Sansrival Wannabe

I'm back in business again. I am losing control and working hard in the kitchen lately. My grocery bills are shooting like a rocket because of my baking ingredients.

Couple of weeks ago we went to Canberra to attend our goddaughter's first birthday. One of their dessert was Sansrival especially baked from Sydney. Everyone is taking about it although hot foods are being served I asked my kumare's mom if I could get  a slice of sansrival already.

I've been bugging by my husband to make this Sansrival. Even his sister is asking me to try making it. When you first look at it, it seems complicated. I read a lot of blogs and filipino cookbooks to get inspiration and idea on how to make this awesome cake. After 2 weeks of preparation and research and due to availability I gave it a try. The icing looks messy thou but since this is my first time forgive me for that :) I'll be more careful lately and will use the right tools to make it looks presentable next time.

SANSRIVAL

I got the recipe from this blog cooking with all my heart. I omitted the chocolate part but the rest is the same. Here is my edited version. 

Ingredients:
For the meringue bases

• 5 large egg whites, at room temp
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup  ground toasted cashew
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla

or the French Buttercream

• 5 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/8 cup  water
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla

Directions:
For the meringue base

• Preheat oven to 160 C
• Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and draw 4 circles around 6 inches diameter.
• In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium until foamy.
• Sprinkle with cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, a couple of tablespoons at a time, continuing to beat now at high speed until stiff shiny peaks form. 
• Fill the meringue into a piping bag. 
• Pipe the meringue in the circles drawn in the baking tray, evenly to edges. 
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the meringue from the baking tray while still hot; allow to cool slightly. 
• When cool, trim edges so that all 5 meringue layers are uniformly shaped. Set aside.

For the French Buttercream

• Put the egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Beat at high speed until the yolks have doubled in volume and are a lemon yellow.
• Put the sugar and water in a heavy pan and cook over medium heat, stirring the sides down only until all the sugar is dissolved and the syrup reaches 112°C .
• With the mixer on high, very slowly pour the syrup down the sides of the bowl, until all has been added. Be careful as the very hot syrup could burn you if it splashes from the beaters. Continue beating on high until the mixture is ROOM TEMPERATURE (about 8 mins). 
• Still on high, beat in the soft, room temperature butter and margarine a tablespoon at a time. Add vanilla flavouring after you beat in the butter. 
• Refrigerate the buttercream for at least an hour, and whip it smooth just before you use it.

To Decorate:

• Set bottom meringue on cake board with a dab of butter cream to hold it in place. 
• Spread a thin layer of buttercream and then place another meringue on top. 
• Repeat with a thin layer of buttercream, meringue, thin layer of buttercream, meringue, and finally buttercream the top and sides. 
• I used the cocoa flavored buttercream for decorating the cake by piping rosettes on the Sans Rival.
• Decorate with reserved nuts..

Braso de Mercedes

(Filipino Custard Roulade)

My husband is bugging me to bake something. I am so lazy these days and baking is just out of my system lately. After few days of persuasion..He won! yay! :) He said he wants something Filipino and I've been longing to make this. I still has doubts in me that I might not be able to make it "Goldilocks"style but still gave it a go. Bahala na si Batman. As long as I can read and follow the baking instruction carrybelles na yan!

My first try in Melbourne was awesome as in I ate half of the roll but when I tried baking it last week in Canberra for Jon's family... Oh.lala! It was a big Palpak. :( but it still taste like Braso de Mercedes tho hindi nga lang perfect ang appeal.

Here's the link by the way. Such a helpful website for Filo's abroad :)

Panlasang Pinoy: Braso de Mercedes

Lemon Butter Cake

Another day of cravings... I miss my Mom's buttercake. Too bad I haven't got the recipe from her yet. Then I decided to browse the net for the best moist buttercake. Which lead me to this food blog Nasi Lemak Lover .

I tried and baked it..It was good. Then I added it to my recipe book for future reference :)

Ingredients
125g butter
100g sugar
1 lemon rind
2 large eggs
175g self-raising flour
4 tablespoon milk
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Lemon glaze
3 tbsp sugar
1 lemon juice


1. Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy.
2. Add in the eggs one by one, then add in lemon rind, mixing well.
3. Fold in the flour and milk, combine well.
4. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greaseproof paper.
5. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for 40mins.
6. Mix sugar and lemon juice and cook over low heat till sugar dissolved, add in lemon rind, set aside.
7. When cake done, remove cake from the oven and prick all over with a skewer.
8. Pour over the lemon glaze over the hot cake.
9. Ideally to leave cake to set overnight, to have better flavour.

Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and White Chocolate frosting

I brought this in our office yesterday for 3 celebration in our office. It'a Ameya's birthday our Training officer, Ahmed, our local Immigration Officer and Edda's farewell party.

My colleagues brought something to share for all of us and since I am still on the process of masterpiecing pastry they all "winked, winked" at me to bring some baked goodies. They thought that I am going to bring cupcake which I normally bring in our office but since I want to try making cakes from the scratch (without using pillsburry or betty crocker cake mix) this is the best opportunity to try baking cakes.

It took me 2 days to conceptualize, plan and shop for my cake. I saw Anie's Eats blog and told my self this is it. This is want I want to make.

I tried it and it was awesome. I added shredded Cadbury Milk Chocolate around the cake to add color and looks yummier to those who are chocolate fanatics.

I just cut it into 3 layer. I am scared that my white chocalate mixture will not be enought for the whole cake.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

I used the ever stand out Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake

2 cups sugar
3/4 cups Hershey's Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

Direction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C. Grease and flour 2 round 9" baking pan
2. Stir together the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa in a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla mix on a medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the boiling water (the mixture will be thin) Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the wooden toothpicks comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes. remove from the pans and transfer to wire rack. Let it cool completely.

White Chocolate Whipped cream

200 grams white chocolate, finely chopped

1 2/2 cups cold heavy cream

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 cup cold heavy cream

4 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Direction:

To make the white chocolate whipped cream:

1. Place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Melt stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is almost melted, bring 1/2 of cold heavy to boil.
2. Once the chocolate has fully melted, transfer the bowl to a counter, pour in the hot cream and let it sit for 1 minute. Then stir gently with the spatula until the chocolate is smooth.
3. Let the Chocolate sit until it reaches room temperature. (The Chocolate can't me least bit warm when it is added to the whipped cream.
4. In a bowl of stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 cup cream only until it holds the softest peaks. With the mixer on high speed, add the white chocolate all at once continue to beat just until the mixture holds firm peak.
5. Transfer the cream to a bowl, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface and refrigirate atleast for 2 hours.

To make the Whipped Cream Frosting:

1. In a bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachement. Beat in the cream, sugar and vanilla all together just until the cream starts to thicken. Start on a slower speed and increase the speed as the cream gains it's texture. Continue to beat until the cream holds it's stiff peaks. be very carefull not to ovebeat.

To assemble:

1. transfer one cake layer to a 10 inch card board circle (I used 12 inch) cut surface up.
2. Spread thick layer of white chocolate whipped cream on the top of the cake. Layer with fresh strawberry slices.
3. Lay another cake layer on the top of the cream and berries and press down gently. Top as before the hite chocolate whipped cream and strawberries.
4. Place the final cake layer on top and pressd own gently. Cover with whipped cream frosting and garnish with fresh strawberries. I added shredded milk chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Cake Balls

The first time I saw Cake Balls... I fell in love. I want to try it..

I found the recipe from Bakerella. She used the prepacked chocolate cake mix and cream cheese frosting. Whaalah!!

We don't have candy melts here in Dubai so I used cooking chocolate mix with cadbury milk chocolate.. Not bad..

1 pack Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Cake Mix

16 0z cream cheese frosting

chocolate melts or cooking chocolate

Direction:

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.

2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)

3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)

4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.

6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

Banana Cake

This is my colleagues all time favorite and most requested food. Every weekend they keep on reminding me to bring some in the office. Since I have few ripe bananas I decided to bake for them and bring it to work.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Mashed Banana


3 cups all purpose flour


2 tsp lemon juice


1 1/2 tsp baking soda


1/4 tsp salt


3/4 cup butter, softened


2 cups white sugar


3 large eggs


2 tsp vanilla extract


1 1/2 cups buttermilk





Direction:



1. Mashed Banana and add the lemon and set aside


2. Mix the sifted flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside


3. In large bowl, cream the butter, add the sugar mix until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and add the vanilla.


4. Beat the flour mixture with the buttermilk.


5. Add the banana mixture into the flour and buttermilk mixture.


6. Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake for 45minutes-1 hour at 135-150 C


7. Put in freezer for 45 mins.