Christmas Yule log

Christmas Yule Log- Buche de Noel is a log-shaped cake prepared during the Christmas season

I have read somewhere that in Europe the tradition of the Yule log is celebrated on Winter Solstice. A special log is brought in and placed on the hearth where it glows for the twelve nights of the holiday season. After that, it is kept in the house all year to protect the home and to bring luck.

The Yule log cake is essentially a roll of sponge cake filled with chocolate and frosted with buttered chocolate icing

Now coming to my version of Yule log..

It’s a basic sponge cake with a Chocolate Ganache filling and Chocolate Glaze
Ingredients
2 Large eggs separated
75 g Caster Sugar
60 g flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.4 tea spoon cream of tartar
2 tbspn Corn oil

For the Ganache Filling/Decoration
250 g VanHouten Chocolate button –Smooth Dark Chocolate
2 tbspn Whipping cream


Pre heat the oven to 180 Degree
Line a Swiss roll pan or a square pan with baking paper
Whist egg whites till foamy. Add in cream of tartar and 50 g caster sugar and continue to whisk until stiff peaks are foamed.
Now whisk the egg yolks and the remaining 25 g sugar till the mixture looks smooth and pale.
Add in vanilla extract and Corn oil and continue to whisk.

Fold in the flour and a little egg white mixture. Fold in remaining flour gently until no lumps are formed.
Add in the rest of the egg white mixture and fold in gently.

Spread the mixture to the pan and bake for 15 minute.
Invert the pan to a baking paper. Roll up as you roll a Swiss roll and set aside to cool

Make a Chocolate Ganache for filling by melting 100 g chocolate and whisk with 2 tablespoon of whipping cream till it was thick and has a spreading consistency.
Unroll the cake and Spread the ganache and re-roll.

Cut off about 1/3rd of the roll at an angle and arrange to form a branch.

Now for decoration melt rest of the 150 g melted Chocolate.
Spread the melted chocolate using a spatula on to the roll. Once you have covered the log with chocolate, take a fork and gently draw lines through the length.

Using melted white chocolate draw spirals on the edges of the log.

Decorate as desired and let it sit in refrigerator until the chocolate sets.

This is my entry to Its time to Jingle again - Christmas Event 2010 and to Chocolate Extravaganza -Monthly Mingle event hosted by  Ria and Mita

Falafel and hummus

Ingredients for Falafel
½ Cup dried chick peas
Parsley 3 stems
White onion ½
Garlic 2 Cloves
Dry roasted Sesame seeds 1 tbspn
Oil for deep frying

Soak the chick peas overnight
Transfer the peas to a blender and blend it till coarse form and transfer to a bowl.
Now add in the in the parsley, Onion, Garlic in the blender and blend it till it is finely mixed.
Add in the paste to the chick pea . Add in the salt and sesame seed and mix well.
The texture should not be too crumbly. It should hold the shape when you try to shape it.
If it is too crumbly add in a table spoon of water and mix well.

I do not have a falafel maker so I user two table spoon. I pressed the batter to one spoon and gently scooped it to the oil using the other spoon.

Heat the oil in a pan, once oil is hot enough drop in the falafel one by one and fry it till Golden brown on both sides.

For Hummus
1 Cup cooked Chick peas
¼ cup yogurt
2 tbspn tahini. [I used roasted sesame seeds instead of Tahini]
1 tbspn Lime Juice
½ tpn Salt
For seasoning- Olive Oil, Paprika Powder, Parsley/mint leaves.

Cook the soaked Chick peas till tender.
Once it is cooked till soft. Drain it and transfer to a blender.
Add in Yogurt, sesame seeds, lime juice and salt . Blend it till it is a smooth paste
Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle the paprika powder and parsley on top of the Hummus paste

This is my entry to MLLA # 30 hosted by Priya and Susan

Couscous with vegetables

Ingredients

½ Cup Dried Chick Peas
Vegetables of your choice..Like tomato, Onion, Eggplant, pepper, Zucchini etc
2 Garlic Cloves chopped finely.
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt, Paprika and Pepper powder to taste

Soak Chick pea’s overnight /8 hrs. Cook Chick peas in cooker or over low heat till tender.
Heat a pan and add the Olive oil, once hot enough Sauté the Garlic and Onion
Once the Onions start to become translucent add in the pepper , tomato and Chick peas
Add in salt and Paprika
Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.


½ Cup Couscous
½ Cup boiling water
1 tbspn Olive oil
Finely chopped Parsley
Salt to taste

Boil water, once water start to boil add in salt and Olive oil.
Pour the boiling water over Couscous and let it sit for 5 min until water is fully absorbed.
After 5 minute Fluff it using fork .Stir in Parsley

Add the vegetables over the Couscous .If you prefer you can mix in the vegetables and Couscous so that the flavors infuse better

Enjoy with a cup of Mint tea….

