Taste and See That The Lord Is Good

Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a beautiful retro cake that is usually prepared by lining the base of a cake pan with canned pineapple rounds and decorated with a glace cherry in the middle of each round,  After it is baked, you flip the cake up and you'll have golden brown caramelized pineapples on top of the sponge.
Joanne Chang, baker, owner and author of cookbook Flour, up the ante by caramelizing the pineapples first and adding the caramelized sauce with it. This makes the cake so moist and light. The cake is buttery with a crisp base, and the sweet caramelized taste make this one of the most delicious simple cake ever. This cake is also very easy to do, any beginner home bakers would have no problem baking this for the first time.
In Chinese word, Pineapple sounds like "Prosperity Arrives", an auspicious name that makes pineapple cake and pineapple tarts a favorite festive gift during Chinese New Year. This year, Chinese New Year falls on 10 February, bake one for your friends and family to enjoy!

Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Joanne Chang, Flour

Ingredients

1pineapple
13/4 cup (350 grams) sugar
1/2 cup (120 grams) water
6 tablespoons (86grams) softened unsalted butter, plus 1/2 cup(114 grams), melted and cooled
1 cup  (140g grams) unableached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 eggs, at room temperature
3 egg yolks,at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract



Method

• Using a serrated knife, peel, halve, and core the pineapple, then cut into 3/4 inch thick slices, cut the slices in half.
• Put 3/4 cup(150 g) of the sugar in the bottom of a medium saucepan. Add the water and gently swirl the pan to moisten the sugar; if necessary, poke your fingers around the bottom of the pan to make sure all of the sugar is moistened with water. Place the pan over high heat and leave it undisturbed until the contents come to a rolling boil. Then continue to boil rapidly without moving the pan until the sugar syrup starts to caramelize. This will take 3 to 4 minutes; the sugar syrup will boil furiously; then as it thickens, it will boil more languidly; and then you will see some of the syrup start to color and darken around the edge of the pan.

• When you see color in the pan, gently swirl the pan in a circular motion so the sugar caramelizes evenly, and then keep swirling gently until the caramel is a golden brown. Turn down the heat to low and whisk in the 6 tablespoons butter; be careful, as the caramel may sputter and steam. Carefully add the pineapple and stir until it is coated with the caramel. Don't worry if some of the caramel hardens; it will liquefy as it continues to cook. Turn up the heat to medium high and bring to boil. Then turn down the heat to medium low and simmer for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the pineapple turns golden brown. The pineapple will release juice and liquefy  the caramel. Using a fork, transfer the pineapple to a plate. Continue to boil the remaining liquid on medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until thick and syrupy.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350F(175C). Generously butter a 9 inch round cake pan.
• Add all of the pineapple and the caramel syrup to the prepared pan, arranging the pineapple in concentric circles and covering as much of the bottom of the pan as possible. Cut the pineapple quarters into smaller pieces to fill in any gaps, and double layer the pineapple if there is extra.

• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and the salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks until blended, then slowly whisk in the remaining 1 cup (200 g) sugar, vanilla, and the 1/2 cup melted butter. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture until well combined.
• Pour the batter evenly over the pineapple in the cake pan. Tap the pan gently on a countertop to get rid of any air bubbles in the batter and to make sure the batter fills in any crevices in the pineapple and settles into the bottom of the pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and springs back when pressed in the middle with a fingertip. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
• Place a serving plate upside down on top of the cake pan, then holding the pan and the plate tightly together, carefully invert them. Lift off the cake pan. If some of the pineapple sticks to the pan, remove it and replace it in its place on top of the cake. Let the cake cool for at least another 30 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.

The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. 

Note: I reduced the sugar to 130 grams for the batter.

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Discover the Hidden Christian Meaning in this Chinese Character. 


The word FU consists of 3 root words namely God, One family and a garden. This refers to the story of Adam and Eve. In the beginning, God placed Adam and Eve in a beautiful garden of Eden. God blesses them and they enjoyed close fellowship with God. This leads to true happiness.

