Seafood Chowder 周打海鮮湯

Seafood chowder

Ingredients (12 servings)

2 cans clam juice

12 slices bacon, chopped

1 1/2 onions, chopped

3 ribs celery, diced

1-1/2 cup (375 mL) grated peeled baking potato

1-1/2 cup (375 mL) whipping cream, (35%)

1-1/2 cup (375 mL) milk

3/4 cup (175 mL) dry white wine

3 bay leaves

1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) chopped fresh thyme

1-1/2 can (370 mL) evaporated milk

2 lb (680 g) fresh fish or shellfish, chopped (I put scallop, clams, mussels and shrimps this time)

1/3 cup (75 mL) chopped fresh parsley

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper

Preparation

In pot, cook bacon, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain all but reserved 1 tbsp fat. Add onion, celery and 1 tbsp water; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in potato, clam juice, cream, milk, wine, bay leaves and thyme; simmer until potato is softened and liquid is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

Stir in clams and seafood, evaporated milk, fish and parsley; simmer until fish is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. 

Stir in salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves.

Add potato flour or regular flour to adjust thickness of soup (optional)

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: April 2012

Lego Ninjago Cake and Cupcakes 樂高忍者蛋糕

I am very delighted that my friend asked me to make a cake and some cupcakes for her son's birthday! My friend gave me all the freedom to make this cake. I asked what does her son like and she said Ninjago and Kai. She said she is ok for the cake to be 2D or 3D. I research the internet and the cake idea in my mind is a 3D one. It is a challenge for me because I know nothing about Ninjago. My 2 daugthers don't play Ninjago at all. (Buttercream Vanilla 4-layered Cake covered by Marshmallow fonant)

Front, Left, Right, and Back views of the cake

Final presentation of the cake with mini cupcakes

Cupcakes for class birthday celebration (24's). I removed all the lego candy bricks and legoman from the cupcakes because I am afraid of the allegy issue at classroom. (The packaging of the candy melt made from facility that is not peanut free).

The making of fondant details.

The delivery of cupcakes and cakes.

To make 28 medium size cupcakes+24 mini cupcakes + 4-layers (5.5"x5") cake:

Total cost of making all of these is Cad$29

Here is the cost breakdown:

 

Fondant decorations:
Icing sugarx2	3.98
Marshmallowx2	5.33
Misc: assorted Icing colour	1
Cupcake:
Cupcake box	1.58
Cupcake liners	1
cupcakes base
butter	3.83
egg, sugar, flour	1.5
Cake:
butter	3.83
egg, sugar, flour	1.5
buttercream
butter	3.83
Icing sugar	1.99
	$29.37

Cupcake recipe can refer to my Yellow Basic Cupcake page:

http://winniemsfong.blogspot.com/2012/11/easy-yellow-cupcakes.html

Buttercream recipe:

http://winniemsfong.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-first-3d-club-penguin-fondant-cake.html

 

Marshmallow fondant recipe:

http://winniemsfong.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-first-3d-club-penguin-fondant-cake.html

Lights are up! Birthday boy is ready for blowing the candles!

椰汁黑糯米糕Coconut milk black glutinous rice cake

椰汁紫米軟糕

【材料】 

　　 

　　黑糯米60克，水4杯，椰汁1杯，粟粉120 克，清水1/2杯，砂糖120克

　　 

　　【做法】 

　　 

　　 1. 洗净黑糯米，用 4 杯清水泡浸 4 小时。 

　　 2. 将黑糯米连泡浸用的水一起煮 20-25 分钟至软透。 

　　 3. 椰汁与粟粉拌匀，备用。 

　　 4. 将糖与清水煮溶，加入粟粉椰汁，快手搅成糊状，再加入已煮熟的黑糯米。 

　　 5. 放入已涂油之盆中压平，待冻切件

Easy yellow cupcakes 簡易雲呢拿小蛋糕

Yellow cupcake by Martha Stewart 

Recipe from Everyday Food, September 2006

Prep Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Makes 12 Cupcakes (6" cake) ( I doubled the recipe for making 24's or 7")
Triple recipe for 10" cake)

Ingredients

For The Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar (I put only 1/2 cup. But I still think it is a bit sweet for me)

2 large eggs

Sprinkles, for decorating

For The Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; line the cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a liquid-measuring cup, mix milk and vanilla; set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer on low speed, add half of dry ingredients, followed by milk-vanilla mixture, then remaining dry ingredients. Do not overmix.

Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (a 2-ounce or 1/4-cup ice-cream scoop is good for this).

Place tin on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes 5 minutes in tin, then remove and cool completely on a rack before frosting.

Prepare frosting: In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix in up to 1/2 cup more sugar or a few more teaspoons of milk as necessary to achieve a spreadable consistency. Makes enough for 12 cupcakes.

Frost cupcakes; decorate with sprinkles before frosting dries to ensure that they stick. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

Piping Buttercream Frosting Flower with recipe

These flower cupcakes are made for my friend's birthday today. Red Velvet cupcakes with Rose essence buttercream frosting.

Buttercream frosting:
(I use partial Crisco because I will leave it out at room temperature for a while before giving it to my friend's hands)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (113g) Cricso (can be replaced by butter)
1/2 cup (113g) butter softened
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk,  depending on consistency needed 3 Tbsp powdered Dream Whip
1 Tsp vanilla essence
1 Tsp rose essence
depending on your personal taste
2 lbs powdered sugar sifted

Instructions:
There's no wrong way to mix this. Mix all together. The longer the mixer runs, the smoother it gets. Sifting the powdered sugar before blending helps with smoothness but is not necessary.

The making of piping flowers.