Strawberry, Valentine & Chinese New Year

There isn't any particular linkage between strawberry, Valentine & Chinese New Year.

However, this year Chinese New Year is the same day as Valentine, & I made heart-shaped strawberry yogurt mousse cakes, this became a wonderful desserts for this particular day!

This year is a year of Tiger!

Wish everyone have a happy Chinese New Year & a wonderful Valentine!

Would you like a cup of coffee?

This is a Mochaccino cupcake, not coffee!

I bought a new cookbook with pretty pictures & lots of inspirations.

I didn't follow the recipe exactly as it has coffee liqueur which I don't like.

But I like the idea.

I didn't like to drink coffee, because of the bitter taste.

I'm getting used to the taste & smell of coffee now.

The one I love is Mocha.

A wonderful combination of the bitter from coffee & the sweetness from chocolate.

Mochaccino Cupcakes

2 eggs

80g butter

25g dark chocolate (70%)

150ml milk

120g caster sugar

2 tbsp instant coffee

20g cocoa powder

250g self-raising flour

Decorations:

200ml heavy cream, whipped

Cocoa powder for topping

Butter the cake moulds or line with cupcake cases.

Combine the chocolate, milk & coffee in a small saucepan; stir over low heat until smooth.

Beat soften butter, sugar & eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light & fluffy.

Stir in sifted flours, cocoa powder & warm chocolate mixture, mix until smooth.

Fill the prepared moulds until 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated oven at 180’C for 25 - 30 min.

Remove from the oven, cool on a rack.

Remove cases/moulds from cakes, put them in coffee cups.

Pipe whipped cream on the top & sprinkle with cocoa powder.

Cherry Chocolate Cake

With such a chilly week, I need something sweet to comfort me & get me working.

I actually love winter & cold but it's too chilly outside.

I cannot help but keep thinking about chocolate & baking.

This cake is light but yet very chocolate.

There is a layer of cherries on the bottom.

Yummy!

Recipe (8'' x 4'' loaf pan):

3 eggs

35g sugar x 2

17g plain flour

17g cornflour

20g cocoa powder

35g butter (melted)

Frozen cherries

Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper.

Arrange a layer of cherries in the prepared pan.

In large bowl, beat the egg yolks with sugar (35g) until thick & pale.

In another large bowl, whisk the egg white until stiff.

Add in the sugar in 3 portions during the whisking.

Mix a spatula of whipped egg white with the beaten egg yolks.

Mix & sieve all flours, then fold half of the flours into the egg yolks.

Fold in another spatula of whipped egg white.

Add melted butter, fold gently until smooth.

Pour into the remaining whipped egg white & fold gently until smooth.

Fill in the prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180’C for 25 - 30 min.