Blessings by Gel

Hi! I'm Gel. I love to bake and make food so I've decided to put tried and tested recipes on my food blog.
Madeleines Made some madeleines today with my new madeleine trays from Daiso. Love them!

Madeleines

Made some madeleines today with my new madeleine trays from Daiso. Love them!

Financier with Apricots and Honeydew

The recipe originally called for roasted chestnuts but I couldn’t find any at the supermart or Daiso (both places which I recalled selling them) so I bought some dried apricots and honeydew from Daiso. Ok, the honeydew was partially because I wanted to try it since it looks interesting and the apricot’s because it was cheaper than a huge pack at the supermart which was 2.5 times the price. Made 16 of them with the recipe and it taste great! Really refreshing and delicious, most likely cos of the honeydew.

Petite Choux Cream

Took me about 4 hrs to do everything cos it’s the first time I baked it. Evidently I should have used baking paper to line the trays as indicated in the recipe book but I was lazy and hence the choux cream was stuck onto the tray. Thus I have lots of holey puffs. First time making custard filling too, so parts of it were not as creamy.

On the bright side, at least the top looks good. It actually came with some icing (which I made the chocolate flavoured one but decided it tasted horrible) so I didn’t put any icing on top. Else I would have camouflaged the hole by spreading chocolate icing over it and pretending it’s the top instead of the bottom.

Once again, I’m lazy to type out the recipe (especially since one of the previous recipes failed to come out nicely on tumblr), so just message me if you’ll like to try it out =)

Strawberry Mousse Ok, I got lazy of typing out the recipe. Message me for it =) The mousse is alright, though I could have put more gelatine or something to make it coagulate more.

Strawberry Mousse

Ok, I got lazy of typing out the recipe. Message me for it =)

The mousse is alright, though I could have put more gelatine or something to make it coagulate more.

Double chocolate chip cookies I have a new oven! Hence, I’m testing out the oven with a typical recipe which I’ve used frequently. It taste a bit different from what I did the last time, probably cos I reduced the amount of sugar significantly. Ingredients (as per the recipe) 270g brown sugar (normal table sugar’s fine) 230g butter optional vanilla essence 2 eggs 395g plain flour 22g cocoa powder 5g baking soda 5g baking powder 4g salt 300g chocolate chips 150g walnuts (I didn’t add them in mine) Method 1. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence (about 15-20 minutes in total) 2. Add in egg and mix. 3. Add in sifted dry ingredients and mix well. 4. Add in chocolate and nuts last/ 5. Shape cookies by hand (I used a spoon since I have manicured fingers) 6. Place on a tray and bake at 170deg for 20-25 minutes (Mine are bite-sized so I baked for about 10 minutes at 180deg)

Double chocolate chip cookies

I have a new oven! Hence, I’m testing out the oven with a typical recipe which I’ve used frequently. It taste a bit different from what I did the last time, probably cos I reduced the amount of sugar significantly.

Ingredients (as per the recipe)

270g brown sugar (normal table sugar’s fine)

230g butter

optional vanilla essence

2 eggs

395g plain flour

22g cocoa powder

5g baking soda

5g baking powder

4g salt

300g chocolate chips

150g walnuts (I didn’t add them in mine)

Method

1. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence (about 15-20 minutes in total)

