Mini Flourless Chocolate Cake

今年生日，我家婆教我列一份生日礼物表给她，因为大家都觉得我是个极度难买东西的人。才不是叻， 我要的东西多得很，是看有没有心啦。结果我给了一个很容易的答案。24个洞的迷你muffin模型。食谱是跟着模型来的，很简单，而且小小的很容易把他吞了。哦，碟子是妹妹给的生日礼物。故事是这样的， 那天跟他去逛街，我千挑万选终于找到减价又可观的碟子，要付钱时，妹妹尽然说还没给我买生日礼物，顺理成章，她付钱，我就拿着纸袋走人啦。谢谢啊麟！

Ingredients:

125g semisweet chocolate,  small pieces

125g butter, cubed

¾ cup custor suger ( I cut down 2tbs)

½ cup cocoa powder

3 eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

Walnut halves or quarters

Icing  sugar

Method

1.     Preheat oven to 150 C. Dust mini pans lightly with sweetened chocolate powder.

2.     Place chocolate and cubed butter in a bowl and melt over simmering water. Stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

3.     Lightly beat in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs and vanilla.

4.     Fill mini pans ¾ full. Gently place walnut on top and bake for 15 -20 minutes.

5.     Sprinkle with icing sugar when cool.

Reference : House mini pans recipe

Osso Buco

Osso buco is Italian for "bone with a hole" (osso bone, buco hole), a reference to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut veal shank. I have tried different osso buco recipes but I highly recommended this recipe from GaryMehigan. Definately a comfort food for cold winter. Delish!! 


这道osso buco 是我家外甥Gabrial和Michelle的最爱。我和姐姐 （Jane）家离得太远所以很少一起聚餐。上两个月，刚巧碰上学校假期又是我的生日，姐姐带他们来探望，就给他们煮了这道菜。Jane还带了孟老师的美味蛋糕卷食谱来给我分享。后来两姐妹就在厨房里忙了起来。出炉的是一个非常好看友好吃的美味蛋糕卷。

Ingredients:

100g dried cannellini beans * (I use can beans)

150g plain flour

8x 200g pieces osso buco

80ml olive oil

2 stalks celery, roughly chopped

1 oinon roughly chopped

1 carrot roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

8 stalks flat-leaf pasley, leaves picked, sheredded, stalks reserved

250ml white wine

1 bay leaf

6 springs thyme

2 tbs tomato paste

2 lemons, zested

400g Italian diced tomato

750ml veal stock * (I use beef stock)

Method:

1.     Place beans in a large bowl and pour over 250ml cold water. Stand overnight. Drain.

2.     Preheat oven to 180 C. Place flour in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Add veal and toss well to coat. Heat 2 tbs oil in a large casserole or deep frying pan. Shake off excess flour; add half the veal to casserole and cook, turning for 2 mins or until browned all over. Transfer to plate. Repeat with the remaining 2 tbs oil and veal.

3.     Place casserole over high heat. Add celery, onion, carrot, garlic and reserved parsley stalks ad cook. Stirring occasionally for 7 mins or until vegetables are softened. Stir in wine, bay leaf, thyme, tomato paste and half the lemon zest, then cook for 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add beans and tomato and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until warmed through. Stir in veal stock and bring to boil. Cover casserole with a lid and transfer to the oven stirring occasionally for 2.5hours.

4.     Strain liquid from veal and vegetable. Put liquid back to casserole and transfer to stovetop. Cook uncover over low medium heat for 20 -30 mines until the liquid thickened and stir occasionally.

5.     Sprinkle with parsley and remaining lemon zest before serving.

Tips:

Use 400g can beans and cook for 10 minutes before serving.

Reference: Master Chef Magazine, Issue 14, July 2011. Pg 36

Oreo Cheese Cake

我在dailydelicious的blog里看到这个oreo cheesecake，就有冲动想试试。我不是很喜欢oreo饼干，但是看到这个配搭，想必定很好看。原著者的蛋糕做得太美了，会让人很情不自禁。我上个月会大马，很高兴买到17cm可以脱底的模，才RM11.80. 回来即克做了这个蛋糕。哎呀，要脱模是真是要了我的命。卡着卡着，差点整个蛋糕都翻了。后来就不敢再用这个模了。忍痛去买了一个德国spring form 模回来。一分钱一分货，我从此没有脱模的烦恼了。Yeah！！我在这里分享一下RM11.80 和小数点后移一点的模型比较，就可以了解我的痛苦和喜悦了。

Ingredients:

Base (17cm cake)

10 Oreo cookies

40g Butter (melted)

Filling

150g Cream cheese

75g Sour cream

60g Sugar

Lemon juice from half of the lemon

6g Gelatin

10ml Kirsch

225ml Whipping cream

4 Oreo cookies (take the filling out)

Decoration

Whipped cream

Mini Oreo

Method:

1.) Take the filling out of the cookies. Crush the cookies. Pour the melted butter into the cookie crumb, mix to combine, then put all the crumb into the cake pan with removable bottom or cake ring, press evenlyReference: http://dailydelicious.blogspot.com/2010/12/oreo-cheesecakeoreo-again-i-never-have.html
 Refrigerate until require.

 2.) Put gelatin powder in 10ml warm water stand for a few minutes until dissolved. Pour the Kirsch into the gelatin bowl and mix well.

 3.) Beat the cream cheese until soft (you can make the cream cheese soft and smooth by placing the bowl over the warm water). Pour the sour cream in beat to combine, follow by sugar, lemon juice, and gelatin mixture beat to combine.

 4.) Whip the cream until soft peaks, spoon 1/3 of the cream into the cream cheese mixture fold to combine, then pour the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream and fold to combine

 5.) Pour half of the filling into the pan, place the cookies over, then cover with the rest of the filling.Refrigerate until firm (about 12 hours), take out of the pan and decorate with whipped cream and mini Oreo.

Reference: 

http://dailydelicious.blogspot.com/2010/12/oreo-cheesecakeoreo-again-i-never-have.html

Milk Chocolate Parfait With Honey and Mandarin

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated

160ml thicken cream

1 tbs honey

¾ tsp finely grated mandarin zest

180g milk chocolate *

2 tbs honey

2 mandarin segments, white pith removed

60 g cream fraiche

mint leaves to serve

Tips

* Use Green and Black’s Milk Chocolate from supermarket or for a richer flavor use 70% cocoa solid

Method

To Make Parfait

1.) Whisk egg yolds with 2 tbs water, 2 tbs cream, honey and zest until well combine. Using a wooden spoon, stir over low heat for 5 minutes or until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of spoon. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

2.) Use an electric mixer, whisk egg whites to soft peaks in a second bowl. Working in 2 batches, gently fold into chocolate mixture. Whisk remaining 125ml cream in a clean bowl to soft peaks, then gently fold into chocolate mixture. Divide among 4 small glasses, then cover and refrigerate 2 hours until firm.

To make Honey Mandarins

1.) Combine honey and 2 tbs water in a pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in mandarin segments, then cook for 1 minute.

2.) Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate until needed.

3.) Stir cream fraiche in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon a little on top of each parfait.

4.) Top with mandarin segments and mint leave to serve.

Reference : Master Chef Magazine Issue 14, 2011, pg 129