Nutella Cookies | Recipe

INGREDIENTS
113g unsalted butter,
1/2 cup Nutella,
1/2 cup brown sugar,
1 egg,
1 tsp vanilla extract,
1 cup all-purpose flour,
2 tbsp cocoa powder,
1/2 tsp baking soda

METHOD
1. Beat the butter, Nutella and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until well combined.
3. Stir/fold in the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda until briefly mixed. Then, beat for a few seconds to ensure everything is fully combined.
4. Scoop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet. Leave 2-3cm between each mound of cookie dough.
5. Bake for 10-13 minutes at 190C. Do not over bake otherwise the cookies will be hard, rather than chewy and soft.
6. Let the cookies cool slightly, and serve warm with a large glass of cold milk- enjoy!

2-INGREDIENT Ice Cream Sandwich | Recipe

Recipe yield: 1 cookie

INGREDIENTS
2 ripe bananas,
1 cup of rolled oats

METHOD
1. Chop one banana into thin slices using a knife. Place the slices on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and then freeze for 3-5 hours until frozen solid.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C.
3. Grind the oats in a food processor until a fine powder is formed. Add in the second banana and blend until a dough forms.
4. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
5. Divide the dough into two and roll/shape into two balls.
6. Flatten with a spatula into a thin disc with an even thickness throughout.
7. Bake the dough for 10-15 minutes or until dry throughout. Let the cookies cool fully.
8. Blend the frozen banana until creamy and smooth. A soft serve, ice-cream consistency should result.
9. Scoop the ice cream on top of the bottom of one cookie, then place another cookie on top to form an ice-cream sandwich. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies | Recipe

INGREDIENTS

110g of unsalted butter,

1/2 cup of dark brown sugar,

1/4 cup of white sugar,

1 egg,

2 tsp of pure vanilla extract,

1 cup and 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour,

1 tsp of baking soda,

1/2 cup of chocolate chips

METHOD

*Preheat the oven to 190C

1. Whisk together the butter and two types of sugars until light and fluffy. The remaining mixture should be slightly pale after 2-3 minutes.

2. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and incorporate briefly until just combined.

3. Fold in the flour and baking soda with a spatula until a dough forms. Do not overmix.

4. Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly dispersed into the dough.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

6. Scoop the cookie dough with an ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, and deposit on the baking sheet. Make sure to leave around 2-3cm between each one to allow for room to spread. Also, ensure to not overcrowd the baking sheets- I'd say have a maximum of 6 cookies on one baking sheet.

7. Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes, making sure not to over-bake as they will continue to cook when you take them out of the oven.

8. Cool on a cooling rack, and serve warm. Enjoy!

TIP: Ensure all ingredients are all at room temperature (especially the butter and egg) so that they incorporate well, otherwise the mixture may curdle and split.

Chocolate Swiss Roll | Recipe

 

Soft and spongy, this swiss roll cake is a must if you like chocolate! I just love swiss rolls- there's something so mesmerising about that characteristic, hypnotic swirl of a swiss roll leaving you wanting to eat more and more! This is so delicious, but also so easy. The trick to a smooth swiss roll with no cracks is to ensure you do not use too high of a temperature to bake this, and also don't over bake it; doing so would result in a dry cake that will be fragile. Give this recipe a go!

Chocolate Swiss Roll Recipe                                                                                                  Recipe by iSaamuel 
Yields one 12" cake roll
 
INGREDIENTS;
3 egg yolks,
 20g of sugar,
15ml of vegetable oil,
10ml of milk,
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract,
15g of cocoa powder,
20g of all purpose flour,

3 egg whites,
30g of sugar
 
Whipped Cream filling  
200ml of whipping cream,
15g of sugar
 
Tip: Like with all recipes, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature so that they combine well. (e.g the eggs won't separate with the butter and the batter won't split.)
 
