Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies from Jamie Oliver

Orange Cookies with Chocolate Chips and Coffee

On my way back to one of my trips in Europe, I got hold of Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Ministry of Food cookbook.  I got it tax free but I wasn't quite sure whether it really was a bargain.  Regardless, I was impress with the chef's advocacy of teaching people how to cook at home so they can have healthier and more nutritious options rather than eating out or buying at convenient stores all the time.  According to the book, anyone can learn to cook in 24 hours.  And Jamie Oliver actually encourages his readers to pass on the simple recipes that they learn so that everyone can learn how to cook.  It's the same concept as paying it forward. 

While I don't really use this book as reference for dessert recipes, I was intrigued by one of his cookie recipes.  I tried it yesterday and you can get Jamie Oliver's recipe for Citrus Cookies after the jump.

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Hot Prawn Salad Recipe ala Shang Palace or Mr. Choi Kitchen

Hot prawn salad with Steamed broccoli and candied walnuts!

I don't exactly know where this dish originated from but it's definitely Chinese.  Some say that it's Cantonese.  If you're going to eat at the Shang Palace,  Makati Shangri-la Hotel's mainstay Chinese restaurant serving "authentic flavors of Cantonese cuisine" as their website puts it, or if you're planning to eat at Mr. Choi Kitchen,  don't forget to try and order the Hot Prawn Salad.  The sweetness of the fruits and the mayonnaise dressing complements the sweetness of the Prawns, making this dish a favorite among loyal patrons.  However, due to the sweetness of the dish as well, this dish may not be for everyone, especially for those who prefer their meals to be savory.  Regardless, no matter who you serve it to, it never fails to impress.  Here's the recipe for the Hot Prawn Salad or as others might call it, Shrimp Mayonnaise.

Hot Prawn Salad or Shrimp Mayonnaise Recipe

(2 small Servings)

Ingredients:

¼ kilo Prawns or Medium-sized Shrimps (around 14 pieces)

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Leche Flan Recipe (Filipino Style Creme Caramel)

I grew up eating Leche Flan. It's one of my favorite desserts. There's nothing like it in the world. Some of you may refer to it as a Creme Caramel or in Japan they call it a Purin or a Pulin, referring to a Custard Pudding. Basically it's milk and eggs steamed to form a custard flan. It's smooth and creamy! It's melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

The closest you would get to a Leche Flan outside the Philippines is a Creme Brulee. But believe me when I say that nobody else makes this dessert as creamy and delectable as Filipinos do. It's a national favorite. You can practically find it anywhere from high-end restaurants, food stalls in shopping malls, and even school canteens.



Like any other dessert though, every cook has their own recipe. As for me, the closest I've come to replicating my childhood favorite was using this special Leche Flan recipe below. The secret to this recipe is to use condensed milk instead of sugar, and to not include egg whites in the mixture.

Good Old Fashioned Leche Flan Recipe
by: The Billionaire Chef

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General's Chicken ala Recipes by Cafe Metro

Have you ever wondered why it's called General's Chicken?  This dish which is made from deep fried chicken covered with a crispy batter and covered with a sweet and spicy sauce is rumored to have been a favorite of one of China's generals back in the Qing dynasty.  The general's name was Tso Tsung-tang or Zuo Zongtang.  There are no historical proof however to verify this.  Regardless, this dish has become a favorite not only in North American Chinese restaurants but also in the Philippines.  Get General's Chicken ala Recipes by Cafe Metro after the jump.

General's Chicken ala Recipes by Cafe Marco

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Make your own Caipirinha!

