Matcha Pound Cake

Matcha refers to finely-milled Japanese green tea, or better known as green tea powder. I first learned about it some 7-8 years ago from my Japanese-culture-obsessed friends. We had a little get together and they brought green tea cheese cake and I asked how they make it so green because green tea (the beverage) is a brownish colour. I was always interested in knowing where they got it, but I wasn't much of a baker at the time.

A few months ago, I met with my mom in Chinatown. Since moving into the subs, whenever i'm in Chinatown, i stock up on my favorite foods; frozen stuffed fish tofu! At the store, I green canister caught my eye. It said MATCHA on the side of the can. 50g for $6.99. I thought it was expensive because it felt like the canister was empty. My mom asked if I've suddenly become a tea drinker, and I said it's for baking. The lady at the cash seemed so impressed. And then she complimented my beautiful skin. She then asked my mom how she raised me to be so polite and well mannered, and my mom said "I beat her daily". But that's another blog post...

I finally got around to looking up a recipe for matcha pound cake on google, and ended with Nick Malgiery's recipe. It's different from any other cake or cupcake recipe I have ever made because you have to seperate the yolks and the egg whites. I made this recipe twice; once using the mixer, and once mixing by hand. I found that making it by hand tasted better...and it works out your arm.

• 2 cups bleached all-purpose four


• 2 tablespoons Matcha green tea


• 2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1 cup soft unsalted butter


• 2 cups confectioners' sugar


• 5 large eggs, separated


• Pinch of salt
  
  

1. Butter a loaf pan or line with parchment paper (I used a silicone loaf pad, buttered). Set rack to the middle level of the oven and preheat to 325F. Combine the flour, green tea and baking powder.


2. Cream butter and confectioners sugar in bowl with paddle attachment or by hand. Beat for about 3 minutes or until light. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping bowl and beater occasionally with a rubber spatula. Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift in the flour mixture by hand.


3. Pour the egg whites and salt into a clean, dry mixer bowl. Place on mixer with whisk attachment and whip whites on medium speed until white and opaque and just beginning to hold their shape. Increase speed slightly and continue whipping egg whites until they hold a soft peak.


4. Remove bowl from mixer and quickly scrape whites from bowl onto batter in other bowl. Use a large rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the batter, folding just until no streaks of white remain.


5. Scrape the batter into prepared pans and smooth the top. Bake the cakes for about 45 minutes (35-40 minutes for mini loaf pans) or until it is well risen and a toothpick inserted in the center emerges dry. Cool the cakes in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then un-mold and cool it completely.
   

The final product is a green pound cake that is not too sweet. It's good with tea, coffee, or milk, but my favorite way of eating it is with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Delicious! ♥

Baked Brie and Sun dried tomatoes

I love cheese! I'm not a cheese connaisseur, but i love most cheeses. If it's covered in cheese, i'll order it. My sister is not a big fan of cheese. When we used to make home-made pizza, there's would be 2/3 of it with a thick layer of cheese for my brother and I, and the other third would plain pepperoni.



A few years ago, my sister went to a friends place to hang out, and when she got home, she told me about a baked brie her friend made that was really good. And when my sister raved about it, I knew I had to try it. A few weeks after learning about this recipe, we made it for a holiday gathering and it was so good and so easy to make.



Last year, I introduced this recipe to Rach, and she introduced it to her parents. We are all hooked! Move over chips and dip, bring on the melty brie and bread!

• Any size Brie (Camembert works too)
• Sun fried tomatoes in oil

1. Preheat oven at 375F
2. Place brie wheel on a small casserol dish. Drizzle the oil from the Sun dried tomatoes on top and around the brie.
3. Bake for 20min. It will bloat and look like it'll explode.
4. Add Sundried tomatoes around the cheese, and bake another 5 minutes. Watch the tomatoes so they don't burn.
5. Remove from oven. Cut an X on the top and flip the flaps to make a "brie bowl".
6. Serve with sliced baguette, or crackers. Use a knife or spoon.

Raisin Butter Tarts

I have a very good reason for not updating my blog. I was busy ironing out the details of my wedding. Kevin and I got married in Hawaii in September. It was beautiful and it was just the two of us. But we had receptions back here when we came back. After the wedding...well...I just got lazy! I wasn't cooking new stuff that much.


Over the holidays, I wanted to bake for my in-laws and my family. And I remembered I had bought some tart shells that were on sale. So I made Raisin Butter Tarts. I discovered butter tarts from my brother. He had just moved to Ottawa at the time and told me he discovered these amazing tarts. I was in heaven.


A butter tart is a Canadian pastry, it's kind of similar to pecan pie, but...better. My first attempt at making butter tarts was when i was still living with Rach. It was one of the first things i made when I discovered I like baking. We cheated a bit though, and I still cheat, I use frozen tart shells. I've been meaning to search for a good recipe for tart shell...but again with the laziness. So this is actually a post for the filling. Let me know if you know of a great tart crust to go with this awesome filling.

• pie shells (I used Tenderflake)
• 1/2 cup raisins (Don't be cheap, get Sun maid)
• 1/4 cup soft butter
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Prepare tart shells as instructed on the box
2. In a small bowl, place raisins and cover with hot tap water; let stand on the counter for 30 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix together the soft butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup; stir well until sugar is dissolved and butter is creamed.
4. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
5. Drain raisins.
6. Retrieve tart shells and divide raisins equally into all shells; then divide butter mixture into all tarts. Do not fill too much, the mixture will overflow. I say 2/3.
7. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes; filling will be lightly browned but still bubbling.
8. Let cooked butter tarts cool in pans for 10 minutes after removing from oven. Enjoy!