Lemon Meringue Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd

I have balance of white eggs from this, so to not to waste it, meringue is the best idea (Thanks John for the perfect Meringue!)

Ingredients

• 12 egg whites
• 1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 jar (10 ounces) lemon curd
• 
  MERINGUE TOPPING:
• 4 egg whites
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Sift 1/2 cup sugar and flour together twice; set aside.
• Add cream of tartar, vanilla and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Gradually fold in flour mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time.
• Gently spoon batter into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake on lowest oven rack at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and entire top appears dry. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Run a knife around side and center tube of pan. Remove cake; split into two horizontal layers. Place cake bottom on an ovenproof plate. Spread with lemon curd; replace cake top.
• For meringue, in a small bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff glossy peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Spread over top and sides of cake. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Refrigerate leftovers.

Lemon Curd:

Ingredients

• 3 lemons
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (3 to 4 lemons)
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Caramel Pudding

It is a fact: I love caramel, and on pudding? It's a bless!

Ingredients

Caramel:

40g sugar

10ml hot water

Custard:

200ml fresh milk

10g sugar

½ tsp vanilla essence

1 whole egg

2 egg yolks

30g sugar

Methods: 

Caramel: 

1. Melt sugar in a sauce pan, stir until golden brown. 

2. Once it starts bubbling, stir in hot water then remove from heat.

3. Lightly grease the moulds, then fill each mould with about 1 teaspoon of caramel. 

4. Swirl the mould to coat bottom of mould when the caramel is still hot. 

5. Set aside for later use.

Custard: 

1. Bring together milk and sugar, bring to boil on low heat then stir in vanilla essence. 

2. Turn the heat off and set aside for later use.

3. In a mixing bowl, lightly whisk eggs with sugar. Then pour in milk in stream, whisk rapidly until well blended.

4. Strain the mixture then fill each mould with mixture, and steam on low heat for 15-20 minutes. If using oven, place moulds in a tray then fill tray with water. 

5. Cover tray with aluminium foil. Bake at preheated oven, 140ºC for 25-30 minutes.

6. Turn the heat off, let puddings stay in the steamer or oven for further 10 minutes.

7. Chill before serving.

Tips:

To produce smooth texture custard, the mixture must be strained to remove bubbles then pour into mould gently.

Our Pumpkin...

John said "Likes to be on top of other things, our pumpkin"

p/s: I like it if he said "our", smiling wide...

DIY Steam Boat

We change our habit of barbecuing on Saturday this week to steam boat. Once in a while it's nice to change. I love doing steam boat, especially on rainy days. It is simple and doesn't require much. here is the recipe if you want to try it!

Ingredients:
- slice of beef / chicken (as you prefer)
- mussels
- octopus
- tiger prawns
- fish balls
- quail egg
- napa cabbage / chinese cabbage
- enoki mushroom
- kai-lan (chinese brocolli)
- egg tofu
- baby corn

Soup
- water
- 4 tbsp chicken stock
- 1 sup bunjut (soup ingredients)
- napa cabbage / chinese cabbage

Sauce
Chili and garlic sauce with chopped coriander leaves

Pineapple Upside Down Cake (ala Betty Crocker)

I've been craving for Pineapple Upside Down Cake for so long since I watched one of Desperate Housewives episode where Bree baked Pineapple Upside Down Cake for Gabby. So yesterday, I bake it! I get Betty Crocker's recipe and try it. Simple and easy. I change the recipe here and there, and next time should lessen the sugar as it is super sweet. But anyway, it is nice! (even I have to say it myself) For the first trial I feel impressed... (chuckles)

Pineapple Upside Down Cake (ala Pixie)

Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine

- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar

- 9 slices pineapple in juice (from 14-oz can), drained

- 9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired

- 1 1/3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 1/3 cup shortening (I use cream cheese)

- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 3/4 cup milk

- 1 egg

Step 1 - Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.

Step 2 - In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.

Step 3 - Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.

Happy Trying!

Steroid Overdose

During the recent Hari Raya, one of our neighbor which is a police inspector was admitted to the hospital because of steroid overdose. We know that he is in body building but did not know that he takes steroid. Anyway, he's been taking steroid to build the muscle and with no proper supervision from professional trainer and the last thing happened was all the muscle broke and his kidney failed because of high toxic level in his body. I really hope that  he gets better.

Note: Please get advice from your doctor before taking any supplement or enhancer.

Lemang Making!

As tradition, every Hari Raya we will be busy making Lemang and Rendang. This year all of our Lemang and Rendang finished on the first day itself! Yummy.

 My brothers busy make sure that the bamboo is clean so that the Lemang will cook evenly

My aunt and uncle poured coconut milk in the ingredients

Look at this little piece of tablecloth art

Note: what is your "compulsory dish" for Raya?