Caipirinha is Brazil's national cocktail!  I can't believe that a country can have a national cocktail.  This makes me wonder what the national cocktail of the Philippines is. For Cebu city it might be something mixed with Mango while for Davao maybe something mixed with "Suha" (Pomelo).  And the alcohol base will have to be "tuba" or "lambanog"!  But I doubt if it will make a great tasting cocktail. hehehe (^o^)/

The Caipirinha used to be Brazil's best kept secret, but it is now known all over the world!  And not only Brazilians favor this drink but a lot of other nationalities as well.  You can include Filipinos in the list as my friends and I love this drink as well.  It's fresh, smooth, and yet with a strong punch.  

Here's the simple recipe how to make your own Caipirinha!

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Molten Lava Chocolate Cake Recipe

Chocolate Fondant (Lava Cake) Recipe

My passion for cooking and baking has been ignited again after watching the season 2 of MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA.  I was rooting for Callum Hann, the youngest contestant in that season, simply because he's comfortable in making desserts and he seems to know flavors really well!  One memorable moment was when he and another contestant made a chocolate fondant dessert!  

When you hear the word fondant, you'd probably think of that thick white icing used in decorating wedding cakes.  And if you've tried one, you'd definitely think it's nothing special!  It's just white and very sweet.  Even barely edible in some instances.  A Chocolate Fondant however is not an icing, it's usually a cupcake that been baked just about enough time to solidify the edges but not the insides.  In so doing, hot chocolate syrup flows out from the center when you cut the cake!  A very lovely surprise awaiting the diner for that theatrical effect.  After all, we always eat first with our eyes!  And melted or gooey chocolate always tastes good!

Chocolate Fondant with vanilla ice cream and Orange Coulis - How do you like my presentation?

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Healthy Snack Option?

Cucumber (Pepino) in the Philippines is normally eaten as a salad with a sweet and tangy dressing made from combining vinegar and sugar.  And I was never a vegetable eater - except maybe for the sweet Sayote - growing up.  So when I was in Japan, I was surprised to see the Japanese eat fresh cucumber served only with Miso paste!  I was hesitant to try it at first but the moment I took a bite I fell in love with it. It was sweet, crunchy, and very refreshing!  I missed it so much that when I saw japanese cucumbers in the local supermarket, I bought a pack and made my own healthy snack.  

I forgot to buy miso paste, so instead, I just added A1 Steak sauce! hahaha (^o^)/  The steak sauce can be a little overpowering so I wouldn't suggest putting too much on it.  Another good sauce that might go well with it is Hunt's Hickory BBQ sauce.  

My craving had been somewhat satisfied but now I'm left with 3 to 4 more sticks of japanese cucumbers! What should I do with them?  Hmmm ....  maybe I'll try adding them to this soup I've learned how to make from Julia Child's cookbook. (^o-)v

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Anybody for Carrot Cake?

There's something about a carrot cake that's very deceiving.  It must be the fact that it's made from carrots that leads one to believe that it is a healthier alternative.  Well, considering that carrots are good for us, then in a way it is definitely a healthier option than say a butter cake.  And if you don't like carrots, you might hesitate to order this because you're afraid of the taste.  That's another misleading fact because you don't really get to taste the carrots in the cake.  The carrots are shredded and most of the carrot flavor are masked by the other ingredients.  

The highlight in the carrot cake, I have to say, is the cream cheese frosting on top!  It's the dominant taste and flavor that sticks.  It just goes very well with the bland taste of the cake making the carrot cake a favorite among many.  And to prove that the frosting plays an important role, try the Velvet Cake from UCC (Coffee shop).  Their version of the Velvet cake also comes with a cream cheese frosting that makes every bite as memorable as eating a Carrot Cake.  

Carrot Cake recipe to follow after the jump.  Continue reading this article to see it.

