One bite Apple (Rose) Tart 一口玫瑰蘋果撻

This dessert is made for Mother's day this year. 

Ingredients: to make 6 roses

• 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
• 2 red organic apples (I used red delicious)
• half lemon, juice
• 1 tablespoon of flour, to sprinkle the counter
• 3 tablespoons of apricot preserve
• cinnamon and some brown sugar (optional)
• powder sugar for decorating (optional)

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Directions:

1. Thaw the puff pastry if you haven't done so yet. It should take about 20-30 minutes.

2. Prepare a bowl with some water and the lemon juice. Cut the apples in half, remove the core and cut the apples in paper thin slices (Pic 1). Leave the peel so it will give the red color to your roses. Right away, place the sliced apples in the bowl with lemon and water (Pic 2), so that they won't change color.

3. Microwave the apples in the bowl, for about 3 minutes, to make them slightly softer. If you prefer, you can also simmer the apple slices in the water in a small pan (on the stove)(Pic 3).

4. Unwrap the puff pastry over a clean and lightly floured counter. Using a rolling pin stretch the dough a little, trying to keep it in a rectangular shape. Cut the dough in 6 strips (Pic 4). These are about 2 in x 9 in (5 cm x 22 cm).

5. In a bowl, mixed cinnamon and some brown sugar(Pic 5). In another bowl, place three tablespoons of apricot preserve with two tablespoons of water(Pic 6). Microwave for about one minute, so that the preserve will be easier to spread. 

6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Drain the apples.

7. Spread the preserve on the dough(Pic 7).  Then place the apples on the dough (Pic 8). Sprinkle Cinnamon Sugar over apple slices (Pic 9). 

8. Fold up the bottom part of the dough.

9. Carefully roll, seal the edge, and place in a silicone muffin cup (Pic 10). No need to grease the muffin mold if it's silicone. Otherwise, make sure to grease it.

10. Do the same for all 6 roses. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40-45 minutes, until fully cooked.

NOTE: make sure the pastry is fully cooked on the inside before removing the roses from the oven! If after 30 minutes the apples on top look fully cooked, move the pan to a lower rack in the oven, and wait for 10-15 more minutes to avoid undercooking the puff pastry.

Sprinkle with powder sugar and enjoy!

Recipe source from: Cooking with Manuela ~ Apple roses

(Chocolate) Crêpe Suzette 橙酒煮班戟

I use chocolate crepes in this dessert because I have leftover chocolate crepes from making Mille Crepe Cake earlier. But chocolate + orange are my all time favourite dessert combination. I won't go wrong with that.

I use Chocolate Crepe instead of tradition Crêpe that used in this recipe.

Gordon Ramsay’s Crepes Suzette

Ingredients

For the crêpes: (around 10 crepes)

125g plain flour

¼ tsp fine sea salt

2 medium eggs, beaten

1 tbsp melted butter

300ml milk

(Simply add 1/8 cup of cocoas powder to make chocolate Crêpe) 

For the sauce:

3 large oranges - for zest, segmenting and juice

50g caster sugar

100ml Grand Marnier or Cointreau

To cook the crêpes:

Few knobs of unsalted butter

METHOD

1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Tip in the beaten eggs, butter, and milk (add cocoa powder if you are making chocolate crepes). Whisk the ingredients just enough to combine into a smooth batter but try not to overwork the batter. Leave to rest while you prepare the oranges.

2. To segment the oranges use a small sharp knife to slice off the top and bottom of the fruit. Stand the orange firmly on the chopping board, cut along the curved sides of the fruit to remove the remaining peel and pith. Holding the orange with one hand over a sieve set on top of a bowl, cut along each side of the membranes to release the segments. Let each segment fall into the sieve as you continue segmenting. Remove any membrane or pips left on the segments. Reserve the orange juice.

3. Slowly heat the sugar in a heavy-based pan, stirring a little to help the sugar dissolve. Simmer until the syrup forms a light caramel. Carefully add the Grand Marnier and stand back as it will spit. Tip the pan slightly to flambé the alcohol, if you wish. Pour in the orange juice and boil until reduced by half. Remove from heat, tip in the orange segments and keep warm.

4. Heat a non-stick crêpe pan with a knob of butter over medium heat. Swirl the butter to evenly coat the pan, then add a small ladleful of batter and swirl again to evenly coat the base of the pan with a thin layer of batter. Cook for about 1½ minutes until the batter is set and golden brown underneath. Flip over to cook the other side for a minute. Transfer to a warm plate, keep wrapped in a tea towel and repeat with the rest of the batter.

5. For each individual serving, fold two crêpes into quarters. Spoon over a little of the orange sauce making sure to include some segments. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: Gordon Ramsay's Crepes Suzette

I made my Crêpe using Crêpe maker as shown on the following video.

