Apple Round 2 (IronCupcake Earth)

My Second entry for the IronCupcake Earth competition:

Remember the batter that I tried using for my first set of entry? I ended up baking proper cupcakes from them! So yeah...I actually went through the process of roasting the apples, mashing them to get the puree and use them for my cupcake batter. And then with a little spice, I added bits of cinammon and ginger to the batter.

After baking them, I was thinking up of the next idea for these need-to-get-dressed cupcakes and it all started with the next morning while I was trying to figure out what to eat.

I had a small tub of plain yogurt needed finishing as I was actually planning to use it for another frosting and had forgotten about it. Seeing that I'm picky and can't run away from being a sweet tooth and being uberly health consious, I still don't prefer to have a plain yogurt (yuck, it feels like I'm eating something naked). So I looked into my little pantry and scouted for something sweet but not adding to the calories. I saw honey and marshmallows. Ah hah. Something alright to start the morning and dressing this yogurt enough so that I can finish eating it.

While eating it, something sparked up...why not use this as my icing?? woohoo!! I got super excited. And with that while I was having my morning walk after and the gradual thinking right up to the final bit of my idea...I came up with the name for them:

Healthily Applelicious

Cinnamon Apple Cupcakes with Honey Yogurt Frosting and a tinge of Marshmallows for it's sweetness and a subtle sinfulness.

I added abit of Mascarpone cheese to firm up the frosting so that it doesn't melt and with that I could reduce the amount of icing sugar to the frosting.

Taste wise? You bet, amazing...1 got eaten in 3 bites from my collegues at work (that really suprise me because I am always hesitant and nervous whenever I make something). Some of them thought it was cream cheese frosting on top ;). They think I should quit my job and open up a catering business (Aaaw, felt so touched with the compliments).

The actual amount of calories for each frosted cupcake is 250kcal (1/8 of your daily kcal guideline amount and yes, I actually sat down to caclulate each ingredient) and there are ways to reduce them even more by using a vegan substitute but for this competition, I shall place the exact recipe I used. As well as I dedicate this to those who are health conscious like me seeing that I came from an atheletic background and for those who wants something sweet but lighter for a change.

If you look at my first entry, I am hoping that this entry could earn some brownie points too as a bonus. The list of the awesome prizes are below, so please vote for me towards the end of the month (I shall remind you all again):

Voting starts on Friday, November 27th at 8 p.m. at http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com and will be open through Thursday, December 3 at 12 noon.

• The Demy™ by Key Ingredient
• Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack; Alan Richardson
• Bella Cupcake Couture
• Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
• The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne
• Beautiful Baking Liners by Vestli House
• Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Bakery; Cupcakey Supply 

Here are the ingredients and method for making these scrumptious (I'm such a drama in emphasising) apple cupcakes

Curious? Click here for more...

Chicken Soup for the Soul

This is a dish on its own and that you can pretty much cook this dish to last you at least 3 days. There are so many kinds of version of this soup, depending on one's taste of course but to make it nutritious, well balance and tasty do not really need that much of ingredients. The best part is that keeping the soup for a few more days actually brings more flavour and essence out of the dish!

I love this dish for it's simplicity and well-nourish ingredients, as you don't need any oil at all (it all comes from the chicken) and as the cold weather draws near, there's nothing more fulfilling than a lovely delicious soup.

Mmmm...so perfect for winter

Mum taught me the simplest way to make this soup: Chicken and water. And to make chicken rice, I normally use the soup for cooking the rice.

But I've decided to add a little bit more vegetables to balance the meal. I think this is my simplest version of making chicken soup.


Ingredients:

(If it's for one person, this can last for about 3 days)

• 3 chicken thighs or drumsticks or carcass (make sure you buy any meat that includes bones as that is where you bring out the nutrients and flavour)
• 1 onion chopped into cubes
• 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into quarters (cubes will make them soften faster)
  
• 1 carrot chopped into slices
  
• 1 tbsp salt
• 5 cups of water

Optional: Chinese herbs that you can buy per-packed in chinatown. I normally get mine from See Woo and they have english labels =)

Method:

1. If using herbs, place them into the pot and bring it to boil before adding the chicken. Let it then simmer for about 20-25 minutes.
   
