Apple Loaded Fruit Salad

Just when you thought you are so tired or actually lazy to make an awesome dessert, try this fruit salad. It’s so good you will impress yourself and boost your morale. This is the perfect dessert for a lazy weekend. We have them for three (yes that’s 3) consecutive weekends already and we don’t think we’ll experience a taste fatigue any sooner. Okay, the analogy about lazy and having it on several weekends does not seem to favor me. I admit I have been so sluggish to hit the kitchen lately but it’s due to the work overload at the office. I intentionally included the word “office” for I believe it is the magic word …… to at least make it a valid reason for not being able to post anything for quite some time now …… to lessen the feeling …… of guilt that is. :-)

Featuring this simple and easy version of the well loved Filipino dessert is just in time for the holiday season ……… in particular the “Paskong Pilipino”. This salad is among the top favorites Filipino table fares during such special family occasions where only the grandest foods are served.

Different regions have different preparations of fruit salads. The variation is dictated by the use on the types of fruit as well the kinds of sauce. Generally though, fruit salad is a dish consisting of numerous kinds of fruit, served in a liquid, either in syrup or simply in their own juices. While fruit salad or “buko salad” in the Philippines is typically made with condensed milk, cream, canned fruit cocktail or fresh fruit specially young or tender coconut and relatively sweet the other countries’ fruit salads can be savory with the use of sour cream or yogurt or mustard and spicy with the inclusion of peanut and shrimp paste.

Pichi Pichi (Cassava Pudding with Grated Coconut)

I bet you’ll love this. Seriously! :)

Although “pichi pichi” is just a simple Filipino sweet delicacy (“kakanin”) which I believe is just a recent addition to the Philippine gastronomic scene, it is for me full of potentials and appeal which could make a stir in the international food scene given the right opportunity or exposure. Being a Filipino I can be a little bias of course but don’t just take my words for it …… you can always try it and discover for yourself.

I have to warn you though …… this is potently addictive. :-))

Unlike the traditional “kakanin”, this snack and dessert dish has depth and class worthy of international recognition. Wow, I really like saying that. Despite the simplicity in its preparation, the taste, texture and appearance attained a level much higher than any of its kind within the context of Philippine cuisine. There's no wonder why this has been a favorite gift food item whenever one is visiting a friend or relative or attending an occasion.

I first ate this sometime in the year 2000 when a colleague brought some from his town in Concepcion in the province of Tarlac (Philippines) where it became an instant hit to our office in Greenhills, Manila. Since then, I have eaten this many times in parties and social gatherings and being a chef-wannabe, prepared it several times with moderate to high success. :)

I believe it’s now time I share this very easy recipe with you …… for your next occasion …… birthday or anniversary party or better yet in December …… include it among your Christmas banquet for the whole family.

Bread and Butter Pudding

We are experiencing sweet tooth for the last several days. To satisfy the craving, I initially planned of making a “maja blanca” or Filipino white pudding but for some reasons, I can’t set the rhythm of starting the preparation. The other day, I purchased full ingredients for a single mixing of “leche flan” or caramel custard but still, even with the thought of the appetizing dish, I can’t shift myself into a cooking mode. :) I felt too lazy to even make the caramel syrup, so as expected I remained unable to prepare the luscious crème caramel until now. But after some contemplation and serious reevaluation though, I finally realized that the problem is that I am afflicted by a virus called “DITS”.

Yes, you heard it right, I have been suffering a minor case of “Do-It-Tomorrow-Syndrome” ……… wait …… based on the way I’m posting in Reel and Grill over the past few months, make that a chronic case of “DITS”. :-) Since I diagnosed it by myself ……… of course, I have to treat it by myself …… with force if necessary. :-)

This bread and butter pudding is probably my antiserum …… my salvation of sort. Firstly because it is so good that it could well please our sweet dish wanting. Secondly, it is so easy to do that I’ll need minimal effort to undertake it. And, lastly, we have a fridge full of several days-old sliced bread and lots of fresh milk. All together, it makes the perfect condition forceful enough to finally eradicate the unwanted syndrome. :-)

 As a backgrounder, bread and butter pudding is a bread-based dessert made by arranging layers of sliced or cubed bread (traditionally left-over or stale ones), added with butter and scattered with raisins and dried fruits in an oven dish into which mixture of egg, milk (or cream), sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon powder, vanilla and other spices, is poured. It is then baked in an oven until the mixture has set and crust is slightly browned on top. Some people may serve it with custard or cream, but often the pudding under the crust is moist enough to be eaten without sauce.

