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Only a handful of ingredients and there's no need to worry about raw eggs for this easy mousse
Here are my favorite recipes, click any to check it out!
A new tradition is born during Christmas! These are so good even for someone like me who doesn't obsess over cookies
My signature dish as it's my favorite dessert! Explore different flavors after making a simple vanilla ice cream base: Chocolate, Berries/Stone Fruit, Banana, Mango, Matcha/Green Tea, and Coconut!
A special cake that's close to my heart with a healthier substitute of using olive oil instead of butter
Another tradition is born - whether you're single or mingling, these creamy truffles will give you chocolate dreams!
Baking
Chocolate Truffles
I often joke with my mom that once you learn how things are made at home, it ruins your life. Newsflash - Chocolate truffles that cost over $20 are simply melted chocolate shaped into balls. Whether it's a wonder or a waste, I'll leave you all to make the decision for yourselves. Whatever the case may be, these are truly delicious! ^^ Another tradition has started just like for my chocolate chip cookies, let's give cheers to Valentine's Day! Whether it's for a special someone, your professors, your family, your friends, or even for yourself - these will give you chocolate dreams. :D (They're that creamy.) Everyone will think these came from the shops! They're that good!
Oh, and on that note - my date absolutely enjoyed these! ^^ Who is my date? My mother! (Yup. I'm single and enjoying life! ^^)
Ingredients
300 grams of chocolate (I found the perfect ratio to be 180 grams of Hershey's Special Dark (Mildly Sweet) Chocolate and 120 grams of Hershey's Milk Chocolate!)
2/3 cup of heavy cream
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder (The secret ingredient! I find the bitterness/saltiness of the cocoa powder brings out the true chocolate taste in recipes. Also, cocoa powder paired with the salt also balances the sweetness of chocolate!)
1/8 teaspoon of salt
Vanilla
Directions
Chop your chocolate in small pieces to ensure the chocolate melts faster and easier (The smaller you cut your chocolate, the faster it'll melt and the smoother your truffles will be. Although, I found simply breaking them each square in half is enough.)
Heat your heavy cream, butter, salt, and cocoa powder in a small pan till piping hot and the cocoa powder has dissolved into the cream (Be careful not to burn the cream!)
Pour the hot cream over chocolate and quickly stir into completely smooth (Do not be alarmed if it seems lumpy at first, keep going at it - it will come together eventually!)
Place in fridge and allow mixture to firm up
Once firm, scoop teaspoon sized amounts unto a tray/pan (Do not worry about rolling into balls at this stage, the mixture is still too soft.)
Place in fridge again to allow chocolate balls to firm up
Once firm, roll into balls and dip into your desired toppings (I suggest cocoa powder and sprinkles. I did do powdered sugar too but personally, I find this one too sweet and the ficklest. You have to coat them many times or they end up looking...moldy, haha! Also, pro-tip, find small sprinkles as they stick the best!)
Store in fridge until ready to serve/eat!
Chocolate Cake
I’ve been waiting so long to post this cake recipe as it holds a special place in my heart. This cake was the start to my whole baking journey after series of failed attempts. After rubbery cupcakes and greasy cookies (don’t ask me how), this recipe changed everything. The first time I ever made this was around my mom’s birthday. I knew my failed attempts in the past so I asked my friend Cailyn desperately for a recipe with pantry staples. My mom and I are very close so it had to be special. The recipe was life-changing! I have modified the recipe since then by making more and more goodies but this is definitely now my go-to recipe. Cailyn, I thank you so much. I have made this recipe so many times that I made one for my art tutor topped with a chocolate glaze. Later, when my friend Estrella/Star graduated, this was my graduation gift. :”) We served this with my Cheat Chocolate Mousse and raspberries. My version of this cake isn’t very sweet but that means you can top with as much mousse as you want without feeling awful! ^^
Ingredients
Chocolate “Potion”
1 cup of water
¼ cup of coffee (You won’t taste this but it accentuates the chocolate flavor!)
¼ cup of milk (To combat the bitterness of the coffee! If you want this cake to be dairy free, you may replace this with another ¼ cup of water!)
1 tablespoon of honey
¾ cup of cocoa powder
Vanilla
Dry Ingredients
2 ¾ cups of flour (330 grams)
1 teaspoon of salt
Keep Aside for Later – 6 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
Wet Ingredients
5 egg yolks (If the yolks are small, I add one more just in case. Keep the whites but leave aside for later.)
