Sari Sari- Filipino Fish Soup

I know, you sound a bit freaked out right? Fish soup? Well in my family your mouth would water knowing that it is going to be cooked soon. I'm home from work today as I had to take Miss Lola to the vet to be desexed. As fish hating Mr. BB wont be home, I used this opportunity to cook up something good!

Sari Sari is any kind of Filipino Soup, it can contain prawns, squid, pork belly fish and seasonal stewed vegetables. I have added my favorites in there. Mum would chuck a nana knowing that I have added beans, but she doesn't have to know :D.

I have such love for this food that I had to share it. Even though my Sari Sari is ok, it would never be as good as my Mums version. Every time I would come home for the holidays Mum, would have a batch made and as soon as I would walk in, she would say "Halo Lub, I have made Pish Soup. Come, you sit, you eat. Pish is good por your skin, make you beautipul!". She is so cute! :D

Sari Sari- Filipino Fish Soup
From memories of Mums Kitchen

Ingredients

1 large fillet of white fish. (I have used barramundi. Basa is fine to use, but mum would usually use fish wings)
1 Large brown onion
6 Cloves of garlic, peeled and bruised
1 Large knob of ginger, peeled, sliced and bruised.
1/2 of 1 large Eggplant
1/2 Red Capsicum
1 Tomato
As Many Beans as you like
1 Bunch of Pak Choy
3 tbs Brown vinegar or as needed
3 tsp sugar
Salt and peppercorns to season- enough salt to make it quite salty.

Amounts of ingredients are usually forgiving. You and add extra or less of any ingredients to get the taste to your liking. I had to add extra vinegar and sugar today.

Method

Fry your ginger, garlic, onion until aromatic or slightly browned


add your fish fillets. Do not be tempted to stir as this will break up the fish. Seal fish.


I used this opportunity to also cut my vegetables into chunks.


Add Eggplant, capsicum and tomato. Add Boiling water to cover. Add Vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.


Simmer until vegetables are soft. Add other ingredients, Pak Choy, beans and anything else you would like to add e.g non traditional broccoli. Simmer until water has reduced to 1/3 of original size and all ingredients have stewed and are soft.


Taste for seasoning, add more vinegar or sugar if needed. Serve with rice.

Rocklea Cupcake Adventure.. Mission COMPLETE!

My stall

Well from the millions of posts updating my progress with the upcoming Rocklea Markets, 12 hours of baking and a hectic start after sleeping in, I have finally been to Rocklea Markets to sell my cupcakes!

My stall was a lot more successful than I thought it would be! Out of the 520 cupcakes I had made, I had sold just over 450.. leaving mostly the extra vanilla vanilla cupcakes for my housemates to devour.



Mr. Sanders (who is a diabetic) polishing off the left overs

I was aiming to make a few different types of cupcakes but it was touch and go. I was selling -

• Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes (with chocolate Ganache Frosting as I forgot my buttercream)
• Strawberry Oreo Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
• Martha's super light Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
• Martha's Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Banana cupcakes with Honey Cinnamon Frosting
• Elvis Cupcakes
• Devils Food Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting
• Devils Food Cupcakes with Dulce De Leche Frosting.

There were a few ups and downs from working so hard, but I'm definitely doing this again soon! As I was so busy, I forgot to take photos. But here is what I did take.

My first batch of Carrot Cake Cupcakes


Spontaneous Strawberry Oreo Cupcakes


Near the end.. 12 hrs of baking already and wanna go to sleep!!


Icing station, pretty messy.. every time I would ice one, I would sell it!

It it also great to finally meet an Empty Stomach s the Best Cook!

Not only did I make a killing, I also scored a few jobs for kids parties! Yay!

Thanks for Reading!

Spontaneous Rude Birthday Sponge- Not something to make for your mother-in-law :S

Yay! Not a cupcake related post!

Tomorrow is our house mate's 22nd Birthday and our other housemate Keen Bean was adamant that he was going to make a sponge. After lurking around the kitchen just waiting for him to ask for help, he didn't realize that the amount of batter he made would only make one layer.

I stepped in to make the second layer. I think that I proved that my top component of the cake was of better quality as it didn't fall, had a nice crust and was twice the size :P. Pretty good considering that I haven't made a sponge since my late dad taught me how when I was 9 years old.

I also had to help out with piping out the writing. I had to hide the swears on this cake as this is how to boys talk to each other.. and HAD to quote Trent from Punchbowl. I know.. crude right? But a tasty cake, none the less.

