Sunday, May 20, 2012

Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes

Strawberry season is coming soon. I can hardly wait to visit a strawberry farm in June for good fresh strawberries in Germany. The wait, however is a bit excruciating. So for the time being, I just get my strawberry supplies from the supermarkets that are slowly being filled with imported strawberries from Spain. Weeee....

I've mentioned in my previous post entitled "Cupcake Obsession" that I was eager to try the recipe for strawberry cheesecake cupcake. Finally, I got the chance to make them during Mother's Day celebration last week. So today I would like to share the great recipe with all of you.
Credit to The Hummingbird Bakery Cupcakes and Muffins, Recipe text ©Tarek Malouf & The Hummingbird Bakers. :)


Ingredients and Steps
This recipe will get you about 24 cupcakes

240g/ 2 cups of all-purpose flour
280g/ 1 1/2 cups sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
80g/ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
240ml/ 1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
12 large strawberries, chopped into small pieces
100g digestive biscuits/graham crackers

  • In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter using an electric mixer on slow speed until everything is well-combined and you get a sandy-like consistency
  • Pour in milk and vanilla extract.Beat at medium speed until all the ingredients are well-combined.
  • Add eggs and beat well for a few minutes.
  • Now the cupcake batter is ready
    For the cupcake base (optional)
    The original recipe didn't mention about making a base but I read about it on a blog and I personally think that having a base is better to support the strawberries that'll melt when it's baked. 

    125g of digestive/graham biscuit
    3 tablespoons of melted butter

    • Mix both of the ingredients together to make the base.
    • Place about 1 1/2 teaspoon of the butter-crumb mixture at the bottom of each cupcake case. 
    • Make sure you flatten out the crumbs for an even base.
    • Bake in a preheated oven(170 C) for 5 minutes.
    • Divide the chopped strawberries between the paper cases. Don't put too many strawberries in the cupcakes as it'll get soggy due to the amount of water in strawberries.
     
     
    • Pour the mixture into the paper case about 2/3 full/
    • Bake in a preheated oven (170 Celcius) for 20- 25 minutes.You can check by inserting a skewer in the centre.It should come out clean.
    • After removing the cupcakes from the oven, leave them to cool slightly.Then remove the cupcakes from the pan to let them cool completely on a wire rack.

      For the Cream Cheese Frosting ( Enough for 24 cupcakes)

      500g/ 3 1/2 cups of icing sugar, sifted ( Reduce the icing sugar if you find it too sweet)
      100g/6 tablespoons of unsalted butter
      250g of cream cheese, cold

      • Beat the icing sugar and butter on medium speed until the mixture combines and is well-mixed.
      • Add cream cheese all at once and beat until well mixed.Turn the mixer to a medium-high speed/
      • Beat the frosting until it is light and fluffy for about 5 minutes.
      • DO NOT OVERBEAT! As this will make the frosting to become runny.
      • When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the cream cheese frosting on top and decorate as you wish.I sprinkled the top with the digestive biscuit crumbs

        Happy Baking!

        Till the next post...
        Tschüss und mach's gut!

        Saturday, May 19, 2012

        Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, liebe Mariah!

        Two years gone by,
        How time has flown,
        Oh princess Mariah
        How fast you’ve grown! 

        So lovely and cheeky 
        She’s turning two 
        Oh Mariah my dearie
        Happie Birthday to you!


        I would like to share an old video that I made for Mariah when she was just turning 2 days. Now she's turning two years old. Oh how time flies...




        I miss you so much little princess. Can't wait to meet you and your sister when I go back soon.
         Lots of love from Ayah Beyl.

        Sunday, May 13, 2012

        Every Day is Mother's Day...

        Even though we should shower our mum with love and care everyday, I think there's nothing wrong with celebrating a day to show extra love, extra care and extra appreciation to our mothers. 

        As such, I would like to take this opportunity to wish Happy Mother’s Day to every mother in this whole wide world especially to my lovely mom...

        Liebe Mak,
        Du bist die allerbeste Mutter auf dieser Welt
        Ich habe Dich ganz doll lieb
        Danke für alles!

        I made strawberry cheesecake cupcakes that I wish I could give to you on this wonderful day. Sadly, you're about 9760km away. It's ok..We'll skype later and I'll pretend to teleport the cupcakes over to Malaysia.. ;)  


        Words are never enough to thank you for all the things you do
        Happy Mother's Day, Mak...

        Saturday, May 12, 2012

        Berlin Trip Highlights...

        It's been a month since I came back from Berlin.I miss the great city of Berlin, the wonderful people I've met, the magnificent views that I've enjoyed just to name a few. I would definitely go to Berlin again one day.I was there for about 3 1/2 days and it wasn't enough to explore the whole city. Being a large city, Berlin has a lot to offer. I managed to cover the amazing highlights in Berlin that I have summed up in this post and would like to share with you guys. Enjoy!!!

        I'm gonna post pictures according to the chronology of events that took place when I was in Berlin...





         



         


        Potsdamer Platz
        It was once the busiest and one of the liveliest squares in Europe.
        The square today is beautifully designed with eye catchers like Sony Center and Debis Tower.There are a lot things you'll find interesting here.

         


        Holocaust Memorial

        Designed by U.S architect Peter Eisenman in 1988. It occupies about 205,000 feet of space.
        The slabs create a wave-like pattern.It becomes like a maze with five-sided monolith, individually unique in shape and size.

         


        Sony Centre

        It was designed by the famous architect Helmut Jahn.The building has a spectacular design with a gigantic umbrella-roof and high-quality glasses.A great place for photo shooting.. :)



        Teatime at Dunkin' Donuts



        Art House Tacheles
        An amazing art center in Berlin, with colourful graffiti murals painted on the exterior and interior walls of the building. The building was supposed to be demolished in 1980.Parts of it remained till 1990 before they decided to demolish the whole building.80 artists vowed to stay protecting their artworks and metal workshops and fight for the future of the building.















        Paul Löbe Haus


        Kadewe
        Kadewe is Berlin's famous department store.It's more like Harrods in London. You'll find variety of branded stuff in this department store.However, unlike Harrods, Kadewe doesn't have its own product yet.I masuk tempat ni untuk cuci mata je..x mampu hoho..

        All of a sudden, it snowed...of hailed? Entah la..


        Dinner treat by the juniors at Nusantara
        My juniors took me to an Indonesian Restaurant, Nusantara for a dinner treat.
        Om nom nom nom sangat...
        Lama x tengok makanan kat blog ni kan...Nah ambik kaw... :p


        Flee Market Berlin
        It has got to be the best flee market i've seen so far.Besar geela ok...A great variety of classic and modern things you can find here.
        If only I wasn't on a tight budget...Howoe..



        Schloss Bellevue






        Feeling kanak-kanak ribena jap



        Saying Goodbye to Neno, the juniors(Naqi and Zulaiha) and Berlin...

        Thank you so much for everything, especially the hospitality and great welcome you guys have given me. I had a wonderful time in Berlin thanks to you guys...Would love to visit y'all again one day... :)

        Till the next post..
        Tschüss und mach's gut!