Bittersweet Orange Flourless cake

I'm baking this cake for several reasons...

Most importantly, this cake is baked to remember Daffodil Day. In Australia, Daffodil Day is a major fundraising event for raising essential funds for cancer research, prevention and support services. On this day, I would like to commemorate an important person of my life who has passed away due to cancer.

This person loves yellow flowers very much and even had yellow flowers for her wedding bouquet. Seeing daffodil blooming at this time of the year reminds me a lot of this person. The person is my mum. "Mummy, I miss you."

Last year, I've started this blog, baking cupcakes for Daffodil Day fund raising. A year has passed and I'm amazed that I have learned so much for my first year of extensive baking and food blogging. Happy 1st blogiversary to me!

Prior to my blogging days, I have baked orange flourless cake before for more than a couple of times and love this bittersweet cake for lots of reasons. Good to know that there is no fats or oil added into this cake. It has lots of great flavours and goodness from orange, almond, vanilla and cardamon, and we (including my toddler son) simply love it for its bittersweet taste. However, if you prefer a sweet syrupy version of this cake, you may wish to stick to its original recipe as I have reduced the total amount of sugar by 130g which is more than 1/2 cup of sugar.

 

 

A Daffodil Day pin that I bought from the fund raising booth

Here's the recipe from Australian women's weekly mini cookbook, Cafe Cakes
(with my modification in blue)

2 small orange (360g)
1 1/2 cup almond kernel (240g) (replace with almond meal)
1 cup caster sugar (220g) (reduce to 150g)
6 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence (replace with vanilla seeds scraped from 1 vanilla pod)

Citrus syrup
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar (reduce to 50g)
1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice*
1/4 cup (60ml) water*
(my addition: 1/4 tsp ground cardamon)

*Both replace with freshly squeezed juice from 3/4 of a large navel orange and thinly slice the rest of 1/4 orange for the syrup.

Grease deep 20cm round cake pan (I use a 22 cm springform pan instead), line base with baking paper. Place whole orange in medium saucepan; cover oranges with hot water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, simmer,covered about 2 hrs or until oranges are tender.

Replenish water with boiling water as it evaporates. Drain oranges, cool; discard water. Preheat oven to moderately slow.

Blend or process almonds and sugar until almonds are chopped coarsely; transfer mixture to medium bowl. Quarter whole oranges, discard seeds; blend or process until smooth. With motor operating, add eggs one at a time, process until combined. Add almond mixture, baking powder and essence; process until just combined. Spread mixture into prepared pan; bake in moderately slow oven (my oven temperature is 160° fan forced) for about 1 hr.

Pour hot citrus syrup over hot cake in pan. Stand cake in pan for 30 min. Turn cake onto wire rack over tray. Serve warm or cold with caramelized orange and lime rind, if desired.

Citrus syrup: Combine ingredients in small saucepan; stir over heat without boiling until sugar dissolves. Simmer uncovered without stirring about 5 min or until slightly thickened.

Happy Baking

Apricot Cake with Cinnamon Nut Topping

When Joyce from Kitchen Flavours suggested baking this cake for our bake-along with Lena, from Frozen Wings, I started scratching my head, thinking "where can I find any stone fruits in our winter?" We have a nectarine tree but it is as bare as it is when we bought it a few week ago. I remember seeing US-imported cherries in the supermarket and was hopeful that I can find imported stone fruits but I couldn't find any...

The original recipe of this cake uses nectarine or any stone fruit such as plums, apricots and peaches, being cut into halves. It also suggests not to peel the fruits for a rustic version. All I can find in our local Woolies is a can of apricot halves... The nectarine and peaches are only available in slices in the cans.

When I first read the recipe, I didn't like the idea of have 2 cup plus of sugar in a 10 inch round cake. Joyce, Lena and I had an email chat about this. Joyce thinks that the "1 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar" might be a printing error as the recipe mentions only 1 tbsp sugar in the procedure of making the toppings. I would think that the extra cup of topping sugar is added to absorb the juice of the stones fruit while baking to give the cake a gooey-sticky texture. I'm sure that the cake will taste good using either way of preparation depending on each individual's taste...but I still prefer the cake with a gooey and rustic texture. To compromise, I've reduced the amount of topping sugar to 1/3 cup and use raw sugar instead for a more-caramelize taste and look. 

