Monday, October 30, 2017

Candy Corn Krispie Treats

This is the traditional Kelloggs rice krispies treats recipe, decorated for Halloween.

Ingredients

Yellow Ring Orange Ring Original Ring
Rice krispies cereal 8 cup 6 cup 4 cup
Marshmellow 13.3 oz 10 oz 6.7 oz
Butter 4 TBSP 3 TBSP 2 TBSP
Food color Yellow Orange
This is for three 9" cake pans, to make 24 wedges

Steps

1. Butter the three 9" cake pan.
2. Follow the same instruction as rice krispie valentine lollipops to make rice krispie treat, and then put them in one ring at a time.
 3. Let the treat fully cool and set, at least 30 minutes, then flip over your cake pans onto a cutting surface, and tap pan on cutting board to remove krispie treat round. Cut the round large round in half, then quarters, then cut each quarter in half. Add a lollipop stick and wrap it up for Halloween treat.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake (三色巧克力慕斯蛋糕)

I tried this recipe found online for my friend's birthday.

Ingredients

【Oreo Crust】
7 oz (200g) oreo cookies
4 tbsp (60g) butter, melted
【Dark Chocolate Mousse】
5 oz (150g) semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup (120g) whipping cream
2/3 cup (160g) whipping cream, chilled
1 tsp (4g) gelatin powder
1 tbsp +1 tsp (20ml) cold water
【Milk Chocolate Mousse】
5 oz (150g) milk chocolate
1/2 cup (120g) whipping cream
2/3 cup (160g) whipping cream, chilled
1 tsp (4g) gelatin powder
1 tbsp +1 tsp (20ml) cold water
【White Chocolate Mousse】
5 oz (150g) white chocolate
1/2 cup (120g) whipping cream
2/3 cup (160g) whipping cream, chilled
1 tsp (4g) gelatin powder
1 tbsp +1 tsp (20ml) cold water
【For decorating (optional)】
Cocoa powder
Fresh berries
Chocolate pieces/curls

Steps

1. Prepare the crust. Place the Oreo cookies into the bowl of a food processor and crush until crumbs form. Add melted butter and process until evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of 8 inch mousse cake ring using the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until the first layer of mousse is prepared.
2. Prepare dark chocolate mousse. In a heat proof bowl add the semi-sweet chocolate and 1/2 cup whipping cream. Place the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water, over low heat, until all the chocolate is melted. Meanwhile dissolve gelatin in cold water and let it swell for about 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Place the gelatin over low heat just until the gelatin dissolves and pour it over the melted chocolate mixture. Let the chocolate mixture cool completely at room temperature.
4. Whip the remaining 2/3 cup chilled whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Add melted chocolate mixture and mix until well combined.
5. Pour the chocolate mousse over the crust and refrigerate for about 15-20 minutes to set slightly, until you prepare the next layer of chocolate mousse.
6. Repeat the same steps for preparing the milk and white chocolate mousse layers.
7. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.
8. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to remove the mousse cake ring.
9. Before serving dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder and decorate with fresh berries if desired.
 Add a white candy melt plate and write on it with melted chocolate. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
While I was at it, I also made a few extra 3" chocolate mousse cakes.

Camping: Box Oven Biscuit


This is a recipe learned from Girl Scout camping training class.

Supplies:

• Charcoal chimney
• Fire starter & matches
• Charcoal (should have already been started)
• Box oven (1-2 depending up size of group)
• Cookie sheets (1-2)
• 1-2 package of cookies/biscuits( 1 per person)

Steps

1. Start charcoal approx. 20+ briquettes using fire starter in Chimney
2. Set charcoal (10-12 briquettes spread out) in metal pan/cookie sheet of box oven. (with tongs).
3. Put cookies/biscuits on cookie sheet according to package directions.
4. Check 1/2 of cooking time. Adjust (add or subtract briquettes) & rest of cooking time depending upon weather, size of briquettes.
5. Serve warm.

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Coconut Ball with Egg Yolk (黄金椰丝球)

I had too many egg yolk left from making Swiss Meringue Buttercream. This is one of the ways to consume the egg yolk.

