My First Nutella Cupcakes!

Yes, tuesday is a baking day!! Wooohooo...Who doesn't love Nutella?? I made these delicious Nutella Cupcakes for myself, because I love Nutella so much! Well, I gave Kerrin two of them, and I ate the other 10! Hahaha... 

Nutella Cupcake with Whipped cream

Here is the recipe for my cupcakes:

Makes: 12

you need:

Cupcakes:

100g (4oz) plain flour

20g (1oz) cocoa powder

140g (5oz) caster sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 pinch of salt

40g (2oz) butter - softened

120ml milk

1 medium egg

120g (4oz) Nutella

Icing:

I didn't make icing, because I'm not a big fan of sweet sugary icing on my cupcakes. I used whipped cream instead. 

But If you want to make ones, here is the ingredients you need to get: 

Icing:

250g (9oz) icing sugar

80g (3oz) unsalted butter – softened

25ml whole milk

80g (3oz) Nutella

or

Whipped cream:

1 cup heaving cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbs confectioners' sugar

to bake:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.

2. Put the plain flour, cocoa powder, caster sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a food processor with the knife blade and beat on slow speed until the ingredients are combined.

3. Pour the milk into the mixture, beating well until all the ingredients are well mixed.

4. Add the egg and beat well.

5. Spoon the mixture into paper cases to two thirds full and bake for 20 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when touched.

6. Leave to cool then turn out onto a wire rack.

7. When the cupcakes have cooled, cut a teaspoon sized hole in each cupcake and fill with a spoonful of Nutella.  Replace the cake on top.

to make the icing:

1. Make the Nutella icing by beating the icing sugar and unsalted butter together using an electric whisk.

2. Once well mixed, turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the milk.

3. When the milk is mixed in, beat on a high speed for at least 5 minutes until the icing is light and fluffy.

4. Stir in the Nutella by hand until evenly mixed.

5. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.

to make whipped cream:

1. In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, cream will then become lumpy and butter-like.

2. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake.

So you choose between Nutella icing or Whipped cream. Happy baking!

Gary Roberts, the most talented artist in NZ

Gary Roberts is the most talented realism artist I've ever known. I met him in personal in the late 2010, and been his big fan since then. 

According to wikipedia, realism in the arts may be generally defined as the attempt to represent subject matter truthfully, without artificiality, and avoiding artistic conventions, implausible, exotic and supernatural elements. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Realism_(arts))

With over 30 year’s experience. He has concentrated on still-life, native and other birds, and other subjects from the area on which he lives, on black canvases, overlooking the Manukau Harbour in Auckland.

Here are some of his brilliant paintings:

The Rigging 

Amongst the branches

Driftwood by Moonlight

Branching Out

Pot of Gold 

On the wire

Can you see all the amazing details he did? It's incredible, isn't it? In 2012, he won Clifton Art Prize, Auckland NZ, and he was one of top 10 Artist around the world finalist. Well done Gary! 

Clifton Art Prize 2012

Yes, he is indeed a very talented artist like I said. He had achieved all these awards: 

• 1994 Telecom  finalist in the phone book awards
• 2004 Quantas awards  reach the top 2 finalists
• 2010 Walker & Hall finalist
• 2010 Walker & Hall  peoples Choice award
• 2010 ICC Cricket art prize - finalist
• 2012 Cliftons art awards - finalist  - WON Auckland region

For more artworks, you can click on this link: http://www.garywroberts.vc.net.nz/

Crispy Cheese Cassava (Singkong Keju)

cheese cassava

This is a traditional dish from my hometown, Indonesia. Though this is very delicious dish, it's full of carbs, fat ,and something I won't recommend for people who are on healthy diet. 

So first, let me introduce you about cassava. 

According to Wikipedia, Cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the world. Cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. It is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils.

a cross section of cassava

unprocessed cassava

Cassava root is a good source of carbohydrates, but a poor source of protein. Cassava is classified as sweet or bitter. Like other roots and tubers, cassava contains anti nutritional factors and toxins. It must be properly prepared before consumption. Improper preparation of cassava can leave enough residual cyanide to cause acute cyanide intoxication and goiters, and may even cause ataxia or partial paralysis. 

In Indonesia, cassava (singkong) is an important food. It can be cooked by frying or boiling, or processed by fermentation to make tapai and getuk cake, while the starch is made into krupuk crackers. In time of famine or food shortage, cassava is used to replace rice. In 2011, modified cassava flour became common, and some instant noodle producers have used it silently, especially for low-end instant noodles as a part substitute of pricy flour. The flour is often added to pastry flour although the result is a pastry that is a little stiff. Getuk cakes can be difficult to digest diners not used to it and can result in severe cramps and discomfort. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassava).

So, here is the recipe for my cheese cassava.

what you need:

500 gr cassava, (bought 1 big bag frozen cassava from the Asian supermarket in Newmarket).

5 cloves garlic

1 lt ice cold water

1/2 tbs baking powder

pinch of salt

2 tbs butter

Grated cheese, choose any types of cheese you like, for icing.

how to make.

how to make:

1. Defrost the cassava first. I defrosted for about 5 hours. Do not put them in microwave for quick defrost.

2. Steam them for 35 mins. 

3. Pour garlic, salt, baking powder in a bowl of ice cold water. Then put the cassava into the mixing cold water bowl for 35-40 mins.

4. Deep fry the cassava til golden colour.

5. Put some butter on hot cassava, and grated chesse. Eat while hot. 

You might like it or not...It's worth to try if you have been to Indonesia. So, enjoy!

No Bake Caramel Cheesecake

For Kerrin's mom birthday party

I made this tasty caramel cheesecake for Kerrin's mother birthday party. Yes, they loved it… so here is the recipe I want to share…



Serves: 8
Preparation time: 15 mins

you need:

Base

1 x 250 g packet cookies biscuits, crushed

125g butter, melted

Filling

2 x 250 g packets lite cream cheese

1 x 380 g tin Nestle Caramel Top n Fill

1 x 250 g packet lite sour cream

3 tsp gelatine

1 tsp lemon juice

how to make:

Base: 

1. Combine biscuits crumbs and butter, then press into base of spring form tin.

2. Refrigerate to set about 30 mins.

Filling:

1. Mix in a food processor (if you want to get a perfect smooth cream) or an electric mixer, the cream cheese, sour cream, Caramel Top n Fill, and lemon juice. Beat until smooth and well combined.

2. Dissolve gelatin in 1 tbs of water, stir with whisk or fork until fully dissolved.

3. Add to cream cheese mixture and beat until well combined.

4. Pour into prepared biscuit base and refrigerate to set. I left mine about 6 hours. 

Happy baking! Hope you will like this one :-)