Baked goodies for my "Artklas" Kumars! =)

As I have said in my previous post, having a baby changes EVERYTHING! That includes compromising usual night out with good friends. Since I still can't leave my baby, my thoughtful "artklas" kumars paid me another visit at home last night. They brought some pizza, and chicken, and I, made desserts! =)

Jakob's starting to have longer sleeps in the daytime, that means I have more time in my hands, and so I decided to do some baking. I texted them yesterday morning and asked them to choose between custard filled cream puffs or some chocolate cupcakes. They seem to be indecisive on what they want, and I too on what I want to make; but since I have missed my kitchen, I made both! =)

For today, I shall share with you Sweet Liaison's basic, fool proof recipe for custard filled cream puffs/profiteroles. I have missed making these babies since we stopped operations.

There are 3 parts in making cream puffs. First, is making the "choux pastry"; second, is the custard; and if you want it to be more lavish you can add another component by making it a glaze of your choice. So I won't waste any more of your time and let's begin.

Part 1: "Choux Pastry" / Cream Puff shells

Ingredients you'll need: (makes about 30 big puffs/ 50 mini cocktail puffs/ 36 mini eclairs)

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter (1/2 stick)

1/4 tsp of salt

1 cup all purpose flour (sifted)

3 large eggs

2 egg whites

Directions:

1) Cut butter into small pieces. In a saucepan, combine water and butter pieces. Bring this to a boil just until butter melts.

2. Remove saucepan from heat once butter is melted, then pour in the flour all at once.

3. Return the saucepan to low heat and continue stirring just until dough separates from the sides of the pan. Remove from heat completely.

4. Then using a hand mixer, add in the eggs one at a time. Make sure to COOL the dough prior to addition of the eggs to avoid "cooking" the eggs. 

5. Place dough in a piping bag; and use a round tip if desired. (But since I don't have any tips, I just cut the piping bag to a create a medium round shape.) Another tip: to easily place the dough mixture to the piping bag, place it in a tall glass. 

6. Prepare your sheet pan and line it with parchment paper or cookie sheet. Tip: Get some dough and paste it on some sides of the sheet pan prior to placement of parchment paper to avoid unnecessary movements.

7. Pipe round mounds making sure they have enough space even when they "puffed". 

8. Wet your index finger to flatten the pointy tips of the mounds.

9. Bake at 230 C for 30 minutes. 

Part 2: Custard filling (you can make this while the puff shells are baking)

Ingredients:

2 cups milk 

1 tsp vanilla syrup

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/5 cup flour

1/5 cup cornstarch

Directions:

1. Combine the yolks and sugar; whisk until pale yellow.

2. Sift the cornstarch and flour, then add it into the yolk-sugar mixture.

 3. Combine the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.

4. Once milk is boiling, temper the yolk mixture with about 1/4 cup of the hot milk; STIR VIGOROUSLY. This process is important as to avoid curdling the custard and having "scrambled egg yolks".

5. Then, quickly add the tempered yolk mixture back again to the hot milk and stir until mixture is thick. 

6. Remove from heat and place a film/cling wrap directly on top surface of the custard to avoid it from forming a "skin". Set aside until ready to use.

Once shells are cooked and you are ready to fill the shells, place the custard to a piping bag with a small round tip or "needle" tip. (I didn't have any of this so I just cut my piping bag to create a small round shape)

Find the natural crest/indent on your puff shells and pipe in there the custard until shell feels heavy enough. (Tip: you can use a small knife to gently lift the indent of the shells.)

Part 3: Sugar Glaze 

I was supposed to use a hard caramel-candy glaze for this cream puffs but since I didn't have any cream of tartar on hand, I opted to do an easier sugar glaze. This glaze is ideal for doughnuts; but there is really no hard rule to glazing or topping your puffs. You can even just dust them with powdered sugar; or dip them in chocolate glaze; whatever suits your fancy.

Ingredients for Sugar glaze:

1/4 cup of milk

1 tsp of vanilla syrup

2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Place the milk and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Sift the powdered sugar over milk and whisk until melted.

3. Once melted, turn the heat to a low and dip the puffs to the glaze. 

Finish!!! =)

I also made some mini milk chocolate cupcakes. The recipe I used for this is new, so I won't post the details of it just yet. Well, you can say that it didn't pass in my test kitchen. Haha. According to my Kumars, it tasted good but it seems to me just like any ordinary chocolate cupcakes, nothing special. So until I have perfected the recipe for this one and achieved the oooey goooey center cupcakes I am aiming for, satisfy yourselves with just this pictures. Hehe.

Nothing beats good conversations with good friends over great foods! =) Here's my Kumars, delighted with the goodies.