Leche Flan or Creme Caramel or Caramel Custard - Kulinarya Challenge for June

One of the most highly-sought family dishes that I have not yet shared here is the Filipino egg custard called “leche flan”. On the scale of 1-10 the “leche flan” that our family, the Villanueva’s of Padre Garcia, Batangas, usually prepare is 11. I will repeat that in word just in case you did not get it clear - eleven. I know it’s logically wrong, but it’s hyperbolically true. I kid you not! For me and all of my friends and guests who tasted it, our egg custard is way better than those you can order or eat in any of the 5-star hotels or popular restaurants (at least from all of those that I and my friends have tried), be it in Manila or in any other key cities in the country.

Okay, I may be quite biased here but it is really that good. Wait, make that …… really that exceptional (objectively supplied)! :) Since it’s not very convincing to praise your own trait or sell your own merit, I guess, you’ve got to actually taste it to believe what I’m saying. :-)

The recipe is not really a strictly guarded secret. Nope! Many people knew it. I once talked to someone who uses the exact ingredients but nonetheless produces a much inferior dish. Maybe the recipe or at least a similar or very close recipe is already even published in the internet as we speak. But the meticulous cooking method, involving the careful preparation of the caramel syrup and the slow and controlled steaming process, which knowledge the family developed over a long period of time, makes the difference I believe.

I consider it as an acquired special skill learnt through practice and eventually shared or passed on from generation to generation ……… from parents to children, from mothers to daughters and daughters-in-law, from older sisters to younger sisters and sisters-in-law and in my case, from wife to husband …… although I’ve seen my mother (who diligently and painstakingly taught my better half) and aunties prepared it a countless times during significant family occasions. :-)

But it isn’t the recipe that I will be sharing here now ……… not just yet. Sorry! :-) For this post, I would like to feature my own concoction of the popular dessert dish. Hear me out first. You see the family recipe calls for several cans of condensed and evaporated milk which happened to be too pricy around here. So I developed my own recipe which uses fresh whole milk which is rather abundant and of course very reasonably priced (a.k.a cheap), about 1/8 of the canned milk price compared per unit volume. Besides, fresh milk is what they use in the Portuguese crème caramel recipe which is very similar to the Filipino “leche flan”.

Orange Cake, Easy and Zesty

I love oranges. I really do! Like “ponkan” (a type of tangerine almost the size and color of an orange), apple and banana, orange is among the regular fruits I eat to curtail off food cravings during late nights when I have to stay awake either writing, blogging, watching movies or browsing the internet. I can consume lots of it just before going to bed and not have the feeling of guilt or being bloated. For this reason, I maintain a good stock of orange (or “ponkan” if available) inside the fridge which I regularly replenish every Saturday.

This practice of keeping a steady stock of orange in our home became very handy one day when I needed and wanted to bake a cake. While I would usually prepare either banana cake or carrot cake during such a time, the absence of banana and carrots from our pantry that day forced me (in a good way) to look at and consider the other ingredients at hand which happen to be orange and apple. I settled for orange and it proved to be a wise decision. The orange cake, unlike chocolate cake, was quite easy to prepare and was also zesty and tasty.

Basically, orange cake is just a common pound cake added with some orange juice and flavored with its zest. Although it can be served without any frosting or just sprinkled with icing sugar, I prefer it with some light frosting simply made by dissolving confectioner’s sugar in some orange juice. It adds zing to the taste and at the same time retains the cake moist for several days. Amazingly, orange can really be used to make a truly exciting cake.

Sweet orange which refers to the citrus variety called “Citrus sinensis” is the most commonly grown tree fruit in the world. While it is reported to have probably originated in Southeast Asia (this makes me wonder how come it is not commercially grown in the Philippines?) and first cultivated in China (2500 BC). Brazil, USA (Florida), India and Mexico are now the top growers of the tree for its delicious fruit, either to be eaten as a whole or to be processed as juice.

