The Perfect Breakfast Cake

Wouldn't it be great to have cake for breakfast?I am sure we would all love to but guilt always holds us back. Well this recipe will quiet that annoying voice in your head, even if just for a few hours. Despite its not so attractive appearance this cake will please.

Wholemeal Dark chocolate hazelnut cake

Wholemeal Dark chocolate hazelnut cake

Wholesome and filling, sweet enough to be breakfast yet savory enough to be a meal. It goes great with a hot drink or a tall glass of milk and keeps really well too.

Wholemeal Dark chocolate hazelnut cake

175g butter
175g golden granulated sugar
3 beaten eggs
2-8 tbsp milk
175g wholemeal flour
2.5 level tsps baking powder
200g dark chocolate, chopped up into little bits
110g ground hazelnuts
25g chopped hazelnuts

Oven: 180c, gas mark 4
Grease and line a deep round cake tin about 18cm in diameter. ( I used a square 9 inch)

Method:

• Cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs a little at a time and fold in the flour and baking powder.  
• Add 1/3 of the the chocolate and all of the ground hazelnuts, Fold. Then add the milk a
• tablespoon at a time till the mixture drops off the spoon when you tap it on the side of the bowl. It will be a fairly firm mixture.  
• Put the mixture in the tin, smooth the top and sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts and balance chocolate over the top.

Stick it in the oven for about 1.5 hours – you’ll need to check it after an hour and put a sheet of grease proof paper
over the top if the nuts are getting too brown. Let it cool in the tin for about 15 minutes before you turn it out.

Wholemeal Dark chocolate hazelnut cake

Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake

I LOVE thekitchn.com and loved them even more when i bit into a slice of this heavenly cake. I haven't always been a huge fan of lemon cakes but this gorgeous baby has converted me!

This recipe is meant for a bundt cake mold but if you don't have one ( I didn't the first time I bake this), just used a 9 inch square or round tin. This is a great cake to keep in the fridge or freezer, it doesn't not dry out at all! even after sitting in the fridge for over a week it was still moist and fresh. Do yourself a favor and bake this cake this weekend. You will thank me for it later.

Lemon Poppyseed Bundt Cake

from TheKitchen.com 

Serves 10 to 12

For the cake:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup ricotta
1 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

For the glaze:
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons milk
Sliced almonds, to top

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bundt pan extremely well. Sift together the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

With an electric mixer, beat butter on high until light and creamy. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. With the mixer on medium-low, add the eggs one at a time. Add in the lemon zest and lemon juice, followed by the ricotta.

Stop mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, gradually add in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Stop the mixer and fold in the poppy seeds.

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until a cake tester or skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean or with just few crumbs.

Let cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, or until you can comfortably touch the pan. Use a flexible rubber spatula to release the edges of the cake from the pan, then invert the cake onto a large plate or cooling rack. Cool completely.

→ Make-Ahead: Once the cake has completely cooled, you can cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for a few days or freeze it for several weeks. Allow the cake to thaw in the fridge before glazing.

Kale and Basil Pesto Pasta

I love this dish and it is going to be a healthy staple around in my kitchen. The recipe for this Kale and Basil pesto is pretty much the same as any pesto. It's just the addition of Kale which makes it super nutritious. 

Kale and Basil Pesto Pasta with Pecorino Romano Cheese

As you know Kale has become the most popular super food of late. According to WebMD One cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus.

Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K -- and sulphur-containing phytonutrients.

Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds.

Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw. Read more here

So in a nut shell, it's good for you. I was trilled to find locally grown Kale at such an affordable price at Ben's Independent Grocer. Before this, all i could find was imported kale which cost a bomb. So big thumbs up to BIG for selling local Kale!

Kale and Basil Pesto

Ingredients:
1 Medium bunch of Kale
A handful of Basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup of Almonds, toasted ( you can also use pine or walnut)
1/2 cup of grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano
1/3 cup of olive oil
Lemon Juice to taste
Sale and pepper to taste


- Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Wash and roughly chop up Kale. Then dunk Kale into the water to blanch for 30 seconds. Immediately transfer to strainer and dunk into cold water to stop the cooking..

