Food for the Gods

1 1/4 c sifted APF
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 c chopped pitted dates
1 c butter
1 c granulated sugar
1 c brown sugar
 2 eggs
1 c chopped walnut

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease and line a 13x9x2 inch rectangular pan

Sift the first 4 ingredients together.

Take 1/2 cup of flour mixture and dredge dates. What I do is, I tossed the dates in the flour mixture and then sift it again then set aside the dates in a bowl.

Cream butter until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and blend well. Add eggs. Fold in the flour mixture and dates. Add walnuts. Blend batter completely.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven for 10 mins.

Lower the heat to 300F and continue baking for 30 mins.

Cool slightly, then cut into bars.

Puto Bumbong (steamed cake in a bamboo cylinder)

This is one of the favorite native delicacies in the Philippines especially on Christmas season. This has been in Filipino tradition for a very long time. It is time consuming yet worthy of wait. It is a mixture of 3 different kinds of rice; ordinary, glutinous and purple rice (pirurutong as they call it). It is soaked overnight, grounded the next day and then let set to dry. It is cooked on a special kind of kettle like steamer with 2 holes for the bamboo cylinders. Puto bumbong is the most sought delicacy (aside from bibingka) after Simbang gabi or the Christmas Eve mass, people would line up to their favorite stalls/vendors just to have a taste of this delicacy.

I was not able to take a good picture of the puto itself (silly me). I did not use any food color. That is the actual color, purple. I was actually shock when I was grinding it because the color was pale but when I took it out from the bamboo cylinder, it was a deep purple. I'm glad I did not use any food color to add on. As for the steamer and the bamboo cylinders, my mom sticks it in her luggage when she took a vacation here.


Utensils
cheese cloth
measuring cups
food processor or rice grinder
strainer

Ingredients
2 c glutinous rice
1 c purple rice
1/2 ordinary rice
2 tbsp melted butter

Toppings
grated coconut
margarine
brown sugar

Fondant Peterbilt - Groom cake

I made this cake in 1 1/2 day, but not actually the full 24 hrs. As per grooms' request...mocha frosting and a lot of it. The frosting of the base cake is mocha (well not really mocha because there is no chocolate in it, maybe i should call it cappuccino) and the truck filling is butter-cream since the cake itself is already blended with coffee. I baked and used pound cake for easy handling and cutting. This is my first fondant truck and i'm happy with it(",)

Basic Sponge Cake

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease sides of parchment paper lined pan (12x16x1/2 inch).

2 c Cake flour
1/2 c white sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
8 egg yolks
1/2 c water

Mix together all dry ingredients then add the veg. oil, water and eggyolks. Blend well using whire wisk. Set aside.

BASE 2
8 egg whites
3/4 c white sugar
1 tsp cream of tartar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar into the mixing bowl. Using wire whisk, shift the mixer to 5 until it resembles to a float/bubbly(like beer). Gradually add in sugar. Whisk until soft peaks form. NOTE: Do not over mix, the consistency of the white should be like shaving cream, not dry and a little bit stiff.

Fold the cake flour into the white mixture by using rubber spatula.

Put the batter into the greased lined pan and tap once onto working table to release air bubbles.

Bake at 350F for 30 mins. Turn the pan upside down, and peel the paper. Let it cool.

NOTE: you can also roll this cake as in jelly roll. As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, roll it w/ the paper inside. Set aside while you prepare your own filling. Otherwise, you can slice it like a cake, put some fruits and some whip cream. Enjoy.

No fail Black Forest Cake

CAKE
1 2/3 c Cake flour
2/3 c cocoa powder (unsweet or sweet)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 c shortening
1 1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c buttermilk

MOCHA FILLING
1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 1/2 c confectioners' sugar (add more if you want it sweeter, and how you want the consistency of your filling)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp instant coffee (dissolved in 4 oz heavy cream)
bottle of maraschino cherries (reserve the syrup)

FROSTING
2 c heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp maraschino syrup
1 square semi sweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Line the bottoms of two 8 inch round pans w/ parchment paper circles. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 tsp salt. Set aside.
Cream together, butter and white sugar, beat until creamy and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Pour into 2 round 8 inch pans. NOTE: I use 1 measuring cup to pour my batter in the pans to make it even.
Bake at 350F for 40 mins. Cool completely. Remove paper from cakes. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total. Brush each layer with  the reserved syrup from the cherries. set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, salt and dissolved coffee. Beat until smooth. NOTE: If the consistency is too thick, add 2oz of heavy cream.
Spread first layer of cake with 1/3 of the filling. Top with some cherries. Repeat with the remaining layers. NOTE: You don't have to spread filling on the top layer, if you don't want to.

In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. beat in 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tbsp of cherry syrup. Frost top and sides oc ake. Sprinkle w/ chocolate curls or shredded chocolate. You can decorate the sides and put as much chocolate you want.

Coconut Salad (Buko Salad)

3 package of Shreded Coconut (thawed)
1 can condensed milk
1 can all purpose cream (buy it at Walmart store > latin or institutional aisle)
1/2 c heavy cream
1 c palm fruit in syrup (you can buy this at the oriental store)...you can use 1 jar if you like
tapioca pearl (optional)
fruit cocktail (optional)

Mix all ingredients. Chill before serving.