½ a cup of sugar (Measure another ½ as that will go with the whites later but don’t add them together yet!)
¾ cups of olive oil (We’re not using butter like the original recipe; personally, I feel that oil makes cakes so much moister than butter.)
Egg Whites
Remaining 5 or 6 egg whites
Remaining ½ a cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar or cream of tartar
Topping options will be given below! ^^
Directions
In a small pot, prepare the wet ingredients for your chocolate potion (Water, coffee, milk) and honey
While it is warming up, measure your cocoa powder into a medium bowl
Once the wet ingredients are hot, carefully pour into the bowl with your cocoa powder and vanilla! Mix till combined and set aside to cool for later
In a separate bowl, mix together your flour and salt and set aside for later (If you have time and desire, you may sift your flour and salt for a lighter cake! ^^)
This is the tricky part of the recipe (Be patient as this step could take about an hour or more. This is my rendition of creaming butter! Instead of creaming butter, we are “creaming (whipping)” our egg yolks with our sugar.) – Preferably with a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks with the sugar (a little at a time) until it becomes a homogenous light-yellow mixture like mayonnaise! (Depending on your stand mixture, you may need to scrap the edges and bottom of your bowl while you do so!)
Now, a little at a time, pour the oil into the egg yolks until it comes into a homogenous, glossy, light-yellow mixture becoming more so like mayonnaise! You shouldn’t see any oil seeping out of the egg yolks as it should be completely mixed through. Be sure to scrap the edges and bottom of your bowl as you go (You’ll be surprised a lot of unmixed egg yolks like to hide)
Here's a picture from my ice cream recipe. The end result of beating the sugar and oil will be very similar. Keep in mind it's with a hand mixer not a stand mixer. For this cake recipe, I highly recommend you use a stand mixer!
Add about 1/3 of your dry ingredients (flour and salt) and fold into your egg mixture, do not mix completely
Add about ½ of your now cooled chocolate potion and fold into your egg mixture, do not mix completely
Add the second 1/3 of your dry ingredients and fold, do not mix completely
Add the remaining amount of cooled chocolate potion and fold, do not mix completely
Add the remaining 1/3 of dry ingredients and your baking powder that you reserved at the end. Fold together till just combined, don’t be scared if the batter is super thick! We’ll get to that soon!
In another bowl (preferably glass as it’s the best choice when whipping egg whites), place your egg whites and lemon juice and preferably with an electric mixer start on low speed and whip until they become frothy
Once the egg whites are frothy, add a 1/3 of the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and whip in one direction till the bubbles turn uniform (You may turn up the speed to a low medium but no more or your meringue will break)
Add another 1/3 of the sugar and whip until the bubbles turn small and get slightly thicker
Add the remaining amount of sugar and whip until the meringue turns glossy, smooth, and shiny like a pearl
Little by little bit, add this mixture into your base chocolate cake batter (Don’t be alarmed if there are air pockets when you return, it is the baking powder in action! A good sign!)
The thick batter should now turn from the texture of thick mud to smooth lava! Don’t forget to scrap the bottom as much as the sides
By now, your oven should be preheated
Separate the batter between the two pans if necessary
Before baking, bang on the countertop three to five times to release any excess bubbles
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until a knife/toothpick comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through
Cool and serve with a topping of your choice! (Make sure your cake is cooled completely before you do so!)
Whipped Cream - The Easiest
Simply whip 2 cups of heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to taste
Be careful not to overwhip or it’ll result in butter!
Spread on top and serve extra on the side if desired
Chocolate Glaze - For My Art Tutor
Simply melt 1 cup of chocolate (heating in 10 seconds intervals and stirring each time so it doesn’t burn!), add ¼ cup of coffee, ¼ cup of milk/heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and vanilla to make a second chocolate potion
Add enough powdered sugar to sweeten and thicken
Spread on top and serve extra on the side if desired
Cheat Chocolate Mousse
Click Here for the recipe! ^^
Spread on top and serve extra on the side if desired
I also recommend adding fresh raspberries! :)
Pudding
This is another favorite of mine to make. I almost like to make this as much as I like making ice cream. When I’m in the hurry to make a quick dessert for guests that is as luxurious, I make this. During a summer dinner, make this before you work on appetizers and main courses so it can chill and thicken. In the winter, serve warm for a cozy finish to the meal. For an elevated approach, serve with fresh berries and cookies. You may even make it “fluffy” by folding homemade whipped cream into your cooled pudding upon serving. (Homemade whipped cream: Whip together 1 cup of heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to taste!)
