Strawberry Cream Roll



Strawberry and Cream Roll Cake



6 Large Eggs (separated)

130gm Sugar

90 gm Cake Flour (sift 3x)

10-1/2" X 15-1/2" Jelly Roll Pan (or similar size is ok)

1-1/2 cup heavy cream

strawberries washed, hulled, dried and cut

1 recipe custard cream (optional)

pre-heat oven at 350F

beat eggs
if you don't have a stand mixer, hand mixer works fine too, just takes a little longer and your hand might hurt.

 looking good

stiff peak!

since I only have 1 Kitchen aid bowl, I put my whipped whites in another bowl while I work with my yolks

don't worry about washing the bowl because yolk is not bothered by the whites but if you where whipping the whites after the yolks make sure you wash it well becasue whites  will not get stiff if there is any fat in there and yolk is fatty!

add sugar in thirds while whipping

keep whipping



allmost there

Ribbon state reached! the yolk and the sugar really becomes off white and creamy

add sifted flour all at once and mix on low until combined.

 (oops I forgot to take pic with the plain cake so here is a pic when I made the chocolate roll which will be posted later)

add a little of the whipped egg whites and mix it up well.

add rest of the whites and fold it in gently but make sure it is incorporated well.

should looklike this but not chocolaty

 Pour in paper lined Jelly roll pan and use a plastic scraper if you have one to even out the batter

ready for the oven! bake at 350F oven for 15min.  If you plan on using the custard cream as part of the filling you need to  make the custard while the cake bakes so you can use it as  soon as the cake  cools.

take it out of the pan and cool on wire rack.  Once cooled flip it (I like to use plastic wrap or sheet of parchment paper.

 filling choice! you can keep it all whipped cream or use custard cream and whipped cream, today I did custard and whipped.  if you decide on custard and whipped here is the quick recipe for microwave custard cream. 









2 egg  yolks             combine yolks and sugar well,  mix in the flour and make sure there are no lumps.
40gm sugar              slowly add milk and mix so they are smooth.  Microwave uncovered for 1 1/2 min.
20gm flour               mix well and put back in microwave and heat for  1 min more. If its still loose
180ml milk              heat for additional 30sec.  add the vanilla and butter mix well, cover with wrap
1/2tsp vanilla           you need to put the wrap directly on the custard like the pic to prevent skin from
1tbsp butter              forming.  use once its cool so you want to make this when you bake the cake.

peel off the paper and the golden brown skin of the cake should peel off so flip it so the the peeled side will be outside of the roll

you need to either spread the custard cream or whipped cream on the cake

mmm yummy












add strawberry or any other fruit that are not watery like pineapple (pineapple  would be ok on top of cakes but not inside)

 cover the strawberries with whipped cream

ready to roll.  I made this the long way, use the paper parchment to help you lift the cake up to roll it away from you, keeping it tight. Make sure you don't roll the paper in the cake (if you have problem rolling send me a comment and I will make a video tutorial on rolling the cake) 

(sorry no yellow cake pic of rolled cake)
keep it in paper, fold the ends of the paper if they are long, wrap it in plastic and put it in the fridge and chill until you are ready to serve. 

unroll the paper, cake should stay rolled up, isn't it beautiful??  slice with sharp knife, wiping the knife each time you cut so you have clean cut cake instead of cream smeared cake. 
!!! if you roll short side you'll get a giant roll and would also be fun to eat! I will make it next and and post a pic!

Napoleon

need a quick dessert to impress your dinner guest? all you need is frozen puff pastry sheet, some berries, quick custard, and some whipped cream. 

first take your frozen puff pastry sheet out of the freezer and thaw on your counter.

make quick custard:

2 egg  yolks
40gm sugar
20gm flour
180ml milk
1/2tsp vanilla
1tbsp butter

In a microwaveable bowl whisk the yolks and sugar together, add flour and continue to whisk until combined and no lumps.  add milk little at a time and whisk until the milk is all incorporated and there is no lumps.

