A recap of 2012: My view of the most important event of the year

Am convinced that i was in coma during 2012. Never in my life have i ever been more disconnected from what's going on in this world. Therefore, I have created this list of the top 10 things that i remember about 2012.

1. The Artist, is silent French black and white movie that won 5 academy awards. It is the first silent movie to win an academy award since 1929! Am still baffled by how this happened.
   
2. Britannica discontinued its print edition on March 13, 2012. After 244 years of being in the business! I blame Wikipedia.

Best selling books for 2012 (Amazon list) + What i'll be reading for January 2013

No mouth watering photos for this post. Sorry.

There is a little something many of you may not know about me. Am a bookworm. I think i've been one since a very long time. If you are also a bookworm like me, than you'll appreciate this list of the  20 bestseller book for 2012 according to Amazon.

Why  am publishing this list? Because i find it much more fun to make a list of books i want to read rather than just wondering in the world of books searching of whats worth reading. Translation: am a planner and i like to plan all things in advance. 

Usually am buying the books as ebook formats. I find it easier to read this way as the books will always be with me wherever I go. More time to read. My inner bookworm is very happy with this arrangement.

Wordless Wednesday: Caramel

Nutella Molten Lava Cake | نوتيلا مولتن لافا كيك

This is just another typical example of why I shouldn't be allowed in the kitchen.  I made these beauties a few days back they took me 20 minutes to make, 15 minutes to bake, and 5 minutes to eat. They were gone before i could blink. Luckily i managed to rescue one them and save it for a photo shoot.. If you are drooling already, please feel free to skip immediately to the recipe.

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE: Celebrating Wataniya telecom's birthday

I made this cake when Wataniya telecom announced a bake-a-cake competition. Don't be intimated. this cake is easier than it looks.

The Oreo crust was simple to make. Just some butter and cookies blitzed in the food processor. Needless to say I munched on a few cookies in the process, am sure the calorie fairies will forgive me, after all, who can resist caramel Oreos? I would also like to confess of having a few spoonfuls of the buttery Oreo crust. It was just too good to missed.

Wordless Wednesday - Handpicked Figs

Wordless Wednesday - Dinner

Divin moelleux au citron (French Lemon Cake)

How to describe a lemon?

Bitter, tangy and yet sweet. Yellow, round, and grow on trees.  Juicy, sour and so moist. Its one of the few fruits that can be used for making juices, marinades, garnishes, and cakessss. Need I go more? Its loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants, and lots of other good stuff. But the best thing about it? Its smell. There is a reason to why all the cleaning detergents have two smells: original or lemon. Its because nothing is fresher than a lemon. Absolutely nothing.

Today, I want to share a little obsession.

The first time I had moelleux au citron was Paul’s Café & Bakery in the Avenues. Needless to say, I fell in love. I couldn’t get enough of it. When I came home, it was I could think of. I knew I wanted to make something to resemble it. Who am I to try to copycat Paul’s cakes? But I wanted to try. After several (and I mean SEVERAL) recipes and failure I was devastated. I couldn’t find a recipe to taste so soft and cloudy. I became obsessed. I tried every lemon cake recipe I could find, but I was never satisfied. Every time I baked a cake, I went back to Paul and ordered moelleux au citron, my heart was weeping. I had fantasies of stalking the chef and stealing the recipe… I became obsessed.  I was so close to losing hope until I found this recipes. In English, it means divine lemon cake. I gave it a try, and indeed it was divine. True to its name.  My search was over. My obsessions was cured. I can now go back to living my life happily baking a lemon cake when I craved one, not fantasizing about stalking other chefs for recipes. Am still going there every time I crave moelleux au citron, but Paul I know your secret. This recipe is as close enough as I can get to your cake. For now.. Am still searching for more lemon-y recipes, but am cured.
 

The most important thing to remember when making this cake is to use cake flower as specified & to whip the egg whites until they are shiny and glossy.

This recipe calls for cake flour which i can’t find anywhere i Kuwait, but fear not, I’ve got a great DIY cake flour.

For every 130 g of cake flour (1 cup): 

• 105 grams (3/4 cup) all purpose flour plus 30 grams (2 tablespoons) cornstarch.
• Sift the flour and cornstarch four times before using in the recipe to incorporate air into the flour and voila, you got a cake flour ready to be used.

Whipping egg whites:

• Use the freshest eggs you can find.
• Its best to separate the eggs when they are cold.
• Separate the egg whites from the yolks and ensure no egg yolks get into the whites.
• Use an egg separator or separate the eggs in three bowls. One for the yolks, one for the whites, and one to use while separating the ehh whites. Sometimes the egg yolks break into the white, so to be on the safe side, use the third bowl to separate the whites, and when done, transfer the egg white to the remaining egg white mixture.
• Bring the egg whites to room temperature before whisking.
• Add a pinch of salt to the eggs.
• Start whipping the egg whites with a pinch of salt at a medium low speed, once the egg whites are foamy increase the speed to high while watching the egg whites closely. They should become shiny and glossy.

