My Peanut Butter Cuppies

My Peanut Butter Cuppies

The story behind this recipe was that it was supposed to be Peanut Butter Balls! Being very novice in dealing with chocolate cooking, I was having difficult time to coat the balls to make Peanut Butter Balls. 

Unsuccessful to make chocolate coated balls, I put the balls in paper cups and pour the melted chocolate! Voila... My Peanut Butter Cups.. 

The taste of the cuppies depend on the chocolate and peanut butter we use. So get a good quality chocolate and peanut butter....

Here is the mix and match recipe, Cik Ngah version;

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted

3 cup finely ground Kellogg Cornflakes 

2 cup crunchy organic peanut butter - I use Cosway

1/2 cup (113g) butter, softened

2 bag of 12 oz Hershey semisweet chocolate chips

70 g butter

Preparation Instructions

1. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix confectioner's sugar, peanut butter and butter together on low speed. Add cornflake and mix on low speed until combined and a dough-like mixture forms. [Note: if mixing by hand, mix peanut butter into dry ingredients with your hands.]
2. You can add more cornflakes if the dough is too sticky.
3. Form a ball big enough to fit the mini paper cup. Freeze the balls.
4. Melt chocolate in double boiler over low heat. When chocolate is completely melted,  cut the balls into two and place in paper cups...
5. Repeat with remaining balls. Chill until chocolate is set.
6. If not serving immediately, transfer to airtight container and keep refrigerated.

NOTE: 

1. Get adventurous...How about Spicy Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.. add 1 tsp of Baba's chilli powder to the chocolate 
2. Peanut butter balls with fruit jelly filling?
3. Peanut butter balls with shredded coconut?

My Ispahan Cupcake

My mini Ispahan Cupcakes.....

This post is long overdue..Cik Ngah made this on 28th May for a pot luck even at the office. Been keeping the recipe for quite sometime. This recipe is inspired by Pierre Hermes

This cupcake is a delicate combination of rose, raspberry and lychee. Superb combination of taste!

Ingredients;

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ground almonds
I block of anchor/scs (226g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup rose water
1 tsp rose essence (if available)
24 whole lychees (or 24 halves if they are big)

Description;

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Spray 24 cupcake liners with cooking spray and set them on a baking sheet.In a small bowl, combine the flours and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. 
4. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
6. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and rose water. Do not overbeat.
7. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. 
8. Carefully spoon half the batter into the liners, place one lychee int he center and top with the remaining batter, leaving a two inch space to the top as the cupcake will rise. 
9. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. 
10. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar sifted
1/2 cup raspberry puree (run enough fresh raspberries in the blender to make up 1/2 cup)
or use 1.5 cups powdered sugar with 1/2 cup raspberry jam.

In bowl of electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter, on low speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the frosting and pipe on the cupcakes. Top with a fresh raspberry.

Adapted from : http://www.tarteletteblog.com/2008/04/ispahan-cupcakes-and-cookbook-giveaway.html

Note: I did not use the above frosting, instead I use lychee flavoured butter cream and put raspberry puree in the middle.

My Pasta/Spaghetti Aglio Olio

My Pasta Aglio Olio.......

Cik Ngah heard several times about this recipe, sound so difficult but actually it mean something like pasta with garlic oil!!

Main ingredients are olive oil, garlic and chilli flakes! So the ingredients need to be of the best quality, especially the olive oil. The garlic need to be freshly chopped or minced.

Spaghetti or Pasta can be used with this recipe. Here is my version of Aglio Olio...

Ingredients;
Aglio Olio:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 to 8 large cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 tbsp chilli flakes (more if you like heat!!!)
1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley, a couple of handfuls
1 cube ikan bilis stock (I used non-msg)
Salt and pepper to taste
500g spaghetti/pasta, cooked to al dente
Tomato and Onion Salad, as an accompaniment
Spicy Shrimp, as an accompaniment (optional)

Directions

1. While the pasta cooks, combine the garlic, olive oil,  and chilli flakes in a large skillet and warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens and turns golden, about 8 minutes.
2. Stir in ikan bilis cube, salt and pepper to your taste.
3. Toss spaghetti in the pan with parsley and the garlic oil.
4. Top servings of garlic and oil spaghetti with spicy shrimp and serve with Tomato and Onion Salad.

Spicy Shrimp:
2 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
Coarse salt, about 1 teaspoon
2 tablespoons (a couple of generous drizzles) extra-virgin olive oil
Directions: 

1. Combine shrimp with next 6 ingredients and toss to coat shrimp evenly.
2. Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat, then add half of the shrimp. 
3. Cook shrimp 3 minutes until pink and just firm. 
4. Remove shrimp to a warm platter and repeat process with remaining shrimp.

Tomato and Onion Salad:
5 medium plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, gently seeded, and thinly sliced
1 small white skinned onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a couple of handfuls)
A generous drizzle extra-virgin olive oil, about 2 tablespoons
Coarse salt and black pepper
Directions:

1. Toss the tomatoes and onions with the chopped parsley, oil, salt, and pepper.
2. Let stand while you prepare dinner, about 20 minutes. 
3. Re-toss and serve salad with your pasta

Cook's Notes:

1. Prepare the shrimp while the pasta is cooking.
2. Prep your garlic and parsley for aglio olio and set them, as well as drained pasta and remaining ingredients all within arm's reach of your stove top.
3. If you wanna omit the spicy shrimp, add shrimp to your pasta! Toss in peeled shrimp (200g) before seasoning your garlic oil.