Nutella Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips

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There are so many versions of Self-frosting Nutella Cupcake recipes available online whenever you do a goggle search. Here I am using a recipe from Camemberu with slight changes by adding my son's favourite mini chocolate chips to make it more chocolatey on top of the Nutella used.

NUTELLA CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS

For the recipe of this Nutella Cupcakes with Chocolate Chip you would notice that I have used 2 types of flours like what I did for the Kiwifruit and Lime Cupcakes as i prefer a lighter texture by in-cooperate some self-raising flour. But if you find it too troublesome, you could always follow the original recipe and use 100g of plain flour plus 1 teaspoon of baking powder instead.

Recipe adapted and modify from Camemberu Self-Frosting Nutella Cupcakes.

(serves: make 6 | Preparation: 10-15 minutes | Cooking: 20 minutes)

Ingredients:
70g Plain Flour
30g Self-Raising Flour
70g Unsalted Butter, soften
70g Caster Sugar
2 Eggs, 60g each
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips
Pinch of Salt
Some Nutella Spread

Method:-

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy(about 2 minutes on medium speed)

2. Add egg one at a time and beat till no trace of egg mixture.

3. Next add vanilla and stir in flour mixture until flours are full in-cooperate before toss in the chocolate chips and mix well.

4. Fill each cup with 1/4 of the batter, add in 1 teaspoon of Nutella each before covering it with batter to fill 3/4 full.

5. Give the mixture a quick swirl using toothpick and bake in preheated 180 degree celsius oven for 20 minutes or until skewer insert and comes out clean.

These are some of the Mini Nutella and Peanut Butter Cupcakes which my boy would occasionally request as his tea snack or breakfast. And I guess these mini version would be great for kids to bring to school or outings compared to the normal size cupcakes above.

Lastly I would like to submit this Nutella Cupcakes with Chocolate Chips for Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) hosted by Min of Min's Blog. Enjoy everyone!

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE NUTELLA CUPCAKES

This is another version of our Double Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes which is filled with lot of Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Chips. You can find the recipe exclusively from Cuisine Paradise Facebook page, HERE.

Crisp Duck with Apple & Orange Sauce serve with Rosemary & Garlic Flatbread

I have hardly use DUCK meat as one of my ingredient while planning for our daily meals. I guess the only dish that I known how to cook by using whole/portion duck is to make "Braised Duck with Dark Soya Sauce" which is a well-like dish in most Asia families. Not long ago, I have read up a recipe and post from Jacob over at Cook.Snap.Eat.Love where he takes the effort and time to prepare Duck Confit as a main course to host a few food bloggers on a tasting session(read more HERE).

After going through Jacob's recipe plus some others similar recipes online, I find making Duck Confit was rather complicated and time consuming for my standard as a home cook. So after much consideration, I think I better settle for something easier which I could managed and keep that big project aside for the time being.

CRISP DUCK WITH APPLE AND ORANGE SAUCE

This is a pretty easy dish with minimum preparation but comes with delicious combination of savory crisp duck, crunchy fresh apple plus salad greens swam in pool of aromatic spiced orange sauce. Personally I love the sweet and tangy taste of the orange sauce which really goes well with the whole combination and especially on the crisp duck.

Here I used half portion of the duck(which included the duck breast fillet and drumstick) instead of two duck fillets because I have left over from the previous dish on braised soya duck. If you are getting the duck from the wet market poultry stalls, you could also ask them to help you de-bone the fillet which would be easier for you.

(serves: 2 | Preparation: 30 minutes | Cooking: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Duck Fillets, skin on
1/2 Tablespoon Sea Salt
Dash of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Red Delicious Apple, sliced thinly
2 Servings of Salad Greens

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place a wire rack over a foil-lined baking tray.

2. Make shallow incisions diagonally across skin of duck apart 1cm apart, rub sea salt into skin.

3. Place a non-stick frying pan on medium heat, add duck, skin-side down and cook for 8 minutes until skin is crispy.

4. Transfer to wire rack, skin-side up and bake for 12 - 15 minutes until tender. Remove from oven and stand on wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing it.

5. Using a vegetable slicer or knife, sliced the apple thinly and place it on the duck slices on prepared plates.

6. Drizzle some orange sauce on the apple and duck mixture, top with some salad greens and homemade rosemary and garlic flatbread on the side and serve warm with extra orange sauce.

Orange Sauce:

2 Tablespoons Orange Marmalade
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
Zest of 1 Orange
125ml of Orange Juice
60ml Cup Water
2 Star Anise

Method:-

1. Place orange marmalade, sugar, orange zest, orange juice, star anise and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

2. Simmer for 8 - 10 minutes, until sauce reduced and sightly thickened. Strain and serve warm.

ROSEMARY AND GARLIC FLATBREAD

A flatbread is a simple bread made with flour, water, salt and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. Many flatbreads are unleavened which is made without using yeast or sourdough culture similar to the recipe shown below. And in order to make the above crisp duck salad more filling, I decided to pair it with some homemade Rosemary and Garlic Flatbread which could be used to wrap up the crisp duck salad.

Recipe adapted and modify from Australia Masterchef website HERE.

