Dark Chocolate Butter Ganache

There are many uses of ganache. Depending on the temperature of the ganache, it can be use to pour over the cake, to use it for frosting and to sandwich the cake.


Ingredients:

• 200g dark chocolate

• 120g salted butter

• 125ml (1/2 cup) double cream or thickened cream

Method:

1. Using double boiler, add in chocolate, butter and thickened cream. Make sure the bowl does not touch the water and the water should be barely simmering.
2.  Let the heat melt the ingredients. It will take about 3 minutes. Combine the ingredients well and leave it for 2 minutes. It will look liquid. Remove from double boiler and cool it down in the fridge to thicken. The duration in the fridge is very much depending on the purpose of the ganache.
3. I used this ganache to pour over chocolate mud cake I have made earlier, therefore, I place the ganache in the fridge for an hour to thicken. 
4. To pour it on the cake,  I prefer to remove the top bit of the cake to get even surface. Pour starting from the edge of the cake then move to the middle and smooth out.

TIPS:

• Before placing the ganache in the fridge cover the top of ganache with cling wrap so layer of skin does not form (cling wrap touching the ganache top) 
• Thicken ganache consistency suitable for pouring on the cake? Stir with whisk, remove and you can see ribbon form. 
• Over thicken the ganache for pouring? No worries. You can spread the the chocolate ganache on the top and the side or even use it to sandwich the cake. 
• Use baking paper to catch the drips of the ganache so that the yummy-licious ganache did not go to waste.

Chocolate Mud Cake

This is yet another chocolate overloaded recipe. I serve this rich chocolate mud cake  with chocolate butter ganache.

If you are using instant coffee then you will not need 2 tbsp of sugar.

Ingredients:

• 250g butter, cubed
• 250g chocolate (semi sweet)
• 330g granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated coffee + 2 tbsp sugar + 175ml (3/4cup) hot water
• 125 ml milk, cold
• 4 eggs
• 30ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil
• 300g (2 cups) self raising flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 55g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder

Method:

1.  Preheat oven at 150 degree celcius. Grease or line pan with baking paper.
2. On double boiler (make sure the barely simmering water did not touch the bottom of bowl). Add in butter, chocolate, sugar, and coffee mix. Melt it all. it will take about 5 minutes. Once all melted remove bowl from pot and set aside. Let it cool down for 30 seconds. 
3. Meanwhile prepare the dry ingredients. Mix together self raising flour, salt and cocoa powder.
4. Add milk into the chocolate mix to reduce the temperature of the chocolate mixture. Whisk to mix well. I used electric mixer. 
5. Before you  add in eggs please ensure that the mixture is not too hot otherwise the egg will turn into scramble egg. Add in egg one at a time and mix well. 
6. Add in vegetable oil and mix well. 
7. Now its time for dry ingredient. Add dry ingredients you prepared earlier in 3 addition. Combine well.
8. Pour chocolate mixture mud cake mixture into prepare pan. 
9. Place in preheated oven at 150 degree Celsius for 2 hours or until the tester comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes and unmold. Let it cool on the cooling rack. 
10. Serve just like this or in my case i made dark chocolate butter ganache for the cake.Make sure the cake is completely cool before you pour over the ganache.

Remove the top crust if you want to have even top

Use baking paper to catch the dripping chocolate.

ENJOY!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies (Salted?)

Who don't like chocolate chip cookies? This recipe create crispy edge and chewy center chocolate chip cookies. However, if you prefer crispier cookies (no chewy center) extend baking time 1 to 2 minutes more than specify in the recipe.

For this recipe, I melted the butter because I forgotten to leave the butter at the room temperature to soften. With this melted butter, I notice that the mixture appear to be slightly wet. I refrigerate the mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before I shape it and baked. If you have extra minutes to spare and forgot to leave the butter out, you can melt butter in microwave and leave it cool at room temperature.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, and Oh! this recipe gave me about 45 pieces of chocolate chip cookies of that size (please see picture above).

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup (250g) butter, room temperature to soften (I used salted butter)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (packed)
• 2 eggs (room tempreture)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups self raising flour
• 1/3 cup chocolate/ cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups semi sweet (dark) chocolate chip
• Seasalt to sprinkle if you are after salted chocolate chip cookies

Method:-

1. Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius and line tray with baking paper or grease the tray.
2. Wet ingredients: Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time and whisk till combine. This will loosen the mixture. Add in vanilla extract and combine. Set aside.
3. Now, it's time for dry ingredients. In another bowl combine well self raising flour, chocolate powder and salt.  
4. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in 3 additions. Mix well after each additions. 
5. Once done, add in chocolate chips. I use chocbits that could hold it shapes for baking. Mix well.
6. I refrigerated the cookie dough for 20 minutes because instead of soften the butter at room temperature, I've melted the butter in microwave.
7.  After 20 minutes (cookie dough have firmed up), I use tablespoon for size and shape it to round. Place the shaped cookie dough on the baking tray 1 inch apart because the cookie will expand in the oven. 
8. Bake for 12 - 13 minutes depending on the size of the cookies and your oven. Or I shall say bake until the side is golden. Once ready, remove for the tray from oven let the cookies cool down a bit before carefully remove the cookies to cooling rack. 

TIPS:

• For Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies sprinkle some seasalt on the shaped cookies dough before you bake it.
• I find that refrigerated cookie dough did not flatten as much and it appear crispier.