2. Add in egg and mix.

3. Add in sifted dry ingredients and mix well.

4. Add in chocolate and nuts last/

5. Shape cookies by hand (I used a spoon since I have manicured fingers)

6. Place on a tray and bake at 170deg for 20-25 minutes (Mine are bite-sized so I baked for about 10 minutes at 180deg)

Chocolate Mousse I’ve tried making chocolate mousse since I was 14 (cos of home econs exams) and the previous recipe turned out well until the past few years. It started not looking as brown and creamy although I used the same ingredients so I’ve tried another recipe from this Japanese cookbook I bought from Daiso =) It’s so cheap and the mousse tastes really rich, creamy and sweet so you might want to reduce the amount of sugar for it. Btw, I’ve doubled the recipe for my creation and it makes 18 shot cups and 1 bigger cup (the ones I used for panna cotta) P.s. Yes, I can read and comprehend enough Japanese to make it. Here’s the recipe in its original form. I didn’t modify much except for the Rum. Since I didn’t have Rum, I used some fruit liquor (one of my precious babies from Vienna). Ingredients 100g Couverture chocolate 1 tbsp Rum 1 large egg yolk 100ml fresh cream (I presumed it’s whipping cream) For the meringue 1 large egg white 30g castor sugar (fine sugar. table sugar’s fine unless you use those coarse ones) optional: whipped cream and mint Method 1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl (melt it over double boil and NEVER let any water come into contact with your chocolate or it won’t stay creamy anymore. Once water gets in contact with chocolate, it’s not reversible and I would suggest you to remake your chocolate) 2. After the chocolate melted, add in rum and egg yolk. Mix well. 3. Add in fresh cream into the bowl and mix for about 8 minutes with a hand mixer. 4. Making the meringue. In another bowl, add in egg white and castor sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix till fluffy. 5. Add 3 into 2 and mix using a scrapper. After it is well-mixed, fold in 4 (meringue). 6. Pour into dessert cups and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes 7. You can decorate it with whipped cream and mint

Chocolate Mousse

I’ve tried making chocolate mousse since I was 14 (cos of home econs exams) and the previous recipe turned out well until the past few years. It started not looking as brown and creamy although I used the same ingredients so I’ve tried another recipe from this Japanese cookbook I bought from Daiso =) It’s so cheap and the mousse tastes really rich, creamy and sweet so you might want to reduce the amount of sugar for it.

Btw, I’ve doubled the recipe for my creation and it makes 18 shot cups and 1 bigger cup (the ones I used for panna cotta)

P.s. Yes, I can read and comprehend enough Japanese to make it.

Here’s the recipe in its original form. I didn’t modify much except for the Rum. Since I didn’t have Rum, I used some fruit liquor (one of my precious babies from Vienna).

Ingredients

100g Couverture chocolate

1 tbsp Rum

1 large egg yolk

100ml fresh cream (I presumed it’s whipping cream)

For the meringue

1 large egg white

30g castor sugar (fine sugar. table sugar’s fine unless you use those coarse ones)

optional: whipped cream and mint

Method

1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl (melt it over double boil and NEVER let any water come into contact with your chocolate or it won’t stay creamy anymore. Once water gets in contact with chocolate, it’s not reversible and I would suggest you to remake your chocolate)

2. After the chocolate melted, add in rum and egg yolk. Mix well.

3. Add in fresh cream into the bowl and mix for about 8 minutes with a hand mixer.

4. Making the meringue. In another bowl, add in egg white and castor sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix till fluffy.

5. Add 3 into 2 and mix using a scrapper. After it is well-mixed, fold in 4 (meringue).

6. Pour into dessert cups and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes

7. You can decorate it with whipped cream and mint

Cupcakes with icing Because it’s (was) Valentine’s Day, I baked cupcakes for all my close friends (mostly female friends, except for my Salsa guy friends). Unfortunately, my oven tripped the power and I had to bring my cupcakes to my grandma’s place to get it baked. My grandma lives 2 floors above me =) Hence, the hiatus from baking/making stuff. Those with heart designs are for my female friends while those for my male friends don’t have anything that even remotely resembles a heart. Reason: I do not wish to have unnecessary trouble which I already had a few times prior to this. Ingredients The Standard Cupcake 8oz plain flour (If you substitute with self-raising flour, don’t add baking powder cos there’s baking powder in self-raising flour) 8ox granulated sugar (table sugar) 8oz butter 4 eggs a pinch of baking powder 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder (optional) Icing Method

Cupcakes with icing

Because it’s (was) Valentine’s Day, I baked cupcakes for all my close friends (mostly female friends, except for my Salsa guy friends). Unfortunately, my oven tripped the power and I had to bring my cupcakes to my grandma’s place to get it baked. My grandma lives 2 floors above me =) Hence, the hiatus from baking/making stuff. Those with heart designs are for my female friends while those for my male friends don’t have anything that even remotely resembles a heart.

Reason: I do not wish to have unnecessary trouble which I already had a few times prior to this.

