Blueberry, coconut and white chocolate muffins

From a very early age my mother taught me how wonderful fruits are: apples, oranges, watermelon, strawberries, pears… We were a modest family, but there were always different fruits over the counter or in the fridge – my favorites as a kid were strawberries.

Some fruits are kind of recent in my life, such as raspberries and blueberries – these have become popular and easier to find in Brazil over the past years. I love raspberries – went picking them once with a dear friend in Surrey, England, back in 2007 – but blueberries I believe benefit from heat: after being cooked or baked, for example, they become more flavorsome: it is like they turn into little pockets of jam.

Blueberries and white chocolate are beautiful together, the flavors complement each other in a perfect way. I wanted to give these muffins a bit of a tropical flair, therefore the double addition of coconut, both desiccated and in milk form. The muffins turned out delicious, moist and tender, and I found out that coconut and blueberries can be truly great friends too.

 

Blueberry, coconut and white chocolate muffins

own recipe

 

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour

¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar

¼ cup (25g) desiccated unsweetened coconut

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon table salt

½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature

½ cup (120ml) coconut milk

½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (140g) blueberries, fresh or frozen (unthawed)

2/3 cup (110g) white chocolate chips or small chunks

 

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a 12-cavity muffin pan with paper cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, coconut, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, coconut milk, butter, egg and vanilla. Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until ingredients are incorporated – do not overmix, or your muffins will turn out tough; muffin batter is lumpy, and not smooth like cake batter. Fork in the blueberries and the chocolate.

Divide the batter evenly among the paper cups (they will be rather full) and bake for about 20 minutes or until muffins are risen and golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 5 minutes, then carefully unmold onto the rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12

Chocolate, banana and coconut muffins

I love baking as a whole, and muffins are such favorites of mine: they’re easy to put together – no electric equipment involved most of times –, taste amazing right out of the oven – not need to wait for them to cool completely – and can turn any breakfast in a treat. I hadn’t, however, baked muffins in a long time, and I honestly don’t know why.

When the latest issue of the always wonderful Donna Hay Magazine arrived I immediately dug in and found several muffins recipes – they all looked mouthwatering and if it weren’t for the frozen bananas I had in my freezer it would have been difficult to choose which recipe to start with.

I found these muffins delicious warm, when the chocolate chips are melted – for some reason they are less interesting when cool, therefore they taste way better out of the oven – if there are any left, a handful of seconds in the microwave oven should do the trick.

Chocolate, banana and coconut muffins
from the always gorgeous and mouthwatering Donna Hay Magazine

2 ½ cups (350g) purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
½ cup (50g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
2/3 cup (133g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (30g) Dutch cocoa
2 eggs
½ cup (120ml) coconut milk
½ cup (120ml) canola oil
3 small very ripe bananas (400g), mashed with a fork
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
200g dark chocolate, in chips or chunks – I used one with 53% cocoa solids

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, coconut, sugar and cocoa. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut milk, oil, banana and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture into dry mixture and stir just until combined; do not overmix. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake until risen and a skewer inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove muffins from pan and place on a rack until cool enough to handle. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 – I halved the recipe and got 8 muffins

Orange coconut poppy seed cake and how important photos are to me

When I read cookbook reviews at Amazon I notice that one of the things people most complain about is the lack of photographs, and I tend to agree with them: I own books that I know are really great, but I tend to ignore them because they have no or close to none photos – I guess that when I need inspiration I need to look at great images that will make my mouth water.

It is also really good to know how the food is going to look like once you’re finished cooking it.

I saw a recipe for a citrus coconut cake on Taste magazine days ago and it immediately caught my attention: the cake slices looked so tender I couldn’t resist it! And I wasn’t even thinking of baking a cake – I was searching for something savory – but that photo made me wish for a slice of that super tender cake, so I had to make it (if you ask me what I was looking for in the first place I don't really remember). :D

The result was a very tender cake indeed, even difficult to slice, and it tasted delicious – inspiration came in the form of a tempting photo and I’m glad I gave it a go.