God+One Family+Field/Garden=Happiness

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."    Psalm 34:8 

Heritage From the Lord

When these tarts were out of oven, they were unevenly colored and some egg custards were slightly over done. My oven is old and not working very well, and I am longing for a bigger built in oven with all the essential functions for baking and grilling. I am using a table top Belling oven for years and if I were to get a built in oven, I have to do a major kitchen makeover, something which I dread very much.
These egg tart shells are the cookie-like pastry type which is easier and faster to work with. The other type of tart shell is puff pastry which is more popular, I think.  Elder son tried one and said it's not a "WOW!" but it is not too bad, better than some store bought, I agree with him. I have tried another homemade recipe by a friend's sister and the tart shells are better than this. This friend's sister had learnt from a professional cooking school for pastry chefs. I hope she can share the recipe. Thank you Christine for your recipe. It is good but not "WOW!" or could it be the way I make them?  I blame my oven.



Cantonese Egg Tarts
Christine's Recipes
Makes about 14-16 egg tarts



Ingredients of Crust
225 gm plain flour
125 gm butter
55 gm icing sugar
1 egg, whisked
a dash of vanilla extract

Ingredients of custard
3 egg
110 gm caster sugar
225 gm hot water
85 gm evaporated milk
1/2 tsp[ vanilla extract

Method (making Crust)

• Place butter at room temperature until softened. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer over medium speed until the mixture is smooth, fluffy and light in color.
• Add in whisked egg, half at a time, beat over low speed. Add vanilla extract, mix well.
• Sift in flour in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions with a spatula, and make sure all ingredients combine well. Knead into dough.
• Roll out the dough to a 1/2 cm thickness. Cut dough with a cookie cutter that is just a bit smaller than your tart tin in size. Line dough in the middle of tart tins, one by one.Lightly press the dough with your thumbs, starting from the bottom then up to the sides. While pressing the dough, turn the tart tin clockwise/anti-clockwise in order to make an even tart shell. Trim away any excess dough.

Method (baking custard)

• Add sugar into hot water, mix until completely dissolved.
• Whisk egg with evaporated milk. Pour in sugar water. Mix well.
• Sift egg mixture to get rid of any foam into a tea pot. Carefully pour egg mixture into each tart shell.

Method (baking tarts)

• Preheat oven to 200C. Position rack in lower third of oven. Bake tarts for 10 to 15 minutes until the edges are lightly brown.
• Lower the heat to 180C. Keep an eye on them. Once you see the custard being puffed up a bit, pull the oven door open about 2 to 3 inches. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until the custard is cooked though. Just insert a toothpick into the custard. If it stands on its own, it's done.

Notes

• Placing tarts at the lower rack in oven could cook crusts easily before the egg custard being heated up too quickly. At the very last stage, pull the oven door open a few inches. This method is to avoid custard from being puffed up too high. The custard would collapse once they are cooled down otherwise.

Due to uneven heat distribution, some of the egg custard are slightly overcooked.

 Zaachaeus the Tax Collector- Luke 19

We had a fruitful Lead Teachers Meeting last Sunday. The SS coordinator started with a devotional study of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector- Luke 19. Despite being hated by people, Zacchaeus was treated differently by Jesus and our mission of teaching children can be effective by looking at how Zaachaeus was received by Jesus.

These are the 4 points:

1. Zacchaeus was singled out by Jesus. There was a crowd waiting for Jesus when he entered Jericho.
    Zacchaeus being a short man had to climb a sycamore tree to see what Jesus was like. But Jesus zeroed  
    right in on the short man in the tree.

    (Identify a child in her class)

2. Zaachaeus was called by his name. Jesus had never met him before, but Jesus called him by his name:

    (Make the child feel special)

3. Jesus wanted to spend time with Zaachaeus. He was surprised to hear that Jesus want to stay at his house
 
    (Spend your time with the child, pray for him)

4. Jesus affirmed his birth status. By inviting himself to the tax collector's home meant an offer of forgiveness,
    mercy, acceptance and love by God.

    (Identify any obstacles that obstruct child's spiritual growth)

"We want every child to feel known, loved  and significant and to have any obstacles to growth quickly identified and overcome."  Transforming Children Into Spiritual Champions.


'Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court."     Psalm 127:3-5

Call To Him In Faith

Another breakfast food prepared in the late evening for supper. Is it healthy to eat such food at late night?  Of course not! Let me assure you that I don't do this every often. Just want to share with you this wonderful easy peasy way of preparing breakfast egg dish. This humble dish looks so elegant that Martha Stewart  suggests serving for brunch or dinner.
This is so versatile cooking, you can prepare for one or more. You can flavor it with cheese, herbs and spices.  You can even change the side to sausage, ham, sliced mushrooms, capsicums,...the list goes on. How would you like your eggs done? Scrambled or Sunnyside Up?