Ingredients

The Standard Cupcake

8oz plain flour (If you substitute with self-raising flour, don’t add baking powder cos there’s baking powder in self-raising flour)

8ox granulated sugar (table sugar)

8oz butter

4 eggs

a pinch of baking powder

1-2 tbsp cocoa powder (optional)

Icing

Method

Green Tea Konnyaku Jelly During the Chinese New Year gathering (as mentioned in previous post), Tong made some really delicious green tea jelly. I’ve not asked her for it but I’ve tried 2 variations of what I think could be the recipe without much success as the green tea flavour wasn’t strong enough. Ingredients: 1 pack of Konnyaku powder (The Red Man version which is about 11g?) Water (I can’t remember how much but it’s on the packet. I substituted this with Green Tea. First version, I used 3-4 Dilmah Green Tea tea bags to boil green tea. Second version, I used store-bought Pokka Green Tea) Sugar (Again, I can’t remember how much but it’s on the packet. You can use less sugar if you substituted the water with flavoured water or syrup. For instance, you can add canned peaches to garnish the jelly and use that syrup as a substitue for water) Flavouring (optional) Fruit garnishing (preferable. It can be canned peaches, longans or those cocktail fruits) Method: 1. Mix Konnyaku Jelly powder with sugar. 2. Add water and boil. 3. Keep stirring until it starts bubbling. 4. In the jelly mould, add pieces of garnishes before pouring the konnyaku solution. 5. Leave to chill to room temperature before chilling in the fridge. 6. After about 1hr (or overnight), remove the jelly from the mould and store it in another container.

Green Tea Konnyaku Jelly

During the Chinese New Year gathering (as mentioned in previous post), Tong made some really delicious green tea jelly. I’ve not asked her for it but I’ve tried 2 variations of what I think could be the recipe without much success as the green tea flavour wasn’t strong enough.

Ingredients:

1 pack of Konnyaku powder (The Red Man version which is about 11g?)

Water (I can’t remember how much but it’s on the packet. I substituted this with Green Tea. First version, I used 3-4 Dilmah Green Tea tea bags to boil green tea. Second version, I used store-bought Pokka Green Tea)

Sugar (Again, I can’t remember how much but it’s on the packet. You can use less sugar if you substituted the water with flavoured water or syrup. For instance, you can add canned peaches to garnish the jelly and use that syrup as a substitue for water)

Flavouring (optional)

Fruit garnishing (preferable. It can be canned peaches, longans or those cocktail fruits)

Method:

1. Mix Konnyaku Jelly powder with sugar.

2. Add water and boil.

3. Keep stirring until it starts bubbling.

4. In the jelly mould, add pieces of garnishes before pouring the konnyaku solution.

5. Leave to chill to room temperature before chilling in the fridge.

6. After about 1hr (or overnight), remove the jelly from the mould and store it in another container.

Panna Cotta Ingredients: 3 cups (750ml) whole milk, divided 2 1/2 tsp gelatin 1 cup half-and-half (substituted for 100ml whipped cream + 150ml whole milk) 3/4 cup (about 6 flat tbsp) fine sugar 1 tsp Vanilla essence Topping (optional):BlueberriesShaved chocolateMethod:1. Pour 1 cup of milk into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on the surface. Let the gelatin soak for 5 minutes. [I did this first and continued with the rest of the steps while waiting.]2. Combine the remaining milk with the half-and-half and sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk a couple of times to mix.3. Add vanilla essence. Place the pan over low heat and bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. [I whisked it while heating. It will froth a little. Heated it for about 10-15 mins]4. Add the soaked gelatin into the hot liquid and whisk it in. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk again. [I poured it in slowly while whisking with the other hand. There’s froth from whisking.]5. Pout mixture into cups/bowls and refrigerate immediately.6. After the panna cotta has set, stretch plastic wrap over the surface of the molds to cover them.

Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

3 cups (750ml) whole milk, divided

2 1/2 tsp gelatin

1 cup half-and-half (substituted for 100ml whipped cream + 150ml whole milk)

3/4 cup (about 6 flat tbsp) fine sugar

1 tsp Vanilla essence

Topping (optional):
Blueberries
Shaved chocolate

Method:
1. Pour 1 cup of milk into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin on the surface. Let the gelatin soak for 5 minutes. [I did this first and continued with the rest of the steps while waiting.]
2. Combine the remaining milk with the half-and-half and sugar in a medium saucepan. Whisk a couple of times to mix.
3. Add vanilla essence. Place the pan over low heat and bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. [I whisked it while heating. It will froth a little. Heated it for about 10-15 mins]
4. Add the soaked gelatin into the hot liquid and whisk it in. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk again. [I poured it in slowly while whisking with the other hand. There’s froth from whisking.]
5. Pout mixture into cups/bowls and refrigerate immediately.
6. After the panna cotta has set, stretch plastic wrap over the surface of the molds to cover them.

