Triple-Threat Rocky Road Cookies

Salam to all....

It's the last day of the year 2011 today.  How time really flies.  Looking back at what I have done for this year, its seems that I have done nothing.  Even till the last day of the year, I still haven't finish doing nothing.  I will continue doing nothing for the year ahead.....ahakkkssss.  Oh well, like everyone else, I go through ups and downs for the year 2011.  I am just thankful to Allah and also thankful to hb for allowing me and Jannah to go home to Singapore this year.  Jannah celebrated her birthday with our family, relatives and friends in Singapore.  I'm sure the best moment for Jannah was when she got to spend a lot of time with my mum, sister, brother, acu & mosi ;)  She really enjoyed herself at Universal Studios Singapore and keep on saying that she wants to go there again.....like right now yikessss!!!

Ever wondered how Rocky Road got its name?
William Dreyer, the founder of Dreyer’s Ice Cream, had created a new ice cream flavor – one with chocolate, nuts and marshmallows – just before the stock market crash of 1929. He named it “Rocky Road” in the hope that it would make people smile during the “rocky road” ahead ~~ Rebecca Crump @ Ezra Pound Cake.

Hb asked me to make these cookies.  I love the nuts & chocolates most in this cookies but it's a little too sweet for me.  More for Jannah and hb, I reckon....hehehez.  If u r looking for a chewy, soft, melt in your mouth cookies.  I recommend that you make these beautiful gems ;)  The only thing I suggest is, don't mix the marshmallows in the cookie ingredients.  Just use the marshmallows for decorations.  Place the marshmallow on top of the cookie while it's still hot and the marshmallow will melt on top of the cookie and stick on it.  It's just a suggestion from me bcos what I noticed is when the marshmallows melt in the cookies,  the cookie shape become lopsided and some of the cookie tops have craters on them.

Source : Rebecca @ Ezra Pound Cake

2 cups chopped pecans, walnuts or a mix of both (I mixed peanuts too)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (I did not add)
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I used 11oz  of 64% Callebaut Couverture)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar (I only added 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (I used vanilla essence)
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows, halved (Totally optional. These will basically melt into the cookies.)




Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To Toast the Nuts: Place the pecans on a baking sheet, and toast for 7 minutes. Let them cool completely.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat®, AND grease generously with cooking spray. (Seriously, do both.)
Place the butter, bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the butter and chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until chocolate is melted. Set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
Using a mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes.
Add vanilla and melted chocolate, and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
Stir in the pecans, chocolate chips and marshmallows (if using).
Use a 1 3/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop to drop spoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheets, spacing them at least 1 1/2 inches apart.
Wet your fingertips lightly with water, and gently flatten the cookie dough mounds.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops crack and look shiny. Cool for 10 minutes before removing them from the baking sheets.

STORAGE: The cookies will keep in an airtight container for about three days at room temperature. When frozen (wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil), they’ll keep for about three weeks.

One minute its raining heavily until Jannah said "Dah hujan kuat2 lah mama...baby sheep dah basah lah."  Next minute it's sunshine.  Another minute later its drizzling and another minute later it starts to rain heavily again.  The cycle goes on and on and on and on.....

Have a blessed year ahead everyone.  Happy New Year ;) Welcome 2012...

Mango Delight

Salam everyone ;)

Just a few days before Xmas, I did my groceries shopping.  Stocked up the pantry, fridge and freezer as if there'll be a war and I made sure that I have enough food supply when the supermarkets were closed for 1 day on Xmas day....ahakkksss :D  Yes for just 1 day!!!  Ok, ok I was just kidding.  That's the normal sight here, people will be stocking up their supermarket trolleys on Xmas Eve's shopping and will be queuing at the supermarket door, even before its open, the next day on Boxing Day.  Ohhh talk about Boxing Day....I finally went for the Boxing Day Sale this year.  Nothing to brag about....haizzz.  Just the traffic going into the biggest shopping area in Hamilton was CRAZY!!!!  Will I do it again next year??  Ehhhh no thanks......

