Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Looking for some cakes that without using butter? Here you go… this chocolate cake was made out of olive oil instead of butter!!! I found this recipe from Taste.com.au and it is suitable for those who are concern about the diet like me. =D

Ingredients

2 eggs
100g sugar
150g self-raising flour
50g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
100g olive oil
60ml low-fat milk
Cocoa powder, to dust


What to do

(1) Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a square cake pan with oil to grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper.

(2) Use an electric beater to beat the eggs and sugar in a small bowl until pale and creamy.

(3) Sift in the combined flours and cocoa powder. Fold until the mixture is almost combined. Add the olive oil and milk, and fold until combined.

(4) Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake.

(5) Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with cocoa powder to serve.

Enjoy!

CNY Baking – Pineapple Tarts

After I finished my Peanut Cookies baking, I continued with Pineapple Tarts. Ok, let me tell you this…making this Pineapple Tarts is really a hard work! It took me a so long to complete the task! No wonder people only bake this once a year or rather buys it from the shop.

 

 Ta da! Here's my first ever Pineapple Tarts!

For Pineapple jam

Ingredients

2 medium-size pineapples, grated and drain the juice
300g sugar
A stick of cinnamon

* Here’s the recipe for the step by step pineaple jam.

What to do

1. Cook grated pineapple in a pot with sugar and cinnamon for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2. Cook until the pineapple jam starts to leave the sides of the pot. Remove from stove and set aside to cool.

For the pastry

Ingredients

200g butter, room temperature
3 tbsp sugar
1 ½ tsp of salt
1 egg yolk
375g flour
2 tbsp corn flour
2 ½ tbsp custard powder
2 tbsp milk powder

What to do

(1) Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.

(2) Add in the egg yolk and beat well.

(3) Sift salt, flour, custard powder, cornstarch and milk powder. Mix flour mixture into the butter until it forms a smooth dough.

(4) Remove and let the dough rest for half an hour.

(5) Roll out the dough about 0.5cm thick and cut into shape with a pineapple tart mould. Fill the center of tart with some pineapple jam. Repeat until the dough is finish.

(6) Bake the tarts in a pre-heated 180 degree until golden brown. Cool tarts on rack before storing it.

 

Here, I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Prosperous New Year and Gong Xi Fatt Chai!!! May the Year of the Rabbit bring you good health, wealth and happiness! =)

Lemon Tarts

Being invited to friend’s house for a pot luck gathering, I decided to bake these gorgeous tarts taken from my new recipe book. With the purchase of 2 boxes of Flora Pro-activ butter, I got a free healthy recipe book. What a bargain! =)

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour, sifted
125g caster sugar
50g Flora pro-activ Original
1 egg

Filling
125g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
60mil lemon juice
50g Flora pro-activ original, extra
1 egg, lightly beaten

2tbsp flaked almonds, to serve


What to do

(1) Preheat oven to 180 degree and brush tart moulds with Flora pro-activ.
(2) To create pastry, place flour, sugar, flora pro-activ and egg in a bowl and mix until well combined. Shape into a log, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
(3) To create filling, place sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and extra Flora pro-activ in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and gently stir in the egg. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened.
(4) To assemble slice: Using lightly floured fingertips, press the pastry into the tin. Pour in the hot filling. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake tart for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

Coconut Jam Slice

A simple yet tasty snack that is just perfect for an afternoon tea. A light butter taste on the base, layered with sweet jam and topped with crispy desiccated coconut… hmm, it’s yum! A great snack indeed. You must try this out!

Happy Baking!

Ingredients

250g plain flour

125g self raising flour

150g butter

125g icing sugar

1 egg yolk

125g strawberry jam

3 eggs

550g desiccated coconut

What to do

 

(1) Preheat oven to 180C. Line square tin with paper.

(2) Process flours, butter and icing sugar till it becomes fine and crumbly. Add egg yolk and process till it comes together. Press dough in tin and refrigerate for 10 mins.

(3) Bake dough for 15 mins till golden brown. Allow to cool and then spread jam evenly over pastry.

(4) Beat caster sugar and eggs together till creamy. Add coconut. Spread mixture onto slice. Gently pressing down with back of spoon. Bake for another 25 mins till it becomes slightly golden. Leave to cool and the lift the slice out. Slice into pieces.

 

Chocolate Brownie

I came across Donna Hay’s website and saw this simple brownie recipe. Well, since I haven’t tried to bake brownie before, it’s a good chance for me to give this a go!

I’ve added in some chopped walnuts as I recalled the last time I had brownie they did have some nuts in it. You may add other types of nuts as well.

I was please as it turned out nicely and the taste was good too! =)

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate, chopped

250g butter, chopped

310g brown sugar

4 eggs

35g cocoa powder, sifted

185g plain flour

¼tsp baking powder

60g walnuts, chopped

 

What to do

(1) Preheat oven to 160 degree.

