Therefore Welcome One Another

(Sound of knocking on door) (Spoken) Come in, well, well, well, look who's here. I haven't seen you in many years.
If I knew you were coming, I'd 've baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake. A 50s song by Eileen Barton.






What cake would I be baking? It would be these Apricot Almond Squares. They're just perfect for you.  Delicious looking cakes with apricot and almond flakes. Don't they look like the sun peeking through the clouds? Buttery and crumbly moist and soft, I would served them warm with a cup of tea.

Now, if you have guests coming and want to bake a cake,  won't you bake these apricot almond squares too? Here's the recipe

Apricot Tray Bakes
adapted from happyhomebaking
makes nine 6cm squares, 6 inch square pan


Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
30g caster sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg whites
60g caster sugar

80g cake flour
40g+30g ground almond
9 apricot halves, canned apricots
almond flakes


Method

• Wash the canned apricots to remove the syrup,drain,pat dry with paper towel and set aside.
• Place butter in a mixing bowl,beat with a wooden spoon or a balloon whisk till smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until the mixture turns pale, light and fluffy.
• Gradually add in the egg yolks( a teaspoon at a time), whisking after each addition.
• Add in the vanilla extract, whisk to continue. Set aside.
• In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites with a handheld electric mixer on low speed until mixture becomes frothy and foamy.Add half of the sugar and turn to high speed and beat until egg whites reaches the soft peak stage. The soft peak stage is reached the peaks of the whites curl over and droop slightly. The egg whites should appear smooth and glossy.
• Add the beaten egg whites into the butter and egg yolk batter in 2 separate additions, each time folding gently with a spatula until just blended.
• Sieve over the flour and 40g of ground almond. Fold with the spatula until just combined. Spoon half of the batter into a 18cm square pan (lined with parchment paper). Spread and smooth out the batter evenly. Arrange the apricots, cut side down.
• Add 30g of ground almond into the remaining batter. Fold with a spatula until combined. Place batter into a piping bag. Snip off the tip of the piping bag and pipe the batter horizontally and vertically along the edges of the pan and in between the apricots. Sprinkle almond flakes on the surface of the piped batter.
• Bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 30-35 mins or until the surface turns golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. 
• Remove from oven, leave to cool for about 5 minutes. Unmould and transfer to wire rack, leave to cool completely.

Note: I beat egg white first, then using the same whisk, beat the butter and sugar in another bowl.
          I divide the batter into 3/4 for spreading and 1/4 for piping. To make 20 slices, I bake in 9 inch
          square pan using one and half of the ingredients.

Church Open House

A way to introduce the church to the community and establish bridges to people around the church.

Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:7

God called the light Day

Poaching eggs is so fuss free and neat. If you have mastered the know how, you would be like me, have poached eggs for every breakfast.

For this breakfast idea, blanched asparagus for a few seconds in boiling water, remove and soak in cold water to cool. Add sweet cherry tomatoes, sliced avocados and store bought smoked salmon slices. Place poached egg, and black pepper to serve. Healthy gourmet looking breakfast done in 10 minutes.

Jamie Oliver has put up a Perfect Poached Eggs video and I like his lively presentation, clear and easy instructions. In the video, he shows three ways of poaching eggs. My poached egg is done using the first method.

Healthy breakfast goes with a healthy shake. This has two avocados flesh, a spoonful of Milo powder, a spoonful of gula melaka crumbs and a cup of low fat milk.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Genesis 1:5

Be Patient

Everyday we learn new things. Nothing is frivolous. Today I learn something about maple syrup and the differences between pies and tarts. I learn maple syrup is graded according to the Canada, United States, or Vermont scales based on its density and translucency.

I have always buy pure maple syrup for pancakes but have never known its grading and colour. There are also not much choices to buy here. The most popular brand is Macdonald's maple syrup which is labelled as 100% Pure Grade A, dark amber. Pure maple syrup is not cheap and once you have tried pure maple syrup on waffles and pancakes, you will never go for the flavoured ones.

