Triple Orange Cupcakes

It is really nice to have a friend who shares the common interests with you.

A few weeks ago, I went with my friend to shop for baking supplies. I really don't think it is a common thing that friends will do together right? shopping together at baking supply stores?? Most of my friends hardly even cook! Besides sharing notes and tips, we could even share ingredients! We bought these very cute looking orange candies from one of the stores, without having any idea what we are going to do with them. Since Chinese New Year is approaching, I thought I could make something to fit the festive mood.

After browsing through several cookbooks, I came out with the idea of making these triple orange cupcakes. The cakes are made with orange juice and zest, glazed with a thin layer of orange icing and finally topped with the orange candies. I followed the ingredients based on a vanilla cupcake from the cookbook, "Gorgeous Cakes" by Annie Bell. I added in orange juice and zest to the recipe to give the orange flavour. I didn't follow the steps stated in the recipe, instead I used the usual creaming method that I would for cakes and muffins. The cupcakes turn out to be very nice...the texture is just right...soft, crumbly, just like a butter cake. The boys had a good time licking up the icing and candies!

Ingredients:
(makes 8 cupcakes)

110g butter, softened at room temperature
110g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
110g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon orange juice

Icing: 50g icing sugar, 1 ~ 2 tablespoon orange juice
Orange candies

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degC.
2. Place butter, sugar and orange zest in a mixing bowl. Whisk with an electric mixer till mixture becomes white and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs gradually and whisk until well combined after each addition.
4. Sift flour and baking powder, add to the butter mixture and stir with a spatula gently. Add in the orange juice and stir till just incorporated.
5. Spoon batter into cupcake liners and bake for 17 to 20 mins. Remove and leave to cool.
6. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar and blend with the orange juice. (Blend in the orange juice a little at a time to achieve the desired consistency). Smooth a heaped teaspoon of icing on each cake, but don't worry about completely covering. Top with candied oranges. Leave to set for about 1 hour.
   
   
   

Lemon Bars

I finally made these lemon bars yesterday. Must say it tasted much better than the orange bars I made two weeks ago!

They are not as sweet since I cut down the sugar to 3/4 cup instead of the 1 cup called for in the recipe. They taste rather sourish when you take the first bite, but somehow, the sourish taste fades away after the second bite. It certainly has more "kick" than the orange ones ;b

Mint Chocolate Chips Cookies

Bought a packet of Hershey's Mint Chocolate Chips yesterday. It's the first time I've seen this here.

Made these mint chocolate chips cookies based on the recipe printed at the back of the package. The cookies are rather crunchy, not the chewy type. They tasted almost like my elder one's favour ChipsMore cookies. After eating the cookies, he commented that they tasted like mentos!




After note:
I have posted the recipe here for easy reference:

Hershey's Double Chocolate Mint Cookies

Ingredients
(makes 30)

2/3 cup butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 & 2/3 cups mint chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy.
3. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
4. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in mint chocolate chips.
5. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake 8 to 9 minutes or just until set; do not overbake.
7. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Apple Muffins

When I told the two boys I would be making muffins with apples, they got very excited and wanted to have a hand on it. They are only familiar with the usual bananas, strawberries and orange muffins. Hmmm...wait till I try making those carrots or pumpkins ones...I could already imagine how their expressions and remarks would be like ;)

The recipe is from a cookbook, "The 250 Best Muffin Recipes" by Esther Brody, which I borrowed from a friend, who is also crazy about baking. I didn't follow the recipe exactly, as I used plain flour instead of cake flour which is called for. I have also omitted the cinnamon and nutmeg as I know my boys will not like the taste of the spices. I replaced them with vanilla essence. I think I've also chopped the apples too fine...can't really taste them in the muffins...will get them coarsely chopped next time. Nevertheless, the muffins still turn out very soft and yummy, this recipe is a sure keeper. With the "occasional" help from the 2 boys (they popped in and out of the kitchen in between their "action-hero battles"), we have these delicious muffins sitting on our breakfast table this morning!

Ingredients:
(makes 12 muffins)

280g plain flour
3 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
50g butter, soften at room temperature
100g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped, peeled apples

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 220 deg C. Grease or line muffin pans with paper liners.
2. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt, blend well.
3. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar, still creamy. Add in egg, gradually, mix well after each addition. Stir till mixture is creamy and fluffy. Stir in vanilla essence, mix well.
4. Add flour mixture (in 3 additions) alternately with milk (in 2 additions) , starting and ending with flour. Mix only until well combined. Gently fold in the chopped apples.
5. Fill muffin cups with batter till 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 25mins, until muffins turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
   

Baked Korokkes

Baked these Korokkes or Japanese Croquettes for dinner today. Yes, they were baked, not deep-fried!

Thanks to Angie for sharing her recipe. I have no idea that korokkes could be baked until I read her recent post. I hate cooking dishes that require deep-frying. Cleaning is a major issue for me! This baking method really appeals to me. I wasted no time to try it out. I tweaked the recipe a little to suit the tastebuds of my kids, and used minced pork instead of tuna for the filling. This healthy version of korokkes will gonna be one of our regular dishes from now on.