Sumang Kamoteng Kahoy A La Fely (Cassava Suman)

It’s the Season of Lent and Holy Week is almost here. Apart from moments of reflections, it is a time for family gathering. Expect to see different varieties of native “kakanin” in most Filipino families’ dining tables. It is part of the significant occasion ……… an important element of the tradition ……… particularly on the aspect of “handaan” or food preparation. Just in time for the season, we are glad that our friend Fely of London is willing to share her most requested native delicacy called “suman” (in the Philippines). In particular, a variety that is made from the starchy tuber called cassava or “kamoteng kahoy” or “balinghoy”.

Honestly, this post makes me really excited. True! I love this native “kakanin”. It’s my top favorite among the various types of “suman”. I used to buy it from elderly ambulant vendors directly coming from the barrios and lining the streets of the Tarlac Public Market every morning selling what seemed to me as their home-made “suman” from backyard-harvested crops. That was a score and 8 years ago when I was still a teenager helping my parents attend to our fruits store. While I find the sticky banana leaves wrapping a little too messy, the tasty cassava filling is such a comfort food that I would buy regularly.

For non-Filipino readers, “suman” is a type of rice cake or pudding originating from the Philippines usually served wrapped in banana or palm leaves. It is typically made from glutinous rice (but also from root crops such as cassava) cooked in coconut milk and often steamed. It is also known as “budbud” in the local dialects in the southern parts of the Philippines. It is among the popular sweet “kakanin” or traditional snacks or “merienda” of the Philippine cuisine.

This snack or dessert dish called “sumang kamoteng kahoy” refers to the finely grated cassava roots, mixed with sugar, sometimes with coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. Preparation follows a pretty simple recipe which I have not realized as such until Fely disclosed her recipes with us. It is really very easy. In fact, I could hardly believe the simple process that I tried it myself first to verify the tenacity prior to this posting. :)

Ube Halaya or Halayang Ube (Purple Yam Pudding)

Violet was apparently the “in” color in the Philippines at the time I had my annual vacation last December 2010 to January 2011. Lots of mall rats (shoppers and roamers alike) were seen prominently sporting something in purple like shirts, blouses, bags, shoes, belts, sandals, ties, sleepers, purses and even cell phones and smart phones pouches and cases. I and my lovely better half even received a matching polo shirt-blouse presents from family members in a flashy lavender color which admittedly, I particularly like. It’s been my favorite shirt for the last 3 months. :-)

It is so funny for it was just not too long ago that wearing anything in such a striking color is somewhat untrendy and a no-no in popular culture get-ups. It only shows how fashion trends are evolving ……… that what could be considered as not cool today might eventually resurrect and rule the trend-in-style the next day.

Actually, this post has nothing to do with the above. Neither that I am a fashion guru of sort. That’s remote. I was just reminded of the flamboyant purple-attires of many teens I saw in the mall and other popular hang-out places in Manila when I was preparing this dish. Why? Because this involves an ingredient naturally synonymous with the color violet ……… the yam called “ube” in the Philippines also known as purple yam in English.

By the mere mention of the root crop “ube”, I know that, even without reading the blog title above (which I’m sure you did), you and most Filipinos will almost always think of only one food. The dessert and snack food called “ube halaya” or "halayang ube". I don’t know, but I believe it is but natural that when one sees “ube”, he will instantaneously imagine the luscious pudding made from grated boiled purple yam and cooked with milk (or coconut milk), butter and sugar.

Watalappan - Sri Lankan Egg Custard

In spite having been in Sri Lanka for almost 6 years and constantly enjoying its exceptional cuisine for such a long period of time, in our accommodation courtesy of our Sri Lankan cook, in our office during company affairs or during an employee’s birthday, in between restaurants, hotels and resorts during our occasional dine outs and holidays and in houses or reception halls of local colleagues and friends when attending their special occasions like weddings, we are yet to try cooking any of their highly varied native cookery and delicacies by ourselves.

Whilst I have featured here some of their foods such as the widely available baked, grilled and fried everyday snack which includes “roti”, hopper, fish bun and egg roll (our group’s favorite) amongst other things and interesting food products or ingredients such as the healthy “kithul” jaggery and treacle, this is my first attempt to actually prepare one of their popular sweet dishes called “watalappan”. Interestingly, “watalappan” is Sri Lanka’s version of the common custard pie. It is a dessert and snack dish very similar to the Filipino steamed egg custard called “leche” flan.