Orange coconut poppy seed cake
slightly adapted from Taste magazine

1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
¾ cup (75g) unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 1 large orange
125g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (240ml) coconut milk*

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly butter a 20x10cm (8x4in) loaf pan, line it with baking paper and butter it as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. Whisk in the coconut.
Place sugar and orange zest in the bowl of an electric mixer and rub them together with your fingertips until sugar is fragrant. Add butter and beat with the electric mixer until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition until the mixture is well combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, add flour mixture in three additions alternating with coconut milk and mix just until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 25 minutes, then carefully lift cake from the pan using the paper and transfer to the rack. Cool completely, then carefully peel off the paper.

* to avoid opening a second bottle of coconut milk, I used a whole bottle (200ml) + 40ml of whole milk

Serves 6-8

Moist coconut cake - a recipe straight from the 80s

I was a kid in the 80s and back then there was a time when every birthday cake was the same here in São Paulo (I’m not sure it happened in other parts of the country): it was a very moist coconut cake, drenched in sweetened condensed milk – Brazilian desserts tend to be very sweet and we are crazy about sweetened condensed milk – cut into squares and wrapped individually in a piece of foil; the pieces would then go into a large Styrofoam box, decorated accordingly to the theme of the party.

I know that might sound a bit weird for non-Brazilians, but that kind of cake was all the rage here for years. And if you think that is strange, wait till you hear how the cake is called: toalha felpuda, something that can be translated like “fluffy towel”.

:D

My sister-in-law was talking about this cake the other day, of how much she wanted to eat it and all, and since I’m more than willing to make sweets for people I like I told her I would make a toalha felpuda especially for her: it turned out moist and fluffy, just as I remembered from my childhood, but I ditched the foil wrapping and placed the cake squares in an airtight container – it can be served at room temperature or chilled, like in the good old days.

Moist coconut cake (toalha felpuda)
slightly adapted from Nestlé’s Brazilian website

Cake:
2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
150g unsalted butter, softened
1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
200ml coconut milk
pinch of salt

Topping:
1 cup (100g) desiccated unsweetened coconut
½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk

Cake: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a 23x32cm (13x9in) metal pan*.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, beat in the sifted ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk and coconut milk (one addition each). In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with the salt until firm peaks form. Fold the egg whites gently into the cake batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, start making the topping: in a medium bowl, stir together the coconut and the milk and leave to hydrate. When the cake is baked, add the sweetened condensed milk to the coconut and milk mixture and stir to combine. As soon as the cake is out of the oven, prick it all over with a fork and pour over the topping, gradually, until the cake absorbs all of it. Cool completely, then cut into squares to serve.

* I made the exact recipe above using a 20x30cm (8x12in) baking pan and baked the cake for 55 minutes

Makes 24

Chocolate, coconut and banana cake

I love trying new things and I am sure I am not alone: when movies are concerned, for instance, writers and actors become directors, directors work as actors or make cameo appearances, and so forth. Change is good; variety is the spice of life.

While some are very successful working in different areas – I think Antonio Banderas should focus on directing more after I watched Crazy in Alabama, and let us not forget that Quentin Tarantino was a writer before working behind the cameras – I can’t say the same about others: I started watching Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut the other day, but the movie was so awful I changed the channel after fifteen minutes of it. Poor Joseph, go back to acting, will you? :)

As I said, change is good – maybe except for JGL? ;) – not only in the movies but also in the kitchen: this moist and delicious cake, very chocolaty, is made without eggs and yet the result was really, really good, as the banana not only acts as the egg replacer but also adds a wonderful flavor to the cake.

I have no intention of giving up on eggs – I just love them too much – and that was not even the reason why I baked this cake: I just got hypnotized by the beautiful photo I had to make it, especially because the recipe comes from a cookbook that the more I cook from, the more I love it.

Chocolate, coconut and banana cake
cake slightly adapted from the marvelous A Modern Way to Eat: Over 200 Satisfying, Everyday Vegetarian Recipes (That Will Make You Feel Amazing), glaze from the wonderful Annie Bell's Baking Bible

Cake:
¾ cup (105g) all purpose flour
1 ½ cups (150g) almond meal
1 cup (95g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of salt
125g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
150ml maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
150ml coconut milk
50ml whole milk, room temperature
1 large ripe banana, mashed

Glaze:
100g dark chocolate – I used one with 53% cocoa solids
25g unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature

Cake: preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20x7cm (8x3in) round cake pan with a removable bottom, line the bottom with a circle of baking paper and butter the paper as well.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly pour in the melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, coconut milk, milk and banana. Mix well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 35–40 minutes, until it feels firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean. Don't worry if the cake has cracked on the top, as this will all get covered by the chocolate glaze.
Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Carefully unmold, peel off the paper and transfer to a serving plate.

