Blood Orange Poppyseed Loaf

I'm gonna enjoy the blood orange season for as long as it's here (which is not long, considering I live in Malaysia and we get it imported from the States - so it's really touch and go) so I hope you guys really don't mind that I'm posting yet another orange based recipe. I mean, come on, these things are bloody gorgeous! 

So what are blood oranges? As my mum and various aunts have asked (we really don't see them around these parts), I feel we could all use a trip to Wikipedia (one of my top 5 favourite places in the world):

The blood orange is a natural mutation of the orange, which is itself a hybrid, probably between the pomelo and the tangerine,^[4]Within Europe, the arancia rossa di Sicilia (red orange of Sicily) has Protected Geographical Status.^[5] In the Land of Valencia, it was introduced in the second half of the 19th century.^[6]

Also, it's not ALL aesthetics: 

Blood oranges have a unique flavor profile compared to other oranges, being distinctly raspberry-like in addition to the usual citrus notes.

Ah, the reason we don't see it around these equatorial parts:

Blood oranges may have originated in either China or the southern Mediterranean, where they have been grown since the 18th century. They are now the primary orange grown in Italy. The anthocyanins which give the orange its distinct maroon color will only develop when temperatures are low at night, as during the Mediterranean fall and winter.^[3] Blood oranges cultivated in the United States are in season from December to March (Texas), and from November to May (California).

Interesting.... well, maybe not to you, but I now have 7 other tabs open linked from that one Blood Orange wiki page. It's a slippery slope... could easily spend hours going down this wikipedia rabbit hole.

Okay, now that I have wasted enough of your (and my) time, here's the recipe for my new favourite thing. Also, let's be honest ... 

... you can totally do these with normal oranges. I have, and I will - when the season ends. But for now... let's just enjoy the colours. 

Blood Orange Poppyseed Loaf

Slightly adapted from The Whole Bite blog

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup natural yogurt
• 2 tsp blood orange zest
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/3 cup fresh blood orange juice
• 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare a loaf tin by greasing and lining with non stick paper
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the yogurt, orange zest and sugar until combined, then add the eggs, vanilla and vegetable oil and beat well
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and fold until all the dry ingredients are just wet, and stir in the poppy seeds
4. Pour the batter into the tin, top with thinly sliced oranges (optional) and bake for 50 - 55 minutes
5. When done, remove from the oven and prepare the orange glaze (whisk the orange juice and confectioner's sugar together to form a paste), pour this over the warm cake and let it sink in

That's it, hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Give the recipe a go this weekend, it really doesn't require a lot of hands on time and it's always nice to have something a bit extra for tea time. Lots of love,

x Nabs

Pancakes!

I woke up on Saturday to the sound of birds chirping outside my bedroom window, the scent of fresh flowers by my bedside (heh, thanks awesome Bath & Bodyworks scent diffuser), and the sound of a Disney princess trill when I realised that I'm on holiday! It's the end of the year and I get to totally just chill!

So what does one do when one is faced with endless hours of doing absolutely nothing? Why, make pancakes, of course! Nothing fancy needed, just your basic pancakes that takes 5 minutes to whip up. This is one of those breakfast recipes that will have you sitting at the table in no more than half an hour from when you drag yourself out of bed.

Just Pancakes
Makes enough for 3 - 4 people (depending on how high you stack'em)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk 

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk in the egg and vanilla, then gradually whisk in the milk. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes while you heat up a large skillet or griddle.
Brush some butter over the surface of the heated pan and pour the batter out in 1/4 cup batches for each pancake. When the bubbles on the top have popped and left behind little holes in the pancake, flip it over and leave it for about 1 minute to just brown the other side.
Serve with butter, maple syrup and fresh fruits if you have any.
Enjoy!

Ghirardelli Chocolate Orange cake

What? Is it really the 12th of December already? Where did the year go? How did this happen? Without me looking, it's been a year since I've started my new job, 7 months since moved into my own place in the city and well... the biggest thing of all, 4 months since Riz proposed! 

It's been a year filled with just doing, doing, and more doing. I haven't really had time for my massive introspective moods, recipe dreaming and the such. But I maintain that it's incredibly important to bake when I get the time to do so... every little bit helps to recharge. 

Last week, the future in-laws came to my parents' for a full on Sarawakian lunch, cooked by my epic Aunty Betty. It was the perfect time to try a recipe I had just pinned the week before - Ghirardelli's flourless chocolate cake with a chocolate orange mousse topping. It was crazy delicious! I can't wait to make it again, and am adding it to my Christmas dinner menu immediately. 

*Recipe can be found here. 

Chocoberry Cake

What is there to do when one is stuck in Friday night traffic for close to three hours? Why, devise a new concept for cake, of course! I was on my way on Friday night, the rain beating down on my windshield, hungry and craving for everything under the sun, when I thought of a dessert my friend Nisa and I used to indulge ourselves with every now and then. The Chocolicious Sundae from Delicious was our favourite, and we recreated it several times for potlucks and barbecues. And boy, I got a sudden hankering for it the other night.

However, I wasn't really in the mood to have a solitary dessert outing (seriously... nobody wants to spend time with me when I'm home in Setia Alam), so I wondered if I could make a cake version of it instead. The elements of the dessert are simple: chocolate, meringue, strawberries and ice cream. Voila, my Saturday baking excursion was planned.

