Rainbow Jello Mold

I was browsing pinterest and saw this beautiful desert and just could not resist it.

Ingredients

3 oz. package of gelatin - 7 packages

1 purple 

1 blue 

1 green 

1 yellow 

1 orange 

2 red 

Vanilla yogurt - 1.5 cup 

Boiling water  - 8¾ cup 

Steps

1. Dump your gelatin powder into 6 individual containers. 

2. Stir 1¼ cups boiling water into each flavor (2½ cups for the red). Stir each until gelatin is completely dissolved.

3.Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray, this will help the Jello mold release easily once it is set. Add ¾ cup of your purple gelatin into the pan and then place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Make sure you set a timer for each layer as knowing when to add the next layer is very critical. You must chill each layer long enough to partially set, but not too long otherwise the next layer will not adhere. 

4. Take the remaining purple gelatin and add 1½ Tablespoons of the yogurt and stir until completely dissolved. Make sure there are no yogurt lumps left.

5. Once your timer goes off, test the gelatin in the pan to make sure it is set enough to take the next layer. You will test this by lightly touching the jello with a finger tip and lifting up right away. The jello should stick to your finger (not liquid) and leave a slight impression in the jello. If you have that, then you are ready to add your next layer. Now you want to add your yogurt mixture. With a spoon very GENTLY and SLOWLY add your yogurt mixture to the set jello layer. Make sure your spoon is nice and low when you are adding the yogurt mixture. This will ensure you don't break through the bottom layer when you pour it in. Place back into the refrigerator for another 15 minutes. 

6. Complete this same process with the rest of your colors. Red will be your last layer, which will be a double layer. Use 1½ cups of the liquid jello for the clear layer and 1 cup mixed with 5 Tablespoons yogurt for the creamy layer. Your cooling time will lessen with each layer added as the cooler the jello gets, the less time it takes to set. Also, each layer gets thinner and thinner so will chill quicker. So each layer might not take the entire 15 minutes. 

7. When you are ready to release the mold, simply fill your sink with warm (not hot) water. The water should cover the majority of the bundt pan, but should not come all the way to the top. You do not want any water to get into the jello mold. Let your mold sit in the warm water for about 10-15 seconds. You will see the side of the jello get a little shiny and liquefy slightly. That is a good sign that the jello has separated from the mold. Once you see that, take your mold out of the water and dry off the pan. Take the plate that you will be serving the jello on (should be flat and at least 2-3 inches wider than your mold) and sprinkle a couple drops of water around where the jello will be touching the plate. This will allow the jello to adjust and spread a little once it is released. Now place the lightly moistened plate over the jello mold. With a good grip on the mold and plate, flip the plate and mold over. Slowly lift your mold and the jello should release easily. If any water has accumulated on the plate around the jello, simply take a paper towel and wipe until clean and dry. 

8. Keep refrigerated.

Egg Yolk Cookie(蛋黄饼干)

This is a recipe to copycat a classic cookie from old days. It is my way of getting rid of extra egg yolks from Macarons.

Ingredients:

Egg yolk - 2
Egg - 1
Cake flour - 90g
Sugar - 50g
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 340°F.
2. Sift together baking powder with flour.
3. Use stand mixer to beat egg yolk, egg, and sugar. Add sugar in batches.

4. Add flour mixture into egg barter and mix.

5. Put egg and flour barter into piping bag and pipe small discs on cookie sheets.

6. Bake for 15 minutes or until cookies turns golden brown. Cool the cookies on a cooking rack.

Funfetti Cake

This is a fluffy white funfetti cake made from completely scratch. This cake is moist and sweet, a typical white cake that is too sweet for my taste. But it is certainly a good candidate to use inside a fondant cake since it can hold the fondant better than the Chiffon cake I like.

Ingredients

Cake
Unsalted butter - 9 TBSP  softened to room temperature
Sugar - 3 cups
Vegetable oil - 1 cup
Vanilla extract - 4 tsp
All-purpose flour - 4 cups+ 2 Tbsp
Baking powder - 4 and 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 and 1/2 cup
Egg whites - 9 at room temperature preferred
Sprinkles - 1/2 cup

Buttercream 
Unsalted butter - 1 lb  softened to room temperature
Shortening - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Powdered sugar - 6 cups
Heavy cream - 6 Tbsp
Vanilla extract - 2 tsp
* Depends on the number of layers and decoration, you may want to increase the buttercream. I used 1.5 of the receipt because I have to mix multiple color creams.

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare three 8-inch round cake pans (I used two 9" cake pans) by generously greasing and flouring. Be sure to shake out excess flour.
2. In stand mixer, beat butter on medium-low speed until creamy. Add sugar and oil and beat until all ingredients are well-combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then stir in your vanilla.
3. In separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. With mixer on medium speed, gradually alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir until each one is almost completely combined before adding the next. Pause occasionally to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.

5. In separate bowl, combine your egg whites and, with a hand-mixer on high-speed, beat until stiff peaks form.
6. Using a spatula, gently fold your egg whites and sprinkles into your batter. Take care to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that ingredients are well-combined, and take care not to over-mix.

