Chiffon Cup Cakes 杯子蓝莓戚枫蛋糕

These is very light and tasty cup cakes with the combination of blueberry puree, whipped cream, custard and fresh strawberries. I followed a recipe book (不用模型做点心) which use a blueberry chiffon cake mixture to produce these cup cakes. As this cake is very light, you might need a slightly bigger cups to fill in the large amount of mixture to fulfill your appetite. It's great to have a cup of this after the dinner or as a refreshment in the afternoon.


Recipe from (不用模型做点心)

4 egg yolks
30g sugar
2g salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
80ml milk
60ml oil
135g plain flour
4g baking powder
6 egg whites
70g sugar
For the fillings:
40g blueberry puree, some fresh strawberries, 100ml whipping cream, custard and bluerry puree

Method:

1. Whip the egg whites until peak form then slowly add in sugar continue whipping until a shiny and smooth consistency.


2. In another bowl, mix egg yolks, oil, milk, vanilla, flour and sugar until everything combine.


3. Add in 1/3 of the egg white mixture to egg yolks mixture(2) until combine. Then add half of the left over egg whites mixture. Then continue adding the remaining egg whites mixture. Slowly and gently combine everything.


4. Gently mix in the blueberry puree to get a marble effects. Pour the mixture into each baking cups and bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 180'C.


5. When the cake cool down, cut a hole at the center with a serrated knife and reserve the lids. Squeeze in some custard, whipped cream and blueberry puree. Finally, top with a strawberry and some blueberry puree then place back the lids.


6. Keep in the fridge. It's nice to served cool.

Napoleon Walnut Roll

Continue with the previous chapter - Mille Feuille, I made it into a Napoleon Roll by using a swiss roll sponge, custard, whipped cream, some chopped toasted walnut and the puff pastry. The texture was crisp from the inside and soft at the outside. The walnut had added a crunchy texture and the cream and custard had moisten up the entire roll.


Ingredients for the sponge: 4 eggs / 80g sugar / 67g plain flour

Method: Place the eggs and vanilla extract into a bowl. Gradually add in sugar and whisk until pale and thickened. Sift the flour into the bowl and fold together. Pour the sponge mixture into a baking tray with baking paper and bake for 10 minutes at 200'C preheated oven. Place the cooked sponge on a wire rack and place the sponge together with the wire rack into a plastic bag for cooling down. This is to keep the sponge moisture and much easier to roll up.

Ingredients for the fresh custard: 2 egg yolks / 133ml milk / 40g sugar / 13g flour / 1 tsp vanilla extract / 6g butter / 2 tsp Rum (optional)

Method: Mix the egg yolks with two teaspoon of milk in a bowl until well combined. Then, mix in the flour and make sure there is no lumps. Place the milk in a saucepan with vanilla extract and sugar, bring to the boil. Once the sugar dissolve in the milk, gradually pour onto the eggs mixture and stir then pour back into the pan. Return to the heat and using a whisk, lightly stir the mixture to thicken, do not boil. As the egg yolks warm, it will thicken to create custard. Keep stirring until it coats the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat and keep stirring and add in the butter. When the custard slightly warm add in rum. Pour the custard into a shallow bowl and cover with cling wrap. Place it into the fridge when it completely cool down and ready to use.

To assemble the roll:

1. Spread the whipped cream onto the swiss roll sponge evenly. Divide the puff pastry into 3 longish shape portions (second picture).
2. Stack a piece of the pastry on the sponge. Spread some custard on the pastry and sprinkle some toasted walnut (chopped).
3. Stack another piece of pastry and continue like the step 2 until the last piece of pastry.
4. Roll up the sponge with cling wrap and chilled in the fridge.
5. Cut the roll with a serrated knife into 8 thick portions.

Appalam Mendhya Kozambu - Light tamarind and fenugreek gravy made with papad or poppadams

APPALAM MENDHYA KOZAMBU-
a light tamarind and fenugreek seeds gravy with Papad or Poppadams
After an elaborate Obbattina Oota and the birthday feast, we all felt that we would not be able eat anything for a week! Mother came out with one of her unusual recipes – the Appalam Mendhya Kozambu. This is a very light tamarind gravy, without any dal ,vegetables, coconut or rich masalas. Having this light Kozambu with rice and dash of ghee, was a great relief after the heavy feast.
INGREDIENTS:
Tamarind - a small lemon sized ball
Salt – 2 tsps
Sambar powder – 3 tsps
Jaggery – 1 tsp
Plain papads or appalams – 2
Sesame oil – 4 tbsps
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 1 tsp
Bengal gram dal – 2 tsps
Red chillies (broken)- 2
Curry leaves – a few
Rice flour – 1 tsp
METHOD:
1. Extract the tamarind juice and add water to make ½ a pint.
2. Add salt, jaggery and sambar powder.
3. Break the papads into bits (2" - 2.5") and keep aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida and mustard seeds.
5. When it splutters add fenugreek seeds and then the Bengal gram dal.
6. Roast the seasoning to a golden colour and add the red chilly and the broken papad pieces.
7. When the papad gets fried add the curry leaves and the prepared tamarind juice mixture.
8. Let it boil till the raw smell subsides and a pleasant aroma arises.
9. Make a paste with rice flour and little water, and add it to the kuzambu for thickening.
Bring to a boil, and switch off the flame.

Enjoy the appalam mendhya kozambu with hot rice and of course with a dollop of ghee.