Orange Passion Fruit Mousse Cake

It has been quite awhile I have not bake any cake lately eventhough I have few cakes I have bookmarked earlier.   Sometimes just have to wait for any special occasion or if I am in craving for cakes and cream then I will get my hands up and going.

Last weekend lovely lady Amelia's De-ssert called me saying that she has gotten me some passion fruits.  All this happened is one day I text her to ask her where she buy the passion fruits as I have not able to get it anywhere my area here and she has been so kind enough to get me one BIG bag full of passion fruits.... and more with some of her freshly baked and steamed tapioca kuihs.  Hop over to check out her delicious tapioca kuih that she posted recently.  So delicious and yummy!

I've bookmarked this Orange Passion Fruit Mousse cake for quite awhile now.   This mousse cake was made out from the inspiration from Tish Boyle's Meyer Lemon Mousse Cake !  I have used her recipe and modify it to become Orange Passion Fruit Mousse Cake.

 

Orange Passion Fruit Mousse Cake

The cake inspired from Tish Boyle's Lemon Mousse Cake

Genoise:

100 g sifted cake flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

80g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

57g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Ginger Syrup:

160ml water

80g caster sugar

½” piece fresh gingerroot, peeled and thinly sliced

Orange Mousse:

60ml water

2  tsp powdered gelatin

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest

180g caster sugar

6 large egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

360ml heavy cream

Passion Fruits Jelly:

2 tbsp water

1 ½ tbsp powdered gelatin

4-5 passion fruits

80g caster sugar

280ml water

 

Make the genoise:

1.  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease the

     bottom and sides of a 9” round cake pan. Dust the pan with flour and set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour and salt. Whisk to combine and set

      aside.

3.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs and sugar by hand. Set the

      bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl

      does not touch the water. Heat the egg mixture, whisking constantly, until the eggs

      are warm. Transfer the bowl to the electric mixer stand and, using the whisk

      attachment, beat on high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume, about 8

      minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the lemon zest and vanilla extract.

4.  Resift one-third of the flour mixture over the batter and gently fold it in with a rubber

      spatula. In two more additions, sift in the remaining flour mixture, again folding in

      gently. Have the melted butter in a small bowl. Scoop about 3/4 cup of the cake batter

      into the bowl and stir until blended. Fold this mixture into the remaining cake batter.

      Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

5.  Bake the cake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched

     and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15

     minutes. Invert the cake onto the wire rack and cool completely.

Make the Ginger Syrup:

1.  In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil over medium

     high heat, stirring occasionally just to dissolve the sugar. Remove the pan from the

     heat and add the ginger slices. Let stand at room temperature until ready to use.

Make the mousse:

1.  Pour the water into a medium saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over it. Let the

     gelatin soften for 5 minutes.

2.  Whisk in the orange juice,  zest, sugar, and egg yolks. Place the pan over medium heat

      and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and reaches 80°C on an

      instant-read thermometer. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a

      medium bowl. Stir in the vanilla extract.

3.  Set the bowl containing the orange mixture in a large mixing bowl filled one-third of

      the way with ice water (be careful that the water doesn’t splash into the orange

      mixture). Stir the orange mixture frequently until it is completely cool, about 10

      minutes.

4.   In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream at

       medium-high speed to firm peaks. Fold the orange mixture into the whipped cream.

       (The cake can be assembled now.)

Make the Passion Fruit Jelly:

(Please only makes this Jelly only when the cake has been assemble and the mousse has been set in the fridge after 3-4 hours)

1.  In a small bowl,  pour in the 2 tbsp water and sprinkle the gelatin over and let the

     gelatin soften for 5 minutes.

2.  In a small saucepan, bring all the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil for about

      2-3 minutes.  Once comes to a boil, pour the mixture through a fine sieve into another

      small saucepan and put back to the heat on and pour the soften gelatin in.  Keep

      stirring the mixture for about 1-2 minutes.

     *  I add in one tablespoon of the passion fruit seeds in that been sieve out

        earlier.

