MINI MOCHI CUPCAKES: MATCHA & CHOCOLATE

Basho's gone, but you can make these Mini Mochi Cupcakes yourself!

Do you miss this tiny Japanese cafe on E. Hastings street?  Well, cry no more because you can easily make these mini gluten-free Japanese sweets.  Just pull out your knitting needles, knit a cozy for your potted succulent plant and whip up some matcha tea to go along with your sweets.

This mochi recipe is highly adaptable; you can add your own unique flavours.  Stay tuned for more flavour possibilities!

MINI MOCHI CUPCAKES: MATCHA & CHOCOLATE

• 1 lb glutinous rice flour [I used Mochiko]
• 1 T matcha powder
• 2 T cocoa powder
• 1/3 Cup vegetable oil
• 2 Cups milk
• 2 Cups sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350Degrees F.  
2. Spray 2 mini-muffin pans with non-stick spray.
3. Combine flour, oil, milk, sugar and 3 eggs in a mixer and beat until well combined. 
4. DIVIDE the dough in half into separate bowls.
5. Add matcha powder to one bowl and mix well.  Add cocoa powder to the other bowl and mix well.  Pour into prepared muffin tins.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes (mini-muffin pans) or 30-35 minutes (regular-muffin pans). I ended up with 3 trays of mini-muffins! The recipe makes a lot of mini-muffins.  You can easily halve the recipe though.  Check often while baking because muffin pans vary and thus so do the bake-times. Mochi muffins are done when they are just slightly golden brown around the edges. Test by inserting a toothpick. 
7. Remove muffins from pan after allowing to cool slightly.  Set on a cooling rack to cool.  Invite your friends over who miss Basho for tea and mochi!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Drip Cake: Chocolate Quinoa Layer Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream (gluten free)

Made my own Birthday Cake. Yes I did😆

6 inch GF Chocolate Quinoa Cake layers and Vanilla Bean Buttercream

This is my favourite part of making a cake

Decorated with my fave goodies: matcha macaron, Lindt chocolate balls, dragées, a mini KitKat and mini Coffee Crisp and crushed macaron shells

The chocolate ganache was perfect. I threw dragées on the side of the cake too and they stuck🙌

It's late November and the only thing blooming in my garden are these little purple Daikon flowers.  I just let the daikon go to seed and never did harvest the daikon (so bitter!)  The flowers sure are pretty...and edible

Scroll down past the recipes to watch a video of me assembling the layers

BEST EVER QUINOA CHOCOLATE LAYER DRIP CAKE WITH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM (GF)

adapted from Quinoa 365:  The Everyday Superfood

makes 3 6-inch layers

• 2 1/4 cups cooked quinoa (see note below for instructions to cook quinoa. No substitutions)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste
• 3/4 cups coconut oil, melted and cooled (you can use unsalted butter)
• 1 1/2 cups organic cane sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened organic cacao powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

*3 6-inch cake tins (you can make do with 2 pans and after baking the first batch, make the last layer after cleaning the pan)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray the tins with coconut oil spray or non-stick spray.  Line with a round piece of parchment paper
2. In a Vitamix, heavy-duty Blender of Food Processor, combine:  milk, eggs, vanilla paste.  Blend until combined.  Add 2 1/4 cups of cooked quinoa and the melted coconut oil and continue to blend until smooth.
3. Dump in the sugar, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the Vitamix.  Blend well to combine.  [NB: if you are using a regular blender, you will encounter problems with the thick batter and may not be able to totally break down the cooked quinoa grains. In this case, you should use a food processor]
4. Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Gently tap the pans on the counter to get rid of air bubbles and smooth the tops evenly
5. Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 25-30 minutes.
6. Test the cakes for doneness with a toothpick or cake tester.
7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan and allow the cake layers to cool completely on a rack. 
8. Frost with Buttercream (see recipe below).  Refrigerate the cake for at least 30 minutes. Make the ganache (see recipe below) and allow to cool as the cake is in the fridge.  Drip chocolate ganache over the cold buttercream. Decorate with your fave chocolates and bling✨ it up with dragees if desired.
9. Cake layers can be stored sealed in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 1 month. 

COOKING QUINOA Note:  Bring 2/3 cup raw, rinsed white or golden quinoa to boil in a heavy saucepan with 1 1/3 cups water.  Cover, reduce to simmer and cook for 10 minutes.  Turn off heat and leave covered saucepan on burner for another 10 minutes.  Fluff with fork and allow the Quinoa to cool.

Rice Cooker Method:  Cook rinsed quinoa as you would rice, following manufacturer's instructions and the indicator lines for appropriate water levels.    I made 1 cup quinoa and found it had enough leftovers to make another dish.

