How To: Hot Cross Buns

Hey Nibblers!

          Winter is in full swing right now. I'm sitting cozied up against my blanket rocking those fluffy strawberry slippers of mine. I don't know if it's just me but when the temperature drops, I'm immediately in carbs mode. All I can think about is breads, pasta, muffins. Mix that in with exam study and my cravings skyrocket. So what better way to satisfy all those cravings then to bake my own 'Hot Cross Buns?'
           But wait, 'Hot Cross Buns' in June you ask? Aren't they an Easter thing? Oops, you caught me. I actually baked these during the Easter long weekend but with the second last semester of university, time has been flying by too quickly. So to make it up to you all for my lack of posts, I've decided to ditch the studying for a day and get into procrasti-blogging. Woo hoo!

What you'll need:
The Buns:
- 372mL of room temperature milk
            Heat your milk for 10 seconds or so if you can't wait.
- 2 tsp. of dried yeast
            I used the 'Lowan' Instant dried yeast
- 1/4 cup of sugar
            Caster would be easier to mix but whatever you have in your cupboards will work
- 50g of melted butter
- 1 egg
- 4 1/4 cup of twice sifted plain flour for the buns & 1/4 cup of twice sifted flour (for kneading purposes)
            I didn't have any 00 flour on hand however, sifting plain flour a few times worked just as well
- 2 tbs. cinnamon
           Mixed spices would have been perfect but I didn't have any on hand so cinnamon will do!
- 1 1/2 cups of dried fruits
- 2 Tbs. of apricot jam

Flour paste
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 Tbs of plain flour

How to:

Foamy after 15minutes

1. Add yeast to milk while giving it a quick stir then set aside for 15 minutes
            By the end of 15 minutes, the yeast should have activated. You should see a foamy like mixture
2. Add egg, sugar and melted butter to the yeast/milk mixture and stir until well combined. Set aside
3. Sift flour into a large bowl, add your dried fruits and cinnamon and mix well
4. Make a well in the centre of your flour/fruit mixture and add the yeast/milk/egg/butter/sugar and stir until flour has been coated evenly
5. Using flour set aside for kneading purposes, flour a clean bench and knead the dough for roughly 15 minutes until dough feels smooth and elasticated

6. Place the kneaded dough in a large mixing bowl and cling-film bowl twice to create an insulated environment for the dough. Leave dough in a warm area for two hours. I left mine in the microwave for two hours to let it rise to double its size.
7. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 350 degrees Farenheit fan-forced once the dough has risen for 2 hours
8. Knead the dough for a further 5 minutes to start the activation of the yeast and gluten formation again
9. Mould your dough into any particular shape. I chose to make mine an Easter egg shape

10. Make cuts in the dough (careful not to cut all the way through as it will separate the segments) to form the proportions of a bun
11. Mix flour and water together to form a paste and roughly pipe crosses across your dough
12. Bake your buns in the oven for approximately 20-25minutes or until golden brown
13. Brush a thin layer of jam onto the fresh out-of-the-oven buns and leave to cool
14. Nibble away with some butter, tea and more jam!

Easter Egg Shaped

Flour pasted!

Fresh out of the oven

            I'm really happy with the way these Hot Cross Buns looked! It's my first time baking bread/buns and I think it was a great success. They tasted amazing and go so well with a touch of butter.
             The texture wasn't as soft as I wanted to be. However, after reading a few articles and asking around, I think my faults were in my kneading technique and kneading time. I probably stopped for a few minutes to look at the clock as I was kneading. It's a workout but trust me, it's all worth that hard effort. My friend Tree (who has started her own amazing food blog 'The Quiet Kitchen') is an avid bread maker and suggested I put a bowl of water under my loaf of bread while its in the oven. It allows for the steam of the water to work its magic and soften the buns. So I'll definitely give that one a go, next time OR if you find yourself procrasti-baking, why not let me know how you got on by leaving a comment below.

Hope you're all well and having a fantastic week,

Nibble Away,

                Jo.
   

How to: Chocolate Roll Cake with Coffee Buttercream Filling

Hey Nibblers!