Anyway, hb saw this bottle of 500ml fresh cream in the fridge and asked what I was gonna make for pudding.  I told him I was gonna make a panna cota.  He looked dissapointed and said....huh!!  No sponge, no custard??  Oh well, I know what he wants....a trifle of course.  I told him I will make it for him on New Year's Day....hehehez.  For now, he did enjoy this yummy mango delight and even asked me the origin of this yummy dessert.  Ehhh I don't know lah hb I got the recipe from Rima's blog hehehez :pppp

Source : Rima @ Bisousatoi

Ingredients:Bottom layer - Panna Cotta:
200g whipping cream  (I used fresh cream)
30g caster sugar
1 tsp gelatine powder
2 tbsp cold water
1 tsp vanilla essence





The middle layer of fresh mango pieces:
100g mango puree
25g caster sugar
1 tsp gelatine powder
2 tbsp cold water
1 mango, peeled, take the meat, cut into small squares

Mango puree:
1 mango, peeled, take the meat, blend until smooth  (I used 2 cans of mangoes)

Upper layer-Mango Mousse:
150g mango puree
1-2 tablespoons orange-flavored NutriSari (I used Raro ~ Sweet Navel Orange flavour)
1 tsp gelatine powder
2 tbsp cold water
120g whipping cream, whipped stiff (I used fresh cream and whipped it stiff)

My layers are really sloppy bcos I wasn't patient enough to let the layers set properly :(

Method
1. Bottom layer -Panna Cotta: Warm the whipping cream and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine gelatin powder and cold water in a container, stir well, then microwave on high for 1min.. stir.. pour gelatine mixture into whipping cream and stir well.. let it cool a little and add in vanilla essence and stir well. Pour into molds, place it into the refrigerator until set.

2. The middle layer of fresh mango-Pieces: Warm the mango puree and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, combine gelatin powder and cold water in a container, stir well, then microwave on high for 1 min.. stir.. pour gelatine mixture into mango puree, stir until well blended. Lastly add mango pieces and stir well. Pour one tablespoon of each into cups containing PANNA cotta. Place it in the refrigerator until set again.

3. Upper layer-Mango Mousse: Warm 2 tablespoons mango puree and NutriSari in a saucepan over medium heat .. (warm mango puree and sugar over medium heat). Meanwhile, combine gelatin powder and cold water in a container, stir well, then microwave on high for 1 min.. stir till well blended. Add gelatine mixture into mango puree, stirring until well blended. Pour 1/3 part of whipped cream into mango puree and stir through gently. Pour back the mixture into the remaining whipped cream, stirring slowly. Pour mango mousse into a pipping bag and pipe into the cup containing PANNA cotta and pieces of fresh mango. Place it in the refrigerator until set again.

4. Served cold!

This year I asked hb to move the potted vietnamese mint plant also known as laksa leaves or daun kesum from the pot to the garden.  They are taking off very well.  Look at how big the leaves have grown.  I planned to cook fish assam today.  Went to the supermarket to get fish but only salmon is available.  Uggghhh salmon in asam pedas doesn't suit my taste buds.  Haiizz fishermen are still celebrating Xmas I reckon hehehez.  Tomorrow perhaps......drooolllzzzzz :pppp

Pudding Kasih @ Love Pudding

Salam everyone ;)

How was the weekend?  The town area and the roads are crazy and busy here.  Everyone must be rushing around with their last minute Xmas shopping.  I hope that there won't be many cars tomorrow as I am going to Hamilton to do my fornightly groceries shopping there.  The shops close early on Xmas eve, are closed on Xmas and only opens after 1pm on Boxing Day.  Boxing day is a shoppers paradise here, the sales are to die for ahhaakkss.  I've been in NZ for almost 6 yrs now and haven't managed to get myself into the Boxing Day sales yet.  I just couldn't be bothered finding a car park and pushing and tugging with the other shoppers I supposed :D.

Anyway, this is another dessert that I brought to Aunty Eton last Saturday.  A big hit amongst other fellow Malays at the kenduri.  Aunty Eton asked me to make more for her next time.  InsyaAllah next time if I am not lazy ok, aunty hehehez ;)  Jannah luvs it but hb didnt like it at all.  I had extra coloured agar-agar and I made extra ingredients B.  The 2nd one was finished by myself & Jannah ~~ Jannah had more than me thou hehehez.  The 1st one that I made, I used a bundt pan, the coloured agar2 floated.  The 2nd one I just used a square bowl and the agar2 didn't float and the pudding looks better.