3.  Let it cool.

Assemble the cake:

Cut the genoise cake horizontally into 2 layers. Arrange a cake layer, cut side up, in the bottom of a 9” springform pan, centering it so that the gap between the cake and the side of the pan is even all the way around. 

Generously brush the cake with half of the Ginger Syrup. Scrape half of the mousse on top of the cake and, using a small offset metal spatula, spread it into an even layer, letting the mousse fill the gap between the cake and the side of the pan. Arrange the remaining cake layer, cut side up, on top, centering it.

Brush the cake with the remaining Ginger Syrup. Scrape the remaining mousse on top and spread it into an even layer as before. Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours until set.

Once the Cake has been set, (do the Passion Fruits Jelly now).

Once the Passion Fruits Jelly has been cooled, slowly pour in the jelly on top of the mousse cake and refrigerate the cake for at least another 3-4 hours.

Serve the cake:

Run a sharp, thin-bladed knife under hot water and wipe dry. Run the knife between the cake and the side of the springform pan, reheating it as necessary. Remove the side of the springform pan. Use a small metal spatula to smooth the mousse on the sides of the cake, if necessary.  Refrigerate the cake if not serving immediately. 

Absolutely delicious...... full of citrus flavour and the passion fruits just taste heavenly! 

   Forgotten to smoothen the sides of the cakes!

Steamed Tapioca Drenched With Coconut Sauce

Hope all of you have a great Saturday spending valuable time with your family at home.  
I just made this Steamed Tapioca drenched with Coconut sauce for dessert.

Steamed Tapioca Drenched With Coconut Sauce

Ingredients
2 medium size tapioca, peeled and cut to 5cm long
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of palm sugar (gula melaka)
1/2 cup of warm water

Method
1. Boil the tapioca pieces with enough water till soft.  Drain and set aside.
2. Put the palm sugar and warm water in a small sauce pan and bring to boil till sugar
     melted.
3.  Put the tapioca pieces into the palm sugar and mix all till the tapioca pieces are coated 
     all over.

Coconut Sauce
1/3 cup of coconut milk
1 tsp rice flour
pinch of salt 
1 pandan leaf, cut to small pieces

Put all the ingredients into a sauce pan and bring to a boil till the coconut milk thickens.

 
To serve
Put the tapioca into a plate and drenched it with coconut sauce.   Ready to serve!

If I am not mistaken, this is one of the Thai dessert that is called "Montad Chuame"

Curry Chicken Meatballs

I know.... meatballs again!  This time I try to cook meatballs in curry sauce.  This is cooked in a jiffy too; as I used the ready mix/premix curry paste.

We usually cook curry chicken using the cut chicken pieces.  I thought I give this Curry Chicken meat cook in a meatballs instead.  How about you?  Have you tried cooking in meatballs in curry sauce?

CURRY CHICKEN MEATBALLS

For chicken balls:
400g minced chicken
½  medium onion, finely chopped
½ beaten egg
1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp grated ginger

1-2 water chestnuts (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Oil for frying

1 small pack meat curry paste mix

1 onion, chop small

1-2 potatoes, cut small

180ml water

50ml coconut milk

1 tomatoes (optional)

Method

1.  For the meatballs, place all the meatball ingredients except the oil into a large mixing

     bowl and mix together well with your hands.For the chicken balls, mix all ingredients

     together.

2.  Shape the mixture into small balls.  Deep fry the meatballs till golden brown.

     (Optional : You can bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes till golden brown too).

3.  For the curry sauce, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat.

     Put in the chopped onion and fry till fragrant.  Add in the curry paste mix, stirring for

      about 1 minute  till fragrant.   Pour in the water and once it comes to a boil add in the

      meatballs, potatoes and tomatoes.