Carrot Cake recipe
(adapted from FOOD Magazine's Custer Carrot Cake recipe)

1 cup Cake Flour (sifted)
3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Vegetable oil
2 eggs (room temperature)
1 and 1/2 cup Carrots (shredded, about 2 pieces medium-sized carrots)
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Optional:
3/4 cup Walnut (coarsely chopped)
1/2 cup Raisins

Frosting Recipe:
4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (softened at room temperature)
1/2 bar Cream Cheese (4 oz. , softened)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
150 - 200 grams Confectioner's sugar, sifted

Procedure:
1. Prepare 9 x 11 pan.  Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Sift and mix dry ingredients (Flour, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, Salt) in a mixing bowl.
3. Add vegetable oil to mixture.  Mix.
4. Add sugar to mixture.  Mix until well incorporated.
5. Add eggs one at a time.  Mix.
6. Lastly, mix in carrots and vanilla extract.
7. If using them, fold in walnuts and raisins.
8. Pour into baking pan and spread evenly.  Bake in preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Bake until cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Using this pan size and batter quantity, you will have a thin cake (1/2 inch thick).  If you want a thicker cake, according to the article in FOOD Magazine, double the recipe and change pan size to 9x13.  You can also double the recipe and use two 9 inch round cake pans to make a double layer carrot cake.

Add walnuts and raisins to add flavor to your cake.  It also makes your cake more luxurious (and nutritious).

Frosting procedure:
1. Mix butter and cream cheese in a bowl until well blended.
2. Add vanilla extract.
3. Add sugar gradually tasting as you go along to find the perfect sweetness level for yourself.  My personal taste is around 150 to 170 grams of confectioner's sugar.
4. When cake is completely cooled, apply a generous amount of frosting on top of cake.

In the picture, I sprinkled finely chopped walnuts on top after the frosting to add contrast and improve the overall look of the cake.  Feel free to unleash your creative juices and decorate your cake however you like.  It's part of the fun involved in baking cakes.

Reviews: The cake was generally loved by everyone.  The frosting can still be improved by lessening the sweetness and increasing the cream cheese flavor.

This goes perfectly well with coffee!  Carrot cakes, together with banana cakes, are staples in coffee shops. Enjoy!   

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Dolce Vita - The Sweet Life

Coffee is now my best friend.  Getting an average of 6 hours of sleep is not enough for someone like me who has been used to sleeping 10 to 12 hours a day.  So whenever I need a kick in the morning, or before relaxing in the afternoon, I grab my Bodum Coffee Press and whip myself the best tasting Iced Cafe Latte I've ever tasted.  

Learning to whip up your own cup can save you a lot of bucks.  A cup of ice cold coffee already averages at around 100 pesos per cup.  And I find that coffee shops, even the international franchises, tend to be inconsistent in their mixes.  I don't know why but after a few months from opening, blends tend to change and it just ruins coffee time for me.  The recipe for my favorite iced cafe latte is given below. (^o^)/      

Iced Cafe Latte

1 Tbspn Honey
1/2 cup Full cream Milk *
1/4 cup strong coffee **
ice cubes (4 to 6)

Procedure:
Just mix everything in your favorite coffee glass, fill with ice to the brim and enjoy. Add or reduce Honey as desired.

* You can substitute any kind of milk but I personally enjoy the added texture and creaminess provided by full cream milk.

** I use 2 Tbspn of medium to dark roasted coffee beans steeped for 3-4 minutes in 1/2 cup dispenser hot water, using a coffee press.  If you have light roasted beans, you may have to double your coffee beans to achieve a stronger taste.  If you have an espresso maker, you can substitute this with 2 shots of espresso.

When it comes to coffee beans, Royal Kona Coffee of Hawaii tops my list.  The one I tried was the Roy's signature blend which contained 10% Kona Coffee and is medium to dark roasted.  I just finished the last of my beans today and I'm beginning to regret giving away my second pack.  Anybody going to Hawaii anytime soon please buy me some more.  (^o^)/  

In general, I prefer beans which are a mixture of Arabica and Robusta.  Arabica beans give off a great aroma while Robusta beans give you more of that lovely bitter coffee taste.  Regular Nescafe uses all Arabica beans that's why it smells good but lacks taste while Blugre Coffee, a coffee shop here in Davao, uses all Robusta beans.  Mr. Gatchalian, the owner of Blugre, said that Filipinos generally prefer taste over the aroma.  I don't know how true that is considering that Nescafe is probably the best-selling instant coffee here in the Phils.