(2) Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool slightly.

(3) Place the sugar, eggs, cocoa, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Lastly add in the chopped walnuts and stir well.

(4) Pour into a 20cm square slice tin lined with non-stick baking paper.

(5) Bake for 50 minutes or until an inserted skewer withdraws clean.

(6) Allow to cool slightly in the tin before slicing. Serve warm or cold.

Pineapple Coconut Slice

This Pineapple coconut slice is kinda similar to my earlier baking – Pineapple Coconut Muffins. Since I had some leftover ingredients from my previous baking and I came across this recipe from Super Food Idea Magazine, I thought it was a good idea to fully utilize the remaining ingredients. Hence, here is my Pineapple Coconut Slice.

While baking, the aroma of the pineapple and coconut was extremely alluring. I just like the fragrance flowing out from the oven!

I just like the fragrance flowing out from the oven! I'm glad that the outcome was beautiful. It was fluffy, moist and flavored with desiccated coconut and pineapple.

It was so delightful! Love it! (*_*)

Here you go for the recipe. Enjoy~

Ingredients

440g can pineapple pieces in juice
150g butter, softened
160g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
310g self-raising flour
160g desiccated coconut
60g shredded coconut

What to do

(1) Preheat oven to 180 degree. Grease a 3cm-deep, 16cm x 26cm (base) slice pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, leaving a 2cm overhang at long end. Drain pineapple, reserving 80ml juice.

(2) Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition,

(3) Add flour, desiccated coconut and pineapple juice. Stir until just combined.

(4) Spread mixture into prepared pan. Top with pineapple. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Press into top.

(5) Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre come out clean and slice is firm when lightly touched in centre.

(6) Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Lift out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 12 squares. Serve.

Note: I’ve sprinkled some shredded coconut follow by brown sugar. I simple love the combination of brown sugar with shredded coconut! = )

Peanut Butter Chocolate Slice

I didn’t do anything baking on Saturday except a lovely breakie. What I’ve done for the whole day??? I was busy watching my favorite drama – “Gossip Girl”. I was addicted to it. Actually I’ve watched the 1st season and I just gone through again while I am waiting for the 3rd season to be downloaded. =D

I woke up an hour earlier as day light saving has started. I didn't want to waste an hour on bed while I can do something else. So, I started my first baking which is this yummylicious slice. This can be served as a dessert or a delightful afternoon treat.

Hmm... crunchy peanuts! Yummy! (^-^)

Ingredients

3 eggs, lightly beaten
1tsp vanilla essence
200g firmly packed brown sugar
110g plain flour
35g self-raising flour
125g butter, melted
250g dark chocolate, melted
195g crunchy peanut butter
150g unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped


What to do

(1) Grease 20cmx30cm lamington pan, place strip of foil to cover base and extend over 2 opposite sides.
(2) Beat eggs, essence and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer about 3 minutes or until thick and pale in color.
(3) Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake inn moderately slow oven 30 minutes or until firm; cool in pan.

Strawberry Cheese Tarts

Hmmm… I baked tarts again. The reason was I still had some left over ricotta cheese and strawberry fruche from my last week baking. Not wanted to waste them, I decided to bake cheese tart.

I thought it would be easier for me to bake them on my small tart moulds instead of the “big” round baking pan. So, I’ve made 10 pieces of Strawberry Cheese Tarts and decorated with some chocolate chips! They look beautiful to me… (Of course they were beautiful as it was my design). Hohohoho (**;)

I think I am falling in love with custard powder. Haha… the aroma of custard from the pastry was so strong. I really love the smell and I can’t stop walking towards the oven and check out when the bell will sound and I can enjoy the pastry. :P

The custard powder reminds me of custard pao that I had when I went yum char. The custard was so soft and moist. OMG! I miss the pao and I wish I could have one now… Well, I think I will try to steam custard pao one day… Oops, I think I’m out of topic here. Haha… Today’s topic is my little Strawberry Cheese Tarts.

Finally my tarts were ready… cheese cake should be eaten when they are cold therefore I’ve kept them in the fridge for a few hours before I eat them. They were so yummy! The cheese was light and creamy which literally melts in your mouth. You should probably give it a try! Happy baking~ (*_*)

Ingredients (10 pieces)

125g plain flour
30g custard powder

30g icing sugar

40 olive spread

3tbsp milk

2x130g tubs low fat strawberry fromage frais or light strawberry Fruche

100g ricotta cheese
Chocolate chips, to decorate

What to do

(1) Mix the flour, custard powder, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until fine crumbs form then add enough of the milk to form a soft dough.

(2) Gather into ball, wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

(3) Divide the dough into 10 portions and toll out to line the tins.

(4) Poke the tart shell with a fork evenly and bake for 15 minutes.

(5) Mix the strawberry Fruche and ricotta until smooth.

(6) Spread over the pastry bases and top with chocolate chips.