     I've always loved a good roll cake. I always thought they were difficult to make and were way beyond my baking capabilities. But, when a birthday comes along (My Dad's, - Happy Birthday Dad!) I force to challenge myself to step out of my cupcake comfort zone and enter the world of gigantic cakes. And, with no further adieu Nibblers,  I can tell you my attempt was a huge success! Hooray!
    Better yet, this recipe is super quick (if you're on point with your prep work) and easy. It is sure to woo the crowds and have everyone thinking you're a baking goddess. Here's how:

What you'll need:
Chocolate  Roll:
- 75g / 1/2 cup of self-raising flour
- 6 eggs (yolk and whites separated)
- 35g / 1/4 cup of cocoa
- 1 Tbs. milk
- 2 tsp. vanilla essence
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 cup white sugar

Coffee Buttercream:
- 250g of unsalted butter (softened to room temp.)
- 100g icing sugar (sifted)
- 1 Tbs. milk
- 2 Tbs. hot water
- 2 1/2 tsp. of ground coffee (instant or freshly blended - whatever you have)
- 1 tsp. vanilla essence

How To:
Chocolate Roll:
1. Pre-heat oven to fan forced 180 degrees Celsius
2. Line and light grease a 30 x 40cm rectangular baking tray with some baking / parchment paper then set aside
3. Sift cocoa, baking powder and flour in a small bowl then set aside
4. Beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl until soft peaks form before adding sugar and continue beating until egg white mixture becomes glossy (approx. 3 minutes on high)
5. Beat egg yolks with milk and vanilla essence in a separate bowl
6. Fold yolk, milk, vanilla mixture into the egg white bowl

White/ yolk folding

7. Add dry mixture (flour, baking powder, cocoa) to the mixed yolk/whites bowl and fold until well combined

Cocoa/ white and yolk folding

8. Pour mixture into lined baking tray and spread evenly to all corners. Wiggle the tray lightly to ensure an even spread. Make sure not to tap the tray as you'll break the air bubbles in the egg whites which may affect the rise of the cake
9. Pop into the oven for 13 minutes
10. Sift a small amount of cocoa onto a new piece of baking paper to act as a working space for the cooked chocolate sponge
11. Flip the cooked sponge onto the new cocoa coated baking paper then carefully remove the baking paper that was used to bake the sponge in the oven
12. Using the baking paper, fold the shortest edge of the sponge and roll (yup, while it's hot / warm) and leave it in the rolled cylinder to cool completely

Kebab anyone?

Coffee Buttercream:
1. Mix coffee mix into hot/warm water until dissolved and leave until completely cooled
2. Beat softened butter on high for 5-7 minutes until the yellow butter turns to a creamy - off white colour
3. Add and mix milk and vanilla essence until well combined
4. Add sifted icing sugar and beat for 5 minutes until well incorporated, remembering to scrape the sides
5. Add coffee mixture into the buttercream and mix well
      Note: - If you find your mixture too runny, add 2x Tbs. icing sugar until you have the perfect
                   consistency
                - If you find it too stiff, add a Tbs. of milk until you have the perfect consistency
                            - Perfect - pipeable consistency is when it'll only slide of your spatula if you force it
                              back into the bowl with one swift hand movement

Assemble:
1. Un-roll your sponge

Look at those fold marks!

2. Using a piping bag, fill the inner rectangle sponge with the coffee cream

I accidentally added a bit too much cream. But it's so good, I didn't even care. You'll probably use abut 3/4 of the coffee buttercream you produce. Pop the leftovers in the fridge or freezer in a air-tight container for 2-3 weeks.

3. Spread the cream evenly, close to the edge as possible, to about a 5mm thickness

4. Using the baking paper, fold the shortest edge of the filled sponge and roll just as you had it before
5. Cut off the rough edges if you like then serve!

      I hope you enjoyed this recipe and be sure to share if you do give it a go. Dad loved his cake and asked for some slices to bring to work so he can have with his morning coffee. Coffee on coffee, why not? The beauty of this roll cake is that you can customise it to whatever flavour you want and will suit every occasion. Why not impress the family with an Easter themed roll cake? Add a couple of miniature easter eggs in the filling and they're all in for a surprise.