VANILLA BEAN BUTTERCREAM 

(makes just enough for a nearly naked cake; or just enough to frost this little 6 inch cake)

3 cups confectioners' sugar (icing sugar)

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter [I used Kerrygold]

1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

1 tablespoon milk

1. In an electric mixing bowl, beat the butter until creamy and smooth
2. Add the confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup at a time
3. Add vanilla bean paste and gradually add milk until the buttercream is at a consistency that is not too stiff. Continue beating [speed 8 on the KitchenAid] for 7-8 minutes until almost white in colour. The buttercream will be fluffy
4. Use immediately to frost the 3 cake layers.  

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1 cup whipping/heavy cream

1 bag Wilton Chocolate Candy Melts (chocolate chips or dark chocolate will work as well)

OR

8 ounces chocolate

1 cup heavy cream

NB: before you start! if you have a kitchen scale the ratio for the ganache in weight is 1:1.  But if you don't or if you're too lazy to whip out the scale like me, you can eyeball it and adjust by adding more chocolate or cream until you get a thick pouring consistency.  

1. Put whipping cream in a microwave-safe container and heat in 30 second increments until it is hot to the touch.  Check on it at intervals so it doesn't boil over.
2. Add 1 cup of the Candy Melts or chopped chocolate and stir gently until the ganache is thick but pourable.  Mine was too runny initially so I had to add another handful of candy melts. As well, allowing it to cool will also thicken the ganache before pouring.  Test the ganache before drizzling on the cake by attempting to drip from the top edge of a glass or mug.  If it runs too quickly then add more chocolate or candy melts.  

♬Bossa Nova Royalty Free Background Music

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Chocolate Quinoa Layer Cake with Chocolate SMB (GF)

Chocolate quinoa layer cake with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Booya. I feel huge.  I've been eating nonstop since holidays began.  This Chocolate layer cake was a dessert I made for a NYE dinner party.

I doubled my usual cupcake recipe and baked the batter in 8 inch circular pans.  Then I ended up reserving one layer for the freezer as I thought 3 layers would be enough.  And it was.  I had just enough SMB to frost all the sides.  The layers were moist and I did not have to slice them though if you like lots of frosting I guess you could.  However, at that point you would also need way more buttercream.

I thought of melted chocolate decorations as I was too lazy to pipe buttercream around the cake.  I think they turned out quite well considering I had not made these before.  I made big evergreen trees and plastered them on the sides of the cake.  Then I topped the centre of the cake on top with a daisy and a bunch of swirls of chocolate. 





For the over the top Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream, I used THIS recipe and added 4 oz dark melted chocolate to the buttercream.
For the Chocolate Quinoa Layers, I used THIS recipe BUT ADDED 1/4 CUP MORE COOKED QUINOA TO EACH BATCH.  It has more quinoa than the original recipe; is baked in 8 inch layers (2) and I doubled the recipe and added 5-10 minutes to the baking time.  Make the recipe twice because only one batch will fit in your blender or processor anyway.  You will kill your Vitamix if you try to do a double batch (and it won't fit anyway).  Freeze one of the layers so that you'll have 3 layers in total from the double-batch (or make extra cupcakes with the batter after you make 3 layers).

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

MOMMY, I NEED SOME GLUTEN COOKIES!

Dark and White Chocolate Chunk Nirvana Cookies

Guilty as charged.



I'm baking with wheat flour.  GF friends, avert your eyes!   My (almost) 10 year old approached me the other day and buttered me up with the statement that she really likes my baking and wished I would bake more often.  I asked her what she wanted me to make and she said "something with gluten!"

Well, yah. About that.  As you've noticed my food blog dedicated to my love for cake has morphed a tad over the last couple of years to include mostly Gluten Free baked goods recipes since my Hashi's diagnosis.  I'm the only one in the family who's gluten intolerant.  I figured that the kids wouldn't really mind if I didn't bake gluteny ever again.  Wrong.  Obviously they miss it.

So here I am making a huge batch of my favourite Dark and White Chocolate Chunk Nirvana Cookies (based on Jacques Torres' recipe) and dumping in the real thing: wheat flour. Yikes.  I know I won't be able to eat the cookies.  So I decided to refrigerate the rest of the batch and bake one sheet at a time because I hate to see good cookies go stale.   A sheet will last the two kids about 2 days I figure.

Also, I was intending to bake a fresh sheet of cookies for company during the summer.  You know, to accompany that tall glass o' lemonade while chatting with friends about how fast summer's passing while sitting on your deck.