I was happy that my sugar reduction does not dramatically change the taste of this cake. The plain apricot halves on their own taste really plain, bland and they are so not appetizing that my husband and I refused to eat the excess apricots after eating them being on this cake. LOL. Being sticky on its surfaces and edges, this cake is simply delightful with the lovely walnut-crunches, slightly-caramelised juicy apricot and its delicious buttery cake base.

For our next bake-along, we are planning to bake Sweet Potato Sandwich Rolls from King Arthur Flour, and will published our sweet potato rolls post on 10 Sep 2011. Please join in the fun in our bake-along. 

 

 

Here's the recipe from the book, Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman.
(with my modification in blue)

Nectarine Cake with Cinnamon Topping

Topping:
1 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar (I replaced with raw sugar and reduced the 1 cup sugar to 1/3 cup)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup walnuts, finely chopped (I pre-roasted the nuts at 150°C fan forced for 5 min.)

For the cake:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
5 medium ripe nectarine, halved, pitted, and peeled
(I replaced this with can apricot, halves in fruit juice)

Make the topping:
Combine 1 tbsp sugar, cinnamon, and the nuts in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (or 170°C fan forced). Grease the inside of a 10 inch round springform pan.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

3. Combine the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, about 3 min, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl after each addition.

4.Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Arrange the nectarines (apricot), cut side down, on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the topping. Bake the cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-55 min. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 min. Release the sides of the pan and use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom to a wire rack. Cool completely, cut into wedges, and serve.

5. Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Note: Instead of using 10 inch round springform pan, I've used 19 cm round tart pan and baked the cake with half the amount of the recipe with 16 apricot halves.

Happy Baking

For Honey Bee Sweet's comments: This is the picture showing full view of this cake. Cheers.

All Homemade Kaya Bread

Kaya is the traditional name for coconut jam. Kaya on toast is a popular snack amongst Singaporeans and Malaysians. Made with egg custard base, Kaya is usually flavoured with pandan and tastes really good with a spread of butter on toasted bread.

I've made kaya from scratch for a multicultural day organised by my son's childcare. For this day, parents are invited to bring in a traditional food for the kids to taste. I'm proud to say that this kaya is all made from natural ingredients. Being dairy-free and gluten-free, most kids got to taste it and my son was telling me that he and his friends like it very much.

As mentioned in my previous post, I was convinced that water roux method or gluten gelatinisation for bread making is not absolutely essential to retain the freshness and texture of bread. This basic and easy bread dough recipe from an Asian bread baking book, Bread Code does not require any bread improver, water roux or gluten gelatinisation, yet the bread texture is spongy and delicious.

I've incorporate my home-made kaya into these bread dough. The breads are very soft and delicious for our afternoon tea and retain their texture very well on the next day when we had them for our breakfast.   

Munching these kaya breads are really nice, they make me feel like "home".

My home-made Kaya

Here's the Kaya recipe from the book, Local Kueh by the publisher, Novum Organum, Singapore

10 eggs
380g sugar
450ml coconut milk
80ml pandan juice  
(I'm actually very surprised that I can buy fresh pandan leaves in Melbourne!)

Mix eggs and sugar till sugar dissolves. Add coconut milk and pandan juice and stir till well blended. Strain mixture into a metal mixer bowl.

Place the mixer bowl on a pot half filed with water. Bring to boil and stirring continuously till kaya becomes thick and sticky.

I made 2 small jars with half the recipe and process the jam slightly for a smoother texture.


Here's the basic bread dough recipe from Bread Code by Wendy Kor (Biligual edition)  
(with my modification in blue)

Ingredients:
Make 12 large buns

A
500g bread flour
1 tsp instant yeast

B
60g sugar
5g salt
5g milk powder

C
1 egg
250g water

D
50g butter

Mix A at a slow speed for 1 min. Add B and mix for another 1 min.

Add C and and mix at slow speed for another 1 min, then medium speed for 5 min or until dough texture is formed.

Add D and continue to mix for 10-15 min or until dough is shiny and springy. Allow dough to prove for 40-50 min or until dough size is doubled (I did mine for 60 min).

To shape, divide dough into 12 portions, let them rest for 15 min. As shown in the following illustration, Step 1, roll each dough into long oval shape. Step 2: Spread kaya on the dough. Step 3: Roll up shorter end of the dough like a Swiss roll and fold one opened end onto other. Step 4: Cut the folded area and open the cut side of the dough to expose kaya circular swirl and place dough on greased baking tray and allow them to prove for 40 min or double in size.

