Christmas Gift Box Cake

I made this cake for a 200+ people Christmas party. We only finished the bottom two tiers.

For equipment, I bought Wilton square cake pan set that includes 16", 12", and 8" square cake pans. I originally planned to use the 16" as base layer, then realized it would be too big and heavy to handle. In additional, the biggest heavy duty cake base I could found is 16" square. So I used the 12" as the base layer, even that, the final cake probably weight more than 30 pounds. It was difficult to carry by one man. Now I understand why wedding cakes are moved around  on a cart. It is definitely necessary.

Prepare Fondant and Fondant Bow

Here is Marshmallow Fondant recipe. In order to make deep red, I first made white fondant and then knead in a whole 1 oz bottle of Wilton Gel Color, the fondant became crumby and flaky. I tried to save it by adding water, light corn syrup, and all attempts failed. At the end, I gave up and did a new batch. This time, I mixed the Wilton gel color in the melt marshmallow bowl before mix in powdered sugar. This worked great. To decorated the cake, I needed total 4 batches of fondant, 2 red, 1 green and 1 red.

The fondant bow has to be made up to 1 week ahead so that the bowl can dry thoroughly. Here is the Wilton instruction on how to make fondant bow. I underestimated how fragile the bowls were and ended up with a lot of broken bowl loops. The lesson here is to be very gentle and make a lot of extras! See my make shift bowl loop hanger.

Bake Cakes

The base box was made by 3 layers of Chocolate Chiffon Cake, each layer was 12"x12"x2", filled and crumb coated with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

I baked 3 cakes and each cake used
Egg - 10 Large
Cake flour - 120g
Cocoa powder - 60g
Oil - 60g
Milk - 100g
Sugar - 120g for egg white
Sugar - 40g for egg yolk
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Baked at 350°F for 25 minutes.

I needed 6 batches of chocolate buttercream frosting, and each batch used
Crisco solid vegetable shortening - 1/2 cup
Butter, softened - 1/2 cup (1 stick)
Cocoa powder - 3/4 cup
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Sifted confectioners' sugar - 4 cups  (approximately 1 lb.)
Milk - 3-4 TBSP

I would like the second tier to be 10" square, but I did not have a 10" square pan, so I baked 3 white Chiffon Cake, each was 12"x12"x2", and then trimmed them smaller. I did not trimmed them enough, the second tier was a little bigger than ideal to be fully supported by the base tier. The second tier is filled and crumb coated with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

The top tier was an 8" cube. In order to save time, I used the 16" square pan to bake a 16"x16"x2" cake and then divided it to four 8"x8"x2" cakes. The top layer was also filled and crumb coated with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

Ingredients for each layer in second tier:
Egg - 10 Large
Cake flour - 170g
Oil - 80g
Milk - 80g
Sugar - 120g for egg white
Sugar - 60g for egg yolk

Ingredients for top tier
Egg - 20 Large
Cake flour - 340g
Oil - 160g
Milk - 160g
Sugar - 240g for egg white
Sugar - 120g for egg yolk

I needed 8 batches of vanilla buttercream frosting, and each batch used
Crisco solid vegetable shortening - 1/2 cup
Butter softened - 1/2 cup

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Sifted confectioners' sugar - 4 cups (approximately 1 lb.)
Milk - 2 TBSP

Assemble and Decorate

1. Cakes with crumb coating should be refrigerated for 2 hours+ or overnight. Each cake should have a cake board underneath that is trim to the size of the cakes.
2. Cover each tier of cake with fondant individually. 

3. For the base and second tier, use 4 -6  Wilton bamboo dowel rods cut to length so it is just below the surface of the cake.

4. After stack the second tier on base tier, add dowel rods to go thru both tiers so that they do not shift. Then stack the top tier, and add dowel rods thru the cakes from the very top.
5. At last, add fondant bow on top, and other decorations.
6. The cake is very heavy. I am glad I used a heavy duty 16" square cake base. 

Berry Bonanza Cake

This is inspired by the Wilton's berry bonanza cake. I used by proven Chiffon cake recipe to make a 12"x12"x2" cake, and then the adapted a mixed berry filling recipe to make the filling.

