Butter Pecan Ice Cream

I got this recipe from this book called 'Comfort Food' which I got from M&S on Christmas sale. I really love this book as it has this amazing collection of guilty pleasure recipes which will be handy in time of stress and depression..hehe

This is the only ice cream recipe in the book and the picture looks really good so I just had to give it a try. You can see the outcome from the picture. At first, I wasnt sure to post this recipe because the result wasnt impressive. But then I thought this was my first time making ice cream from scratch and I wanted to capture the history and share my experience..I know it sounds pathetic but oh well....

Enough talking crap, here goes the instructions..

Ingredients:
Double cream 350ml
Milk 175ml
6 egg yolks
Caster sugar 50g
Cooled claridied butter 115g
Roughly chopped pecans 225g (I only used half of it tho..if you are a 'nutter', add them all ;-) )

How to make:
1) In a saucepan, bring 125ml cream and all the milk to boil in medium-high heat. Once done, leave the mixture to cool completely.
2) Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks with 4 tablespoon of sugar until pale and think enough to hold a ribbon when lifted. Put the mixture aside.
3) Combine the remaining cream and sugar and bring just to the boil. Pour half of this hot cream into the egg yolk-sugar mixture and stir until well blend. Heat until small bubbles appear around the edge. Add the clarified butter and stir until it melts. Pour the mixture into a bowl and let it cool completely. Stir occasionally.
4) Pour the chilled cream-milk mix from 1) with the mixture from 3) and stir until blended. Pour this mixture into an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's guide. Stir in the pecans when the mixture is 3/4 frozen.
Alternative method if you dont have ice-cream machine:
Pour the mixture into a freezer-proof container, cover and freeze for an hour or until partially frozen. Remove from freezer and beat with fork until smooth. Re-cover and returns to freezer. Repeat the process and then add the pecans. Returns to freezer and it's ready when it has firm texture.


Verdict: The ice cream turned out ok and it tasted like ice cream...thank god for that. I can definitely tasted the butter and the pecans. But to be perfectly honest, it wasnt like what I imagined or in other words, I wasnt very impressed with it. I think it was a bit too creamy and too nutty. But hey, this was my first try. I'm not giving up on this recipe yet. Next time, I'll improvise and perfecting it. As for the texture, it was a bit hard to scoop out. But I blamed it on the absence of an important tool - an ice cream maker machine. I was too lazy to keep stirring the ice cream every hour.

Cheesecake (with cherry topping)

I saw this recipe on Nigella Express and thought, I must try this. It was a doddle to make and the result? Well, all I can say is I have made this cake so many times and everyone loved it.. and some even asked for the recipe.

So here goes the recipe..enough for 4 big appetite people ;-)

Ingredients:
For the topping:
Soft cheese 300g
Juice of 1 lemon
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Double cream 250ml
Icing sugar 1 cup
Cherry pie filling 1 can
For the base:
Unsalted butter (softened) 85g
Digestive biscuits 150g

How to make:
1) To make the cake base, whizz together the butter and the biscuits in a food processor until it turn into damp dough-like consistency. If you dont have a food processor, put the biscuits in a plastic bag and bash it with a rolling pin until the biscuits turned into fine crumbs. Then use your hand to mix the butter and the biscuits crumbs.
2) Grease a 9 inch springform tin with butter then pour in the cake base mixture. Spread the mix evenly and press hard the mix into the bottom of the tin. Leave aside in the fridge.
3) To make the topping, mix together the softcheese, sugar, lemon and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.
4)In a separate bowl, whisk the cream until it forms a soft peak but not too stiff.
5) Add both cream cheese mix and the whisked cream together. Mix well. The mixture should be in smooth consistency. At this stage, you can taste the mixture and adjust to suit your taste. More sugar or more vanilla extract if you want. If you prefer more tangy taste, add a bit more lemon juice.
6) Take out the base from the fridge. Pour topping into the base and spread evenly. Put the tin back in the fridge until the topping has set.
7)Just before serving, pour the cherry pie filling on top of the cake. Enjoy!