Here's a side view of my coffee buttercream covered two-tiered vanilla sponge cake I made last week for an early Easter party with the family. Coffee buttercream goes amazing with anything!

        Hope you're all having a lovely week!

        Nibble Away,
                 
                    Jo.

How To: Salted Caramel Sauce & Frosting

Hey Nibblers!

     Salted caramel, where have you been all my life? Salted caramel has been all the rage lately. Its ability to satisfy the sweet tooth but also deliver a salt kick performs well in anyone's book.  There has not been a day that I haven't spotted a salted caramel image. I call this fate. Fate that I must be one with salted caramel. That is why I decided to get off my bottom, head to the kitchen and make some love with caramel.

 
What you'll need: Yields about a cup (250mL) of salted caramel
- 100g sugar
- 90g of salted butter
- 1/2 cup of thickened cream (125mL)
- 3 tsp. of salt (Aim for the best available salt where available)

How To:
1. Heat sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly
2. Mix until the sugar melts into a brown- amber liquid and then immediately add butter then stir
3. Stir until butter is completely melted (Takes 2-4 minutes)
4. Pour thickened cream into the caramel, stirring continuously
5. Leave to boil for a minute
6. Remove from heat and sieve the caramel through a sift to ensure a smooth consistency
7. Add in salt
8. Allow caramel to cool before using

Salted Caramel in pictures

Sugar begins to melt, stir with spatula

Sugar after about a minute - melting

Sugar caramelising into perfect amber colour

Add butter and stir

Caramel bliss - remove from heat

Sieve caramel to ensure a smooth consistency then add salt

        FAQs:
        - Leave your caramel in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks

        There you have it. Salted caramel in minutes! It's super easy and will be sure to impress anyone. I took it a step further and added it to my buttercream recipe (below) to make the most perfect salted caramel frosting.

Salted Caramel Frosting:
200g of softened unsalted butter
100g sifted icing sugar
2 Tbs. of milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup of salted caramel sauce

1. Beat softened butter for 5 minutes or until butter turns from a bright yellow to a creamy colour
2. Add milk and vanilla and mix until combined
3. Add sifted icing sugar into buttercream
4. Mix for an extra 5 minutes to ensure all elements are incorporated
5. Add salted caramel sauce and mix just until you can't see caramel streaks

     FAQs:
   - For pipe-able buttercream, the mixture should slip off a spatula only upon the force of your hand
             Slides off spatula? It's too wet, add some sifted icing sugar
             Won't slide off spatula? It's too thick, add a Tbs. of milk at a time to hit the perfect consistency

Hope you enjoyed this recipe. Be sure to send through some pictures if you do give it a try.

Nibble Away,

      Jo

How To: Heart Shaped Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Hey Nibblers!

       I've already put out a Red Velvet Cupcake recipe a few weeks back but I found myself with some leftover cream cheese. So, what better way to use it up than to bake a batch of home made delicious cupcakes with a cute Valentine's Day theme ready for Friday. Mind you, you'll be wanting to make these babies all the time to indulge yourself.
       I have yet to invest in heart shaped mould cupcakes which could have saved me a bit of time. But, after using ceramic baking beads as a substitute, I don't think I need to. The cupcakes were a bit uneven in shape but with a few tweaks, they came out perfectly. I used the same recipe as last time so to make things easier I'll copy it over to this post. Happy Reading!

What you'll need: (To make 14 small/ medium sized cupcakes)
- 125g softened room temperature butter
- 1 cup of white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 187g of self-raising flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 Tbs. cocoa
- 125ml of buttermilk (helps aerate the cake batter/ keeps the cake moist)
- 1/2 tsp.vanilla essence
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3 tsp. red food colouring OR 1/4 tsp. of red food paste
- Ceramic baking beads or foil 

