusting of icing sugar always creates a pretty snowflake effect, and to complete the Christmas wreath look, I added a sprig of mint leaves which I picked from the garden.

Apple Frangipane Tart

 

So, I was telling my friend Samuel the other day that I made fish head curry three times in a row prior to posting the recipe for it last week. I explained that I couldn't get it to taste the way I wanted it to, and I couldn't possibly share a recipe for something I'm not happy with. I got it right on the third attempt though, after I figured out who the culprit was - it was the fish curry powder with the Candlenut! So I changed that, made my own curry paste and it turned out almost exactly like I wanted it to.

Melting Moments with Raspberries and Cream

These melting moments are absolutely heavenly! So good. Light, buttery, creamy and melts in your mouth. The balance between the sweetness from the vanilla buttercream and the tartness of the raspberry jam is perfect. These delightful little sandwich cookies were so popular that I had to make a second batch the day after, which I brought to work the next day only to have them all devoured by everyone. I guess the main difference between this recipe and others is that this uses custard powder, which gives it a sweet scent and flavour. It also uses baking powder which results in a light and crumbly texture. I can declare that this is now my favourite melting moment recipe, and if you try it out, I bet it'll be your favourite too! Also, don't forget to check out the recipe for quick and easy Raspberry Jam in my previous post. You can prepare the jam and refrigerate it a few days ahead until you're ready to make the cookies.

Microwave Raspberry Jam

I used to have this idea that only little old ladies who live in the countryside make jam in their kitchens, which is why I have never made jam before until now! The microwave method of making jam is awesome and saves you so much time. Not only that, but it only uses 3 ingredients and there is no setting agent like pectin required either. However, it does use lemon rind during the cooking process, and that perhaps helps to set the jam, since citrus fruits contain a high concentration of pectin. The lovely thing about this jam is that it's bursting with pure fruity flavour from the raspberries, it's like eating a raspberry concentrate. It tastes so much better than commercially manufactured jams.

Apple and Blueberry Shortcake

Granny Smith Apples are currently in season (in Australia, that is) and I couldn't resist buying some in case I had sudden cravings for apple desserts. I love using apples for baking, and some of my favourites are Apple Crumble and Dutch Apple Cake, which I have made over and over again. My original intention with these lovely green apples was to make an Upside-down Apple Cake, which is absolutely decadent. However, the recipe makes quite a large cake and is best eaten on the same day. All I wanted was a slice or two, and not having to eat apple cake everyday for the rest of the week. It's just too sinful. Instead, I found a recipe for Apple and Blueberry Shortcake in Bills Food, a cookbook by Bill Granger (I was puzzled why it was spelt Bills and not Bill's, and G speculated that some people might take it to mean "Bill is Food" instead. Hmmm....).

White and Dark Chocolate Jaffa Swirl Cake

Ever since I went back to work, I hardly have any time to bake cakes, and this is probably my first cake for 2012! It was the picture of the lovely yellow and brown swirls in the cake that caught my attention when I was browsing through Belinda Jeffery's cookbook called "Mix & Bake". It has a wonderful collection of recipes for baking and my decision to try out this recipe was partially because I happened to have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Moreover, you can't go wrong with orange and chocolate.

Watermelon and Lime Sorbet

For a zingy and refreshing icy treat, try making this simple watermelon and lime sorbet at home. If possible, use the sweetest and reddest seedless watermelon you can find for maximum flavour and colour. Not only does it taste delicious, but it's also low in fat compared to ice-cream. Great for both kids and adults alike, and makes a perfect treat for Valentine's day too.

Avocado Slushie Recipe

Here's a real quick and easy recipe for an icy cold avocado slushie that is sweet, creamy and refreshing. It's also a great way to use up any leftover avocados and makes a healthy and nutricious treat for the kids too. I managed to convince little J that it's ice-cream and he absolutely loves it!

Monkey Bread with Cream Cheese and Cranberries

The name "Monkey Bread" is new to me, although I'm sure if you live in the States, it's probably something you're familiar with already. If you're like me and wonder what this monkey business of a bread is about, well, it is apparently an American favourite that is also known by various other names like Bubble Bread because of the "bubbles" of dough. I first came across a recipe for this in the book "Bread" by Ingram and Shapter, and was intrigued by not only the quirky name but also its rustic appearance with little balls of dough moulded together to form a ring loaf.

No-Bake Lime Cheesecake with Raspberry Jelly

My kids love to eat jelly, and sometimes I grab a few boxes if they happen to be on sale. I managed to find a couple of boxes stashed right at the back of the larder, and one of them was lime flavour. I love lime flavoured desserts, although the kids don't particularly like anything that's citrusy. So, I decided to make a simple no-bake cheesecake incorporating the lime jelly in the cheese, and top that with a layer of raspberry-flavoured jelly. As I happened to have a punnet of raspberries in the fridge, I "studded" the cheesecake with a few plump and juicy raspberries.

