Pina Colada Tart

Last year, my workmate brought some homemade Samoan pineapple pie which was made by her mother, she asked me to try it, honestly, it was love at first bite!!! the pineapple custard filling melted in my mouth. I was thinking about her today and it remind me of that beautiful pie. Today I will make my own version but I'm not dare to call it Samoan's pie, anyway I think Pina Colada is a perfect name for my tart today. I added coconut in the shortcrust pastry, you can add sugar but I prefer salty shortcrust to balance with the taste of the tart filling. I decorated with pineapple flowers. See how to make pineapple flower

 

Ingredients
Coconut Shortcrust Pastry
200 g. plain flour
50 g. fine desiccated coconut
100 g. butter
2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
2 tbs cold milk or cold water

Pineapple Custard Filling
1/2 cup can of chopped or crushed pineapple with syrup or juice 
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbs plain flour
150 ml milk
lime juice from 1/2 lime
2 egg yolks
knob of butter

whipped cream
100 ml heavy whipping cream
1 tbs icing sugar
1 tbs Malibu (optional)

you also need roughly chopped peanuts 

Directions
Preheat oven to 180C.

Place the flour, salt, desiccated coconut & butter in the bowl of the food processor and mix until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs then add egg yolk and milk then mix until the dough just comes together. Lightly knead then wrap with plastic and refrigerate for 30 mins. 

Roll pastry, using the rolling pin, on the lightly floured surface to about 3 mm. thick.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles slightly larger the the opening in the mould and place in mould making sure of a snug fit. Next prick the centre of each mould with a fork several times. Bake for approximately 15 mins.

Meanwhile, make the filling by beat the egg yolks in the bowl and set aside. Combine pineapple, sugar, flour, lime juice & milk into the sauce pan, stir until flour dissolves then turn the heat to low, keep stirring until mixture becomes thick, then spoon some of the mixture into the bowl of egg yolks and stir then pour it back to the sauce pan, stirring at all times until the mixture becomes a thick custard, remove from the heat. Add butter and stir.

Remove the shortcrust pastry from the oven when it's cooked & pour the filling in then refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Whip cream, Malibu and icing sugar together in the chilled bowl until medium to firm peaks, spread whipped cream on top of the custard. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Enjoy

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Apple Rose Tart

I have modified this gorgeous recipe slightly for my own taste from tikkido.com of this beautiful and simple apple tart, I'm using a muffin mould to make for individual serves.

Ingredients

2-3 apple I prefer red

1 cup sugar

water 1/2 cup

vanilla paste 1 tsp

knob of butter

1 tsp salt

You also need

2 tbs ground cinnamon + 1/2 cup sugar + lemon juice from 1 lemon

for sprinkle on apples

Directions

Preheat oven to 175C.

Bring sugar & water to the boil using medium to high heat stirring constantly in a saucepan until sugar dissolves completely, turn the heat to low then add in vanilla paste and salt. Simmer for 3-5 mins, remove from the heat, add knob of butter and stir.

Use a cookie cutter to cut out circles slightly larger the the opening in the muffin mould and place in mould making sure of a snug fit. Next prick the centre of each mould with a fork several times.

Pour 2-3 tbs of syrup into the short crust pastry.

Slice apples very thinly, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice.

Place the apple slices into the muffin moulds to form the shape of a rose.

Bake for 20 mins or until the pastry is cooked though.

Sprinkle with icing sugar

I love to serve with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy baking and happy Valentine's day

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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Have you ever been in love at first sight? I do.

The first time I saw these lovely cookies from Cooking Classy's Blog I told myself that I'm gonna make them. It's so easy you can't make a mistake for this recipe, I made them for my workmates last Christmas because it's red, good for Christmas time and also Valentine's day.

Ingredients

3 cups plain flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

180 g. unsalted butter, softened

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tbsp milk

2 tsp vanilla paste

2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

5 tsp red food liquid coloring

1 cup white or milk chocolate chips

powdered sugar for roll cookie dough

Yield : about 25-30

Directions

Preheat oven to 175C

Mix dry ingredients together(flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt,granulated sugar), set aside.