Slow - Baked Salmon with Chorizo Crumb

Salmon and chorizo always stand out in my food dictionary. Salmon is well known for its health benefits such as omega-3, protein and amino acid while chorizo may not be as famous for its health benefits it still contain some protein, selenium, Zinc and B-12.

Serve this with spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil) and blanched asparagus or perhaps sweet potato mashed or pumpkin mashed.

Raw salmon with rosemary, thyme and dried parsley ready for slow baked

Ingredient:-

Salmon

• 2 x 230g Salmon fillet skin on
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary 
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper

Chorizo Crumb

• 1 chorizo skin removed,small cubed
• 1 pinch of salt (optional) as chorizo may already contain salt
• 1generous pinch of sweet paprika (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• about 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method:-

1. SALMON : Pre heat oven oven to 100 degree Celsius. Line baking dish with baking paper. Lightly oil the skin and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place salmon fillet skin down into the dish. Drizzle remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper and arrange herbs on top of fillets. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the oven heat or until you are able to see protein form at the side of the fish or until the fish almost fall apart when gently press with fork.

2. CHORIZO CRUMB : Heat 1 tbsp olive oil, add in a pinch of salt and chorizo. Fry until golden. Add in sweet paprika and garlic. Cook for 1 - 2 minutes. Add remaining olive oil (2 tbsp) and the breadcrumbs. Toss in the pan until golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat and drizzle over balsamic vinegar.

Once all cooked, assemble all the components and then nom nom. 
  
TIPS: 
I have used dried parsley in the recipe however you can always substitute with fresh parsley.  Garlic can be substitute with french shallot 
Quantity of chorizo crumbs is enough to serve 4 

Enjoy !!!!

Southeast Asia Mushroom Soup

After my recent visit to Bali I often find myself missing the taste of Southeast Asia. Especially their fresh, light, tangy, chilli soup. So today I am making this soup to ease my crave. In terms of mushroom, you can use any type of mushroom you like. I have dried Shiitake Mushroom and dried Black Fungus/Mushroom at home so I decided to rehydrate both and used it in my soup. Black fungus may not sound appetizing but it is pack with goodness. It improves circulation, lower cholesterol, help in treating dryness for example dry throat, dry cough and anti viral and it is tasteless on its own.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 2 spring onion (white bit), finely chopped
• 4 gloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot or half small brown onion, finely chop
• 5 dried Shiitake mushroom, rehydrate, squeeze out liquid and sliced
• a handful of black fungus, rehydrate, squeeze out liquid and cut into 2
• 1 - 2 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 1 litre vegetable stock, I used homemade vegie stock
• Juice of 1 lime (depending on your taste)
• 5 kaffir lime leaves, stem removed
• 1 carrot, cubed
• a handful of green beans, cut to about 2 cm length
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fried shallots - to garnish (How to make your own Crispy Fried Shallot - Click Here)

Method:

1.  Heat oil in a saucepan that can hold 1 litre or more liquid.
2. Saute spring onion, garlic and shallot until aromatic and lightly brown. About 5 minutes.
3. Add chilli and stir well. Add in sliced mushroom and black fungus cook for further 3 minutes.
4. Pour in the stock, lime juice and Kaffir lime leaves and bring to boil. 
5. Once boil add in carrot and bean and season to taste.
6. The soup is ready to be serve when the vegetables are tender. 
7. Garnish with deep fried shallots.
8. Serve with warm steam rice and sweet soy sauce. YUM!

Simple Beef Stroganoff (Version 1)

This delicious and easy to cook beef stroganoff can be coupled with steam rice or pasta. The only trick to this recipe is to add in sour cream right before serving. Hope you like this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 600g beef strips (I use rump steak)
• 2 tsp garlic, mince
• 2 shallots, cut into segment
• 300g button mushroom, sliced (I used can Champignons)
• 1 1/2 tbsp paprika
• 3 - 4 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 1/2 cup sour cream
• Vegetable oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan or casserole pot that is big enough to accommodate the ingredients above. Seal beef strips in a hot smoking pan/pot. Seal the beef strips in a small batch and set aside. 
2. Once all beef strips is sealed, return all to the same hot pan/pot, add garlic, shallots, mushroom, paprika and tomato paste. Combine well and fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant. 
3. Add in beef stock and stir to combine. Bring to boil, cover with lid simmer for 20 minutes or until the meat tender.
4. Stir in sour cream before serving. 
5. Service with rice or pasta.

Enjoy =)

One Bowl Orange Cake

One Bowl means minimum wash and at the same time is able to fulfill the cake craving.

Ingredients:

• 125g butter
• 1 1/8 cup caster sugar
• 2 oranges - get the zest 
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 tsp orange essence (optional)
• 1 1/4 cup self raising flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method:

1. Pre heat oven at 180 degree and greased or line cake pan.
2. Melt butter in the double boiler and add in caster sugar. Once caster sugar incorporated well with the butter, remove the mixing bowl from double boiler.Let it cool down a little to avoid scrambling the eggs.
3. Add in egg and mix well with orange juice, orange zest and orange essence.
4. Mix in self raising flour in 2 to 3 addition and mix until just combined.
5. Pour into prepare cake pan. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before move it to wire rack to cool.