Ingredients
¼ to ½ cup of cornstarch
5 egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of milk or heavy cream (If you want something more decadent)
Sugar to taste (I recommend about ½ a cup which is plenty)
Directions
In a bowl, mix your egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Make sure all the cornstarch is incorporated. (No need to get out your hand mixer as this will be already a mess as it is)
In a medium pot, heat up your milk or heavy cream
When it’s almost hot, add your sugar and dissolve (Most recipes encourage adding the sugar into the egg yolks, but I add it here because you can taste the milk, ensuring it’s as sweet as you like it.)
When the milk/cream becomes hot, add into your egg yolk mixture little by little
Do not be alarmed if it becomes too thin. Once combined, pour back into the pot and turn on to a low medium (The mixture should first look like yellow milk not scrambled eggs)
On low medium heat, continuously stir until your pudding becomes thick (You can tell when it starts to get thick when the bottom of your whisk catches the cornstarch mixed with egg yolks. That gets thick first!)
Once it gets slightly thickened, you can move the pot on and off the heat to ensure the pudding doesn’t get too hot
Once thickened, remove from the heat immediately (You may also adjust thinness with more milk/heavy cream)
If your custard curdles, add cold milk/cream and quickly whisk till it comes together again
Adjust sweetness if needed and add vanilla
Serve warm or chill in the fridge to serve later (Note: Your pudding will thicken in the fridge!)
I also recommend serving with fresh fruit like berries! ^^
Other variations or flavors are below!
Chocolate - My Cousin's Favorite
When mixing your eggs with cornstarch, add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder (You may have to add more sugar to take out the bitterness of cocoa!)
When your pudding gets thick, add 1 cup of melted chocolate (heating in 10 seconds intervals and stirring each time so it doesn’t burn!), add ¼ cup of coffee, ¼ cup of milk/heavy cream, a pinch of salt, and vanilla
Serve warm or chill in the fridge to serve later
Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries)
Cook one cup of your choice of berries with sugar as needed, lemon juice, a little bit of salt till it becomes like a compote (Depending how much patience you have this can take up to an hour or a bit longer)
You can also put the above heated mixture (when the fruit gets somewhat soft) in a bread machine and choose the jam option to be more hands off!
Once this is cooled, add to your egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt (But add two more egg yolks and two more tablespoons of cornstarch to the original recipe!)
Resume the recipe as usual! ^^
Ice Cream
This is the most exciting recipe I ever posted so far as it is my signature dish. :) Ice cream has always been one of my favorite dessert and I was spoiled with it. From Ben and Jerry's to Haagen Das, there was nothing like a tub of ice cream. It was bought at every special occasion and the perfect midnight snack. When I moved to Sarasota during my Junior Year, it was also the year I was first entered the kitchen for real. For the first time, I felt confident in cooking and I begged my mom to attempt making Nigella Lawson's Strawberry Ice Cream! The results looking back weren't picture perfect and I have perfected since then after more research (for about two years)! ^^ Homemade ice cream as Nigella puts it, isn't hard at all when you understand it. This has been my favorite to make for guests because it's easily impressive and can be stored for months...that is, if you have any leftover! XD
Ingredients
1,500 milliliters of heavy cream
220 milliliters of whole milk
15 large egg yolks (or 17 if the eggs are small!)
180 grams of Sugar (Brown or White works fine!)
Vanilla extract, to taste
1/8 teaspoon of salt
Lemon juice (The secret ingredient! This brightens flavors. Add about a 1/2 teaspoon.)
Directions
First things first - DO NOT FORGET to PLACE YOUR ICE CREAM CHURNER IN THE FREEZER! You want it to be frozen cold.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, we will only be using the yolks for this recipe! Egg whites are great for pancakes! ^^
Using preferably an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and salt until the yolks turn pale yellow and similar to the thickness of mayonnaise. Do not worry about scraping the edge of the bowl!
Heat milk and cream in a pot till it’s hot but not boiling. You will know when the milk and cream are hot when the cream begins to detach from the pot.
Slowly, little bit by little bit, add the hot cream to the egg mixture. Taking it slow to avoid your mixture turning into scrambled eggs.