Blood Orange Polenta Upside-down Cake

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It has been a (relatively) long time since I last baked a cake. Baking is one of those things that you need to be in the right mood for. It's not just a matter of following the recipe, but you also need to put in a lot of love into what you're baking. And no distractions! I've been holding on to this recipe for a while now. I actually bought some blood oranges a few weeks ago with the intention of making a blood orange chocolate tart, but I just didn't have any craving for a dark rich chocolate dessert. And then, the recipe for this polenta cake came along, and I finally made it today. What a slice of heaven! The cake is tender and moist, and the polenta gives it just a slight grittiness that complements the chewy but juicy candied blood orange slices. The oranges lose most of their tartness in the caramelization process and takes on a bittersweet tang, without being cloyingly sweet. This cake is absolutely fabulous either eaten on its own, or served with creme fraiche or whipped cream.

Maple Cinnamon Pear Tarte Tatin with Fudge Sauce

If you have a look at my pantry, you'll find that it's practically bursting with all sorts of food - junk food, canned food, packets of dried noodles, instant noodles, pasta of every shape and size, grains, lots of snacks and juice poppers for school recess... G reckons that we're well stocked in the event of any food rationing. Oh yes, not to mention the refrigerator which is also full of bottles and jars of sauces, amongst other things (like the many blocks of butter that I stock when they go on sale). G has been pushing me to start using these things that are "clogging up" our pantry, but I told him that if I did use them up, I would probably just go buy more, just in case I needed them again.

Cranberry White Chocolate and Meringue Cookies

I have been craving for some Momofuku Blueberry and Cream cookies lately, and I haven't made them again since the first time I had a go at Christina Tosi's recipe. I really loved the taste and texture of these cookies, which are crunchy on the outside with a soft chewy centre. I decided to use the same recipe and substitute the blueberries and milk crumbs with cranberries, white chocolate and crushed meringue. I also added some lemon zest and lemon essence for a little zing.

Peaches and Cream Oatmeal Cookies

I was planning to make Peaches and Cream cookies using Momofuku's Blueberry and Cream Cookies recipe, but then, I came across this one for Peaches and Cream Oatmeal Cookies by Sunny Anderson. Seeing all the rave reviews, I decided to make these instead.

Pavlova Roulade with Strawberries and Mascarpone Cream

Have egg whites? Make pavlova! Or better still, for something a little fancier, make a pavlova roulade! This dreamy dessert of soft, white, fluffy meringue rolled up and filled with fresh strawberries and mascarpone cream is sure to impress, and making it is easier than it looks!

Pomegranate Molasses Butter Cake

The first time I used pomegranate molasses was to make Muhammara sauce, a delicious Middle Eastern dip that goes well with just about anything. I recently discovered another use for pomegranate molasses, and that is to incorporate it in a butter cake, with a sweet, tart and creamy glaze, topped with pomegranate-glazed walnuts. The cake is buttery, tender and moist, with a hint of the molasses. The walnuts that are glazed with sugar and molasses, are sweet and crunchy like candied walnuts, and also make a great snack eaten on their own.

Pineapple Tarts

Pineapple Tarts

Ingredients

Pastry:
400g plain flour
250g cold butter, diced
2 egg yolks, cold
2 tbsp iced water
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Mix the yolks with vanilla and iced water. In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt and butter until they resemble bread crumbs. With the motor running, add the yolk-water mixture and process until the dough starts to come together. Pour out the contents and gently knead the dough to form a ball. Flatten and wrap in clingwrap. Rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough about 1cm thick. Press out shapes with cookie cutter (dusted with flour) and fill with jam. Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes. Leave on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

To make pineapple jam, see here.

Goreng Pisang with Kicap Cili

I wonder how people would react to eating banana fritters with a soy and chilli dipping sauce?

Apam Berkuah (Banana Coconut Pancakes)

 

I had never heard of this traditional Nyonya dessert before until a friend of mine mentioned it to me, and kindly shared the recipe which comes from a cookbook by Terry Tan. I was excited about making it because I had some blue pea flowers (bunga telang) which I seldom used, and this was the perfect opportunity to use them. These pancakes are wonderfully light and fluffy, and together with the thick and rich banana sauce (more like a gravy, really), it was a match made in tropical heaven. Each bite just melts in your mouth, and will have you wanting (and eating) more.

Chocolate Orange Brioche Pudding

This easy variation on bread and butter pudding tastes great when served hot with vanilla ice-cream. It has a hint of citrus flavour that goes perfectly with the oozy dark chocolate (and the ice-cream!).