The unique aspect of “watalappan” is the use of their local palm sugar (made from inflorescence sap) called “kithul” jaggery or treacle in lieu of ordinary sugar (made from sugarcane) and coconut milk instead of cow’s milk. Apart from its obvious health benefits, the innate, unrefined and unadulterated taste of palm sugar and inherent sweetness of coconut cream make for a distinctly earthy-sweet egg custard which has hints of subtlety and purity due to the natural forms of the ingredients being used.

Maja Blanca (Filipino White Pudding)

The “espasol” post is still hot and here we are giving another delightful Filipino sweet delicacy or “kakanin” recipe again ……… the arguably more popular and truly my personal favorite …….. “Maja Blanca”. This feature is actually in response to an ardent request from our blog-friend Anne who probably wants to serve this sweet and creamy treat to her love ones, specially her kids. And since I don’t want Anne to settle to a second best “maja blanca”, I asked my wife to summon my Auntie who has been excellently preparing the delicacy and regularly serving during our family occasions to share her long-kept secret recipe……forcefully if necessary. :-)

And since my pretty Aunt Mileth love my wife and me dearly, of course she cannot refuse……… not to a favorite (I’m just assuming this…okay?) nephew anyway. :-) Like Luz who recently shared her tasty “espasol”, Aunt Mileth gladly gave away her easy but proven “maja blanca” recipe for this blog…….. for all of us to try……… and quite surely enjoy. Just in time for the holiday season, the most important Filipino affair, when preparing sweet delicacies is part of the tradition.

“Maja blanca” is a soft, gelatinous and creamy traditional Filipino white pudding made from coconut milk, evaporated milk, cornstarch or corn flour (or rice flour), refined sugar and sometimes added with grated sweet corn or as much easier, out-of-the-can cream-style sweet corn. The ingredients are simply combined together and slowly cook over moderate heat until the mixture thickens to a creamy consistency enough to firm up in moulds as it cools down or chills. The pudding is usually topped with toasted grated coconut or better yet with the fragrant “latik” or curdled coconut cream.

Espasol a la Luz (Sweet Rice Flour Cake or Pudding)

Reel and Grill is blessed. Blessed with really wonderful friends who are willing to unselfishly disclose some of their most kept secret recipes and food preparation techniques ……… all in the name of friendship……… and the noble cause of sharing kitchen knowledge. So that everybody, most especially you dear friends, followers and readers of this humble blog, can enjoy the food creations they personally concocted……… perfected ………… over years of untiring preparation. After all, we as food lovers should all champion the essence and beauty of keeping amazing recipes flowing and made available for all who lives the same passion.

Like the rest of foodies who have generously contributed recipes here, Madame Luz, in celebration of her birthday, is sharing her famous, among friends and relatives alike, homemade “espasol” recipe. Hurray! I am extremely excited about this as “espasol” is one of my childhood favorite Filipino sweet delicacy or “kakanin” which I haven’t had in quite a long time. I know many of you; especially those Filipinos working and living abroad would share the same feeling of enthusiasm. For Luz will be our salvation to be able to prepare the uniquely sweet and delectable “espasol” on our own.

“Espasol” is a soft and chewy Filipino rice pudding or cake which originated from the province of Laguna (Philippines). It is typically cylindrical in shape, although also served in squares, diamonds and other flat fun figures. It is made from sweet rice flour cooked in coconut milk and sweetened coconut strips or other flavorful fruits like jack fruit, etc. It is quite sticky but dusted with toasted sweet rice flour to make it easily manageable. It is eaten as a satisfying snack or “merienda” in between meals or as a flavorsome dessert after a meal. It is a popular give away or “pasalubong” item, especially during the Christmas season of giving.

Kamote Que or Camote Que (Deep Fried Sweet Potato with Caramelized Sugar)

As a variation to the traditional Filipino snack or “merienda” or “kakanin” called “banana que” (referred to as “sundot saging” in the Province of Batangas, Philippines and other nearby Provinces), “kamote que” (can this be called “sundot kamote”?) was conceived. It is basically a snack or dessert dish made from slices or as recently being prepared, large sticks, of sweet potato deep fried in oil with sugar until pieces are coated with caramelized sugar.