Brush a layer of egg wash on the bread and bake at 180°C (fan forced) for 12-15 min or until golden brown.

Happy Baking

Magnolia's Vanilla Cupcakes

The Magnolia Bakery, situated at a quiet corner of New York City's Greenwich Village, is famous for its vintage-looking cupcakes. Their cupcakes were featured on a film series, Sex and the City and a comedy drama film, The Devil Wears Prada. I've never taste the cupcakes from the bakery before and would love to eat these one day...

These blue cupcakes were baked for a fund raising event, Jeans for Genes day. I'm happy that I've baked the cupcakes using a recipe from the complete Magnolia Bakery cookbook as they are simply irresistible! Now I can fully understand why Magnolia bakery is so famous in New York...Being the best selling items in the bakery, these cupcakes are buttery yet fluffy and their sugary-buttery-crusty top is so yummy.

 

Here's the recipe from the complete Magnolia Bakery cookbook (with my modification in blue)

Makes 24 cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
seeds from 1/4 vanilla pod (my extra addition)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line two 12 cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy for about 3 min. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over-beat.

Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake for 20-25 min, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing. Ice with tinted Vanilla Buttercream.

Vanilla Buttercream for 2 dozen cupcakes:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
6-8 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar, then the milk and vanilla. On
medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well (about 2 minutes) after each addition, until the icing is thick enough for good spreading consistency. You may not need all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set if chilled. The icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Note: I've made 18 large cupcakes with this amount of cupcake batter and half the amount of buttercream. I've baked the cupcakes at 160°C fan forced for 20-25 min and piped the cooled cupcakes with lightly tinted blue icing using Wilton no. 18 tip and lightly sprinkled the icing with blue sanding sugar.

Happy Baking

Bittersweet Chocolate Truffle Tart

This chocolate tart is perfect one for me and my family. I like this tart for being not too sweet, not too bitter or not too rich...the light but yet creamy chocolate filling inside a flaky and slightly sweet pastry shell is just the right combination for me. My husband, my son and I simply love this tart and could stop eating it.

This recipe originates from the book, Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe by Joanne Chang. With my first glance at this recipe, I knew that this chocolate tart will be delicious. To modify this chocolate tart into a lighter version, I've taken the risk of not adding the egg yolks into the chocolate filling and was surprised that the tart still set well even only 3 hours after baking.


I would like to take this opportunity to share this great recipe with the event, Aspiring Bakers #10: Easy as Pie (August 2011) organized by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink! and hope that all aspiring bakers who are baking this tart will like it too.

 

Here's recipe the book, Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe by  Joanne Chang (with my modification in blue)

For a 10 inch tart shell (Pâte Sucrée):
1 stick (114g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (140 g) unbleached all purpose flour
1 egg yolk

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt on medium speed for 2-3 min or until pale and light. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the flour and beat on low speed for about 30 sec until the flour mixes with the butter-sugar mixture. Add the egg yolk and beat on low speed until the dough comes together.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hr.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and place a 10 inch tart ring on top. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let soften at room temperature for about 30 min. Using a rolling pin, bang and flatten the dough into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Flour the work surface and sprinkle the dough with a little flour. Roll into a circle about 12 inches in diameter and less than 1/4 inch thick.

Roll the dough circle around the pin and then unfurl it on top of the tart ring. Press the dough well into the bottom and sides of the ring, and use any scraps or odd pieces to patch up any tears or missing bits. Trim the edge of the dough so it is even with the rim of the ring.

Refrigerate the tart shell for at least 30 min. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 30-35 min, or until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

For the chocolate truffle filling:

8oz (228g) bittersweet chocolate, at least 70%, finely chopped
3/4 cup (180g) heavy cream (replace with 35% fat pouring cream)
1/2 cup (120g) milk
2 egg yolks (I didn't add this)
2 tbsp (28g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Pate Sucree 10-inch tart shell
1/4 cup (30g) Dutch-processed cocoa, for dusting  
(I didn't do this assuming that the extra Dutch cocoa powder will make the tart too bitter for my son to eat.)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the cream and milk and scald over medium-high heat (Do not boil). Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for about 1 min, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Slowly whisk in the egg yolks (I skip this step), one at a time. Add the butter and salt and whisk until the butter is thoroughly incorporated.

Pour the chocolate truffle mixture into the tart shell. Bake for about 15 min, or until the edges start to set and the middle is still a little jiggly like Jell-O. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hrs, or up to 6 hrs. Dust the top of the tart with cocoa just before serving.