Layered Sponge Cake with Jam and Cream Filling, Strawberries and Cream Topping and left over Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

Soured from the back of Fielders Corn Flour Packet

Ingredients
3 Eggs Seperated
Pinch Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
1/2 Cup Castor Sugar
2/3 Cup Corn Flour
1 Rounded Tbs of Plain Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder

Method

• Preheat Oven to 190 C, beat egg whites to soft peaks then gradually add sugar, a little at a time, then continue beating until stiff peaks form.

• Add egg yolks and vanilla essence, beat until combined.

• Sift 3 times the corn flour, plain flour and baking powder, add to egg mixture. Folding gently to incorporate. Do not stir!..

• Divide in two and add to 2x greased and lined 20 cm sandwich pans (I used a 21cm springform pan and made 2 batches). Bake for 18-29 Minutes.

• Turn off and leave oven ajar for 5 minutes. Pull out and cool on racks in pan for 5 mins, remove from pan and cool completely before decorating.

• After cutting off the crust, Keen Bean smothered in chanterelle cream, strawberries and I wrote in some left over strawberry flavoured swiss meringue buttercream with additional red food colouring.

Comparison Mine still has the crust on it

Proud of my contribution

Layered Sponge Cake with Jam and Cream Filling, Strawberries and Cream Topping and writing in some left over Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting with some extra red food colouring added.

Happy Reading!

Vanilla Vanilla's - A winning Vanilla Cupcake recipe to be sold at Rocklea Markets.. All cupcaked out!

I feel as though I am all cupcaked out. For the past 2 weeks, all I have been doing is trialing recipes and I am really growing sick of making, tasting and even looking at cupcakes for the time being. So here is my last cupcake related post for the next week :p.

This is my winning Vanilla Cupcake Recipe. Billy Reece from Billy's Bakery in NY, as featured on Martha's website. I thought they would be perfect as they have a double dose of vanilla.

If you are coming to see me next weekend the 18th of April at the Rocklea Markets, these Vanilla Vanilla Cupcakes will be sold for only $1.50 EA.


Please don't forget to point out to me that you are one of my blog readers as I will offer mates rates :)

Ingredients

Makes about 30 cupcakes

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour, not self-rising
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until just coated with flour.

In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.

Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat process with remaining batter. Once cupcakes have cooled, use a small offset spatula to frost tops of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Serve at room temperature. I frosted this cupcake with some left over Swiss Meringue Buttercream, coloured purple of course.

Thanks for reading!



P.S Apologise about the crappy photo!

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream on top of Vanilla Bean Yellow Cake Cupcakes

For my upcoming cupcake event at the Rocklea Markets- April 18th.. Stall #235.. sorry to sound like a broken record.. I will also be showcasing my Vanilla cupcakes with Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting. I used the same yellow cake recipe as my last post. Here is my recipe!

Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

1/2 cup egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Pinch of salt

1. Combine the egg whites, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and place over simmering water.

2. Continuously beating with a whisk, heat until egg whites are hot and all the sugar is dissolved (60 degrees). If the sugar is not completely melted, your final product will be grainy, so make sure!

3. Remove from the heat and place on the mixer. Whisk on medium speed until meringue is stiff, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. The meringue will be white with a bright sheen, and very sticky!

4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and on medium speed add the butter a few cubes at a time. Please note, if the meringue is not completely cool, the butter will melt instead of combining evenly.

5. Continue beating until all the butter is incorporated. At one point it may appear as if the mixture has “broken”, looking watery and separated like curdled milk. Continue mixing…it will all come together, I promise!

6. Increase speed to high, and beat until smooth.

7. Add flavorings of your choice and tint with coloring paste, I just used some strawberry essence and pink food colouring. You can also use strawberry oil.

All wrapped up for morning tea!

Mini Vanilla Bean Yellow Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.. Lonely Cupcake Stall

Hello again my dear readers!

Hope you are all still nice and rested after your long weekend.. After heading back home to visit my Family and Friends, then to come home and have a brawl with the our housemates, I am utterly pooped! I may be near dead by the end of this month from all of this cupcake making and to top it off, I found out that I am now alone on this venture due clashing dates but it will be well worth it in the end!

Anyways I have been needing to test drive another recipe before I start selling my gazillion cupcakes at Rocklea Sunday Markets on the 18th April. So here are my Yellow Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting. These are a great one bowl recipe as you have to be careful not to overbeat the mixture.

Don't forget to stop by and meet me Rocklea Markets 18th April at stall #235!

