Chocolate cake

Do you still remember my first post on this blog? I wrote about my first 3D cake for my brother in law's birthday. I made a pirate boat cake at that time using chocolate and vanilla cake. It was a hit and everybody liked it. I usually do not really like chocolate cake but I had to admit that this chocolate cake was great. Not too sweet and it has a bittersweet taste from the chocolate powder itself. No using instant chocolate paste or something like that. This cake goes very well with mocha butter cream or chocolate ganache.

This time i need to make chocolate cake in order to make a cake pop (going to make a post about it later). my daughter wants it  for her birthday treats. So, lets get started :)

Ingredients :

• 128 grams (1 cup) all purpose flour
• 200 grams (1 cup) granulated white sugar
• 48 grams (1/4 + 1/8 cup) cacao powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 120 ml (1/2 ml) milk
• 95 ml (1/4 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup warm coffee 

Tip : for making warm coffee, dilute 1 tsp instant coffee powder into 1 cup hot water and let it cool for a bit before using it for making the cake.

Preparations :

1. Preheat oven for 180 C (350 F)
2. Prepare a pan (I'm using a rectangular 28x18 cm brownie pan) and line it with baking paper.
3. In a bowl, mix sugar, flour, cacao powder, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add milk, oil, egg, and vanilla extract into those dry ingredients mixture.
5. With a hand mixer, mix it together with medium speed until all the ingredients are mixed well.
6. Reduce the speed, and add warm coffee carefully.
7. Beat the batter again for another 1-2 minutes.
8. Pour the batter into prepared baking pan and level the surface of the batter.
9. Put it into preheated oven and bake it for about 30 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. 

Tip : If you want to make 2 layer cake, double the recipe and divide the batter evenly into 2 pans.

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Playing with Butternut Squash : Butternut Squash Cheese Cake

Another edition with butternut squash. :- )

This time I'm going to make butternut squash cheese cake. I still have more than half uncooked butternut squash left. I want to make a sweet dish or a dessert using my butternut squash and it seems that cheese cake is a good idea. I still have some cream cheese left on my refrigerator.

First, I was thinking to make normal cheesecake with squash glaze. But I don't think that was possible. And then, it came to my mind what will happen if i substitute some of the cream cheese with squash puree. Hmm... I googled some of the recipes and most of the recipes are using 1:2 or 1: 1 puree : cream cheese depend on the consistency of the puree. I think I would go with 1:1. But too bad I only had 100 cream cheese and it was heavy raining outside so I couldn't go to buy more cream cheese. So, I decided to make the cheesecake using all the ingredients that I have. My cheesecake will use 2:1 puree : cream cheese. I hope the result will be good

After I take it out from the oven, it turned out not that bad. Even turned out great I think. My daughter, who claimed that she doesn't like squash puree (she tried to taste it before), liked this cheese cake and begged another slice.

Making this cake is not hard. but require a lot of preparation. There are 3 steps for making this cake. First, I need to make the puree. From what i heard, it is available canned pumpkin puree in the US market so you don't have to make the puree by yourself. But I can not find it in Netherlands. Well, I have the fresh butternut squash anyway. Why not make it from scratch. After the squash puree is ready, I need to make the crust for the cheese cake using crackers crumbs and melted butter. After that pour the cheesecake batter and it is ready to bake.

Ingredients :

• 80 grams crackers
• 3 tbs brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 100 grams butter, melted.

• 1/2 (about 450 grams) butternut squash, seeds removed 
• 100 grams cream cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs cornstarch
• 50 grams (1/4 cup) white granulated sugar
• 50 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tbs whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk

Preparation :

First, lets make the squash puree :

1. Preheat oven for 200 C (392 F) 
2. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
3. Put the squash cut side down. 
4. Put the sheet into the oven and bake it for about 20-25 minutes
5. Remove it from the oven and let it cool for a bit. At this step, the skin of the squash should be shrinking and become soft and easy to peel.
6. Peel the skin with hand or spoon or knife and transfer the flesh into a bowl.
7. Make a puree out of it using a spoon. Just press it with the back of the spoon until you get the puree with consistency that you want. 
8. Take about 250 grams for the cheesecake and keep the rest for another purpose.

Tip : You can use food processor or blender for making the puree. You can make the puree days or maybe weeks before. Let it cool in a room temperature, Divide it into small amount put it in a plastic bag or small jar or ice cube container. Freeze it for a long time saving. It's good for baby food as well.

