Ferrero Rocher cake

There's nothing like cake to bring out the kid in all of us. Especially, when it's a special cake, specially made for a special occasion for a special person, or people.  This post is all about this cake, and I want to specifically talk about the girls.  My tweens.... to be more precise, my triplets.

My girls turned 12 this year. When I say girls, I mean my triplets. Yes. If you're new around here, you will find out that I'm a parent of multiples.  Triplet girls! Imagine all the shrieking and the mood swings coming our way. Anyways. Indulge me and let me be a broken record.... where has the time gone?

I used to stare at them when they were sleeping, as babies and then as toddlers.  Thinking, ..."where did you girls come from?  How in the world was I able to bring 3 babies into this world?"  It's a miracle, I say. A blessing.  Like any child, brought into this world - children are a blessing.

So what is like raising multiples?  It's hard work I tell ya..... and triple the fun.  Imagine having to say something three times, because someone was not listening the first time. Or, having to hear some exciting news from school three times with the same intensity and eye-rolling as the first two recap.  How about having to bear three bouts of bawling and sadness and more crying after our pet duck passed on.  Triple the shrieks - high pitched-intense-highest-decibels-in-the-planet at the height of the 1D phenomenon.  As the girls grew up, showing their unique personalities and preferences, it became a nightmare for Christmas and birthday shopping.  Gone were the days of 3 bicycles, 3 colouring books, 3 skateboards, 3 scooters, 3 this, 3 that..... they became individuals just like that.  In a snap. 

How do we cope?  Parenting 4 kids?!   Being a parent is a 24-hour roller-coaster of emotions.  And our style no matter how lenient or tough we are, all contours to the dynamics of the family.  Why, if I would listen and believe everything I hear and read about, I'll go out of my mind.  Experts say screen time should be limited to this, don't feed your kids that.... There's a lot of hoopla out there geared towards making us all feel insecure.   As parents.  I don't care what they say.  My kids have TV time and use their Ipods everyday with limitations.  But we don't push them.  To have this much hours of homework time, or reading time, or project time.  In our home, there's  no structure.  But there is discipline.  School term is focused on school work.  "Of course, you can have Ipod time as long as you have done your homework for the day." And I don't even have to say this. The girls know. Their limits and they know when mum has had it up to here (gesturing up to the top of one's head). 

The fighting used to be pulling each others hair and pinching and biting.  Then it moved onto to throwing things at each other, then dobbing, tattle telling, then hiding the other persons stuff.  When the girls are bickering at each other, I just say..." Sofia is saying that because that's how she shows love for you"... and then they all start laughing.  

And now for this cake.  This cake has got the grooves.  Nutella and dark chocolate ganache for frosting, hazelnut chocolate wafers in between hazelnut cake, whole Ferrero Rochers for garnish.  Surprisingly, its not too sweet. It's perfect for that special occasion, or person.  Or just make any day of the week and make that day special!

To make this cake, ingredients are:

7 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup caster sugar

2 cups hazelnut meal (or finely ground hazelnut)

3 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoon cocoa powder

3 teaspoon baking powder

10-12 pieces crushed wafers

To make the frosting, ingredients are:

300 grams salted butter, softened to room temperature

250 grams 70% minimum dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 cup Nutella spread

For garnish 

 a few Ferrero Rocher chocolates

 1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

How to make the cake, frosting and decorate the cake

Preheat oven to 180*C.  Line two 20cm round cake pans - spray with a non stick spray and line with baking paper.

Sift the cocoa, flour and baking powder in a medium sized bowl.  Stir in the hazelnut meal.

Using a stand mixer or hand held beater, whip the eggs until frothy.  

Slowly add the sugar and beat until pale yellow and the batter has tripled in volume.

Fold the dry ingredients into beaten eggs in 3 additions.

Divide batter into the prepared pans, and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a test skewer comes out clean. Check the cake every 10 minutes to be sure.

While cake is baking, make the frosting.

