UPSIDE-DOWN APPLE CAKE - FRENCH STYLE

Hubby loves apple turnovers, and suddenly he had this craving for an apple dessert. He asked me how to make an upside-down cake and which recipe is good. Knowing his dislike for dense cakes, we decided that French style might be the one he was looking for. And for the first time in his life, my husband attempted to bake his maiden cake! Yeah! I got to eat without doing much. I obediently retreated to the bedroom in case I nagged at him. Oh he did a wonderful job! Impressive!

my hubby's first masterpiece

(By the way, my adorable hubby cooks better than me. He is a kitchen natural ♥  When we first got married, he was the one cooking our meals when my mother-in-law was not at home; but now life is a bit different.)

This cake has a very soft sponge that is really delicious. First cook the apples (any kind but we chose Royal Gala), cool the fruit while cake batter is being prepared. Authentic French does not add cinnamon and cranberries, but this is really our personal preference. You can omit cinnamon, cranberries and liquor if you like (or not like for the matter). I feel that this cake is best done using a hand whisk, not with an electric mixer. Not sure if it is because of my mixer, but using the electrical appliance somehow does not turn out as smooth.

UPSIDEDOWN APPLE CAKE - FRENCH STYLE

Ingredients

4 Royal Gala apples, or any type of apples

90g unsalted butter

100g fine sugar

1 tsp rum (optional)

2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)

2 tbsp dried cranberries (optional)

150g unsalted butter, softened

150g superfine sugar

3 large eggs

22ml or 1.5 tbsp milk 

150g low-protein flour

7g baking powder

pinch of salt

Method

1. Peel, core apples and cut into wedges.

2. Over low heat, stir in butter and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Let syrup bubble for a few minutes. Stir in rum.

3. Gently stir in apples, cinnamon powder and cranberries. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples become tender (when a toothpick pokes into a wedge easily). Set aside to cool.

4. Grease a 7 inch round pan, preheat oven at 210C (my oven was 190C)

5. Using a hand whisk, cream butter and add sugar gradually until butter turns pale in colour. (good arm exercise!)

6. Beat eggs lightly in a bowl. Very gradually add eggs into butter mixture and continue to whisk till the batter is emulsified (no separation)

add little egg at a time

7. Add in milk and mix well again.

8. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Sift directly into the batter. Use a spatula to gently fold until smooth.

9. Arrange cooled apples onto the base of pan in a single layer. Pour in all syrup evenly.

oops, that's my feet! LOL

 10. Pour or pipe batter on top of apples, level batter top and bake at 210C for 15-20min. Lower temperature to 180C for the next 20-30 min or until skewer comes out clean when poked in centre. (My oven was 190C then reduced to 170C). You can tell it is ready when the cake pulls its side away from the pan.

11. Remove pan from oven, let cake cool in pan for 10 min before inverting onto a dish to cool completely.

12. You can dust the top with cinnamon powder and icing sugar (Not French but I like it this way ><!).

This is a MUST TRY cake! The cake texture is velvety... yum....

LIGHT CHEESECAKE

Some call it Japanese light cheesecake, some call it souffle cheesecake. As Little Mouse, cheese is definitely my fave! I crave for this cake on and off usually, and will try to stock up cream cheese when there are discounts going on.

Method of baking is similar to chiffon cake, both call for GENTLE folding in of a yellow and white batter. The difference is light cheesecake needs to be baked bain-marie (or water-bath method) to obtain its soft, cottony, cloud like texture. There are many recipes for this cake available, but I like to use mine that does not use baking powder or cream of tartar. I like my light cheesecake a little moist on the inside and I also tend to put less flour. However less flour also means higher level of difficulty in removing the cake from its pan, which I sometimes break into two or more pieces (but nobody in my clan cares when it tastes so good!) In the event of giving away as a gift or for taking pictures for posting, I add more flour to steady the cake.

I do not use springform pans when I make this cake. I know I can use aluminum foil to cover the base, but I just do not like to attempt it. In my own opinion it is a risk not worth taking to have water seeped into the batter, causing a metallic taste and wet base. I prefer to use the normal round deep bake pan to reduce further kitchen disasters.

In the past, I would bake this cake at 150C for 45-55min straight. Later I learnt a better way from Dr. Leslie Tay of ieatishootipost blog. Here goes!

TIPS to prevent cracks on cake: 

1. It is better not to use fan mode during baking, but my oven can only bake in fan-forced mode. So if your oven is like mine, keep a close watch during the first stage. If crack starts to appear, quickly lower the temperature to 160C and continue the rest of 30-min bake time.