Now, lets make the the crust :

1. Preheat oven for 180 C (about 350 F) 
2. Prepare a round cake springform pan (I was using 20 cm or 8" springform pan) , line it with baking paper, and grease it with butter. Set aside.
3. Put the crackers into a zip lock bag and crush it with rolling pin until they become fine crumbs.
4. Open the plastic bag, add brown sugar, ground cinnamon, close the bag again and shake it.
5. Open the plastic bag, add melted butter into the plastic bag, and mix it well with your hand until all the cracker crumbs become wet and mixed with the butter.
6. Transfer the crumbs mixture into the springform pan.
7. Press the mixture evenly to the bottom of the pan (You can use your hand or the back of the spoon or spatula or the bottom of ramekin)
8. Bake it into preheated oven for 10 minutes.
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
   

Meanwhile, lets prepare the cheesecake :

1. In a bowl, mix together butternut squash puree with eggs, brown sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract.
2. In another big bowl, with a hand mixer beat together cream cheese, white granulated sugar, corn starch, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until creamy and smooth.
3. Add squash mixture into cream cheese mixture and beat again just until all the ingredients are well mixed.
4. Pour the batter into the springform pan with baked crust.
5. Put it into the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until the edge of the cake start become firm and puffed but the center of the cake still a little bit wet and jiggles. 
   
6. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before cut it into slices.

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Appelbol

Appelbol is one of a famous dessert in Netherlands and Belgium. It is made from an apple which is spiced with sugar and cinnamon, and wrapped with puff pastry. It is sweet and delicious. Not to mention it is easy to make. There are some variation of it. Some people will add raisins, the other will add almond paste. I never tried using almond paste yet. But so far, the classic one is good enough for me. I like the taste of apple combined with caramelized brown sugar and cinnamon. Perfect for  this wet season.

Few days ago, I wanted to make this dessert. I never made it before and this will be my first attempt to make it. But I just happened that I had all the ingredients on my kitchen and my daughter wants some afternoon snack. So, why not? Let's get started.

Ingredients :

• 3 Apples
• 7 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 3 layers 20 x 20 cm ready to use puff pastry
• 4 tbs white sugar
• 1 egg, beaten

Preparation : 

1. Preheat oven for 200 C (392 F)
2. Line the baking sheet with baking paper. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix together brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Set aside. 
4. Peel the apples and remove the core using an apple corer.
   
5. Coat the apple with mixture brown sugar-cinnamon.
   
6. Place 3 layers of puff pastry on the prepared baking sheet and make some holes on it using a fork.
7. Put the apple in the middle of puff pastry.
8. Fill in the empty core of apple with leftover of brown sugar-cinnamon mixture.
9. Brush the edge of the pastry with egg wash.
10. Wrap the apple by pulling the corner of puff pastry into the middle top of the apple one by one. Press the edge of puff pastry to seam it.
11. Brush the surface of the unbaked appelbol with egg wash and coat or sprinkle it with granulated sugar. 
12. Put the baking sheet into the oven and bake them for about 20 minutes.

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Independence day edition : Agar-agar Merah Putih (Red and White Pudding)

Merdeka!! Happy Independence day, Indonesia. On August 17, 1945, Indonesia declared its independence from Netherlands. It is the most important day on the history of my country. In Indonesia,  we always begin this celebration with flag hoisting ceremony and continue with a lot of festivals and celebrations everywhere. In all islands and cities on this country. Around this time of every year, everything seems to be draped in our flag's color, red and white. It is very festive. :)

Now, I'm living far away from Indonesia. Well, maybe it is not the best country on the world, but it is still my hometown. That's why, i would like to do small celebration on my own. I made red and white pudding today. It is easy to make and my kids love it.

Ingredients :

• 1 pack agar powder (I'm using white Swallow Globe agar. I bought it in Asian grocery store)
  
• 1 sheet of leaf gelatin, soaked in a cold water for 5 minutes
• 1 litre (about 4 cups) water 
• 5 tbs sweet condensed milk
• 6 tbs granulated white sugar
• red food coloring agent

Tip : You can substitute leaf gelatin with gelatin powder. 1 sheet of leaf gelatin = 1/4 tbs gelatin powder

Preparation :

1. Prepare pudding mold any shape you like, set aside. I was using 21x11 cm loaf pan.
2. In a pot, mix 1 pack agar powder with 1 litre water.
3. Turn on the heat and cook the agar until it is start to boil
4. Keep stirring for about 3 minutes and turn off the heat
5. Divide the agar into half. About 500 ml for each portion.
6. Add 5 tbs sugar and few red food coloring agent into the first portion. Stir it well until the sugar dissolved.
7. Pour the red agar into the mold until its height reach half of the mold. 
8. Leave it hardened for a while
9. Meanwhile, prepare the white part. Add 5 tbs sweet condensed milk and 1 tbs sugar into the second portion. 
10. Stir it well until the sugar dissolved. Put it on the medium heat if needed.
11. After the surface of red agar is started to hardened, pour the white agar  carefully on the top of the red agar using a ladle. Be careful not to break the surface of the red agar otherwise, it won't be layered well.
12. Leave it hardened and put it into the refrigerator. 
13. Serve it cool as a dessert. Vanilla custard is a good companion for this dish.

Tip : You can start to pour the second layer of agar when the first layered is started to hardened. If you gently touch the surface of the agar, you can feel a thin and soft layer on the surface, but the agar on the bottom is still wobbly. If the first layer is too hard, then both layer can not stick together. 

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