Glaze: place chocolate and butter in a small heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes, then spread over the cooled cake.

Serves 8

Red curry and coconut bread - the most unusual bread I have ever made

Months ago I purchased a very interesting cookbook filled with recipes of bread and soups, two things I deeply love. I patiently and eagerly waited for the cold days of winter to show up around here, but unfortunately this year they were a handful only – it’s been hot for so long it feels like summer never ended.

For that reason, I postponed the plan of making the delicious soups I saw on the book and decided to focus on the bread instead: the recipes looked equally flavorsome.

I started with the one I found the most unusual bread, a loaf made with red curry paste and coconut – I had some paste in the fridge and could not wait to discover how it would flavor the bread. The loaf turned out very unusual, indeed, and I’ll admit it: it’s not everyone’s cup of tea – one has to like spicy food to enjoy the bread.

I thought it tasted great with a simple vegetable soup (the temperature dropped a day after I baked the bread, go figure), but I found that the killer way of having this bread was turning it into grilled cheese – it was delicious beyond words.

Red curry and coconut bread
slightly adapted from the delicious The Soup & Bread Cookbook: More Than 100 Seasonal Pairings for Simple, Satisfying Meals

scant ½ tablespoon dried yeast
½ tablespoon granulated sugar
100ml warm water
1/3 cup (80ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1 ½ tablespoons red curry paste
½ teaspoon table salt
2 cups (280g) all purpose flour

Place yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, curry paste, salt and flour and mix until a dough starts to form. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

Knead for about 10 minutes (or 5 using an electric mixer) or until smooth and elastic. Place onto a large lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.

Butter a 21.5x11.5cm (8.5x4.5in) loaf pan (6-cup capacity). Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 20x30cm (8x12in) rectangle. Roll it tight to form a cylinder, then place onto prepared pan. Cover and set aside again for 45 minutes – in the meantime, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.

Bake the bread until golden and loaf sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Cool in the pan over a wire rack for 5 minutes, carefully unmold and transfer to rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 loaf

Beef kofta curry with fluffy rice and peas and going crazy over cookbooks

September is a lovely month: spring comes our way, bringing flowers to make the city prettier and, in Sao Paulo’s case, it also brings the much needed rain. But it is also the time of the year when a bunch of cookbooks are released, which makes me tense for as much as I keep telling myself that “I have too many cookbooks” or “I don’t need new cookbooks” I know I don’t sound very convincing. :)

I’ve had my eye on several new releases for a long time and I was already in trouble because I couldn’t make up my mind about which ones to buy, and now to make things worse for me Jamie Oliver has a new cookbook, too. Oh, crap. :S

While I decide whether or not to buy Comfort Food, I’ll use the Jamie’s cookbooks I already own, because they’re really good. This beef kofta comes from the delicious Jamie's 15-Minute Meals, a book I should definitely use more often for it’s packed with tasty recipes.

I adapted the recipe ever so slightly to use curry powder for I did not have any curry paste at hand and also to use brown lentils instead of the super expensive (at least here) puy lentils called for in the original recipe. These “adaptations” saved me some money, I used ingredients I already had at home, and at the end the food turned out delicious – and I even got the husband to eat lentils, which was the real victory here. :D

Beef kofta curry with fluffy rice and peas
slightly adapted from the wonderful Jamie's 15-Minute Meals

100g cooked lentils
300g quality lean beef mince
1 fat garlic clove, minced
1 heaped teaspoon garam masala
generous ½ teaspoon table salt
freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 spring onions, white part only
½ fresh red chilli
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon runny honey
2 teaspoons curry powder
100ml coconut milk
handful parsley

For the rice:
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ onion, finely diced
1 mug basmati rice
2 cardamom pods
salt
150g frozen peas

In a bowl, combine the lentils, mince, garlic, garam masala, salt and pepper then mix and scrunch together with clean hands. Divide the mixture in half, then with wet hands quickly squeeze and mold each half into 8 fat fingers. Put them into a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, drizzle with ½ tablespoon of oil, and cook, turning occasionally until golden all around.