Using a pot with simmering water, place the butter, chocolate and Nutella in a heat proof bowl and set over simmering water.  Stir until the butter, chocolate and Nutella are melted and incorporated together.   Set aside to cool.

Once the cake is baked, place on a cooling rack and cool for 15-20 minutes.

Using a serrate knife, divide the 2 cakes into 2.  You will have 4 round cake slabs.  Be careful when slicing as this is a very delicate cake.

To assemble the cake.  Get ready to get your hands dirty with chocolate!

Reserve 3/4 cup of the frosting for decorating.

Place a small dab of frosting onto a serving platter/cake tray.  This is to make sure your cake does not move around while assembling.

Place one layer of cake on top and press slightly with your hands.

Spread about 1 tablespoon or more of the frosting onto the cake.

Layer with the crushed wafers.

Repeat with the other layers of the cake.

Spread some of the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

Press the coarsely chopped hazelnuts onto the sides of the cake.

Decorate the top of the cake using a small spatula by swirling it back to front

Pipe some stars on the cake and top with Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

Keep in the fridge to chill before serving.

If making a day ahead, make sure to take out of the fridge half and hour to 1 hour before serving.

* Tips and tricks

* You can use crushed wafers on the sides instead of hazelnuts.

* You can complete omit the wafers in between the layers and just use the frosting, and the sides.

* We opted to use only 3 layers of the cake and ate it separately as a taste test.

Recipe is adapted from Let the Baking Begin, originally posted in language here.

And when it comes to raising girls, well, I  don't mind the fighting and the not-listening phase. I don't mind the mood swings that goes with growing up and teenhood.  Why I already have an 18 year old who has prepared us for the next chapter.  So bring it on!  And while we're at it, bring out a couple of red and whites, will ya?!

Flourless chocolate cocoa cake

Birthdays always mean cake.  Whether it's for a person, a pet or a blog. 

Today is adobo down under's 6th birthday!  Well, blogiversary as its called in the blogosphere.  And what an excuse to make a special cake!  Who else needs an excuse to bake and eat cake?

Not long ago, this was just a recipe journal and it has evolved into something more.  Looking back, there has been so many learnings.  From other blogs and fellow bloggers.  From photography to writing, to styling and being obsessed with op-shopping (second hand thrift stores).  While my photography and food styling is not at par with the best of them, I'm just as happy that there's a day like this to celebrate and bake and eat cake. 

Now what cake to make?

I have been off sugar for a while now (no I have not quit sugar entirely as I still eat rice and lots of fruits) and have been cutting down on gluten (just a personal choice), I wanted to make something that's gluten free and which the girls will love.

And this flourless chocolate (espresso) cake from Martha Stewart was staring down at me from my FB timeline.   I made this cake with the espresso substituted with cocoa powder, as I don't want the girls bouncing off the walls from caffeine.  And it is indeed "flourless"!  No almond meal or any nut flour here.

Ingredients

45 grams unsalted butter

170 grams dark chocolate

6 eggs, separated

1 cup caster sugar, divided into half cups

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 170*C.  

Invert the bottom of a 22cm spring form tin.  Line the bottom and sides with baking paper and then grease the baking paper with canola spray or butter.  Set aside.

Place the chocolates and butter in a bowl.  Melt the butter and chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth.  

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until thick and pale (ribbon stage).

Add the cocoa powder, salt and continue to beat for another 1 minute.

Add the melted chocolate and vanilla and beat for another minute. 

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy.

Add the sugar gradually, and continue beating/whisking until stiff peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 3 batches.

Spoon the batter into the prepare pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.  

Once cool, loosen the side of the pan with a butter knife and remove the sides.

Transfer to a serving plate and slice away.

 

This cake is rich and dense and surprisingly not so sweet.  It's the perfect pair to a good cup of coffee or tea, and to celebrate a birthday.

Happy blogiversary adobo down under!

And thanks guys!  For sharing in the celebration.  Now does anyone want cake?