METHOD;
1. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes homogenised.  
2. Whisk in the oil and milk briefly.
3. Add in the vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Mix until well combined.
4. Sift in the flour and whisk briefly until just mixed in; do not over-mix.  
5. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar until stiff and glossy peaks form. This will take around 2-5 minutes depending on your mixer.
6. Loosen up the egg yolk mixture by whisking in 1/4 of the egg whites until the whole mixture is one even color.
7. Fold in another 1/4 of the egg whites gently using stroke-like 'figure 8' motions. Repeat for the rest of the egg whites making sure to maintain the air whipped into them.
8. Pour the batter into a 12" x 12" pan lined with parchment paper. Drop this pan on the table 2-3 times from 25cm above to release all the air bubbles.
9. Bake at 200c for 10 minutes only. Do not over-bake; keep a close eye on the cake while it's baking!
10. Remove cake. Flip the pan on a new sheet of parchment paper (dusted generously with cocoa powder to ensure that it does not stick) and peel off the one attached to the bake cake carefully- making sure you do not rip the corners off. Let it cool.
Drop the cake pan 2-3 times again at this point to prevent/minimise shrinkage.
11. Whip cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Add vanilla extract if desired.
12. Spread an even, but thin layer of cream on top of the whole sheet cake. Don't add too much cream towards the edges or  it may ooze out and look messy. Also, doing so might create pressure when rolling the cake, causing it to crack.
13. Slowly roll the cake using the parchment paper to help. Fold about 1 inch of the at the start and roll while peeling the paper behind. While doing this, make sure you keep your roll cake nice and tight.
Roll the cake by lifting the parchment paper vertically and letting the cake roll and glide to its own accord.
14. Refrigerate the cake for 3-5 hours (preferably overnight) so that the cream can set and that the cake itself will have a chance to retain its rigid rolled shape.
15. To serve, use a serrated knife to trim off the edge pieces. To cut the slices cleanly, take a cup of warm water and a clean cloth/paper kitchen towel, and wipe after each consequent slice.

While rolling the cake, if you are struggling, you may find using a rolling at the back of the cake helps. This means that you can roll while gently tightening the cake for a tight roll.

Enjoy!

Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Icing | Recipe

This recipe makes the moistest and softest cupcakes ever! They are so buttery and fluffy and matches this buttercream icing very well. These are great for any celebrations or just to eat on their own. You have to try this recipe and you will never turn back to using those box cake mixes again!

Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe                                                                                                  Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
2 eggs,
120ml of milk,
100g of all purpose flour,
1 teaspoon of baking powder,
115g of unsalted butter,
100g of sugar

Vanilla Buttercream Icing
75g of unsalted butter,
165g of powdered sugar,
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Tip: Like with all recipes, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature so that they combine well. (e.g the eggs won't separate with the butter and the batter won't split.)

METHOD;
1. Whisk eggs and milk together until well homogenised. Set aside.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into another bowl. Whisk and set aside.
3. In a separate large bowl, add in the butter and sugar. Beat for 8-10 minutes until pale and fluffy. While doing so, start off on low speed and gradually increase to a high speed.
4. Add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients and mix briefly. While mixing, add in 1/2 of the wet ingredients. Let this mix until well combined.
5. Add in the second third of the dry ingredients, followed by the rest of the wet ingredients. Mix well before adding the rest of the dry ingredients and beating the mixture until completely smooth.

Tip: This is called the Alternating Creaming method and consists of alternating adding the dry and wet ingredients. (Starting off with adding the flour and ending with the flour.) By doing this, everything has an even chance of incorporating and the heavy ingredients (butter) gets introduced to the lighter ingredients (flour, milk)- think of it like lightening up a heavy mixture with egg whites or cream. The result gives a very fluffy and airy product.

6. Divide the mixture with an ice cream scoop between 6-8 cupcake cases. Each cupcake case should be filled about 3/4 way full, allowing room for the cupcakes to rise.
7. Bake at 180c for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of each cupcake comes out clean. They should appear nice and golden brown.