Ingredients

Fine shredded coconut - 2.5 cups
Butter - 1/2 cup
Cake flour - 1/2 cup + 1 TBSP
Sugar -  1/3 cup
Egg yolk - 3
Milk - 2 TBSP

Steps

1. Using stand mixer, beat butter with sugar until it is pale and fluffy.
2. Add egg yolk, one at a time
3. Add milk
4. Add shredded coconut
5. Sift in cake flour and mix at low speed just until no traces of flour remain; do not over beat.
6. Preheat over to 350°F.
7. Portion the dough into small balls, about 8 g each, then roll the balls in shredded coconut to coat them.
8. Bake 15-20 minutes until the balls turn golden.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Camping: Pocket Pizza

A dutch oven recipe our girl scout troop tried at out first Camporee. This can actually be made at home oven and used as simple school lunch.

Ingredients

6 pita breads
1 14oz. can pizza sauce
12 oz. grated cheese
1 7oz. pkg sliced pepperoni
optional: sliced black olives, mushrooms, pineapple chunks, diced peppers, ... (use precooked items since you are just heating it up)

Also required:
dutch oven or aluminum foil
campfire coals
long fire tongs

Steps

1. Cut each pita bread in half to form two pockets and spoon pizza sauce into pocket spreading it evenly.
2. Add 4 or 5 slices of pepperoni, 1 ounce of cheese, and other toppings. Don't over stuff it or it will tear.
3. Repeat to make a dozen pockets.
4. Stand the pockets up in the dutch oven.
5. Put lid on the dutch oven and Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Note: You can also make these directly in fire coals by wrapping each pocket in foil and placing in coals. Cook for a couple minutes, flip, and cook another two minutes.

Camping: One Pot Meal

This is a recipe learned from Girl Scout camping training class and tried at our troop's first Camporee.

Ingredients

4 lbs browned ground turkey
2 onions (chopped at home)
1 bell pepper (chopped at home)
3 cans of tomato soup
4-5 ans vegetable soup (prefer Progresso brand)
(Serve 16 adults)

Also required
Large pot
Propane stove

Steps

1. In the large pot, saute onion and bell pepper in butter, olive oil or Pam.
2. Add cooked turkey meat, tomato soup, vegetable soup, and heat.
3. Serve and enjoy

Camping: Fizzy Fruit Cobbler


This is a recipe learned from Girl Scout camping training class and tried at our troop's first Camporee.

Ingredients

1 can fruit pie filling
1 box cake mix
1 can soda
1 Tbsp. topping (optional)
Any combination of flavors that sound good to you can be tried. This example is apple, yellow cake, lemon lime, and cinnamon. Another might be cherry filling, chocolate cake, cola, and powdered sugar. Or, blueberry filling, white cake, grape soda, and cookie sprinkles.

Steps

1. Spread the fruit filling across the bottom of the dutch oven.

2. Sprinkle the cake mix on top of the filling do not stir it.
3. Pour a little more than 1/2 of the soda on top of the mix from a low height so it does not splatter all over.
4. With a fork, mix the soda into the cake mix, being careful not to mix it into the filling too much a little is okay.
5. When the cake mix is stirred, sprinkle topping on top. (optional)
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

This was a recipe from Cake Blog, with
modification since I do not have pumpkin spice milk. The cake was moist and tasted great. This was also the first time I made Swiss meringue buttercream. I Loved its silky texture and taste.

Ingredients

【Pumpkin Spice Cake】
3 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 and 1/2 cups pumpkin puree

【Swiss Meringue Buttercream】
6 egg whites
1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 and 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cubed, slightly softened
Pinch of salt
(I made two batches. One batch was to fill and frost the cake itself. The second batch was to pipe the buttercream flowers with extra left. Probably 1 and 1/2 batch would have been enough.)