Once the two are united, pour back into the pan and heat for a couple more minutes…ensuring that the eggs are cooked.
When heated, pour back into the bowl and add your vanilla (Always add extracts at the end so the flavor doesn’t cook out before then!)
Add lemon juice to accentuate flavors
Let the mixture cool on the countertop before allowing it to cool completely in the fridge, overnight is best.
When you’re ready to churn, place the tub into the churn and turn it on :), this allows the ice cream to churn right away - better results!
Taste your mixture one more time and adjust if needed
Pour your ice cream mixture, DO NOT OVERFILL! 2/3 of the way is plenty.
Churn for 20-40 minutes till thickened like soft serve
Don’t be alarmed if it’s not thick enough! Transfer into your desired “ice cream container” and freeze for a couple hours (Avoid using a metal spoon cause it’ll ruin your churn.)
To serve, take out a few minutes before serving to allow ice cream to soften enough to scoop and enjoy! ^^
Feel free to experiment with other flavor options below! ^^
Chocolate
When beating the eggs, add 6 teaspoons of cocoa powder along with the salt and sugar. Continue mixing till the mixture comes together like a thick brownie batter.
Proceed the rest of the recipe as usual except when the ice cream mixture is warmed up for the last time, make a chocolate potion (1 cup of melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of coffee) and pour the finished, hot ice cream base into the potion.
We mix the melted chocolate at the end to avoid burning
Lemon juice is not very necessary for this distinct recipe!
Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries)/Stone Fruit (Peaches)
This is probably the most laborious of flavors but it’s so worth it! Cook your berries or stone fruit down till it becomes like a jam, removing all the water that can dilute the flavor of your ice cream. Add sugar as needed, lemon juice, and a wee bit of salt. For peach ice cream, I enjoy adding a touch of cinnamon and ginger powder. Don’t forget the vanilla. You may add other spices of your choice. This can take up to 45 minutes to an hour.
If you don’t want to slave away, feel free to place fruit in a bread machine as soon as the fruits are so decently soft. Make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Allow it to cool and beat this into your egg yolk mixture after it has turned into a pale mayonnaise color and then proceed the recipe as normal!
It is essential in fruit ice creams to add the lemon juice as it really allows the flavor to jump out!
Banana
This is the most unique and economical. It’s not as laborious as the usual fruit ice creams and it’s also something different!
Simply add two mashed bananas into your egg yolk mixture after it has turned into a pale mayonnaise color and then follow the recipe as normal! Be sure to stir so the bananas don’t burn.
Once your ice cream base is finished and is still hot, chop up another banana for extra measure! Be sure to give your mixture one last mix before you churn so you don’t get huge chunks in weird places.
It is essential in fruit ice creams to add the lemon juice as it really allows the flavor to jump out!
Mango
This one is tricky as mango isn’t very prominent of a flavor
Puree five mangos with a bit of milk and add to your finished ice cream base
It is essential in fruit ice creams to add the lemon juice as it really allows the flavor to jump out!
Chill and churn and you’re ready to enjoy!
Matcha/Green Tea
When heating up your cream and milk, add 3-6 packets of matcha powder to bloom the flavors before adding to the egg yolk mixture
Then, proceed like normal and enjoy!
Lemon juice would be great in this instance. :) Also, please note that you may or may not need to add more sugar!
Coconut
When heating up your cream and milk, reduce 50-70 millimeters of milk to ensure the result will be creamy as normal ice cream
Then, proceed to make ice cream as normal
While the ice cream base is still hot, blend two cups of young coconut meat with its juice and mix into the mixture
Chill overnight and add two additional cups of coconut water before churning and enjoy! ^^
Chocolate Chip Cookies
We’re starting a new Christmas tradition in my house and that is making cookies, starting with the classic chocolate chip cookie. I’ll be honest, I’m not quite a cookie person but these cookies are so good! It ruined every other chocolate chip cookies, at least for me now. This recipe however was a mashup between two of my favorite bakers on the internet: Bake with Zoha and Sugar Spun Run. ^^ (You may check their websites to see why this will be delicious and why each step is crucial) You can totally double, maybe even triple this recipe. I doubled my batch for my professors on Christmas and still ended up with extra. One batch makes about 12 cookies, but if you make the balls smaller, you might squeeze in extra. (wink wink)
Ingredients
10 Tablespoons of unsalted butter (140 grams)
½ cup of white sugar (100 grams)
¼ cup of maple syrup (Doesn’t need to be the expensive brand)
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
A splash of vanilla
1 Teaspoons of coffee/instant coffee dissolved in hot water
1 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
½ Teaspoons of salt
1 ¼ Teaspoons baking powder
2 Teaspoons of cornstarch
450 grams of Chocolate (Chips work great to me but some prefer chopped bars of chocolate as they create more “pools” of chocolate. It’s up to you!)