Bacon, Eggs, and Toast Cup
Makes 6



Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
8 slices white or whole-wheat sandwich bread
6 slices bacon
6 large eggs
Coarse salt and ground pepper



Method

• Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly butter 6 standard muffin cups. With a rolling pin, flatten bread slices slightly and, with a 4 1/4 cookie cutter, cut into 8 rounds. Cut each round in half, then press 2 halves into each muffin cup, overlapping slightly and making sure bread comes up to edge of cup. Use extra bread to patch any gaps. Brush bread with remaining butter.

• In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium, until almost crisp,4 minutes, flipping once (it will continue to cook in the oven.) Lay 1 bacon slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until egg whites are just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts. Serve immediately.

Note: I cooked the bacon in a toaster and baked the eggs for 15 minutes. 

Sunday School

Jesus Heals A Man Born Blind  John 9

Today the children learnt about the miracle healing of a man born blind and how he was healed.  They also learnt of God's purpose of creating people in specific ways so that His work might be displayed. From this lesson, they learnt about trusting and faith in Jesus just like the blind man. They also learnt about people who live in spiritual darkness. Besides spiritual lesson, the children also learnt the importance of sight and the use of our other senses.

"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."
                                                                         Romans 10:13

What a beautiful verse! It gives us a glimpse into the heart of God. His grace and love for people of all kind.
All His riches, blessings and favour will be bestowed upon us if call to Him in faith.

This Is The Day the Lord Has Made

This is a simple presentation of Eggs Benedict.  Traditionally, Eggs Benedict is a breakfast dish that has poached eggs and ham on top of an English muffin, drizzled with a smooth Hollandaise sauce.  I didn't know my children like Eggs Benedict until recently, as we hardly have breakfast together at home or outside. The family leave for work and school at different times and breakfast is usually grab and go filled buns or cereal. If I prepare breakfast for the family, it will usually be scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms and toast.
 I made this breakfast dish not in the morning but in the late evening for my two sons as supper. It is my first time doing poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. It is not as daunting as some says, I did not encounter any broken egg yolks or split sauce. For the Hollandasie sauce, I have shortlisted two recipes, Delia Smith and Tyler Florence. I decided to use Tyler Florence's recipe because it looks more straight forward using hand whisking method over a double boiler, and his recipe has no white wine vinegar.  Most recipes call for vinegar in the sauce as well as in the poaching water to make the whites firmer and also to prevent them from dispersing. I omitted this step after reading in a forum that it is not necessary to add them. My eggs turned out fine.
Now that I can easily make Eggs Benedict at home, I will substitute ham for smoked salmon, or Eggs Royale as this is called.  I will serve this as weekend brunch with Arugula Salad,  Grilled Portobello Mushrooms, and Asparagus.

Hollandaise Sauce
Adapted from Tyler Florence,  Food Network


Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
50gm unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of cayenne(omitted. To serve, I used a pinch of paprika sprinkle on sauce)
Pinch of salt

Method

• Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume
• Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water or use a double boiler. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.

• Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in salt.

 Poached Eggs
 Adapted from WikiHow

• The pan must be shallow and wide, as the trick to poaching well without an egg poacher is to gently slip the egg into a wide, shallow pan filled with simmering water. The pan should be able to take about 1.5L of water, or 10cm depth of water. (I used a 20cm Daiso saucepan filled with 3/4 lightly salted water)
• If you like the eggs to set, add 5-10ml of white vinegar to the water. It's not essential but it improves the egg's appearance because the vinegar coagulates the egg white. (omitted)
• For best results, only poach one egg at a time. More than one egg risks merging into other eggs when cooking. 
• Crack an egg into a small bowl. Note that by cracking the eggs separately into a cup and not straight into the water, the cracked eggs have the chance to set back up into their little "protein cocoon".
• Turn down the gently boiling water to a simmer. Make sure that you do not drop the egg into boiling water as this toughen the eggs and make them unpalatable.
• Spin the simmering water to cool down the water before you drop in the single egg
• Carefully lower or drop the egg into the center of the barely simmering whirlpool. To help maintain the shape of the egg, swirl around it in a circular motion.
• Wait 3-5 minutes until cooked. You will know that the egg is cooked when the whites are set and yolks begin to thicken.
• Remove the poached eggs with a slotted spoon. if the edge isn't neat enough, trim with kitchen shears.
• (I placed poached eggs on paper napkins to absorb excess water)

Popular Variations: Eggs Royale, which substitutes salmon for the ham; Eggs Florentine, which has spinach instead of ham; and Eggs Blackstone, which comes with streaky bacon for the ham.