Like, “banana que” and “turon”, “kamote que” is also a popular Filipino comfort food widely patronized by the masses and even by some socialites. A relatively healthy and cheap snack meal widely available in many places where there are gathering or congregation of people like markets, schools, townships, churches, supermarkets, transportation terminals, major road junctions, government offices and many more.

The name “kamote que” was also probably coined by the common people due to the way it is served; skewered in bamboo sticks like “banana que” and of course barbeque. Recent preparation however has deviated from the usual skewered type. Now, the sweet potatoes are cut in large sticks or strips instead of just sliced and after cooking are served in small paper or plastic bags and not impaled with the familiar bamboo sticks.

While I still call this as “kamote que” we will be preparing the large sticks version. I find them a lot easier to eat and more appealing to serve. The nice coating of caramelized sugar is also better distributed around the smaller and more uniform sweet potato pieces. But you can prepare it as you like……. it will be the same sweet and yummy “kamote que” at the end after all.

Egg Pie or Filipino Custard Pie

For an ordinary Filipino snack or “meryenda”, especially in the provinces, freshly baked goodies from the many neighborhood bakeries are probably the most easy to acquire and serve to your family and love ones. They are truly tasty, available daily, have many choices and reasonably priced. Come “meryenda” time or during coffee break, all you have to do is to visit the bakery closest to your residence, make your pick and you will be equipped with really fragrant, fresh from the oven and utterly delicious snack in a short period of time.

Among these easy baked “meryenda” of the Philippines is the sweet and luscious egg pie. A Filipino custard pie made from eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, lemon essence and sometimes butter. While egg pie is probably an authentic Filipino baked goodie, its delightful taste has a very close resemblance with that of the Portuguese and/or Chinese egg tart extremely popular in Macau and the common or plain custard pie of North America.

It has been quite a long time since I last made this exciting snack and dessert dish. I thought of making this again so that I can share it with you, especially with Filipinos living abroad whom at certain point in their life living in a foreign land will surely reconnect with the memories of their childhood and inevitably experienced cravings for the typical Filipino “panaderia” or bakery products, like “pandesal” (Filipino bread roll), “ensaymada” (sweet bread topped with cheese and sugar), Spanish bread (sweet bread with sugar and margarine filling), “pan de coco” (sweet bread with coconut filling), “mamon” (a chiffon cake type of soft bread), and of course the delicious egg pie. Yes, it always happens to me.

Kutsinta or Cuchinta a la Lalaine (Filipino Brown Rice Cake)

This is a HIT! I kid you not. This is “kutsinta” or Filipino brown rice cake at its best. We are so lucky that a very good childhood and family friend, my younger sister’s classmate, is sharing this wonderful recipe which she developed and perfected over a rather long period of repeated preparations, for everyone reading this blog to enjoy. Amazingly, this traditional snack dish is quite easy to prepare………at least a lot easier than I thought. It also requires a few ordinary ingredients which most of you almost certainly have them already in your pantry except probably for two.

“Kutsinta” is a traditional snack food of the Philippines that belongs to the wide-ranging group of Filipino native delicacies called “kakanin”, a Filipino language which literally means snacks. “Turon” and “minatamis na saging” which I featured earlier are also considered as native “kakanin”. As most “kakanin” are, “kutsinta” is basically made from ground rice locally called “galapong” or in the modern world rice flour, and among the several variations of the highly regarded Filipino rice cakes where “puto” and “kutsinta” are the most prominent.

I believe that every Filipino has a childhood memory of this delicious food. This used to be among the widely served and eaten snacks in every Filipino home. While modernization and necessary contacts with the outside world have brought a new set of exciting snacks from all over the world such as hamburgers, pizzas, spaghetti, to name just a few, “kutsinta (and “puto”) has maintained an enduring niche in the market. It continues to serve loyal patrons which prefer the healthy and tasty traditional food over the proliferating trendy but calorie-laden snacks.

Carrot Cake, Healthy and Tasty

I am not so much into sweets. I only enjoy several types of cake. In particular, I only like those moderately sweetened and not covered with overly sweet icing. You will notice this by the types of cake that I bake and feature here like the banana cake and chocolate cake I posted earlier. However, I am open and don’t really have a problem to preparing even those not suited to my taste, provided I will be serving them to family and friends. After all, fulfillment in cooking, or baking for that matter, is a factor of sharing to your love ones. And besides, personal satisfaction is only as good as the satisfaction of those whom the food was shared with.

