Mamon Cake

I got this recipe from http://www.bloggang.com/viewdiary.php?id=monnira&month=11-2008&date=13&group=75&gblog=5

I'm not sure how this philippino sponge cake must be. For me, it somehow likes a better version of Kanom-Kai, with more moist. Get along well with cheese (but my mom prefers jam on top).

The recipe i worked on today uses vegetable oil. if you prefer, the blog mentioned above also got few more recipes that you can try. The butter one is also good but a bit too moist for my mom (she prefers this one).

1/2 cup of cake flour
1/2 cup of caster sugar (i use normal sugar)
3 Eggs (separate egg yolks and egg white)
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of cream of tartar
1 tsp of vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven at 180 degree
2. Sift together cake flour and baking powder
3. Whisk together egg yolks, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combine
4. Whisk together egg white and cream of tartar at the high speed. Add sugar and whisk until it reaches firm peak
5. Add egg yolks mixture and whisk (still at high speed) until well combine
6. Fold in flour. Make sure that it is well combined
7. Bake at 180 degree for 10-12 minutes

I had this cutie cakes with home-brew cafe latte (for melbournian info, i'm now on Jasper Coffee, Blend 10).

Mocha Cupcakes with Caramel Swiss Buttercream

From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

I got the idea of these cute little cupcakes with buttercream kiss from Little Cupcakes for they do both normal size and this small size. And i'm so lucky that i can find the small paper liner here in Bangkok!

I did match the mocha cupcake with caramel butter cream myself. On Martha's book, she matched it with 'seven-minute frosting' which is kind of meringue frosting.

another thing, i did adjust the recipe for a bit, change sour cream to milk, for i didn't have sour cream at home on that day and it turned out ok.

Mocha Cupcakes
2 1/4 cups cake flour (not self-raising), sifted
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs at room tempature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk at room temparature (if you want to use Martha's recipe, use 1/2 cup sour cream instead.
3/4 cup freshly brewed espresso
1 tablespoon instant coffee (actually Martha said 'instant espresso coffee' but i didn't have, so i just used normal instant coffee.)

1. preheat oven to 325F and line the muffin tray (you can use normal size or mini size like i did) with paper liners.

2. sift together cake flour and cocoa powder.

3. with electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until smooth and light. Add brown sugar and eggs, beat untill fluffy. Add vanilla, baking soda, and salt; beat to combine thoroughly.

4. reduce speed to low. add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of milk (or sour cream), and beating until just combined after each. mix together brewed espresso and instant coffee (or espresso powder); add to batter, and beat until smooth.

5. devide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a cake taster inserted in centers comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool.

Caramel Buttercream (makes 4 cups)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. combine 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and the water in a heavy saucepan. Heat over medium, stir occationally until sugar is dissolved. cook until the mixture is very dark ember. remove from heat; add cream in a steady stream (the mixture will be spatter), stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth and combine, let cool.

2. with electric mixter on medium-high speed, cream butter until pale and fluffy. in the heatproof bowl of a standing electric mixer, combine remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the egg whites. set bowl over a pan of simmering water; whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved.

3. attach bowl of egg white mixture to the whisk attachment. starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, mix until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. continue whisking until egg mixture is fluffy and glossy and completely cool, about 10 minutes. reduce speed to medium-low. add beaten butter, about 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. mix in vanilla.

4. switch to the paddle attachment, with mixer on medium-low speed, very slowly pour in caramel; beat until caramel is fully incorporated.

Mango Pudding

I always love mango pudding but I really hates the one made with the artificial mango essence. It tastes really bad and it makes me feel like I eat the fake mango.

One of the best mango pudding in Thailand for me is Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel's. It makes with real mango served with whipping cream in martini glass. This is the inspiration for me to make it myself...and this recipe is the recipe that I use many many times and my pudding always come out so great, like Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel's mango pudding.

Two weeks ago, I found blushed mangoes at Queen Victoria market. I tasted it and I think it can fit in my recipe. I have made mango pudding from this recipe hundreds times in Bangkok using Numdokmai mango, one of thai mangoes which taste really sweet without sour taste at all. Another diffence is yogurt in Thailand is much lighter than Australian yogurt...so, I think all ingredients in Melbourne would change the taste of my recipe...but it is good to have a try.

Ingredients

Blushed mango puree 3/4 cup - 1 cup (I used 1 and a half mangoes)
Blused mango cut into cubes as much as you want (I used half mango)
Yogurt 2 yogurt cups
Lime juice 1 tablespoon
Honey 1 tablespoon
Sugar 1/3 cup
Gelatin 1 tablespoon or 1 package
Cold water 3 tablespoons
Hot water 1/3 cup

1) Prepare Gelatin by sprink gelatin over cold water. Let stand to soften for 5 minutes. Then, add hot water and stir until it all combine.
2) Mix mango puree, yogurt, sugar, honey, and lime juice. (I always use food processor as I use it to make mango puree. So, after you make mango puree, just add other ingredients and mix until it all combine)
3) Add gelatin, mix until it all combine
4) Add mango cubes, flod just combine
5) Pour it into glasses. Then, put all glasses into refrigerator and chill until the pudding is set, around 2-3 hours or overnight.

Note: I am not sure if the recipe is translated from Thai to proper English as I haven't written the recipe in English before.

The result is very different from the one I made in Bangkok. This one is more creamy and the taste of mango is much different. Blushed mango makes the taste of honey stronger than Numdokmai mango. I think if I do it again, I will use a cup of yogurt and a cup of milk instead of 2 cups of yogurt. I want it to be lighter. In additional, I will not use honey or use only half tablespoon of honey because the honey tastes too strong. Honey shouldn't be the main taste of this recipe as the main taste must be mango's.

I gave them to my friends and they told me they are all love it. Actually, it's only me who is not happy with it as I think my previous one in Bangkok is better. Maybe I need to adapt the recipe and try it next time.