microwave uncovered for a min and a half on high, take it out and mix well, put it back in the microwave uncovered for another min.  take it out and mix, check the custard and if its still too soft, microwave for another 30 sec.   Take it out and mix again then add butter and vanilla, mix well. put the plastic on top of the custard to keep the custard from forming skin. set aside to cool.

take the thawed puss pastry, open it up and cut it in three strips.  bake in oven 400F for 15mins or until golden brown.   Take it out and cool.  split the sheet into half. 

wash and slice strawberries

whip 1-2 cups of heavy whipping cream with some sugar (to your taste) and whip it if you want to keep your whipped cream stable. (1pack per  1 cup of cream)

you can either make the napoleon in long strips or cut to size before putting it together.  I cut mine because I wanted to serve right away. 

either way you take the bottom layer of puff pastry, spread some custard on it, put another  layer of pastry on the custard, put some whipped cream on there, then strawberry then little more whipped cream to keep the  strawberries from moving, then top it off with the top layer, sprinkle some powdered sugar and  serve to you family and guest.  Quick and easy and tasty!

Soft Pretzel

When I go to the mall I always want to get a fresh soft pretzel and they are very addictive aren't they? The very first soft pretzel I ever had was in Hawaii many many years ago at a mall called Windward Mall in Kaneohe, Hawaii.  It was a life changing experience for me.. OK maybe not life changing but it was really really yummy! I've been addicted to them since the fist bite. Its always fun to get them at the mall but sometimes I just want to eat a soft pretzel without going to the mall!! Especially in the weekend when the mall is packed with people!! (I must be getting old because crowd didn't bother me before) So why not make your own pretzel when you want them. BTW you can freeze your dough and thaw it out when you want to eat it! or freeze the unbuttered baked ones and microwave them! I will point out later when you should freeze them! hope you try it and enjoy the fresh warm soft pretzel!! 

Dough:
1-1/2cup warm water
1-1/8tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1-1/8 tsp salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups all purpose flour


soda bath:
2-3 Cups warm water
2-3Tbsp baking soda

Topping:
2-4 Tbsp butter melted
coarse salt to taste

in a bowl, mix warm water, yeast, sugar and salt and mix well until dissolved and let sit until they get foamy.







meantime, in a large bowl, mix the flours and make a well in the center of the flour.







when the yeast mixture is foamy like this its ready.







Pour the yeast mixture into the well

 Mix well

 Once its incorporated, use your hands to knead.

If the dough is too stiff, add a little bit of warm water, if its too loose, add a little flour.

 cover with wrap

cover with towel and let rise in oven 25-35 min until double in size.

 while waiting for the dough to rise, make the bath.  if you are planning on making big pretzel, you'll need to make your bath bigger so use 3cups warm water and 3TBSP baking Soda and mix until dissolved.

 like this.. clear as water!

I normally have a HUGE chopping board I use for baking but I forgot to clean it this morning so I used parchment paper taped to my counter to use as my rolling board. You'll need a good size area if you want to make a pretzel like the ones at the mall.

 dough has doubled.  Now preheat your oven to 350F.

 on the board of your choice








Cut the dough.  Here is where you would freeze the dough if you want to freeze it.

 wrap it like this and put it in a ziplock bag and freeze.  When you want to make pretzel, thaw it out, let rise then cut and roll.

 Cut using bench scraper

 cut using pizza cutter

 Roll roll roll roll roll.. it should be skinny and looooong

 now shape them, easiest is upside down U

 turn it up









You can twist once but I like to twist it twice.

 let the pretzel take a dip in the bath

 on a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet, let rest for 10-15 mins then bake at 350F 8-10 min until golden brown and also depending on how crispy you want your pretzel.  If you like it soft 8 is ideal, if you like crispy 10mins.

brush the baked pretzel with melted butter..  or freeze the pretzel before brushing with butter!!!

this camera angle makes my hand looks giant and the pretzel little but they are about the size of my hand.

 sprinkle with Kosher or coarse salt.  I like lightly salted not much more.. 

 YUM!

 I also did the bite version.  don't roll too thin, dip it in the bath, cut and bake 8 min. 

Butter and lightly salt them

I had this cute little popcorn bag so I filled it with the bite size for my little one who LOVES them!!