 8. Once baked, let these cupcakes cool completely before decorating.

Vanilla Buttercream
1. Beat butter and gradually add in the powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla once combined.
2. Whisk this mixture on high speed for 5-7 minutes until the mixture adopts a pale yellow colour and it appears smooth.


Assembly
1. Pipe out the icing onto each cupcake. I like to use a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M star tip/nozzle for a professional look.
2. Decorate with your favorite sprinkles or even chocolate chips.
Enjoy.

Pancakes | Recipe

Pancakes are one of my favourite breakfast foods ever- they're so easy to whip up and they're so delicious too. Growing up, I would wake up to a huge stack of pancakes that were drowned in maple syrup and so every time I make these, I immediately recall the happy moments of my childhood. Furthermore, these pancakes don't require a mixer to be made- just a whisk and a bowl! Since these pancakes are so foolproof, this has since become my go-to recipe for whenever I crave warm, fresh pancakes. Everybody needs a go-to recipe, and I guarantee you that this will soon become yours too! The thing I love about pancakes too is that they're so versatile- just like bread you can serve them sweet or savoury. For a savoury dish, serve with bacon and maple syrup, or for dessert, serve warm with a big scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream along with a heavy dose of chocolate syrup- yum!
 
Pancakes Recipe                                                                                              Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
135g of all purpose flour,
1 teaspoon of baking soda,
2 tablespoons of sugar,
140ml of milk,
1 egg,
2 tablespoons of melted, unsalted butter,

extra butter if your pan isn't non-stick

METHOD;
1. Into a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking soda. Whisk in the sugar.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and the melted butter.
3. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and whisk briefly until it's just combined. Make sure no lumps of flour remain.
4. Heat your skillet/pan on low heat. Add a tab of butter and spread it out evenly across the pan if it isn't non-stick.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop a dollop of the pancake batter on to the skillet. Using the back of the ice cream scoop/ladle, gently spread out the batter into a circular shape.
6. Cook the pancake for 30 seconds to 1 minute on the bottom, and only about 30 seconds for the other side.
The pancake is ready to flip when the top appears dry and bubbles are formed throughout its surface.
Tip: After you've flipped your pancake, make sure you do not press down/flatten it down with your pancakes in hopes of trying to cook faster- it won't. All it does is it flattens the pancake into a dense and chewy one. So with this in mind, be delicate with them!
7. Once your pancakes are done, stack them on top of each other and serve with a big tab of butter and lots of maple syrup. Garnish with fresh berries and bananas for a great, indulgent breakfast.

Feel free to incorporate chocolate chips into your pancake batter, or why not add fresh blueberries for a refreshing burst of flavour and texture!

Scones | Recipe

Buttery, flaky and light, these scones will definitely impress anyone who comes over for afternoon tea. Best served with clotted cream and jam and a cup of tea to experience the real British experience.
Make this for your next tea party!

Scones Recipe                                                                                                  Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
250g of all purpose flour,
1 tablespoon of baking powder,
50g of cold, cubed, salted butter,
50g of sugar,
1 egg,
100ml of milk,

1 beaten egg,
1 tablespoon of milk for the egg wash

METHOD;
1. Sift flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar until well combined.
2. Add in the butter and using your fingertips, rub until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in the centre and add in the egg and milk. Stir with a spatula until a soft dough forms.
4. Gather the dough together. Flour your work surface and pour it out onto it.
5. Roll the dough until it is an inch thick throughout. Using fluted cookie cutters, cut out the scones.
6. Place the scones on a lined baking sheet and brush on the egg wash for a golden brown finish.
7. Bake at 180c for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. The scones should be well risen and puffed up.
Let the scones cool before serving with clotted cream and jam. Meanwhile, you can make your cup of tea!

Feel free to replace the milk in this recipe with buttermilk to make buttermilk biscuits which you can then serve with homemade sausage and gravy for a Southern twist. Enjoy!

Coffee and Walnut Cream Cake (Father's Day) | Recipe

These delicious coffee scented sponge cakes paired with softly whipped cream is just so perfect. The toasted walnuts add a crunch which contrasts starkly against the soft and fluffy cake. Try this out to see what the hype is about. Treat your dad to this delicious cake in place of his morning cup of coffee on Father's Day for his hard work throughout the year and he'll be surely impressed!