In solitude or with the company of friends and love ones, coffee is the best.  It's the dolce vita.  Too bad that there are those who have a knack of always picking the wrong time to talk about things and ruin the experience.  

There's an Italian expression that goes "Parla come mangi" which goes to mean that when explaining complicated things it is best to keep it simple and direct just like Italian food.  Yes, surprisingly, Italian food is suppose to be simple and I didn't appreciate it that much when I was in Italy because I was expecting something complicated.  Just like the Truffle-scented Cream Pasta at Mamou (Serendra) - no frills, simple yet bursting with flavor, simply delicious.  That's how Italians love their food. 

Ahhhhhhhhhh! All this talk about food and coffee makes we wanna go back to Rome.  One day.  One Month. One year.  

   

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Cashew Butter Cookies

It's been a while since I've blogged about food or gave out a recipe. Today I found another winner! It's cashew butter cookies! The smell and taste of roasted cashews is simply heaven! When I pass by the grocery, I actually almost never fail to buy snack sized toasted cashew nuts! It's one of my favorite snacks. If you like cashew, then you will definitely love these cookies! Continue reading to get the recipe.

Cashew butter cookie recipe
(adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe)

1 3/4 cup roasted cashew nuts (unsalted, for puree)
1/3 cup roasted cashew nuts (unsalted, for topping)
1 T olive oil
1 1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/2 t table salt
12 T unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 t vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Puree 1 3/4 cup roasted cashew nuts with 1 T olive oil. Use a food processor or blender. You should have around 3/4 cup to 1 cup of cashew puree.

2. Sift all purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix together butter, cashew puree, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add egg and mix well. Add all purpose flour and salt mixture. Mix until well combined.

4. Refrigerate dough for 20 - 30 minutes.




5. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line baking sheets with parchment/baking paper.

6. Remove though from fridge and shape into desired ball sizes. Place on baking sheet 2-3 inches apart. Flatten dough balls as this will not spread that much during baking. Top with remaining cashew nuts.

7. Bake for 12-15 minutes (check regularly for desired softness or crispiness).

The cookies were crisp on the outside but soft and creamy on the inside. Every bite bursts of the smell of roasted cashew butter! I can't wait to try a chocolate hazelnut variation. Happy baking and snacking!

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Iberian Chicken (Pollo Iberico) Recipe

My sister found this Iberian Chicken recipe online (heart 2 heart) and asked me to try it.  The picture looks perfect but in reality, I made it too salty for my parent's taste! hehehe (^o^)/  Nevertheless, it was a big hit during dinner time.  (Big hit equates to having only the bones and some of the potatoes left after dinner!)  Why don't you try it this weekend.  Just in time for Father's day.

Here's the Iberian Chicken recipe:
(I changed the original recipe a bit.)

  IBERIAN CHICKEN    

   1 pc. whole chicken (1.0 ~ 1.5 kilo)  clean very well and pat dry

   2 tbsp. whole fresh peppercorn, ground

   2 heads garlic, peeled and pounded

   1 Tbspn rock salt

   8 to 10 pcs. Calamansi  or the juice of 1/2 lemon

   6 pcs. lemon grass, white parts only, pounded

   1 pc. chicken cube dissolved in 1 cup boiled water or

          1 Tbspn Chicken Powder dissolved in 1 cup water

   3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

   3 to 4 pcs. potatoes, peeled and half if needed

   

   1.)  Rub the chicken all over with the ROCK SALT and PEPPER.  

         Remember that you can always add salt later on.  If you don't want 

         it too salty, don't rub that much at this point.  The original recipe 

         used 2 tablespoon rock salt.  I'm changing this to 1 tablespoon.

