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..

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.

Churros (Spanish Doughnuts)

I love churros. Everytime I go home in the Philippines I always try to eat them sa SM. Meron kasing food cart sa SM ng Churros.

One Saturday afternoon, while checking some recipes sa internet nakita ko itong Churros recipe sa ALL RECIPES.

Since I have all the ingredients. I gave it a try.. Well not bad for the first time coz it brings back memories of Manila. Churros with hot chocolate fudge during rainy days.

Ingredients:

1 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 quarts oil for frying
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used 2 teaspoon)

Directions
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour until mixture forms a ball.

Heat oil for frying in deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pipe strips of dough into hot oil using a pastry bag. Fry until golden; drain on paper towels.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Butterscotch

Hmmm.. I love butterscotch. I remember the first time I saw the recipe and tried it for the first time.. Galing.. I feel like professional na rin ako. Mama used to baked brownies so I can sell it sa school and I thought of adding another product sa binibenta ko. I was browsing her recipe book and thought making it. Naalala ko nakatikim na ako ng butterscotch noon and I fell in love with it but I don't know how to make it. The first butterscotch was really yummy but I want something chewy so we add and minus some ingredients.

My bengkong friends really love this. I used to give them for free every time nagbabake ako nito but they become abusive :). They want it everyday so I shared my recipe to mama so she can bake while I was studying nursing. My butterscotch and mama's brownies became a hit it EAC. People are calling me brownies instead of Iya because of my benta.

I am going to share my most precious recipe so my friends can also make them even though we are miles apart. I know how much you miss it and I will always be thankful for your patronage..

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
2 1/2 tablespoons Baking powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 cups brown sugar
3 whole eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Direction:

1. Preheat the oven at 180 C.


2. Cream the butter and sugar one at a time


3. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients


4. Mix the dry ingredients with the butter mixture


5. Add the eggs one at a time


6. Add the vanilla


7. Bake for about 45 mins in a square pan.

Leche Flan

This is my first time to make a leche flan. I normally ask my mom to make one during special occassion. 2 days ago I was invited by a friend to have a dinner at their place. She served leche flan as a dessert and I love it. I searched in goggle and you tube on how to make the leche flan and come up with a recipe on my own.



Ingredients:
8 egg yolks
2 cans of condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or dayap

Caramelized sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Direction:

1.) Preheat the ovena t 160 F
2.) In a large bowl, mix the egg yolk together with the condensed and evaportaed milk.
3.) add in the vanilla and lemon juice.
4.) Mix for about 3 minutes.

Caramelized Sugar

1.) On a pan, mix the sugar and water and wait until boiled.
2.) add the vanilla and lemon zest.

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.)

Chocolate Cupcake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

Today is the birthday of my dear friend Kathleen Bitgue-Damasin. I promised her that I will make cupcakes on her birthday. She loves pink and she loves chocolate so I made the Perfectly Chocolate Cupcake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting.

Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cupcake mix

+

Strawberry Buttercream frosting

1 cup butter
6-8 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon starwberry puree
1 teaspoon starwberry flavoring

Happy Birthday Kit!

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.