Squash the tomatoes into the liquidizer, add the peeled ginger, spring onions, chilli, turmeric, honey, curry and coconut milk, then blitz until combined. Pour into the kofta pan, bring to the boil, then simmer and season to taste.

Rice: heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the rice and stir to combine. Add the salt and the cardamom, followed by 2 mugs of boiling water. Cover, lower the heat and cook until rice is cooked and fluffy. Take the lid off the rice, add the peas, mix it all up with a fork, cover and give it just 2-3 more minutes so the peas are cooked. Remove from the heat.

Sprinkle the koftas with the parsley and serve with the rice.

Serves 4

Coconut buns + a TV show disappointment

I waited months for the fifth season of “Mad Men” to arrive on Netflix but after watching all the episodes I did not like it much. :/

* spoilers *

I hated the fate given to two of my favorite characters, Joan and Lane, and Don Draper doesn’t seem to be the interesting character he once was – at least Pete and Peggy had great finales. Seasons 1 through 4 are such favorites of mine, I hope season 6 gets back on track again. Have you watched season 5? Did you like it?

* end of spoilers *

If “Mad Men” was a disappointment to me I can’t say the same about these buns: they are super tender and delicious both on their own and with some raspberry jam; the recipes from "Baking by Flavor" never let me down.

Coconut buns
slightly adapted from the always delicious and wonderful Baking by Flavor

2 ¼ teaspoons dried yeast
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons warm water
1 large egg
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream*
¼ cup coconut milk
2 cups + 2 tablespoons (300g) all purpose flour, divided use
¼ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 sweetened (33g) shredded coconut
½ cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks

For assembling the buns:
1 egg, beaten with a fork, for brushing the rolls
about ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut, for sprinkling over the rolls

In the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the hook attachment mix the yeast, ½ teaspoon of the sugar and warm water. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until foamy. Add the egg, vanilla, remaining sugar, sour cream and coconut milk and stir to combine. Add 2 cups of the flour, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and coconut and mix at medium-low speed until a dough forms. Gradually add the butter, mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes – if the dough is too sticky, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour, but be aware that this is a soft dough. Transfer to a lightly buttered large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4-5 hours or overnight.
Butter a 20x30cm (12x8in) baking pan. Set aside.
Remove the dough from the fridge and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead 3-4 four times, then divide into 9 equal portions. Roll each into a ball by cupping your hand and pushing dough against work surface as you roll in a circular motion. Arrange rolls 2.5cm (1in) apart onto prepared pan and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let proof until doubled in size, about 2 hours. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F.
Brush the rolls with the egg wash and sprinkle with the coconut. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*homemade sour cream: to make 1 cup of sour cream, mix 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream with 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until it starts to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 1 hour or until thicker (I usually leave mine on the counter overnight – except on very warm nights – and it turns out thick and silky in the following morning; refrigerate for a creamier texture)

Makes 9

Lime coconut cake

If I obsess over movies, TV shows and music things wouldn’t be different with food: certain flavors and dishes get my attention from time to time and I find it hard to resist them.

After baking those delicious lime coconut cookies – which looked so cute, by the way – I wanted to make something else with those flavors and this cake was the perfect choice: very tender, with a nice hint of citrus and a delicious coconut topping (I’m a complete sucker for toasted coconut). As a bonus, the recipe comes from a magazine I believe many of us miss, but luckily for us its website is very, very rich.

Lime coconut cake
slightly adapted from the oh, so beautiful and missed Gourmet mag

1 cup (100g) sweetened flaked coconut
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
finely grated zest of 2 large limes
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups (245g) self-rising flour*
½ cup (120ml) coconut milk
¼ cup (60ml) whole milk
¼ cup (60ml) fresh lime juice, divided
1 cup (140g) confectioners’ sugar
½ tablespoon rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 180°/350°F with rack in middle. Generously butter a 22x5cm (9x2in) round cake pan and line bottom with a round of parchment paper. Butter paper as well.
Toast coconut in a small baking pan in oven, stirring once or twice, until golden, about 6 minutes. Cool. Leave oven on.
Beat together butter, granulated sugar, and zest with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Stir together flour and ½ cup (50g) of the coconut (reserve remainder for topping). Stir together coconut milk, milk and 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. At low speed, mix flour and milk mixtures into egg mixture alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour.
Spoon batter into pan and smooth top. Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool to warm, then turn out of pan and discard parchment.
Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl, then whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, and rum (if using) and pour over cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.

