Insanity Flees

Source: http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2011/01/
chocolate-cupcakes-with-flaming.html

Flaming chocolate cupcakes

Right, in deference to my crazy dreams and insomnia, I will go out

and purchase a blowtorch as I want to make creme brulee sometime

soon. This isn't creme brulee but it is a close simile or sorts and 

makes me happy. Hopefully it will work at the parties I'll be attending

soon!

Shichimi Mushroom Rice Bowl

Was in quite a strop today and grated my frustration away (and my housemate

helped cheer me up as well!). Baked the carrot and ginger cupcakes I meant to

do at the weekend today and they turned out great. But I'm in dire need of a 

good piping bag. Using parchment paper isn't working and I'm becoming more

of a perfectionist day by day. And I need to take better photographs! Ugh,

mine are simply awful. Well, tomorrow I hope to make a variation of the 

orange glazed tofu but will substitute steamed salmon instead of fried tofu. 

Yum!

Weekend Bakes

Source: http://www.sliceoffeist.com/2011/02/seven/
Photographer: http://www.mrlentzphotography.com

Carrot cake cupcakes

There's been a lot of construction these past few weeks and I'm finally

feeling the full weight of it. Monday to Saturday, construction next door 

starts up at 8am every morning (not so bad at the weekday). Everyone

in the house is getting grumpy with the lack of sleep and we all hate

being at home in the daytime. So to offset all the grumpiness in the

house I'll bake us some carrot cake cupcakes tomorrow. Should be a

great dessert and a nice little snack to bring into uni tomorrow. Looking

forward to it!

07.02.2011

Carrot and Ginger Cupcakes

Makes 40 cupcakes, 24 muffin size

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups canola oil

4 large eggs

3 cups grated peeled carrots - approx 9-10 large carrots (hand grating makes it finer and be sure to sieve out the liquid)

                  1) Preheat oven to 180°C.

                  2) Line the cupcake molds with papers, or butter and flour them.

                  3) Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in medium bowl to blend.

                  4) Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. 

                  5) Add flour mixture and stir until blended. 

                  6) Stir in carrots, walnuts and raisins, if using them. 

                  7) Divide batter among cupcake molds, filling 3/4 of each.

Bake cupcakes 14 to 18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let cool in pans for five minutes or so, then transfer cakes to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before icing them.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

400g cream cheese, softened

 25g unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy. Chill the frosting for 10 to 20 minutes, until it has set up enough to spread smoothly.

I used a sheet of parchment paper, folded it in half and snipped off a bit of the end to create a piping effect (highly not recommended - looks and refilling is rather messy).

Healthy-ish continues

Orange Glazed Tofu

It's been an eventful yet tiring week filled with plenty of highs and lows.

I started Friday with a morning of jogging and yoga which really prepared

me for an afternoon of uni work - staring at a computer for 5 hours only

to learn that the numbers are integrally incorrect. 

But lunch was left over dill aioli on sourdough with steamed salmon instead 

of grilled (sorry to my housemates again - I know that smell has completely taken 

over the kitchen!). Completely delish yet much messier than the grilled

version - can't really recommend it even though it is sincerely healthier. 

Tomorrow morning is going to be a mushroom, spinach and bacon omelette 

(whites only) and maybe the above for supper. After tonight's guilty pleasure

 of curry my stomach is seriously craving non-spicy foods!

The start of a slightly more fruit-tastic month

Strawberry Apple Crisp

I've made a lot of food between last week and today and it has all culminated with 

the decision that I bake. a lot. and my classmate would prefer it if I brought more

in to share with others or stop so they don't get fat (which would never happen!). 

So I'll be cutting back on the sugar for the entirety of February and experiment

with different ways of baking more fruit into dishes. Let's hope its successful!

Semi-picnic at uni

Grilled Salmon Sandwiches

Right, no photo yet but soon to come!

Will be making these for my uni group for lunch tomorrow. 

Should be all right slightly cold and meaty enough to keep us going all day. 

Just hope the aioli turns out delish!

Still on the slightly healthy kick

Blue cheese and pear salad with honey roasted walnuts

Although I'm not a terrible fan of walnuts myself, I find myself enjoying this salad in particular.

Maybe it's the saltiness of the blue cheese or the acidity from the vinaigrette?