     Once the gravy comes to boil, lower the heat and let simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

4.  Lastly add in the coconut milk and simmer for another 1 minutes.

5.  Dish out and serve with rice.

Pearl Meat Balls

I like meatball dishes either by cooking in deep frying, braising or steaming.  Whenever I come across any meatball recipes, I usually will bookmark it; I don't know why.  Maybe I feel it is easy to chew and it is most suitable for the elderly too.

I have few more meatballs dishes which I intend to cook very soon but today I am posting here is the Pearl Meat Balls.  Another recipe from Nami of JustOneCookbook 

Pearl MeatBalls

I have half the recipe from Nami of Just One Cookbook
(with slight change) 

Ingredients:

½ cups glutinous rice (soak about 4 hours, drain and set aside)

250g mince meat (you can use pork, chicken or even prawn too!)

½ tbsp green onions, chopped

½ egg

½ tbsp light soy sauce

1/8 tsp salt

A dash or two pepper
some Shao Xin Wine

2-3 water chestnuts, peeled, smashed then minced

Methods:

1.  Mix all other ingredients together except the glutinous rice in a large bowl.

2.  Grab handfuls of the mixed ingredients, pat them in your palms to make the mixture

     stickier.

3.  Start boiling water to prepare the steamer.

     (You can lay a piece of cheese cloth on the bottom of steamer, depend on you to

     absorb the steaming water).

  

4.  Make meat balls, about 1 inch diameter each.

5.  Roll the meat balls in glutinous rice, make sure all sides are covered.

6. Place the pearl balls into your steamer, steam on high for 20 minutes.

At first I wasn't sure what is Sweet Rice that Nami is indicating in her recipe,  and I google search only to find out it was Glutinous Rice.

Those who loves to eat Glutinous Rice, I am sure you will like this too!

This Pearl Meatballs is easy to make!  And delicious too.  Dip some chilli sauce before going into your mouth.

Luncheon Buns (餐 包)

Wanted to make this Luncheon Buns sometime back; just wasn't sure which recipe I should use for the Dough.  I have been trying some various types of bread dough to see which one I would prefer to use it again and again.

I am sure you all do know when you search for a recipe either from the cookbook or google search the blog, all the dough are of difference ingredients.  So I have to try it out which one is the one I will keep it as my keeper's recipe.

Today I have baked Luncheon Buns..... I am sure you have all tasted this at the Dim Sum Restaurant too.  

Luncheon Buns  ( 餐 包 )

(dough recipe from Agnes Chang “Baking Made Easy)

Dough:

240g high protein flour, mixed with 1tbsp custard powder and 1/2 tsp salt, sifted

1 tsp instant yeast

50g castor sugar

135ml water

30g butter or shortening

30g butter, melted for brushing

 

Ingredients for Fillings
250gm "Char Siew" (bbq pork) (chopped into small pieces)
5 Tbsp frozen peas
2 tsp oil

Seasonings
3 Tbsp water
¼ tsp sesame oil
1 tsp oyster sauce
1½ tsp sugar

3/4 tsp dark soy sauce
½ tsp cornflour
1½ tsp peanut butter
dash of pepper
dash of chinese wine

Method for filling
1. Mix seasoning together
2. Heat oil, add seasoning and simmer till gravy thickens.
3. Add bbq pork, green peas and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well
4. Remove and leave to cool before using as filling.

Method for dough

1. Mix and knead all ingredients till smooth and elastic. (I use the mixer with hook and

mix for 45 minutes). Prove till double in bulk about 1 hour.  Remove from bowl and

slowly knead again, rest for 15 minutes. Divide into 50g and mould round.  Let it rest

again for 10 minutes.

2. Wrap up filling with dough. Shape round and seal tight. Prove till double in bulk;

     about 20 minutes.

3. Bake at 200C for 12-15 minutes till golden brown. Remove and brush with melted

     butter. Serve hot or cold.

(makes 10 – 12  buns depends on the size of the buns your require)

I was not that pleased with the outcome of this bun.... one thing is I still prefer to use egg wash instead of brushing melted butter to the buns after baked.  Egg wash would make the buns looks nicer with golden brown in colour.