* instead of self-rising flour, I used 1 ¾ cups (245g) all purpose flour + 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder + ¼ teaspoon table salt

Serves 8

Super tender coconut cake with coconut icing

Since you already know I'm addicted to Suzanne Collins' books you won't be surprised to know that it took me four days to read "Catching Fire" and that I've already started reading "Mockinjay", right? :)
Now I cannot wait to watch the movie, even though knowing that Francis Lawrence is going to direct it doesn't actually thrill me.

"Mockinjay" makes me feel a bit like "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" did: I want to devour the book but at the same time I wish I could slow down the reading rhythm a little because it's the last book of the trilogy.

***

The more I bake from Lisa Yockelson's girlie book the happier I get for having bought it: so far, each and every recipe I've tried turned out fantastic, like this coconut cake: it was so tender it was even hard to slice it. Just delicious.

Super tender coconut cake with coconut icing
slightly adapted from the beautiful and delicious Baking Style: Art, Craft, Recipes

Cake:
2 ½ cups (300g) cake flour*
½ cup (70g) all purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups + 3 tablespoons (445g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
4 large eggs, separated
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup (120ml) coconut milk
½ cup (120ml) whole milk
1 ¼ cups (125g) sweetened flaked coconut
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

Icing:
2 cups (280g) confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tablespoons coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter and flour a 22x32cm (13x9in) baking pan**.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter for 3 minutes on medium speed. Add the confectioners’ sugar in 3 additions, beating well after each addition, then beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, 2 at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Blend in the vanilla. On low speed, alternately add the sifted ingredients in 3 additions with the milks in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the sifted ingredients. Blend in the coconut.
In a clean, medium bowl whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until firm peaks form. Gradually fold the egg whites into the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack.
Make the icing: sift the confectioners’ sugar into a medium bowl. Gradually add the coconut milk, stirring, until desired consistency. Pour over the cooled cake and set aside until icing is set, about 30 minutes – since I used a pan with a removable bottom, I removed the sides of the pan before pouring the icing over the cake.

* homemade cake flour: 1 cup (140g) all purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons corn starch

**I made the exact recipe above using a 20x30cm (8x12in) pan

Serves 18

Little lemon syrup soaked coconut cakes

I’ve probably written about this already here but there it goes: I usually fear (a little) watching again now the movies I loved as my much younger self – there’s always the risk of deception, the “what the heck was I thinking?” feeling. Luckily this hasn’t happened often and the movies I’ve seen lately have permanently cemented their place in my heart. One example is “The Crying Game”: I adore Neil Jordan’s work and that film is a masterpiece.

* spoilers *

To this day very few movies have deserved the Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay as much as “The Crying Game” – the “twist” in the plot is a very creative one and I love the way Jordan unfolds it in the movie. Knowing that Stanley Kubrick and Jordan exchanged ideas about the movie made me love it even more – Kubrick believed that the role of Dil was uncastable; if the film production were to start today I would suggest the name of Andrej Pejic to both gentlemen – I wonder what they would think of my idea. :)

***

These little cakes, as simple as they look, are packed with a lot of flavor – lemon and coconut are really delicious combination.

Little lemon syrup soaked coconut cakes
slightly adapted from In the Sweet Kitchen

Cakes:
2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
1 cup (100g) sweetened desiccated coconut
2 large eggs
1 cup (240ml) coconut milk
1 cup (226g/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
freshly grated zest of 2 large lemons
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Syrup:
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (124g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (80ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup (60ml) water

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter eight ¾ cup (180ml) capacity muffin cups or individual cake molds*.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and coconut. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then add the coconut milk and cooled melted butter. Stir with a whisk to blend the mixture into a thick, smooth liquid. Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla extract. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients all at once and stir with a wooden spoon just until incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until risen and golden around the edges and a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Towards the end of the oven time, make the syrup: in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, juice and water and place over low heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until the syrup has thickened slightly. Remove from heat and set aside (the syrup is supposed to be pour over the cakes while both the syrup and the cakes are still warm).

