Holiday Treats To Make


The holidays are here! If you’re still looking for something delicious for Christmas, then you’re in luck. Here are some recipes for you to make, serve to your family and give out as gifts.

WHITE FOREST CAKE

Chiffon Cake:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sifted MAYA Cake Flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 pieces egg yolks
6 tablespoons water
4 egg whites
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar

Frosting:
1 cup all-purpose cream
½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
prepared syrup (1cup sugar + 1 cup water bring to a boil)
¼ cup brandy
drained halved cherries or cherry pie filling
shaved white chocolate

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Make a well at the center, add oil and egg yolks. Blend and pour in water, mix until smooth. Set aside. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually and continue beating until stiff but not dry. Fold in egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture until thoroughly blended. Pour onto 8 x 3 inch round pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until done. Invert to wire rack to cool.
Split the cake into 2 layers. Set aside. Whip the chilled cream until stiff then add the sugar. Place 1 cake layer on a platter. Brush with a mixture of syrup and brandy. Spread halved cherries or cherry pie filling. Top with another cake layer and frost the cake all over with whipped cream.
Decorate with shaved white chocolate. Chill before serving. The filling can also be macapuno, custard cream or whipped cream cheese. The cake can be an angel cake or vanilla cake. Serve.

Yield: one 8-inch cake


HOLIDAY RUM BALL TREATS

1 cup chocolate cake or brownie crumbs from the following mixes:
MAYA Decadence Fudge Brownie Mix 500 g or
MAYA Decadence Devil’s Food Cake Mix 500 g or
MAYA Oven Toaster Chocolate Cake Mix
(prepare as per package direction)
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 cup ground cashew nuts
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons corn syrup
2-4 tablespoons rum

melted white or dark chocolate (for coating rum balls) sparkling or glittery sugar coated candies

Mix together ingredients for rum ball. Form balls of dough 10 -15 grams each. Set aside.
Coat rum balls with melted chocolate then top with different sparkling or glittery candies.
Place in colored paper cups.

Yield : 2 dozens


YULE LOG CAKE

Sponge:
3 pieces eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup MAYA All-Purpose Flour

Filling:
1 package all-purpose cream 225g
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee powder

Frosting:
1/3 cup melted chocolate
1/3 cup butter
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons hot water

Frosting (leaves)
½ cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
green food color

Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Line one 11 x 15 inch jelly roll pan. Set aside.
Beat whole eggs at highest speed of electric mixer until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add in sugar and continue beating until mixture is fluffy. Fold in gently the flour and water mixture. Blend thoroughly.
Pour into prepared pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. Loosen edges of cake from pan and invert onto a brown paper dusted with confectioners’ sugar. While warm, pre-roll cake for a few minutes. Unroll cake and continue to cool in wire rack.
Prepare Filling: Whip cream until thick and fluffy. Add in confectioners’ sugar and coffee powder and continue beating until peaks stand. Set aside.
Prepare Frosting: Blend together melted chocolate and butter until evenly combined. Stir in confectioners’ sugar then blend in vanilla extract and water until desired spreading consistency is obtained
Prepare Frosting (leaves): Whip cream until it doubles in volume, add confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until smooth. Tint cream with green food color. Set aside.
To Assemble: Spread chilled filling over cake. Roll-up to form a log then frost cake and make strokes with tines of fork to resemble bark. Pipe small leaves along the sides of the cake log. Serve.

“Nutcracker” Christmas Encore at Bizu Patisserie

collage

This Christmas, celebrate the taste of joie de vivre only at Bizu.

Bizu Patisserie once again takes you on a journey to Tchaikovsky’s Land of the Sweets with its Christmas 2013 Collection, overflowing with favorites and unique offerings sure to make everyone’s holidays truly enchanting. The season’s masterpiece is Bizu’s Grand Carousel. Reminiscent of Caroussel de la Tour Eiffel in Paris, it is filled with classic butter cookies, crisp tuile, luscious chocolate-covered pretzels and crunchy caramel popcorn. Wind it up and hear a captivating tune.  Continue Reading

Chef Fern Aracama Recreates Childhood Media Noche at The Maya Kitchen

Chef Fernando Aracama

Well known Chef Fernando “Fern” Aracama recalls fond memories of Christmas past in his cooking class at The Maya Kitchen on November 23, Saturday from 9am-1pm.

A very young boy walking home from midnight mass with his family is something Chef Fern remembers to this day. He took inspiration from the traditional Media Noche meal that awaited them but this time he shares recipes of dishes that are not the usual but delightful nonetheless.