I present to you, the Chocoberry cake! Wow, terrible name. It's a work in progress, please excuse me. I welcome suggestions for a better name *points to comment box*.

Chocolate Beet Cake

• 1 large beet (or 2 small-medium ones) - 3/4 cup grated for the cake, 2 tbsp grated for the frosting
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 170g butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup natural yogurt

1. First of all, some prep work: Wrap the beets (unpeeled, just trimmed of greens and scrubbed clean) in foil paper, wipe down with the vegetable oil and pop in the oven for an hour or so at 200C, or until a knife poked through the beets go through easily. When they're ready, remove and cool for a while, then peel and grate the beets on the fine grate of a box grater and set aside
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line your 8x8 round baking pan with butter and parchment paper
3. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda & powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside
4. Cream the butter and sugars until light, then beat in the eggs (one at a time), vanilla and beets
5. Beat in half of the flour mixture until incorporated, then pour in all the buttermilk, followed by the rest of the flour when the milk has mixed completely
6. Divide the batter between your pans, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer poked through at an angle comes out clean. You don't want to overcook this cake, trust me. When it's done, allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move onto a cooling rack to cool completely

Balsamic reduced strawberries

• 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
• 5 tbsp brown sugar 
• 3 - 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 180°C, toss chopped strawberries in sugar and balsamic in a baking tray and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely

Whipped cream

• 200ml double cream, chilled
• 1 tsp vanilla

Chill your mixing bowl and whisk, then pour the cream and whisk until soft peaks form, pour in the vanilla and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form. You need the cream to be thick to hold the weight of the cake layer on top. Stir through half of the roasted strawberries and dollop half of the cream on top of one layer of cake, top with the second layer, then spread remaining cream over the top

Meringue topping

• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup caster sugar

Preheat oven to 180°C/fan. Whisk the egg whites until foamy, then gradually add all the sugar and continue to whisk on high speed until mounds form (not too stiff). Spread the meringue mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and pop into preheated oven, drop the temperature to 165° and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven when done (tap the meringue with the back of a spoon to check doneness) and allow to cool completely. 

Now you've got all the components of the cake done, just crack the meringue into large pieces and arrange on top of the cake, then finish by drizzling remaining roasted strawberries on top.

Serve to mum's friends and gracefully accept the admiration

Hummingbird Bakery's Red Velvet Cupcakes

I had a go-to red velvet recipe, one I thought I was happy to use for the rest of my life... but then I went to London last October, bought a red velvet cupcake from the Hummingbird Bakery on Portobello... realised I have their recipe book at home, decided to try it and have not turned back since. Their cream cheese frosting recipe is also the one I've been using for years now, so it truly is a perfect pairing!

There were many birthdays in my family this week, and a special one in the manfriend's family... and also I kinda had a craving for a red velvet cupcake (clean eating begins MONDAY!). So, following a terribly self-indulgent Saturday morning, I decided to whip up a few batches of these little babies.

Don't they look pretty? My baby boomer dad surprised me by splitting the cupcake in half and eating it like a cupcake sandwich. Who knew he subscribes to Lifehack pinterest board advice?

Anyway, for those of you still on the hunt for the perfect red velvet cupcake recipe, look no further. The Hummingbird Bakery's recipe is definitely the way to go.

Red Velvet Cupcake
Yield: 12 cupcakes

• 60g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 20g cocoa powder
• 30ml red food colouring
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 120ml buttermilk
• 150g all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and prepare your cupcake liners
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy, then add the egg and beat until fluffy
3. In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder, red food colouring, and vanilla into a thick paste then add it to the butter mixture, beating well to incorporate
4. Add half the flour, beating until just combined, then add all the buttermilk, mixing well before adding the rest of the flour
5. Last step, add the baking soda and vinegar and beat until just combined before dividing the batter into the cupcake liners. Fill the liners 2/3 of the way up, then lower the oven temperature to 165°C and bake for 25 minutes
6. Allow the cupcakes to cool for 5 minutes into the cupcake tins before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. You may, like my brother and boyfriend, prefer to eat these without frosting... but for the purists who believe that red velvet cake must be eaten with cream cheese frosting, decorate as you will with this cream cheese frosting. I used a Wilton 1M tip to decorate with these darling little swirls. 

Three Years with Ellebug, or The Happy Hufflepuff

I went to nine schools throughout my academic career, moved houses 13 times, I work at one of the Big 4 accounting firms as a management consultant (which, besides having an incredibly high employee turnover, the nature of our jobs is that we do short term projects). Permanence is not a concept I am familiar with. So to be celebrating my third year of baking and writing this blog is kind of a B.F.D.

The past three years have seen quite a lot of changes in my life, my baking, and my work. I like to think I've grown and that writing here has helped me grow up and get to know myself a bit more... Imagine that, internalising through broadcasting my thoughts and other stuff out there. As a result of Ellebug (or The Happy Hufflepuff as we began so humbly three years ago), the work I've been doing, and the people I've met and become close to, I've built a strong appreciation for the art of reflection in the course of self discovery. I still have a long way to go, but it's nice to have these handy tricks and tools to help me cope with feelings of stress and the occasional unprovoked discontentment that many of my fellow Gen Ys suffer from.

