#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. 

#11 - Baked Cheesecake with Kiwi Topping

By far, this has got to be my favourite dessert among all the rest of the recipes which I have adapted and modified. I would say that it is also the most successful and tasty one as well. Yeah! I was (still am) so happy when the cheesecake came out PERFECT after hours of setting on the tabletop & fridge. Heavenly! 

The texture and taste of this baked cheesecake is very similar to those New Yoke Cheesecakes which are available around coffee places and cafes. I like the creamy, cheesy, lemony taste of the filling as well as the buttery and slightly salty biscuit base at the bottom. In just one day, 3 quarter of the cake is gone! Hubby prefer the plain cheesecake while I liked mine with the kiwi toppings. Fresh and slightly acidic, the kiwi gave a perfect punch to the flavour of the cheesecake. You can even bite into the small bits of kiwi pieces in the topping. Love it love it love it!

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Recipe: Adapted & modified from here.

Servings

Make approximately 12 pieces

Ingredients

Base

1 and 1/4 Cup Digestive Biscuits Crumbs

85g Unsalted Butter, melted

Filling

1135g Cream Cheese, softened at room temperature

1 Cup Sugar

4 Eggs

3/4 Cup Sour Cream

1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour, sifted

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Zest from 1 Lemon

Juice from 1/2 Lemon

Kiwi Topping

2 Golden Kiwifruit

2 Green Kiwifruit

50g Fine Sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160C.

2. Grease baking pan (Medium spring form cake pan, diameter 22cm) by spraying a layer of non-stick spray on it before lining the base with aluminium foil on the outside. Set aside for later use.

3. To prepare the digestive biscuits crumbs, you may either break up the biscuits into crumbs using a food processor or place them in a zip lock bag and break them up to crumbs by rolling a rolling pin over the biscuits in the bag. 

4. Add melted butter to the crumbs and mix well. Pour the biscuit mixture into cake pan and pressed it firmly and evenly in the pan. You may make use of the base of a ramekin to help you. Bake for 8 minutes in the centre of the oven and set aside while making the cheese filling. 

5. Cream the cream cheese with sugar to ensure a good mix. Add eggs, sour cream, flour, salt and vanilla extract into the mixture and mix until smooth. 

6. Add lemon zest and lemon juice to the mixture and mix well. Once there are no lumps in the mixture, you may stop mixing. Do not over mix so as to prevent cracks on the cheesecake. 

7. Pour filling over the biscuit base. Shake the cake pan slightly to ensure that the filling is evenly spread and any air pockets within the mixture are removed.

8. Bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes. 

9. When out of the oven, cool completely on table top (I cooled it for 4 to 5 hours) before transferring the cheesecake to the fridge to chill overnight. 

10. Blend the kiwi to a pureed. Place the pureed kiwi in a saucepan and sugar to it. Heat the mixture under low flame until the sugar is dissolved. Drizzle the kiwi topping on the cheesecake before serving. 

#Note - 

Baking the cheesecake for 1 hour 10 minutes, the top of my cake is a little too brown. You may adjust the timing to bake for an hour. It should give a better colour.