Baileys Irish Cream Chiffon Cake

I am back (okay... was back since like 2 weeks back :P)! The much needed and looked-forward-to vacation in Japan has been done and I am once again back to this hot and humid country. Aren't I glad to not have to add the word hazy too. Hurhur.

This trip to Kyushu was good, like always! No disappointment, just fun and happiness.  Being my fifth trip to Japan, all things I see and people I meet there still impresses me.

Will you be amused if I told you I am still having the post holiday blues now???  And this explains the slow momentum in getting back into my kitchen! Reminiscing all good times made me lazy hahaha!  So expect slow updates.  All I have here after this are mostly photos of my Baileys Irish Cream Chiffon Cake. Simple, but yummy.

Be back soon!

Dig in!

Baileys Irish Cream Chiffon Cake

Egg yolk mixture
5 egg yolks
20g sugar
30g oil 
70g Baileys Irish Cream 
100g cake flour

Egg white meringue 
5 egg white
1/8 tsp lemon juice
60g sugar



1. Combine egg yolks and sugar and mix well with a whisk till sugar is dissolved.

2. Stir in oil and Baileys Irish Cream, whisk till combined before adding in sifted cake flour and mix well till no clumps are present.

3. In a separate clean and dry mixing bowl, add in egg white and beat till large bubbles are formed. In 3 additions, add in sugar. Make sure to beat till sugar is dissolved in between each addition. Stop when the white mixture reaches stiff peak stage.

4. In 3 additions, fold in egg white meringue into yolk mixture in a one gentle direction, taking care not to over fold and deflate mixture.

5. Pour cake mixture into chiffon tube pan and put to bake in a preheated oven and bake at 160deg C for 1 hour or till done.

6. Remove from oven and overturn to allow chiffon cake to cool before slicing.

Chilled Baileys Cheesecake

With the bottle of baileys and blocks of cream cheese lying in my fridge, I decided to settle for a no-bake cheesecake with these.  Not only is it easy to do, no-bake cheesecakes make a wonderful and sinful sweet treat.  I love how fuss-free and quick it is to make no-bake cheesecakes, as compared to the bake ones!  Oh but well, I love cheesecakes, baked or no-bakes, I will just do it anyway!

Chilled Baileys Cheesecake
(Adapted from Grace Kitchen Corner but with slight changes/additions)

Recipe for 8 inches baking tin 

Bottom base: 

90g digestive biscuits crumbs (base was a little thick, so if you do not like thick base, you can half the amount of the digestive biscuit and oreo cookies)

30g oreo biscuits crumbs 

75g butter (melted) 

Fillings: 

250g cream cheese 

60g sugar 

15g Baileys Irish cream

2 teaspoon gelatin (dissolve with 1 tablespoon hot water) 

170ml whipping cream 

Method:

1. Mix the crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press crumbs mixture onto bottom baking pan or little chef rings and keep in the fridge.
2. In another bowl, beat cream cheese until soften, gradually beat in sugar until the sugar dissolve. Add in the Baileys mixture until well blended.
3. Whisk the whipping cream in another bowl until thicken.
4. Mix the dissolved gelatin into the Baileys mixture until well incorporated. Fold in the in the whipped cream until everything well combine.
5. Pour into the baking pan and chill in the fridge until it set.
6. After the cheesecake has set. Let it set in the fridge.
7. Run a sharp knife at the edge of the cake pan and unmold when everything has set. Enjoy!

Tiramisu Charlotte Cake (using cream cheese)

What is the one thing that comes to your mind when you see these 2 items??  Yeah, Tiramisu cake alright!

Made this dessert many times with mascarpone cheese and received compliments for it, but this time I decided to challenge using cream cheese instead.  Wanna see if there is much difference to using mascarpone cheese and cream cheese.  Yes, there is. Using mascaporne cheese yields a lighter tasting tiramisu, while cream cheese got the cake tasting slightly heavier and had that tangy taste, which I actually quite like! Great! A cheaper alternative for me next time keke~

Tiramisu, to me, is quite a fail-proof dessert that everyone can make.  Who doesn't like after-meal sweets??? So do it!

Tiramisu Charlotte Cake

Recipe by Happy Home Baking

(makes a 7" cake)

Espresso Syrup:
1 tablespoon instant espresso/ strong coffee powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) boiling water
1 tablespoon Marsala (I used Baileys Irish Cream)

Filling:
250g mascarpone cheese (I used cream cheese)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons icing sugar
2 tablespoons Marsala (I used Baileys Irish Cream)
1 cup (250 ml) heavy/whipping cream (I used whipping cream)

about 24 sponge fingers (savoiardi)
50g dark chocolate (optional, I did not use)

cocoa powder, to dust
dark and white chocolate shavings (optional)
strawberries for decoration (optional)


Method: 

To make the Espresso Syrup:
Dissolve instant espresso coffee powder, sugar in boiling water. Leave to cool. Stir in 1 tablespoon Baileys Irish Cream. Set aside.

To make the Filling:In a mixing bowl, with a manual whisk, whisk mascarpone cheese (cream cheese) with icing sugar, vanilla extract, Baileys Irish Cream and 3 tablespoons of the espresso syrup until blended.

With an electric mixer whisk the whipping cream until soft peak (do not over whip). With a spatula, fold in 1/4 of the whipped cream to the mascarpone (cream cheese) mixture. Fold in the remaining whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture  (cream cheese).

To assemble the cake:
Cut off one end of the sponge fingers so that each one is about 3" in length. Line the sides of a 7" round baking pan* (with a removable base or use a springform pan) with the sponge fingers (do not dip them in the espresso syrup). You will need about 17 sponge fingers (depending on the type/brand). If the last sponge finger cannot fit in nicely, trim away part of it to fit it in. Save the leftover small pieces.

One at a time, gently dip (do not soak) sponge fingers in the espresso syrup and use them to line the base of the pan. Cut the sponge fingers into shorter lengths if necessary. Use the leftover pieces to fill the gaps.

Spoon over half of the filling. Spread evenly. Grate the dark chocolates over the filling (I used cocoa powder). Repeat with another layer of sponge fingers and spoon over the remaining filling (I did 3 layers and dust the 3 layers with cocoa power). Spread and smooth the top (I dust a 3rd layer of cocoa powder). Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, best left overnight.

I covered the top with clingwrap and secured it with a rubberband, and refrigerate it.

Just before serving, unmold the cake and dust the top with cocoa powder (my 4th layer). Decorate with dark and white chocolate shavings and strawberries (as desired).

Equally sliced and ready to be eaten!

Enjoy!