The maple syrup which I am using for this Maple Nut Pie was bought from Australia. I was looking for its grade but couldn't find any. It is simply labelled as original Canadian maple syrup. I suspect the syrup is adulterated with corn syrup though it is very dark with a rich maple flavour. This is a typical Grade B which is used primarily for cooking and baking.

Is there a difference between a pie and a tart? Yes, there is. They are like close cousins with distinct differences.
 A pie is a sweet or savory dish with a crust and a filling. According to thekitchn.com, the sides of a pie dish or pan are sloped. It can have just a bottom, a top or both a bottom and a top crust. Pies are served straight from the dish in which were baked.

A tart is a sweet or savory dish with shallow sides and only a bottom rust. Tart crusts are usually made from pastry dough traditionally flour, unsalted butter, cold water, and sometimes sugar. Tarts are baked in a pan with a removable bottom, or in pastry ring on top of a baking sheet so that it be unmolded before serving.

Well, my Maple Nut Pie obviously has the tart look. I used a removable base tart tin, and I hope it is acceptable in Bake Along. I do not have a pie dish but I followed the recipe closely. I adapted the recipe from Lena of Frozen Wing, I thought her Maple Nut Pie looks fantastic. I just love her rustic looking pie.


Maple Nut Pie
Williams Sonoma Baking Book
half of the original recipe, makes two 12cm pie

Pastry Dough

Ingredients

200gm plain flour
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
63 cold butter, cut into cubes
3 tbsp ice water

Method

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, salt and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse 5-6 times until the mixture of texture of coarse meal with butter pieces are larger than small peas.
• Add 3 tbsps of water, pulsing once after each addition and adding just enough to make crumbly dough, it will not hold together on its own but when gathered into ball with your hands. Add more water if necessary, 1 tbsp at at time.( I mixed the dough by hand)
• Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface, roll into a ball and flatten into a disk with a few gentle taps of the rolling pin. Lift the dough and give it a quarter turn and roll out. Continue to turn and roll out to a wider circumference than your pan. 
• Transfer the dough to the pie dish or tin, trim the edge of the dough round, leaving about 2 cm overhang. Fold the overhang under itself and pinch it together to create a high edge decoratively and freeze the pie shell until firm, about 30 minutes. 
• Lay a foil paper and put in some pie weights or raw rice and partially bake the pie shell on a preheated oven at 190C for about 20 minutes. Remove the beans and further bake for another 10 minutes until the shell is pale gold.
• Remove from oven. While the shell is baking, can proceed to make the filling.

Filling (for one 12cm tart tin)

1 cup maple syrup (half cup)

1 large egg, lightly beaten (1 small egg)

2 tbsp brown sugar

pinch of salt

1 tsp unsalted butter,melted

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

90gm pecans, coarsely chopped ( top pie with nuts, 50gms)

Method

• In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring the maple syrup to a boil and boil for about 4-5 minutes to reduce by about one fourth. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl or measuring pitcher. The syrup should reduced to about 3/4 cup(1/4) or a little less. If necessary, return to boil until the syrup is sufficiently reduced. Let cool down for a while before proceeding.
• In a bowl, stir together the eggs, sugar, reduced maple syrup, salt, melted butter and vanilla until well mixed. Add the pecans and stir well. Pour into the partially baked pie shell, making sure the pecans are evenly distributed.(I top the shell with pecans instead). Bake the pie until the center is slightly puffed and firm to touch, about 30 to 40 minutes (25minutes). Remove and let cool on the wiring rack.

This pie should really be eaten with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It is  perfect accompaniment to pecans and maple syrup.

This post is linked to Bake Along 69 hosted by Joyce, Zoe and Lena.

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.
James 5:7

God of All Grace

 In 2010, the first series of Junior Masterchef Australia was won by a 12 year old girl from Queensland, Isabella Bliss. This Lemon Meringue Cupcake was Isabella's first mystery box challenge which she completed in 40 minutes. With no recipe in hand, the talented 12 year old completed the challenge using the ingredients in the mystery box. The result was these luscious looking cupcakes which I have been recreating and baking again and again for friends.