The tart can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Remove the tart from the frige 5-6 hrs before serving so it comes fully to room temperature, then dust with cocoa powder just before serving.

Note: Using 45% of this recipe (without adding any egg yolks in the chocolate filling), I've made two 11cm round tarts. I bake the tart shells at 160°C fan forced for 20 min and bake the chocolate filling at 160°C fan forced for another 10 min.

Happy Baking

Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake

I love both chocolate and coca cola, but I wasn't too sure if I would like them as much in combination...

Lena from Frozen Wings has chosen this recipe for our bake-along. Like her, both Joyce from Kitchen Flavours and I are curious too to try out this interesting combination.

This recipe is from the book, Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman. In the book, Lauren mentioned that the cake can be slightly under-baked for a gooey inside texture. I wasn't sure if my family would like the idea of eating un-cooked cake batter and prefer to bake the cake until the tested toothpick comes out clean.

Interestingly, there is no cooking chocolate and butter used in this recipe and my family can taste the difference from a traditional chocolate cake instantly . Although my cake has been firmly baked, it has a sticky texture, yet unlike the usual fudgy or creamy texture in most typical chocolate cakes. I am wondering too if the use of Dutch-process cocoa powder would help to enhance the cake flavour. Overall, I would say that this is a moist chocolate cake but lack of traditional richness in its chocolate taste.

For our next bake-along, we are planning to bake Nectarine Cake with Cinnamon Topping from the book, Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman and will published our Nectarine Cake post on 29 Aug 2011. If you have this recipe or this book, you are welcome to join in the fun in our bake-along. 

 

Here's the recipe from the book, Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman.

(with my slight modification in blue)

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cups sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder  
(I use ordinary non processed cocoa powder, Nestle Baking Cocoa)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda (I replace it with baking powder)
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use rice bran oil which has the closest taste to butter)
1 cup Coca-Cola
1 tsp vanilla extract

Confectioners' sugar for dusting (I didn't use this)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the inside of a 9 inch round springform pan.

2. Whisk together the flour, both sugars, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and slat in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the eggs, sour cream, oil, Coca-Cola, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.

3. With a wooden spoon, stir the Coca-Cola mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Do not over-mix.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 55 min to 1 hr.

5. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 5 min. Run a paring knife around the perimeter of the pan to loosen the cake from the pan sides, and release the sides. Use a large spatula to slide the cake from the pan bottom to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Dust heavily with confectioners' sugar, cut into wedges and serve.

6. Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Note: I've made a 14cm cake using half of this recipe and had about 2-3 tbsp of excess batter as leftover. I've baked my cake at 160°C fan forced for 45 min with the tested toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Happy Baking

Digestive Biscuits Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake

Chocolate digestive biscuit, coated on its one side with milk chocolate is always such a delicious classic. But what if... 

Digestive Biscuit + Chocolate + Baking = ?

Sound appealing!... This was my reaction when I saw this recipe posted by Brownievillegirl. The original recipe, "Graham Cracker Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake" comes from the book, Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman and Brownieville girl has substituted the graham crackers with digestive biscuits.

Indeed these digestive biscuit snacking cake are very delicious. It's a must-try if you are a digestive biscuit fan. 

 
Here's the recipe from Brownievillegirl

Chocolate Chip Snacking Cake
adapted from Lauren Chattman's "Cake Keeper Cakes"

1 cup ground digestive biscuits
1/4 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease 20cm sq cake tin and dust with flour.
 
Combine the biscuit crumbs, flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy and light.
 
Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla with the mixer turned down to low - beat until smooth. Keeping the mixer on low add 1/3 the flour mixture then 1/2 the milk, repeat, ending with the flour until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
 
Spoon the batter into the cake tin and smooth out. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
 
Cool completely on a wire rack.

Note: I've omitted frosting of this cake and drizzle with melted dark chocolate instead.

Happy Baking.

Light Rye and Caraway Bread

Being an ongoing-learning "apprentice" to bread baking, adding caraway in bread seems like "new" idea to me. Caraway seeds have an anise-like flavor with a little minty aroma and the addition of these seeds has indeed spice up the taste of a typical rye bread.

This rye bread is best served with a bowl of hearty soup. Yum!