Directions
Measure the butter, sugar, and maple syrup – don’t worry about anything else for now
Brown the butter at low heat (Beware that the butter will burn really fast so turn down the heat lower right away the second the butter stops bubbling rapidly and turns brown)
Add sugar and cook on low heat for 2 minutes; do not worry about melting the sugar. It’s all about getting it almost caramelized for flavor. Bake with Zoha explains this better than I do. ^^ (If you’re making more than one batch, double the cooking time or continue cooking at your own judgement. Be careful that you don’t get too much sugar crystals on the sides of your pan!)
Pour in maple syrup and vanilla to cool down the sugar (Curious about the maple syrup? Check out Sugar Spun Run's recipe!)
Stir till combined, take off the heat, and set aside to cool further
Measure the remaining ingredients
In a small bowl, mix the measured flour, salt, baking powder, cornstarch, and chocolate together, and set aside for later
By now, your brown butter mixture should be mildly warm but not hot
Whisk in the cooled coffee (You won't taste it!) and eggs to turn the lumpy sugar to smooth and silky!
Pour in the chocolate mixture and stir/fold till all just combined (Try not to overmix!)
Chill the dough for at least 3 hours though overnight is best
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Line a baking pan with parchment paper and grease with butter
Drop balls of cookie dough, about 1-2 tablespoons each on the pan making sure to leave space in between as the cookies will spread
Bake for 10-15 minutes depending on how chewy or crispy you want your cookies to be (Careful not to burn the chocolate), I found mine to be perfect around 12-15 minutes. It’s roughly when the edges of the cookies all change to a light brown color
Cheat Chocolate Mousse
Incredibly easy, only takes a handful of ingredients, and multi-purpose: Serve as is or spread over chocolate cake as a replacement for icing.
Ingredients
2 cups of heavy cream
1 cup of chocolate (Chips, chocolate bar, doesn't matter. Milk, dark, white, combination - up to you! I just wouldn't do any fruit flavored chocolates here...)
1/4 cup of milk (You can use more heavy cream here but personally; this is already quite rich as it is!)
1/4 cup of coffee (This accentuates the flavors of chocolate. If you're worried about caffeine or you don't have any coffee, just add another 1/4 cup of milk/cream! Do not add coffee if you're doing white chocolate...though, it could give you coffee flavored mouse if that's what you want!)
Vanilla (Optional)
Powdered sugar (Depending on how sweet you want your mouse, you may/may not need this!)
Directions
Place chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl
In the same bowl, pour in the 1/4 cup of milk/cream (NOT the 2 cups), 1/4 cup of coffee or extra milk/cream and give it a little mix to incorporate
Cover the bowl for safety and microwave for 30 seconds
Take it out and check to see if the chocolate has began to get soft by trying to stir it (Note: The chips may not look melted but you might be surprised as chocolate melts fast. DO NOT OVERHEAT or the chocolate will get grainy.)
If chips are still hard, cover again and microwave another 5-10 seconds until soft
Once chocolate chips are melted, mix it with the now hot liquid. Do not be alarmed if it seems like there is more liquid than chocolate. Keep mixing, the chocolate will thicken as it cools
While the mixture is cooling, get a separate bowl and pour in your 2 cups of heavy cream and a splash of vanilla (if you desire)
Whip the heavy cream and vanilla till soft peaks form. You can tell when the beaters start making thick trials through the cream. DO NOT overdo this or you'll get butter!
Check the sweetness of your chocolate mixture. If it's not sweet enough, go ahead and add powdered sugar.
The mixture should be thin like a runny egg yolk. If it's still too thin, you can add some powdered sugar to thicken it.
Once you're happy with it, pour the melted chocolate into the heavy cream mixture.
Take a spatula and fold it into the heavy cream. Don't forget the bottom!
Fold till chocolate and cream have combined to a unified brown cloud!
Serve as is with fresh fruit or top it on top of chocolate cake.