- In a blender or food processor, add garlic, walnuts, cheese, basil and kale and blend into paste. Add olive oil in bit by bit to achieve desired consistency.

- Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

- This recipe makes enough for 4 persons. It also freezes well but do use up within 2 weeks

Boil pasta, toss with pesto and serve with a little bit more grated cheese!

Blueberry Oat Squares

These are really simple and quick to make and tastes delicious. Great to keep in the fridge for a quick breakfast, mid morning snack, or late night munchies!!

I don't normally buy blueberries because they are so expensive in Malaysia. But luck would have it for me to find a 2 for 1 deal at Ben's Independent Grocer last weekend. Let me tell you how much i love this supermarket! BIG is like a mecca for foodies especially people who love fresh, gourmet, artisan produce such as the locally grown Kale which i found which was so unbelievably priced! I have been yearning to try kale after reading so much about it on line but it has always been so expensive! But lo and behold, BIG had Kale, fresh and cheap!  Will blog more about BIG and the many things i have been buying from them one of these days!


Now for the recipe. It's really easy.

Part 1
250g Blueberries
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1- 2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Vanilla extract

Blueberries bubbling away...almost done.
My wooden spatula stained pink forever! 

- wash the blueberries, put into pan with all the above and boil over medium flame till blueberries are soft and have popped. You can help it along by using your spatula to smash it, but not too much.

- Taste before the mixture dries up. Mine was too sour so i added 2TB of Brown sugar. The original recipe called for some cornstarch, but i didn't feel the need to use it.

- Once you are happy with the taste and its has turned into the consistency of jam or pie filling, take it off the heat and set aside. Oh you can also use this mixture for pies, puffs or muffins.

Part 2.
 3 cups oatmeal (regular,  not instant)
 ½ tsp cinnamon
 1½ tsp baking powder ( i didn't use)
 ¼ tsp salt
 1/4 cups butter, melted
 6 Tbsp honey
 6 Tbsp water
 1 tsp vanilla

Buttered and lined square tin.
It's best to leave the extra paper hanging out. Helps lifting the square out later

- Butter and line a 8 inch square tin. I used a 9 inch cos that's the only one i had.

- Put 1½ cups of the oatmeal into a food processor and process into a fine powder. Pour it into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the remaining oatmeal, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.

- Stir in the melted butter, agave nectar, water and vanilla, and mix well. Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing well to cover the bottom of the pan. Spoon the blueberry filling over the batter, and cover the blueberries with the remaining batter.

As you can see i didn't have enough for my top layer

- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into Squares.

I think the next time i try this is will add some coconut on top the top later. Would taste yummy!

Poached Salmon with Carrot and Ginger Puree, Sauteed Spring Beans and Roasted Potatoes

Long title. I know. This is what i made for dinner today. I actually wanted to cook this last week but things came up and had to do it today instead. So, I am back in KL and have settled into my little kitchen. So you can expect post and recipes to be more frequent ( fingers crossed!).

Poached Salmon with Carrot and Ginger Puree, Sauteed Spring Beans and Roasted Potatoes

So back to this plate of yummy-ness. Yes it does seem like a lot to do and I definitely think that this is better as a weekend project dinner than a weekday meal. Prep for this took about 15 mins.only but cook time took about an hour.

Ingredients
Carrot Puree
- 3 medium sized carrots
- small knob of ginger
- half an onion ( i used bombay, you can use any big onion)
- 1 clove of garlic
-1 bay leaf
- 1 orange ( juice and zest)
- oregano, salt and pepper to taste
- 1 - 1/2 cups water

Roasted Potatoes
- 2 small potatoes
- water for boiling
- salt
- vegetable oil ( not palm oil)
- pepper

Sauteed Spring Beans 
- About a handful pr spirng beans
- half an onion ( the other half goes with the carrots)
- 3 garlic cloves
- salt and pepper to taste

Poached Salmon
- 2 slices Salmon
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Water
- Paprika

Ok, let's breakdown the recipe. There are basically 4 parts to this dish: the salmon, carrot puree, spring beans and potatoes. And in terms of process, two parts. Prep and cook.