2.  Do not over whip the egg whites and egg yolks. Use fresh eggies only!

LIGHT CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

(A)

250g cream cheese, cut into pieces

60g salted butter

100ml full cream milk

(B)

5 egg yolks

35g low-protein flour (can increase to 50g for firmer cake)

20g corn flour

1 tsp vanilla extract (or lemon juice), optional

(C)

5 egg whites

110g fine sugar

 Method

1. Grease a 8 inch round, deep pan and place baking paper at base. Get ready another pan that is not too big for the round baking pan to sit in comfortably. Preheat oven at 200C. (My oven is about 180-190C)

2.  Over simmering pot of water, melt cream cheese and butter in a bowl. Do not worry if it is still lumpy. Set aside for a few minutes. While still slightly warm, pour in milk and stir with hand whisk till melted cheese becomes smooth. 

(Note: Keep that pot of water hot after this. You might want to top up more water as it is needed during baking.)

lumpy? no fret...

ta-da! smooth mix

3. In a big, dry (not even a bit of water!), clean (no trace of grease!) mixing bowl, beat the whites at medium-low speed. When it starts to foam, add sugar by tablespoons, ensuring to add after well mixed. (I know many recipes call for adding sugar in three batches, but I find that this method works very well. I always obtain a nice, glossy whip) Continue whipping till the whites are peaked with a small curve at the beaters. This is also called meringue.

smooth, fine, glossy meringue

4. In another mixing bowl, beat egg yolks at medium speed till thick and creamy but not ribbon stage. (Ribbon stage means you can see a trail of yolks that does not immediately vanish when you draw a number 8 with the beater.) At this point, you can remove your electric mixer.

5. Pour in cooled, melted cheese mixture and extract or juice if you are using. Mix well with a whisk.

6. Sift flours into yolk mixture. Gently stir to combine with a whisk.

7.Scoop 1/3 of meringue into yellow batter. Fold in gently.

8 Pour batter from step 7 into the remaining meringue. Fold in gently till well combined. Batter must still be soft and fluffy.

hand whisk helps to fold nicely. just be gentle =)

9. Pour batter into prepared 8 inch round pan. Give a few tap to remove air bubbles.

used some batter, mixed with cocoa powder+hot water for drawing
while preparing and drawing, air bubbles crept up. just tap pan again

10. Place the round pan into your extra pan. Now pour hot (not boiling) water from earlier on into the holding pan till it covers about 1/3 of the baking pan.

11. Carefully (do not spill the hot water!) place pans into oven and bake at 200C for 15-20min. Then lower to 160C for the next 10-min. In all you should take 30 minutes to bake. Turn off the oven. Let the cake stay inside for 30 min. Then keep door of oven slightly ajar for the next 20min. Remove from oven.

somehow, this batch does not have an even brown on the surface

12. Immediately turn out the cake (careful!), remove the baking paper at the bottom and cool completely on a rack.

Note: For step 11, I did not leave the cake in oven ajar for last 20min. I remove the cake and drop the baking pan a foot above the floor to 'shock' the cake and immediately turn out cake. This should reduce cake shrinkage too.

HOMEMADE HERBED FOCACCIA

Focaccia is the most welcomed bread in my family. I love to use herbs, especially thyme and oregano. I can never leave the bread on the table and expect it to be there the next day. In fact, once it's cooled from the oven, we attack it with olive oil mixed with garlic and salt, regardless the time of the day!

my favourite herbs!

You can use a stand mixer with dough hook or bread maker machine to help mix the dough. But as for me, I prefer to hand knead it. (Good exercise!)

HERBED FOCACCIA

Ingredients

380g bread flour

1.5 tsp salt

1 cup water, approx

2 tsp instant yeast

5 tbs dried herbs

3 tbsp olive oil

More salt, olive oil and herbs for topping

Some extra bread flour for dusting

Method

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, add just enough water to combine.

2. Pour out dough on counter top and knead. Add olive oil and continue kneading.

3. Dough is ready when it becomes elastic. Test its readiness by lightly poke a hole on dough surface, it should bounce back. I am satisfied when it also passes the window-pane test.

4. Lightly grease bowl and dough. Let it proof until doubled in size.

cover dough and place a cup of hot water next to it in switched off oven, proof for about 40min

Proofing is completed when dough is doubled in size. With a floured finger poke a hole check that it does not bounce back

 5. Punch out air and roll into a log. Cut into halves. Let them rest for about 10 min.

6. Flatten the dough and place on baking sheet. Using your index finger, make some indention and give the top of dough a good amount of olive oil, salt and herbs. Let it rest till almost doubled in size. (I did so by placing dough in oven for about 30 min)

7. Preheat oven to 230C and bake for about 20 min.

8. Drizzle some olive oil on top of bread and allow to cool completely before attacking the bread.

Sorry, I did not have the time to take photo of its interior. Too busy assaulting bread with 3 boys!

GARLIC OLIVE OIL DIP

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

2 tsp salt

Blend above till well combined.