Corn Bread

Have always been making sweet cakes and breads so decided to make a savoury one. Corn is also one of my son's favourite food so nothing is more suitable than a savoury corn bread.

Savoury corn bread with a dollop of butter.

Here is the recipe:

a. 30g melted butter and extra for greasing

b. 150g polenta

c. 150g plain flour

d. 2 teaspoons baking powder

e. 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

f. 25g sugar

g. 1 teaspoon salt

h. 2 eggs

i. 150ml milk

j. 150ml cultured buttermilk

Preheat oven to 220C. Grease a long loaf tin or any mould of your choice.
1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, remove immediately from the heat.
2. Put the polenta, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
3. Mix all the dry ingredients together and make a well in the centre.
4. Break the eggs into the well and mix in gently using a wooden spoon.
5. Add the milk and buttermilk. Mix well until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
6. Pour in the melted butter and mix again until everything is evenly blended.
7. Pour the mixture into the tin. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
8. When the top is golden brown, remove the cake from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool for 5 - 10 minutes.
9. Best eat warm with a dollop of butter. Can also be eat as an accompaniment to savoury dishes (soup or vegetable dishes).

Need to honest and say that its easier to make sweet cakes than savoury cakes and I will stick to making sweet cakes next time to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Note: It's extremely difficult to find cultured buttermilk in Malaysia, as a substitute, use 200 ml milk and add in 15 ml of lemon juice, stir and let it stand for 5 minutes before using.

Coming soon

These are the new items that I would be bringing in within the next 2 - 3 weeks. They are not uploaded on The Kitty Store yet, any enquiries please email me at sales@kittystore.biz. For pre order, you will get 10% discount. Please pre-order before 9th April 2010. Thanks.

Hello Kitty Donut Maker (RM 220)

 

Hello Kitty Meal Tray with Cover = 25 x 21.5 cm (RM71) 

 Hello Kitty Magnet with Holder Compartment (RM 44)

 Hello Kitty Sushi Making Set (3 rice moulds, 2 puncher and 1 stencil / cutter) (RM 110)

 Hello Kitty Puncher Set (RM 70)

 Hello Kitty Gift Pack = Silicon Mould, Bowl, Cup and Whisk (RM 165)

 Hello Kitty Waffle Maker (RM 165)

Mickey Mouse Gift Pack = Silicon Mould, Bowl, Cup and Whisk (RM 165)

Winnie the Pooh and Friends Silicon Chocolate Mould (RM 55)

Traditional Butter Cake

It's really not easy to make a great butter cake and after trying it yesterday I would definately say that it's harder than the cakes I make normally bake. Here is the recipe for the butter cake:

a. 450g unsalted butter (softened)

b. 450g caster sugar

c. 12 eggs, separated

d. 60ml milk

e. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

f. 1 1/2 teaspoon salt sifted together with

g. 450g cake flour

h. 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 170C. Grease the moulds. I used various sizes of the Mickey Mouse Silicon Mould (small, medium and large) as well as Hello Kitty and Winnie the Pooh Silicon Mould (medium).

1. Cream the butter in a mixer on medium speed until butter becomes pale and light.

2. Set aside 1 tablespoon (about 15ml) of sugar and add the rest of the sugar into the creamed butter mixture. Continue to cream for another 2 minutes or so.

3. With the mixer still on medium speed, add the separated egg yolks, 2 at a time and waiting about 20 seconds between each addition.

4. Add the milk and vanilla essence and mix well. (Mix using a spatula and not the mixer)

5. Fold in the sifted floor. Add in batches as it will be difficult to fold if you put all the floor in at one go.

6. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until slightly frothy. Add the lemon juice and slowly drizzle in the sugar that was put aside earlier. Whisk until mixture forms soft peaks. (You can test with your finger).

7. Using a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour the batter into the greased moulds and smooth the top with a spatula.

8. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and the top of the cake splits slightly. A cake skewer stuck into the cake should come out clean.

9. Place mould on a wire rack and leave to cool for 30 minutes before unmoulding. ENJOY!

NOTES:

a. Always read the recipes a few times to truly understand the steps and mentally visualized the steps.

b. The ingridients will make a big cake but I did not halved it as I am not sure whether the outcome would be the same. Therefore be prepared to share your cake with others.

c. Use a big mixer bowl as the ingridients will keep increasing and you will not have extra space for mixing manually.

d. I use the children medicine spoon (with 2.5ml and 5ml indications) to measure items that requires teaspoon (5 ml) and tablespoon (15 ml).

e. Invest in a good silicon spatula and egg separated, they will come in handy when you need it.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

My husband loves cheesecake so I attempted to make this and it turned out wonderfully (with some of his help).

