These Are My Words

Red Velvet Cake is always a crowd pleaser. There was once much hypes surrounding the red velvet cakes. People love the moist and tangy buttermilk cake with a bit of cocoa and the cream cheese frosting, and they go gaga over the red colouring in the cake.

Red Velvet Cake has its humble beginnings and the cake dates back to the 19th century. It is red because a man from Texas wanted to sell more food dye and he figured red cakes could sell more!

Red velvet cake is a dessert that everyone oohs and aahs over whenever I bring it to church functions. These are no exception. I baked for the Filipino fellowship monthly birthdays, and I was glad they enjoyed the cakes very much.



There are many good red velvet cake recipes around. This is one which I like. After testing many red velvet cake recipes, I prefer one with a mixture of butter and oil. I find it more flavourful and denser than all vegetable oil recipes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

makes 12-18 cupcakes

85g unsalted butter
170g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
160ml butttermilk, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs food colouring
190g all purpose flour
2 tbs cocoa powder.sift
1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

250g cream cheese, softened
55g unsalted butter
55g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Method

• Preheat oven to 180g
• Cream butter,sugar and salt until well combined.
• In another bowl, whisk in oil,egg,egg yolk,butttermilk and food colouring. Mix well.
• Add flour, baking soda and cooca to the mixture and mix gently until well combined. Do not overmix.
• Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake till just firm, 18-20 minutes.
• Let cupcakes cook in pan for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting

• Whisk cream cheese, butter and icing sugar till combined.
• Add in vanilla extract and whisk on high speed till frosting is light and fluffy.

My bible study group has just completed the Bible timeline study and we are now on the book of Psalms. Why we choose to study Psalms?

We choose to study Psalms to help us gain a fuller appreciation for worship. The Psalter is the favourite book for all whatever our circumstances maybe. We find words which are so appropriate to our needs to glorify, seek and talk to God.

Martin Luther once said, " Psalms are a little Bible, and the summary of the Old Testament"
Our Lord Jesus himself also pointed out salvation in Him is written in Psalms.


These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Luke 24:44 

All Your Children

I finally bought a waffle maker! It is a single rotating waffle maker which doesn't take too much space on my small kitchen counter top. This is a made in China brand with a weird name(Rohe) but I'm very happy with it. It is not very expensive and comes with an indicator light which tells you when the waffle maker is ready to use and done. The non stick grids make it easy to remove freshly cooked waffles and clean too.

Prior to the delivery, I looked up some waffles recipes and came across this. The name caught my attention, and this is the only recipe that I have tried. There was no turning back to others. This recipe yields only 3 waffles which is just right for me. Crisp, light and fluffy which is the texture everyone likes.

You can have waffles in many ways and I like it sweet and simple. Pure maple syrup with fruits, or plain with butter and syrup. These waffles do not taste nice on its own. The batter is really basic and easy to mix. It uses buttermilk and I always use real buttermilk, never substitutes.
It is fun to make waffles at home and even my children are making them for breakfast and tea. I bet they will not be ordering waffles at cafes anymore! These are like cafe standard or even better!

Waffles
serves 3

Ingredients

105g all purpose flour
30g cornflour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup corn oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Method

• Mix and stir all the dry ingredients together.
• Mix and lightly blend wet ingredients with a whisk
• Pour wet ingredients into dry. Whisk until smooth and lump free.
• Rest mixture for 30 minutes.
• Pour waffle mixture into pre heated waffle maker.

Children need the peace that comes from knowing they have a loving Heavenly Father who sent His son, Jesus Christ, to bring light and hope into the world.

All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.
Isaiah 54:13

For I Am Sure

Kaya Butter Toast is our local people ultimate comfort food. Kaya is a traditional jam made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Some like to eat Kaya butter Toast for breakfast, others prefer it for tea. This toast set is usually accompanied by two soft cooked eggs eaten with a dash of dark soy sauce and white pepper.  The eggs are a perfect complement to the sweet toast. The thick kopi (coffee) or teh(tea) completes the meal.

White bread is usually toast on a hot grill and spread with a generous dollop of salted butter and thick kaya.
You can eat this toast by dipping into the soft boiled eggs, and slurp the rest down.  This kaya toast set is easily available everywhere in local kopitiams(coffee shops),food courts and shopping malls. But if you have sudden cravings of sweet kaya like me, you can make it at home too! This recipe doesn't require you to slave over the stove and stir the kaya for hours. Try! and you be amazed by how easy and quick you can prepare it!

