Ube Ensaymada: My first success in the world of Yeast Breads

Yeast breads is the kryptonite of my baking world, that I nearly despised all recipes that calls for yeast. Every time i try out a yeast bread recipe it will be either too hard or it smells like fermenting yeast or worst one time even my baking teacher wont taste it. LOL. Just last month I was convinced that I SUCKED big time on yeast bread. 

And then one day my baking teacher asked us to do an ensaymada, at first I was on my lazy mode I already have this feeling that it will be another disastrous yeast bread. But lo and behold it turned out one good actually very good ENSAYMADA. 

I learned two things in yeast breads.1.  KNEAD it WELL until its SMOOTH and ELASTIC. Test it by taking a small part of the dough then pull it apart if it wont break then its elastic and look into the texture if its smooth with no lumps then you are good to go! 2. PROOF it long enough to really RISE. For it to be a really soft bread.

HAPPY YEAST BREAD BAKING!  

Good Ol' Leche Flan

Made Leche Flan this afternoon and it turned out sooo wonderful. I have low expectations on this knowing making custard like dessert is really easy but very very very delicate and fragile. 

Clap. Clap. Clap. Go make your own leche flan too!

Chocolate Chip Cookies > Valentine's Day

Must love Chocolate Chip Cookies. Nothing beats a soft, chewy, buttery Chocolate Chip Cookie on a dateless Valentine's Day. Yeah I know I sound like Adele on her 'Someone Like You' song, but its true munching a freshly baked cookie while driving is Cloud Nine. But nothing beats dunking bits and pieces of Chocolate Chip Cookies into a glass of cold fresh milk then eat them like cereals, the feeling is like 30 going 13, no worries just pure fun and bliss till the last drop. 

HAPPY VALENTINE's DAY guys! 

" When you love someone, you love all of them... you gotta love everything about them, not just the good things but the bad things too. The things that you find lovable and the things you don't. "

Another take on the Yema Roll!

Still the same Yema Roll but this time with generous sprinkle of CASHEW NUTS! I tell you its really good.... 

Yema-rrific Roll!

Nothing beats a soft and fluffy chiffon roll smothered with Dulce de Leche! INDULGE! Best eaten with milk...

I love milk so much! I make a point of drinking a glass of milk every day. So now anyone who did those milk ads with the milk mustaches, they're my heroes.

- Natalie Portman

RECIPE:

For the Cake:

170g cake flour

7g baking powder

70g sugar

50g oil

5 pcs eggs

100g sugar

5 g vanilla

125g water

Combine flour , baking powder and 70g sugar. Sift together three times. Make a well and set aside. Separate egg whites from egg yolks. Add oil, egg yolks, water and vanilla in the flour mixture. Mix until blended and set aside. 

Beat egg whites until soft peaks stage and add 100g sugar gradually, beating until stiff. Fold in the batter mixture to egg whites until just blended. Pour mixture into a prepared jelly roll pan that has been greased line greased. Bake for 22-25 minutes.

For the Filling (Dulce de Leche):

1 can condensed milk

Remove the paper label, totally submerged the condensed milk can with water, boil for 2 1/2 hours. Cool and use.

 or

Pour the the content into a microwavable bowl. Microwave for about 2 minutes in medium power then remove and stir with a whisk. Cook for another two minutes, remove and stir again, then reduce to medium low and cook for another 12 minutes but remove every 2 minutes or so and stir until it reach the thickness and the color that you want.

For the Frosting (Pastry Cream):

1 can evaporated milk

2 eggs

vanilla essence

1/8 c cornstarch

1 c sugar

Mix all ingredients. Cook over low heat until thick.  Stir constantly. 

Spring Bloom

My mother has a cool collection of orchids, went around her garden and took some pics...she has cattleyas, vandas, dendrobium, etc... really nice right? Some of her orchids isn't flowering yet... will share them soon! 

My lil bro's birthday cake!

Today is my lil bro's 18th birthday! I baked him a chocolate cake, its the flavor he likes... actually this is the moistiest and softest chocolate cake I have ever made. It has pastry cream filling and chocolate ganache frosting. 

Happy Birthday Nigel Mon!

"Once in a while I say, 'Go for it' and I eat 

chocolate." 

                                       - Claudia Schiffer

Butterscotch

Butterscotch is one dessert I love to eat after meals. Its bite sized and really comforting to eat. I like it not too sweet, soft and not too chewy, just the way how I made it. Butterscotch and Milk is two thumbs up! 

-more pics of my butterscotch on my Baking Portfolio! Happy Weekend guys!

The Real Farm Life

Located 15 kilometers from Iloilo City and just 1 kilometer away from Zarraga town proper... is a small farm...we cultivate rice as a primary product then an enclosed farm for tree plants like mangoes, banana (tundal,sabah), jackfruit (langka), chico tree, avocado tree; and a vegetable farm of tomato, sili, ampalaya, sitaw, eggplant, squash etc and soon a tilapia pond... we practice organic farming using vermiworm fertilizer, decaying wood, etc... This is real farming, no frills, no fancy techniques just old school farming.