So, lets start with prep.

First the CARROTS...

Peel, wash, and chop carrots into small chunks. The smaller they are the faster they will cook and be blended. So go really small. Also chop up onions and garlic and ginger.

Spring beans..

Clean; meaning break of top and bottom bits and take out vein. Chop into 3cm length. Also Chop up onion and garlic. Set aside.


Potatoes..

Peal, cut into wedges and soak in water.

Salmon..
Clean, wash and set aside to dry.

Now for the cooking..

Carrot Puree..
In a medium size frying pan, pour a bit of olive oil ( about 1 TB), let it get hot then throw in the onions, stir. Don't let it get too brown. Add carrots, garlic and ginger and stir. Add orange juice and water, bay leaf, oregano, pepper and salt. Bring to boil and then lower flame. Let it simmer until the carrots are cooked and soft. ( about 10 mins).

At this point, you may need to add more water if the pan dries up fast. Just keep an eye on it.

Once its cooked, drain the carrots and keep the cooking liquid.in a separate bowl to cool down a little.

After about 5 mins, put carrot mixture into blender with a little cooking liquid at first and blend to desired consistency.

Roasted Potatoes
Put potatoes into a pot of water with some salt and bring to boil. Once the potatoes are par cooked ( half cooked) fish them out and discard water. You can use a knife or fork to test if its cooked.

Heat oven to 220C, Put potatoes into a baking tin, add about 2TB of vegetable oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and pop into over for about 20 mins or until it turns golden brown and crispy.

Sauteed Spring Beans
Heat a medium sized pan, pour into about 1 TB of vegetable oil, once hot, saute onions, then add garlic and spring beans. Stir, season and add a little water. Once done, dish into a bowl and set aside.

Poached Salmon
Sprinkle salmon with paprika, salt and pepper. Fill a medium sauce pan or pot with water. If you have let over cooking liquid from the carrot you can use that too. You will need about 3 cups of water in total, basically enough to cover both slices of fish.

Bring water to boil, then gently lower fish into boiling water. Let boil for no more than 4 mins. Once flesh changes color its done! Fish it out carefully. And now you are ready to plate up!

Valentine's Day Special : Red Velvet Cupcakes!

Red Velvet is just the perfect cupcake for Valentine's Day. It's not to chocolatey and over powering, light enough for you to indulge yet sinful enough to make it a decadent V-day treat. Since V-day is this weekend, i thought i'd share my go to recipe here. This recipe is an adaptation from Georgetown cupcakes' Cupcake Diaries. As usual i've edited the recipe to suit me; no food coloring and lesser sugar. Have a go at it this weekend. It just might be the best V-day gift you've ever given.

Ingredients

(The recipe says it makes about 24. But if you are using a ice cream scoop as a measure for dividing the batter you will be getting about 30 pieces)

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ( not self raising)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups castor sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons natural cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

For the cupcakes:1. Preheat oven to 180C and line muffins tins with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, whisk flour and salt together. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and the sugar together and cream on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. In a small bowl, whisk cocoa powder, and vanilla together until throughly combined and no lumps remain. Very slowly add to the mixer, and mix at low speed until well combined.
6. Add in one third of the flour mixture, mix until combined, then add in one third of the milk. Mix until combined and repeat adding in the flour then milk, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
7. In a small bowl, add the baking soda to the vinegar. Mix well and add to the batter. Mix until just incorporated, about 10 seconds.
8. Scoop batter  using an ice cream scoop into the muffin tin, filling them two-thirds full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 2 hours.

For the frosting

• 225g unsalted butter, room temperature ( not too runny)
• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 500 grams cream cheese (2 Philly bars),  cut into 8 pieces and chilled
• pinch of salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ( Madagascar is the best.)

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter and confectioners sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add in the cream cheese, 1 piece at a time, until well blended, about 30 seconds. You may need to scrape the bowl after every other addition. Add in the salt and vanilla extract. Whip the icing on high speed for about 1 minutes to make it light and fluffy.
3. Use immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use.

Enjoy!