Coffee and Walnut Cream Cake Recipe                                                                                                                                          Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
Cake

4 egg yolks,

130g of sugar,

2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract,

5 tablespoons of vegetable oil,

6 tablespoons of milk,

140g of cake flour,

2 tablespoons of instant coffee,

2 tablespoons of hot water,

4 egg whites

Cream

375ml of heavy whipping cream,

5 tablespoons of sugar,

toasted walnuts

METHOD;

Cake

1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale.

2. Add in the vanilla, oil, and milk and mix until well homogenised. Sift in the cake flour and stir gently until well combined- don't overmix.

3. Dilute the instant coffe with the hot water and add this mixture into the egg yolk mixture.

4. In another large bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

5. Fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture in different increments so that they get mix in thoroughly.

6. Pour this batter into two lined 7 inch cake tins. Bake at 180c for 17-20 minutes or until they become nicely golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool before decorating.

Cream

1. Whip cream with sugar until soft peaks form.

Use this to decorate the cake

Decorating

1, Spread 1/3 of the cream on top of the 1st layer of cake. Sprinkle on some toasted walnuts.

2. Place the other layer of cake on top.

3. Use the rest of the cream to cover the whole cake, while leaving some behind to pipe decorations according to the occasion you are make it for.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse Cake | Recipe

Who doesn't love chocolate? This cake takes it to another level- it has three forms of chocolate (chocolate cake, chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache all combined) and it's so easy to make! The soft and moist chocolate cake compliments the airy mousse well, along with the ganache that adds depth to this recipe. This cake is so delicious that I may or may not have eaten half of it already (oops!) Give this recipe a go and let me know how it turns out.

Chocolate Mousse Cake Recipe                                                                                   Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
Cake
3/4 cup of all purpose flour,
3/4 cup of sugar,
3/4 cup of cocoa powder,
1 teaspoon of baking soda,
1 teaspoon of baking powder,
1 cup of milk,
1/2 cup of vegetable oil,
1 egg,
1 cup of hot water

Chocolate mousse
100g of semi-sweet chocolate,
250ml of heavy whipping cream,
2 egg whites

Ganache
50g of dark chocolate,
150ml of heavy cream

METHOD;
Cake
1. In a large bowl, sift the flour cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Add in the sugar and whisk well.
2. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredient with a spatula and add in the egg, milk and oil.
3. Whisk together briefly. Add in the hot water and stir with a spatula until a thin batter is formed.
Tip: Adding the hot water thins out the batter creating a moist cake with a tender crumb.
4. Pour batter into two 7 inch cake pans lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake at 180c for 20-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool thoroughly before decorating.

Mousse
1. Chop the semi-sweet chocolate with a knife, into small pieces.
2. Heat the cream until it simmers on medium low flame. Do not boil.
3. Pour the cream on top of the chocolate and leave this for 5 minutes without stirring.
4. Stir with a whisk after 5 minutes until no lumps of chocolate remain, and you'll be left with a smooth ganache.
5. Transfer into a large bowl. Using a mixer, whisk until soft peaks are formed.
6. After, gently heat up the egg whites using a water bath while whisking constantly to ensure it doesn't cook.
7. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Fold this into the chocolate/cream mixture until no streaks of egg whites remain.

Ganache
1. Repeat steps 1-4 as above for the mousse.