Kaya

45g white sugar
45g palm sugar, chopped
4-6 pandan leaves, cut about 3 inches long
5 big yolks
200ml freshly squeezed coconut milk


Method

• Separate egg yolks from the whites
• In a non stick pot or pan, heat coconut milk with pandan leaves. When coconut milk is simmering, add the two sugars.
• Stir and cook for about 10 minutes until all sugars are dissolved. Remove the pandan leaves and set the coconut mixture aside.
• Lightly whisk the yolk until smooth and well mixed. Add a little coconut milk and whisk until blended.
• Using a double boiler, continue to stir yolk mixture and slowly add in coconut milk. 
• Stir until desired thickness and colour.

Recipe adapted from themeatmen

Nothing can separate us from God's love! God's love is steadfast, sturdy and inseparable! Paul is utterly convinced of God's love for us that he says.....

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor ruler, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8;38-39

I Will Ascend Above

Move over, Egg Benedict! Make way for Cloud Egg or Soufflé Egg. I have never seen this or heard of cloud egg until my friend who was on holiday in Croatia sent me a photo of what she had for breakfast.

After watching a YouTube video on how to make cloud egg, I quickly made a portion for dinner. Yes, Dinner! I wanted something quick and light with minimal washing up. I'm not sure if my cloud egg tastes like hers but it sure looks the same. The meringue is slightly crisp and fluffy. The yolk is done just right. This dish is exactly like what it is called. Cloud Egg!


Cloud Egg with Ham and Chives
serves 1

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 piece of ham, chopped
Small handful of chives, chopped
Pepper and salt to taste
Chili powder and chopped parsley to garnish(Optional)

1 toast or burger bun

• Preheat oven to 160C
• Separate egg yolk and white.
• Whisk egg white, add seasonings to taste. Whisk egg white till stiff peak.
• Fold in ham and chives.
• Place half a buttered bun or toast on a lined baking tray. Spoon meringue onto the toast. Make a small dent in the center for the yolk. Bake for 15 mins until slightly browned, remove from oven and gently pour yolk in the center.
• Bake for another 5 minutes or until yolk is done to your liking.

Note: I used home made garlic buttered bun.

I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the most high. Isaiah 14:14

We Live By Faith, Not By Sight

These Almost Famous Amos Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies are almost there! That is quite close to Famous Amos, and because there's no shortening added, the textures will never be quite like Famous Amos. They're are very crunchy and very addictive.

The recipe is shared by a member of a cooking/baking group on Facebook. It receives many likes and comments and many have baked and shared photos too.

This recipe makes a huge batch of cookies and like most cookies, it can be prepared in advance and kept in freezer. The ingredients used are like most chocolate chip cookies except of one secret ingredient, Chocolate Emulco which must be added to taste like Famous Amos. Chocolate emulco is an ingredient to add flavouring and colour to your baking. It is thick and concentrated.


Almost Famous Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies


Ingredient

500g self raising flour (sift with bicarbonate soda)
320g unsalted butter (I use salted)
240g brown sugar
20g caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon chocolate emulco
2 eggs
200g chocolate chips
5g bicarbonate soda
Pinch of salt (omit)


Method

• Preheat oven at 160C. Put butter, brown sugar, caster sugar and salt in mixing bowl and cream till blended.
• Add in eggs, one at a time and mix till well blended (eggs are incorporated into mixture) then mix in chocolate emulco.
• Pour in self raising flour (sifted with baking soda) mix till incorporated. Lastly mix in chocolate chips.
• Bake at 160C for 15 minutes.

Those Who Hope In The Lord

This is the only picture I have of this home cooked dish.  Kam Heong Clams or Golden Fragrant Clams is the family's favourite at seafood restaurants. This is my first time replicating it and I hope you can try this too if you had not cooked it at home.

A very quick stir fry dish which is best to be eaten while it is still hot and fresh from the wok. Hence, the only picture I quickly took seconds before the family tucks in. This is also one of the dishes which I observed my DH ate heartily with his rice and even complimented me. A very rare occurrence indeed!


Kam Heong Clams (Golden Fragrant Clams)

800g - 1kg venus clams
2 -3 sprigs curry leaves
10 red chillies or a mix of bird's eyes and red, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of dried shrimp, soaked in water, drain and minced
8 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

Seasoning sauce
2 soybean paste
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 1/4 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
1 teaspoon sugar


Method

• Clean and soak clams in salt water for 30 minutes. 
• Mix all the seasoning ingredients, stir well and set aside.
• Stir fry curry leaves in a hot wok with oil. Add chillies and dried shrimp until fragrant. Add in chopped shallots.
• Toss in clams and seasoning sauce. Continue to stir fry until clams are coated with the sauce. Cover the wok and let the clams open up. Do not over cooked clams.
• Give a quick stir and serve immediately.

Above measurements are an estimation cooked to suit the family.

