#54 - Fruity Swiss Roll

Start of a new year, 2017!

I know I was not baking much for last year and this year, I hope to set things right! I really hope to keep to my resolution of uploading one recipe a week. Baking and sharing recipes are things I do to keep myself sane amidst my work and other chores. It is like a personal me-time. Since I enjoy these times so much, I promised myself that I shall work much harder to keep to this resolution of mine this year. I hope, I really hope so.

This is the second week of the year and I am starting my year with a Fruity Swiss Roll bake. I bought some really fresh good eggs from the wet market the other day and I was excited to use them in my bakes. Considering the fact that most of the eggs I used in my baking/cooking were bought from supermarket, this batch from the wet market was indeed different. They were much larger in size and the yolks were of a much fresher and brighter colour. It also gives the cake a really fragrant eggy smell when it is done. Love it! Nothing beats fresh and premium ingredients.

Will be trying out more versions of the Swiss Roll next. I think they make pretty good breakfast items as well as after-dinner dessert.

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Recipe: Adapted & modified from Ochikeron.
Free printable version of recipe - Click here 

Ingredients

Sponge Cake
Eggs (separate the yolks from the whites) - 4 nos
Milk - 40g
Corn Oil - 40g
Vanilla Bean Paste - 1/4 tsp
Flour (sifted) - 60g
Castor Sugar - 80g

Filling
Whipping Cream - 200ml
Castor Sugar - 1 tbsp
Assorted fruits of your choice (diced)
* I used kiwi, strawberries, raspberries and mangoes

Method

Sponge Cake

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line baking tray with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks together with milk, oil and vanilla. Mix well.

3. Add in flour and fold it into the yolk mixture using a spatula. Ensure mixture is well combined and smooth. Once combined yolk mixture is done, set aside for later use.

4. In a separate mixer bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy using an electric mixer.

5. Then gradually add in sugar and continue mixing until thick and stiff peak.

6. Once it is done, fold in egg white mixture, one-third portion at a time, into yolk mixture until a well-combined batter is obtained.

7. Pour combined batter into baking tray and ensures that it is evenly spread out.

8. Tap baking tray against tabletop to remove air bubbles from batter.

9. Bake in oven at 180C for about 12 mins or until cake is lightly browned.

10. When cake is done, remove from oven and tap baking tap against tabletop to prevent shrinkage.

11. Remove sponge cake from tray and allow it to cool on cooling rack. Ensure cake is completely cooled before adding filling on the browned side of the cake.

Filling

12. To prepare the filling, combine whipped cream with sugar using electric mixer. Beat until soft peak.

13. Spread cream filling over the browned surface of the cake.

14. Top with diced fruits over the creamed surface. Leave a one-inch gap around the border.

15. Roll the cake in baking paper and cover with a layer of cling wrap. Rest the cake in fridge for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. Best served chilled.

#51 - Rainbow Popsicles

You know that it is summer time when you are craving for something icy cold and refreshing like these homemade popsicles! Yay to homemade goodies! Don't you just love homemade food like I do? The beauty of these homemade goodies are that they are free from sugars and artificial flavourings. You don't even have to worry about additional colourings or chemicals being added. These rainbow popsicles are made with just fruits and nothing else! Isn't it just great!

These popsicles are so easy to make that I am sure you will enjoy making them as much as you enjoy eating them!

I simply love how pretty these little things look! To make these pretty yummies, you need nothing more than different types of fresh fruits and a blender. That's it! You can also get creative by arranging the layers of fruits puree in any order you prefer. 

What are you waiting for? Head straight into your kitchen and make some of these pretty rainbow popsicles now! 

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Recipe: Adapted and modified from here

Free printable version of recipe - Click here

Servings

8 Popsicles (depending on size of the mould)

Ingredients
Strawberries (blended) - 200g

Oranges (blended) - 200g

Pineapples (blended) - 200g

Kiwis (blended) - 200g

Blueberries (blended) - 200g

(Optional)

Coconut Water -1 to 2 Tbsp

Method

1. For each of the different coloured fruits layers (red - strawberries, orange - oranges, yellow - pineapples, green - kiwis, blue - blueberries), place the fruits in the blender and blend until a smooth puree is obtained. Remember to wash the blender thoroughly before blending the next layer. 

2. For fruits like the pineapples and blueberries, you may wish to add in 1 to 2 tbsp of coconut water to allow smoother blending of the puree. 