(serves: 2 | Preparation: 30 minutes | Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
125g Plain Flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
65ml(1/4 cup) Lukewarm Water
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Rosemary
Extra Flour, dusting
2 Tablespoons Melted Butter

Method:-

1. Combine olive oil and lukewarm water in a jug.

2. Process flour, salt and rosemary in a food processor or alternatively place them in a large mixing bowl.

3. Slowly add olive oil and water mixture to the flour to form a dough.

4. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth. Rest dough for at least 30 minutes

5. Divide dough into 6 dough balls, roll out flat and fry(without oil) for 2 minutes each side or until golden.

6. Brush with melted butter. Keep warm and serve together with the Crisp Duck salad above.

Other than making your own flatbread from scratch you could also purchase those ready-made "Wraps/Tortilla " which are available in most leading supermarkets. I am sure you would like this dish as much as I do, and if duck fillets are not available in your area or liking you could always replace it with chicken fillets. And furthermore if you could get hold of kumquat marmalade I am it would add extra and unique flavour to this dish too. Enjoy!

Kiwifruit & Lime Cupcakes

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As much as you read about my passion on using fresh fruits in both my dishes and bakes I am rather excited with my new love on using "kiwifruit" as one of the key ingredient. Before my recent encounter with ZESPRI kiwifruit, I didn't know that kiwifruit has so much health benefits or rather it could be so versatile to use in creating our daily meals.

Below is another way that you could in-cooperate kiwifruit in baking some delicious cupcakes to impressive your guests with minimum steps and effort. These serve great for afternoon tea with cup of fragrant tea to balance it's zesty taste.

KIWIFRUIT AND LIME CUPCAKES

We love the texture of this cupcake which is soft, moist and infuse with hint of sweet and sour zesty flavour from the green kiwifruit and lime syrup. And it really taste great while eating it warm as a tea-cake or as after meal dessert which gives you a refreshing taste and comfort feeling especially during cold nights.

(makes: 6 | Preparation: 10 minutes | Cooking: 25 minutes)

Ingredients:
75g Self-raising Flour
40g Plain Flour
50g Ground Almond
80g Caster Sugar
62g Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
1 Large Egg
60ml Milk
1 1/2 Ripe Green Kiwifruit, cut into cubes
1/2 Green Kiwifruit, sliced for garnishing

Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place combined flours, almond meal and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir well.

2. Whisk egg and milk together with melt butter and slowly stir into the flour ingredients follow by the cubed kiwifruit.

3. Using a spatula, mix well and spoon mixture into paper cases and bake in preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes till golden and skewer inserted and comes out clean.

4. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool further.

LIME SYRUP

Lime syrup is great to act as an addition toppings to enhance the flavour of  many dessert dishes or as an accompaniment to certain drinks which needs a zesty lift. This syrup can be served warmed or cold with desserts or cold. For a combination you could also used half portion of lime juice mixed with lemon juice instead of using one type of fruit.

(Preparation: 5 minutes | Cooking: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
Zest of 1 Lime
90ml Lime Juice(about 2 - 3 limes)
80g Caster Sugar

Method:-

1. To make the lime syrup, place lime rind, lime juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves.

2. Simmer over medium low heat for 8 - 10 minutes until thickened.

3. Cool the syrup slightly. Use a skewer make holes over the cakes before spooning the sryup over cakes and top with sliced kiwifruit.

4. You could also un-mould cake on serving plates, spoon over extra lime syrup and serve warm.

It has being a few months since my last submission for the monthly Aspiring Bakers event and since this month's theme is pretty easy which base on cupcakes. I would like to submit this quick and easy Kiwifruit And Lime Cupcakes for Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) hosted by Min of Min's Blog.

ZESPRI KIWIFRUIT GOODIE BAGS GIVEAWAY
(SINGAPORE ONLY)

Lastly I have a good news for all my Singapore readers. The folks from ZESPRI and Edelman team are giving us some complimentary ZESPRI Goodie Bags for 3 Lucky Winners which includes fresh kiwifruit, 2GB Kiwi thumb drive and etc delivered to your doorsteps.

In order to win a set of this goodie bag, leave a comment stating 2 Goodness of ZESPRI kiwifruit(answer can be found from my ZESPRI kiwifruit post HERE) together with your name and a valid email address. To double up your chance, you could also pop over to my facebook page HERE and "Like" the photo together with a comment on how you usually eats your kiwifruit.

Closing Date for this giveaway will be on Monday, 14 November 2011(Noon).

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(updated on 14 Nov 2011)

GIVEAWAY WINNERS

{Zespri Kiwifruit Recipes} Kiwi, Lime & Mint Cooler, Avocado with Gold Kiwifruit Salsa and Pan-fry Salmon with Green Kiwifruit

Using fresh fruits in either Cooking/Baking is always something that interests me. As you can search through my recipes list, I have tired many dishes with fresh fruit like mango, apple, orange, avocado and etc. And this “Kiwifruit” feast featured here was inspired by the ZESPRI Kiwifruit tasting event held at Heart Bistro which I have missed out last week.