20 layers Chocolate Mille Crêpe Cake with Coffee fillings 法式巧克力咖啡千層薄餅蛋糕

I bought a Crêpe maker recently at Amazon. I can't wait to try that by making Crêpe Cake and Crêpe Suzette. I love my new toy. Very easy to use, easy to clean, no mess and very consistent in crepe size and thickness. Love it.

Ingredients: (make ~30x7.5" crepes)

250g plain flour 
4 Egg
60g Sugar 
pinch of salt 
600ml Milk 
2tbsp Unsalted butter (Melted)
1/4 cup cocoa powder (Sifted)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar, eggs, milk, cocoa powder and melted butter at last. Use a sieve to strain the mixture into another bowl, pressing through as much batter as you can and discard the thick clumps remaining in the strainer. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
2. The following video shows how I make the crepe with my new crepe maker.

Coffee Pastry Cream fillings

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 tbsp butter

2/3 cup sugar, divided

8 large egg yolks

6 tbsp all-purpose flour, (Sifted)

4 tsp coffee extract or 1 tbsp instant espresso dissolved in 1 tbsp boiling water)

Directions

1. In a heavy saucepan, bring soy milk, scraped seeds and vanilla bean, margarine, and half the sugar to a boil. Meanwhile, use a whisk to beat egg yolks and remaining half of sugar in a medium bowl. Add flour and use a silicone spatula to gently mix it into egg mixture. Strain half the soy milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk. Repeat with remaining half of the soy milk mixture. Mix well and return to the saucepan.
2. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Use a silicone spatula to scrape the cream from the corners of the pot so it does not burn. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let sit 5 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until chilled, 4 hours or overnight. To use immediately, place the bowl of pastry cream into a larger bowl filled with ice and a little water (below the level of the bowl with the cream) for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cream is chilled. Mix occasionally. Store, covered, in the fridge for up to three days. When ready to use, whisk in coffee extract until desired color and flavor is achieved. If you like a strong coffee flavor, add more extract.

To Assemble Cake

1. Repeat one layer crepe and fill with Coffee pastry cream on top of each crepe. Spread with a silicone spatula all the way to the edges. Place another crêpe over the pastry cream, trying to line it up as best as you can with the first crêpe. I made at least 20 layered of crepe for this cake that I make.
2. You can decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings, confectioners’ sugar, or confectioners’ sugar mixed with cocoa. Store in the fridge, but let sit out at least 20 minutes at room temperature before serving. The cake may be frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to three months.

Creamy Cantaloup Popsicles 哈蜜瓜奶條

This year we have a rather early warm/hot summer in Vancouver. Our BBQ season also starts and our summer season dessert needs to be served accordingly. Summer is also a fruit season. Last week was my daughters' fellowship's beach picnic event and they had lots of cantaloupe left. We got 2 large one. Making these popsicles are easy and fun. My guests love them and finished them in a sec.

Creamy Cantaloupe Popsicles (makes ~20 small popsicles)
Ingredients:
2 cups cantaloupe, cubed (about one large cantaloupe)
2 cup heavy whipping cream 
1 cup sugar (you can put lesser sugar as the ripe cantaloupe is very sweet)

Directions:
1. Place cantaloupe in a blender (Pic 1) and process until smooth; set aside. (Pic 2)
2. In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of cream and sugar.
3. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
4. Remove from the heat. Add the remaining 1 cup of whipping cream. (Pic 3)
5. Stir in pureed cantaloupe. (Pic 4)
6. Pour equally into your popsicle mould. (Pic 5)
7. Freeze until firm.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home website

Kahlua Coffee Cream Cheese Ice cream (a.k.a. Tiramisu)

Kahlua Coffee Cream Cheese Ice cream (a.k.a. Tiramisu)

Make 1 quart (8x4oz serving)
Ingredients:
16oz cream cheese (room temperature)
300ml whipping cream
1/4cup Kahlua
1tbsp Espresso powder
2/3 cup sugar
1/8tsp salt
4 ladyfingers+1/8cup Kahlua

Direction
1 Add Espresso powder in Kahlua until dissolved (Pic 2)
2 Whip cream cheese until soft. Continue whipping and add cream, sugar and salt. Mix well. Then pour Kahlua coffee mix to cream mix and whip until all combined. (Pic 3)
3 Churn in ice cream maker.
4 Cut ladyfingers into smaller pieces (Pic 4) and soak them with Kahlua. (Pic 5 & 6)
5 Stir them into ice cream (Pic 7). Add some dark chocolate syrup and stir a bit.
6 Refrigerated for a few hours. Sprinkle cocoa powder before serving.

Recipe adapted from: Tiramisu Ice Cream