Madeleine Firstly, Happy New Year! Was pretty bored today and couldn’t decide between making Mont Blanc or Madeleine until I did some grocery shopping. I couldn’t find any chestnuts or chestnut cream to make Mont Blanc so that’ll be on hold for now. I might have to make the cream and the dessert separately cos the cream takes ages to make =x Recipe for Madeleine from Yumeiro Patissiere Cookbook (My latest kitchen buddy) Most people use madeleine trays (those with shell-shaped dents) but I couldnt’ find any. So I improvised with my tart tins. Try to use a flat based one and a slightly larger one cos I did a small madeleine with a smaller tart tin which had some floral design as the base but it was difficult (near impossible) to remove it from the tin with the design… I also did a larger circular tin which was easy to remove too. Ingredients Eggs – 250g (5 eggs worth) Granulated Sugar – 85g Honey – 40g Plain flour – 120g Baking Powder – 4g Butter – About 170g   Method 1. Brown the butter. Put the butter in a small pan and heat it up (mine wasn’t brown but more or dark yellow). When it turns a burnt amber colour, turn the heat off, measure out 110 g of the butter. Leave it in a room temperature place to cool. 2. Put the eggs, honey and granulated sugar in a bowl and with a whisk mix them well. 3. Sieve in the baking powder and flour to the egg mixture and mix together until you can’t see the flour. 4. Add the browned butter to the eggs and flour. When they are mixed together well, cover it tightly with clingfilm and let it rest for 2 hours at room temperature. 5. Mix the dough with a spatula (I totally forgot about this step and started pouring it in until the last bits), pour it into the tray, it should be about an 8th of the way (the three-quarter mark’s alright too cos it poofs in the middle and doesn’t overflow from the sides). 6. Bake them in a 180 degree oven for 10 – 15 minutes (the ones in the picture is medium sized to me and I baked for about 5-7 minutes). 7. Let it rest on a cake cooler (wire rack), once they are cool put them in a vinyl plastic bag (or cake tin) so they don’t dry out.

Madeleine

Firstly, Happy New Year! Was pretty bored today and couldn’t decide between making Mont Blanc or Madeleine until I did some grocery shopping. I couldn’t find any chestnuts or chestnut cream to make Mont Blanc so that’ll be on hold for now. I might have to make the cream and the dessert separately cos the cream takes ages to make =x

Recipe for Madeleine from Yumeiro Patissiere Cookbook (My latest kitchen buddy)

Most people use madeleine trays (those with shell-shaped dents) but I couldnt’ find any. So I improvised with my tart tins. Try to use a flat based one and a slightly larger one cos I did a small madeleine with a smaller tart tin which had some floral design as the base but it was difficult (near impossible) to remove it from the tin with the design… I also did a larger circular tin which was easy to remove too.

Ingredients

Eggs – 250g (5 eggs worth)

Granulated Sugar – 85g

Honey – 40g

Plain flour – 120g

Baking Powder – 4g

Butter – About 170g

 

Method

1. Brown the butter. Put the butter in a small pan and heat it up (mine wasn’t brown but more or dark yellow). When it turns a burnt amber colour, turn the heat off, measure out 110 g of the butter. Leave it in a room temperature place to cool.

2. Put the eggs, honey and granulated sugar in a bowl and with a whisk mix them well.

3. Sieve in the baking powder and flour to the egg mixture and mix together until you can’t see the flour.

4. Add the browned butter to the eggs and flour. When they are mixed together well, cover it tightly with clingfilm and let it rest for 2 hours at room temperature.

5. Mix the dough with a spatula (I totally forgot about this step and started pouring it in until the last bits), pour it into the tray, it should be about an 8th of the way (the three-quarter mark’s alright too cos it poofs in the middle and doesn’t overflow from the sides).

6. Bake them in a 180 degree oven for 10 – 15 minutes (the ones in the picture is medium sized to me and I baked for about 5-7 minutes).

7. Let it rest on a cake cooler (wire rack), once they are cool put them in a vinyl plastic bag (or cake tin) so they don’t dry out.