I will offer great mates rates to my faithful readers and not to forget yummy free samples! :)

Yellow Cake Cupcakes


Ingredients


3 ½ cups cake flour
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 c (2 sticks) butter, unsalted, diced, at room temperature
1 c whole or low-fat milk (divided use)
4 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C

2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and ½ cup of the milk. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 4 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

3. In a separate bowl, blend the eggs, egg whites, the remaining ½ cup milk and the vanilla extract. Add to the batter in 3 additions, mixing for 2 minutes on medium speed after each addition. Scrape down the bowl between additions.

4. Place into pans line with patty pans and cook for 20-25 mins

5. Remove the from the oven and cool completely in their pans on wire racks.

Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Ingredients

1/2 cup egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Pinch of salt

1. Combine the egg whites, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and place over simmering water.

2. Continuously beating with a whisk, heat until egg whites are hot and all the sugar is dissolved (60 degrees). If the sugar is not completely melted, your final product will be grainy, so make sure!

3. Remove from the heat and place on the mixer. Whisk on medium speed until meringue is stiff, and the mixing bowl is cool to the touch. The meringue will be white with a bright sheen, and very sticky!

4. Switch to the paddle attachment, and on medium speed add the butter a few cubes at a time. Please note, if the meringue is not completely cool, the butter will melt instead of combining evenly.

5. Continue beating until all the butter is incorporated. At one point it may appear as if the mixture has “broken”, looking watery and separated like curdled milk. Continue mixing…it will all come together, I promise!

6. Increase speed to high, and beat until smooth.

7. Add flavorings of your choice and tint with coloring paste, I just used some vanilla bean paste here.

You should totally join my Facebook group www.brisbanebaker.blogspot.com !

Thanks for reading!

Happy Easter! - Dark Chocolate & Hokey Pokey, Strawberry Flavoured White Chocolate and Choc Mint Hearts

Happy Easter Dear Readers!
.. bit late I know :p

I bet you are sick to death of seeing cupcakes, well they have been on holiday with me for the last few days whilst I went back home.

On Wednesday it dawned on me.. Thursday night I was driving home to visit my family and still haven't made any Easter Goodies! I thought to myself.. "OH CRAP!".. I'd already promised my family that they would be receiving hand made goodies so I couldn't go back on that now.

I panicked.. At lunch I raced to Robins Kitchen at Mt Ommaney and they were completely sold out of Egg Moulds. I knew that I should have bought some 2 weeks ago! *Face Palm*. After work I was supposed to get home early because Mr. BB needed to use my car.. I was naughty and raced to Spotlight Indooroopilly, my heart sunk to see the ravaged shelves. There was nothing left!

I gave up and decided to just buy some store bought Easter presents. I went for 1 last look around for ribbons and other nick nacks only to find some heart shaped bath bomb moulds.. I was SAVED!

I was also making some ensaymada that night for my Mum so I knew that it was going to be a long night of goody making.

I started by making some hokey pokey. I'd always wanted to know how to make it until I was watching Nigella one day. Here is her recipe put to use.

Dark Chocolate Hokey Pokey Easter 'Eggs'

Makes 4

INGREDIENTS
200g Dark Cooking Chocolate

200g Castor Sugar

120g Golden Syrup/Treacle

3 Tsp of Bicarbonate of Soda

Method

Place the pan on the heat and let the mixture first melt, then turn to goo and then to a bubbling mass the colour of maple syrup – this will take 3 minutes or so

Off the heat, whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and watch the syrup turn into a whooshing cloud of aerated pale gold.

Turn this immediately onto a piece of reusable baking parchment or greased foil.

Leave until set and then bash at it, so that it splinters into many glinting pieces.

Once set, melt your chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.

Once melted use a paintbrush to coat the inside of your mould.

Stir in the hokey pokey with the remaining melted chocolate.

Spoon into molds and refrigerate for 20 minutes until set.

Strawberries and Cream 'Eggs'

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

200g White Cooking Chocolate
1 tsp Strawberry oil- Not Essence

METHOD

I was running out of time as I made these ones the morning before I left so I melted my chocolate in the microwave stopping and stirring at 10 second intervals until fully melted.
Stir in strawberry oil and pour into moulds.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set.



Dark Chocolate and Peppermint Easter 'Eggs'

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

200g White Cooking Chocolate
1 tsp Peppermint oil- Not Essence

METHOD

Melt in microwave stirring at 10 second intervals until melted. Stir in peppermint oil and pour into moulds.

Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set.


I bought some noodle boxes from spotlight 4 for $3.99 and stuffed them with crepe paper along with some goodies - eggs, chickies and my yummy chocolates.

How does this compare to overly priced, store bought eggs? I don't know about you but I love things from the heart.. :D

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