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."               Psalm 118:24

Gather In My Name

The family always rave about  Mozza's Chicken Liver Brushcette and the Calamari Al Forno whenever they talk about Italian food.  They also like Mozza's pizzas, especially the  Funghi misti, fontina, taleggio, thyme pizza and the Egg,bacon,Yukon gold potato, Bcippolini onions pizza.
Though the food is excellent, I find some are overpriced, especially the chicken liver brushette and the calamari al forno with fagioli , oregano. While I am still attempting to do a closer version of the calamari al forno, I manage to find a good chicken liver bruschette recipe that taste very much like Mozza's bruschette. Of course there is no way I can make the pizzas like them.

Chicken Liver Bruschette and Calamari Al Forno

Egg,bacon,Yukon potato and Bcippolini onions

Funghi Misti 

Mozza Chicken Liver Bruschette 
 Recipe Noelle Carter, LA Times

Ingredients
1 pound (450g) chicken livers
Coarse salt and finely ground pepper
3/4 cup best quality olive oil, divided, more as needed
2 ounces (60g) pancetta, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped'
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons capers (preferably salt-pack), rinsed and drained
1 lemon, zest finely grated, and 1 tablespoon juice



Method

• Clean the livers: Use a small knife to remove the connective veins from the chicken livers and discard the veins. Line a large plate with paper towels. Place the chicken livers on the paper towels and pat them with a wad of paper towels to get out the excess moisture. Season the livers very generously with salt and pepper, gently massaging in the seasoning with your hands.
• In a large saute pan heated over high heat until it is almost smoking, add one fourth cup olive oil. One by one, add the chicken livers. Adding one at a time prevents the pan from cooling too much, and it ensures you will have room for all of the livers because they shrink immediately when they hit the pan, allowing more to fit. Cook the livers until they're a deep brown, about 2 minutes on each side.

• Add the pancetta to the pan with the livers, reduce the heat to low, and continue to cook until the pancetta fat is rendered, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the brandy, shaking the pan to deglaze, and cook the brandy for about 30 seconds. remove the pan from heat.
• Dump the contents of the pan onto a large cutting board, making sure to get all the flavourful bits from the bottom of the pan. Pile the parsley, shallots, capers and lemon zest on top of the chicken livers and drizzle over it the lemon juice and one-fourth cup oil.

• Chop everything together coarsely with a large knife. Drizzle over another one-fourth cup oli ve oil and continue to chop, regathering the ingredients into a mould from time to time. Continue to chop until the livers are the consistency of coarse paste, almost pureed but with more texture. Add additional olive oil as needed; the livers should be moist and glistening but not so loose the pate won't stand up.

Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate before using. At Mozza, the pate is served as bruschette over crostini ( toasted bread brushed with a little olive oil and rubbed with garlic cloves ) and topped with guanciale; (unsmoked Italian bacon from the jowl of a hog) they also recommend serving it topped with pancetta or a sprig of parsley. The pate can be made up to a couple of days in advance; bring to room temperature before serving.

Note: For the crostini, I used plain baguette, sliced, drizzzle with olive oil and toast in hot oven 200C for 15 minutes. Rub in garlic and place half tablespoon of pate on each toast and garnish with Italian parsley. Makes about 35 small serving. The cost of making this is about S$12( US$9.75). The bruschette at Mozza is S18 (US$14.60) for 6 small servings

Teachers' Meeting

The Sunday school Lead Teachers will be having their meeting this coming Sunday.  The purpose of this meeting is to have an overall  plan for 2013 and how to reach out to Parents, Co-Teachers and Children.
Each of the Lead Teachers is to present her expected goals for her team and children

For my class, I have drawn a goal for the children to be able to recite any two bible verses anytime, anywhere. Most of them are able to recite John 3:16 only. They are also to recite The Ten Commandments in order.

As for my 3 co teachers who are unable to teach every week due to family and work commitments, I pray I can gather everyone to pray for one another and  for the class.  There is also a need to discuss individual needs and well being of each child.

'For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."          Matthew 18:20