I don't know but I'm keen to have some now. It's been a strange Monday

and I'm sure everyone could use a light little pick-me-up! 

I gave my classmates the smore bars I made at the weekend and it was a hit!

Much too sweet though. My stomach hurts.

Bit of spice, bit of salt

Chips and Sriacha mayo

This weekend's baking spree had led me to have quite the savory craving.

I think I'll be heading to the store sometime soon to pick up some potatoes.

Grill me up some chips and make a nice sauce - a slightly healthy snack?

Cut the pudds

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

After a day like today, I craved nothing more than a nice fruity, savory muffin (meaning I spent the day making pudds and it made me seriously ill).

This hits the spot and I intend to make these substituting something else for the bananas (absolutely detest bananas!). Possibly a bit of applesauce instead of butter, adding a bit of almond powder. 

My stomach honestly cannot wait!

29.01.2011

Sultana, Cranberry and Currant Oatmeal Muffins (Adapted)

Makes 24 

1 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup almond, powder or sliced

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

3 tbsp butter, melted or use 1.5 tbsp of applesauce

1/2 cup sultanas

1/2 cup dried currants

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup milk (soy, almond, skim, 1%, 2% or whole)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup plain yogurt (full or low fat, not no fat)

1 egg

(Don't be afraid to convert to grams and round up - I uses this most often) 

1. Preheat oven to 205°C/400°F. Line muffin tins with paper liners or grease very well.

2. Combine oats, flours, baking soda and powder, salt, almonds, spices and sugar in medium sized bowl.

3. In a separate large bowl, combine melted butter, milk, vanilla, yogurt and egg. Stir to combine very well.

4. Stir dry ingredients into wet very gently and JUST until incorporated. Do not overmix!

5. Stir in sultanas, currants and cranberries.

6. Spoon evenly into 12 regular sized muffin tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Muffins are done when golden brown and crispy on top, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool in tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling rack and cool completely.

A little healthier tonight

Salmon and Fennel Soup

Something a little healthier this week after nothing but puds for the last week.

Mixing it up with my everlasting love of salmon and my new love of fennel.

Can't wait to try it. The weekend is going to be a great deal of baking/cooking!

Picky no longer

Foods to keep your husband sweet

If I had a husband, that is! This lovely blogger has conquered the biggest hurdle of them all; the picky eater! Having been one myself, I understand and feel for all the put-upon loved ones that must suffer (Numerous apologises to my beloved sister for having stuck with my horrible habits and comments throughout the years!).

This author figured out the trick and made dishes that makes me water.

Double post! (To celebrate double the fluff!)

Fluff Bars!

Can't wait to try out this recipe (once I find some fluff of course)! 

I know my housemates will enjoy them for sure and practise will make them perfect for the future.

27.01.2011

Smore Cookie Bars (with alterations)


Fits a 9" x 13" dish

Makes 30+ bars

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup digestive crumbs
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

6 milk chocolate bars (cadbury works best but is quite thick)
420g marshmallow Fluff (get the larger tub from Selfidges and use it all)
(not melted marshmallows because they harden when they cool!)

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and/or line an 9" x 13" baking dish.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg and vanilla.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, digestive crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined. Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Don’t worry if it seems thin; the baking powder will allow it to rise.

4. Place chocolate bars over dough (don’t layer the bars, just break them to fit if you need to), then spread the marshmallow Fluff over the chocolate bars. Finally, top the Fluff with the remaining dough by forming the dough into sheets with the palm of your hands and laying it down. Don’t worry if the dough isn’t covering everything! It’ll spread out as it bakes.

5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. If the top is browning too quickly, you can always cover it with tin foil for the remaining baking time. Leave to outside to cool and then put in fridge for at least one hour. If you don’t allow them to cool completely, they will crumble when you try to cut them! 

Fantastic Food Blog (with husband occasionally piping in!)

Sprouted Kitchen Blog

She's quite prosy but after reading her husband's entry, I find it quite lovely.

Authentic Japanese Beef Bowl? Let's try and find out

A taste of the old country?

Having left Japan (just!) 9 months ago, I find myself constantly craving those lovely salty flavours. This might just do the trick! Will post results after testing it out!

28.01.2011

Tested it out! It was lovely but not quite authentic enough. My beef was a bit thinner and cooked a bit faster. It did taste fairly good but didn't match what I was looking for.