vickichowder: CREAM

PEACH SPONGE CAKE

No recipe for this one because my sponge cake recipe is already here:

Mom requested a simple birthday cake

I'd like to announce that I've landed in California (for a few days now), and all my presumptions of Santa Clara have been shattered and walked-on all-over

I. There is a beach close by. Other than the nicer weather and terrible bus routes, Santa Clara is much like Mississauga.

II. I will find a beachside ice cream shop to work at. Refer to I.

III. I will join a gym and stay fit. There are no gyms within walking distance of my home here.

IV. I will go on after work/ weekend morning jogs. Laziness has conquered my body.

Tip: When slicing and layering, place the top layer on the bottom, cut side down. This way, even if the baked top is not flat, you can arrange the middle layer on top to ensure a super flat top.

Then, that aside, my Korean has been honed to a point where I can be understood by my landlords and I can understand them as well.

My lack of biking skills has been brought to light. So much so that my landlord suggested against me riding the bike to work in fear that it would cause me more trouble than walking (which is very true - I encounter difficulties in starting the bike on the slightest upwards incline road).

Canned peaches in water are easier and faster to drain upon a moment's notice than that canned in juice (thicker and may seep all over the whipped cream topping)

Not surprisingly, my sweet tooth has stayed closely by my side, constantly reminding myself to eat dessert again, and again (which has been half-replaced by the never ending supply of fruits at work).

P/S

I said I would give you a recipe for making that super crispy skinned peking duck:

I. buy chinese style roasted duck from the place that makes it the best. Tell them not to cut it for you.
II. At home, right before you serve the duck, heat a deep pot of oil (1 inch)
III. When the oil bubbles when you put a chopstick in, hold the duck by the neck, legs in the pot.
IV. Ladle the super hot oil all over the duck so the skin sizzles and crisps.
V. Serve with homemade crepes, cucumber slices, green onion, hoisin sauce

Next post is based on the ever so hyped Uncle Tetsu's Cheesecake, which I made at home because no one wants to wait in line for 2 hours and be limited to just buy 1 of his delicious cheesecakes.

Dear Readers, go stock up on some cream cheese already!

, by vickichowder

BAKE

RECIPE: JAPANESE CHEESECAKE

Cupcakes were all the rage at one point, and at that point I didn't like them very much. I liked (and still like) a good layered cake - to - cream ratio that is not very well represented in a cupcake.

They say the real way to eat a cupcake by cutting the lower layer off and sandwiching the cream with the upper half . But in realistic situations, you eat a cupcake not sitting down, with a plate, a knife (serrated one too), and a fork (optional of course), but standing up, trying to speak to the few people gathered around you, who are also fidgeting with unwrapping the wrapper and not make a mess of cream on their face.

But these cupcakes are slightly different: no, they don't have cream on top, and no, they are not baked in the paper pleated cupcake cups, but the sturdy cups coated with a wax lining on the inside.

What does this mean?

It means you can scoop it out with a spoon. Like eating from JELL-O pudding cups, but cake on the inside.

With wild blueberry sauce

In this cake, cheesecake, the Japanese one, which is not rich and dense, but light and fluffy.
(from Christine's Recipes, who provides no-fail recipes)

***

Ingredients

A.
250 g cream cheese
250 ml milk
60 g butter

B.
6 yolks

C.
60 g flour
20 g corn starch

D.
6 whites

E.
130 g sugar

***

Method

I.
Melt A over low heat, mix

II.
Add B, mix

III.
Add C, mix

IV.
Beat D until soft peaks, medium speed

V.
Add E gradually, beating high speed
Until soft glossy peaks

VI.
Fold V into III in three additions

VII.
Bake 150C
Small cupcakes: 30 minutes
2 Rectangle: 50-60 minutes
2 Round: 50-60 minutes

IIX.
Let cool with over door open 10 minutes
Remove from pan
Cool completely
Chill in fridge 3 hours

***

You want to bake this on a low heat so the cake does not rise rapidly (causing cracks when it cools). Lower your temperature if you see this happening.

If the top gets too brown put a sheet of aluminum foil on top so it doesn't brown anymore.

Instead of placing in a waterbath (and having to wrap the pan in aluminum foil), put several ramekins of hot water in the oven right when you turn the oven on so its nice and humid in the oven before the cake goes in.

Chilled and not chilled makes a difference here - just like any other cheesecake.

Sweet cake

On a side note, Happy Belated Chinese New Years!

Radish cake

P/S

I'll be doing my co-op term in California this summer, in the Bay Area.

Where there will be lots of seafood (right?)

And lots of fruits (right?)

Or that just might be one of my many assumptions of California.

Oh yes, this weekend I finally tried Chatime (milk tea) and Baileys. apparently this has been a common practice for a long time because it is really delicious, and it is.