For the base:
a. 125g digestive biscuits (I used McVites)
b. 75g butter
c. 40g sugar

For the Topping:
a. 400g cream cheese
b. 200g sugar
c. 200g mascarpone cheese
d. 3 eggs + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 150C. Put a shelf in the centre with a second just below and place a shallow dish or deep plate on this lower shelf.

1. Whiz the biscuits for 30 - 60 seconds in a food processor. You can also use your hand to crumb the biscuits.
2. Melt the butter (for the base) in a small saucepan and remove from the heat.
3. Mix the sugar with the biscuits crumbs in a bowl.
4. Pour the melted butter on top and mix together with a fork.
5. Spread this mixture in the base of a 20cm springform cake tin.
6. Firm the crumbs the refrigerate the tin for 10 minutes.
7. Put the cream cheese with the sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Mix for 1 minute until the mixture is softened.
8. Add the mascarpone and mix again for 20 seconds. Remove the lid and scrape down the sides with a flexible spatula.
9. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next. Scrape down the sides again then add the vanilla extract and mix briefly.
10. Remove the tin from the fridge and pour the cream mixture over the biscuit base.
11. Fill the shallow dish or bowl on the lower oven shelf with very hot water. Transfer the cheesecake to the upper shelf of the oven. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the middle of the cheesecake is no longer runny.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Once cool, cover with cling film and allow to set in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving. It will reach its ideal consistency after 12 hours.

Your chance to order future items now!

Hi there, these 5 cute items will be released in mid Aug to early Sept. All items are genuine and direct from Japan.

Hello Kitty Salt, Pepper & Soya Sauce Set with Tray. (Available in Red or Yellow).

Hello Kitty Teapot Set. Available in 2 different sizes.

Hello Kitty 8 Compartment Spice Rack. Available in Red or Yellow.

Hello Kitty Mini Frying Pan. Available in Red or Yellow.

Hello Kitty Chopping Board. Available in Pink or Yellow.

Please let me know via email at sales@kittystore.biz if you would like to pre-order it. Each item is RM 90 excluding postage and there is a deposit of RM 30 for each item. Deposit is non-refundable but if product was not delivered due to my error or due to non-availability, deposit would be refunded.

Please let me know before Wed - 10th March 2010 if you are interesed. Thanks

Kitty Wishes,

Mel

Chocolate Fondant

It was my first time making chocolate fondants yesterday and the result was not exactly anything to shout about. The centre was too cooked and therefore not watery like it should be. Nevertheless it was till yummy and I also put whipped cream on top of it to make it even more delicious.

I know that it does not look nice at all but the smell was enough to make me want to put it into my mouth and I was not dissappointed, being the chocolate lover and all.

Here is the recipe for my chocolate fondant:

1. 125g butter

2. 125g chocolate

3. 4 large eggs

4. 125g sugar (110g should be enough if you do not want it to be too sweet)

5. 50g self raising flour, shifted

a. Preheat oven to 180C.

b. Cut the butter into pieces and put into a small saucepan. Break the chocolate into pieces and place on top of the butter.

c. Put over a low heat and stir with a flexible spatula as soon as the butter starts to melt.

d. As soon as the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat.

e. Break the eggs into a bowl with a pouring lip and beat with the sugar until you have a smooth mixture (about 10 seconds). Make sure the bowl is big enough as you will need to add in the chocolate and butter mixture later.

f. Pour the melted chocolate over the eggs and mix as lightly as possible using a ballon whisk.

g. Add the flour in 3 lots, mixing with a flexible spatula between each addtion. (You will need to be very careful otherwise the flour will not mix well with the mixture).

h. Use the mixture to fill 4 ramekins (about 7 cm in diameter with 5cm tall). Transfer into the over for 15 -  18 minutes.

Note:- Shake one ramekin while still in the oven, the centre should barely wobble. Note that the cooking time will depend on the size and thickness of your dishes.

Tip:-This dessert can be prepared in advance. Cover each filled ramekin with cling film and place in the fridge until you are ready to cook. Remove the cling film and bake for 17 - 20 minutes straight from the fridge.

Breadful day

Made these with the kids last week and only had time to post it now. It was a loaf of bread, a few cutters, 2 chopping board and loads of laughter.

Hello Kitty Cutters (Medium & Small)

Mickey Mouse Cutters (Small)

Tomica Cutters (Small)

One big happy bread family.