3. Distribute the different coloured fruits puree evenly into the popsicles mould, layer by layer. 

4. Freeze the popsicles for at least 6 hours (or overnight) until the popsicles are firm. 

5. To remove popsicles from their moulds, dip moulds in glass of water for 10 seconds. This will ensure the popsicles come out smoothly from the moulds. Serve while popsicles are firm. 

#39 - Honey Lemonade Popsicles

Just what I need to beat the heat outside! Are you frustrated with the recent hot weather like I am? I am sure we are all craving for something cold, cooling and yummy to bring the heat down a little. Try this! This is one of my favourite popsicle flavour so far. Sweet & tangy all at the same time! 

My hubby loves this recipe so much that he is constantly bugging me to make more these beautiful little things. The only thing he hates about them is the waiting time. Having to wait overnight while they freeze up is such a torture. What can I say? Good things are worth waiting for, aren't they?

The best part of this popsicle is that you are not restricted by the choice of fruits. You do not have to use the fruits I recommended. You may replace it with other fruits that you preferred (eg. oranges, peaches, mangoes etc). It is the magical blend between the honey and the lemonade that gives you the sweet yet tangy taste that is so addictive! 

I am so heading into my kitchen and making another batch of this NOW!  

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Recipe: Adapted and modified from here

Servings

6 Popsicles (depending on size of the mould)

Ingredients

3/4 cups Water

4 Tbsp Honey

1/2 cup Lemon Juice

Zest of 2 Lemons

1 Kiwi, sliced

2 - 4 Strawberries, sliced

12 Blueberries

Method

1. Combine water, honey, lemon juice and lemon zest in a liquid measuring cup. Stir well to ensure that the honey is fully dissolved into the lemonade. 

2. Distribute the fruits (kiwi, strawberries and blueberries) among the popsicles moulds. 

3. Pour lemonade mixture into the popsicles moulds. 

4. Freeze popsicles for at least 6 hours (or overnight) until the popsicles are firm. 

5. To remove popsicles from their moulds, dip moulds in glass of water for 10 seconds. This will ensure the popsicles come out smoothly from the moulds. Serve while popsicles are firm. 

#28 - Mango Sago with Pomelo, 杨枝甘露

Mango Sago with Pomelo, better known as 杨枝甘露, a very popular dessert in Singapore. Somehow, this also happens to be the one dessert that I make year after year (after each Lunar New Year). Maybe it is because of my hubby's love for mangoes, or maybe it is just due to the abundance of pomelo I have at home after each Lunar New Year. Whatever it may be, there is no reason not to indulge in this sweet yet tangy dessert, especially in the hot and humid weather these days.

The only problem I have with this dessert item is having to seek for really ripe and sweet mangoes. Last year when I was making this dessert, I did not manage to find the type of mangoes I was looking for and had to settle for whatever I could find at the local supermarket. I ended up with these mangoes which were SO sour that it kind of spoilt the whole dessert for me. 

This time round, I managed to find these honey mangoes from Thailand instead. Although they were still slightly sour, but overall, they were much better. Furthermore, with the generous helpings of pomelo and creamy sago in the dessert, it was just heavenly! 

On the recipe for this dessert item, you would probably realised that for most of the recipes circulating on the internet, it is most common to have a mixture of the sago pearls, pomelo, evaporated milk/cream within the mango puree itself. However, I like mine slightly different. I separated the mango puree from the creamy sago (totally fattening I know, but yummy!) before I top up the dessert with a generous helping of mayo cubes and pomelo. Not only does that looks prettier, the creamy sago provides a smooth and rich texture to the dessert that I totally love! 

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Recipe: Adapted & modified from here.

Servings
6 - 8

Ingredients
Mango Puree Mixture
2 medium size ripe mangoes, cubed
500 ml mango juice
150 ml evaporated milk

Creamy Sago
60 grams sago pearls
200 ml Kara Coconut Cream
1/4 C dairy cream (35% fat)

Toppings
Pomelo, peeled and sacs separated
1 medium size ripe mango, cubed

Directions

1. In a saucepan of boiling water, add the sago pearls. Let it boil for 10 minutes before lowering the heat and continue to simmer until the it turns totally transparent. Strain the sago pearls through a sieve and run it under cold running water. Drain and set aside.

2. Mix the ready sago pearls with coconut cream and dairy cream. Keep it chilled in the fridge for later use.

3. To prepare the mango puree mixture, blend the mango cubes with mango juice and evaporated milk  with a blender on high speed. Make sure all the ingredients well incorporated in the mixture. When mixture is ready, set aside in the fridge for later use.