Fruit Tarts

I made this fruit tarts last weekend. The recipe was taken from my first recipe book that I bought few weeks back (finally had the opportunity to try it).

I couldn’t find one of the ingredients in the supermarket which is fromage frais. I searched in the internet about fromage frais. And here is what I found Fromage frais is a fresh, soft curd cheese that is low in fat. Fresh cheeses are not cured which means they do not keep for long. It has a slightly tangy taste.

Luckily you can replace it with strawberry Fruche. I managed to get strawberry Fruche in the supermarket. Although I am not sure what is the difference between them but my tarts came out delicious! It tastes fabulous especially when eaten cold. Must give it a try… (“,)

Strawberries, Cherries, Kiwi fruit

Ingredients (10 pieces)

125g plain flour
30g custard powder
30g icing sugar
40 olive spread
3tbsp milk
2x130g tubs low fat strawberry fromage frais or light strawberry Fruche
100g ricotta cheese
Halved strawberries, cherries, kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
2tbsp apricot jam


What to do

(1) Mix the flour, custard powder, icing sugar and butter in a food processor until fine crumbs form then add enough of the milk to form a soft dough.
(2) Gather into ball, wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
(3) Divide the dough into 10 portions and toll out to line the tins.
(4) Poke the tart shell with a fork evenly and bake for 15 minutes.
(5) Mix the strawberry Fruche and ricotta until smooth.
(6) Spread over the pastry bases and top with assorted fruit.
(7) Heat the jam until liquid then brush over the fruit to glaze.

Egg Tart

My cousin sent me couple of pie moulds. With these moulds, I’ve been thinking of two recipes in my “to do list”. They are fruit pie and egg tart! I decided to make egg tart first as it is easier than fruit pie! :P Definitely I will keep my promise to bake the fruit tart soon…

There are 2 types of egg tart, the normal egg tart and Portuguese egg tart. I like both of them. Today I will try on normal egg tart first. Well, the outlook of the egg tarts were good BUT sad to say, the taste is not really good. I don’t think I’ve succeeded this time. The filling was too thin and there was not much taste. I wasn’t sure if I had added too much milk into the filling or ???. In addition, the pastry was too dry. I think I shouldn’t have substituted the butter with olive oil.

I baked 2 batches of egg tarts because there were too much leftovers of the fillings, bringing the total of my baking to 26 pieces. For the first batch, I used olive oil for the pastry (failure). For the second batch I used olive spread instead. Well, the pastry turned out better than the first batch. The egg filling was still the same though. Frankly, they were not the best egg tarts but I think they were good enough for my first trial! “ah hem” (*o*)

By the way, Gim Theng, thank you so much for the moulds and those paper cups that you sent to me. I really enjoy having them for my baking.

First batch


Second batch

Ingredients (pastry)

150g of flour
2 tbsp of corn flour

2 tsp of sugar

1 egg yolk

100g of butter1

1/4 tsp of salt

What to do

1) Put flour, corn flour, salt and sugar in a bowl and mix well.

2) Rub butter lightly into the flour until mixture resembles bread crumbs

3) Add in egg yolk to form a dough. Chill the dough for an hour

4) Press dough thinly into tarts mould and leave it aside to prepare the custard

Ingredients (Egg filling)

4 eggs

100g of sugar

280ml of fresh milk

2 tsp of custard flour or corn flour

1/2 tsp of vanilla

What to do

1) Pre-heat oven to 325 degree

2) Mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl until well blended

3) Strain it and set a side

4) Stir the mixture again and pour into tart shells about 95% full

5) Bake the tarts for 20 min or until custard is set

Almond and Raspberry Slice

I have been busy for the last 2 weeks and somehow never got the chance for baking. At last everything is back to normal and I can continue my baking as usual.

This week I will use the recipe from the Good Food and Wine show that I attended couple of weeks back. There were a few recipes and I had a hard time to choose one but finally I made up my mind and I chose the Almond and Raspberry Slice from Bill Granger.

The original recipe was for 20 pieces but I had reduced the ingredients to half as 20 pieces were too many for us.

Ingredients (makes 20 pieces)

210g unsalted butter, softened
165g caster sugar
2tsp vanilla extract
200g flaked almonds
40ml milk
225g plain flour
40g corn flour
160g raspberry jam

What to do

(1) Preheat oven to 180degree. Lightly grease and line with paper a 24x20cm tin.
(2) Please 60g butter, 55g sugar, 1tsp vanilla extract, almonds and milk in medium saucepan.
(3) Cook over low heat until the butter has melted, leave to cool.
(4) Beat the remaining butter, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and creamy.
(5) Sift the flour and corn flour and add in two batches, beat on lower speed until just mixed.
(6) Press the dough into the baking tine and bake for 12 minutes or until light golden. Cool for 10 minutes.
(7) Spread the jam over the pastry base, then spread the cooled almond topping over the jam.
(8) Bake for further 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Yummy! ^_^