Steamed Fruit Cake Recipes

Christmas is still a long way to go and why am I a baking fruit cake? Oh well, I am trying out one or two recipes now and if I like it I will bake it for the coming Christmas. I will usually use my old fruit cake recipe but I am a bit bore with it so I want something different this year. Today I tried out the famous CMG Kek Kukus Buah Buahan or Steamed Fruit Cake . I aged this cake for a few days before cutting into it. This cake is really moist and full of caramel flavor but a bit too sweet for me. If not it will be perfect. So the next time I make this I will cut down on the amount of sugar. I have another half of the cake left and will try it out in a few weeks time and see if there is a different in taste.

Ingredients:

375 g mixed fruits (I used raisins, currants, cranberries, pineapple, papaya and apricots)
250 g butter
150 g brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
3 large eggs
¼ cup almond flakes (I used walnuts)


Sieved together:

300 g  flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp of nutmeg (I omit this)

For the Caramel

150 g sugar

1. Line and greased a square or 9” round baking pan. Prepared the steamer. Sift all the dried ingredients and mix in the dried fruits and set it aside.
2. Cream brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time and beat well. Slow down the mixer and add in the flour and fruits. Mix well and turn off the mixer.
3. In a small saucepan and over medium heat melt the sugar until it turns golden brown. Turn on the mixer again to slow speed and slowly drizzle in the hot caramel into the cake mixture. Mix well.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil (to prevent water from dripping into the cake while steaming). Steamed over high heat for 4 hours (I steamed only for 3 hours). Remember to check the water level of your steamer every now and then and please add only hot water to the steamer.

Note: Please be careful when you drizzle in the caramel as it is very hot. If you are using dried apricots, pineapple and papaya you have to chopped it up first.

I would like to this opportunity to wish all my Muslim friends and readers “Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri” Hope you all have a joyous celebration with your family and friends back home. Most importantly, drive safely to your destination.

Raspberry Cheesecake Slice Recipes

It's already August and soon summer will come to an end. I try to enjoy all the locally grown fruits as much as possible. Each trip to the produce place I will haul back way too much fruit for the 2 of us but everything just look so fresh and good and I just can't resist it. We like to eat them fresh but fruit like berries doesn’t last too long. They will dries up pretty fast in the fridge so I tried to put it in dessert and baking. For this cheesecake you can use any type of summer fruits like blueberries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries etc.

Crust:

150 gram Oreo cookies – crushed
50 grm melted butter

Cheesecake filling:

500 grm cream cheese
120 grm sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp flour
80 grm sour cream
Zest and juice of a lemon
6 oz fresh raspberry

1. Prepare and greased an 8” x 8” square baking pan. Line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil and left some overhang on the side (for easy removal later on) Pre-heat the oven to 325 degree F.
2. Combined Oreo cookies crumbs with melted butter. Press into the base of the baking pan and let it chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
3. Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon zest and juice until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time and lastly add in the sour cream. Mix until well combined.
4. Pour mixture into prepared base, sprinkle the raspberries and bake the cheesecake for an hour. Allow it to cool complete before slicing. Serve chilled.

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars Recipes

I love eating oats and baking with oats. Beside my favorite Oatmeal Raisin Cranberry Cookies I thought I change it a bit today and made it into bars instead of individual cookies. I used cranberries in these bars but it could be made with almost any dried fruits. These little bars are great to snack on and pretty nutritious too.


Filling:

3/4 cup of strawberry jam – you can replace it with any type of fruity jam
1 cup of dried cranberry – you can replace it with any type of dried fruits

Ingredients for crust:

1 ½ cups flour
1 cup of roll oats
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 stick/113 grm/1/2 cup melted butter

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F. Line and greased an 8” x 8” square baking pan.
2. For the filling mix together the jam and the dried fruits. Set aside.
3. For the crust, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir in the oats and walnuts. Add the melted butter, egg and vanilla and stir until incorporated.
4. Using your clean fingers, lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the filling over the crust leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the pan. Cover the top with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten it up.
5. Bake until light golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Outrages Brownies Recipes

This is another one of Ina Garten great recipes. Just as the name said these brownies are outrages. It is rich, chewy and fudgy. I think the original recipe is way too much for us so I halved the recipes and bake it in a muffin pan. I original recipes call for a lots of butter but I reduced it to only one stick and it tasted just as good. For the full recipe please refer to here .


Ingredients:(Halved of the original)

2 sticks/226 grm/1 cup of unsalted butter (I used 1 stick/113 grm)
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
3 oz unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 ½ tsp instant coffee
1 tbsp pure vanilla
1 cup + 2 tsp sugar (I used 1 cup)
½ cup flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

For tossing together:

2 tbsp flour
1 ½ chopped walnuts (I used 1 cup)
6 oz dark chocolate chips

1. Greased a muffin pan. Pre-heat oven to 350 degree F.
2. Melt together butter, semisweet chocolate chips and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water (double boil). Allow it to cool slightly.
3. In another bowl stir together eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow it to cool to room temperature.
4. Sift together ½ cup flour, baking powder and salt. Add into the cooled chocolate mixture.
5. Toss the dark chocolate chips and walnuts together with the 2 tbsp of flour and then add it into the chocolate batter. Mix well and fill the batter into the muffin tin.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when tested.

Note : This batter will make about 1o medium size brownies

Coconut Jam Slice Recipes

This is an old-fashioned favorite that has a light shortbread like base that is spread with a layer of sweet jam and finished with a crispy coconut topping. It is amazing how a few simple ingredients taste so good and it is great to snack on whenever your sweet tooth strikes.

Ingredients for the base:

1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
1 stick/113 gram cold butter – cut into cubes
1 egg yolk

Ingredients for the topping:

1/2 cup of strawberry jam or any jam of your choice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 egg white
3 cups of unsweetened/deciccated coconut
1 tsp of essence vanilla
1 tbsp of corn flour
Juice of a lemon

1. Line a lightly greased square pan with parchment paper, overhang on both side for easy removal later. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F.
2. Put flour, baking powder, salt and butter in a food processor, pulse until fine and crumbly. Add in the egg yolk and pulse until the dough comes together. Press the dough into the baking pan.
3. Bake in the over for 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. Let is cool down for 5 minutes, spread it with jam.
4. Prepare the topping. In a mixing bowl combined the eggs, sugar, corn flour, vanilla, lemon juice and salt. Mix until well combined. Stir in the coconut.
5. Spread the coconut mixture over the jam. Press it down with the back of a spoon.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown. Let it cool completely before cutting it into pieces.