Ingredients:

Cake (12" square)
Cake flour - 204 g
Egg - 12
Sugar for egg white - 144 g
Sugar for egg yolk - 72 g
Oil - 96 g
Milk - 96 g

Berry Filling
Frozen  mixed berry - 4 cups (about 1 lb)
Fresh raspberries - 12 oz
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Water - 1/2 cup (do not need if use frozen raspberries)
Corn Starch - 4-6 TBS

Whipped Cream Frosting
Heavy whipping cream - 6 cups
Powdered sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup
Gelatin - 1 pack
Gel color - green

Decorating
Fresh raspberries - some

Steps:

1. In a large pot and simmer the berries on med high for 30-40 minutes.

2. Add sugar, a little at a time, and let boil stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down to medium low. Mix 2 TBS of the cornstarch with 1/3 cup cold water and then add to the boiling berry mixture, repeat until your mixture reach the desired consistency.
4. Let the mixture cool for 30 minutes then pour it into a gallon Ziploc bag and refrigerate at least 24 hours.
5. Bake a 12" square cake. Wait for cake to cool down and then split the cake into two layers.

6. Make whipped cream frosting, and build a barrier around the bottom layer cake. Then fill with raspberry gel.

7. Place the second layer of the cake on top, and decorate the cake with whipped cream frosting.

Egg free Sugar Cookie

This is from Art of Dessert blog. It has been endorsed by my kids. 

Ingredients:

Makes about 2-3 dozen cookies depends on the cutter size
Butter - 1 cup at room temperature
Granulated sugar - 1 and 1/4 cup
Baking powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Flour - 3 and 1/4 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup

Steps:

1. Mix and sift flour, salt and baking powder.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs/milk and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

3. preheat over to 375°F.
4. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edge turn brown. Let them cool completely.

6. Have fun decorating with Egg-free Royal Icing.

Christmas Cookie 2015

I tried three sugar cookie recipes this year. One was egg-free, one was with brown sugar, and one was with cane sugar. The one with brown sugar had the best aroma and kept its shape the best. The egg-free one actually won the taste test. 

Ingredients:

Recipe A - Egg-free
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Butter - 1 cup at room temperature
Granulated sugar - 1 and 1/4 cup
Baking power - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Flour - 3 and 1/4 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup
Recipe B - with Brown Sugar
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Butter - 1 cup at room temperature
Dark brown sugar - 2/3 cup
Baking power - 1 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Egg - 1
Flour - 2+2/3 cup
Optional seasoning：
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
Recipe A - with Cane Sugar
Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies
Butter - 1 and 1/2 cup at room temperature
Granulated sugar - 2 cup
Baking power - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Egg - 4
Flour - 5 cup

Steps:

1. Mix and sift flour, salt and baking powder.
2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs/milk and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

3. preheat over to 375°F.
4. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the edge turn brown. Let them cool completely.

6. Have fun decorating with Royal Icing or Egg-free Royal Icing.

Egg Free Royal Icing

This is from Art of Dessert blog. It makes about 2 1/2 cups icing.

Ingredients

Cream cheese - 2 oz, softened to room temperature
Corn syrup - 2 TBSP
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Powdered sugar - 4 and 1/2 cups (depends on the desired consistency)
Gel food color - as needed

Steps

Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, corn syrup and vanilla extract until smooth. Mix in milk. Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time until the frosting is at the desired consistency. Decorate the cookies and allow the icing to dry for 24 hours before transferring the decorated cookies.

Royal Icing

This is the Wilton recipe with Meringue powder. The icing is good for piping on cookies. If you want flood consistency icing, you need to add more water, half tablespoon at a time, until the icing can be dropped off on surface and smoothed out in 15 seconds or so.

Ingredients

Meringue Powder - 3 TBSP
Confectioners' sugar - 4 Cups (about 1 lb.)
Warm water - 6 TBSP

Steps

Add meringue powder and icing sugar, slowly add half the water and turn on the mixer to medium. Add the rest of the water and turn mixer to full speed and allow it to mix for around 8-10 minutes, or until icing is soft and fluffy.

Make sure to use grease free spoon or spatula to stir.

Turkey 2015 - Mom's Way

This is what my Mom has been using for the past 20+ years. It is Turkey with a Chinese twist. I love the sticky rice stuffing.

