Yema Cake

Yema Cake

"Yema Cake is a Phillipino dessert cake that originated in the Philippines some twenty years ago. The Yema filling and frosting is a custard candy made of egg yolks - Yema meaning egg yolk. It is a delicious and creamy filling in a two layered cake."

Ingredients

For the cake:

50 grams butter

250 grams cream cheese

110 ml milk

1 vanilla pod (optional)

60 grams all-purpose flour

20 grams corn starch

¼ tsp salt

6 egg yolks

1 tsp calamansi (or lemon) juice

6 egg whites

¼ tsp cream of tartar

140 grams sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Yema filling or icing:

1 can condensed milk

6 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ cup butter

½ cup grated cheese

Directions

In a small pan over simmering water, melt together cream cheese, butter and milk. If you opt to use vanilla beans, scrape the beans from the vanilla pod and add it to the pan. Once melted, cool to room temp. Using a mixer, add in flour, corn starch, salt. Then add in egg yolks and lastly the lemon juice. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy (or frothy). Add in vanilla then gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg whites to the cream cheese mixture. Make sure everything is well combined. Pour batter into an 8-inch round cake pan covered with parchment paper. Bake the cake in a water bath for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until done at 325 F.

To make the icing, open a can of condensed milk and pour it over a pan. Add in egg yolks and cook in low heat. Add in vanilla extract. Cook until it thickens enough to spread. Add in butter.

To assemble the Yema Cake, divide cake into two. Add the filling then cover it with the other half of the cake. Cover the rest of the cake with icing. Top with finely grated cheese.

Meringue Shell Cookies (Rakushki)

Meringue Shell Cookies

"My elder daughter, Evania is back from the UK for Christmas holidays and I thought this would be ideal not only cause Christmas is around the corner, but it would also make a good tea time snack. Meringue Shell Cookies are light and not overly sweet cookies with a soft ribbon of meringue and a crumbly centre. They are perfect for an afternoon tea. I have taken this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen. However, I have substituted sour cream with yogurt and added vanilla essence to the dough and meringue, to take away the strong smell of eggs."

Ingredients

For The Shell Cookie Dough:

• 1 cup (16 Tbsp or 226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup thick yoghurt 
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla esence
• 3 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour (315 grams) *measured correctly

For the Meringue Cookie Filling:

• 3 egg whites, room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1½ cups walnut pieces (3 pieces per cookie)

Directions

How to Make the Cookie Dough:

1. !Prep: Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line a ¾ baking sheet with parchment (or 2 regular half sheets)
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add: 16 Tbsp butter, 3 egg yolks, ½ cup yogurt and mix medium/low speed just until combined. It won't be smooth. Add vanilla essence.
3. Add 2 cups flour and add the last ½ cup slowly just until dough is no longer sticking to clean fingertips. When dough is ready, turn it out onto floured work surface then wash and dry your mixing bowl and make your meringue:

How to Make Meringue Cookie Filling:

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat 3 room temperature egg whites on high speed 1 minute until thick and foamy. Add vanilla essence. With the mixer on, slowly and gradually add ¾ cup sugar. Once sugar is all in, continue beating on high for 5 min or until the meringue forms stiff peaks.

How to Assemble Meringue Shell Cookies:

1. While meringue is mixing, divide cookie dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a log. Cut each log into 15 equal pieces and roll them into balls between your hands. Roll each ball with a rolling pin into a 2" diameter circle.
2. Dollop a teaspoon of meringue into the center of each round then fold the cookie n half and in half again and lay it on it's side on the lined baking sheet. Space cookies at least ½" apart.
3. Stuff 3 walnut pieces into the meringue of each cookie then bake at 350˚F for 25 to 30 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool to room temp before dusting with powdered sugar.

Choco Balls

Choco Balls

"These Choco Balls are a melt in the mouth treat. Even before you can finish the first one, you will be reaching for more."

Ingredients

Makes 16 rum balls

2 eggs

215 gms (1 cup) caster sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

 150 gms (1 cup) self-raising flour (if you don’t have self-raising flour, just add 2 tsp baking powder to 1 cup of plain all purpose flour

 50 gms (1/3 cup) plain flour

 50 gms (1/2 cup) dark Chocolate grated 

 160 ml (2/3 cup) cooking oil

 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk

Oil to grease baking pan

4 tbsp Rum*

For ganache

100 gms dark chocolate

100 gms cooking cream

To decorate 

Cocoa powder or icing or sprinkles             

Mini cupcake moulds (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a square 19 cms cake pan and grease with some oil. Melt chocolate in a Bain Marie (double boiler) and keep aside to cool. Using an electric beater. beat the eggs and sugar in a small bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift in the combined flours. Fold the flour into the egg mixture and combine. Add the oil, milk and melted chocolate, and fold until well incorporated

Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Poke holes with a toothpick or skewer and pour 2 tbsp rum over the top. Cover and keep it overnight for rum to seep into the cake. 

Next day, crumble the cake with your hands. Add 2 tbsp rum, mix and form into balls by pressing hard and shaping them. 

Break chocolate bits into a bowl. Prepare the ganache by heating cream to boiling point. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate bits and mix to form a smooth paste. Dip each ball into the ganache and set on a baking sheet to dry. 

To decorate: Dust some rum balls with cocoa powder. Drizzle icing on some of the balls, Sprinkle chocolate or colored sprinkles on some rum balls and place them on mini baking cupcake paper moulds. Chill in the fridge for half an hour.