Tip 1: You can use replace the cherry topping with whatever topping you like, e.g.: toffee, berries, summer fruits, etc.
Tip 2: I prefer thin moist base but if you prefer thicker base, just adjust the measurement. The measurement given is just a guideline.

Grilled Chicken & Parmesan Salad

This is a healthy & easy to make dish...suitable for those lazy chill out weekend.

Ingredients (makes 2):
2 x Chicken breasts
2 x Tomatos - sliced or quatered however you like it
1/4 Onion- thinly sliced
Romaine or Cos Lettuce - try tearing it instead of cutting to get the rustic look
Parmesan Reggiano - grated
Black pepper
Olive oil

Note: The ingredients and measurement are not limited/restricted. Make it to suit your liking.

How to make:
1) Heat the grill on medium-high heat.
2) Lay the chicken breasts on an oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with freshly grind black pepper. Cook the chicken in the grill for about 20 mins or more depending on chicken size/quantity.
3) Toss the lettuce, tomatos and onions together and distribute evenly between two plates.

4) Sprinkle generously the grated parmesan on the salad.
5) Once the chicken timing is up, take it out from the oven and sprinkle the grated parmesan on the chicken as well. The more parmesan the nicer it will turn out ;-)

6) Put the chicken in the grill for further 5 mins or until the parmesan is melted and turn slighly brown.
7) Take the chicken out, place it on the plate with the salad. Voila, dinner is served.

If you want to bulk up the meal, have it with bruschetta or add some croutons to the salad. Bon appetite.

Verdict: This was my first time trying this recipe and it turned out very nice even though I should have put more parmesan. Will definitely make this again. It's a guilt free meal!

Flourless Chocolate Cupcake

I found this amazing piece of art on recipezaar and bakingsheet blog..and I was inspired to try this recipe when I was trying to cut down on carbs and sugar...I have to say I was impressed with it. It taste soooo good and most of all, it satisfy my chocolate cravings..I made it into small cup cakes rather than big round cake so I can control my portion..Well, it didnt really work..

Anyway, try it and hope you'll like it as much as I do...

Ingredients:
200g butter
226g chopped bittersweet chocolate (I use 72% chocolate)
3/4 cup sugar (I use half and half of sugar and Splenda)
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbp cocoa powder

Optional - Ganache topping:
226g chopped bittersweet chocolate (or you could mix bittersweet and milky chocolate)
1/2 cup cream (I use Elmlea single cream)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (~180 Celcius)
2. Place cupcakes cases on a cupcake/muffin baking tray
3. Mix butter and chocolate in a mixing bowl
4. Melt together the butter and chocolate in a microwave working with 30 sec increment. Make sure both butter and chocolate are melted and mixed well
5. Stir in the sugar into the chocolate mixture
6. Let the mixture cool down for a few minutes
7. Add in the eggs into the mixture one at a time and whisk it
8. Add in the vanilla extract and cocoa powder, whisk again until smooth
9. Pour in the mixture into the cupcake cases (about 3/4 full)
10. Bake for about 10mins
11. When done, turn off oven but leave the cupcakes in the oven for further 10 mins
12. Remove from oven, remove from baking tray and cool the cupcakes

Instructions for the ganache topping:

1. Using double boiler technique, melt together the chocolate and the cream until smooth
2. Cool it down for couple of mins
3. Spread over the cupcakes

This will make around 12-15 cupcakes depending on your cupcakes cases size. Store in an airtight container and chill them if you like. Feeling a bit naughty? enjoy the cupcake with a dollop of heavy cream..
Mmmmm...heavenlicious!!

First post..

For me,I live to eat..I love to cook and definitely I love to eat..If people ask me what is my passion..I would say one of them is FOOD..I travelled miles to find good food..I sacrificed my handbag and shoes shopping to buy special ingredients and tools for cooking...

So I'm going to cook and show you my food...savour the pictures and Bon Appetit ;-)