Right now, where I am... there are a few big decisions that I will have to make over the next year, sort of the big ones to take me through the last few years of my twenties. Hard to believe when I started this thing that I was in a different age bracket. Goshdarnit.

Okay, enough wallowing and vague sharing, let's get down to business to defeat the Huns. I saw this recipe in my favourite food magazine, Delicious UK last year and knew that it would be THE cake I'm baking for my three year blog anniversary. Eric Lanlard's epic celebration chocolate cake may have a longer list of ingredients than I usually prefer, but ooooh baby, was this cake worth it! I'm definitely going to be making this cake again, though in future I may substitute the butter icing filling with something more tangy. This cake was also the perfect one to go with cos it showcases my three favourite things: chocolate, ganache frosting, and berries.

And to make it extra special, I used only the best Lindt dark chocolate (75% single source) for the cake, the butter icing, and the chocolate ganache. It's ok to splurge every now and then.

Blackberry Lindt Cake (Eric Lanlard's Chocolate Celebration Cake)
For the cake:

• 350g unsalted butter, softened
• 350g golden caster sugar
• 50ml black treacle
• 8 large free-range eggs
• 50g dark chocolate (at least 70 per cent cocoa solids), melted
• 1 tbsp chocolate extract 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp coffee extract
• 300g self-raising flour
• 50g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 50g ground almonds
• Blackberries to decorate (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan and line and grease 1 6" deep round baking pan and 1 8" deep round baking pan
2. Combine the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light, then add the treacle and continue to beat gently 
4. Beat the eggs in one at a time, until light and fluffy then slowly add the melted chocolate
5. Add the chocolate, vanilla and coffee extracts
6. Add the flour until thoroughly combined then fold in the ground almonds with a rubber spatula
7. Divide the batter between the two baking pans, filling each to roughly 3/4 up the pans
8. Bake for 55 minutes for the 6" cake, and 1 hour 15 minutes for the 8" cake, or until a skewer inserted at an angle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn them upside down onto a wire rack to cool completely

For the butter icing:

• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp chocolate extract
• 30g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), melted
• 2 tbsp whipping cream

Whisk the butter and icing sugar until mixed, then add the extracts and dark chocolate. Continue to whisk until combined, then beat in the whipping cream. Pop the bowl into the fridge to allow it to solidify slightly while the cakes cool, but be sure to take it out before you fill the cakes to let it soften.

For the ganache:

• 250g single cream
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 250g dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), melted
• 25g unsalted butter, softened

1. Heat the cream in a saucepan over a low heat, then add the vanilla and light corn syrup and stir gently with a spatula until mixed
2. Chop the chocolate and place in a medium sized heatproof bowl, pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a few seconds before stirring with a spatula to melt it down. If necessary, put the bowl in the microwave for 20 seconds to reheat 
3. Stir in the butter, pop the bowl into the fridge to chill slightly before decorating

Assembling the cake:

Slice both cakes into three layers using a long serrated knife, then top each layer with the butter icing. Once all six layers are stacked, cover with ganache frosting in a happily haphazard manner. Top with fresh blackberries, or raspberries, or strawberries, or chocolate curls, or really anything you like. Enjoy with a cup of coffee. 

Also, you may have noticed that the look of the site has changed a little bit. In conjunction with my three-year anniversary, I've decided to give Ellebug a little treat! The new logo is care of the brilliant Zurisha over at Tinytype: Propfolio. Please go check out her stuff, order from her, just go talk to her. She's lovely! Thanks so much, Sha, I'm completely smitten by the little ladybug B and the whole thing! So cute! So terribly, terribly cute!

On a different note, is it smitten with, or smitten by? Couldn't find a conclusive answer to this, and now I am legitimately worried I may have been making a mistake my whole life and will continue to make this mistake if I don't find out!

Orangey Passionfruit tarts

Do what you love and love what you do. That hackneyed mantra of my fellow Gen Ys rings in my head as I bake up my little treats, force feed my family and friends, and type up these blog posts. Sometimes I wonder just how selfish I can be when I do this, as most of the time the desserts are foisted upon my unsuspecting friends whether or not they want it. And all for what? Just for my personal pleasure of seeing them enjoying something I laboured over with love. I'm a brute. A narcissistic, selfish member of the Gen Y.

Sometimes I feel that our loving and doting parents might have done us wrong in constantly telling us to reach for the stars, that nothing is beyond our abilities (latent they may be), and that they will suffer through the rat race so that we may want for nothing and so that we may have the dreams they never dared to have. I won't generalise, but personally, all of that just made me impatient, discontent, and selfish. Some may call it ambitious and driven, but we are just two sides of the same coin.

I honestly don't know why I started talking about this. Must be the word "Passion" in the recipe I'm about to share with you now. So many people talk about doing what we're passionate about, to chase the thing that we would love to do, and not waste our time sitting in a 4x4 cubicle with no direct sunlight on our skin. Yet, to do that, we'd HAVE to be financially dependent on another. Do our parents then have to suffer more to ensure we get to do what we love? Do we continue to leech on their goodwill? I'm being weird, my apologies. I usually save these mad rantings to my personal journal, but there seems to be a spillover tonight. I'll spare you all the lecture and just hand you the recipe.