Braised Pork Belly in Root Beer

Hi my friends........ I have been quiet lately with my posting as I have been unwell and didn't really done much with my baking and cooking.

Well, if I am not really in the mood to cook, braising meat is the solution for me because I feel it is easy to cook.

This is the first time I am using a fizzy drink "Root Beer" to braise meat and I was really in doubt how the taste would came out.  

Braised Pork Belly in Root Beer

Recipe from Noob Cook  with slight changes  

 

Ingredients

8 dried Chinese mushrooms

4 eggs

1-2 tbsp cooking oil

500 grams pork belly

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 can (330 ml) root beer

750 ml water

1 cinnamon stick (桂皮)

1 star anise (八角)

4 cloves (丁香)

1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder (五香粉)

1.5 bulbs garlic separated into individual cloves (no need to peel)

dashes of white pepper powder to taste

1-2 tbsp light soy sauce *

1 tbsp sugar to taste *

1-2 piece tau kwa (fried beancurd/豆干) quartered

spring onions or coriander garnishing

Method

1.  Soak dry mushrooms in small bowl of hot water until puffy, then drain water. Squeeze

     out the water from mushrooms and trim away stems. Set aside the mushroom.

2.  Prepare 80% cooked hard boiled eggs. To do that, place eggs in saucepan of cold

      water (enough water to cover eggs one layer). Bring to a boil for about 2 minutes, turn

      off the stove and cover with lid for about 7 minutes (for 100% hard boiled eggs, it’s

      about 10 minutes). Rinse the eggs with cold water until eggs are cooled. Peel when

      cool enough to handle. Set aside.

3.  Heat oil in casserole (wok, claypot or deep pot). Brown pork belly on both sides on

      medium heat. Add 1 tbsp dark soy sauce on both sides of browned pork belly.

     Add the rest of the ingredients except eggs, tau kwa and spring onions/coriander.

     Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer (with lid partially closed) for an hour, or

     until the meat is tender.

4.  During the last 10 minutes of simmering, add eggs and tau kwa. To serve, slice pork

      belly to smaller, bite-sized pieces. 

*  Add the light soy sauce and sugar according to your preference taste.

This dish is delicious; with 1 hour slow braise the meat is tender and you wouldn't even taste that the root beer is added in because the spices are much stronger in its taste and aroma!

Remember to serve this together with your favourite chilli sauce........

 

Shrimp Ball

Now that it is school holiday and it's a long Public Holiday here, so I guess most of the food bloggers are taking a break from their normal post as I have noticed.

Instead of joining to the crowded places, I stayed at home taking a rest as I have not been feeling good recently.  Few days while shopping, there were some offer on the tiger prawns, hence I just grab some and thinking of making some snack food out of it.

Today, I have made this "Mom's Shrimp Ball".  Well, for your info, it is not my mom's recipe but it is Nami's mom.

Hop over to Nami's JustOneCookbook for this delicious Mom's Shrimp Ball recipe.
I am just being lazy to type out the recipe here.........  

I just had this for my lunch today.  

White Chocolate Lemon Truffles

Previously I don't fancy much of eating chocolate but I think as I grow on the years, my taste for chocolate have change too.  Sometimes I go so addicted of eating chocolate and I could eat non stop.  

As I have a big bar of white chocolate in my fridge and thought of making something out of it. So here with.........

White Chocolate Lemon Truffles

Recipe from What Megan's Making

Ingredients:

250g white chocolate (of good quality)

1/3  cup plus 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
Grated zest of 1 lemon
pinch of salt
55g unsalted butter, cut into thin slices  (should cut down a little)
2 tsp. freshly-squeezed, strained lemon juice
Icing Sugar, sifted, for coating

Directions:

In small, heavy, non-aluminum saucepan, combine the heavy cream and lemon zest. Over low heat, heat until cream comes to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover tightly and let sit for 20 minutes.

Combine the white chocolate, salt, and butter in medium heatproof bowl.

Remove the cover from the cream and reheat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a simmer. Remove from heat.