The eagle is the king of the birds. Have you seen an eagle soaring above? Do you notice its speed, strength and power? Do you wish you can soar like the eagle?

An eagle knows when a storm is approaching. It will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. It will then spread its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. The eagle does not escape the storm but uses the storm to lift it higher.

We can be like the eagle soaring above storms.  Isaiah 40:31 reads those who place hope in the Lord shall soar on wings like eagles.

Let us rise above all challenges and difficulties that come our way and hope in the Lord to strengthen us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and focus on God's unfailing love for us.

I have seen these Devil's Food Cupcakes around but never get to bake them. Yes! they're devilishly good and rich!  This is a classic American chocolate cake, and I guess it get it's name because it is very dark and decadent?

I have been very busy lately, and would have missed this week Bake Along if not for reading Ann's post. I like she adapted the recipe and used yoghurt in the cake and frosting. These cuppies are definitely healthier than most other chocolate cupcakes.

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

makes 8-10 cupcakes

Ingredients

25g unsweetened cocoa powder
30g semi sweet chocolate(4 oz)
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup natural yoghurt
1/2 cup plain flour(cake flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil (sunflower)
1/4 cup castor sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Methods

• Preheat oven to 170C and line muffin cup with paper liners.
• Combine cocoa powder and chopped chocolate together and pour boiling water over it and whisk till smooth. Whisk in the yoghurt.
• In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt together. Set aside.
• Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, oil,sugar, egg and vanilla until light and creamy. Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with chocolate mixture in additions.
• Scoop batter evenly among paper liners. Bake for about 18 minutes (20 minutes) or until tester inserted comes out clean.
• Let cupcakes cool in the pan and cool completely before frosting it.

Frosting

90g semi sweet chocolate (3 oz)

1 tbsp whipping cream

15g butter

1/4 cup natural yoghurt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 cup icing sugar (15g)

• Stir chocolate and butter in a medium bowl over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove from water and whisk in yoghurt and vanilla, then icing sugar.
• Let stand until thick to spread or put in the fridge to fasten the process. Fill a pipingbag with Wilton nozzle star tip 1M and the chocolate cream. Pipe a circular swirl design on the cuppies.

This post is linked to Bake Along 83 Devil's Food Cupcakes hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and Lena from Her Frozen Wings.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

I Promise You

This is probably the healthiest recipe I ever posted!  I have made these Granola Bars many times, and I should share this with you sooner.  I usually bake my home made granola bars when I have trail walks with my fellow walkers. Our trail walks are usually about 13-15km and these are good to fill the hungry walkers' stomach along the way.

Granola bars can be easily baked at home. Made with no added sugar and using only natural raw ingredients, they are a good meal replacement for dieters, and a nutritious snack for growing teens. You can also add milk and eat them like your morning cereal.


Granola Bars
makes about 18-20 bars

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped nuts (any nuts you fancy)
1 cup shredded coconuts

Toast the above in 180C oven for 10 minutes.

1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
2/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/1/2 cup dried fruits (apricots, cranberries,raisins)

Add these into the hot toasted oats, nuts and coconuts. Stir and mix. Press into a 9" x 11" brownie tray. Press and pack as tightly as possible. Bake in 175C for 20-25 mins. Leave to cool completely before cutting into bars.
Store bars in freezer to keep them crisp.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14

Any serious lemon lovers out there would have baked or eaten a lemon bar once in their lives.
Add a little sunshine in your kitchen today by baking these all natural lemon bars. Bake, share(lemon bars and God's word) and let the sun and son(Jesus) shines. Watch them eat(lemon bars and God's word) and you will feel blessed you have shared. These are good for the body(vitamins only) and soul(God's word).

 Pardon the uneven slices, I was in a hurry to cut and photograph before rushing out to share these lemon bars with friends. All liked them very much.

The base is specially delicious with the added almond meal.  The crunchy texture contrast with the lusciously soft curd.  I would not describe the curd as sour but zingy and zesty.

Heavenly Lemon Bars with Almond Shortbread Crust
Recipe from The Kitchn

For the crust

1 stick(113g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
1/2 cup powdered sugar(icing sugar)
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp salt

For the lemon curd

4 large eggs
4 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar
zest from 5 to 6 lemons
3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick(113g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes
Powdered sugar for dusting