7. Evenly divide cake batter into prepared pans.

8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean or with few crumbs (should not be wet). For best results, rotate your cake pans halfway through baking to ensure even baking. This cake may also be made in 3 9" pans, just decrease the baking time. Start checking the cakes for done-ness at 25 minutes.
9. Cakes will be a light golden brown when done baking. Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Run a butter knife around the inside rim of each pan and invert each onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting

1. In stand mixer, beat butter and shortening on medium-speed until creamy.
2. Add salt and beat again for about 20 seconds.
3. Gradually, about 1 cup at a time, add powdered sugar, waiting until each cup is completely mixed before adding the next cup.
4. One Tbsp at a time, add the heavy cream on medium-high speed, waiting until each addition is well-combined before adding the next 2 Tbsp.
5. Add flavoring (vanilla extract or emulsion). and stir on medium-high for 30 seconds.
6. Transfer one layer of your cooled cake to serving platter. Use frosting to ice the top. Add the next layer, ice the top of that. Add your third layer on top and ice the top, and then do a thin "crumb coating" around the entire cake.
7. Transfer to freezer for 10-15 minutes, then remove and apply a clean, thick coat of frosting around the entire cake.

Purple Yam Wagashi

Using purple yam filling left from Purple Yam Zongzi, white bean paste I brought back from Japan, to test out my new Wagashi mold from Japan.

Purple Yam ZongZi(水晶粽子)

Zongzi is a traditional Chinese food made to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. It is made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. The filling varies from region to region, and the way to wrap it also varies. This is a spin off  desert version which tapioca is used instead of glutinous rice so that the end result is a semi-translucent, chewy desert.

Ingredients:

Tapioca
Reed leaves
purple yam 4-5 medium
Sugar
Optional: Black sesame (Roasted and grounded)

Steps:

1. Peel and steam purple yam. Then blend the purple yam and sugar to your taste. Optional, you can add some roasted black sesame powder.

2. Soak leaves in water overnight. Drain all water and rinse off leaves. Cut the end stem off.
3. Immerse leaves in boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. Then drain off water. The leaves are now ready to use.
4. Rinse Tapioca (no soaking). Mix in some sugar.

5. There are few different ways to wrap Zongzi. Just search "Zongzi" on YouTube. I basically followed YouTube to make those.

6. Steam Zongzi for 1 hour. Unwrap and serve.

You can store Zongzi in refridgerator. Just steam it again for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nama Chocolate (ROYCE' Copycat Recipe)

This is adapted from Just One Cookbook. A copycat to the Japanese Royce Nama Chocolate.

Ingredients

Good quality dark chocolate (70% cacao) - 14 oz (400 g)
Heavy whipping cream (38% fat) - 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp (200 ml)
Cocoa powder (to dust the chocolate)
Optional: liqueur of your choice - 1 TBSP

Steps

1. Chop the chocolate into smaller pieces using a knife so that they will melt faster and more evenly.
2. Line an 8" x 8" baking dish (I used a 21cm x 21cm pan) with parchment paper. Choosing the right size tray is important for the
height of chocolate (If you use a bigger tray, the chocolate will be flatter).

3. Add the heavy cream into a small saucepan and bring it to ALMOST boil over medium heat. Keep an eye on the cream; when you see small bubbles around the saucepan, remove from the heat.
4. Add the chocolate and stir till the chocolate and cream are completely combined. If you like, add liqueur of your choice.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes.

6. Remove the chocolate from the baking dish and cut it into cubes using a warm knife. Make sure to warm the knife after each cutting to prevent splintering. Run the knife under hot running water and dry completely before each cut.

8. Sprinkle the cocoa powder and serve it chilled. You can keep in the refrigerator for 2-3
days.

Recipe Notes

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE MAKING!

• Make sure the bowls and utensils you are using are perfectly dry. Even a small amount of water/steam can "seize" the chocolate melting process.
• The ratio of heavy whipping cream (ml) and chocolate (gram) should be 1:2. Please do not replace chocolate with white chocolate for this recipe. The ratio is not the same.

Matcha and White Chocolate Cookie (绿茶饼干)

Recipe is adapted from A Food Lover's Journey.

Ingredients

All purpose flour - 4 cups
Matcha green tea powder - 5 TBSP
Unsalted butter - 1.5 cups (softened under room temperature)
Powder sugar - 2 cups

Salt - pinch

Large egg yolks - 4
White chocolate chips -1/2 cup

To make about 4 dozen cookies.

Steps

1. Combine flour and green tea powder in a large bowl and sift it.

2. In a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
3. Add a pinch of salt and blend.
4. Add powder sugar and blend until soft and light. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
5. Add egg yolks and mix well until combined.

6. Gradually add the flour and matcha green tea powder mix and blend until the dough is smooth.
7. Add white chocolate chips and blend well.

8. divide and shape the dough into rolls or fit into cookie dough mold.

9. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours (or overnight).

10. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking liner.
11. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap, and with a sharp knife, slice the dough into ⅓ inches. Place them on the baking sheet, leaving about 1” between cookies.

12. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes, or until the edge of the cookies starts to get slightly golden brown.
13. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes; then carefully transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.

If you pack the cookies in an airtight container, they will keep for at least 4 days. You can also freeze the unbaked logs of dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 2 months. Let sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before cutting and baking. Do not let the dough fully defrost.