   2.) Rub with calamansi juice, making sure to rub the inside cavity.

        Or you can use the juice of half a lemon.  If you're using lemon, use 

        the lemon zest as well.  Using lemon will produce a more fragrant
        dish.  I don't think they have calamansi in Spain as well.
        hehehe (^o^)/  Go easy on the lemon as well.  Too much can make
        the sauce very sour.

   3.)  Insert the lemongrass into the cavity, together with some garlic.

   4.)  Pour the chicken cube/hot water mixture and olive oil
         on the chicken.   You can substitute 1 Tablespoon of
         Chicken Powder for the chicken cube.  Marinate overnight in
         an oven-proof tray.  Invert chicken midway.

   5.)  Preheat oven to 350F (180 C).  Put peeled potatoes in the baking
         tray, as well as the rest of the garlic.  Bake. 

   6.)  Remember to baste chicken with the sauce marinade every 5
         minutes for 30 minutes or until chicken is golden brown.  Taste
         the sauce and add salt and pepper as necessary.  Cover with
         aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours until tender. Remove excess
         oil before serving.

Happy Father's Day to all dads out there.  BTW, this recipe was posted at heart2heart in time for Mother's Day. (^o^)/

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International Pancake Day!

February 5, 2009 is International Pancake Day! I just saw the entry in my journal right now so I wasn't able to treat myself to some. Instead, today I made spaghetti with meat balls! Yummy! Believe it or not, as far as I can remember, it was my first to try spaghetti with meatballs. Mostly, we just have spaghetti with meat sauce here in the Philippines. I got inspired watching Kitchen Nightmares and seeing Chef Ramsey create one. hihihi (^o^)/

Pancake recipe is here. Go and treat yourself to some!

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Recipe: Snickerdoodles / Cinnamon Cookies

Snickerdoodles: Cinnamon cOOkies Recipe

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. Cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. Baking soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 cup Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
2 pcs. Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla extract

Topping:
3 tbspns. Sugar
1 1/2 tsps. Cinnamon

Procedue:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F).

2. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a creamer, mix butter and sugar until light. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanila extract. Mix well.

4. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix well.

5. In another bowl, mix topping ingredients.

6. Scoop the cookie dough, roll into a ball and then roll into topping mixture. Place in baking pan and bake until desired crispness. When placing in the baking pan make sure to leave ample space between cookies for expansion.

Most of my relatives loved that the cookies weren't too dry or too creamy enough to induce choking (in short, hindi "makatuk-an"). I reduced the sugar content as well for their palate. However, some still preferred no sugar coating but most of them liked it just the way it is.

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Recipe: Super Fudgy Brownies

Finally, a Brownies recipe I can be proud of! Prepared this one for my guakong's death anniversary. There must have been divine intervention as I've never perfected this recipe before with my brownies turning out at one time too cake-like, or chokingly moist, or sometimes even burnt. My uncles, aunties, and cousins loved it. I hope the people you serve it to will feel happy when they eat it. (^o^)/

Super Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:

8 tbspn unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn salt
8 ounces chocolate (semisweet or bittersweet) (around 227 grams)
1 cup (brown) Sugar
3 eggs
1 tbspn espresso powder

walnuts and chocolate squares (your own preference)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C. Grease line and grease 11" x 9" baking pan.
2. Whisk dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
   
3. In another bowl, melt butter and chocolate until smooth. Add sugar. Add eggs one at a time.
4. Add flour mixture and mix until flour is no longer visible. Do not over mix. Add the flour in batches. Do not add everything in one pour.
5. Fold in toppings (coarsely chopped walnuts and chocolate squares).
6. Transfer to baking pan and bake until tester inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs attached to it. (Time will depend on the type of oven and baking pan you are using. For someone using a small oven like me, it will be approximately around 20 minutes. For large ovens, I think it will be around 50-60 minutes.)
   

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Another SMILEstone

October 12 was guama's (grandma) birthday. It was a chance for me to bring a dish to offer to her and the rest of the family. Usually, the feast would involve staples like pancit (chinese noodles), lechon, stir-fry vegetables, siopao, and chinese lumpia. This time my mom and I decided to go against the usual and change the menu we bring. She still prepared her signature pancit but she used sotanghon (vermicelli) this time and added Ngo-kong soup (Soup no. 5) to her menu. I prepared Food for the Gods for dessert.

At the end of the feast, my dessert was wiped out! Everyone wanted to try it as this was my first time to bring any kind of food I prepared myself. I have a secret though on how to sell a dish so that it will be eaten clean during gatherings which I will share at the end of the post. Some of my relatives found it too sweet but generally, I think most liked it.

Other relatives may have thought the same as me and my mom as the usual siopao and chinese lumpia were not present this time! In replacement, a vegetarian macaroni dish and maja blanca was added to the menu. (^o^)/

This is another SMileStone for me here in Davao. Next, I look forward to preparing something for my guakong (grandpa) on his death anniversary on the 23rd. I'm thinking of bringing brownies this time but I haven't perfected the recipe yet. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it in time.

As for my secret, it's really simple. You'll be dumbfounded once you read about it. If you want people to finish off any dish you bring, the key is ... (drumrolls please) to make it appear really appetising and bring only a few amount so that people will be scrambling for it! hehehe (^o^)/ With the limited size of my oven, I can prepare only 16 bars at a time. Certainly not plenty enough for a family with the size like ours. (^0^)v

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Recipe: Food for the Gods

This is one of my bestsellers. Not that I've started selling these, but simply based on the reactions of people who have tried them. Enjoy!

Food For the Gods

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Unsalted butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3 pieces eggs
• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup dates / figs

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease line and grease a 9x13 baking pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light. Add in eggs.
3. Mix all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Then mix (dry) flour mixture to butter mixture. Don't overmix.
5. Fold in walnuts and dates.
6. Pour batter into container and bake for 30-40 minutes.
7. Let cool in pan for another 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

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Recipe: New York Style Cheesecake

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe here. It's not that I haven't been cooking at all, but actually quite the opposite. I have been cooking and baking more recently, experimenting with the recipes.

A couple of weeks ago, I had a bar and a half of cream cheese in the ref which were about to expire. I didn't want them to go to waste so I made a cheesecake. I baked one this time instead of just using gelatin. I must say, nothing can beat baked cheesecake! It's just way more creamy and delicious! The texture of the cake as it melts in your mouth is to die for. Try it for yourself!

When it comes to baking I'm trying to adopt a new philosophy: Never waste any ingredient. So if you'll notice, this recipe won't have any leftovers (like unused egg whites or wasted cream from buying a pack bigger than what is required.) Hope you'll enjoy this as much as WE did.

New York Style Cheesecake (Baked)

Ingredients:

• Crust:
  
• 1 cup Marie biscuit crumbs (You may use graham or oreo crumbs)
• 4 tbspn Unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbspn sugar
  

• Filling:
  
• 400 g cream cheese ( 2 bars)
  
• 4 1/2 tbspn sugar
• 1 1/2 tbspn All purpose flour
• 1/2 tspn Lemon extract
• 1/2 tspn Orange extract (optional)
• 3 pieces eggs
• 1 cup (225g) All purpose cream
  

Procedure:

1. Prepare all ingredients and bring them to room temperature before starting.
2. Prepare 9" springform pan. Cover the bottom with aluminum foil.
3. Prepare the crust.
4. Prepare the filling.

Crust:

1. Toss biscuit crumbs and sugar together.
   
2. Pour melted butter over mixture and rub well.
3. Press into bottom of pan and bake at 325 F for 10 minutes.
   
4. Set aside to cool.

Filling:

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar.
2. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add flour, mix lightly.
4. Add lemon (and orange) extract(s).
5. Add all purpose cream and mix well.
6. Pour batter over prepared crust. Wrap outside of pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from sipping in (during bain marie procedure).
   
7. Bake at 325 F bain marie for an hour or until toothpick test comes out clean. Bain Marie is slow baking the cake by placing it over another pan with hot water. Water level should reach halfway outside the baking pan you used for your cheesecake.
8. Cool on rack then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (atleast 8 hours).

I actually just used only 300 g (1 1/2 bar) of cream cheese. It was what was left on the refrigerator. It still tasted good with a light cream cheese flavor. I made a caramel syrup to go with the cheesecake. This cheesecake is not so sweet so if you prefer a sweeter taste, you can use any syrup of your liking. Bon appetit!

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Coconut Prawns

Cooked for my mom and dad last saturday. I made coconut prawns with curry sauce! This was something new for my parents as we always use curry with chicken only.

They loved the curry sauce so much that we saved the leftover sauce for fried fish fillets the next day. (another first @ home)

Personally, I liked the sauce better with the fish. hihihihi ^^

Coconut Prawns with curry sauce

For the prawns:

- prawns, shelled and deveined

- flour, eggs, panko (japanese bread crumbs), and grated coconut for dredging.

Coat prawns in flour, dip in egg, then coat with panko and coconut mixture. Then deep fry until golden brown.

For the curry sauce:

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup coconut milk (gata)

1/2 cup cream

2 tbspn. curry powder

1 tbspn. cornstarch

1 tbspn. water

Basil leaves

In a saucepan, put curry powder and chicken stock. Heat until liquid is reduced by half. Then add coconut milk and cream. Simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3. Mix cornstarch and water into a smooth paste. Stir into sauce until desired consistency. Sprinkle with finely chopped basil leaves.

That's it! Looks like I'll be cooking a lot in 2008 ^^

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Orangey Coke Adobo

“Anyone can cook!” so goes the motto of Chef Gusteau from the movie Ratatouille. Truly, anyone can TRY to cook but the resulting taste of any dish is still quite different even when using the same recipe. All these years, my adobo recipe, has been barely edible even after countless tips and references from friends and cook books. This made me think that maybe cooking, after all, is only for a selected few.

Determined in doing better, I enrolled myself in an intensive cooking and baking course for the whole month of October. It has been a very fun and tasty month. For our yearbook, we were asked to submit a recipe of our own. I came up with an adobo recipe inspired by my girlfriend. She once told me of a story of her mom making adobo with coca-cola. Yup! You read right. It’s adobo with coke! Sounded really weird at first, but once I tried it, it was the first time, in years, I truly enjoyed my adobo. What are you waiting for? Go and try it for yourself!

Duck in Orangey Coke Adobo
(Based from Chef Jun-Jun’s recipe but with a few modifications)

Ingredients:
1 med. Duck
1/4 cup corn oil
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tbspn ground ginger
Juice of 1 orange
Zest of 1 orange
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbspn worcestershire sauce
1 cup coca-cola regular (8 oz.)
2-3 pcs. bay leaf
1-2 tbspn peppercorns
salt & pepper

Procedure:
1. Clean meat and chop into serving pieces.
2. Marinate duck with salt and pepper. You can crush some of the peppercorns for this.
3. Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add ginger and duck and cook until light brown in color.
4. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, orange, and orange zest.

Let simmer for a couple of minutes.
5. Add coke and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until meat is tender.

You may add 1-2 cups of water if more simmering time is needed.
6. Serve hot with reduced sauce and lots of rice!

Notes: Duck may be replaced with pork, chicken, or a combination of both.
Meat may be boiled beforehand with salt and ginger to tenderize the meat.
(Remove ginger from the recipe if using pork)

Warning: Don't use Coke Light. ^^

I hope you’ll enjoy this as much as I did ^^

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