Some more recipes! =D

Imagine, sitting on a patch of green grass on a hillside, enjoying the buttery taste of a pastry whilst listening to mother nature's music... Wouldn't that be great if we could do that everyday? Okay, maybe not everyday... How about once a week? Such a lovely moment for a couple of pastries and maybe a slice of cake. As promised, here is a cake recipe. Another pastry recipe will be added after the cake recipe. 
                                   Applesauce Fruitcake

                                         Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups applesauce
• 6 maraschino cherries, halved
• 6 pecan halves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Grease a 10 inch tube pan. Line bottom with parchment paper and grease again.
2. In large bowl, cream sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add eggs and blend well.
3. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Combine 1/2 cup of flour with nuts, raisins, dates and 1/2 cup cherries, stir until coated. Set aside.
4. Add remaining 2 3/4 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and salt to egg mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened, then beat 2 minutes on medium speed.
5. Fold fruit and nut mixture and applesauce into batter. Pour batter into a 10 inch tube pan. Arrange cherry halves and pecans on top.
6. Bake at 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 1hour and 15 to 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes clean. Cool upright in pan 5 minutes. Turn upright onto wire rack and remove pan and parchment paper. Cool completely.

Here comes a pastry recipe! Feast your eyes on the Almond Mince Pies !

                                              Servings: 12

Preparation time: 30mins - 1hr               

Cooking time: 10 - 30mins

Ingredients

• 225g/9oz plain flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 140g/5oz chilled butter, cut into cubes
• 55g/2oz ground almonds
• 25g caster sugar
• 1 egg, yolk only
• 55g/2oz golden marzipan
• 170g/6oz vegetarian mincemeat
• 2 tbsp sherry
• Caster sugar, for sprinkling
• Cream, custard, or brandy butter, to serve

  Method

  - Put the flour in a blender with the cinnamon. Add the butter and blitz to form fine breadcrumbs. Add the almonds, sugar, egg yolk and 2-3 tbsp of cold water and blitz to form a soft dough. Knead the dough briefly on a floured surface, then wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.

  - Meanwhile, chop the marzipan into small pieces. Stir into the mincemeat, along with the sherry.

  - Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Thinly roll out the pastry and cut out twelve 7.5cm/3in rounds. Place the rounds in a greased 12 hole tart tin. Divide the mincemeat between the pastry cases.

  - Cut out 12 stars and place one on top of each tart. Bake for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with caster sugar. Serve with cream, custard or brandy butter.

  That's all for today! Some pictures i want to share with you below! ^.^
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
                              Isn't that such a lovely cake?
  
  
  I hope you like mentally indulging on Häagen-Dazs ice-cream and cakes! I love to eat Häagen-Dazs ice-cream, but its very expensive. A scoop of ice-cream can easily cost you 10-20 dollars... I've only tasted Häagen-Dazs ice-cream only once, but i have to tell you i LOVE it! The chocolate is... AmAzInG! ^.^ The fondue above cost about $30... 
  
  
  Anyway, hope you liked the pictures! Please comment and follow us! ^.^ Please visit our Twitter account and Facebook fanpage! (Facebook business page here) Help me to publicize our online store as well! Thanks for helping! See you again soon. Do except a post on technology and gadgets tomorrow or maybe the day after. Bye! ^.^
  
  
  Oh! Wait. Help to warm my eggs and pokemon as well! Thanx! =D