Ingredients:

All ingredients is based on a 10-12 lb turkey.
Marinate
Green onion - 3 stalks, diced
Ginger - 1/3 cup, grind
Soy sauce - 1 cup
Salt - 3 TBS
Vinegar - 1 TBS
Cooking wine - 1/2 cup
Stuffing
Glutinous rice - 4 cups (soaked in water for at least 2 hours or overnight)
Red onion - 1 medium, diced
Dried mushroom - 1 cup, diced
Ham - 2 cups, diced
Dried date - 1 cup
Dried lotus seeds - 1 cup, soaked overnight
Sunflower seeds - 1/2 cup (or use pine nuts, other tree nuts)
Raisin - 1/2 cup
Optional: Dried Apricot - 1/2 cup
Coating
Honey - 1/2 cup

Steps

1. Steam the glutinous rice until 70% cooked.
2. In a frying pan, stir fry the diced red onion, mushroom, and ham together.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients.

4. Run hot water over the turkey for a few minutes until the skin tightens.
5. Mix the ingredients for marinate and rub all over turkey. Then let the  turkey air dry for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

6. Stuff the turkey, sew the opening back with needle and cotton thread.

7. Coat the turkey thoroughly with honey.

8. Bake in oven at 350°F for 3-4 hours.

Apple Rose

Fall is always associated with sweet warm apple pie. This apple rose is way easier than apple pie, and looks gorgeous. I saw this online from multiple places, and basically followed Cooking with Manuel with minor changes.

Ingredients 

To make 12 roses
Puff pastry sheet - 1 package of two sheets, thawed at room temperature

Apples - 4 large, prefer red apples
Lemon juice -squeezed from one lemon

Fruit jam - 6 TBSP, I used strawberry jam. the recipe calls for apricot jam

Cinnamon powder (optional)
Powdered sugar for decorating (optional)

Steps

1. Prepare a bowl with some water and the lemon juice. Cut the apples in half, remove the core and cut the apples in thin slices. Leave the peel so it will give the red color to your roses. Right away, place the sliced apples in the bowl with lemon and water, so that they won't change color.

2. Microwave the apple slices in the bowl, for about 5 minutes, to make them slightly softer.
3. Unwrap the puff pastry sheet over a clean and lightly floured counter. Using a rolling pin stretch the dough a little, trying to keep it in a rectangular shape. Cut each sheet in 6 strips. These are about 2 in x 9 in.

4. In a bowl, place 6 tablespoons of jam with 4 tablespoons of water. Microwave for about one minute, so that the preserve will be easier to spread. Spread the preserve on the sheet.

5. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Drain the apples.
6. Place the apples on the dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon if you'd like.

7. Fold up the bottom part of the dough.

8. Carefully roll, seal the edge, and place in greased muffin cup.

9. Bake about 40-45 minutes, until fully cooked. Make sure the pastry is fully cooked on the inside before removing the roses from the oven! If after 30 minutes the apples on top look fully cooked, move the pan to a lower rack in the oven, and wait for 10-15 more minutes to avoid under cooking the puff pastry.
10. Once taken out of oven, left the roses cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from muffin cups. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top for decoration.

Chopped Hot Red Pepper (剁椒)

My neighbor Ivy was making chopped red pepper as seasoning for cooking, I followed suit. This is Ivy's recipe.

Ingredients

For each pound of pepper
Fresh red pepper - 1 lb ( I used red Fresno pepper this time)
Sea salt - 45 g
Chopped ginger - 1 TBSP
Chopped garlic - 1 TBSP
Sugar - 1 tsp
Black bean sauce - 1 TBSP
Hard liquor - some

Steps

1. Wash the red peppers, and let them air dry.

2. Remove the green stems, and chop the red peppers using a food processor or blender.
3. Mix in sea salt; then mix in ginger, garlic, sugar, and black bean sauce.

4. Scoop into a sterilized glass jar, seal the top with a layer of hard liquor. Then cover the jar with shrink wrap, and close the lid tightly.

5. Place the jar in refrigerator. It will be ready to use in 7-10 days.

Steamed Tofu with Chopped Pepper

1. Slice tofu and layer on a plate, put generous amount of chopped pepper on top.

2. Steam for 10 minutes

3. Pour out excessive water, then sprinkle some soy sauce, chopped green onion on top.

4. Heat up some oil and pour on top before serving.