Passionfruit Tart
(Makes 12 mini tarts, or 1 8" tart)
For the crust:

• 185g all purpose flour
• 55g icing sugar
• 30g ground almonds
• 125g butter, cold and cubed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Combine the flour, icing sugar, and almonds in the food processor and whizz to mix. Pop in the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add in the egg and vanilla and pulse a few more times until it comes together. Tip the batter onto a well floured surface and knead a few times until it comes together. I like to just then roll the crust out and put it into my prepared mold (either 8" tart tray, or a mini tart pan) then freeze for 30 minutes. Freezing the crust means I can skip the pie weights when baking the crust as it holds the shape longer. Anyway, preheat the oven to 180°C and then bake the crust for 20 minutes then remove to cool.

For the filling:

• 160ml passionfruit pulp (I used 3 regular sized passionfruits)
• 300ml cream
• 110g caster sugar
• 4 eggs

I like to prepare the passionfruit filling in advance as I find it allows the flavours to steep and it sets a lot better when you bake. Strain the passionfruit pulp and discard the seeds, then whisk the juice together with the cream, sugar and eggs in a medium sized bowl. When ready to bake, pour the filling into the baked tart crust and bake for 35 - 40 minutes (for a big tart) or 25 - 30 minutes for mini tarts. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight or up to 2 hours so it sets beautifully. Remove from the pans when ready to serve. 

For the topping:

• 150ml double cream
• 1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice
• Orange zest

Whisk the double cream until soft peaks form, add the orange juice and continue to whisk until stiff peaks have formed. Then transfer the cream into a piping bag with a tip of your choice and pipe the cream out over the top of the tarts. Finish by grating the oranges (make sure you wash those babies) over the cream. You can also just dollop the cream on top of the tarts if you don't feel like piping; what matters here is flavour, not aesthetics. 

Black Forest Cheesecake

First of all, please play the following track http://youtu.be/NucJk8TxyRg

Okay, now that the mood has been set, lets get to it.

I baked this silky-smooth Black Forest Cheesecake last week. My family loves Black Forest chocolate from Cadbury and I've always wanted to put it in cake form, so thanks to the year end holidays, I finally had that opportunity! I'll save some time and go straight to the recipe share for this week:

Black Forest Cheesecake
7" Springform Tin
Preheat oven 180°C

For the crust:

• 200g Oreo biscuits, filling removed and biscuits crushed
• 100g butter, melted

1. Grease & line a 7" springform tin with parchment paper
2. Combine the crushed biscuits and melted butter in a medium bowl and then pour into the prepared baking tin and press up the sides and the bottom
3. Cover with a clean cloth and refrigerate the crust for at least 10 minute

For the cheesecake filling:

• 170g dark chocolate chips, melted & cooled
• 450g Philadelphia Cream Cheese, cold
• 3/4 cup caster sugar 
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp milk, room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 heaped tbsp all purpose flour

1. Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, take the bowl out and stir with a spoon until smooth
2. Pop the cream cheese and sugar in a large mixing bowl, beat until it blends into a smooth mixture then gradually add the milk and continue to beat 
3. Beat the eggs in one at a time, and make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with a spatula to ensure it's all mixed properly
4. Slowly pour in the cooled melted chocolate, continuously beating the mixture 
5. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and flour in one addition and beat until thoroughly combined
6. Take the tin with the crust out of the fridge, wrap it with tinfoil and place the tin in a larger roasting tray or baking tin 
7. Pour the cheesecake filling into the springform tin and smooth it out (or draw heart shapes with your spatula) 
8. Now here's the move that will literally make or break your cheesecake (no, seriously, don't skip this if you don't want cracks in your cheesecake): Pour hot water into the larger roasting tray/baking tin until it comes up to about 3/4 of the springform tin with the cheesecake inside (this is a water bath, and people make a huge deal about it like it takes so much effort but it really takes 2 minutes and truly makes a huge difference in ensuring the success of your cheesecake)
9. Carefully transfer the entire thing to the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, then leave the cake inside the oven until the oven has cooled. Remove the cake when that's done, and cover it with a clean cloth and leave it in the fridge overnight to set 

For the topping:

• 150ml thickened cream
• 2 tbsp sifted confectioners sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Cherry pie filling
• Fresh cherries for decorating

1. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form, then add the sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until slightly firmer. Don't overbeat or you'll end up with sweet butter
2. Pipe out some pretty swirls around the edges of the top of the cheesecake, then cover the top with the remaining cream
3. Spoon out some canned cherry pie filling (I used Duncan Hines for this) on top (within the swirly edges) 
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve

Chocolate Raspberry & Pistachio Tart

The last week of December is upon us and you know what that means! Yes, yes, I know, it means quite a lot for many people (Christmas; Hannukah; Kwanzaa; New Years; birthdays - I'm talking about you, Melissa Hanna; mid year exams coming up, yikes; unfortunately you forgot to apply for leave in time and are now stuck manning the empty office; travel plans; disrupted transportation services...) but for me, specifically, it means time to clear my annual leave!

And this year, I opted out of going away for a holiday with my friends and/or family. This year, my holiday plans revolve around my amazing kitchen, and that ever-growing list of recipes I've been dying to try out for the past few months. Forget New Years' resolutions (who are we kidding, those never get done); 2014 I'm going to draw up a "To Bake" list and just keep working at it.