How To:
1. Pre-heat fan forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Line tin with patty paper
3. Sift self raising flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder and giving it a quick stir until well combined then set aside
4. Beat soft butter and sugar together until the resemble fine bread crumbs
5. Add an egg one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until well incorporated
6. Add vanilla and red food colouring, beating until the food colouring is mixed thoroughly
7. Add half of your dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk and beat on a high for 3 minutes
8. Repeat step 7 until all ingredients have been mixed
9. Divide batter equally into cupcake moulds about 1/2 -3/4 of the way up and leaving for 2 minutes so the batter can set into place for an even rise
10. Place ceramic beads or foil balls on one of the outer arc of the patty pan to form a heart shape mould

I used about 4 ceramic beads. For foil, you can do the same thing. Either small foil balls or a large foil stick

10. Pop into the oven for 18 minutes, checking with a skewer to ensure the cupcake is cooked
11. Leave cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes before decorating

Heart shaped!

Cream Cheese Frosting
- 125g of softened cream cheese
- 125g softened unsalted butter
- 200g sifted icing sugar/ mixture
- 2 Tbs. milk
- 2 tsp. lemon juice

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until mixture turns from a yellow tone to a white- creamy tone. This will take about 5 minutes
2. Add milk and lemon juice and beat until well combined
3. Slowly add icing sugar and mix remembering to scrape the sides for an even mix
4. Beat for a further 2 minutes before decorating

I went for a heart on heart look.  

               I loved how this cream cheese frosting worked with the cupcakes. It gives a fresh citrus kick and is great on any cupcake. If you give these guys a go, leave a comment below. Until next time,

        Nibble Away,

        

              Jo.

How To: Mango Pancakes with Peanut Butter Cream 'Yum Cha Style'

Hey Nibblers!

       I love me some mangoes. Put that with some whipped cream and I'm yours. But add some peanut butter to the mix and I'm down to food with you all day erryday! I first came up with this peanut butter and mango combination about two years ago. I was pantry hunting at the time (the usual) and saw I had some peanut butter. I grabbed a spoonful of the goodness only I had taken too much, I needed some milk to wash it down. I quickly opened the fridge but alas! no milk. Instead, I saw cold freshly peeled mangoes in the fridge and wolfed it down. The perfect solution. And it was in that moment that I found a match made in heaven. Now, I know mangoes and peanuts go together but when paired with peanut butter it's ten times better.
       I couldn't think of a recipe to do this one justice. At first I thought perhaps cupcakes but then I went to Yum Cha for brunch a few weeks earlier and it was there I found the answer. I'm a sucker for 'Mango Pancakes.' I thought I could tweak this recipe and instead of a Chantilly cream, use peanut butter cream. And with Valentine's Day less than a week away, here's how to make 'Mango Pancakes with Peanut Butter Cream,' that's guaranteed to win you some brownie points.

What you'll need:
Makes 6-7 Crepes/Pancakes (23cm in diameter)
- 3 eggs
- 2 Tbs. of caster sugar
- 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1 drop of yellow food colouring (optional)
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
- 50g plain flour
- 1/2 cup of milk (125ml)
- 1/4 of tsp. salt
The Filling:
- 1-2 large mangoes
- 150g thickened cream (heavy cream)
- 1 Tbs. caster sugar
- 1tsp. vanilla essence
- 1 Tbs. smooth Peanut Butter
      Note: Omit the Peanut Butter if you just want cream

How To: Crepes/Pancakes component
1. Beat eggs, sugar, food dye, oil, vanilla essence and milk until well combined
2. Add salt and flour and stir until incorporated
3. Sieve the crepe/pancake batter through a sift into a new bowl to rid of the lumps

4. Cover the batter mixture and leave at room temperature for 30-60 minutes (It should be quite watery after the rest time)
The Filling: Attend to filling component now while waiting
5. Cut and peel the cheeks of two mangoes slicing diagonally (with flat surface faced down) into approximately 0.5cm slices and leave in the fridge until needed
6. Fill a large bowl with water and ice to make an ice bath (To ensure the cream doesn't split)
7. Pop a small mixing bowl into the ice bath and add cream, sugar, vanilla and peanut butter
8. Whisk until soft peaks and set aside until needed
Crepes/Pancake component
9. Lightly spray frypan (If it's a non-stick fry pan, you won't need to oil it)
10. Heat frypan on low heat
11. Using  a small ladle or 1/4 cup, mix the crepe batter and then add into the middle of the fry pan
12. Swirl the batter around the pan to the edges
13. Cover the frypan and leave for approx. 2 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges

14. Slide the crepe/ pancake onto a plate and repeat until the batter is finished
15. Cover the crepes/ pancake with some cling film and leave in the fridge to cool for approx. 30 minutes
16. Construct pancake!
        - Flip pancake onto the side in which the pancake was cooked on the frypan

Non-fried side

Cooked side

     












        - Place 2 mango slices 3 cm from the bottom arc in the middle of the pancake

        - Add a dollop of peanut cream across and on top of the mango
        - Fold the sides inwards

I made normal whipped cream ones for my Mum as well

        - Fold the bottom upwards and roll

        - Mango Pancake with Peanut Butter Cream complete!
           

     Super excited about this recipe. It was a winner with my family and I will definitely be making it again. It's so easy you won't want to buy them again! I also love how these crepes/pancakes are so easy to customise that you can add whatever you fancy. If you give these a go or have anymore questions, leave a comment below.

   Nibble Away,  
                            Jo.

'Rahmen Genki' Review

Hey Nibblers!

       A couple of weeks ago, Conan was craving ramen. I wanted to go into the city as I hadn't been in a while since being on uni holidays. Instead, Kevin had the night off work and while he was searching places to eat the best ramen in Sydney, he stumbled upon one in the North of Sydney, 'Rahmen Genki.' We dragged Anderson along as well and off we went on a little trek to the North. By the time we arrived, our bellies were rumbling and we were ready to feast.

'Rahmen Genki'
Where: 6 Wilkes Ave, Artarmon NSW 2064     

Rahmen Genki menu

      We arrived at around 7pm and already tables were filling up. Situated in such close quarters to 'Artamon' station it really adds to the busy atmosphere. It's almost like we were in a little Tokyo. The turnover was quick so we didn't have to wait long to get a table we liked best. It's a pay first before eating service so it took us quite a while to decide which ramen we wanted. There were so many choices or ramen and they had an option to upsize your bowl for only $3. 
        I ordered the normal size 'Nori' Ramen for $11 AUD. An extremely generous serving for the cost. Bargain! When the bowl was brought out, I thought they gave me the wrong bowl. 'I didn't order an extra large bowl' I thought. It came with bamboo shoot, bean sprouts, shallots, corn kernels, seaweed and pork in a soy sauce based soup. It came steaming hot and as soon as I dipped my chopsticks into the noodles, I knew this was going to be amazing. The flavours were strong and marinated beautifully with one another. The pork was cooked perfectly and the added vegetables adds great texture to the ramen. The first tastes were amazing but towards 2/3 of the bowl I found the broth a bit salty.Though, with that little factor aside, I say it beats many other ramen places I've tried where their soy-based broths are salty from the get go. It was a tad saltier but not to the point where I would stop devouring the beauty of it all.

       Conan ordered the 'Kimcuhi' ramen. This consisted of vegetables, Korean Kimchi pickles, roast pork, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots and shallots in a pork broth. I had a few spoonfuls of his broth and from what I gathered, it was amazing! The broth was full of pork flavour but also had a hint of sweetness to it from the pickled Kimchi. I feel like I should of gone for this ramen instead because of the abundance of kimchi they put in the bowl. I'm a sucker when it comes to kimchi! He ordered the extra large bowl ($13 + $3) and while he struggled to finish, the food coma he had afterwards was well worth it. 

        Kevin was a bit adventurous and went for the 'Tonkotsu Rahmen' at $12 + $3(extra large). This had the beansprouts, pickled radish and chillies on the side, shallots, roast pork, sesame seeds in a creamy white pork broth. This rahmen had intense pork flavour. I liked how the broth had a creamy texture and taste to it as well. It was like velvet in your mouth. I think they did well with this bowl as I would have imagined the bowl to become a tad sickening with all the creaminess of the broth but at the end, Kevin enjoyed his bowl and would no doubt have ordered another if his stomach let him.

