Butter Cake Recipe

Baking is one of my favorite things to do in my early adult. And that’s the only thing I won’t get nag by messing the kitchen. And cooking never my favorite but things changed as we grow up. I found out that my talent is actually my hand. I love art but I can’t draw but I’m good in doing crafts. What more… cooking and baking is one of them?

Well, I did not bake for a very long time since last November which I made red velvet cake. Most favorite cake in America and me myself love it too. I decided to bake since my lovely hubby got me a Kitchen Aid for my valentine. Maybe not romantic at all but I really need it. And it’s useful too. Think and think…. I should go back to a basic one when I first bake. BUTTER CAKE!!

It might sound easy but it does not mean you can bake it perfectly. I love this recipe because it does not content a lot of sugar, which I perfectly like. I don’t like too much sweet on my stuffs. And the fluffiness of the cake is there and it’s moist. Everything just prefect!

Gave some of my friends to try it. Good review after all. One of the comments that I got from a friend – “It’s good! Taste better than Sara Lee. “ What can I say?

Ingredients:

280g (10oz) unsalted butter

225g (8oz / 1 cup) caster (superfine) sugar

1½ teaspoons vanilla essence

4 eggs

225g (8oz / 1¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

185 ml (6 fl oz / ¾ cup) milk

Method:

1.     Preheat the over to 180C (350F/Gas 4). Lightly grease a deep 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin and line with baking paper.

2.     Place the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and creamy. Add the vanilla then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3.     Sift the flours together into a mixing bowl. Using a large metal spoon, add the combined flours alternately with the milk into the butter mixture, folding until smooth. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 1 ¼ hours, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.

4.     Leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cook completely.

Storage : This butter cake can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or for 3-4 days in an airtight container in a cook dry place. It can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Variation : to make a 22cm (8½ inch) round cake, bake for 1 hour 5 minutes. To make a 20cm (8 inch) square cake, bake for 55 minutes. To make a 23 cm (9 inch) square cake, bake for 55 minutes.

 

Morimoto Restaurant, Napa

Hubby & our friends throw a surprised birthday trip for me. Don’t you agree that I’m the luckiest girl? A good hubby and good friends! They bought me to Napa to have some wine and a wonderful dinner. Of course, I kinda know something is fishy before the weekend came cause I’m cool like that. Just kidding…. Everyone spilled a little hint somewhere between the conversations through out the weeks. And I just have to put it together till the last day. In the end… who cares? It’s all about having good time with good companions. Agree??

I’m going to skip the winery experience and jump to our scrumptious dinner. Why? Because this restaurant deserve the write on my page. I don’t usually write about restaurant but I thought about it over and over again… why not? Since I’ve been to many restaurants and tried million of food. I should start writing about my experiences in every single one of them.

As I walked in to the restaurant; it does felt a bit weird on the restaurant setting  with the front and the back of the restaurant. The front seems to be serving a fast food kinda theme. And the back is where the real dining area. You get to see the kitchen and the bar as you continue walking in the restaurant. And you are surprised to see how many chefs working on your food in the kitchen. Maybe I should put it this way…. Sous chefs of Morimoto. Before that, the greater was excellent! Great smile! We got seated less than 3 minutes, which we got our reservation done.

 Our server is a nice gentleman. I’m glad that he actually explained to us everything and what he recommended us as a first time diner. And we all agreed and decided to have the sample set which cost $120 per person. And I’m glad we choose it.

Our very first place that came out that evening is Toro Tartar! OMFG!! I have to say… it’s my best tartar ever. I never tried toro tartar before and I have to say the BEST! I thought Kobe beef was the best for me… but today… I can’t forget the taste of the toro tartar. They have 6 different mix for your tartar plus a soy sauce for you to rub on the mince toro meat.    

Second plate that came out that night is Hamachi fish. I won’t say this is the best I try. It’s okay for me. The best Hamachi fish I tried yet is at Honolulu. Hawaii. I felt like… they did not use a charcoal to aroma the fish and the lack of lemon juice. My personal opinion, okay! 

Third, Morimoto style of fondue! Very interesting. As you can see on the photo below; the middle bowl for you to dip on your vegies is actually anchovies paste with oil. Not my favorite dish so far.

 

Fourth, Foie Gras chawanmushi! I personally love chawanmushi. Anything with eggs is love. This is one of the best for me. The mix foie gras with egg perfectly well blend in this dish. You can taste a pinch of the foie gras when you take a big bite. And what interesting in this dish is that, they gave u a dot of wasabi for you. Take a bit out of it and eat it together with your egg custard. Totally YUM O!! And you get few slices of duck meat in it. Just dig it!!

And last appetizer for the night, Sorbet with 10 years old soy sauce with some sweet cracker. Love it! When you put everything in your mouth… all you can feel it’s COLD and then it started to melt in your mouth. The sour-ness and sweetest of the soy sauce… … and I’m speechless.

 

Then…. Our main course came. First plate from the entrée is special pick from the chef for our nigiri. BEST fishes ever!! Best I tried. I have no idea how they ship it to the restaurant and maintain the best flavor of it. Fish was fresh, sweet and the texture of it.. My God!!

Second and last plate of the entrée is the surf and turf plate. Beef is Good. Sweet and tender. Pork, not my favorite of the night and the lobster is inspired by the southern. Cajun Style! My lobster is a bit over cook.

