The Oven Project: Chocolate Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake by Joy the Baker

This is my 2^nd favorite recipe after the super easy Choc Chip Muffin recipe which I posted a while ago. The cake turned up moist and irresistible. Once you tried it you’ll crave for more! Please try it & you’ll never regret (ecececeh…dah macam iklan la pulak).

Chocolate Orange Cream Cheese Pound Cake – my version

Recipe from Joy the Baker

Chocolate Orange Pound Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons orange zest

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup dark chocolate pieces

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.  Grease a 9×5-inch baking pan and dust with flour.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

On a clean cutting board or counter, place the granulated sugar.  Add the orange zest.  With a bench scraper or the back of the spoon, work the zest into the granulated sugar, creating a fragrant and orange flavored sugar.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together softened butter and cream cheese.  Stop the mixer occasionally to scrape down the bowl and make sure that the butter and cream cheese are evenly mixed.  Add the citrus zest to the butter and cream cheese mixture, and beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.

Stop the mixer.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  On medium speed, beat in one egg at a time, beating for one minute after each addition.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Beat in vanilla extract.

Add dry ingredients all at once.  Beat on low speed until dry ingredients are completely incorporated.  Fold in the chocolate pieces.

Spoon batter into prepared pan.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, rotating once or twice during baking.  Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs.

This is how the batter looks like – creamy and gooey...yumm2

My loaf pan can’t fit it the entire batter, hence the cupcake version

In the mood of...Mushroom Risotto

Cooking mood is back in town. I’m in the mood to try new recipe for my little family (which consist of 2 picky eater, yes Paparil & Lil Rara).

A few months back, I got to try risotto for the first time. I always watch those chefs in MasterChef or Hell Kitchen cook risotto. So, I was wondering how it taste? It looks like baby food with decorations…Hehe..

 Risotto with Grilled Beef in Meatworks, Citta Mall

Apparently, risotto not that bad and I kind of like it. So, why not trying to cook it at home, rite? Tadaaa, here I am trying to cook my own risotto!

Risotto in the making

 For Coffee Mama & Little Zara: Mushroom Risotto with Salad

 For beef lover, Paparil: Mushroom Risotto with Grilled Beef

Where did I take the recipe? After googling for a few minutes, I used this 3 recipe for guidance. Mix and match after considering what I have in my little kitchen.

Basic Risotto by Jamie Oliver 

Mushroom Recipe by  Myleen@Allrecipes

Mixed Mushroom Risoto by TheSweetSpot

My version:

Chicken stock (2 cube of Maggi Chicken stock + 1 litre of water + 1 bay leaf)

2 handful of shitake & oyster mushroom (up to you which mushroom you want to use)

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 large onion (finely chopped)

2 garlic (finely chopped)

Parsley (finely chopped)

1 cup of sushi rice (I can’t find any risotto rice in Giant)

Salt & pepper

Garnishing:

Butter

Parmesan Cheese

1.   Boiled the chicken stock and then turn down the heat and let it simmer.

2.   In another pan, fry the mushroom with olive oil for about 3 minutes/until it softened. Set aside.

3.   Heat olive oil and butter, add in the onion, garlic and parsley. Keep the heat very low and fry about 10 minutes.

4.   Add in the rice and turn up the heat. Keep stirring until it become translucent.

5.  Then, add in 1 cup of the chicken stock and low down the heat. Stir gently and let the rice absorb the liquid. Repeat the step for a few times until the rice is al dente or up to your preference. (About 15-20 minutes)

6.  Remove from heat and stir in the mushroom, butter, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

7.  Tips from Jamie Oliver: “Place a lid on the pan and allow to sit for 2 minutes. This is the most important part of making the perfect risotto, as this is when it becomes outrageously creamy and oozy like it should be.”

8.  Let’s eat!

The oven project: Chocolate Chips Muffin

Muffin's fever

Who doesn’t love chocolate, rite? I came across this muffin’s recipe from The Pink Stilettos blog and it leads me to the source which is Nigella Lawson.

It was really easy and everyone without baking experience (read:me) can do it! The utmost important is no electronic mixer needed (I have yet to buy one). I have tried this a few times with minor alterations here and there.

So, this is your weekend project peeps! Have a nice weekend…

 Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons best quality cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
• 3/4 cup milk
• ¼ sour cream
• 1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (alternative: butter, but it makes the muffin a little bit wet. I prefer to have a mixture of both)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

The ingredients

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180c - 200c (depends on your oven).

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, salt and 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips into a large bowl.

Pour all the liquid ingredients into a measuring jug.

Mix the dry and wet ingredients together, remembering that a lumpy batter makes the best muffins.

Spoon into the prepared muffin cases.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top

Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are dark, risen and springy.

Ready to go into your mouth