Sour Cream Chocolate Bread

I'm in a chocolate phase :)

http://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/sour-cream-chocolate-bread/

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4-1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

350 degree Fahrenheit for 50-55 minutes

I did not make any modifications and did not include the chocolate chips. I used unsalted butter and unsweetened cocoa powder. The texture is something between a cake and a brownie. Definitely taste very chocolate-y and the good thing for me is, it's not very sweet.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

The quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookies is a never ending journey..

Tried this today:

http://savorysweetlife.com/2009/10/alices-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe/

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2¾ cups (12 oz) all-purpose flour *If at all possible, please weigh the flour
• ¾ tsp. smallish-medium coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1½ tsp. baking powder
• 2¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy (approx. 3 minutes on medium-high speed on a K-5). Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour until cookie batter is fully incorporated. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough or use a medium cookie scoop and plop the batter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the parchment paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

I reduced the brown sugar from 1 1/2 cup to 1 cup. I didn't get a chance to take any pictures but I think this may be 'The One!' :)

Sour Cream Chocolate Banana Cake

Recipe adapted from:

http://savorysweetlife.com/2009/06/rich-and-moist-sour-cream-chocolate-chocolate-chip-banana-bread-recipe/

Ingredients

• 1 stick of salted butter, softened to room temp.
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 large ripened bananas mashed ( or 2.5 small bananas)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 Tbl. cocoa powder
• ½ cup of sour cream
• 1 cup of mini chocolate chips (regular chocolate chips work too)
• optional ½ cup of chopped walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan, or 2 mini pans with non-stick spray.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Stir in egg, mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla until well blended.
4. Add baking soda, cocoa, and flour.
5. Mix everything until well incorporated (about 3 minutes in a Kitchenaid mixer).
6. Add chocolate chips and nuts (if applicable).
7. Pour batter into loaf pan(s) and bake for 50 minutes - 1 hr.
8. Insert a tooth pick into the center of the loaf and check to see if it comes out clean when you pull it out.
9. Remove from heat and allow bread to rest in the loaf pan for 10 minutes.
10. Invert the loaf pans onto a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or cold.

I omitted chocolate chips and reduced sugar to 1/4 + 1/8 cup (75% of original recipe). I also used unsweetened cocoa powder since I do not like too much sweetness.

It came out pillowy soft with banana fragrance and a touch of chocolate-y taste. Mmmm mmmmm!!

 

Lime Tart

This recipe was adapted from:

http://www.marthastewart.com/342088/key-lime-tart

INGREDIENTS

• 9 to 10 graham crackers (each 2 1/2 by 5 inches)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 4 to 6 limes), or fresh or bottled key-lime juice
• 4 large egg yolks

Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process graham crackers and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until fine crumbs form; add butter. Process until combined. Transfer mixture to a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; pat into bottom and up sides. Place pan on a baking sheet, and bake until crust is fragrant and slightly colored, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, lime juice, egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and salt; whisk until smooth. Pour mixture into crust (warm or cool is fine), leaving 1/8 inch at the top; return to oven. Bake until filling is set around edge but still slightly loose in center, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Cool completely at room temperature; then refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. Serve, garnished with zest, if desired.

I bought pre-made graham-cracker pie crust because I do not have food processor.

I also reduced sugar to 1/4 cup and added 2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice. It came out really tart and sweet at the same time.

I love it! 

   

Orange Pound Cake

Recipe I got was from:

http://www.delscookingtwist.com/2016/02/27/orange-pound-cake/

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large orange (juice + zest)
• 3 large eggs
• ⅔ cup (150g) salted butter
• ¾ cup (160g) caster sugar
• 1⅓ cup (160g) all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and grease a loaf tin.
2. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Sift in the flour with the baking powder, stirring well.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and pour it into the batter.
5. Juice and zest the fresh orange and incorporate.
6. Pour the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes.
7. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

I followed the recipe except that I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup.

The pound cake came out moist and fluffy. It did not have much orange flavor to it though.

Green Tea Cookies

I'm in a green tea phase and came upon the recipe for some really beautiful cookies from:

http://www.justonecookbook.com/green-tea-white-chocolate-cookies/

Ingredients

• 240 g all purpose flour (240 g = 2 cups) (See Notes if you use cup measurement)
• 15 g matcha green tea powder (15 g = 2 1/2 Tbsp) (1 Tbsp matcha is 6 g)
• 170 g unsalted butter (170 g = 3/4 cup) (softened)
• 130 g confectioners’ sugar/powder sugar (130 g = roughly 1 cup)
• pinch Kosher salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 50 g white chocolate chips (50 g = 1/4 cup)

Instructions

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Combine 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour and 15 g (2 ½ Tbsp.) matcha green tea powder in a large bowl.
3. Sift the flour and the matcha powder.
4. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. It’s important to soften the butter ahead of time.
5. Add a pinch of salt and blend.
6. Add 130 g (roughly 1 cup) powder sugar and blend until soft and light. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
7. Add 2 large egg yolks and mix well until combined.
8. Gradually add the flour and matcha green tea powder mix and blend until the dough is smooth.
9. Add 50-65 g (1/4-1/3 cup) white chocolate chips and blend well.
10. Cut the dough in half and shape into 2 cylinders, about 1.5 inches (4 cm) diameter, 7" (18 cm) long.
11. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours (or overnight). Optional: you can place the logs on a bed of rice while chilling. It’ll keep the dough in nice cylindrical shape, so your cookie slices won’t be flat on one side.
12. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C) degrees. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking liner. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap, and with a sharp knife, slice the dough into ⅓ inches (7 mm)-thick rounds. Place them on the baking sheet, leaving about 1” (2.5 cm) between rounds.
13. Bake the cookies at 350F (175C) degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the edge of the cookies starts to get slightly golden brown.
14. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; then carefully transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. If you pack the cookies in an airtight container, they will keep for at least 4 days.
15. You can also freeze the unbaked logs of dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 months. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting and baking. Do not let the dough fully defrost.