Another cake that works well with me is the healthy and tasty carrot cake. Like banana cake, it is fruit and/or vegetable base and not excessively sweet. Carrot cake is a cake which consists of finely grated carrot mixed with cake batter. The carrot softens during the baking process and the resulting cake usually has softer but denser texture and coarser crumb than the traditional cake. The carrot itself enhances the flavor, quality and appearance of the cake. Usual recipes include optional ingredients such as nuts, raisins, coconut or pineapple. The last one is my favorite addition to the cake.

Fresh Fruits for Dessert

Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal, usually consisting of sweet food such as cakes like banana cake and chocolate cake, cookies, pastries, ice cream, candies, puddings, chocolate bars, sweetened fruits like “banana que” and sweetened banana, sweet delicacies and my favorite, fresh fruits. Dessert is an important part of a meal as it enlivens the eating satisfaction to a higher level. Sort of completing the food intake to a point where taste buds will attain a state of pure pleasure and will temporarily shutdown in craving for foods or anything. :-)

Fresh fruit is my preferred dessert for every meal. With so many good things being attributed to fruits I guess no elaboration is really needed. However, it is worth mentioning that fruit provides energy in the form of natural sugars which our body can extract without even feeling fulfilled. Said sugars are digested in a short period in a chemical process with no toxic waste byproduct. Fruit also contains substantial amount of the important fibers and high percentage of water which is almost the same water percentage of the human body at 80%.

Being in a tropical country like the Philippines, we are blessed with many varieties of fruits available to everyone at a relatively low cost here in Sri Lanka. I have featured before some of the local harvests of fresh fruits in season as well as the remarkable king coconut and banana which we enjoy all year round. There are many more which I hope to post one by one or in groups in the future.

For dessert we usually have, as shown above, pineapple. It is the crunchy-sweet variety which is also a favorite of our Japanese friends.

For very good source of natural sugars + water, we have water melon and melon which provide a refreshing dessert at the end of a satisfying full Filipino meal during weekends. :-)

Imported fruits also make a good dessert although not quite cheap here. Grapes, apple, oranges and seedless water melon are perfect at the end of a sumptuous meal during special occasions.

As we get old, our interest in nutrition increases and we are getting more conscious about what we eat. Consequently, our interest in fruit and its contents grows. As expected, more and more people are now eating fruits for dessert. c“,)

Banana Que (Deep Fried Banana with Caramelized Sugar)

I have discussed the verstility of “saba” or “cardaba” variety banana (Musa Saba in US and Europe) in my earlier post of “minatamis na saging” or sweetened banana. As mentioned there, another authentic Filipino way of cooking the said banana is through “banana que”. This is done by deep frying the bananas with brown sugar that will eventually caramelize and coat the fruit as it cooks. This delicious yet inexpensive snack or dessert dish is very popular but lowly rated street food in the Philippines.

It remains a favorite by many Filipinos and has stand the test of time amidst the proliferation of new snack foods from all over the world, like hamburger, pizza, “shawarma”, dim sum, donuts and a lot more. It could be attributed to its being very tasty and could easily fill hungry individual with just a single serving.

The name banana que was probably coined by the common people due to the fact that it is served skewered in bamboo sticks like barbeque. Apart from that, there is no other similarity in the ways the two foods are prepared or cooked. Well, both are yummy, succulent and satisfying but in entirely different aspects.

Our group here in Sri Lanka, having probably eaten the snack some 6 to 10 months ago, now has cravings for the said banana que. Since we don’t have the “saba” variety here, I have to cook it using the “seeni kesel” type of banana which I used in my “minatamis na saging” post. It has basically the same taste and texture as the real “saba” only smaller in size and slightly sweeter.

For a group of 6 with above average stomach capacity :), one hand or tier of banana composed of about 15 small fingers is barely enough, but since it is all I have right now, we have to settle for it. :-)

The beauty of this snack food is that it only requires a few basic ingredients. In addition to the bananas, which should be trimmed on one end and peeled one by one, we only need about 2 cups vegetable oil (which ca be re-used several times) and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Additionally, 8 pieces of bamboo skewers will complete the requirements.