4. When ready to serve, layer the mango puree mixture at the bottom, followed by the creamy sago and lastly, top the dessert with some mango cubes and pomelo sacs according to your personal preference.

Note: Alternatively, you may also omit the use of creamy sago, and simply add the sago pearls to the mango puree mixture, mix everything thoroughly before serving.

#19 - Lemon Mint Granita

I saw this recipe at the back of a magazine which I read every month. Lemon & Basil Granita! Basically granita is a Italian frozen dessert which is related to Italian ice and sorbet. It is not as compact as the sorbet but still provides that cooling kick you need on a hot afternoon.

The recipe I chanced upon looked simple enough for me to give it a try and so, it was bookmarked. But then again, me being me, I just couldn't be contented with following the recipe alone and I had to give it a little spin of my own. Decided to replace basil with mint (and you wonder why this site is named as mrsMINTYcream?) and since I have these gorgeous mangoes sitting in my pantry, I decided to add them to my Lemon-Mint Granita. I don't believe there's anyone out there who doesn't like some sweet and gorgeous fruits to go with some good old citrus like lemon and lime. 

The end product was somewhat like a combination of ice-jelly cocktail and ice-kachang (minus the sugary syrup). Go make some granita and keep it in the freezer just because it is so versatile and can simply goes well with just about anything! 

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Ingredients

Handful of fresh Mint Leaves (about 50 leaves)

4cups of Water

3 tbsp Fine Sugar

4 Lemons, juiced 

1 Lime, juiced and zested

Mixed Fruits

1 Mango

30g Blueberries

1 Yellow Kiwi

1 Green Kiwi

1 Peach

Directions

1. Wash and dry fresh mint leaves. Using a food processor or a blender, pulse the mint leaves until they are mostly pureed. Set aside for later use.

2. Boil the water and sugar to make a syrup. Stir well to ensure the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

3. Combined and lemon juice with the lime juice. Stir in the zest of one lime into the mixture.

4. Add the mint leaves puree to the lemon-lime juice mixture and stir. Once combined, also add in the sugar syrup and taste. Adjust the mixture to the level of sweetness you desired by adding in more sugar if needed. 

5. Pour the mixture into a freezable container and freeze for at least 4-5 hours. After every 1-2 hours, remove from freezer and flake it using a fork.

6. While waiting for the granita to freeze, prepare the fruits. Wash and diced all the fruits. If you do not have fresh fruits, you may also use canned fruits (without the canned syrup). 

7. Place the fruits at the bottom of a serving cup/mug/bowl. Top with the lemon-mint granita and mint leaves, then serve. 

#17 - Oreo Cookies and Cream Popsicles

Yeah! Another popsicle recipe! This is like the fourth popsicle recipes which I have tried in the last 2 months or so. (Note to self - That reminds me of something. I have yet to put up the recipe on my Nutella Banana Fudgesicles.) How can any one say no to a yummy creamy popsicle like this. It is the Oreo Cookies and Cream Popsicles! I kind of fancy the addition of the milk & whipping cream to the recipe as it really enhanced the taste of the creaminess in these popsicles. 

While these popsicles were freezing in the freezer, I was sitting impatiently in front of my television. Can't wait! I could hardly wait for them to be ready so that I can have a taste of this creamy delightfulness. I am sure you understand what I mean, don't you?

If you are not a great fan of dairy products, you may find this popsicle a little too milky on your first few bites. But, hold on to that thought! Wait till you bite into the soft and chocolatey Oreo Biscuits! It is so soft, creamy and sweet! Unbelievable! Once you have tasted that, you will understand how the milky cream part comes into play. It is totally a match made in popsicles heaven! 

Look at me! I was enjoying my yummy Oreo Popsicle while playing my favourite game, Hay Day, on my iPad. This is total enjoyment, I tell you. 

For those friends of mine who have been infected with my recent craze with Popsicles, go try this recipe out! You will not be disappointed, that I am sure! 

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Recipe: Adapted and modified from here

Servings

Make 6-8 Popsicles (depending on size of the mould)

Ingredients

150ml Whipping Cream

150ml Milk

3 tbsp Yogurt

1tbsp Native Honey

14 Oreo Cookies, quartered

Directions

1. Combine the whipping cream, milk, yogurt and honey in a liquid measuring cup. Whisk the mixture well to ensure that the honey is fully dissolved into the cream. 

2. Slice each Oreo cookies into 4 pieces (quarters) and distribute the cookies among the popsicles moulds (8 quarters in each mould). 