Nutella crunch ice cream cake

That moment as a parent, when your kids turn into teenagers is when you try and pull the reigns a little.  An invisible one.  Tighten it up a little bit.  I guess its every bit exciting and daunting to have kids enter that phase.  You know when they start being independent, going out with friends without you.  There's that knot in my stomach everytime my teen is out with friends - at the movies, at the mall, at sleepovers.  There's always that unnecessary paranoia.  It gets animated, so I'm not going to have to tell you the details.  The ups and downs of understanding the hormonal changes in girl teens can be exhausting.  Its like a roller coaster ride.  One moment, high pitched and excited.  Then the next thing you know, there's some drama happening.  But then there are also those cuddles and hugs and kisses just because.  That's when I know she's still my baby.   

My daughter turned 16 recently.  A milestone number.  We hosted a sleepover party for 10 teen girls which can be listed in our "craziest things you've done" list.  Of course I lost some needed sleep that night.  More worried about our next door neighbour's sanity than mine, but we survived.  And here's a revelation. Girls eat as much as the next boy.  A bucket of KFC, mountains of chips and gravy and 2 large pizzas was dinner.  With breakfast, we made sure there's enough eggs and bacon for everyone.  Lunch onwards was a small backyard barbecue with close mates and family and friends.  A simple celebration that of course,  required cake.   She requested ice cream cake.  And this was a Pinterest-find.  And this was perfect - all her favourite things.  Nutella, rice bubbles and vanilla ice cream!  This recipe is adapted from A Family Feast.

Taken with my iPhone.  The photo's a bit blurry.  And the ice cream at melting point!

This is an easy cake to make.  Its got that crunch like a cookies and cream ice cream.  As it is winter in Sydney, the cake held itself up longer (20 minutes taken out of the fridge before slicing).  

To make this easy-peasy yummy ice cream cake:

3 litres vanilla ice cream

2 cups Nutella hazelnut spread

6 cups rice bubbles

Line one or two cookie sheets with baking paper.

In a large non stick skillet and on low heat, melt the Nutella then add the rice bubbles.

Mix thoroughly with a silicone spatula making sure all the rice bubbles are covered in Nutella.  

Spoon the Nutella rice bubbles onto the cookie sheet/s and spread evenly.  

Let it cool for 15 mintues at room temperature, then place in the freezer to chill further.

While the Nutella rice bubbles is cooling, bring your ice cream out from the freezer to thaw.  The ice cream needs to be soft, but not melting.

Prepare a 23 cm spring form cake pan/tin.  Spray the sides a little canola oil and line with baking paper.  This will make it easier to loosen the frozen cake from the tin when serving.

Once the Nutella rice bubbles have hardened (not frozen), use a knife and fork to separate them into small nuggets.

Using a large mixing bowl, place softened ice cream and mix with half of the chilled Nutella crunch. Use a spatula and mix thoroughly so that the Nutella crunch is evenly scattered within the ice cream.

 

Spoon the ice cream into your prepared pan, pack firmly and smooth the top with a spoon.

Scatter the remaining Nutella crunch on the top of the ice cream cake. Using the back of large spoon or spatula, smooth the crunch on top of the cake.

Freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Take the ice cream from the freezer to thaw 10-15 minutes before serving.  Run a butter knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake.  Remove the sides of the pan then remove the baking paper.

Before serving, run the knife through hot water in the tap, then wipe dry with a kitchen towel.  Then slice into portions. 

 

Aah teenhood. It's always "Wow!" in all manner of emotions.  And we're only up to our oldest.  We still have our three younger ones to go through.   

And now that she's 16, she declares she wants to take her L's.

Someone please pass me some wine.

Hot apple tarts (Tartes fine aux pommes)

 

Time flies when you're having fun!  Do you believe that saying?  Is there truth in it? Absolutely.  I realised a month ago my blog is already on its 5th year.  Hooray!  What started out as a personal journal to keep and remember recipes has evolved into something more. 

