Pandan Chiffon Cake

On annual leave this week, so had the chance to try out the recipes on my 'To-Do' list! Decided to do the pandan chiffon cake based on the recipe from Little Corner of Mine.
I used freshly squeezed coconut milk. If you are buying shaved coconut from the market, you would need about 400g. I also replaced some of the white sugar with brown sugar to cut down the sweetness.
The cake was fantastic! But I did not have the patience long enough to wait for the cake to cool completely..hee, thus you see half of the skin is off the cake! :P
Will do this cake again, maybe with fresh pandan juice by blending pandan leaves and change of flour. My MIL mentioned that her recipe uses optima flour and/or softassilk flour. But oh well, the cake is gone now! :)

Chocolate cake in a bowl

CHOCOLATE! Really thankful to the person who invented chocolate for cooking...One of the best creations on earth.
Haven't been baking for a while and I really can't stand it. But I was so busy that I just don't have that 2 hrs to spend in the kitchen!
So when I saw th recipe on Su's website, I was really eager to have a go at it. What's more, W is in town to share my guilt. haahaa...:P
Followed the recipe, a bit apprehensive at first, cos I nvr baked using a microwave oven. Used Carefour's 64% baking chocolate for this recipe. Other modifications include using wholemeal flour, raw sugar, and 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence.
Result? OK... I know it looks damn gross in the pic...but it really really REALLYy taste damn good! Even W applaud it. Only thing is that the cake can't hold its shape, thus the mess on the plate.
This is a recipe that can be easily doubled and baked in individual ramekins for small dinners. Don't omit the fruits and whipping cream to serve. They are very impt and accompany the chocolate cake/pudding very well.
As I am writing, W is eating... a peep into the bowl shows only 1/4 left...haha...maybe I should do another one before i leave for TW tomorrow, keep him company for 2 days maybe...if it can last that long... ;)

Mango and Passionfruit Cheesecake

Did another cake for a colleague's birthday. She loves cheesecake and mango, thus the combination. This item does not need any baking. Looked through quite a few recipes, trying to decide what goes into the cake.
Couple of recipes... the main source one from Imperial Kitchen and some others on the internet. Along the way, I made some modifications since I do not have gelatin leaves.

Variations made:
- Used 1 block of cream cheese instead of mascarpone.
- Used 250 grams of marie biscuits, mixed with 2 tsps of cocoa powder. Marie bisuits tend to be drier, so I added slightly more melted butter. The trick is if the crumb mixture does not come together after you press them in your hands, you will need more butter.
- Used juice and zest of 2 big limes. Zest is mixed with the cream cheese during the creaming stage, while the juice is added in the last stage after the whipped cream is added. The juice acts as a thickening agent for the cheese, and adds a tang to the cheese, which is a nice contrast.
- I did not use sour cream. Only added 200g of whisked whipping cream. Did a boo-boo on the whipped cream. I over-whisked it and the water separated from the fat! All in a matter of seconds...haha... Had to run out and buy another portion.
- Oh yes, I added 1 cup of low fat condensed milk! I had my reservations initially over adding condensed milk. But after searching through a few recipes, I realised that quite a few added this item. To my pleasant surprise, the end result was a very smooth batter, and the sweetness is just nice for someone like me who don't have a sweet tooth. :)
Of course, no further sugar is added.

I had the whole cake stored in the freezer overnight, and cooled in the fridge on the day of serving. You would realise that the passionfruit will start to 'defrost' and trickle down the sides of the cake. It's ok, let it be, as it enhances the flavour of the cake.

Not too difficult a recipe to make... :) Will make this again based on request...kekeke...

Tiramisu with Strawberries

This is post that should be posted long time ago... Just could not find the time to do it. Made tiramisu with strawberries for my colleague Ashley right after I came back from Sydney. Promised her a tiramisu for her bday.
I remembered coming across an article on Straits Times on the recipe for tiramisu. Did 1/4 of the recipe, using 250g of mascarpone cheese. However, I used close to 400g of strawberries. Instead of just egg yolks, i also used the egg whites by whisking them stiff and mixing them into the cream cheese mixture.

Forgot to take a picture of the 'cut' version, all was gone before I can remember to take... ;)
Verdict: Could do with an additional dash of liquer into the coffee bath mixture. The strawberries with cointreau is a refreshing change to the traditional tiramisu. There were leftovers of the sliced strawberries which W and I happily ate. :)