Transfer the pans to a wire rack set over a baking sheet and cool for 10-12 minutes. Carefully remove the cakes from the pan, then return them to the pan (this is to ensure the cakes won’t get stuck in the pans). Use a small toothpick to make holes in the tops of each cake. Spoon the syrup over each cake and leave them to cool completely.

* this is the pan I used

Makes 8

Coconut custard bars + the unforgettable "Hugo"

I don’t have kids, but I imagine that if I did I would love to cook and bake for them, because I already do that with lots of joy for the people I love and care about – I guess it’s a way of expressing my feelings. Maybe people like doing things they love for the ones they love. And why am I telling you all this, you might ask? Well, because that crossed my mind when I left the theater a couple of nights ago, after watching the fantastic “Hugo” – that was Scorsese’s way of expressing his love for his daughter: doing what he does best, what he loves to do for someone he loves. Some people say “I love/like you”, some bake cakes, and others make movies. :)

As I sat on my chair and started enjoying my popcorn, several kids entered the theater and sat down, too, waiting for the film to start. That is not something I see very often, given the sort of movies I usually watch. Fifteen minutes into the film and I thought to myself, “are these kids lucky or what?”, because as a child I did not have the opportunity to see something so strikingly beautiful, so perfectly made – actually, to be honest, even as an adult I haven’t seen many movies as beautiful as “Hugo”. I was mesmerized by the images, the colors, the sounds – I was in Paris. Asa Butterfly and his big blue eyes (which remind me of Elijah Wood’s) won my heart completely – he made me cry like a baby and by the end of the movie I wanted to take the kid home with me. I know Scorsese is a very gifted director and has the ability of improving just about anyone’s performance, but I never imagined he’d be so good at directing kids. On the other side, for each tear I shed there was lots of laughter with Sacha Baron Cohen – I thought he was delightful to watch, funny and adorable, which, to me, is Scorsese’s touch again (those of you who have watched Cohen’s previous performances might agree with me).

I wish I could tell you more about “Hugo” but I loved it so much and it moved me in such way that I sort of got speechless – this 33-year-old won’t be forgetting Martin Scorsese’s “kid’s movie”. Ever.

Coconut custard bars
slightly adapted from the wonderful The Good Cookie

Crust:
1 1/3 cups (186g) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (113g/1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and chopped into 1cm (½in) cubes
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons cold water
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240ml) unsweetened coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 cup (100g) sweetened shredded coconut

Make the crust: preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a 22cm (9in) square pan*.
Place flour, sugar, salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until blended. Scatter butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, water and vanilla. With food processor running, add yolk mixture through the feed tube and process just until the dough begins to come together in large clumps. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and, using your fingers, pat it evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake crust until golden, 20-25 minutes. Transfer the pan to wire rack and cool completely. Leave the oven on.
In medium bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and granulated sugar until blended. Slowly whisk in the coconut milk. Whisk in the vanilla, rum and flour and salt.
Sprinkle the coconut evenly over the cooled crust. Pour the filling through a fine sieve over the coconut, covering the crust completely. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until filling is set and the edges are golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Using sharp knife, cut into bars.

* I made the exact recipe above using a 20cm (8in) square pan; since it has a removable bottom it was easy to unmold and cut the bars

Makes 12

Coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting

I watched "The Tree of Life" last August but to this day I haven’t been able to write anything about the movie; just couldn’t put into words everything the film made me feel – there were so many tears that my eyes were swollen when I left the theater. Jessica Chastain’s character reminded me so much of my mother it felt like I was going back in time – that was the first movie I saw with the actress and I loved her performance. Not to say I wish I had her hair. :) And last week I read something about her that made me like her even more. :)

A couple of weeks ago I decided to bake something with the tons of coconut stashed in my pantry, so I adapted a recipe from the amazing "Bon Appetit Desserts" and got these tender, delicious cupcakes – then all I did was switch the cream cheese frosting for a chocolate one.