 

Here's the recipe from the book, Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook by Jennie Shapter
(with my modification in blue)

For a small loaf

210ml water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sunflower oil (I use rice bran oil)
3/4 cup rye flour
2 1/2 cup bread flour
1 tbsp milk powder
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp salt
2 tsp light brown sugar
3/4 tsp rapid-rise active dry yeast

Add water, lemon juice, and oil to the bread pan.
Sprinkle over rye flour and bread flour, ensuring they cover the water. Add milk powder and caraway seeds.
Add the salt and sugar in separate corners of the bread pan. Make a small indent in the center of the flour and add the yeast.
Set the bread machine to basic setting. Press Start.
Remove the bread at the end of the cycle and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Note: Instead of using the basic setting, I used the dough setting to bake this loaf. After cycle finished, I punched down the dough, shaped it into a loaf-shape and placed it in a 10 x 20 cm loaf and let it rise for another 1 hr. The bread was baked at 180°C fan forced for 30 min or until the bread sounded hollow when tapped. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes and serve warm.

Happy Baking

Very Quick Pear Pecan Cake

Here is another great recipe from Belinda Jeffery. Like its description, this cake is really very-quick and easy to make! Instead of making it into a big bundt cake, I've made the cake into small ones and they are very cute to serve as individual for our tea-time. 

Here is the recipe from Mix & Bake by Belinda Jeffery
(with my modification in blue)

2 cup (300g) plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp bicarbonate soda (I replace this with baking powder)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (140g) roasted pecans, coarsely chopped
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup (330g) brown sugar
1/4 cup (55g) castor sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) light olive oil (I use rice bran oil)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
5 just-ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1 cm chunks or 10 well drained canned pear halves in natural juice, chopped
icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Butter and flour a 26 cm fluted non-stick bundt tin and set aside.

2. Put flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, bicarbonate of soda (baking powder) and salt in a large bowl. Whisk them together with a balloon whisk for 1 min. Tip in the nuts and toss them to coat in the flour mixture.

3. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and whisk to break them up. Add the sugars, oil, vanilla extract and water and mix everything thoroughly together until the mixture is smooth. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and stir them together until they're just combined. Add the pears and gently fold them in. Dollop the batter into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly with the back of your spoon.

4. Bake for about 1 hour or until skewer inserted come out clean. Cool the cake in the tin on a wire rack for 10 min, then invert it onto the rack to cool completely. To finish the cake off, dust it with icing sugar before serving.

Note: I made 3 x 10 cm mini bundt cakes with 1/3 of the recipe. I bake them at 160°C fan forced for 20 min. I didn't use icing sugar to dust cake for the extra finish.

Happy Baking

Marbled Pesto Bread

I'm very happy when I slice this bread. The pesto swirl embedded inside the bread is perfect!

Without butter and only 2 tbsp of olive oil added, this bread is surprisingly very fluffy in texture and very delicious too!

Three cheers for this fantastic recipe!

 

Before slicing...

Check the beautiful pesto swirl and texture...

Here's the recipe from the book, Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook by Jennie Shapter
(with my modification in blue)

140ml milk (lukewarm) (I replaced with the same volume of water plus 2 1/2 tbsp of milk powder)
150ml water (lukewarm)
2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
450g bread flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast
7 tbsp (100g) ready made pesto sauce (I use sun-dried tomatoes pesto)

For topping:
1 tbsp extra virgin oil
2 tsp coarse sea salt

1. Add water, milk and oil into bread machine pan in order according to manufactures directions.

2. Sprinkle over the flour, ensuring that it covers the liquid mixture completely. Add the sugar and salt, placing them in separate corners of the bread pan.

3. Make a small indent in the center of the flour and pour the dried yeast into the hollow.

4. Set the bread machine to the dough setting. Press start. Lightly oil a 25cm x 10cm loaf tin.

5. When the cycle has finished, remove the dough from the machine and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knock it back gently, then roll it out to a rectangle about 2cm thickness and 25cm long. Cover and let rest a few mins.

6. Spread pesto sauce over dough. Leave 1 cm border along one long edge. Roll up dough lengthwise and tuck ends under and place seam down in a prepared loaf pan.

7. Cover with oiled clear film and set aside in a warm place to rise for 45 min or until it doubled its size. Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan forced).

8.Remove the clear fim and brush olive oil over the top. Using a sharp knife to score the top with four with 4 diagonal cuts. Repeat the cuts in the opposite direction. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Note: With 10cm x 20cm loaf tin, I use 80% of this recipe to make this bread. I didn't score my bread as I prefer this bread with a nice dome top.

Happy Baking