        Ando opted for just the basic 'Rahmen.' This is the classic old style Shoyu (soy sauce) noodle that had half a boiled egg, seaweed, shallots, bamboo shoots, pork and bean sprouts. He was feeling a bit ill that day so I didn't try any of his broth but by the rate he demolished his extra large bowl, I say it was satisfying. At ($11.50 +$3) a bowl, it's really great value! Very competitive prices and quick and friendly service.

        All in all, I wouldn't mind a mini road trip to 'Rahmen Genki' again. From the ramen bowls that we ordered, all were consistent in flavour and servings and great prices. It definitely feels like an authentic ramen place atmosphere and I really enjoyed being able to experience that in Sydney. If you're in the Artarmon area or want to go on a mini food trip, I say you should definitely give 'Rahmen Genki' a try. I'm certainly salivating just thinking about those noodles and broth! If you've been here or have had an amazing ramen experience leave a comment below.

Hope you're having a great week!

Nibble Away,

Jo

How To: Red Velvet Cupcake with Buttercream Frosting (Lunar New Year Edition)

Hey Nibblers!

     Happy Lunar New Year! May this year bring you good fortune and happiness. Tomorrow, I'll be going to my Aunty & Uncle's house to celebrate the new year with the family. So with a free day to chill, I thought I would try making my first every batch of 'Red Velvet' cupcakes from scratch! Plus it's lucky to be wearing, eating red so why not? The recipe I based this one on is from allrecipes.com.au. I made a few tweaks along the way but, the end result turned out deliciously moist and will definitely be a crowd pleaser.

What you'll need: (To make 14 small/ medium sized cupcakes)
- 125g softened room temperature butter
- 1 cup of white sugar
- 3 eggs
- 187g of self-raising flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 Tbs. cocoa
- 125ml of buttermilk (helps aerate the cake batter/ keeps the cake moist)
- 1/2 tsp.vanilla essence
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 3 tsp. red food colouring

How To:
1. Pre-heat fan forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Line tin with cupcake paper
3. Sift self raising flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder and giving it a quick stir until well combined then set aside
4. Beat soft butter and sugar together until the resemble fine bread crumbs

5. Add an egg one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until well incorporated
6. Add vanilla and red food colouring, beating until the food colouring is mixed thoroughly
7. Add half of your dry ingredients and half of the buttermilk and beat on a high for 3 minutes

8. Repeat step 7 until all ingredients have been mixed
9. Divide batter equally into cupcake moulds leaving for 3 minutes so the batter can set into place for an even rise

10. Pop into the oven for 18 minutes, checking with a skewer to ensure the cupcake is cooked
11. Leave cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes before decorating

For Buttercream Frosting:
I'm using the same butter cream frosting I've used in my previous blog posts but here's a recap:
- 200g sifted icing sugar
- 250g softened butter (room temperature)
- 3 tsp. vanilla essence
- 2 Tbs. milk

How:
Beat the butter on a high for 6 minutes (scraping the sides to ensure an even mix)
Add 1/2 of the icing sugar and beat until well combined
Add vanilla and milk and beat until mixed
Add remaining icing sugar
Beat frosting for a further 6 minutes before decorating

Decorating 'Lunar New Year' Style:
I wanted to keep these cupcakes simple so all I did was:
1. Spread a thin layer of the buttercream frosting to 14 of my cupcakes. (I wanted to spell/ say 'Happy New Year' in Vietnamese)
2. In four separate bowls, I scooped about 3 Tbs. of the frosting and dyed one bowl, purple (1 drop black food dye, 1 drop red food dye) another, pink (1 x red food dye), third one, black (3 drop black food dye) and lastly yellow (1 drop yellow food dye).
3. Wrote the letters in purple slightly to the left side of the cupcake
4. Used a star nozzle and piped three small yellow flower petals
5. Repeated step 4. with the pink
6. Added the branches using the remaining black food dye
      And voila! Chinese New Year themed cupcakes at the ready to enjoy.

       Hope you all loved this quick and easy post. I know I had fun making them. If you have any other questions please feel free to comment below or if you do decide to make these, please do email or tag me in your instagram pics! I would love to see them.

        Happy weekend!
Nibble Away,
           Jo.