Ingredients

Unsalted butter, for cake pans
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
2 large eggs
1/4 cup red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Cream cheese frosting
1 500oz cream cheese
500 grams icing sugar

Directions

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter and flour 2 round cake pans, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk cake flour, salt, and cocoa; set aside.
2) Using a mixer, beat sugar and oil on medium until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add food coloring and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
3) In a small bowl, mix baking soda and vinegar until combined. Add to batter, and beat for 10 seconds. Evenly divide batter between the prepared pans.
4) Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Remove from the pans, and return to the rack to cool completely.
5) Beat cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Spread evenly on cooled cakes.

Be careful though when lifting the Pavlova from the baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely before moving as it can crack and ruin the look. My meringue cracked a bit but I was able to cover it up with the cream and fruits. The meringue usually deflates in size once cooled, so do not be alarmed.

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups (270g) caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
300ml thickened cream
2 tbs icing sugar mixture, sifted
Finely shredded rind and juice of 2 limes
Seasonal fruits (I used kiwifruit, strawberries, peaches and blueberries)

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 120°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Mark a 24cm diameter circle on the paper as guide. Brush with melted butter and dust with cornflour, shaking off excess.

2) Use an electric mixer to whisk egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, until meringue is thick and glossy and sugar dissolved. Add cornflour, vinegar and vanilla and whisk until just combined. Spoon meringue onto prepared tray, using the marked circle as a guide. Smooth sides and top of pavlova. Use a small spatula to forms little peaks around edge of pavlova. Bake in oven for 11/2 hours or until pavlova is dry to the touch. Turn off oven. Leave pavlova in oven with the door ajar to cool completely. When completely cold, transfer to serving plate or store in an airtight container until required.

3) Use an electric mixer to whisk the cream and icing sugar in a medium bowl until firm peaks form. Spoon cream onto the top of pavlova. Decorate pavlova with the fruits.

I made these macarons using the French technique. I am planning to do the Italian meringue technique, but I do not have a candy thermometer just yet. Anyone willing to donate, let me know!

Presenting, my second attempt on macaron making! Success!

I experimented with this one, I added blue and violet colors to my bread. I got the recipe from Kusina ni Manang. The pudding was sweet and soft, I like this version better. I ruined the look though, because I was excited to slice the bread, the colored pudding was everywhere! It still tasted good though.

I got the recipe from Kusina ni Manang.

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Got the recipe from Martha Stewart. Strawberries here in Tasmania are HUGE, so I just used half of what was indicated in the recipe.

Ingredients

Dough
1 tbsp. yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
melted butter for brushing
Filling
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1) Dissolve yeast in warm water. In a bowl, combine milk, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt. Blend well then add the yeast mixture and enough flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, cover and let it rise until double in bulk.

2) Punch down dough then divide into 16 equal portions. Combine all the ingredients for the filling. Roll out each dough into a small rectangle. Brush with butter then spread with some of the filling. Roll up as in a jelly roll. Placed on a greased baking sheets seam side down. Do the same for all the dough. Sprinkle the top of the rolled dough with more of the filling. Let it rise for about an hour then bake in a preheated 375-degree F oven for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Baking bread is something I really wanted to learn. I think there is something fulfilling with eating bread that you have made with your bare (and clean) hands. I got the pandesal recipe from my grandmother.

Crusty Pandesal

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 5 cups sifted flour
• mozzarella cheese (optional)

1. Preheat oven at 425 degrees.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl (shortening, salt, sugar, water).
3. In separate small container: dissolve yeast in lukewarm water until foamy.
4. Gradually add 5 cups sifted flour.
5. Mix well until smooth, place in greased bowl and brush top with shortening.
6. Let rest until double in bulk  (about 30 minutes to an hour).
7. Punch down to subside and turn lightly on floured board.
8. Divide dough into halves and roll into bastones (about 4 bastones).
9. Place rolled dough or bastones on cookie sheet or flat tray sprinkled w/bread crumbs. I rolled mozzarella cheese inside the dough (optional).
10. Let rest for 30 minutes.
11. Cut into desired sizes and let proof for another 30 minutes.
12. Bake for 15-18 mins, until golden brown.

My one major hindrance for this Baking Challenge is: We don’t have an oven! Well, we do have a small electric oven, which can fit a 9×9 square pan, but that’s about it. I wanted a bigger oven for me to bake my bread. We also have an old style La Germania oven hand me down, but I don’t know how to operate it properly though. The temperature keeps fluctuating, it doesn’t keep steady – resulting in under/over baked goodies.

Having been sent onsite to Australia, I was blessed once again with an oven. And I have finally made up my mind to pursue my Panaderia/Baking challenge. Wish me luck!