Divin moelleux au citron (Lemon Cake) 

Adapted from here 

Needed: 

4 eggs, separated 

130 g icing sugar (2/3 cup)  + 10 g (2 ½ teaspoons) 

Zest and juice of two lemons 

80 g (1/3 cup) butter, melted  

120g cake flour (1 cup) (100 g all purpose flour + 27 g cornstarch) 

11 g (2 ½ teaspoons) baking powder 

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C /350 °F /Gas mark 4. Butter and flour a 8" cake pan (I used 9"). Set aside.
2. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and sugar lemon zest and juice until creamy and well incorporated. Gradually add the butter, flour and baking powder.
3. Transfer the mixture to another bowl. Wash the bowl & whisk attachment and dry completely. (If your bowl or mixture is not completely dry, the egg whites will not rise, the cake will not be as light as it should be)
4. Add the egg whites to the mixer’s bowl with a pinch of salt. When the egg whites are foamy, add 10 g of sugar. Continue to beat until the egg whites are shiny and glossy.
5. Fold the egg whites into the cake gradually. Use a flexible silicone or metal spoon. Fold the egg white in three stages,  1/3 at a time. Fold  until just incorporated. Make sure not to “break” the egg whites.
6. Transfer the cake batter into the cake pan.
7. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
8. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cooled, invert into serving place, dust with icing sugar or melted white chocolate.

Do you have an obsession over a certain recipe? Share your stories...
C.U.

Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Since this is the first cheesecake recipe in this blog, i want to get one thing straight. I am completely obsessed with cheesecake. You will be seeing a lot of cheesecakes being baked in my oven. 

Without further ado, i would like to introduce you to a new type of cheesecake. A rich, silk & velevelty kind. If you've never tried a ricotta cheesecake before, i suggest you get your kitchen apron now and start making this recipe immediately (after you've gathered all your supplies of course). 

Before your have your first bite, please forget everything you know about cheesecake. Forget any presumptions in the back of your mind about what a cheesecake should taste like. Enjoy this fresh cheesecake and if you're feeling generous, you may share a bite or two with your loved ones. But i won't blame you if you didn't.

Its very important to do the following to prevent the cheesecake from cracking:

• All ingredients should be at room temperature
•  leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven before placing in the wire rack
• once you remove from the oven, don't place in the fridge until its cold completely
  

Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

Adapted from  Joy of Baking

Needed:

For the base:

100 grams (1 cup) Oreo cookies, crushed
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
57 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

750 g (2 1/2 cups) fresh whole milk ricotta,
200 g cream cheese, room temperature,
200 grams (1 cup) granulated white sugar,
1 tablespoons cornstarch (corn flour),
4 large eggs, room temperature,
Zest of 1 lemon,
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice,

Raspberry Sauce: 

300 grams (3 cups) frozen unsweetened raspberries,
50 grams (1/4 cup) granulated white sugar,
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch,
Zest of a lemon (optional),

Steps:
Preheat oven to  180°C /350 °F / Fan 160°C  /Gas mark 4.
Butter  a 9 inch (23 cm) spring form pan.
Wrap the outside of the pan with two layers aluminum foil.

For Crust: 

1. In a medium sized bowl or the food processor combine the Oreo biscuits, sugar, and melted butter.
2. Press the crumbs over the bottom of the pan using your fingertips or the back of a spoon.
3. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For Filling: 

1. In the bowl of your food processor or electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps,
2. Add the ricotta and sugar and beat until smooth,
3. Beat in the cornstarch,
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating about 30 seconds after each addition,
   
   
   
5. Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until incorporated,
6. Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling,
   
7. Place the pan in a large roasting pan,
8. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of your spring form pan,
9. Bake for about 60 min to 75 minutes, or until the top of the cheesecake is brown and the center of the cake is wobbly, remove the pan from the water bath, and leave the pan to cool in the oven with the oven door slightly opened
   
10.  Once cool, place the cheesecake on a wire rack,
11. Cover and refrigerate for 6 - 8 hours until the cheesecake is cold,
12. Serve with a spoonful of Raspberry Sauce on top.

IF you follow the method above for baking, your cheesecake will not crack

Raspberry Sauce:  

1. Combine all the ingredients in a sauce over medium fire, stir often, until the sauce is boiling,
2. Remove from heat and let cool before serving on the cheesecake.
3. Enjoy.

Do you like Ricotta cheese? Even if you don't, try this recipe. You love it!