Speaking of lists, I came across this fantastic journalling technique while browsing my nerd sites the other night! It's a nifty method of tracking what you do and what needs to get done. I see the benefits in this method, and I'll likely use it for my work journalling but for my personal journalling, I prefer the story telling method with poorly drawn illustrations. Do you guys keep a journal? Are you like me in that I'm completely obsessed with beautiful blank page (important to note the blank pages) notebooks? I personally find there's nothing quite like writing your thoughts down on a Moleskin with a leaky fountain pen at the end of the day to truly be able to reflect on the day's events and set it aside to start fresh the next day.

What was I talking about again? Oh yes, baking *sheepish*

So, on my first day off, I decided to work with my favourite flavours. Yes, that's right, loyal readers and close friends of Ellebug: chocolate & raspberry. This was the flavour combo of the year 2013 for me, recurring in quite a few of my desserts and orders throughout the past 12 months. Let's get on with the sweet treats:

Chocolate Raspberry & Pistachio Tart

For the crust:

• 350g Oreos, crushed or whizzed in a food processor
• 100g butter, melted

Crush the oreos and stir through melted butter. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a prepared tart pan (I went with 2 8-inch tart tins, but you can go with 1 8-inch springform tin for a thicker tart) and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes at 170C

For the filling:

• 200g good quality dark chocolate, chopped OR bittersweet chocolate chips/chunks
• 200ml heavy cream
• 20g butter
• 3 large eggs
• Optional: Raspberry preserve & crushed pistachio kernels

1. This was unplanned, but I decided to slather on some great store-bought raspberry preserve I have on hand and sprinkle crushed pistachio on the bottom of the tart crusts after they'd cooled slightly 
2. Onto the chocolate filling: Chop the chocolate and place it in a medium sized bowl and set aside for a while. Heat the cream and butter in a saucepan until it comes to a boil, stirring occassionally to get the butter in there. Once it's boiled, pour over the chocolate and let it sit for about a minute before stirring with a spoon until it turns into a smooth chocolate mix. Then beat the eggs in one at a time and hand-whisk lightly before pouring into the prepared crust. 
3. Bake for 35 minutes at 170C and remove when it looks to have set and jiggles slightly when you shake the oven. Leave to cool completely

For the topping:

• 100g good quality dark chocolate, chopped (or same as above)
• 50ml heavy cream
• 15g butter
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• Crushed pistachio kernels

1. Do the same with the chocolate, cream, and butter as when making the filling above. However, add the light corn syrup to the cream and butter in the saucepan (this gives the ganache a shiny glaze). Allow the chocolate ganache to cool and thicken before spreading on top of the cooled tarts. Decorate with crushed pistachio kernels and fresh raspberries. 
2. Set the tart in the fridge for up to 1 hour, then serve with a cup of gorgeous brewed coffee. 

Whatever everyone is doing this month, I wish you all the best, and hope you give yourself a chance to enjoy the little things in life. Much love, Nabs

Pear & Hummingbird Cake

I've been craving pears and oranges lately, just slices of cold fruit on the hot days while the renovation works go on around me. Sometimes I pair them with an ice-cold glass of fresh lemonade or pineapple flavoured water, and my parents would join me on the patio while we discuss interior decor and the technical aspects of raising a roof.

So to nobody's surprise, our bottom refrigerator shelf is filled with fruit that's starting to bruise! I've got an abundance of pears, and I'm not entirely sure what I should do with them. There are pies, tarts, cakes, muffins, pizzas, etc... yet I have no time. 

Last night, while watching Grey's Anatomy reruns, I decided to just quickly whip up a really easy (yes satisfying) cake for my mum to serve to friends who might drop by for their morning coffees or high tea. Also, I kinda need to clear out those pears. I paired up (heh) a pear and a Hummingbird Cake, recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook, a recipe I've tried before while yielded amazing results. Only it didn't look so pretty, so I couldn't bear to share any of those pictures here. Call it vanity, if you must. 

So here's my take on the Hummingbird Cake with Pears: 

Pear & Hummingbird Cake

Adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook

• 300g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 300ml sunflower oil
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 300g self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g tinned pineapple, chopped
• 100g shelled pecans, chopped
• 1 golden pear, chopped, plus slices to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 9 inch round baking tin with butter and parchment paper
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, mashed bananas, and cinnamon and beat until incorporated
3. Beat in the flour and vanilla, mixing until just combined
4. Then beat in the pineapple, pecans and pear bits
5. Line the bottom of the baking tin with the pear slices, arrange as you like, then pour the cake batter over. Smooth the top and pop it in the oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer poked through at an angle comes out clean
6. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn it over onto a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before removing onto your cake plate, dust with ground cinnamon before serving

I left it overnight on the counter last night, wrapped in a clean cloth to keep it sanitary. This morning, before heading out to work, I dusted it with cinnamon, cut myself a slice and had it for a very decadent breakfast. I've decided to forgo the cream-cheese frosting which is customarily served with the cake, however if you want to, use this recipe and cover the cake as you like with the frosting. I'd just like to tell you that the amazing flavours of the actual cake are likely to be overpowered by the frosting should you choose to do so. Also, you won't be able to have it for breakfast (guilt-free). 

To each his own, and I really do hope you give this recipe a shot as it's so bloody amazing. 

Lots of love, happy weekday, 

Nabs

Of Anniversaries, Chocolate, and Love

My parents met each other at different times. In fact, my mother met my father years before he met her. 