Assembly
1. Place half of the mousse on top of the first layer of cake. Spread evenly.
2. Place the second cake on top and place the rest of the mousse on top of that,
3. Spread evenly, decorate with whipped cream and pour the ganache as desired.
Enjoy!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies | Recipe

These soft and chewy cookies will be a crowd pleaser at any party. The sweet, vanilla cookie compliments the buttery and crunchy macadamia nuts. Furthermore, these cookies aren't overly sweet unlike the ones found in many bakery shops. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Recipe                                                         Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
115g / 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (at room temp.),
1/4 cup of white sugar,
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar,
1 egg,
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract,
1 cup and 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour,
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda,
1/4 cup of macadamia nuts,
1 cup of white chocolate chips

METHOD;
1. Mix together the butter, white and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until the mixture becomes pale. (Takes about 3 minutes using a mixer).
3. In a small bowl, combine the baking soda in together with the flour. Pour this into the butter mixture.
4. Mix briefly either by hand or using a mixer on the lowest setting- do not overmix or you'll have dense, hard cookies.
5. Stir/fold in the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips using a wooden spoon or spatula.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop even amounts of cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet.
7. Bake at 180c for 10-15 minutes or until the cookies are just lightly brown, and the centres should still be soft.
8. Let cool and serve warm with a big glass of cold milk.
Enjoy!

Pineapple Buns (菠蘿包) | Recipe

One of the best things about visiting Hong Kong is getting to eat a fresh pineapple bun from a local bakery. These sweet treats are so addictive! The sweet, crispy topping along with the soft, fluffy bun is such a great pairing. To make these as authentic as I can, the top must be crackled just like the traditional ones. In order to achieve this, we must use baking ammonia in the topping- although this is such a minute amount, it gives it such a beautiful, authentic look and that crispy, crumbly crunch. I know that baking ammonia may not be readily available in your country, so here is

where you can buy it: http://amzn.to/1V0k8NY
As it is such an important ingredient, I therefore would not recommend you substituting or omitting it in this recipe if you want to make this as authentic as possible, so please use the above link if you cannot purchase it wherever you live. That said, enjoy this recipe!

Pineapple Buns (菠蘿包)                                                                                   Recipe by iSaamuel 
INGREDIENTS;
Sponge dough
250g of strong bread flour,
15g of sugar,
1/2 teaspoon of instant yeast,
70g of heavy cream,
18g of egg whites,
80g of milk,
10g of unsalted butter

Main dough
38g of sugar,
15g of milk powder,
25g of egg whites

Topping
30g of lard,
1/8 teaspoon of baking ammonia,
1/8 teaspoon of baking soda,
5g of milk powder,
50g of plain flour,
5g of evaporated milk,
50g of sugar,
5g of egg

METHOD;
Dough
1. Sift bread flour into a large bowl. Add in the sugar, yeast, cream, milk and unsalted butter. Using a dough hook attachment, mix all of the ingreduents together until a dough is formed,
2. Cover this dough with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
3. Once risen, tear the dough into small pieces. Add in the sugar, dried milk powder, and egg whites. Knead again for 10 minutes until the dough is elastic. You can do this by hand, but it'll take longer to knead and it might be a bit sticky and hard to work with, but it is definitely do-able!

Tip: The dough had finished kneading if it can stretch out very thinly, creating a transparent film.
4. Cover and let the dough rise again for 50 minutes or until doubled in size.
Meanwhile, we can make the topping that is place on top of the buns.

Topping
1. In a large, shallow bowl, add in the lard, baking ammonia, baking soda, milk powder, flour, evaporated milk, sugar and egg.
2. Using your fingertips, rub the lard and the other ingredients into moist crumbs. Gather crumbs to one side of the bowl and then push down to form a dough.
3. Keep folding and pushing down until everything is well combined, but do not knead,
4. Place the topping dough onto plastic wrap and wrap well. Set aside in the fridge.

Meanwhile, we can get back to the bread dough.

To test whether the dough has risen enough, place a floured finger into the dough and if it stays indented, it has.


Assembly
1. Divide the dough equally into 6 portions (or 8 if you want more). Shape each portion into a ball by pulling and stretching the dough. (Watch video).
2. Place the dough balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover and let them rise for a final 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, flour your work surface. Divide the topping into 6 equal pieces.
4. Flatten each topping piece into a circle that is as thin as possible (without breaking). If the dough becomes so thin that a hole forms, gently seal it back together.
5. Place topping on top of each risen bread dough.
6. Brush the buns with a beaten egg for that golden finish when they come out of the oven.
7. Bake at 180c for 15-20 minutes until the top is crackled and golden brown and that the bun is throughly cooked.
Eat straight out of the oven while the top is still crispy and the bun is still soft, Enjoy!