Here's the recipe BELOW if you're inclined to make it (it's a winner!)


chocolate chunk nirvana cookies from Ms K on Vimeo.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Nirvana

makes 3 dozen ridiculously large cookies

adapted from Jacques Torres' A Year in Chocolate

4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour [I used organic, unbleached]

2 t salt

1 1/2 t baking powder

1 1/2 t baking soda

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

1 1/4 cups plus 2 1/2 T granulated sugar [I used organic evaporated cane sugar]

3 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten

2 t pure vanilla extract

1 2/3 pounds bittersweet chocolate, chopped into bite-sized pieces [I used Lindt Dark(85%) chocolate bars and broke along the lines]

1 cup white chocolate pieces [I used Callebaut]

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have ready 2 nonstick cookie sheets, or line 2 regular cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
• In a bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Add the brown and granulated sugars and beat until well blended. Add the eggs and beat just until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture a little at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated. When all of the flour mixture has been incorporated, remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, fold in the chocolate.
• To shape the cookies, using a tablespoon, scoop out a heaping spoonful of the dough and, using the palms of your hands, form it into a 3-inch ball. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to wire racks, and let cool completely.
• Store, in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
• [cakebrained note: I keep prepared dough in their 3-inch ball shapes, refrigerated in a ziploc bag for a few days and bake as I need them. I only ever bake 6 cookies on a sheet at one time. This way you have a constant supply of fresh cookies. They're so good hot from the oven! Alternately, you can freeze the cookie balls too and keep them longer, but you may have to add a few minutes to the baking time]

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

CHOCOLATE CHIP RICE KRISPIES SQUARES

chocolate chip rice krispies squares!

                             

                                     butter your baking dish well and your life will be made a lot easier later on...

everything with be sticky, including your hands!
spray pam on your spatula to smoosh the rice krispies down into the dish

unlike me, you will wait an appropriate amount of time to cut your squares so that they come out with clean edges

 impatience is delicious nonetheless!

For a tried and true Rice Krispies Cereal Square recipe, try this classic one HERE if you don't like chocolate chips *horrors!*

What a perfect snack for the kids' lunch boxes!  When you add in some other healthy optional mix-ins (ground flaxseed is my favourite), you can alleviate the sugar-guilt by rationalizing that you've added something healthy in there!

Cakebrain's Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies Squares

makes a LOT of squares! This is a double-batch to fit my large rectangular pyrex baking dish.

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 8 cups marshmallows
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 12 cups rice krispies cereal (get the brown rice, gluten free cereal!)
• 1 cup dark mini chocolate chips
• optional: nuts, sprinkles, more mini marshmallows, chocolate-covered candies, other types of cereal  [evil mommy idea: mix in ground flax! i do it all the time!  ;p]

1. Melt margarine in a large microwave-safe container (I used a pyrex bowl) along with the marshmallows for 2 minutes.   Continue to heat for one minute intervals until you see the marshmallows start to puff up slightly.   Using a rubber spatula, test the marshmallows by stirring them.  Continue to heat in short spurts until the marshmallows are melted and can be stirred smooth.   Remove from microwave. Stir in vanilla.


2. In a large mixing bowl, add the cereal.  Stir in the melted marshmallow mixture, incorporating the cereal.  Continue stirring until coated well.  Toss in the mini chocolate chips.  If your marshmallow mixture is still hot, you will see some of your chocolate morsels melt.  It's okay...just carry on!  If you would like to add any other optional mix-ins, do it now!


3. Press into a large rectangular buttered baking pan (or sprayed with non-stick spray). Allow to cool; cut into squares.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Nothing like a chewy chocolate chip cookie and a glass of cold milk...while reading the newspaper.

Anna Olson's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe incorporates cornstarch into the cookie dough for a long-lasting chew!

Freshly baked out of the oven...don't over-bake!

This batch has nuts.  I just pressed a few walnuts on each ball of dough before baking.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (Dark and White Chocolate Chunk)

adapted from Sugar:  Simple Sweets and Decadent Desserts, by Anna Olson

makes about 2 dozen

3/4 cup/175 mL unsalted butter, softened

1 cup/250 mL golden brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup/ 50 mL granulated sugar

1 egg

2 tsp/10 mL vanilla extract

2 cups/500 mL all purpose flour

2 tsp/10 mL cornstarch

1 tsp/5 mL baking soda

1/2 tsp/ 2 mL salt

4 oz/125 g bittersweet chocolate chunks [I used Callebaut]

4 oz/125 g white chocolate chunks [I used Callebaut]

optional:  walnut pieces for studding the tops of the cookie balls before baking

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).  Cream together butter and sugars until smooth.
2. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.  Stir in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.  
3. Stir in chocolate chunks
4. Drop by tablespoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. [I formed mine into balls and flattened slightly...and studded some of the cookies with walnut halves]
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
6. Let cool slightly and enjoy.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad