Double Chocolate Swirls

My hands were itching to bake and the thought of buns came to mind. I wanted to try my hands with my best friend again and thought, why not something like cinnamon buns since my precious ones love them. But, this time, I will use nutella and chocolate. I was right. It was a hit with my munchkins. Yeahhhh!!

Growing well!

Chopped dark and milk chocolate

Time to do some hand exercises

After 1 minute

Fill it with your goodies!

Egg-glazed and ready for baking

Done!

This looks better... ;)

Ingredients

2 tsp of butter-diced and some extra for greasing the baking pan and bowl

225g of flour and a little extra for dusting

1/2 tsp of salt

7g of dried instant yeast

125ml of warm milk

1 egg - lightly beaten

Filling
6 tbsps of nutella 

150g of chopped dark and milk chocolate (mine was a little too big, you can have them in smaller bits)

Glazing
1 beated egg

Note: This recipe yields about 12-15 pieces (depending on your desired sizes) 

* I have doubled this recipe as I wanted to keep some for the weekend. 

Method

1. Lightly oil a baking sheet in a baking pan.
2. Sift flour and salt together into a warmed bowl. (I leave the bowl in the sun)
3. Stir in the yeast.
4. Rub in the butter into the flour with your fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 
5. Add the warm milk and egg, mix to form a dough.
6. Shape the dough into a ball and put into a greased bowl. 
7. Cover with a clingwrap and leave to rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes or till double in size. 
8. Turn out the dough on a slightly floured work surface and knead lightly for about 1 minute.
9. Roll out into a rectangle.
10. Spread nutella and sprinkle chopped chocolate on it.
11. Roll it up like a swiss roll, then cut into desired sizes. About 12-15 pieces, depending on the size you want.
12. Transfer each swirl to the prepared baking sheet and leave to rest for another 30 minutes.
13. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
14. Brush each swirl with the beaten egg. (for glazing)
15. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or till golden brown.
16. Leave to cool slightly and indulge!
17. Soooo sinful! ;)  

Chocolate Bread

It's a public holiday over here. I have done some house chores, cooked lunch, submitted my assignment and read a little. The clock says 1.30 in the afternoon. What is the next best thing to do? I'm pretty sure you could guess what happens next. ;)

Rising in action 

Shaped into a loaf

Looks good!

Not bad looking, eh?

Ingredients

450g of flour and some extra for dusting 
1 tsp of salt
20g cocoa powder
12g of instant yeast
2tbsps of light brown sugar
300ml of warm water
1 tsbp of oil 
1 tbsp of butter for greasing the pan 

Method

1. Grease a loaf pan.
2. Sift flour, salt, cocoa powder and sugar in a big bowl.
3. Whisk in instant yeast and make a well in the centre.
4. Add the oil and warm water and fold well to form a dough.
5. Knead the dough on a lightly-floured work surface for about 10 mins or till smooth. I have used my assistant (KA) to do this. I can't knead for 10 minutes. It's too tiring. :D
6. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. 
7. Leave to rise for 1 hour.
8. Take the dough out again and knead lightly for 1 minute.
9. Shape into a loaf and transfer it to the greased pan.
10. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise again for another 30 minutes.
11. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and bake the loaf for about 25-30 minutes or till it sounds hollow when you tap on the base.
12. Transfer the loaf to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
13. Cut into slices and serve with butter. It has quite a good chocolate flavour and fluffy with a crispy top. 

Banana and Chocolate Teabread

Fluffy and Yummy

When the weather is depressing and school work is suffocating, I indulge in baking to keep myself sane. Let's have a cup of coffee and a slice of my banana and chocolate teabread! 


Ingredients

100g softened butter and some extra for greasing the loaf pan
2 bananas-mashed
2 eggs
60g sugar
200g self-raising flour
20g cocoa powder
1 tsp of baking powder
3 tbsp milk
100g of chocolate chips


Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and grease your loaf pan.
2. Mix banana, butter, sugar and eggs together in a mixing bowl. ( I used my KA)
3. Sift in flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
4. At medium speed, beat the ingredients till smooth and add in the milk gradually, to give a thick consistency.
5. Stir in chocolate chips and spoon the mixture into the loaf pan.
6. Smooth the surface and tap the pan to remove air bubbles.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes until well-risen and check with a skewer. (inserted into the center of the cake and it comes out clean)
8. Leave to cool for 10mins, then transfer out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 
9. Serve in slices and enjoy!

Princess Cake

I have been very busy lately and have not had the time to write my blog. Sorry! This was the last baking spree that I did for my princess on her 5th birthday. She wanted a princess cake and I guess, I did make her wish come true. :) 

The Beauty, surrounded with chocolate banana cupcakes

Moist and chocolatey

Happy Birthday to my little prince!

21-09-2012. I saw you for the very first time. After 4 hrs of labour,  I got to hold you in my arms and my first thought was, Oh! You have a head full of hair. So sweet and smelly. Haha! Thank you for choosing us to be your parents. It's our privilege and we are very happy and grateful for this. Happy 2nd Birthday, my little munchkin! We wish you good health and happiness always! Lots of love from mummy, papa and jiejie. 

Banana Cupcakes 

Ingredients

Same as the previous recipe post-Banana Cupcakes
Frosting is white chocolate instead of milk/dark chocolate.

Butter Cookies with Chocolate Dip

Buttery, chocolatey and crumbly. The key factors that set those rumbling tummies. I had some free time yesterday, so made these cookies for my little munchkins. They don't look very nice as I'm terrible at piping and decorating. But my munchkins love them! I'm a happy mama!

Ingredients

170g unsalted butter at room temperature (softened)

50g icing sugar

185g flour

2 tsps vanilla extract

1 egg white of a medium/large-sized egg

1/8 tsp salt

Melted milk chocolate for decoration

Method

1. Set oven at 180 degrees.
2. Whisk butter till smooth. Btw, you can exercise your arms. ;)
3. SIFT in icing sugar and whisk till combined and mixed well.
4. Add in vanilla extract,salt and egg white and whisk till combined.
5. SIFT and fold in flour (with a spatula) till combined.
6. Scoop batter into a pastry bag and pipe out desired shapes.
7. Bake at preheated oven for 10-12 mins or till the edges turn slightly brown.
8. In the meanwhile, melt milk chocolate.
9. Take the cookies out and leave to cool slightly and dip into the milk chocolate.
10. Set them aside and let them cool completely.
11. Enjoy!

Add icing sugar and whisk till mixed

Add vanilla extract and egg white

Fold in flour and combine well

M-M-M

O-O-O



Recipe is taken and adapted from eugeniekitchen.com.

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

Moist and chocolatey..perfect for any occassion! I made these for myself. A celebration for passing my exam. My hubby said this: *Like that also can?* Why not? What do you all think? ;)

Splendid!

Makes 12 muffins
Ingredients
180g white sugar
130g flour
30g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 large-sized banana-mashed
120ml warm water
60ml milk
60ml vegetable oil
1tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Fudge Frosting
90g milk chocolate/dark unsweetened chocolate ( I have used milk chocolate)
113g unsalted butter-room temperature
120g icing sugar-sifted (I have reduced this to 80g as milk chocolate is sweet)
1tsp vanilla extract


Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Line a muffin baking tray with muffin cups/liners.
3. In a big bowl, whisk all dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt) till combined.
4. In another bowl, mix in all wet ingredients (egg, mashed banana, oil, warm water, milk and vanilla extract) and whisk till combined.
5. Pour in wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir/whisk till combined. The batter will be runny.
6. Scoop batter (3/4 full) into muffin cups.
7. Bake for 20-25mins or till a skewer inserted into the center and it comes out clean.
8. Let the muffins cool completely.
9. In the meanwhile, prepare chocolate fudge frosting.
10. Melt chocolate over a simmering pot of hot water. Let it cool completely.
11. Beat butter till smooth and creamy.
12. Add in icing sugar and continue beating for about 2 mins, till light and fluffy.
13. Add in vanilla extract and beat till incorporated.
14. Lastly, add in chocolate and continue beating till all is combined and the frosting becomes glossy and smooth.
15. Decorate the muffins with the chocolate frosting.

Recipe is from joyofbaking.com with minor changes.