Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Chocolate Cupcake with Caramel Buttercream

Starting to fond in those pretty cupcakes, I now tend to make more cupcakes. I found this recipe from this blog. The batter of chocolate cake is from Cupcakebakeshop and the Buttercream is from dailydelicious. It looks pretty so I give it a try.



Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes
(adapted from cupcake bakeshop) ~12 regular cupcakes / 375 degree oven

1/2 cup (125 g) butter, room temp
1-1/4 cups (250 g) sugar (I used only 100g, reduced ridiculously)
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cups (75 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup (62.5g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.

4. Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder into a small sized bowl and whisk to combine.

5. Measure out the milk and vanilla and stir to combine6. Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar and beat to combine.

6. Add about a half of the milk/vanilla and beat to combine. Continue adding, alternating between dry and wet and finishing with the dry.

7. Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2’s full. Turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake cupcakes for about 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Note from Chockylit
: As mentioned previously with this recipe, if you overfill the cupcakes, they will overflow and then sink. To be on the safe side I am now recommending that you fill the cupcakes 1/2 full. With a big batch you may still have some problems with one or two of them, but the majority should work out just fine. Your oven must be for sure hot enough, so it doesn’t hurt to get an oven thermometer and make sure it’s at the correct temperature. These cupcakes are temperamental, but the resulting cake is worth it.

I was a bit over fill.. about 2/3 full.. so become a small mountain lol


* I normally scale 1 cup of all purpose flour = 100 g. by this conversion (unless it's Australian recipe then I might scale 145 g for 1 cup). Can anyone please tell me what is the weight for flour that you normally use for 1 cup?

Italian Meringue Buttercream
(adapted from dailydelicious)
75 g egg whites
140 g caster sugar
1/8 cup water
225 g unsalted butter

1. To make the sugar syrup, place the candy thermometer in the saucepan and heat the water and 120 g of sugar over medium-high heat. Partially cover with a lid to capture the evaporating water this helps to moisten the sides of the saucepan to prevent sugar crystals from forming.

2. With the mixer on high speed, begin whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks. When the peaks are stiff, with the mixer still running slowly pour the remaining sugar into the meringue.

3. Raise the heat under the sugar syrup to bring the syrup to 245°F, if it is not there already. When the syrup is at 245°F, remove the thermometer and slowly pour the syrup into the meringue.

4. After 1 to 2 minutes reduce the mixer speed to medium for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the meringue is cooled. Add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Increase the mixer speed to high for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the butter is fully incorporated.

5. Add in the caramel until you like the taste.

The buttercream turned out beautifully smooth but I found it is a bit too heavy. I will try to find some lighter version of buttercream.. any recommend?


Caramel

75g caster sugar
½ tsp water
½ cup whipping cream
½ tsp salt

1. Bring sugar and the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. After that, turn to low heat. Cook, undisturbed, until caramel is dark amber.

2. Remove from heat, and slowly add cream, stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Let cool.

This is my first time making caramel (yeah, you read correctly, even I studied in LCB, we make a lot of caramel but not the version that put whipping cream in it.. very excited when it was bubbling. haha. It's extremely delicious.



The piping can be better as you can see the end of it.. Definitely have to practise more. It's my first time piping rose though... so happy about the outcome :D

Dating with P'Ta and Tan

After I made the tartlets yesterday, I brought some to P'Ta and Tan, 2 Thai friends.


We met at World square first then had lunch at Chat Thai. They both finished my tarts, 2 each straight away! I was so happy (even I knew that they were so hungry haha.)


One of the most famous Thai restaurant in Sydney (among Thai people).


The style of silver cup, almost their symbol.


Deep fried fish ball with a sweet chilli and sour plum sauce. (ลูกชิ้นปลาทอด & น้ำจิ้ม) It is a street food, remind us about the fish ball stall in front of our secondary school. Too bad that it was not freshly fried but still yum !


Khao Mok Gai (ข้าวหมกไก่) $9.90 : An intricate dish full of aromatic herbs. Poached chicken first marinated in turmeric, garlic, coriander seeds, cardamom, cassia and cloves abreast rice that is steamed in the juices of the marinade. Finished with crisp caramelized shallots.

Guay Jub (ก๋วยจั้บ) $8.90 : Silky tubular rice noodles in five-spiced smoked duck stock with crisp pork belly and pig organ, dressed with coriander and shallots.


Hoi Tort (หอยทอด) $12.90 : New Zealand green lipped mussels crisply pan fried in a batter of eggs and rice flour. Finished off with bean sprouts and coriander.

All dishes was pretty good as eating in Thailand. I really like the batter in Hoi Tort, so crisp and tasty.


After that, we went for shopping, walked till tired then had dinner at Max Brenner ..... hahaha... yeah, DINNER !


This was my first time having dessert in Max Brenner in Sydney. hehe...I went there countless times in Melbourne but dunno why I don't feel like going there when I am here (but I had a cappuccino, my favourite at Max Brenner in David jones twice.)