In mixing bowl, with electric mixer with the paddle attachment on hight speed, mix butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy add in eggs one at a time then add lemon juice, vanilla paste, liquid food coloring, milk, mix well.

Reduce the mixer on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients and chocolate chips in, mix to combine, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put into the fridge for 1-2 hour.

In the large bowl, pour powdered sugar in then roll the cookie dough into ball shape then roll into the powdered bowl.

Transfer to parchment paper, bake for 8-15 mins depends on your oven, you will see the lovely crackle on the surface of cookies.

Transfer to cooling rank until they completely cool, store them in an airtight container.

So cute isn't it.

It's crisp at the outside and soft inside, after I leave them in the fridge and I had them in the next day, I found out that they're taste much better, more crisp and chewy inside. 

Hope you'll like them as I do.....Enjoy.

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Brownie Cookies

Yes, I am a sweet tooth, yes I am a chocoholic and yes I am a baking addicted. 

Ingredients

1/4 cup plain flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

30 g. butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

200 g. dark chocolate (semi sweet or bitter sweet)

2 tbs vanilla paste 

1 tsp salt

You also need

2 cup nuts(I'm using hazelnuts,almonds,pecans) roasted and roughly chopped

170 g. dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 175 C.

Yield : about 25-30

Directions

Melt butter and 200 grams of dark chocolate together in microwave,  I usually put for 1 min in microwave for the first time then take out and stir well, if still lumpy in the chocolate put back in microwave for no more than 10 sec. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine eggs, sugar and salt together with the whisk until completely combined, then add melted chocolate and mix, once mixed add the plain flour.

Add nuts and 170 grams of the chopped chocolate and mix well.

Cover the bowl with plastic rap and put in the fridge for 10 mins, spoon the mixture on to the tray and bake for 10 mins.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes then transfer to cooling rack for a further 20 minutes or until completely cool then place in a air tight container until ready to eat.

Enjoy baking

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Rose Petal Jam

Home made rose petal jam, make your own gift for special person.

Most of the roses are edible but I prefer to use red, pink or white to make jam, pick in the early morning for stronger perfume, I really adored this aromatic jam to have with toast, scone or put some in yoghurt.  

Ingredients
rose petals from 10-20 roses
3 cups sugar
2 cups water 
2 tablespoons rose water
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 2 lemons
5 tablespoons powdered pectin

Clean rose petal and use scissors cut them into a small piece.

In the pot, combine water, salt, rose petals and sugar together, bring to boil with medium heat, stirring constantly, then simmer for about 20 mins or until rose petals are become soft and translucent.

Add lemon juice to bring out the colour and the taste and as we know, lemons are very hight in pectin to help jam to set.

To prepare the pectin, put powdered pectin in the small bowl, add 10 tablespoons of water, wait for few mins until pectin soaked up the liquid then put in microwave for 30 sec or until it melt.

Add pectin into the pot, bring to boil for 5-10 mins or longer for thicker consistancy, stir occasionally then add rose water, and then taste for sweetness, adjust if needed.

How to know that jam is reach to the setting point? I use a saucer or a small plate, put in the freezer for couple mins until it chill then put a small dollop of jam into the cold saucer then return into the freezer for 2-3 mins, touch to feel the jam with the tip of your finger, if it  has form a surface that wrinkle, it's ready, if it still runny liquid and your finger run right through it means not quite ready yet, you might have to cook for a bit longer.

Leave the jam to settle of the heat for 15 mins before pour into the jar to prevent the rose petal rising to the surface then pour into sterilised jar while jam still warm.

I made some from pink-yellow roses and look what I've got!!! yellow jam, marmalade-like.

I did put jam into the jars and decorated for Christmas gifts last year, but you can make as a gift for other occasion, like this Valentine's day.

Enjoy

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