Don't worry, I'm not going to go off the recipe blogging track and begin writing a time-travel romance novel. 

To hear mum tell it, she had a crush on papa since she was fourteen years old! They went to St Teresa's Girls School and St Joseph's Boys School respectively, and (from what people tell me) he fancied himself quite the Big Man on Campus; he played sports for the school, was listed as one of the top students of the state in his year, and well, there's the whole mixed heritage thing he had going for him I suppose. 

It has been thirty-six years since mum first fell into puppy love with papa, and as of this week, they have been married for twenty-nine years. Out of those twenty-nine years, they made and raised four wonderfully bright and attractive (lololol) children, even if the distribution of said intelligence and genetic blessing was imbalanced, as the first batch got far too much (oh, make it stop!) of the good stuff. They have bought, sold and lived in a total of fourteen houses (nomads, much?), crossed the seas countless times in pursuit one can only assume frequent flyer points, changed career paths seven times (shared number), shared at least 10 000 meals together ("A family that eats together, stays together" yes, Papa *salutes*) and only some crazy zany nerd would bother to count the rest. 

My parents have always put the family first, and growing up with those values, I don't think anybody can blame me for wanting the kind of love, stability, and intimacy that they have. They are each others' best friend, and that is all I really want. 

I took the day off work today to spend a day with the family; the kids are on holiday from school and it's my parents' anniversary! I couldn't not bake them a cake! Plus I had quite a number of annual leave days I needed to clear by the end of the month.
So on this beautiful Friday, after a very lazy morning spent by the pool, I got started on this super special Chocolate Beetroot Cake with Beet Creamcheese Frosting. There was so much batter that I decided to bake smaller cakes instead, and ended up with two 8-inch cakes. One for my parents, and the other for my to bring to an outing with some of my close work friends tonight. 

I would love to get into my parents' whole love story, and soon I will get around to telling you about the time my father met my mother. Now that, folks, was quite cray. 

But for now, let's channel a bit of Bob Saget as he retells the incredibly unromantic tale of how Ted Mosby slept with the same 3 women over ten years and Uncle Barney shagged everything that moved... and bring you back to the current day. 8th of June 2012 to be exact. 

In precisely two weeks time, my cousin, Lana, is going to marry one of the most stand-up men I have had the pleasure to meet since coming back to the country, Omar. 

We're rushing around with our last minute fittings, picking up items from various places, receiving frantic phone calls at the most inopportune times, and all the usual wedding-in-the-family activities. Just a few days before her wedding, our whole mildly insane troupe will be flying into Miri, Sarawak (top 5 happiest places in the world) where we will have a massive Sarawakian-style pre-wedding party! 

Alright, alright, it's really about the wedding, the marriage between these two people, and the life that they are about to embark on together. 

But it's also a little about the food and drinks and dressing up. For the rest of us that are not the bride and/or groom at the wedding that is. 

Last weekend, we gathered the close cousins/friends for a tea-time bridal shower for Lana, organised by the newlywed Amy. She chose the place (love it!), theme (think I got it...), and most importantly: the games! We had so much fun over the space of a few hours, with Kaly and I up to our usual competitive tricks and winning all the games (are bridal showers like birthday parties, where the bride should win all the games?) and prizes, and being quite ungracious while doing so.

I wasn't going to blog the cake recipe that I brought to the bridal shower, mostly as it's so simple... but then again, I reckon that those are the best kind! My work-wife, Diyana, sent me the recipe for the Black Magic cake a few months ago and since then I'm sure I've used it at least four times. Forsooth, I stopped wondering why my waist is expanding.

Black Magic Chocolate Cake

Recipe from my baking addiction

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup strong black coffee
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line or grease your baking tins. I used a Wilton Bundt pan
2. Here's the best part: Combine all the ingredients in the large bowl of your stand mixer and just let it whizz on medium for about 2 minutes! 
3. Pour batter into your baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted at an angle comes out clean
4. Frost as you like (for this occasion, I whipped up some Chocolate Orange ganache) and Tada! 

So ridonkulously easy, I don't even know what to do with myself. This recipe will yield one of the fluffiest, lightest and chocolatey cakes you will ever have in your life. Try layering it with unsweetened whipped cream! The balance of textures in that mixture creates a wonderful mouthfeel that you'll find yourself craving weeks after. 

Anyway, enough about the cake: To Lana & Omar, I can't wait for the wedding, and I'm sure you two are going nuts at the moment with all the prep, so probably don't have the time nor the inclination to read this blog, but if you do: I wish you both all the best that you can find in each other, that you will make happiness and laughter, and that you will have damn good-looking children! Love you both so much xx Nabs

Happy Birthday, Ellebug!

I thought long and hard about the cake I would bake to celebrate one year of blogging, scratched many designs and flavours, and last night... I finally just did it. Instead of doing fancy buttercream designs like I had intended to, I decided to keep it simple and homey, very much what I like to think I am.

Some may beg to differ, but I'll talk to you lot later.

Anyway, I'd just like to say thank you to everyone who reads this blog, to my family and friends who have supported me, and also helped me move the ever-growing stock of desserts off my refrigerator shelves. I love you all. This past year has been so special for me; I found something I actually really love doing, a great combination of writing and baking, and it's just helped me so much.