There are 3 components in the cupcake which are the cake, the tangy lemon curd and the meringue. The cake is made of thickened cream instead of butter, and it is a breeze to make them though I always take more than the 40 minutes challenge to complete the whole process.

A blowtorch is ideal to brown the meringue but I do not have one. It is a shame that my meringue is unevenly brown with some burnt ends, otherwise these would have made it to the most gorgeous cupcakes I ever made.

Isabella's Lemon Meringue Cupcake
makes 12

Ingredients

250ml pure cream
220g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
225g self raising flour
finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Lemon curd
1/2 cup lemon juice
100g butter
110g caster sugar
1 egg
3 egg yolks

Meringue
3 egg whites
110g 1/2 cup caster sugar


Method

• Preheat oven to 180C. Place 12 patty cake liners in a 12 hole 1/2 cup capacity muffin pan.
• Place cream, sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Gradually add flour and zest and continue whisking until mixture is thick and smooth. Divide mixture between prepared liners and bake for 15-20 minutes or until cakes spring back to touch. Cool in muffin pan.
• For lemon curd, heat lemon juice and butter in a small saucepan and simmer until butter has melted. Add sugar, egg and yolks and cook, whisking continuously until mixture becomes thick and glossy. Pour into a shallow oven tray to cool.
• For meringue,beat egg whites in an electric mixer until firm peaks form,gradually add sugar, a tablespoon at a time beating until sugar has dissolved between each addition. Spoon meringue mixture into a piping bag.
• To serve, preheat grill to medium high. Cut a small hole in the top of each cupcake and fill with 1 -2 teaspoons of lemon curd. Pipe a swirl of meringue mixture on the top of each cupcake and place under heated grill for  60-90 seconds or until golden. Arrange on a serving plate with spoonfuls of lemon curd if desired.

You can also try my favourite lemon curd.

2 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks

165g caster sugar

90g chilled unsalted butter

zest and juice of lemons

Whisk whole eggs, yolks and sugar in a saucepan until smooth, then place pan over a low heat. Add the butter, juice and zest and whisk continuously  until thickened. Strain through a sieve into a sterilised jar. Lemon curd keeps, covered, in the fridge for 2 weeks.

For a more stablised meringue, you can do Italian meringue.

186g sugar

84g water

3 egg whites, 90gm

Combine sugar and water in a small pot over medium high heat. Without stirring, bring the syrup to a boil and let it cook gently until the temperature reaches 115C(soft ball). Meanwhile begin to whisk the egg whites while the sugar syrup is bubbling. Whisk egg whites to stiff peak, gradually pour the syrup in a small stream into the egg whites. Continue whisking until the mixing bowl is cooled to touch.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.1 Peter 5:10

By The Will of God

I know my kabocha cookies are quite hideous looking but hey they're supposed to be Halloween bakes. I don't celebrate Halloween but Halloween bakes are fun things to do. I have done muddy fingers and spider cupcakes( they're not in the blog) and children love them.

These are simple soft cookies suitable for toddlers to nibble too. I like that it has no butter and very little sugar.

Kabocha also known as Japanese pumpkin is naturally sweet. It has an abundance of beta carotene, vitamin A, B and C, iron, potassium, calcium and folic acid. Kabocha skin is edible too.

Kobocha cookies for Halloween
adapted from cookpad


Ingredients

40g pumpkin flesh
20g sugar
20g vegetable oil
50g cake flour


Method

• Microwave pumpkin and remove skin.
• Preheat oven to 170C. Mash the pumpkin and add sugar and oil.
• Add in flour and mix pumpkin mixture into a dough.
• Shape pumpkin into ovals and lightly press them down.
• Cut pumpkin skin into small triangles and stick them to the heads.
• Make eyes and smile on the face.( I used chopstick and toothpick).
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes.

This post is linked to LTU 'Pumpkin' hosted by Eileen from Eileen's Diary

Organized by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen from My little favourite DIY.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. 2 Corinthians 1:1

Paul was an apostle by the will of God. He serves by the will of God.
We serve by the will of God, and He is pleased when we do this.