Through this blog, I've met the most wonderful people who share the same interest and passion that I have in food, both personally and virtually. 

Through this blog, I developed a keen interest in cooking and baking that I've decided to take Commercial Cookery and I'm onto my last semester.

Through this blog I have learned more about photography and food styling and op shop/prop shopping!

Through this blog I've created a happy place for myself - for those times when parenting, domesticity, work and all other things become frustrating.  Yes.  This has become an outlet of some sort.  Therapeutic as cooking and baking can be, writing brings a different sense of calmness.  Through this blog, I become a story teller.  And as it has been my initial intention, through this blog, my kids will read about their own stories and learn to cook along the way.

Now rewind five years ago, my first blog post was all about a trip to the Blue Mountains with some friends and we went apple picking.   I remember we had so many apples that after getting tired of juicing them and making apple crumble, I went on to make my first ever cake from scratch.  It was one Easter long weekend.  

On a recent trip to the Blue Mountains with the inlaws (hashtag #inlawsarehere) we did the same thing.  Despite the heat and the long drive (actually 2 hours is not that long, except when you have kids perpetually asking - are we there yet? ), we had great fun.  This time though we managed to control our pickings and harvested only what we can consume responsibly.

Bilpin Springs Orchard is 1.5-2 hours drive towards Western Sydney via Richmond. They orchard is open to the public for fruit picking most weekends with a variety of fruits to pick on offer.  It's a different kind of experience for our overseas guests especially apples, plums and pears are not locally grown fruits in the Philippines.  And while we were there, of course we showcased the famous Three Sisters at Echo Point in Katoomba and walked around the local shops.

So.  Five years of adobo down under in the blogosphere sounds like a celebration to me.  Not bad at all.  And to celebrate five years of food blogging, musings and story telling, let me share a simple recipe that embraces the coming of autumn. It is a simple, easy sweet dish that's a crowd pleaser any time of the day.  Its easy because you can use store-bought puff pastry.  Its simple because you only need a few basic ingredients.  But the result is something that looks really fancy.  And then you can say you made tartes fine aux pommes.   This recipe is inspired by Margaret Fulton's Encyclopedia of Food and Cookery.

To make these simple but fancy looking Tartes fine aux pommes:

Ingredients:

2 sheets puff pastry

4 apples (with enough to munch on while making)

50g butter (25g for brushing and 25g cubes to put on top)

1/4 cup raw sugar

cinnamon to sprinkle (optional)

I used a small 3-4cm cake pan to cut out the shapes from the puff pastry.  If you have pastry round cutters you can use that.  Or otherwise, do other shapes.

The layers.  Puff pastry, apples, brushed with a little bit of butter, raw sugar and a tiny knob of butter on top.

Golden crispy pastries with soft cinnamon scented apples.  Divine!

Method:

Sprinkle some flour on your bench top or table.

Using a rolling pin, roll the store bought puff pastry to slightly thin them.

Cut the pastry out to size - rounds or squares or triangles. Whatever you fancy.

Place the cut out pastry onto a lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes.

Wash, peel and core the apples.

Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut the apple into thin slices.

Once the pastry has chilled, layer the apples slices onto the pastry.

Brush some of the melted butter on the top of the apples. 

Using your fingers, sprinkle some raw sugar on the apple slices then place a tiny cube of butter on the top.

Sprinkle some ground cinnamon on the tops.

Bake in a preheated 180*C oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Place on a wire rack to cool.

Tips:

* We've made these as squares and triangles and it works just the same.  

* When brushing the butter on the top of the apples, don't use to much.  You only want to wet the apples so the sugar will stick to the slices.

*The tarts are best eaten still warm and crispy a few minutes after baked.  

Happy 5th year adobo down under!  Even though there's no cake in this party, there is a big space to say Maraming Salamat. Gracias. Merci.  For being a part of this celebration.  Cheers!