red velvet cupcake + Oreo cookies

Today, my class will start at 6 pm. I repeat, 6PM!!! Gosh! If I can just not show up in my class, I would definitely do that! But I can’t L coz’ we have tons of things to do.

So, instead of do nothing, lying in my bed all day, I decided to make red velvet cupcakes and Oreo cookies. (One last practice before my booth opens.) *yahoo! First booth ever. J  These are one of the sweets that I’ll be selling J

Looking back, I really don’t know what red velvet taste like. People said it was really good specially the SONJA’S red velvet. People really went gaga over it. I got so curious and wanted to try one.

 I went to Mercato few months ago, and bought red velvet cupcake (I don’t know the name of the shop, coz’ there are millions of kiosk there who actually sell red velvet).

Due to excitement, I instantly took a little bite, and the flavours were like dancing, popping or whatsoever doing inside my mouth. And, that’s it! I said to myself that I MUST make these babies! I MUST learn how to do this.

When I got home, I searched loads of recipes, and tried them one by one. What makes me confuse the most is that some red velvets, actually added vinegar in the mixture. I was so eager to know why, so I searched again so hard! And tadaaa! I found the answer! Thanks to internet! :)

Here: Vinegar is usually called for in mixture with baking soda and you're necessary to blend the two and you will get a foaming act. This miniature oxygen foam will then be folded into the cake batter which will cause the cake to bake into a light and fluffy tasty treat

I tried experimenting a couple of times now, and I really find that by adding Vinegar will really make your cupcake so bouncy, light, and airy. So, I think that’s the secret. I’m not sure though, but it works for me! :)

I just want to share what red velvets are. What people usually know is that they are red, with cream cheese frosting and a little bit of acidity blend.

But these cupcakes are usually chocolate cupcakes with a mixture of red food colouring. (It is a red food colouring that makes the cupcakes red.) Some used beetroot. (It is a vegetables with deep red root. In olden times people used this to make their red velvet red. But now, it is really hard to find one, so as a substitute, people use food colourings)

Common ingredients are: butter, sugar, eggs cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, vinegar and food coloring.)

I myself, when making red velvets, I just typically use a little bit of  coloring  for the reason that it is a chemical that are not good for our health. So, as you can see in the pictures, it is still a bit of brown in colour with a slightly touch of red. I just wanted to make a shadow of red that’s it. Really not a fan of food coloring's.

 see? it's a bit brown because of cocoa. 

my red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and sprinkles on top:) 

I love how airy my babies are!:) remember to use a top quality ingredients to make sure that your products will turn out great! 

presenting my signature SWIRL!:) finally! after loads of practicing!:) 

it looks so easy to do, but try it for yourself, 

you'll see. 

so i think, i gave enough info already. i gotta go now!:) my boyfie and I will celebrate his 21st birthday!:) i'll post the Oreo cookies later when i get home. 

-xac

2nd attempt French Macaroons

My sister has been asking me for weeks now to make her macaroons. I can’t tolerate her 

kulitness, so to stop all her stress, I made her macaroons (almond, ube and chocolate flavour) 

I somehow perfected my macaroons. The shell was shiny and it was crunchy when you bite it. It’s just that my ube didn’t have a good texture I think it’s because my oven is too hot? 

I’m not so sure about that, but I’m just thinking of any possibilities that might help me in the future. Well I’ll let you guys know someday if I become a pastry chef. 

It was so rainy yesterday that I’m so lazy to get up in bed. But, I have to make macaroons for my sister because I made a promise. (A promise, is a promise) so here are the pictures 

almond macaroons 

BEFORE and AFTER

with white chocolate almond filling.

Ube macaroons 

BEFORE and AFTER

with ube white chocolate filling.

awwww, wasn't able to take a picture of the finish product.

dark chocolate macaroons. 

beautiful, isn't? ;)

finally, after 2nd attempt!:) back view of macaroons!:) 

Dad said it was too sweet. I reduced the sugar already, but still, it was sweet. but hey, macaroons are sweet right? 

these luscious little desserts can be varied endlessly simply by adding different flavorings and coloring's. 

info about my baby macs :)


1. they are tiny and stylish sandwich cookies

2. made from almond flour, egg whites, granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar (for the shells) 

3. They’re naturally filled with something from butter-cream to ganache, and the flavour and shade combinations are appealing as you can also flavor the shells.

4. What makes much-loved macaroons so extremely unique, in my belief, is the way every nibble is crunchy, chewy and rich all at once.

5.they're not hard to make. what makes it hard is the control of batter's consistency. You should take an extra care when mixing. Over mixing will result to a hard macs. 

6. failed macs looks like broken, dry, flat, or empty.  like this! (1st attempt) 

7. shells ewweee, i know, right? (1st attempt)












































































so, there you have it! always make sure, to use clean dry bowl every time you beat egg whites. (egg whites are best separated when cold, but best to whip when at room tempt) 
just a tiny drop of any liquid or egg yolk, can ruin your whole egg white. be careful!


i'm so happy:) big improvement right? i just love baking! 






-xac

Mango Swiss Roll

It’s a rainy day today, indeed! I’m trapped at home. Can’t go elsewhere because of the awful weather.  My boyfriend and I suppose to hit the gym today. But sorrowfully, he called me and said that his class were suspended. And he should go home. For if not, he’ll be stranded because of the flood. L So here I am, doing this blog.

This afternoon, I decided to bake mango Swiss roll. Since I haven’t baked for a while now coz of the school stuff, now is the timeJ  I've been reading blogs about dessert, and unintentionally saw one of the blogger’s Swiss rolls. Gosh I was so stunned for what she did! Her Swiss roll actually has a blueprint! I’m so enthusiastic to make one too!

My 1^st and 2^nd attempt was such a failure! It didn’t look alluring at all. I can’t help myself but to ask what went wrong? I followed the recipe step-by-step, but why is my cake all ruined? The taste is there, the texture was nice. But, the output was uh? Why like this?

No, I won’t stop until I figured it out where did I made a mistake. I saw some mangoes in our kitchen, and it randomly popped in my mind to bake Swiss roll again for the 3^rd time.

I prayed to God that please let my cake be a successful one. And he answered my prayer! J *always have faith! Keep the spirits high!

 Presenting, my Swiss Mango Cake. (I adjusted the recipe because the sugar level is so poisonous!!) 

I'm in a cloud nine right now. 

lalalalala I'm just so freakin'  

happy! finally, after my 3rd 

attempt! tatatadadada!:))

it was so light and airy. Not dry at 

all. one thing that i am concern 

about, 

is that I put too much Vanilla 

essence. I don't know if this was a 

good thing or not. oh, well

if you love Vanilla that much, 

then you won't notice it. but, I'm a strawberry lover :) so it just so happen that i noticed it. 

since it's my work, I can say that it's yummy! (i won't say it's a perfect 10 but for me it's around 

7)  need to improve more in rolling the cake. (you won't see the crack part because I hid it 

under) :) the filling i used is fresh mangoes + cream. you can never go wrong with cream 

because its so flexible. anything you pair with it, is surely a bomb! 

while waiting for my cake to bake, I just took a shot

with our Dog, flappy!:) he is so papansin! ;/ He kept

on barking. I think he missed me!:) 

So here, my sister and i are 

ready to  eat it!:) happy tummy!

another learning's for today. 

thank you God. 

Every time I fail, i don't think of it as a negative, I just thank God because he opens my door for improvement.

-xac