2. If not, pour cold water into a pot and insert the chicken.
3. Bring the pot to boil. Let it boil for 2 minutes. At this time, add the carrots and potatoes.
   
4. And then simmer for 10 minutes.
5. While simmering, add salt and onions.
6. Optional to add more salt or water to taste.

Leftover soup can be kept in the fridge for a week (just pop it into the microwave to heat it up again) or in the freezer for a month. Make sure you let it cool completely before placing it into the fridge.

And if you want to use the soup as the stock, all you can do is just drain whatever is in it, pour on ice cubes and pop it in the freezer to be used anytime.

Apple Round 1 (Ironcupcake Earth)

What: Another Ironcupcake competition but it's done online
Theme: Apples

Another competition which I'm so keen to take on. This will be my first online entry ever and it has been an amazing experience. It all started,

Once upon a time....in the beginning of November or thereabouts...

So happen my friend was only here in London for a week and she requested red velvet cupcakes since it was ultimate her favourite cupcakes. Being me, I was keen to bake for any occasion, from parties and gatherings to the point of a joking request. But in conjunction to that, I decided to try for this competition which was themed apples.

As my creative juices were bursting, I got really excited as red velvet cupcakes depict the red colour skin of an apple and so I thought I could add something yellow inside and green on top. As well as they are known for as the 'devil's' cupcakes, I got all crazy with naming and personalising my cupcakes base on the bible, christianity and adam and eve etc. (no, this doesn't mean that I religious as such, but you just can't run away from the fact that at least 80% of world's population are Christian and each one of us know at least 1% of what the bible speaks). I decided to make my version of cupcakes blending the theme and the lovely red velvet cupcakes which I made for the first time. Behold, I call this:

Hidden Fruit of Eden

(Thanks to my dear D who came up with that name :* ).

aka Red Velvet Cupcake with Apple (green) and Cream Cheese Frosting

It all started with attempting to 'hide' an apple the red velvet cupcakes idea.

Hmm...real apple fruit, apple batter, apple juice, apple flavour, yellow colour, green colour, red colour...*feel like eating an apple*

Attempt 1: Wishing I had more skills, I wanted to carve a smaller piece of apple into the red velvet cupcakes but I could not think of the best way. So the next easiest thing I thought was to put an apple batter into the cupcakes and try to make an apple shape out of it.

It didn't work...and my cupcake batter too much it spilled all over the oven =( my heart sank 10 times more just watching it go to disaster.

Ok, attempt 2: Bake proper red velvets but sneak an apple icing into the cupcakes without her knowing

*Evil laugh* I was becoming excited as I did them

Process of making the red velvet cupcakes. It was a whole new experience since it was my first time making them...

Now for the sneaky bit. Digging a hole and adding some cream cheese inside first so that it holds this 'secret' icing in the middle

Now you see them

Now you don't mwahahah (imagining a wicked witch laughing when the potion sizzles)

And then topping up with cream cheese as usual, to hide all evidence...

The apple icing has a tinge of sourish in it but it goes well with the sweet red velvet as well as topping up with cream cheese? You can't go wrong, it was sinfuly, deliciously, juicily amazinnngggg...

So pretty pretty please:

Vote ME   <--------- it's not hard, just click and click again ;)


Voting starts on Friday, November 27th at 8 p.m. at http://www.ironcupcakemilwaukee.com and will be open through Thursday, December 3 at 12 noon. (Don't worry, I'll remind you folks again ;))

Am competing to win the following Earth Prizes and they are Amazing! They are:

• The Demy™ by Key Ingredient
• Hello, Cupcake by Karen Tack; Alan Richardson
• Bella Cupcake Couture
• Cupcake Stackers by Gourmac
• The Cake Mix Doctor Returns! by Anne Byrne
• Beautiful Baking Liners by Vestli House
• Sweet Cuppin' Cakes Bakery; Cupcakey Supply

Here are the steps if you're keen to make them

Curious? Click here for more...