Method

• Heat the oven to 350F with a rack in the middle position. Line an 8"x 8" baking  dish with parchment, letting the excess parchment hang over the sides of the pan.
• First, prepared the shortbread crust. Beat together the butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer on medium high speed until they are completely combined, turn pale yellow, and resemble creamy frosting.Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed while mixing.
• Add the flour, almond flour, and salt to the bowl. Beat on low speed just until all the flour is incorporated and the mixture comes together into a dough. The dough will seem fairly crumbly,but should hold together when squished in your hand.
• Press the dough into the baking dish.Use the bottom of a cup to make sure the layer is as compacted as possible and in an even layer. Prick with a fork all over. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges of the shortbread turn golden brown.
• While the shortbread crust is baking, prepare the lemon curd. Whisk together the eggs, yolks, and sugar in a small saucepan, then whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt to form a smooth, liquidy mixture. Set a small strainer over a mixing bowl and place next to the stove.
• Place the pan with the lemon mixture over medium heat. Stir, gently but continuously, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and registers about 155F on an instant read thermometer. This should take 8-10 minutes. Be sure to scrape the bottom and edges of the pan as your stir. If you notice the mixture starting to coagulate and clump up, immediately remove the pan from heat.
• Strain the lemon curd into the bowl, removing the zest and any clumps from the curd. While the curd is still warm, stir in the butter.Stir until the butter is completely melted.
• When the shortbread crust is ready, remove it from the oven and pour the curd over top. Bake at 350 F until the edges of the curd are set, but the middle is still jiggly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Cool completely  on the counter, and then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

I am linking this post to Bake Along 'Lemon Bars' with Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Lena from
Her Frozen Wings and Joyce  from Kitchen Flavours

He dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth. 2 Samuel 23:4

But When You Give To The Needy

This is so delicious that I'm going to cook it again. Before I do so, I better have the recipe up.
A very robust dish but with delicate flavours. Simple ingredients and straight forward cooking. The star is Guinness Stout but I have never tried drinking stout.  Not even a sip from the leftover.

Creamy potato mash is the best complement to this dish. Unlike tomato based stews, this doesn't go with well with rice.

This is cooked with Campbell's real beef stock commonly sold at supermarkets everywhere. This stew is always better made one day in advance.


Beef and Guinness Stew
Guinness Storehouse
Ingredients

200ml of Guinness foreign Extra Stout
400g stewing diced beef, I used beef shin
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 large celery, diced
1 large parsnip, diced
1 litre of thick beef stock
sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary

Method

• Stir fry the beef, add the vegetables and cook until tender, then pour the Guinness and reduce by half. Add the beef stock and herbs and simmer very slowly for between an hour and an hour and a half. Serve with the champ potato and honey roast carrot and parsnip.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6:3-5

In The Time of those Kings

They look like croissants, don't they? They do taste like croissants but they don't have the texture of a croissant. These are my quick croissants which I have baked for the first time for the Bake Along theme.

I know it is not easy to produce light, buttery crisp type of croissants at home. In fact, I do have a recipe which I think is doable if I have more practices. I will post it here if I can achieve it. Meanwhile, here is the quick version which is not too bad if eaten with jam. It has all the buttery taste minus the tender crisp. There is no melt on the tongue texture. The interior has layers but dense and doughy.  If you're not fussy, I think this is passable. I had worse croissants in a remote international hotel somewhere in China

Quick Croissants
Makes 8 big croissants or 15 mini ones
Homecooking adventure


250g strong breaed flour
150g cold unsalted butter, cubed
120ml lukewarm milk
45g sugar
7g active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
egg wash
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp milk


Method

• Place yeast in a bowl. Add sugar and milk. Set aside to cool completely

• Combine flour and salt into a large bowl. Add butter and using a fork combine until big crumbles form.

• Add the yeast/milk mixture and gently combine until the dough just comes together. The butter needs to remain in pea-sized pieces. Wrap it with plastic, knead slowly to form a square and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for a couple of hours.

• Dust with flour your work surface and your rolling pin and start rolling the dough into a rectangular roughly two  to three times as long as it is wide.The dough is pretty hard to work with at the beginning but will come together while rolling and folding.

• Fold the short sides of the dough into the middle. Rotate the dough by a quarter turn. Roll out slightly to lengthen. Fold the short ends towards the middle.

• Flip the dough over so the seams are underneath. Repeat the rolling and folding process steps three more times, giving the dough a total of four times of rolling and folding.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours or better overnight.

• On a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a rectangular of 16 inches x 10 inches. Cut the dough into triangles, it will make about 8 triangles.

• Score a small slit in the centre of each triangle base, gently stretch the corners and tip, then roll the croissant starting from the wide up to the top giving them the croissant shape.

• Place the croissants with tip side down onto a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2-3 hours at room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 230C. Brush the croissants with egg wash.
• Bake for 8 minutes than reduce the oven to 190C and bake for another 10-15 minutes until deep golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack before serving.

This post is linked to Bake Along hosted by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids, Lena from

Her Frozen Wings and Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.

In the time of those kings, the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:44