MINing of Life

Friday, 26 March 2010

Apple CakeY

I found this recipe on the Internet and it says "fail-proof", so I thought it was worth giving a try; I mean, even if it really fails, it won't be an absolute failure.

What I loved about making it was that I didn't have to those bombastic electrical appliances which can be extremely noisy and a chore to wash. All I needed for the mixing were a spatula and a mixing bowl =]
As for measurements, it was so hassle-free because I didn't need weighing scale and measuring beaker, just a measuring cup, tablespoon and teaspoon!

So here's my suggested, improved recipe:
after following exactly to the original)
.........................................................................APPLE CAKE

Ingredients:
•2-3 tart apples, cored and peeled
•2 tablespoons sugar
•2 tablespoons cinnamon powder
•2 cups flour
•1 3/4 cups white sugar or 1 3/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
•4 teaspoons baking powder
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•4 large eggs
•1 cup vegetable oil
•2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
•Powdered sugar, for dusting; or toasted slivered almonds

Let's start baking:

Preheat your oven to 160ºC and lightly butter a cake pan.

Chop your apples into uniform chunks and toss, in a bowl, with the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients and stir.
Stir in the eggs and the oil.
Stir in the vanilla.

Either gently fold the apples into the batter and pour everything into the cake pan, or pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared cake pan, then 1/2 the apples, 1/3 of the batter, the last 1/2 of the apples, and top with the remaining 1/3 of batter. There should be quite a bit of extra room at the top of the pan; trust me, you’ll need it.

Bake at 160ºc for 80 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool, in the pan, to room temp, then invert onto a plate and flip back over.
..................................................................................

Here's the original recipe.
I added raisins. You can try having smashed nuts to give your cake a little crunch.

My cake turned out slightly charred at the edges and not desirably cooked in the centre, otherwise, it's perfectly tasty on its own and that's the reason why I didn't include the toppings and glazing. A sweet treat indeed, so I suggest, if you're going to follow the original recipe, don't eat the cake with hot chocolate, hot vanilla or anything that is already sweet on its own.

Something I learnt is that for cooking and baking, never ever use Fuji apples. Fuji apples are very juicy, rich in water level, hence by the time your dish is done, the apples will be dry and the texture will not be as good as that of Tart apples. Tart apples are small, round and waxy on the surface. They are not as juicy and crunchy as Fuji, but ideal for cooking and baking. I don't know how to explain... let's imagine you're eating McDonald's Apple Pie... it's a little crunchier and juicier than that!

I feel like having another bite of the cake =] Bye!

Next week will be some cheesecake =]

2:44 pm;

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Monday, 22 March 2010

Foodie IntrosY

Since I'm such a great fan of food, I thought I should share the yummy treats my taste buds had enjoyed so that you can let yours have the privilege too.

Right.

Foodie Intro #1: Beach Road Prawn Mee

The best part of a bowl of Prawn Mee is definitely the soup. There's this prawnie seafood taste that flavours the entire bowl of noodles and that is incomparable to most hawker stalls but it's a pity that it's not served hot enough.

This bowl is the normal bowl of Prawn Mee with Bak Kut or Pork Ribs which are really soft even if you're having it in the morning which I did. There's tau geh and kang kong in it as well.
Actually, I ordered the kway teow. You can have it with noodles (the thick yellow ones), bee hoon, a mix of noodles and bee hoon, or just kway teow.

When you order Prawn Mee here, you'll tend to go to the stall next to it (within the same shop) to get a plate of Ngoh Hiang too. However, I was there to have a light breakfast, which was too much to be considered "light", so I didn't get to munch those fried stuff.

Here's more to this Beach Road Prawn Noodle House located at 370 East Coast Road. (link: ieatishootipost blog)

I'm not trying to help advertise or sell the noodles but I feel extremely fortunate to have a close friend whose father is the owner of this well-known Prawn Mee stall!

In case you want to make a trip down, they're opened from 8am-4pm daily but closed on Tuesday (because it's their family day -- so lovely).

4:24 pm;

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Friday, 19 March 2010

A swim in my teaY

Teabags can never be this cute! Imagine if they're paperdolls which you can put different clothes on them... this is really cool.

Pret-a-portea (teabags)

I just got an idea! I can make them as gifts! Perfect!

2:04 pm;

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Tuesday, 16 March 2010

The Wonder of PeopleY

When people come together, with a common passion, as one...

... it brings Wonders.

12:35 am;

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Sunday, 7 March 2010

DominoY

This is really exciting and tests your patience to the max! You can definitely try this at home with anything and everything you can find in your house but do take note that mess created will be crazy if you're going to line a domino THAT MASSIVE, from your room to the kitchen to the dining room to the study then to another room then the steps and to the garden and maybe across your fish tank into the toilet and ending in the living room.

5:05 pm;

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