Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Ilocano Style Pork Adobo

Hon asked me to bring out some pork meat from the freezer earlier which she said she will be cooking Adobo with once thawed. This gave me an idea to cook an Adobo dish from the usual recipe she cooks. 


Pork Adobo ala Ilocano

Friday, November 18, 2011

Sponge Cake with Cream Cheese Filling


Still on the aluminum pan! :)


It’s been a long time since I last posted here. This recipe my wife did reminded me of the site (Thanks Hon for the reminder! Haha). She surprised me one time baking a sponge cake stuffed with cream cheese filling. Honestly I didn’t think that cream cheese would go so well with sponge cakes (or maybe I haven’t tested one previously).  Well it turned out pretty good that it only lasted for a couple of days!
Cutting to the chase, here is the recipe for her Sponge Cake with Cream Cheese filling. Unfortunately I wasn’t there to take a photo of the cooking steps. Also she would like to thank joyofbaking.com for the wonderful sponge cake recipe. Thanks Stephanie!


Sponge Cake:
4 large eggs
1 large (20 grams) egg yolk
1/3 cup (35 grams) sifted cake flour
3 tablespoons (30 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)
1/2 cup (100 grams) plus 1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated white sugar (divided)
1-teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4-teaspoon cream of tartar

Cream Cheese Filling:
¾ cup Butter
1 cup Cream Cheese (she used Philadelphia Cream Cheese)
¾ cup Icing sugar
1-teaspoon Vanilla


For Sponge Cake (Since my wife just followed the recipe from the site, my as well copy it over. Again thanks to Stephanie for this wonderful recipe!)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, a 17x12 inch (43x30 cm) baking pan, line it with parchment paper, and then butter and flour the paper (or spray with a nonstick vegetable/flour spray).

While the eggs are still cold separate two of the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. To the yolks, add the additional yolk, and the two remaining eggs. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the flour with the cornstarch. 

Place the egg yolks and whole eggs, along with 1/2 cup (100 grams) of the sugar, in your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for five minutes, or until thick, pale yellow, and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) Then beat in the vanilla extract. Sift half the flour mixture over the beaten egg mixture and folding gently with a rubber spatula, just until the flour is incorporated. Sift the remaining flour mixture into the batter and fold in.

In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the remaining one tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then add the rest of the whites. Pour the batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly with an offset spatula or spoon. Bake for about 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and when lightly pressed, springs back. Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven sprinkle with confectioners sugar and then invert the cake onto a clean dishtowel. Remove the parchment paper, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, and roll up the sponge, with the towel. Place on a wire rack to cool. 




For Cream Cheese Filling:
Beat together the softened Butter and Cream Cheese until soft peaks are formed. Slightly add the icing sugar in the mixture until the incorporated. Add in the vanilla then beat until stiff peaks form.




To Assemble:
Unroll the sponge, spread with the cream and reroll. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. Just before serving, dust with confectioners sugar.

Enjoy!
Sorry for the not so clear images