In a large heavy pan or wok, heat the oil on high flame. When it is smoking hot, drop the bananas and fry for about 2 minutes or until they start to slightly brown. Add the sugar and let it stand without stirring. Wait until the sugar starts to caramelize. When it does, stir the bananas to have it coated with caramelized sugar and assured even cooking.

Continue frying, stirring several times to have the bananas fully coated with the melted sugar. Turn the heat off once the bananas are cook through. Be careful not over cook both the bananas and the sugar. Drain in a colander or deep bowl with paper towel to remove excess oil. Skewer two bananas in a bamboo stick while they slightly cool down. Do the same for the rest of the bananas.

Serve immediately. Be careful in eagerly sinking your teeth to the sugar coated banana as it is usually hotter than you think. Remember, caramelized sugar is lethal to mouth when it’s hot. :-)

Enjoy the deliciously sweet treat. Hot but comforting. c“,)

Banana Cake, Brings Back Memories

Banana is very significant to me. I spent the latter part of my childhood, the whole of my teen years, the whole of my college days and even early part of my post graduation years, surrounded by bananas. I kid you not. I can practically say I grew up with bananas, not just eating them but also feeding us. Well, trading banana has been our family’s bread and butter for quite a long time. And to tell you the truth, my studies were supported by my parents with their banana business. Isn’t that sweet? Probably sweeter than the ripe banana itself.

Though my parents have retired from the business long time ago, some of our relatives are still engage in the trade; retailing and selling the all year round fruit of the Philippines. The above is the reason why banana is very important to me, to all of us in the family actually. Even now that I’m here in Sri Lanka, happy memories of our banana flash in my mind from time to time. And I make sure I regularly buy bundles of banana from local harvesters. I enjoy eating it after meal or cook (some varieties) to a more special dessert dish like the “Minatamis na Saging” (Sweetened Banana) which I posted before.

Sometimes, I buy bananas more than our group can consume. This results to some very ripe bananas on our table. Ok, I often times, intentionally over buy bananas. Why? Well, very ripe and soft bananas are just perfect for making another favorite comfort food – Banana Cake. Yes, nothing should go to waste when it comes to wonderful fruits like bananas. You can always bake dessert for your love ones. :-)

If you tried my Chocolate Cake post, this will be really easy and simple. To prepare the cake, we need 2 cups AP flour, 1½ cups white sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, 1 cup unsalted butter (or good margarine), 3 tbsp canola oil (I used vegetable oil), 6 large eggs, 2~3 cups mashed ripe bananas, 1 cup raisin (optional) and 1 tsp icing sugar.

First, preheat the oven to 350 ˚ (180 ˚C). Apply a thin coating of butter on the inside surface of the pan. Sprinkle with flour and remove whatever excess flour from the pan. Alternatively, you can just use parchment paper as I usually do, that way; you just have to butter and flour the sides.

In a mixing bowl, sift the all-purpose flour with the baking powder and baking soda.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs with the butter, oil, sugar and mashed bananas. Stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients and blend thoroughly. The batter seems very thick at this point so I added another egg, making 7 eggs all in all. Add the raisins, if you are using, and mix lightly. I have raisins but opted not to put it. Ok, ok, I forgot! :-)

Scrape the batter into the ready pan and bake in the centre of the oven for about 40~45 minutes or until golden and a toothpick poked in the centre of the cake comes out clean. You can also smell a wonderful aroma when it’s done.

Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake cool for around 10~15 minutes. Then turn cake onto rack and let it cool completely. Sprinkle the top of the cake with icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar. Gorgeous isn’t it?

Slice into serving sizes and serve, either for dessert after a meal or as a snack with your favorite drinks.

Enjoy! It’s delicious and soul comforting. c“,)

Chocolate Cake Ver. 1, For Birthdays and Farewell

Two of my colleagues celebrated their birthdays and another one his farewell party of sort for deciding to cut short his contract and go back to the Philippines permanently. So, two separate celebrations (birthday and farewell combine in one and birthday in another) were held last weekend in two Filipino dormitories of the company. As my share in the food, I decided to bake chocolate cakes for the birthday celebrants. I thought it is also a good chance for me to make a post of the wonderful cake I have been baking every time an occasion requires it. It is quite easy and so good that it is a constant hit. I would like to share it to the readers of the blog who might want to try it on their next birthday occasion in the family for a more personal touch to the centre piece of the feast. It’s worth it.