Ensaymada

Ingredients:
5 cups bread flour (separate 1 + 1 + 3)
1/2 cup sugar
2 envelopes Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast (1 envelope is 0.25 oz = 2-1/4 tsp)
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup shortening 
1 cup mashed potato
2 eggs
3 egg yolks
2-oz grated sharp cheddar cheese, added to the 3-cup flour above
melted butter (approximately 1 stick)
softened butter (approximately 1 stick to 1-1/2)(for rolled method)


Directions
Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and shortening until very warm (120º to130ºF). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in mashed potato, eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Detach dough hook and cover dough plus hook loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours. Remove from fridge and add the 3 egg yolks, stir setting on the mixer. Remove hook from the dough this time and cover loosely again with plastic then refrigerate for another 1-22 hours.

The next stage will make use of a method depending on how hardworking you are or how time pressed you are.

Coiled: If you got lots of time, do the old-fashioned way of coiling like katol by pinching off pieces from the chilled dough about the size of a small pandesal. Get only a few at a time and chill the rest of the dough again because it becomes harder to handle when warmer; it becomes too sticky. Sprinkling flour on work surface helps lessen the stickiness. Shape the dough into a long rope about a foot long and coil as previously illustrated in older posts. Place on greased baking pan and brush with melted butter. See this post for step-by-step slideshow on how to shape into coils.

Rolled (para sa tinatamad): Get a chunk of dough about the same as one that you have for 2-lb recipes of bread (or about the size of a grapefruit or suha). Flatten to disk, fold over the four edges like that of an envelope, and roll to make a rectangle about 8 x 10 inches. Place a generous layer of softened butter except near the edges. Roll tightly from the long end. Cut in 1 to 1-1/2 inch intervals. Dip one end of cut side in melted butter then place on baking pan. Brush the rest of the surfaces with melted butter.

Coconut Meringue Pie

Ingredients

·         1 blind-baked 9-inch pastry shell

·         2 1/4 cups whole milk

·         3/4 cup sugar, plus 1/4 cup for the egg whites

·         3 eggs, separated

·         1/4 cup cornstarch

·         1 teaspoon vanilla

·         1 3/4 cups toasted coconut

·         1 tablespoon butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan, whisk the 2 cups of the milk and 3/4 cup sugar together. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the liquid up to a simmer. Whisk the egg yolks together. Temper the hot milk into the egg yolks. Whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk mixture. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining milk, making a slurry. Whisk the slurryinto the hot milk mixture. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the filling is thick, about 4 to 6 minutes. Fold in the vanilla, coconut, and butter. Mix well. Pour the filling into the prepared pan and cool the pie completely. Using an electric mixer with a whip attachment, whip the egg white to soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and whip the egg white to stiff peaks. Spread the egg whites over the top of the pie. Place the pie in the oven for about 3 to 4 minutes, or until themeringue is golden brown.

Mango Cake

BASE 1

cake flour - 2cups

white sugar - 1/2cup

vegetable oil  - 1/3cup

baking powder - 1tsp.

salt - 1 1/2tsp.

egg yolks - 8pcs. (save egg whites for base 2)

water  - 1/2cup

Procedure

1. Preheat oven at 350'F for 30 minutes

2. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and blend well using a wire whisk. Set aside.

BASE 2

egg whites - 8pcs.

white sugar - 3/4cup

cream of tartar - 1tsp.

Double Chocolate Cookies

All I can say is...WOW!!! I'm so proud of myself! For the first time I was able to bake cookies!!! yeheeyyyy.....other's may find this crazy but for me this is one of my accomplishment...I have been making, looking, trying and baking cookies for a long time..well not too long because I am always frustrated with the outcome..and finally, I baked one recipe that I am so proud of(",)

Yield: 2 dozen

11.5 oz Bittersweet chocolate chips or bar

6 tbsp butter

3 eggs (room temp)

1/3 c all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

12 oz Semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 c chopped walnuts (you can use your all time favorite nuts)

Melt the bittersweet chocolate chips and butter in a double broiler. I used a small pan over the big pan w/ boiling water. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Mix until thick. Add in the melted chocolate. Scrape the bowl until combined. Mix in flour and baking powder. Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and nuts. Mix until a thick dough forms.

NOTE: If you have a mixer bowl, you can mix the eggs and sugar using the flat beater, using speed 4-mix it for 5 mins. then add the rest of the ingredients except the ice cream(",)

Divide the dough in two logs by placing it on the plastic wrap. Roll like a log. Wrap tightly. Refrigerate until you are ready to use it. You can also freeze one of the dough logs if you are not going to use both. 

READY TO BAKE(",)

Preheat oven to 375F. Unwrap dough and cut into 3/4 inch. Place the dough slices 1" apart. Bake for 14 mins. Let cool on the counter.

Cooks' tip: You can make a cookie sandwich w/ this recipe, too! Scoop ice cream on 1 of the cookies and place the other cookie on top of it(",)

Leche Flan (Custard)

I finally came out with this perfect leche flan (custard) after searching and experimenting different recipes. I remember the one that my grandmother (god bless her soul) always made in an open fire whenever there was an occassion. This is like hers. Not too rich, not to sweet..mouth watering!

Yields : 8 ramekins

caramel syrup
1 c white sugar
1/4 c water

Put the water then the sugar on a non stick sauce pan. Do not mix. Let it boil until it is caramelized. Put syrup in each ramekin immediately bec. the sugar gets hard fast. Be careful.

Flan/Custard

4 large eggs
1 can condensed
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp of orange rind

Preheat oven to 350F. Put hot water in the pan and place your ramekins in it.
Beat the eggs first. Add the rest of the ingredients, then tap bowl once to release some of the bubbles. Put 1/2 cup of the mixture in each ramekin and place it in the pan. Bake it for 40 mins. Best serve if cooled