Avocado Salsa

1 large avocado
1 medium red Onion
I large tomato
Coriander chopped 2-3 steps
1 table spoon Lime juice
1 table spoon olive oil
Few drops Tabasco sauce
Salt to taste

Finely Chop Onions. Cut tomato to half and gently squeeze the seeds out and finely chop.
Add the lime juice, coriander, salt and toss
Deseed and finely cut the avocado. Add in the avocado and toss.
Drizzle the Olive oil and Tabasco and give a final stir

Enjoy with Corn scoops…

Kiwi n Custard Fruit Tartlets

For base
150 g Plain Flour
1tbspn Caster sugar
¼ tsp Salt
70 g butter
1tbspn water

Mix in the dry ingredients together in a bowl . Add the butter and rub into the dry ingredients
Add water if necessary to bind and make the dough. Wrap in a Cling film and chill for 20 minutes
Roll out the pastry to 3-4 mm thickness and cut the pastry using cookie cutter/tart shell.
Gently place the pastry on tart shells
Prick the base with a fork. I placed another tart shell inside the pastry filled tart shell instead of filling with beans.
Bake in a 220 Degree preheated oven for 10 -15 minutes until lightly Brown [I took mine out a bit earlier ]
Once it is ready let it cool for another 10 minutes.

For filling
1 cup milk
1 .5 tbspn sugar
1.5 tbspn Instant Custard powder. I used Instant Pistachio Custard powder.
Kiwi fruits cut into small pieces

Meanwhile mix the custard powder with little milk.
Start boiling rest of the milk. Once the milk is hot enough add in the custard + milk mix and stir continuously till the mix begins to thicken.
Once the custard has been cooked, remove from the stove. Let it cool.

Pipe the custard to tart shells using a piping bag fitted with star nozzle. Decorate with fruits of your choice

Whole Meal Spiral Pasta with Roasted Vegetable Sauce

Cooking a perfect plate of al dente pasta is simple once you have mastered a few basic techniques.

• Cook Pasta in Plenty of water
• Always add salt to the boiling water. Followed by adding the pasta
• Drain the pasta as soon as it reaches al dente state *.The cooking time of pasta depends on the type and shape of the pasta. Follow the instruction of the packets
• Once pasta is cooked, drain it . Never drain it too much or too long.
• It is not advisable to keep the hot pasta in a colander for long. The flavors of the sauces blend well with the pasta when the pasta is hot and with little of water left in it.

Ingredients 

2 Medium Red peppers /Capsicums
2 Firm tomatoes
2 Small/medium Size red onions
2 cloves Garlic
2-3 tb spn Virgin Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper according to taste
250 gms Pasta
Parmesan Cheese, Olives and Pine seeds for dressing.

Directions
Preheat oven to 180 degree C
Cut the capsicum to quarter and deseed it.
Cut tomatoes and onions to quarter and peel the Garlic

Arrange vegetables in pan in one layer.
Drizzle the olive oil on top of it .
Add salt and freshly ground paper to it and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
Let it cool and blend the roasted vegetables in a blender till smooth.

Meanwhile cook the pasta till al-dente as per the instructions in the packet.
Add the sauce to the Pasta .Decorate with Shaved or grated Parmesan .Go on and add the olives and Pine seeds on top of the serving.
Enjoy with a glass of wine :-)

  

*Al dente pasta has a lower glycemic index than overcooked pasta which means they give you a slow, steady supply of fuel while allowing your blood sugar levels to stay constant.

This is my entry to  this weeks Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Kirsten and Ruth

Brown Rice Been Hoon/Noodles

Rice noodle or Bee Hoon is a very popular Main course in Singapore.
The vegetarian stall in the Hawker Center nearby my previous office serves very nice Bee hoon with crispy vegetables..
Thatz one of the many things I miss in my current office:-(

When I saw the packet of Brown Rice noodle in NTUC, I quickly grabbed it to make Bee Hoon at home.
Here Goes the recipe..

Ingredients
Brown Rice noodles
Carrots 2 Thinly Sliced
White Onion 1 Thinly Sliced
Greens 1 packet Cut roughly
Dried Shitake Mushroom -4
Garlic 2 pods -Chopped
Ginger Small piece-Chopped
Chilies and Chinese Celery Chopped.
Sesame Oil 2 tsp
Dark Soya sauce 2 tsp
Tom Yam sauce [Optional]

Method

1. Soak the dried Shitake mushroom in boiling after for 30 minute. After 30 min, wash the mushroom lightly and chop them finely.
2. Soak the brown rice noodle in boiling water for a minute and drain it in a colander. I usually pour some cold water to the colander so that the noodle don’t become mushy
3. Meanwhile heat the pan and add in the sesame oil. Once the oil is hot enough add in the ginger ,Garlic and chilies and sauté in high heat for a minute
4. Add the onion and mushroom and Continue to sauté it till Onion start to caramelize
5. Add in the carrots and cook for a 2-3 minute.
6. Now Add in the greens and celery and Soy sauce and stir it.
7. Lastly add the noodle and stir
8. I added 1 teaspoon of Tom yam paste at this state as I like the tangy taste of tom yam.