Monday, June 25, 2012

Caramalized Apples and Crepes, Oh My!


Recently, I went to see "Snow White and the Huntsman." It was quite a good movie. The special effects were believable and the actors were well played. I'd rate it an 9 on a scale of 10. Really, it was just a teensy bit serious for my taste. That said, I would watch it again. Anyways you're probably wondering why I'd say all that. Well of course in EVERY  Snow White story, no matter what version there is always, always the poison apple. It inspired me to create a caramelized apple filling for these crepes I had just made. Obviously these apples aren't poisonous ;)

Seriously, I could've eaten the whole thing alone in one sitting. The flavors melted together like apple pie, minus the crust of course.Sealing it into the crepe topped with some syrup and powdered sugar and you've got dream on a plate.
Looks amazing right? Go ahead and try it yourself:

Basic Dessert Crepe

Makes 20

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups  milk
3 eggs 

1 1/4 cup buckwheat flour or all purpose flour
2 teaspoon sugar*
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tsp vanilla* 

Procedure:

1. Place all the wet ingredients in a blender.
2. Sift the dry ingredients onto a paper plate.Add the dry ingredients and Pulse for 10 seconds or until the mixture is smooth. Let the batter rest for an hour.
3. Warm a nonstick skillet over medium heat, then coat with butter or cooking spray.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan, then swirl to coat entire bottom of pan. Run a spatula around the edges of the crepe. Carefully lift the crepe and flip with fingers or spatula. Cook for 30 seconds on the first side and 10 on the second.
5.Repeat with the remaining crepes.
*If you want to make savory crepes, add only one teaspoon of sugar and omit the vanilla.*

 

Caramelized Apples

Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. unsalted butter
6 Fuji apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. 
2. Add the apple slices, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  
3. Mix until apples are evenly coated.   
4. Cook for about 18 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  
5. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in vanilla. 
6. Take a crepe and gently fold in the desire amount of  filling. Top with whipped cream, syrup or use a sieve to dust on some powdered sugar.


Not in the mood for apples? No problem! Try an orange filling instead. Just take a peeled orange and divide it in half. Toss the segments from one half into a skillet with the juice from the other half. Bring to a simmer. Then perform step six from the caramelized apple recipe.

Enjoy the crepes!

Hearts <3,

Xin Yi

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Hamburgers

Gak! It's been so long! You'd think I would've posted something by now :) It's been so busy. I even missed Mother's Day! Happy belated Mother's Day to all those mom's out there. I made hamburgers for my mother on Mother's Day. I think I grilled them for a little too long. I made 4 oz patties but they seemed TINY compared to the onion hamburger buns I bought. Nevertheless, they tasted way better than the ones you'd get in McDonald's. Way better. Take a look:

What did you make for Mother's day?

Hamburgers (with an Asian twist):

Ingredients:

16 oz of beef
2 slices of toasted sandwich bread, without crust, torn to pieces
3 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
1-2 scallions/ green onions, trimmed and sliced
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 tablespoons shredded plus 4 slices of your favorite cheese
4 hamburger buns

Procedure:

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
  2. Place bread into a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Place in a large bowl. Add ground beef, hoisin, scallions, ginger, garlic and salt. Mix well. 
  3. With dampened hands, form the mixture into 4 oz portions. Punch a hole in the middle. Add one tablespoon of cheese into each one. Press into a patty with your hands then make a indention in the middle to avoid steaming while grilling.
  4. Oil the grill rack. Do not use oil spray on a hot grill. Brush the patties with sesame oil. Grill until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes per side.
Enjoy!

Hearts <3,

Xin Yi