Classic Italian Tiramisu Cake | Recipe

Layers of softly whipped mascarpone cream sits delightfully on top of layers of coffee-scented lady fingers that softens into a sponge/ cake-like layer. This classic 'pick me up' dessert is surely going to impress even the fussiest dessert-eater!

Classic Italian Tiramisu Recipe                                                                            Recipe by iSaamuel
INGREDIENTS;
250g of Mascarpone Cheese,
200ml of Whipping Cream,
3 Egg Whites,
3 Egg Yolks,

1 Tablespoon of Sugar,
2 Tablespoons of Instant Coffee,
1/2 cup of hot, boiled Water,
A shot of Rum, Amaretto or Marsala liquer ;) (optional),

200g of Italian savoiardi Lady Fingers,
Cocoa Powder.

For the Coffee Syrup
1. In a shallow dish/plate, combine together the hot water, sugar and instant coffee.
2. Stir well until the both the sugar and the instant coffee are dissolved. Set aside and let to cool.

For the Mascarpone cream
1. Whisk together the softened mascarpone cheese and the whipping cream until soft peaks form.
2. Fill a pan 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
3. Place a heatproof bowl on top with the 3 egg whites in. Whisk constantly until warm to the touch. Remember the bowl should not be directly touching the hot water underneath.
4. Take the egg whites immediately away from the pan, and use an electric mixer to whisk until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold the egg whites into the mascarpone cream gently until well combined.
6. In the pan, place a bowl in the hot water and whisk/stir the egg yolks vigorously until, again, warm to the touch.
7. Pour the heated egg yolks and gently fold into the mascarpone cream and egg white mixture.

To assemble
1. Dip each lady finger in the coffee syrup for around 3 seconds, and then place in a springform cake pan or a baking dish, until you end up with one even layer.
 With each layer of lady fingers, layer them in the opposite direction as you did before in the previous layer.
 2. Place some of the mascarpone cream on top, and spread evenly for a thin layer. Dust this cream layer with cocoa powder.
3. Repeat this layering process until everything is used up/ you reach the top of your pan/dish.
4. Refrigerate this cake for at least 5 hours for the cream to set, before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

Homemade Buttery Croissants from Scratch | Recipe

I absolutely adore fresh croissants- there's nothing better than the crispy exterior against the soft yet chewy, hot, steaming interior on the first bite. Now I know there are many people out there who are intimidated with idea of making homemade puff pastry/croissant dough, but I can re-assure you now- they're really not at all that hard to make! The lovely nature of recipes like these is that you can double the recipe and keep half of the final dough in the freezer, so they are ready to be baked whenever you need to satisfy that irreplaceable 'fresh-croissant' craving reminiscent of the ones from Paris patisseries.
I've seen far more complicated recipes for croissants, so I have decided to create my own which is just as great, if not better. (Yes, I said it!) They key thing about these croissants is the use of high-quality, fresh ingredients that add to the utmost superior end result- so with that in mind, please don't use margarine in those tubs which are heavily diluted with about 70% of water for its spreadable consistency, because they just don't work! Enough talking, here comes the recipe:

Buttery Croissants Recipe                                                                               Recipe by iSaamuel 

INGREDIENTS;
2 Cups of Bread Flour,
2 Teaspoons of Fast-Action Dried Yeast,
1/2 Cup of Sugar,
1/2 Cup of Milk,
2 Tablespoons of Butter,
1 Teaspoon of Salt,

3/4 cup of cold, cubed, unsalted Butter.