Steps

【Make the Pumpkin Spice Cake】
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour three 8″ or 9" round pans. Line with parchment paper circles.
2. In large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high using the paddle attachment. Beat until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
4. With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg. Scrape down bowl as needed.
5. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Do not over mix. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
6. Mix in pumpkin puree.
7. Divide batter evenly between the three round pans.
8. Bake for 25-32 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
9. Let cool in pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

【Make the Pumpkin Spice Buttercream】
1. Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.
2. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water to create a double-boiler. Whisking constantly, heat the egg mixture until it registers 160°F on a candy thermometer. Carefully transfer the bowl onto the stand mixer.
3. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg white mixture on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes until the bowl is no longer warm to the touch and the meringue is fluffy, glossy and holds a stiff peak.
4. Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, slowly add cubed butter and mix until incorporated. If the buttercream appears soupy, try placing it in the refrigerator for about 10 to 15 minutes then mixing again.
5. Add Pumpkin Spice Milk. Continue mixing on low to med-low until silky and smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.

【Assemble and Serve】
Store in refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Translucent Salted Egg Custard Moon Cake (通透奶黄流心月饼)

This is this year's trendy style moon cake. It is complicated and time consuming, but delicious.

PART 1: Salted Egg Custard Filling

【Ingredients】
Egg - 3 (about 150g)
Milk Powder - 55g
Corn Starch - 55g
Sugar A - 80g
Sugar B - 32g
Evaporated Milk - 80 g
Coconut Milk - 75g
Butter - 30g
Salted Egg Yolk - 3 (if not cooked, spray with liquor and bake 10 minutes at 300°F)

【Steps】
1. In a mixing bowl, mix Sugar A and eggs, then sift in corn starch, milk powder; keep mixing until smooth.
2. Break the egg yolk into crumbs using a Ziploc bag and rolling pin.
3. In a small sauce pan, add evaporated milk, coconut milk, and sugar B, butter, cook at low heat until the butter is melt and the mixture is almost boiling.
3. Pour the egg barter in step 1 to sauce pan, then add the egg yolk crumbs. Keep stirring and cooking until the filling is sticky.
5. Put the filling in a Ziploc bag and knead it until it is more consistent.
6. Seal the Ziploc bag, and put in refrigerator.

PART 2: Molten Custard Filling

【Ingredients】
Evaporated Milk - 40g
Sugar - 15g
Coconut milk - 5g
Corn Starch - 2g
Gelatin powder - 2 g
Salted Egg Yolk - 1 (cooked)
【Steps】
1. Break the egg yolk into crumbs using a Ziploc bag and rolling pin.
2. Mix corn flour with coconut milk and put aside
3. Mix Gelatin powder  with 1 TBSP of evaporated milk and put aside
4. In a sauce pan, add evaporated milk and sugar, cook under low heat until boiling.
5. Add the corn flour mixture, egg yolk, and Gelatin powder in the sauce pan; cook until the mixture is well mixed, and can still flow.
6. Transfer filling to a Ziploc bag, seal it and put in freezer for 0.5 to 1 hour.
7. Take out the filling, knead it, and then portion it into 5 g balls (about 11 of them). Put the filling back to freezer until it is frozen firm, about 2 hours.

PART 3: Translucent Skin

【Ingredients】
Syrup - 35 g
Oil - 13 g
All-purpose Flour - 45 g
Lotus seed filling - 100 g
【Steps】
1. Mix the syrup and oil. If the mixture is well mixed, the liquid should flow at even speed when dripping from a spoon.
2. Sift in flour, knead into a dough.
3. Add lotus seed filling and knead the dough.
4. Put the dough in Ziploc bag, seal and store in refrigerator.

PART 4: Assembly

1. Weight out the salted egg yolk custard filling into approximately 25 g balls, (about 11 to match the number of molten custard fillings).
2. Wrap the frozen molten custard filling with the salted egg yolk filling. Cover and freeze the balls until it is firm, about 1 hour.
3. Partition the skin dough into 15-18 g balls to match the number of fillings. Wrap the filling in the skin. Then use 50 g moon cake mold to press in shape.
4. Cover the cakes and put in freezer for at least 4 hours. 

PART 5: Bake

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. (Could consider to bake at 390°F instead to see if the cake pattern can stay better)
2. Take cakes out of freezer, lightly spray with water; put in oven to bake for 10 minutes.
3. Adjust oven temperature to 325°F.
4. Take out the cake to brush with egg wash, then bake for another 10 minutes until the top is golden.
5. The cake is best consumed warm. If it is kept in refrigerator, you should bake or microwave it before serve.