Swedish Meatballs @ Ikea

Date: 6 Feb 2010 Comments:0

Swedish meatballs

Yo peeps! Have you done your Chinese New Year shopping yet? Mine’s almost done (Its always almost cos there are so many things that I want!) and for the first time ever, I actually went home furnishing shopping in Ikea right before Chinese New Year. Bought some red, red stuffs to add festivities at home. As usual, it was Swedish meatballs and Ikea food fare for us that day.

Salmon in chives cream sauce

We’ve also got their poinsettias, which is more of a Christmassy plant but hey, its red, so it goes… into the shopping cart.

Almondy daim cake

Yum, desserts! Just the thing for my sore feet.

Mini Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

Date: 30 Jan 2010 Comments: 2 so far

Alright, its baking night! I was thinking along the lines of using fruits to bake tonight, and since there are pineapples lying on the kitchen counter, eureka! Pineapple cake it is then. I baked them in muffin tins to avoid handling the messy cake cutting part.

Mini Pineapple Upsidedown Cake
adapted from joyofbaking.com

Ingredients
Cake Batter:
1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (56 grams) (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated white sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup (80 ml) milk
Toppings:
2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 small pineapple (peeled, quartered, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick)

Direction
Topping:
Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
Continue cooking for a few more minutes until the sugar starts to caramelize.
Then remove from heat, and pour into your prepared cake pan.
Evenly arrange the fresh pineapple slices on the bottom of the pan.

Cake:
Preheat oven.
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
Cream butter and sugar.
Fold in eggs.
Gradually add in flour and milk alternately.
Pour onto the pineapples.
Bake in 350F/177C in the center of the oven for around 20 minutes.

*Yields 6 mini cakes.

It was kinda challenging to fit the gooey batter into the muffin tins without disrupting the peace of the pineapples. That, and at the same time trying to divide them in equal portions.

The pineapple juice was practically leeching out and sizzling under the oven heat, I was so worried that it would be too soggy.

Turns out that my worry was unfounded. They were moist, juicy and flavourful, and in short, lovely! I love pineapple and I loved this to bits! The crunchy sides of the cake add an interesting texture overall. The cake batter was quite basic, so I am planning to try out with other fruits next time. Whee!

Italliannies @ Sunway Pyramid

Date: 28 Jan 2010 Comments:0

We are absolutely delighted to find more food chain establishment in Sunway Pyramid because it is nearer to us than other shopping places, plus, we will be spoiled for choices.

Usually we will drive all the way to OneU for Italiannies. Thank goodness for the nearer alternative. These bread dipped in olive oil is complementary.

Also, because I am a sucker for set meals, Italiannies’ RM27.90 for a starter and a main meal is like godsend. I’ve tried a few main meals from the set and they were quite good! This is the bruschetta.

The carbonara was from the ala carte menu though. If only the bacon was pork. *Dreams abit*

Roast chicken from the set meal. Frankly, this is not good. My advice is, if you are dining here, better stick to the pasta.