So I got tagged by Londons Boutique
Rules are fairly straightforward, state 10 things that make you happy and tag people.
So here we go:
I'm a simple creature who take delight in simple things
1. Good food, delicious chocolate, fine wine and great coffee (might as well put all the edibles under point 1, otherwise it's going to be a list full of food.)
2. Being in the company of family and good friends (preferably with food involved)
3. Procuring an item you had no idea you needed but realize is something you can't live without (e.g. my handheld blowtorch for making creme brulee)
4. Music (one of the greatest pleasures for me, it lifts my spirits and runs through my veins. I can't go a day without it)
5. Making other people happy (How cheesy as this may sound it really does it for me. When you get a heartfelt smile from a stranger or when the eyes of my family members light up when I serve them a nice dessert, it's really all worth it)
6. When I finally solve a Sudoku puzzle that has been unsolvable for days, when I beat a Bejeweled high score or play a fantastic round of Modern Warfare ^o^
7. Shopping. Finding a fantastic item of clothing or the most gorgeous handbag or maybe a pair of heels I can't live without. That will surely make my day. I know, I'm a material girl but I love it (and my things)
8. Unexpectedly finding money in the pocket of an old winter coat
9. Some me time, be it taking a long walk, eating ice cream, snuggling up with a good book, playing games or taking a nap. Some solitude has a therapeutic effect on me.
10. The fact that my family and I are happy and healthy
I tag...anyone who hasn't done or wants to do this.
Jul 21, 2010
Jul 10, 2010
Raspberry mousse cake
When I asked my sister what she wanted for her birthday she simply replied: Nothing... well maybe your raspberry mousse cake :D
So, as the doting sister I am I made not only one for her birthday but I made 3, yes 3 raspberry mousse cakes. I def feel I've got the technique down now! One was for the birthday which is why I decorated it with and the other two were for the extended family and for her to bring to work. It was a huge success at her workplace btw.
I won't be posting the recipe here, sorry. The reason being that I'm thinking about selling them to friends, family and acquaintances and I'd like to keep at least this recipe a secret for now.
The bottom is a brownie-ish cake. The white stuff is a cream cheese/yogurt filling. Then there's a layer of blackberry puree, raspberry mousse and then raspberry jelly.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures.
So, as the doting sister I am I made not only one for her birthday but I made 3, yes 3 raspberry mousse cakes. I def feel I've got the technique down now! One was for the birthday which is why I decorated it with and the other two were for the extended family and for her to bring to work. It was a huge success at her workplace btw.
I won't be posting the recipe here, sorry. The reason being that I'm thinking about selling them to friends, family and acquaintances and I'd like to keep at least this recipe a secret for now.
The bottom is a brownie-ish cake. The white stuff is a cream cheese/yogurt filling. Then there's a layer of blackberry puree, raspberry mousse and then raspberry jelly.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures.
Jul 7, 2010
Panna Cotta
Panna cotta is easily one of my favorite desserts, especially during summer and the best part of it is that it's fairly easy to make. The preparation time takes me less than 10 minutes and after 4-5 hours of refrigeration time it's time to chow down.
I usually make this an hour or so before lunch and that gives it plenty of time for it to be ready by the time I want my afternoon snack. Remember if you spend more than 10 mins on it, then you're probably not doing it right.
(panna cotta literally means cooked cream in Italian but I often find cream alone to be a little too heavy so I opt for half-and-half or in this case, more milk than cream.) This recipe is how I make it, there are other measurements in different recipes but this is what I usually go after.
Ingredients:
-1 litre (4 cups) of full fat milk, organic if it's available
-1/2 litre of heavy organic cream (2 cups)
-1 vanilla bean (I usually opt for Polynesian vanilla, none of that bourbon stuff for me thank you, you can also use vanilla extract(1-2 teaspoon(s)) but I recommend you use a vanilla bean)
- 1 decilitre (1/3 cup) raw cane sugar
-10 sheets of gelatin or 4 teaspoons of gelatin powder.
Pour the milk and the cream in a saucepan and turn on the heat to medium-high.
Add the sugar.
While the mixture is heating up take the vanilla bean and slice it in half with a small pairing knife. With the back of the knife, scrape out the vanilla seeds and add it to the mixture. (Throw in the bean itself as well for added flavor, you can always remove it before adding gelatin)
Whisk the mixture as to evenly distribute the seeds, then proceed to stir with a sieve.
Bring the mixture up to a near boil without it actually boiling. Remove from heat.
Add the gelatin.
With the sheet gelatin, pour cold water in a deep plate and put in the sheets, once they've turned slightly soft, pour away the water, wring the sheets and add cold water once again. (I usually do this twice with sheet gelatin to make sure to get rid of the "gelatin" flavor)
With the powdered gelatin, sprinkle it over 3 tablespoons of cold water, let stand for 5 minutes before adding it.
Stir in the gelatin until completely dissolved.