Source : Yat @ Easybakes

Ingredients A :
1/2 packet agar-agar powder @ 2 tsp from a 10 gm pack
300 ml water
200 ml coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp rose syrup (I used strawberry essence)
2 tsp pandan essence + green food colouring

Method :
Put water, agar-agar powder, sugar in a pot and boil until sugar and agar-agak powder dissolved. Turn heat to low.
Crack egg into coconut milk and lightly beat it with a fork
Pour into the agar-agar mixture and cook furher with LOW HEAT until mixture boiled.
Divide mixture into 2 equal parts and add rose syrup into one part & pandan essence into the other. (I divided mine into 3 and added yellow food colouring)
Pour mixture into desired moulds and let it set.

Ingredients B :
1/2 packet agar-agar powder
500 ml water
1/4 cup sugar
50 gm gula Melaka / coconut sugar / palm sugar
1 daun pandan / screw pine leaf (tie into a knot)

Method :
Place daun pandan, agar-agar powder, gula Melaka, sugar and water into a pot.
Cook all the ingredients until boiled and dissolved.
Turn off heat.

How to Assemble :
Place ingredients A into a bigger mould and pour ingredients B while its still hot into the mould and let them set.

Ok...got to go, plumber will be here soon to fix the shower head ;)  Take care everyone........

Easy Peasy Fruit Cake

Salam everyone,

The weather here has been gloomy for almost a week now.  The current season is summer but it feels like autumn right now.  It's been raining and the temperature been very cool.  I am not complaining cos I am not an outdoor person.  In fact I really enjoy this kinda weather, just that its a nuinsance when I want my washing dry hehehez :D complain....complain....

Anyway, we got invited to Auntie Eton's (one of the expat Singaporean that I am really closed with) house for a kenduri.  Her mom passed away at the age of 87yrs old (if I am not wrong).....40 days ago.  I made 3 different kind of desserts to be brought over to her house later. 

The first one that I made was this yummy fruit cake.  Its so easy to make, I call it a 1 pot wonder cake hehehez.  I've made it like almost 10 times before, this is the 1st time that I am putting it up in this blog.  As usual, hb whom is not a fan of dried fruits luvs this cake long time ahaakkkzzzz :p

Source :  Junjs11 @ myresipi.com

Ingredients :
150gm butter
175gm caster sugar
1/3 cup water
175ml fresh milk
250gm mixed dry fruit
2 tsp orange peel - I did not add
1/4 tsp nutmeg powder - I did not add
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder - I did not add
1/4 tsp cloves powder - I did not add
2 eggs
1/2 tsp sodium bicarbonate
250gm all purpose flour

Method :
Boil water with sugar until dissolved.
Add butter, fresh milk & mixed fruit and boil further until butter melts.
Remove from heat and let mixture cool down.
Add egg into mixture.
Sift flour, baking soda & spices and add into the mixture and mix well.
Pour into a greased 7x7 inch pan and bake in a preheated oven for an hr.

Note : Junjs11 did not indicate the oven temperature.  I baked the cake in a 160 deg C oven for an hr. Adjust the temperature of your oven accordingly.

Have a good weekend everyone ;) Take care....

Sultana Butter Cake

Salam to all,

So....how was the weekend everybody??  It really flies too quickly aye.  Too quickly that we will be saying goodbye to 2011 soon, yeah very soon.  Just gonna post this quick entry before I start cooking for dinner.  It will be roast chicken with roast potatoes and kumaras (maori sweet potatoes) tonight.  Jannah must have enough of curry...she requested for chicken soup today hehehez.

Saw this sultana butter cake at Yat's the other day and I so couldnt resist it.  Made it today and it was oh so yummy.  Hb is not a big fan of dried fruits and he ate 2 slices and said that he's gonna have more after dinner.  I am gonna keep a few slices in the fridge and enjoy them with a cuppa tomorrow.  I am sure that is gonna taste yummier after being kept a day....reminds me of the Sara Lee pound cake yummmzz.

Hey babe, I tried to leave a comment at ur blog to ask what size baking pan did u use but I don't know why I can't leave a comment.  I must have played around with my google settings.  Will try to figure out what's wrong with the settings if I am not lazy later.......hehehez.