1. In a large bowl, sift the bread flour and then add the dried yeast, sugar, milk, salt and the 2 tablespoons of butter.
Knead well until a rough dough forms.
2. Transfer the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for around 5-10 minutes, until a smooth and elastic dough is achieved. Try to avoid the incorporation of too much extra flour despite seeing the dough being sticky, or else you will end up with tough croissants- so don't panic- just slowly knead until the desired consistency is reached.
(Feel free to use a stand-mixer to do this if one is available.)
3.  Shape the ball and then flatten it into a rough disc on a plate, and cover it with plastic wrap to let it rise overnight in the fridge.
4. Get your 3/4 cup of cold, cubed butter and place it on a piece of parchment/baking paper to form a 7x7 inch slate of butter. Take another piece of parchment paper on top, and use a rolling pin to whack and to roll out the butter to get it even. Put this in the fridge overnight with the dough to harden.
5. The next day,  take the dough out from the fridge, peel off the plastic wrap and it should have doubled in size. Punch the dough to release the air.
6. Lightly flour a surface/table and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into an even 8x8 inch square.
7. Peel the cold butter taken from the fridge off the sheets of parchment paper, and place it in the centre of the dough.
8. Fold the dough over the butter to seal it. Roll the dough into an 8x23 inch piece of rectangular dough. Brush off excess flour with a pastry brush.
8. Fold the dough over itself into 3 layers (watch the video) and place in the fridge for 30 minutes for the butter to harden.
9. After 30 minutes, take it out from the fridge and roll the dough out into another 8x23 inch piece of dough. Fold the dough over itself again (working quickly so the butter doesn't melt) and place this into the fridge again.
Repeat this 'rolling-folding-resting' process for a total of 8 times/ more for even more layers.
10. After doing this for a total of 8 times, let the dough rise in the fridge overnight.
11. The next morning, cut the dough in half with a sharp knife. With one half of the dough, roll it out into a final 8x23 inch dough. With the vertical dough, divide it into 3 horizontal parts. Cut each piece diagonally in half.
 

Cutting the dough for it to be rolled into croissants

12. You should be left with 6 isosceles triangles, to which you'll then roll them tightly from the wide end to the point to form croissants. Repeat this for the rest of the dough.
13. Leave the croissants to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, covered with a plastic wrap.
After 1 hour, mix 1 egg with 2 tablespoons of water to make a egg-wash, and brush this onto
each croissant with a pastry brush, unless you would want to freeze half of the batch for future use.
14. Bake at 200c for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and well risen. That's it! Serve these warm for breakfast with ham and cheese or as a dessert with powdered sugar and fruits. Enjoy!

I know what you're thinking- that this seems like a long hefty recipe, but it's actually really simple- perhaps the hardest part is waiting for the dough to rise and rest, but that's it. It'll be so worth it, so do give this a try to impress your family and friends- enjoy!

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies | Recipe

These rich, chocolatey and fudgy brownies are perfect for your loved ones on Valentine's Day! These are so decadent and will get everyone talking about how you made these so easily, with a professional result- come and try these delicious treats!

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies Recipe                                                                          Recipe by iSaamuel

 INGREDIENTS;
- 1 cup of Semisweet Chocolate or 1/2 Cup Milk and Dark,
- 2 tablespoons of Unsalted Butter,
- 1/4 cup of Sugar,
- 1 tablespoon of Cocoa Powder,
- 2 tablespoons of Flour,
- 2 Eggs

1. Whip eggs and sugar until pale, but not thick, but instead roughly doubled in size.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter, and whisk into the egg mixture.
3. Stir flour and cocoa powder until roughly combined- do not over-mix.
4. Pour into a lined rectangular baking brownie pan- sprinkle on Walnuts (optional) before baking.
5. Bake at 180C for 10-15 minutes until the edges are set but the center should be slightly 'gooey. '
6. Let the brownies cool, dust and garnish with powdered sugar!

Serve with your favorite ice cream and chocolate sauce for your loved one this Valentine's Day!

