DMBLGIT goes 5

DMBLGIT (Does My Blog Look Good In This) is a monthly food photography event wherein people submit their best food photos and a team of judges picks out the best of them on the basis of edibility, originality and aesthetics. This year would be the 5th anniversary of DMBLGIT.

My first entry for DMBLGIT was in January 2010, then I am a new comer in this event. So much I can learn in this event, especially in food photography. For you can see, DMBLGIT was created by Andrew of Spittoon and also Nidhi is the host of DMBLGIT June Edition.

I really hope that everyone who read this could also help spread the words for the event and its 5th anniversary by simply mentioning about it in your next post. Help us and also help this photography event, so it can continue for the next months and years.

Personally, I don't want this event will be the last or an end of DMBLGIT. So come on, send your best photo that has appeared on your blog during May 2010 to the host (Nidhi).

Gluten-free Chocolate Brownies

Since chocolate brownies became one of my son's favorite cake, I had baked it couple of time. The only chocolate brownies I ever make is Nigel Slater's chocolate brownies. I really love the strong chocolate taste in the brownies and it was easy to make :D

While I was looking for another recipe of chocolate brownies, I found this Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies. Though it didn't seem so much different with Nigel Slater's Brownies, but I'm eager to try this. So, this is it.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients :

250 gr easimelt chocolate

175 gr unsalted butter

150 gr caster sugar

50 gr cocoa powder

salt

3 eggs

How to : (adapted from London Foodie in New York)

1. Heat the oven to180C. Line a 23cm square baking tin with parchment paper so that it comes up over the edge at two opposing sides.

2. Separate 50g of the chocolate and set aside. Place the remaining 175g in a glass or ceramic bowl and melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Remove and stir until all of the chocolate has melted. Set aside. Alternatively you can do this over a double boiler.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or by hand) beat the butter with all of the sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.

4. Add the cocoa powder and salt and pulse again just to combine.

5. Add the eggs, a little at a time beating until incorporated over a medium-low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between each egg. Stop the mixer and pour in the melted chocolate. Put the mixer on low until the chocolate and butter mixture are just combined.

6/ Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the cocoa/salt mixture until barely combined. Gently fold in the remaining chopped chocolate. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly- leveling the top with the backside of a spoon or off-set palette knife.

7. Bake for 25 minutes, no more. At this point the brownies will be set only around the edges and they will be slightly pulling away from the sides of the tin. The middle will still liquidy (have faith!). Allow to completely cool before cutting (or spoon out if serving for dessert) and store in the fridge.

And my son wants it more and more.

Choco Banana Pastry for NCFPC event

Sorry it took me so long to write back again (hhuuuhhh...like there's someone waiting for my update). But I can tell you, if in this period I feel not in the mood to bake something. Call it a break.

At the beginning of this month, I read a notification in NCFPC's fan page on Facebook. They started the new Food Photography event. This time they challenge everyone to submit their best picture of breakfast with only 3 props allowed. One photo per person, which I think that sounds good. So everyone will think and re-think, choose and re-choose which photo they will submit to the event.

What happened to me ? I was busy to find the best concept for simple breakfast. Breakfast, morning, newspaper, bread, oat, cereal, fruit, milk, you name it ... I have lots of photo stocks of breakfast. But I didn't feel satisfied enough with all the photos. Sigh.....

Then....after bought some pastry in the cake shop, I arrange the set as simple as I can. 3 props only, got it !! This was my last try, and I satisfied with this one. Green, simple, suitable for breakfast.

My hard work pays off....

I love Dim Sum

Since I am a big fan of Chinese food, I love to eat dim sum such as shrimp dumpling and siu mai. There was a day when I was craving dim sum so badly, and my husband had to search the dim sum seller around the neighborhood. But he didn't find any.

Mostly, Chinese food use pork oil or pork, which is forbidden in Islam. Being a Muslim mandates that a Muslim eat halal food. So I have to choose very carefully the halal Chinese food, by seeing HALAL label on its packaging.

Last weekend was a busy busy busy, hot, and sucking my energy-weekend. Taking my son to the Robotic Competition 2010 in one of shopping mall the whole day on Saturday. Then I felt really exhausted on the next day. I woke up in the morning, gosh, I saw a basket full of unironed clothes. The basket was still in the same place since the last time I left it last weekend, but the pile of unironed clothes was much taller than before. What a pailful weekend !!

So to cheer up my day at the afternoon, I steamed shrimp siu mai, took some pictures and share it with you.

Enjoy...

Strawberry sorbet for the hot weather

I can't believe the weather in Jakarta is extremely hot and very unpredictable these days. Sunny in the morning and in the day time, then suddenly the nimbus coming from nowhere and then we have heavy rain. Global warming ? I don't know. Talking about global warming, I remember the "Earth Hour" campaign on 27 March 2010. My son was so exited about this event, and he was planning to turn off the light for an hour. And we made it to the sixty long minutes. :D

As usual, every weekend, I come home and do all the ironing, cleaning up the house, and make some delicious food for my family. Try out some new recipes I found on the internet. But sometime, I just want to lay down and enjoy my weekend by eating something at the restaurant. No cooking ! Haha ... tasting a different kind of delicious foods in a cozy place with all the ones you love feels like heaven.

(Ssshhhh....while I'm typing this blog entry, my husband is doing the laundry) Love you ayah !! :D

Okay now, what am I going to do with these strawberries ? I can't keep the strawberry juice for days in the fridge. Yeah, strawberry sorbet is a good choice and perfect for the hot weather. Let's make some.

Ingredients :
500 gr strawberry
130 gr granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
130 ml water

How to :
- Bring the sugar and water to a bowl in saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

- Wash the strawberries. Put the strawberries and lemon juice into a blender, process until strawberries are pureed. Set aside.

- When the sugar syrup has cooled completely add it to the strawberry puree. Stir well.

- Pour the mixture to a stainless steel pan, and keep in the fridge.

- Transfer the partially thawed sorbet to the blender, and process to break up the large ice crystals that have formed on the sorbet. (This step is what gives the sorbet its wonderful fluffy texture.) Place the sorbet back into the pan and refreeze for at least three hours, and up to several days.

This is my first sorbet and it's very easy to make. Cook everything at least once :D.
Enjoy...