Sultana Butter Cake
Source :  Yat @ Easybakes Tks babe for sharing this recipe ;)

Ingredients:
5 Eggs
180 Sugar
200g Self Raising Flour, sifted (I used all purpose flour and added 2 tsp of double action baking powder)
250g Butter, soften
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
80g Raisin, soaked to soften and dried (I added 100g of raisins and soaked in orange juice & later coat them with some flour)

How to do it: 

Preheat oven at 170C

Grease baking tin.
Beat butter and sugar till creamy and light.
Add egg one at a time and mix until well combined.
Add flour and fold in slowly.
Mix in vanilla essence and mix evenly.
Lastly add sultanas & fold just so.
Pour mixture into baking tin.
Bake in reheated oven for 45 - 50 minutes.
Remove and cool on rack.

Read more: http://yateasybakes.blogspot.com/2011/12/sultana-butter-cake.html#ixzz1fdHM5Rvo

Take care everyone and enjoy the rest of the week ;)

Roti Kirai (Lacy Pancake), Curry & Rice - An everyday request

Salam to all,

Hello weekend ;)  Heard that it has been raining heaps in Malaysia & Singapore.  It was raining quite heavily here yesterday also.  Hb was off yesterday but we didn't go anywhere due to the rain.  I simply luv the rain.  Rain equals to NO hay fever for me....yeay!!!!  Since I came back to NZ, I have been suffering from hay fever every single day....*sigh*  I am on medication right now, other than hay fever I am perfectly fit, alhamdullilah.

We have been back to NZ for almost 4 weeks now.  When we were in Singapore, Jannah lost almost 11kg :(  She doesn't want to eat much during the last 2 weeks of our stay there.  She sometimes vomit at the smell of food and even refused haagen daz ice cream ~ bizarre!!.  Alls well now, she was given antibiotics for her throat when I took her to the doctor after we came back.  Was told that she was suffering from a throat infection.  She's back to her healthy self now, alhamdullilah.  Her daily request for breakfast, lunch and dinner now is......roti kirai & curry & rice E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y.  Of course I don't make roti kirai everyday bcos I really couldn't be bothered to....hehehehez.  Otherwise, I have cooked curry at least 6 times & roti kirai twice for the last 3.5 weeks....yikesss.

Photos taken during the last lacy pattern session.  We had the same exact menu for last night's dinner.  Couldnt be bothered to take new photos...hehehez ;)

Here's sharing the roti kirai recipe.  Warning, I used estimation method when I made the batter but this is how much ingredients that I used.

Ingredients :

• 2 Cups Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 Cup Milk
• 2 Tblsp Oil
• Salt
• Enough Water
• Yellow Food Colouring

Method :

• Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk till batter is smooth and not lumpy.
• Note : Enough water must be added so batter can flow through the roti kirai mould freely.
• Sift batter into another bowl.
• Using the roti kirai mould, let batter flow onto a hot non stick pan creating a lacy pattern.
• Best served with curry ;) 

Guess what Jannah wants to have for lunch & dinner today hmmmzzzz.  As above.......and I am seeing stars already!!!! Jeeezzzzz!!!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone....

Greeting everyone with Banana Crumble Muffins......

Salam to all.....

I have been away for too long :(  I knooowww.  First it was the camera then by the time I got the camera replaced...I was busy preparing for Hari Raya's cookies order.  After that I went back to Singapore for a long retreat for almost 3 months with Jannah.  And then I was still  in holiday mood bcos my BFF came back to NZ with me for a short holiday.  Excuses.....excuses *gulps*

I have never forgotten abt this blog, blogger friends and blog walking and been checking out yummilicious recipes all the time.  Thank you to all that still pops into my blog, leaving foot prints and comments.  Right now, I am still getting the hang of re-blogging again hehehez.  The first thing that I wanted to do is renovate this ugly blog :pppp 

Saw this banana crumble muffins at Rima's blog yesterday and couldnt resist it.  Baked them and they turned out so perfect and delicious.....

Source : Rima @ Bisousatoi

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 bananas mashed
1 egg lightly beaten
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar

Topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter - cubed
1/8 tsp cinnamon


Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 c flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tbsp flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tbsp butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 - 20 min. until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Take care all, till we meet again ;)