The dough did not become smooth when I added the flour mix to the butter mix. It was more crumbly but still stick together. And I used 100g sugar instead of 130g (70g confectioner's + 30g super fine because I ran out of confectioner's sugar).

Great recipe!

PS They look greener in real life! Everybody had been asking me what I bake the cookies with to get the green color.

Japanese Sponge Cake

I love cakes but dread the ones that are too heavy or too dry. I wanted something soft and fluffy and at the same time not dry. Googled recipes for japanese cakes and came upon this:

http://www.japanesecooking101.com/sponge-cake-recipe/

Ingredients

• 20 g butter
• 1 Tbsp milk
• 90 g cake flour (reduced to 60g)
• 3 eggs
• 90 g sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) at least 20 minutes before. Line a 7" cake pan with parchment paper (bottom and side). Put butter and milk In a small bowl and microwave until the butter melts. In another bowl, sift the cake flour 2 times. Set aside.
2. In a bowl of a stand mixer, add eggs and sugar. Over a double boiler (placing the bowl over a pot with simmering water on low heat), whisk the egg mixture until it becomes lukewarm (until the sugar dissolves). Then set the bowl on the stand mixer, and whip the egg mixture until very thick (watch video to see the texture). Add vanilla and mix.
3. Add sifted cake flour in 3 parts. Fold in the first one-third of the flour by hand with a spatula (not with the mixer). After the flour is incorporated, add the next part of flour and again fold in with the spatula. Repeat. Next, add the mixture of melted butter and milk and fold in with the spatula.
4. Put the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
5. Take the cake out from the oven and leave for 15 minutes. Finally, remove the cake from the cake pan.

What fascinated me the most was the perfect-looking cake. I followed the recipe except that I reduced the sugar to 60g because I do not like too much sweetness. I also used a 9x5 inches loaf pan because I do not have 7-inch round cake pan.

The cake was quite dry and didn't rise as much as I wanted it to.

Green Tea Pound Cake

Tried a new green tea pound cake recipe from:

http://milkandhoneycafe.blogspot.com/2009/07/its-not-easy-being-sweet.html

INGREDIENTS

2 cups bleached all-purpose four
2 tablespoons Matcha green tea
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 sticks soft unsalted butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
5 large eggs, separated
Pinch of salt 

DIRECTIONS

1. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan and line with buttered parchment or wax paper—cut to fit. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 325F. Combine the flour, green tea and baking powder and stir well to mix.
2. Cream butter and confectioners sugar in bowl of mixer with paddle attachment and beat for about 3 minutes or until light. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl and beater occasionally with a rubber spatula. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the flour mixture by hand, with a rubber spatula.
3. Pour the egg whites and salt into a clean, dry mixer bowl. Place on mixer with whisk attachment and whip whites on medium speed until white and opaque and just beginning to hold their shape. Increase speed slightly and continue whipping egg whites until they hold a soft peak.
4. Remove bowl from mixer and quickly scrape whites from bowl onto batter in other bowl. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the batter, folding just until no streaks of white remain.
5. Scrape the batter into prepared pans and smooth the top. Bake the cakes for about 45 minutes (35-40 minutes for mini loaf pans) or until it is well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges dry. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then un-mold and cool it completely.

As mentioned, the pound cake is not overly sweet, which is great! But it didn't stay soft for long. Maybe I added some cooking time because the center was not cooked after 45 mins and I baked it for 20 mins more.

It got a bit dry after cooled so I ate with some whipped cream and fruits.

Butter Cake

Finally got myself a kitchen scale! Tried the very popular Mrs. Ng SK butter cake recipe and I love it!

Recipe is from:

http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/2015/08/ng-sk-butter-cake/

Ingredients

1. 230g Salted Butter, room temperature
2. 4 egg yolks
3. 150g caster sugar
4. 200g self-raising flour, sifted
5. 60ml fresh milk
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7. 4 egg whites
8. 50g caster sugar

I had everything except for the self-raising flour. So, I improvised by combining 1 cup plain flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt (source: same website).

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a mixer, cream the butter and sugar (150g) until it turns light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Be patient and let the machine do its work!
2. Add the egg yolks, one a time and beat it in before adding the next.
3. Beat in the vanilla extract. Fold in half the flour.
4. Add the milk and mix. Add the remaining flour and fold until just incorporated.
5. Scrape the bowl and give the batter one final mix. Set this aside.
6. In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until it turns foamy. Slowly and gradually, add the sugar (50g), whisking all the while. Whisk this until stiff peaks form.
7. Transfer 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolk batter. Beat this in.
8. Gently fold the remaining egg whites in 2 batches until all the egg whites have been incorporated.
9. Pour this into a lined and greased 8×8-inch baking pan.
10. Bake at 170°C for 45 minutes.
11. When the cake is done (insert a skewer it the cake and if it emerges cleanly it is done), let the cake rest for 5 minutes in the pan before carefully transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Cut into slices and enjoy!!

The look turned out as expected but it was a bit too sweet for my taste. Will definitely reduce sugar the next time I make it.