I first started baking intensely after my first actual heartbreak, and I started blogging about baking after my second. I never realized until this past year how important it is to just take time for myself, to get to know who I am, to listen to how I feel and think about things; just quality time with myself, you know?

I'm in this place right now where I'm so happy with who I am and enjoying the fact that I've given up pretending to be somebody everyone else thinks I am or should be, and I have Ellebug, or The Happy Hufflepuff (hehe), to thank for it.

So here's to a year of baking, and hopefully, many more to come!

Isn't the Ellebug Cake the cutest thing? ;)

2 am Water Baths

I have made approximately two cheesecakes in my life, with one successful biscuit crumb base, and the other turning a little too toasty (as I wasn't even supposed to set the base in the oven for that recipe). Last week I received an order from a colleague for a classic cheesecake for her sister's birthday, an order I couldn't refuse  as I've had this other recipe on hold for a few weeks now. 

New York Cheesecake, one of my favourite cakes, and definitely one of the most beautifully decadent desserts one could order. What makes New York Cheesecake different from other non-regionally-tied cheesecakes? According to the ever trusty (LOL, right) Wikipedia, New York cheesecake relies upon heavy cream or sour cream. In my case, it was sour cream. 

The only problem with the recipe I'm about to share with you is that it's meant for to produce a very tall, 9-inch cake. The order I received was for a 6-inch cake, which left me with enough batter for an identical 6-inch cake AND an 8-inch square cake! 

Two cheesecakes at home during the weekend does a body good. Not. Forget munching on toast and honey for my movie-watching snack! I just gave up and cut myself a massive wedge of cake, digging into it throughout a rerun of Hancock. I also told myself I'd make it up with an extra lap in the pool... which would have been great had I even gone to the pool... 

Alright, enough of the guilt-ridden soliloquy, let's get on to the recipe and slightly complicated process of making a New York cheesecake.

First of all, before you get excited and start mixing up ingredients, here are a few tips from seasoned bakers on producing the perfect cheesecake:

• Ensure all wet ingredients are at room temperature, so take everything out of the fridge 30 minutes earlier
• If you didn't heed the above advice and now find yourself with too-hard cream cheese, place the unwrapped cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 15 seconds
• Do not over mix the filling, just mix until combined
• Use a springform pan
• Butter the sides of the pan, or run a butter knife around the edges of the cake immediately after removal from the oven
• Prepare a water bath to keep the oven (and therefore your cake!) moist. You do this by wrapping the springform pan in tin foil (under and around the sides), then placing the pan into a bigger pan which you will then fill with boiling water halfway up the sides of the springform pan
• Do not open the oven door at any point, if you want to check if it's set, then shake the oven door gently to see if the cake jiggles
• Perfectly baked cheesecake should be puffy around the edges (try to avoid it turning brown and hard), and then you shake the oven, only the very centre of the cake should jiggle slightly (gawd, I love saying jiggle)
• When the above point happens, switch off the oven, but don't open the door, and leave it in until the oven has cooled (or for roughly another hour)
• Cool completely on a wire rack before popping in the fridge to set overnight 

And now, my dear friends, on to the amazing recipe! 

New York Cheesecake

by ouncesandgrams.tumblr.com

First, preheat the oven to 175C, and prepare your springform pan and create a seal for the water bath (ie foil)

Crust

• 200g cookie crumbs
• 1/4 c caster sugar
• 114g melted butter

1. Blend the cookies - I used McVites plain digestives - into fine crumbs, then combine all ingredients in a bowl
2. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan, bake for 10 minutes or chill in the fridge while preparing the filling

Cake filling

• 900g cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1. Cream the cheese and sugar until smooth
2. Beat in milk
3. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition
4. Beat in sour cream, vanilla and flour until just incorporated. Do not overmix
5. Pour the filling over the prepared crust, fill the roasting pan (the larger pan which you place the springform pan in) with hot water about 1/2 way up the sides of the springform pan
6. Bake for an hour or until just barely set
7. Turn off the oven, leave the cheesecake in until the oven is cool, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack, after which you refrigerate overnight so it's completely set

Banana Pancakes

Well can't you see that it's just raining? 
There ain't no need to go outside... 

But there is a need to make some hot pancakes, cover them in maple syrup and proceed to eat them in your over-sized t-shirt while catching up to Comedy news on a Sunday morning! Whether it's with a loved one, on your own, or in my case, with a brood of siblings and both parents, homemade banana pancakes fresh off the pan is definitely one of my favourite ways to have quality time with myself over the weekends.

I've been searching for the Perfect Banana Pancake recipe all my life, have tried many - almost two recipes per week! - and now... I believe I may have found it. This is definitely the one I want to spend the rest of my life doing nothing with, folks, just... me, these pancakes, and morning TV...

We don't need to we got everything
We need right here
And everything we need is enough...

So happy Sunday, friends, hope you make a batch of these delicious pancakes, and don't do anything too taxing, you know? Just take the day for yourselves, sit around in your PJs until four, then shower and get into a fresh set of PJs.

These Banana Pancakes will take you all of 5 minutes to prepare, and then flip at your own pace.

Wake up slow...

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp butter, browned
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then set aside
2. Pop the bananas, buttermilk, eggs, honey, browned butter and vanilla in the food processor and whizz until incorporated
3. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and you can be lazy like me and just beat with the paddle attachment for 3 to 5 minutes, or stir until combined. Let the batter sit for 5 to 10 minutes to ensure fluffiness! 
4. Heat your pan, and I like to use a smidge of Crisco shortening in between pancakes cos they produce slightly crunchy edges (I find). Then just scoop up with an ice-cream scoop and flip

Just so easy
When the whole world fits inside of your arms
Don't really need to pay attention to the alarm
Wake up slow, yeah, wake up slow
Much love,
Nabs

Favourite Flavour Combinations

Chocolate was made to be eaten with oranges. At least, that's something I have always believed, considering how the  flavour combination sort of explodes in my mouth. Chocolate and oranges, or chocolate and raspberries, just perfection. 

For some reason last week I was craving Jaffa Cakes, but since I didn't feel like giving into it... I scoured the internet for some good chocolate orange combo recipes. I found this amazing gluten-free recipe by Nigella, but since I don't have a problem with gluten, or more to the point - I didn't feel like spending money on almond meal, I figured I'd just substitute it with all-purpose flour.

It took me a week to complete this cake, including planning time, prep work, and procrastinating. But boy-oh-boy, was it worth it! Think I may have to make another one, as this was wiped out almost immediately after I'd snapped my pictures. Mini cakes, and I'll hoard one for myself... 

Chocolate Orange cake

Adapted from Nigella's gluten-free recipe

• 1 1/2 cups orange puree*
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Puree the oranges ahead of time (do this the night before): in a large saucepan, cover two medium sized, thick-skinned oranges in water and bring to a boil. Then allow to simmer for two hours, or until the oranges are suuuuper soft. Then slice the oranges into quarters, remove seeds, and blend in a food processor (skin and all). Pop this in a refrigerator until ready to use
2. Preheat oven to 180C, and butter and line an 8-inch round pan with parchment paper
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients until just incorporated then pour into the prepared pan
4. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer poked at an angle comes out clean
5. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove onto a cooling wire rack to cool completely

Chocolate orange ganache

• 2 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 1/4 cup thickened whipping cream
• 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar
• Zest from 1 orange

1. Chop the chocolate finely and mix all the ingredients in a medium bowl
2. Pop in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir with a spoon until you achieve a smooth, pourable consistency
3. Allow to cool (or do as I did and put it in the fridge for 5 minutes) until when a spoon is run through the mixture, a space stays for at least 3 seconds
4. Pour over cooled cake (make sure you've covered the bottom of the cake with parchment paper) and carefully direct the ganache over the sides with a spoon

An Excess of Buttermilk, Bananas, and Chocolate Chips

I, like many other bakers, have a horrible habit of hoarding; whenever I walk past a grocery store, I feel the need to stock up on eggs, butter, flour, sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, etc. In fact, I just did it again yesterday, and upon doing a quick inventory check, I found that I have:

• 3 1/2 cartons of buttermilk
• 2 x 500g bags of all purpose flour
• 3 x 500g bags of self-raising flour
• 4 x 250g butter
• 3 x 8oz packets of cream cheese
• 2 x 1kg powdered sugar
• 3 x 500g caster sugar
• 6 x 30l bottles of vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cartons of 10 large eggs
• A drawer full of berries, oranges, lemons
• A hand of very freckly bananas
• 4 x 250g packets of raisins
• 3 x 11oz packets of butterscotch chips
• 2 x 11oz packets of bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3 x 500g tins of Van Houten cocoa powder
• and an assortment of leftovers... 

As you can imagine, along with the random baked goods and leftovers from dinners or lunches, I have very limited space in my fridge and pantry. My mum is threatening to throw my stuff out, and rightly so! Most of this stuff has a limited shelf-life, and quite a few of them are probably expiring by early next week. Though to be honest, the only thing I'm getting worked up over is the buttermilk as it's so bloody expensive here.

So this weekend, I'll be working on depleting my supply of goods. I'm thinking pancakes, bread, muffins, a chocolate cake, baked red snapper and tomato roasted cous cous!

Now, first up is yet another Banana Bread recipe! Except this time, I'm ditching the health and diet, and going for the good stuff. In an effort to whittle away at my pantry, I've whipped up a batch of Buttermilk Banana Chocolate Chip bread, recipe courtesy of Marc Matsumoto over at [No Recipe], with some teeny-tiny adjustments (think... brown... butter...).

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 113g butter, browned
• 2 large eggs, cold from the fridge
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large freckly bananas
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, and butter and line a 9" loaf pan with parchment paper
2. Brown your butter, watch this poorly edited, yet incredibly soothing video on how to make positively voluptuous aromatic brown butter
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and chocolate chips
4. Pop the bananas and lemon juice in the food processor and whizz
5. Separate the eggs into small bowls then... 
6. Whisk the egg whites with the buttermilk and vanilla
7. Whisk the yolks with the brown butter
8. Then pour both egg mixtures into the banana mixture and whizz again
9. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just combined, then pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. When done, allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack completely

You must resist the urge to dig into the completed product while it is still cooling in the pan. You must do this and remind yourself that completely cooled bread is always easier to get clean slices of. Also, you do not want a repeat of a previous brown butter banana strawberry bread incident where you had burnt your tongue. No, you do not.

If you try this recipe, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and isn't it just easy peasy lemon squeezy?

xx Nabs