To warm you up is Patatas Riojana, a very simple yet hearty and delicious potato and chorizo soup Chef Fern revisited on his recent trip to Spain.

To fill you up is Grilled Ensaimada Media Noche style. Hot and crusty butter grilled ensaimada stuffed with Chinese ham and queso de bola.

Insalata Uvato goes with the Grilled Ensaimada. This is his signature salad with honey balsamico vinaigrette, toasted pine nuts, green and red grapes and kesong puti.

Malunggay and Mozzarella dip is nutritious greens in a creamy, cheesy brûleé best served with crispy crostini. This is a signature appetizer in Aracama Filipino Cuisine, one of Chef Fern’s restaurants.

And because it is Christmas there has to be Bunuelos and Warm Chocolate Dip. These are the recipes of Chef Fern’s dear Abuelita of deep fried choux pastries served with a thick and smooth milk chocolate dip.

Chef Fern hails from Bacolod and is a graduate of the University of the Philippines with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Administration. He took further studies at The New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vermont USA and was a 2003 Cochran Fellowship Program Awardee at the Hilton College, University Of Houston, Texas, USA.

Chef Fern has a long list of bars and restaurants to his name like Aracama Filipino Cuisine, Opus, Republiq & Café Republiq, MYTHAI Kitchen, Lucky Niku Café, The ChopHouse, The Tides Hotel Boracay as well as previous spots Restaurant UVA, Encore/Embassy & Member’s Only and CANTEEN simple+good food.

He is also active in World Association of Chef Societies (WACS), Les Toques Blances Philippines, Council of Chefs, United States of America’s Department of Agriculture and is a Chef Consultant with Philippine Airlines.

For more information on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com  or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com  or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F  Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.

Ilustrado Restaurant’s “Breaking Bread with our Heroes” at The Maya Kitchen

Ilustrado, the home of heritage Filipino-Spanish cuisine shares well loved dishes from our heroes’ hometowns at The Maya Kitchen, 9am-1pm on October 26, Saturday with Boni Pimentel, Ilustrado president and his chefs taking center stage.

Recipes include Umbuyan, tinapa flakes sautéed in olive oil and wrapped in pechay leaves has its origins in Manila where Andres Bonifacio was born.

Bagnet with KBL Sauce is an Ilocano version of lechon kawali with kamatis, bagoong and lasuna as sauce. Juan Luna and Antonio Luna are the proud sons of Ilocos Norte.

Manok ng mga Bayani, chicken simmered in bold textures of dill, kamias, ground peanuts and toasted rice is inspired by no less than President Manuel Luis Quezon who hailed from Baler, Aurora.

National hero Jose Rizal from Biñan, Laguna inspired Jaleang Bayabas, very ripe guavas peeled and mashed in milk and sugar.

Rounding off the recipe line-up is Paella Ilustrado, Spanish rice dish with pork, chicken, seafood, chorizo bilbao, peppers and peas which is a consistent bestseller in the restaurant menu.

Ilustrado located at 744 General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila opened its doors in 1989. Through the years it has expanded all over the metro and has also made a name in catering for clients such as Malacañang Palace and other government agencies, foreign embassies, multinational corporations, local businesses and prominent personalities. It is also a favorite wedding reception venue due in part to its proximity to some of Manila’s historic churches.

For more information on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.

Farm to Table, Organic Gourmet Cuisine at The Maya Kitchen

chef robby goco

On September 28, Saturday, 9am-1pm, Chef Robby Goco, the man behind the Cyma Greek Taverna restaurant chain will again launch a new dining concept as he visits The Maya Kitchen for a cooking demonstration.
Chef Robby will share dishes inspired by Green Pastures, his latest restaurant that features a unique farm to table cuisine featuring dishes that are created from all organic, local, original, with no antibiotics, vine ripened, unprocessed whole ingredients.
The philosophy behind Green Pastures is to have the taste of the food as the main focus. It is to offer food the way it is supposed to be.
The food is not your usual bland, lackluster organic kitchen offerings but rather food of exceptional taste presented in the most creative ways. It is like gourmet organic with the restaurant offering duck, roast beef, chicken cooked slow for as long as six hours.
The chef uses lardon and has rillette on his menu. He pulls his own cheese and what he cannot produce on his own, he sources from reliable suppliers.
Chef Robby is a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. He owns and operates a total of eight Cyma Greek Taverna restaurants in Greenbelt 2, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Trinoma, Eastwood Mall, Robinsons Place Ermita, Robinsons Magnolia, Ayala Mall Cebu and D’Mall Boracay. His latest venture, Green Pastures is on Level 4, East Wing, Shangri-la Plaza Mall.
For more information on other course offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.