Islands in the sky, food & travel

How about a birthday cake this time, festive and full of flavor? Surprisingly, I was able to slice this one into 25+ pieces so everyone could get a taste. It's got a 7 layers including 3 layers of butter cake and 3 layers of cream with an inside layer of fresh strawberries in syrup and another layer with mandarine orange slices. All this topped with chocolate dipped strawberries nestled in cream.  On a side note, I made this cake while away on vacation in the US, meaning, I used ingredients I could find readily, I had to deal with cream and rising factors that are different from what I'm used to, eggs and strawberries that are so much bigger, flour is enriched..., none of this is bad, you just have to adjust.  To add to this fun experience, I made the chocolate-dipped and drizzled strawberries 2 days before with family, and the cake and frosting 24 hours before.  That way on the day of the party, I just had to dress the cake. Here's the cake recipe :                        

What better way to someone's heart than cupcakes?!  Here are 2 recipes for some delicious chocolate ones that I made for Easter, and delicate mocha cupcakes that I made for a baby shower. Because it is such a versatile and tasty cream, I used the same buttercream recipe for both, in pastel colors for the occasion. Chocolate butermilk cupcakes : 1/2 cup buttermilk (you can also make it from 1/2 cup warm milk and 1 teaspoon vinegar) 1 large egg + 1 yolk 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup flour 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup hot water with 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee  Preheat oven to 350° F / 180° C. Line a cupcake mold with parchment paper or cupcake liners.  Mix wet ingredients in a bowl (except hot water and coffee, leave that for the end).  Fold in dry ingredients. Then add hot coffee mixture. Mix about 2 minutes. Pour into molds and bake for about 15-18 minutes or unt

Are you familiar with empanadas? There are Mexican, Colombian, Argentinian, Sri Lankan and other versions but I made a (baked) Filipino version here, since these hand pies are so nice to munch on at any time of day, the light buttery crust blending so nicely with the meat, fish or vegetable filling (pictured above).  But I will say the South American versions are also a favorite, especially with chimichurri sauce, then again the curried Sri Lanka fish curry types are also delicious. But I digress... Below is a short crust  recipe, you decide which filling you prefer;) Short crust dough recipe :  175 g butter (about 3/4 cup) 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup bread flour (if you don't have any just add 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder to flour) 1/2 cup milk 1 egg 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt Blend flours and butter in a mixer with a dough hook attachment, or use a bread machine, (mix milk and egg mixture in a separate bowl) and add this in a thin steady flow to the grainy fl

When we talk about tastes that bring back memories of our childhood, this would have to be in the top 5 for me. Mamon cakes or filipino chiffon cakes have that flavor and softness that melts your heart, and certainly puts a smile on your face. If you don't know them, try the recipe and see if they don't win your heart. The recipe is pretty straightforward and simple, there are just 2 things to keep in mind : make the meringue with room temperature egg whites and cream of tartar to get a nice thickened meringue, then whip further with the sugar.  The other thing that is particular to these cakes is the mold. Per chance my cousin found these tins with removable bottoms for easy unmolding, otherwise I have to admit that is a tricky part and you'd have to add parchment paper for easy unmolding. Here's the recipe :  1 cup cake flour 1 cup sugar 6 eggs, separated 1/2 vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 cup pineapple juice

Is there such a thing as baking too many cheesecakes?  Because, really, cheesecakes take time to master.  And just when you think you've got it down, you mess one up because there is a "tour de main" or trick to making them and it's all about... jiggliness!  It's mastering the right cooking time, because all our ovens are different, the right cream cheese, as they're different in every country, the right amount of setting ingredient (flour or cornstarch...), etc. I've made many versions because there are no-bake varieties (these are the most tricky in my opinion because of the gelatin or setting factor) or the oven-baked kinds (with or without a water bath).  The following version is the most straightforward and fuss-less variety I've encountered, I made this cheesecake readily with ingredients I had at home. Here is what I used :  Cookie crust :  150 g or 1 cup mix of butter cookies and amaretti,  30 g sugar,  50 g butter,  1/4 teaspoon salt Pulse or