Coconut cupcakes with chocolate frosting
adapted from the always delicious Bon Appetit Desserts: The Cookbook for All Things Sweet and Wonderful

Cupcakes:
1 cup (140g) all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (124g) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (150g) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/3 cup (80ml) sour cream*
¼ cup (60ml) coconut milk
1/3 cup (33g) sweetened flaked coconut, plus some extra for decorating

Frosting:
112g (4oz) semisweet chocolate (do not exceed 61% cacao), chopped
56g (2oz) milk chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup (35g) icing sugar, sifted

Bake the cupcakes: preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line 10 standard (1/3 cup capacity) muffin cups with paper liners; fill the empty cavities halfway up with water.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Scrape the sides of the bowl eventually. In low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients, then the sour cream, then the remaining dry ingredients. Beat in the coconut milk and sweetened coconut. Fill each paper liner 2/3 full with batter. Bake for about 18 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cupcakes in the pan over a wire rack for 10 minutes then carefully remove from the pan. Transfer to the rack and cool completely.

Make the frosting: stir both chocolates, cream and butter in a medium bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from the water. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla, then icing sugar. Let stand until thick enough to spread, about 10 minutes (I was in a hurry and after those 10 minutes I refrigerated the frosting for 5 minutes).
Spread frosting on top of completely cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the extra coconut.

* homemade sour cream: to make 1 cup of sour cream, mix 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream with 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice in a bowl. Whisk until it starts to thicken. Cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 1 hour or until thicker (I usually leave mine on the counter overnight – except on very warm nights – and it turns out thick and silky in the following morning, refrigerate for a creamier texture)

Makes 10

Coconut rice pudding with toasted almonds + "Super 8"

So my sister convinced me to go watch "Super 8" with her – you see, I belong to the Goonies generation, therefore I’m always suspicious towards movies with kids – I never expect much, because I know deep in my heart that nothing will beat my favorite. But I have to say that I was impressed with “Super 8”: I thought the movie was adorable, with very well directed scenes, and Elle Fanning is certainly one to be watched in the future.

What does “Super 8” have to do with this rice pudding? Well, actually, nothing. It’s just that my sister loved it as much as she loved the movie. And I did, too. :D

Coconut rice pudding with toasted almonds
slightly adapted from the always gorgeous Donna Hay Magazine

1/3 cup flaked almonds
1 cup (200g) Arborio rice
4 cups (960ml) coconut milk
1/3 cup (80ml) whole milk
½ cup + 1 tablespoon (112g) superfine sugar

Toast the almonds in a dry nonstick frying pan over medium heat until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
Make the rice pudding: combine the rice, coconut milk, milk and sugar in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook, stirring often, until rice is tender, 20 minutes.
Serve the pudding warm sprinkled with the almonds.

Serves 4

Coconut orange tea cake and things that make me wanna scream

I’m going to share something with you, even though you might think I’m crazy: there are times when certain things are so, so good I feel like screaming (for the record, I don’t actually scream). ;)

Off the top of my head I remember feeling like that after watching “Stay” and "Inception", listening to The Temper Trap’s “Love Lost” (especially from 1min50seg on), and more recently, this cake. An absolutely simple cake – no icings or fillings – put together in a heartbeat, but so delicious and tender I felt like screaming – and like devouring the whole thing myself, too. Not pretty, I know. But so true. :D

Coconut orange tea cake
from Dorie’s amazing and delicious book

2 cups (280g) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup (240ml) canned unsweetened coconut milk*
¼ cup (56g/½ stick) unsalted butter, in cubes
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups (400g) caster (superfine) sugar
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons dark rum
¾ cup (75g) unsweetened shredded coconut
freshly squeezed juice of ½ orange

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Butter a 22-25cm/9-10in (10-12 cup) bundt pan or use an unbuttered silicone pan. Do not place the pan on a baking sheet – you want the oven’s heat to circulate through the tube**.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Place coconut milk and butter in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until milk is hot and butter is melted. Remove from the heat but keep warm.
Place the sugar and orange zest in the large bowl of an electric mixer and rub them together until sugar is fragrant. Add the eggs to the bowl and, using the whisk attachment, beat the ingredients until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and the rum. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, beating just until flour is incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Keeping the mixer on low, add the coconut, mixing only until blended. Add the coconut milk and butter and the orange juice. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan over a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully unmold onto the rack and cool completely (if using a silicone pan, follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Dust with icing sugar to serve.

* coconut milk comes in 200ml bottles here in Brazil; to avoid opening another bottle to use only a couple of tablespoons of the coconut milk, I used one coconut milk bottle + 40ml whole milk

** I used a silicone pan and it wouldn’t hold still on the oven rack; I placed it on a baking sheet and it worked fine

Serves 10-12