French Chocolate Macarons | Recipe

Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside- this is a perfect sweet cookie that you can re-create at home, impressing friends and family with them having thought these just came out of a famous French patisserie!
For me, the perfect macaron must have a light, thin 'egg-shell'-like texture, and the inside of the macaron shell should soft and ever so slightly chewy. Since macarons need to be precise and accurate in order to achieve the right texture, and for the 'feet' to appear, it is vital to measure the ingredients using a digital food scale rather than relying on cups for measurement to achieve the best results everytime. Enough with the talking, here is the recipe:

French Chocolate Macarons Recipe                                                                        Recipe by iSaamuel

 INGREDIENTS;
- 40g of Egg Whites,
- 16g of Caster Sugar,

- 75g of Powdered Sugar,
- 10g of Cocoa Powder, (replace with more Powdered Sugar if wanting plain macarons)
- 50g of Almond Flour,

Ganache filling;
- 60g of Dark Chocolate, melted, (use Milk if you like),
- 3 Tablespoons of Heavy Cream.

1. Whisk egg whites and caster sugar until stiff peaks are formed.
2. Sift in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and almond flour on top of the stiff egg whites.
3. Cut and fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites with a spatula (this process is called 'Macaronage'). Do not over-mix or under-mix.

Over-mixing will result in flat macarons, while under-mixing creates 'cracked' macarons.
Mix until the batter is a 'lava-like' drooping consistency. The batter is ready when it spreads out gradually after being poured.

4. Pour the complete batter in a piping bag and cut the corner.
5. Pipe macaron batter into even circles on a lined baking sheet. Drop the baking sheet 3 times to release any air bubbles.
6. Let the macarons rest and air-dry for 30 minutes to an hour, or until dry to touch.
7. Once dried, bake at 160C for 15-18 minutes. During the process you should see 'feet' forming under the cookies. The macarons are done when the peel  off the baking sheet easily.

For the Chocolate Ganache filling;
1. Melt dark chocolate with cream in the microwave or over a 'bain-marie' (double boiler- a pan of simmering water under a bowl). Mix well to combine and you're done!

Fill or pipe this filling in between 2 cookies and decorate with Cocoa Powder or edible glitter/luster dust! Enjoy.

Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Recipe

A soft, creamy cheesecake on top of crunchy, buttery Oreo and Digestive cookies, swirled with a decadent blueberry sauce.

Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Recipe                                                                     Recipe by iSaamuel

INGREDIENTS;
100g of Oreo Cookies,
100g of Digestive Cookies,
4 Tablespoons of Butter- 2 for each cookie, melted
 
400g of Cream Cheese,
3 Egg Whites,
1/2 Cup of Sugar,
1 Tsp of Pure Vanilla Extract,
The seeds of 1 Vanilla Bean/ Pod,
2 Tbsps of Heavy Whipping Cream

1/2 Cup of Blueberries,
2 Tbsps of Sugar.

For the Blueberry Sauce
1. Blend together the fresh or frozen blueberries along with the sugar until a smooth sauce is formed. You're done!

For the Cheesecake crust
1. Crush Oreo cookies and Digestive biscuits with a rolling pin in two separate sealable food bags. Place the crumbs into two separate bowls and mix 2 tablespoons of Butter into each bowl until the mixture resembles wet sand.
2. Place the Oreo crumbs in a lined cake pan and divide into half, leaving space for the Digestive biscuits.
3. Place the Digestive crumbs into the other half of the cake pan.
4. Press firmly with the back of a spoon. Set this aside.

For the Cheesecake batter
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the Cream Cheese and Sugar until well combined, and fluffy.
2. Add vanilla extract and the seeds of 1 vanilla bean/pod. Whisk well.
3. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are combined. Fold in the heavy whipping cream. Pour the batter on top of the cookie crust.
4. Place tablespoons of the Blueberry Sauce on the batter and swirl with a knife to create a pattern.
5. Bake at 190C until the edge of the cake is the set but the centre should still be slightly wobbly, to ensure the cheesecake isn't overbaked and won't crack.

Eat with family and friends and decorate with Greek yogurt and fresh blueberries. Enjoy!