With the goodwill of the folks from Edelman(ZESPRI's PR), they have sent me a set of their press kit which includes fresh kiwifruit, kiwifruit recipes, cute kiwifruit 2GB thumb drive and etc. Below are 3 recipes using fresh ZESPRI Kiwifruit which I would like to share with you and hopefully it would inspired you to in-cooperate some kiwifruit in your daily dishes too.

In Singapore you can easily get a pack of these yummy ZESPRI Kiwifruit from any leading supermarkets or fruit stalls. And do you know ZESPRI Kiwifruit are the most "nutrient dense" of popular fruits that belong in the "Super Fruits" category. Each bite contains more essential nutrients than the other 27 most popular fruits.

ZESPRI Kiwifruit also contains more than 210% of the recommended daily intakes of Vitamin C which gives you 2 times more Vitamin C than an orange. Furthermore it is also a good source of folate which is essential for healthy development of the foetus in early pregnancy. You can read more details HERE with a kiwifruit skin firmer recipe too.

KIWI, LIME AND MINT COOLER

If resources is possible do use fresh Green or Gold kiwifruit in your drinks if you are preparing kiwifruit juice or puree to get the full goodness out of them. Here to start off, let's have a glass of freshly blended "Kiwi, Lime and Mint Cooler" to refresh your body after a hectic day at work. And by adding mint leaves it also act as a fresh and aromatic flavor to the drink with a cool aftertaste.

(serves: 2 | Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 ZESPRI Gold Kiwifruit, cut into halves
2 ZESPRI Green Kiwifruit, cut into halves
1 Teaspoon of Honey
15ml, Juice of Half Lime
1/4 Cup Mint Leaves
1/2 Cup Ice Cubes, optional
150ml Chilled Sprinkling Water/Sprite/Wine

Method:-

1. Blend kiwifruit with honey, lime juice, mint leaves and ice cubes till combined. (I prefer mine without ice so usually i will used chilled sprinkling water/sprite)

2. Divide into cups and top with chilled sparking water and serve.

AVOCADO WITH GOLD KIWIFRUIT SALSA

For starter let's have some crunch to go with the cooler. Does this "Avocado with Gold Kiwifruit Salsa serve on Corn Chips" sound good to you? It is a refreshing dish with hint of sweet, sour and spicy taste due to the adding of lime juice and chopped chilli. This definitely serves well as a party food or tapas to go with cocktail or beer.

Recipe adapted and modify from ZESPRI, Singapore website HERE.
(serves: 2-3 | Preparation: 10 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 Ripe ZESPRI Gold Kiwifruit, cubes
1 Ripe Avocado, cubes
1/2 Tablespoon Runny Honey
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 Red Chilli, seed removed and chopped
1 Tablespoon Shredded Basil/Mint Leaves

Method:-

1. Mix honey, lime juice, chilies and herbs in a bowl.

2. Stir in kiwifruit and avocado cubes and marinate for about 15 - 30 minutes.

3. Upon serving, spoon mixture on corn chips and serve it as starter or pairing with wine and beer too.

You can also serve this salsa on it's own by the side of the main course or mix it together with some shredded chicken and salad greens and serve as a quick salad too. No matter which is your preference style I am sure this appetizing salsa will make your meal taste great.

PAN-FRY SALMON WITH GREEN KIWIFRUIT

Salmon has earned its research reputation as a health-supportive food based on it's amount of omega-3 fatty acid content. Here we are using two nutritious ingredients to form a main course which is so easy to prepare and yet so healthy for the whole family.

Recipe adapted and modify from ZESPRI, Kiwifruit Recipes booklet
(serves: 2 | Preparation: 15 minutes | Cooking: 6 - 8 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 - 3 ZESPRI Green Kiwifruit
1 Small Chilli, seeded and diced
1 Teaspoon Maple Syrup/Honey
450g Salmon Fillet, halves
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Servings of your desire Salad Greens

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Honey
2 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Method:-

1. Place salmon in a deep bowl together with chili, vinegar and honey. Marinate for at least 15 - 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, peel and slice the ZESPRI Green Kiwifruit in wedges.

3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and saute the drained salmon for 3 minutes or until just cooked (according to your own preference).

4. To assemble, pile the salad greens in individual serving plates, top with kiwifruit and salmon.

5. Combine the ingredients for the dressing and drizzle over the salad. Garnish with extra black peeper if desired.

Don't back off from this dish if you are worry about the "smell" of the salmon fish as the marinade from the chopped chilli and apple cider vinegar actually has mask it quite well to flavour this dish. And furthermore to ease your cooking chore, you can even place the salmon on a grease disposal foil tray and bake in the toaster oven for about 8 minutes(turning once) depending on your preference for cooking the salmon.

Coming Up Next

KIWIFRUIT AND LIME CUPCAKES

Lastly I hope you would enjoy the above 3 Kiwifruit Recipes which I have shared with you. And to finished up our kiwifruit feast with some yummy dessert, I have also prepared some "Kiwifruit and Lime Cupcakes" too. If you are keen to find out more about the above-mentioned recipe do stay around for the next upcoming post on Baking with Kiwifruit.