I once read that, one should at least bake once in their lifetime. I don’t know, but maybe because of the joy and fulfilment one can achieve after a successful baking. I did not get my attempts at baking cake perfectly done the first time. It’s difficult to make things perfect when you are nervous. But the fulfilment really overwhelmed me that I continue doing it until such time that I considered it already easy. It sure is not yet perfect and comparable to the fancy cakes from your neighbourhood bake shops as far as presentation or looks is concern, but it is delicious and probably better in taste than most you will buy commercially.

Chocolate cake is probably one of the most elaborate cakes to prepare. It involves several stages including the cake layer, ganache frosting, filling and icing. For this recipe where the cake is intended to feed mostly male visitors who are not so fun of sweets, I skipped the filling and icing parts. So it is a straight forward chocolate cake with only frosting. The moist cake itself will provide the reasons for either liking or not liking it.

There are two separate celebrations and I did prepared two cakes, but for simplicity and easy understanding, please note that the baking presentation and quantities I will be mentioning are only good for 1 cake. I just repeated the whole process to make the second cake. :-)

To make the chocolate cake, we need the following ingredients: For the cake layer - 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used wheat flour here), 2 cups fine white sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup water, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ cup buttermilk, 1 tsp baking soda, 3 medium eggs, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

For the ganache frosting - ½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ cup milk, 3~4 cups confectioners' sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

The first step is to have your oven ready by preheating it to 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C. But I don’t recommend this for first time bakers. You might be wasting too much LPG fuel or electricity as you are expected to consume more time in the preparation than regular bakers. Yes, that’s based on experience, my own experience. So if you are new in baking, you can do this step a little later, just when you are ready with your batter.

To start, sift the 2 cups sugar and 2 cups flour together and set aside.

In a sauce pan, combine ½ cup butter, oil, water, and ¼ cup cocoa powder. Bring mixture to a boil, remove from heat and add to the flour-sugar mixture set aside above.

Dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk and add to the cocoa-flour mixture as well. Followed with the eggs, salt, cinnamon powder and 1 tsp vanilla and stir well to properly blend the batter.

While regular bakers now have a preheated oven, the first timers can start heating their oven now. Continue by greasing the pan of your choice. For me, I used as a rectangular, 9 x 13 inch pan for the first cake. Sprinkle the greased pan with flour. Alternately, we can use a waxed parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. This is simple and what I always do. Then carefully pour the batter into the pan.

In the preheated oven with 375 degrees F or 190 degrees C setting, position the pan in the middle portion and bake the batter. Baking could last up to around 35~45 minutes. Check by inserting a toothpick in the middle portion of the cake. When it comes clear, the cake is done. Experts can determine it by the mere smell coming out from the oven.

While the first cake is baking, I prepared the second batter. This time I used a round pan. Following the exact procedures above, my second cake is ready to be baked just before the first cake is done baking.

The next stage is to make the ganache frosting. In a sauce pan, combine ½ cup butter, ¼ cup cocoa powder and ¼ cup milk and bring to a boil. Just as it starts to boil, remove the pan from heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar. Blend properly until a thick homogenous mixture is attained. Add in the 1 tsp vanilla extract and continue stirring. If you like nuts, you can add a cup of any chopped nuts into the mixture at this time.

Prepare your cake layer for frosting application. Some will find this stage as a lot of fun. This actually determines how the cake will look like and quite important. Carefully pour and manually spread the frosting over the still slightly hot cake. How to make your cake fancy and appealing is depending on your talent to decorate the cake. I think I don’t have that skill yet. But who knows, next time might be a little better. Just, maybe. :)

That’s pretty it. Your chocolate cake version 1 is ready (version 2 coming). It might just be plain and simple looking but I tell you, it’s really delicious.

Actually, it is pitted against a really gorgeous store-bought fruit cake during the affair.

Which do you think was eaten first? Yes, my chocolate cake. And everyone likes it more than the other. The fruit cake is also good, but quite too sweet for most of us. The group’s acceptance to my chocolate cake just gave me enough reasons to bake more often. You, too...........try it. c”,)