Keep stirring once in a while until it's lukewarm, then proceed to fill bowls, cups, ramekins or whatever is at hand. Refrigerate for 4-5 hours.
Dip the moulds 5 seconds in hot water, run a knife through the edge and turn over on a plate. Drizzle with diced strawberries that has been sitting in sugar and own juices or any other fruits you may fancy. Maybe you can do it like me and eat it on it's own, au naturel. That's how I like it best :)
Doesn't it look yummy with the vanilla seeds?
Thanks for looking!
I usually make this an hour or so before lunch and that gives it plenty of time for it to be ready by the time I want my afternoon snack. Remember if you spend more than 10 mins on it, then you're probably not doing it right.
(panna cotta literally means cooked cream in Italian but I often find cream alone to be a little too heavy so I opt for half-and-half or in this case, more milk than cream.) This recipe is how I make it, there are other measurements in different recipes but this is what I usually go after.
Ingredients:
-1 litre (4 cups) of full fat milk, organic if it's available
-1/2 litre of heavy organic cream (2 cups)
-1 vanilla bean (I usually opt for Polynesian vanilla, none of that bourbon stuff for me thank you, you can also use vanilla extract(1-2 teaspoon(s)) but I recommend you use a vanilla bean)
- 1 decilitre (1/3 cup) raw cane sugar
-10 sheets of gelatin or 4 teaspoons of gelatin powder.
Pour the milk and the cream in a saucepan and turn on the heat to medium-high.
Add the sugar.
While the mixture is heating up take the vanilla bean and slice it in half with a small pairing knife. With the back of the knife, scrape out the vanilla seeds and add it to the mixture. (Throw in the bean itself as well for added flavor, you can always remove it before adding gelatin)
Whisk the mixture as to evenly distribute the seeds, then proceed to stir with a sieve.
Bring the mixture up to a near boil without it actually boiling. Remove from heat.
Add the gelatin.
With the sheet gelatin, pour cold water in a deep plate and put in the sheets, once they've turned slightly soft, pour away the water, wring the sheets and add cold water once again. (I usually do this twice with sheet gelatin to make sure to get rid of the "gelatin" flavor)
With the powdered gelatin, sprinkle it over 3 tablespoons of cold water, let stand for 5 minutes before adding it.
Stir in the gelatin until completely dissolved.
Keep stirring once in a while until it's lukewarm, then proceed to fill bowls, cups, ramekins or whatever is at hand. Refrigerate for 4-5 hours.
Dip the moulds 5 seconds in hot water, run a knife through the edge and turn over on a plate. Drizzle with diced strawberries that has been sitting in sugar and own juices or any other fruits you may fancy. Maybe you can do it like me and eat it on it's own, au naturel. That's how I like it best :)
Doesn't it look yummy with the vanilla seeds?
Thanks for looking!
Jul 2, 2010
Mango mousse cake attempt #1
On my trip to Vancouver I got to sample a mango mousse cake made by my cousins father. He's a chef and made this really delicious cake to celebrate a few family members birthdays.
I recently decided to make this for my birthday. I was impressed with the taste of the mango with just a hint of passion fruit but never having made the cake before I could only go from my memory and guess how it was made.
I started with a regular sponge cake to begin with and then made a cream cheese/plain yogurt filling with a little bit of vanilla to spread on top of that.
I then proceeded with making the mango mousse not really knowing if it would work since I had never made it before but to add some freshness I decided to make a mango jelly on the top with pureed mango, lemon juice, orange juice and orange liqueur. It actually turned up pretty good to my surprise since all I had to go on was gut feeling. I decorated with some sliced kiwi fruit and TADA!
At the time being I couldn't get any fresh mango so I had to settle with frozen, hence making the flavor not quite as aromatic as I would've liked. When I give this another try I'll be using fresh mango. Dang, I wish I lived in Taiwan, they have the sweetest, juiciest mangoes there, instead we rely on imported exotic fruits. Ayah, the shortcomings of living in Denmark!
I hope you enjoyed the pictures ^^
I recently decided to make this for my birthday. I was impressed with the taste of the mango with just a hint of passion fruit but never having made the cake before I could only go from my memory and guess how it was made.
I started with a regular sponge cake to begin with and then made a cream cheese/plain yogurt filling with a little bit of vanilla to spread on top of that.
I then proceeded with making the mango mousse not really knowing if it would work since I had never made it before but to add some freshness I decided to make a mango jelly on the top with pureed mango, lemon juice, orange juice and orange liqueur. It actually turned up pretty good to my surprise since all I had to go on was gut feeling. I decorated with some sliced kiwi fruit and TADA!
At the time being I couldn't get any fresh mango so I had to settle with frozen, hence making the flavor not quite as aromatic as I would've liked. When I give this another try I'll be using fresh mango. Dang, I wish I lived in Taiwan, they have the sweetest, juiciest mangoes there, instead we rely on imported exotic fruits. Ayah, the shortcomings of living in Denmark!
I hope you enjoyed the pictures ^^
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)