Gathering of friends need not always be fancy; what's important are the conversations we make. We're always lost in the tracks of time when were together; for we can endlessly exchange stories of marital life and adventures of having a new family. Friends are blessings. I am thankful having them. =)

Happy Eating! =)

I'm back! Celebrating Jakob's 2nd month with LEMON SHRIMP SCAMPI

I'm back! (Insert head twirl ala KC here =)). Oh yes, I am back! Although, I am not sure if I can really suffice you guys with daily food posts like before. I shall try my best! Anyway, this new post is proof that I have not totally forgotten my beloved food blog. I honestly thought I can easily get back to blogging as soon as I give birth; but being pregnant and being a new "Nanay" (Momma) is two totally different things. The latter, being more challenging than I thought.

For the past months, the only "food" I am constantly providing is breast milk for my little one. (Oh yes, I am a proud momma! "Breast is best!"). Being a breastfeeding Mom, it's harder to juggle dental work, mommy & wife duties and kitchen tasks. And so the menu that I should create for the day should be easy, fast and most importantly healthy and still yummy.

I am back in the kitchen this time to whip up a simple dish to celebrate my son's 2nd month. It's not really my thing to celebrate "monthly", but I was told that since Jakob's arrival was a "challenging" one (long story! I gave birth via CS, plus he's a preemie.), I should at least make a thanks giving meal. Also, its my chance to make up for wife duties too. His "Tatay" (Dad) came over yesterday to help me prepare his baptism. I am still in the metro with Jakob since he still can't travel, while Cy is in Narnia for most of the time for work; and he only comes over during Sundays if his work permits. So I really have to make the most of this rare Sundays.

I decided to make Lemon Shrimp Scampi in Angel Hair Pasta; a noodle dish to signify longevity. Cy have been requesting this dish since he tried it in Stacy's during Clair's (my niece) 1st birthday party. Here's me trying my best to get the same taste and experience again for him.

So here it goes:

Ingredients you'll need: (good for 4-5 servings)

1/2 kg of shrimp; peeled and deveined

Half a stick of butter plus 2 tbsp

Angel hair pasta / Cannelini

1 small onion; finely minced

4 cloves of garlic; grated or finely minced

2 lemons; 1 1/2 juiced, keep the half for garnish

drizzles of extra virgin olive oil

grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp of finely chopped parsley

a handful of basil leaves

salt  and pepper

chili flakes

barbecue seasoning

1 tbsp worcesterchire sauce

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, prepare the "marinate". Juice 1 1/2 lemons which makes about 1/4 cup; finely chopped parsley to make 2 tbsp., and grate 2 cloves of garlic. Mix well to combine and season with salt, pepper and barbecue seasoning.

(tip: to easily juice your lemons, roll 'em good prior to juicing)

2. In a small pot under low heat, melt 1/2 stick of butter, toss the "marinate" and add a tbsp. of worcesterchire sauce. Once thoroughly mixed, remove from heat.

3. Place the shrimps in a shallow dish and pour in the butter sauce once it has been cooled a little bit. Set aside.

4. Cook the cannelini/ angel hair pasta in a generously salted pot of boiling water until al dente. Once cooked, drizzle with olive oil and toss well to combine to avoid the pasta from sticking together.

5. Prepare another pan and place it over medium heat. Drizzle it with olive oil then pour in the shrimp mixture.

5. Season with chili flakes according to your taste and cook just until shrimps turn orange. Once cooked, get the shrimps, and set aside.

6. In the same pan, add 2 tbsp of butter; saute onion and 2 cloves of minced garlic. (tip: You can add in more garlic if you really like it garlicky.)

7. Once the aromatics are fragrant, toss in the pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Add dashes of chili flakes if desired. Toss everything well.

8. Remove from heat and season with grated parmesan cheese according to your taste; add a handful of basil leaves.

9. Finish!!! Place it in a serving dish and place the shrimps on top. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve it with parmesan cheese on the side. 

Yummy! Oh how I missed cooking! And blogging! =)

My husband (my official taster who has a non-sense, no frill commentary on judging my cooking) says he really liked this dish. And although its not exactly like the one in Stacy's, the experience is none the less satisfying and even better. =) Yay for me!

A lot of things have changed since I gave birth. I could not even remember the last time I was inside a movie house, in a salon or in a day out with a group of friends. But I am not exactly complaining. It's my choice to invest almost all of my time now with Jakob; because he won't be a baby forever, and I a new mother. I just could not let this moment pass by without me savoring each second of it. Oh what a joy it is to be a new Momma, it is tiring but fulfilling. =)

I can't wait for Jakob to be able to taste the food I cook and tell me himself he enjoyed it. It will be probably one of the best feelings ever. For now, I would have to content my self with "Mr. Barako's" (my nick for hime)  rewarding smile after each nursing. =) 

Happy Eating! =)