 

Last but not least, desert time! Favorite of the night! How I wish I can have my cream brute but that’s not the case. I’m not sure which one has the ginger taste of it. Ice cream or the cake but I just hate it. I can’t even continue having another bite after having it the 3 bites. I’m not a ginger person. So…. Sorry! Not liking it.

Before I end this post. There some more treats for all of you. We ordered a bone narrow to stop our craving and curiosity on the taste in the restaurant. I don’t think you need me to say anything bout it. Pictures speak a million words out of it.

 

WAIT…. More!

One of my friends decided not to join our sampler but to have her own adventure. And here is her own meal of the night.

I’m not so sure what is this. But base on her, this is Chirashi. Took a bite and it’s GOOD!

Rack of lamb with risotto. She finishes it. You can tell it’s really good!

Ice Cream Sandwiches. Sesame, Chocolate, Green Tea.

610 Main St
Napa, CA 94559

Savory Egg Custard Recipe

Do you ever try chawanmushi before? If you did; this is a different version of it. I personally like steam egg over rice. So good!! I remind me of home all the time because my grandma loves to steam egg with a little bit of salt for us. I think when she has no ideas on what to cook just a lazy day for her. Either or… it doesn’t matter. It became part of my memories of group up eating something so simple yet savory.

Same as this dish that I decided to try and share it with all of you. I never thought it should be so easy like A.B.C. So soft, smooth and the taste of the chicken accent in it. Prefect!! The salty-ness without the salt it in. Hmm……  Yum O!! I just want to have more each time I took a bite of it and wish I could have more room in my tummy to have another extra bowls.

Ingredients:

¾ cup chopped chicken breast fillets

2 teaspoons sake

2 teaspoons Japanese soy sauce

2 medium leeks, sliced

1 small carrot, sliced

5 cups chopped spinach

Custard:

4 cups boiling water

½ cup dashi granulas

2 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce

6 eggs

Method:

1)   Place the chicken pieces into six heatproof bowls. Combine the sake and soy sauce, and pour the mixture over the chicken.

2)   Divide the vegetables between the six bowls.

3)   To make the custard, combine the water and dashi granules in a heatproof bowl and stir to dissolve; cool completely. Combine the dashi, soy sauce and eggs, and strain equal amounts into the six bowls.

4)   Cover the bowls with foil, place them in a steamer, and cook on high for 20-30 minutes. Test the custard by inserting a fine skewer into the center; it is cooked when the skewer comes out with no moisture clinging to it. Serve immediately.

 

Chicken Breasts with a Parmesan Crumb Topping Recipe

Calvin and I never like chicken breast at all. We both find it dried. But I would love to give it a try and start loving the chicken breast. And we both happy that we found one of the best recipe for it. If you a love Italian cuisine and wanted for a change from pasta. This one is for you.

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

5 tablespoons pesto sauce

¾ cup fresh ciabatta breadcrumbs

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

finely grated rind of ½ lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

roasted vine tomatoes, to serve

Method:

1)   Preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Cut a deep slash into each chicken breast to make a pocket.

2)   Open out the chicken breasts and spread 1 tablespoon of the pesto into each pocket.

3)   Fold the chicken flesh back over the pesto and place in an ovenproof dish.

4)   Mix the remaining pesto with the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and lemon rind.

5)   Spread the breadcrumb mixture over the chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with the oil.

6)   Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

7)   Serve the chicken hot with roasted vine tomatoes.

Coconut Shrimp with Chili Dressing Recipe

Sick and tired with you’re same old same old recipe on shrimps? I have something for you. This recipe really made a whole new taste on it and I love it. The taste of the cilantro was superb, as I love cilantro. And nothing goes wrong with the taste of coconut too. It just made a simple dish to a whole new level of food.

My mom loves to fried shrimps. You know, the simple and old fashion way. Flour with water and a bit of salt. Don’t get me wrong; I still like it as much. That’s mommy taste that can never forget.  Thinking about it right now. I’m having a little craving for it with a cold beer. Yum!

Shrimp is a very delicate food. You have to cook it just right. If this is you’re first times cooking it. Don’t worry! Practice make prefect. Now? Why wait. Pick up your pen and paper and write this down.

Ingredients:

24 large raw shrimp

all-purpose flour, to coat

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup shredded coconut

1 handful cilantro leaves, chopped, plus extra, to garnish

2 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil

2 ¾ cups red Asian shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger

1 red chili, seeded and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

9 ½ fl oz canned coconut cream

2 kaffir lime leaves, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons lime juice

2 teaspoons grated jiggery or unpacked brown sugar

3 teaspoons fish sauce

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Method:

Peel the shrimp and gently pull out the dark vein from each shrimp back, starting from the head end. Holding he shrimp by their tails, coat them in flour, then dip them into the combined egg and milk, and then in the combined coconut and cilantro. Refrigerate from 30 minutes. 

To make the chili dressing, heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the shallots, garlic, ginger, chili, and turmeric over medium het for 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the coconut cream, makrut leaves, lime juice, jiggery, and fish sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until thick. Keep warm.

Fill a wok or deep heavy-based saucepan one-third full of oil and heat to 350F, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds. Holding the shrimp by their tails, gently lower them into the wok and cook in bathes for 3-5 minutes, or until golden. Drain on crumpled paper towels and season with salt.

Add the extra cilantro to the chili dressing and serve with the shrimp.