Lego Superheroes Cake (Batman, Spiderman, The hulk, Ironman and Cpt. America) 復仇者聯盟樂高蛋糕

This is another Lego Cake order. My friend's son likes Batman, Ironman, Spiderman, The hulk, Cpt. America and Thor. But based on the budget, I can only make 5 superheroes. I use a new chocolate recipe this time and it works out great. It is moist. But the only problem is it has too many crumbs. It is a bit hard to apply buttercream this time.

 

Recipe:

Ingredients: (9"x13" 1 layer cake)

(Cake is ready in 1 hour)

• 2 cups white sugar (I use 1 1/2 cup only)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use 1 cup to increase the chocolate taste)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
3. Bake 40-45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

 Recipe adapted from  Allrecipes Website
 
 

Baby Girl Baby Shower Cupcakes

I am delighted that my friend Christy asked me to make some cupcakes for her friend's baby shower. I am very enjoy making these cupcakes because I can imagine how the joy of these two parents-to-be are now. Having a baby kicking around in tummy and she will going to meet her father and mother really soon! I chose 3 different toppers for this cupcakes. Milk bottle, alphabet blocks and baby winter boots. Awwhhh...they are so cute to make!!!

Matcha Macarons (French version) 綠茶馬卡龍

Matcha French Macarons (32 shells)

Ingredients

Macaron shells (Pic 1)

80g egg white room temperature

65g castor sugar

80g almond meal

140g icing sugar

½ tsp lemon juice

2 tsp green tea powder

1/8 tsp green food colouring paste

Filling

55g unsalted butter softened

3 tsp of lemon juice

3 tbsp green tea powder

115 icing sugar

Directions:
Shells:

1.       Aged egg white at room temperature
2.       Pulse Almond meal with icing sugar for 5 minutes (Pic 2). Add Matcha powder and sieve 3 times (Pic 3). Set aside.(Pic 4)

3.       Mix the egg white and castor sugar in a heatproof bowl
4.       Making sure that the bowl will snuggly fit the pot, bring the water to boil then lower the heat to a gentle simmer
5.       Place the bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bottom of the owl does not touch the simmering water….aka double boil method.
6.       Whisk the egg white mixture until the sugar is dissolved the temperature reads 50-55C on the sugar thermometer (Pic 5)
7.       Transfer the egg mixture into the mixing bowl with the balloon attachment.
8.       Add lemon juice(Pic 6)
9.       Whisk on medium speed until soft peak or “shaving form” consistency
10.   Add in food colouring (Pic 7 & 8)

 
11.   Using a flexible silicon spatula, fold in sieved almond and green tea powder into the meringue one third at a time. And start counting the strokes.(Pic 9)
12.   Continue to fold until all dry ingredients are fully incorporated and it forms a shiny batter with a thick, ribbon like consistency (Pic 10)
13.   Pour the mixture into a piping bag fitted with 10mm nozzle, and pipe onto prepared baking sheets (Pic 11)
14.   Leave the tray at room temperature for 30 minutes or more until the macarons surface are “drier” to touch. (Pic 12)
15.   Preheat oven to 150C and bake each tray for 15-20minutes depending on the oven.
16.   Cool for 10 minutes then carefully peel off the baking sheet.
17.   Leave to cool completely before piping in the filling

Directions:
Fillings and assembling 

18.   Filling – beat butter, lemon juice until light and fluffy (Pic 13&14), then add icing sugar (Pic 15) and green tea powder (Pic 16 &17). Piped the filling onto the shells. (Pic 18)
19.   Macarons tasted better after an overnight refrigeration

Sources: http://mykeuken.blogspot.ca/2011/07/green-tea-macarons.html

Bacon, ham and Cheese Quiche

 

Ingredients (Serve 8)

• prep time 10 min
• total time 1 hr 5 mins

 
 

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box (I use Tenderflakes pie crust)

1 cup half-and-half or milk

4 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled 

 

3 slices ham, sliced 

1 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chopped onion, if desired 

 

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

In medium bowl, mix half-and-half, eggs, salt and pepper; set aside. Layer bacon, ham, cheeses and onion in crust-lined plate. Pour egg mixture over top.

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes; cut into wedges.

 
Recipe adapted from Pillsbury website