Of course, I order a cappuccino every time at Max Brenner. Love the drizzling chocolate sauce on the top.


Tan wanted to try Suckao.


Trutti Frutti : Super Waffle with ice cream, strawberries, banana and chocolate sauce.


The best waffle for me.


The camera is so good, even can make him look handsome. (joking, joking friend.. lol)


and also make me pretty. (I've learned that we can't really believe the picture cuz sometimes make the person look a nicer than the real one. eiei)


Chocolate Fondu for 2

I myself wouldn't order this dish normally since after I studied in the patisserie school. Personally I think its only melted chocolate with some stuffs that you have to pay extra from what you can make at home. But Tan really wanna try and it is photogenic.. :D


Full full full ! Another stomach-full day !

Chat Thai
20 Campbell St., Haymarket NSW
Tel : (02) 9211 1808

Max Brenner Chocolate Bar
86 - 108 Castlereagh St.,Sydney NSW 2000
Tel : (02) 9251 7788

Baileys Chocolate Tartlets

Since I still have some left over sweet short pastry from making Dark chocolate tart for Soek birthday, I decided to make another easy chocolate tartlets from this recipe but in smaller version.

The sweet short pastry recipe is here.



The Chocolate Baileys Irish Cream Filling
(adapted from Its_gemmi)

150 ml whipping cream
70 g dark chocolate (I put 100 g)
100 g milk chocolate (I put 70 g)
1/2 tbsp. Baileys Irish Cream

1. In the bowl, put together the whipping cream and small pieces of chocolate and heat on Bain Marie.

2. Stir carefully (we don't want the airation) until all chocolate melt and well combine with cream. Take off the heat.

3. Add Baileys Irish Cream, stir

4. Pour the filling in to the tart and refridgerate about 4 - 6 hours before serving.

I made candied lemon peel to decorate the tart. (suppose to be orange but I don't have :P)


It is the easiest recipe and it's delicious.


Packed to giving friends :D


Yum !

Monday, July 6, 2009

The Counter - custom built burger

Since I have heard about this burger shop as it is one of the best burger in Sydney from many blogs.. The Counter, here I come !

Sam and I went to there on Monday lunch, only 1 table there at that time. The staff were very friendly telling us how to order.

I happily ordered my byo burger.. Basically you choose the meat and size for patty, cheese, topping (4 toppings), premium topping ($ 1.5 extra), sauce and bun...I forgot to check on the premium topping which was the good thing for me.. I will tell you later.


Freshly ground meat.. umm..sounds good.. But does it mean they grind to order?

Condiments which we didnt bother to use.


Apple Pie Shake $6

This is the best shake I have. Normally I dont like shake, milk shake or thick shake cuz it always too sweet and so rich that make me feel guilty drinking it. But this one is special. Not too sweet, first sip, I feel " wow..vanilla'' then just like eating apple pie. It was very creamy but not too rich. There are also have some crumble and chunks of apple there. *Recommend

My burger ! $13.50

150 g of beef, sharp Provolone, beetroot, grilled onions, lettuce blend, sweet red hot capsicum, horseradish mayo and wholemeal bun.


I am hungry now !


Sam's burger $21

450g of beef, Gruyere, grilled onions, tomatoes, mixed baby greens, sweet red hot capsicum, honey cured bacon and hamburger bun.


The real one was HUGE! As you can see, they put 3 pieces of cheese also.. o_O


I tried to take the photo like the one in NQN.. but I think they don't really look much different.. but I tell you.. they do !


This picture can show you how big of Sam's one compared to mine.


Attack !


The 'Fifty - Fifty' Sweet Chips & Onion strings $6.50

We thought we ordered this but actually we forgot.. so it came after burger. Really really good ! I love both. A must have *


It came with 3 sauces. I didn't ask the staff but I think there were Ginger soy glaze, Roasted garlic Aioli and Horseradish mayo. I like the aioli whilst Sam like Ginger soy glaze.


I tried to grab it with my hand but can't.. Too big. Also the bun was very soggy, I think it is because of the red capsicum. As I saw people at other tables all can eat it with their hands.. So I think next time shouldn't order something wet.


I actually ordered medium and Sam ordered medium rare.. but I think the kitchen staff was confused. So I got medium rare and Sam got like medium well (almost well done). At first I don't really wanna eat undercooked mince but because they said its freshly ground.. so I think it should be ok?

We were so so full. We finish all everything. Even I didn't order the premium topping, I was very full. If I did, I would be in trouble. Sam also tried his best to finish all. The staff told us that most of people who order 450g-meat can't walk after finish it. hahahaha

Verdict: the beef is not that special but the best thing is having fun of building our own burger.. I had a hard time deciding what to eat. And the fries and shake are the hi light of the meal.

Would love to come again !

The Counter
118 Willoughby Road,
Crows Nest, NSW
Tel: (02) 9436-2700