Strain through fine-meshed strainer into white chocolate mixture. Press down on the lemon zest left in the strainer to extract all the liquid from it.

Place white chocolate mixture over a pot of warm water on low heat (water should not touch bottom of bowl). Stir the chocolate frequently just until almost melted. Remove the bowl from the warm pot.

Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. (Note: White chocolate can be difficult when melting. If there are small lumps of white chocolate use a food processor and process the mixture at high speed just until smooth.) Stir in lemon juice.

Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Chill at least 4 hours, covering tightly when cold.

To make truffles: Using a small cookie scoop or a spoon, form balls of about 1 inch diameter from the cold truffle base. Roll in to icing sugar until well-coated. (If you're having trouble, drop the small spoonful of white chocolate into the sugar, using the sugar to help roll it into a ball. Once a ball is formed, re-roll it in the icing sugar until coated.) 

Store truffles airtight in refrigerator for up to one week or freeze for longer storage. To serve, remove from refrigerator 15 to 20 minutes prior to serving time. Let stand at room temperature, covered, until serving time.

* This chocolate is of soft texture.... not like the normal hard texture.

These little white chocolate is full of lemon citrus taste and sweet too!

Egg Custard Tarts / "Darn Tart" 蛋挞

The first time I baked Egg Tarts was in last year.  The Egg Tart  was using the ready made puff pastry which is quick and easy.  That time I was not good in making my own crust pastry and dreaded the feeling of rolling and cutting it up to put into the mould.

Well, since I like to eat Egg Tart, I thought I should make the whole thing using crust pastry.  There are so many versions/recipes of Egg Tart and since you are starting from the scratch, you have to try out to find which one suits you the best.

Egg Tarts

Recipe sourced from Small Small Baker

Filling:
120g sugar
350g water
5 eggs, lightly beaten
100g evaporated milk

1. Heat up water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Leave it to cool.
2. Then add in beaten eggs and evaporated milk. Mix well, sieve the egg mixture and set

     aside.

Pastry:
300g plain flour
2 tbsp custard powder
2 tbsp milk powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg
200g butter

Rub-in Method (cold butter)
Cut cold butter into small cubes. Combine flour, custard powder and milk powder and mix well. Rub in the cold butter, add sugar, mix well and add beaten egg, mix to form a soft dough (do not knead). Wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate before use.

Method:
Divide the pastry dough equally into 20 pieces about 30g each (depending on your mould

size). Press the dough into tart moulds evenly.

Fill into the tarts till 90% full. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 20 mins.

What do I think about this Egg Tarts?  I like the crust but the custard which I find the egg taste a little too strong in there....

  Just nice for my Sunday afternoon tea break...........   Care to join me for tea?

Thousand Corner Seafood Balls

Oooh.... I am "speechless" in this post.  Never mind, just scroll down to view this delicious seafood balls.  I am sure you and your family will like this very much especially children!

Thousand Corner Seafood Balls

Recipe adapted from Adora's Box

Ingredients
1 cup prawns, peeled
8 crab sticks
1 tbsp of chopped spring onions (white part only)
2 tbsp corn flour
1 tsp light soy sauce
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp sesame oil
2 cup very dry mini croutons (white bread cut to small cubes)


1.  Put all of the ingredients, except for the croutons, in a food a processor and grind into

     a paste.

2.  Drop tablespoonfuls of the prawn/crab stick mixture into the croutons.  (Used two

      small spoon to make the balls). Cover with balls with croutons all over  and roll into

      round shape.

3.  Heat wok with some cooking oil.  Deep fry the balls for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

     Turn them around constantly so the bread coating won’t be burned easily.

     The seafood balls will be done when puffed up and golden brown in colour.

     Drain on kitchen paper and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Oh, I have forgotten to cut open to let you view the inside of this seafood balls.  No worries, hop over to Adora's Box to view her beautiful golden seafood balls.

   
Make sure to fry it in medium heat so that the inside is well cooked.