3.Pour the cream mixture in Step (1) into the popsicles moulds. Freeze for at least 3-6 hours until the popsicles are firm. (I freezed mine overnight to ensure firm popsicles)

4. When removing popsicles from moulds, place the moulds under running water. This will ensure that the popsicles come out smoothly from the moulds. 

#13 - Orange Buttermilk Popsicles

Do you ever have the craving for something sweet during late in the night? For me, it is usually when Hubby and I are relaxing and watching our cable television after dinner that I will have this sudden urge to have something tangy yet sweet. If it is just that, a quick assorted fruits salad would probably do the trick. But, just sometime, I would wish for it to be more perfect by being icy cold. Something like an ice-cream but not as creamy. This Orange Buttermilk Popsicle is a perfect solution for me! 

These popsicles are sweet and tangy in taste and there is really no simpler recipe for these goodies. If you know me, you would know that my cooking style is pretty much, simple, simple, simple. I truly believe in doing more with less and believe me, this simple frozen treat here get you smiling in the recent hot weather.

The original recipe was meant for lemon popsicles but since I have some buttermilk and plenty of oranges sitting in the refrigerator, I thought why not change it out a little. And the result is , SWEET! If you like something healthier and not-as-sweet, you should probably be looking at my Mango Yogurt Popsicles instead. But if you are ready to give yourself a sweet treat over the weekend, try this recipe out! It will not disappoint you. 

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Recipe: Adapted and modified from here

Servings

Make 6-8 Popsicles (depending on size of the mould)

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Fine Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

2 Oranges, juiced and zested

1 Cup Buttermilk

Directions

1. In a saucepan, heat the sugar and water under medium-high heat. Stir well until all the sugar has dissolved. Set aside for syrup to cool. 

2. Add the juice and zest from 2 medium-size oranges into the syrup and stir. If you do not like to have the orange zest in your popsicles, you may omit the orange zest portion and at the same time, strain the orange juice before adding it to the sugar syrup in Step (1). 

3. Add in the buttermilk to the syrup mixture and mix well. 

4. Once the mixture is well mixed, pour it into the popsicle moulds. Freeze for at least 3-6 hours until the popsicles are firm. (I freezed mine overnight to ensure firm popsicles)

6. When removing popsicles from moulds, place the moulds under running water. This will ensure that the popsicles come out smoothly from the moulds. 

#08 - Breakfast Banana Splits

Alright, alright, alright. I know the picture above does not look that appetising, but trust me, taste wise it is pretty creamy and sweet with a zest of citrus from the strawberries (which you are unable to see in this picture) and raspberries. Honestly, I never really understand why the strawberries we have in Singapore are never sweet. Or is it just me? I always seem to be buying strawberries that are sour no matter how ripe they are. Their bright red appearance are so deceiving! 

Anyway, Wednesday is usually my busy busy day with all the household chores to be done as well as lessons to prepare and to go to. So, just last Wednesday, I woke up in the morning with this feeling of wanting to fill myself up (with some good food, of course) for a busy day ahead. So, what I saw in the fridge were tonnes of fruits which I have bought over the weekend. So I thought, why not have a fruity morning! The idea of Breakfast Banana Splits just came to me. 

For those of you who know me, you will know that I am not so much of a citrus fan and that my tolerance level for sourness is really really low. Luckily, I found some grapes in my huge fruits collection in the fridge and of course I added them to the berries for my Breakfast Banana Splits. 

At the same time, I also wanted something a little crunchy and chocolatey and hence, I pulled out the last box of Koko Krunch cereal in the cupboard to go with the dish. If you are looking for something healthy yet yummy and at the same time, you are a huge fruits fan, try this recipe. Simple and easy to make and you are good to go in a couple of minutes. Have fun!

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Recipe: Adapted & modified from here.

Servings

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

2 riped bananas, peeled

20g Koko Crunch Cereal, chopped into smaller size (with food processor/ rolling pin)

140g plain yogurt

4 strawberries, sliced 

18 raspberries, sliced 10 (keeping 8 of them aside for garnishing)

18 grapes

10g walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Slice the bananas in half (lengthwise) and place them separately in 2 serving dish.

2. Mix 3/4 of the Koko Crunch Cereal with the plain yogurt.

3. Spread half of the portion of yogurt mixture along the (top) length of the banana.

4. Place the berries and grapes on the banana slices. 

5. Spread the remaining yogurt on top of the fruits.

6. Sprinkle with chopped walnut and remaining 1/4 of the Koko Crunch Cereal on top.

7. Garnish with raspberries.