My Grand-daughter's Gymnastic Achievement Cake

I made this cake for my grand-daughter who worked very hard for her very first gymnastic achievement presentation a few weeks ago.
Cake is made of Chiffon Pandan Coconut and gymnasts are made of fondant standing on KitKat chocolate bar.

 Prepare Chiffon cakes as usual.  I made double batch using my commercial mixer

 Here is another tip that I promised before.  Yes, Aluminum chiffon cake pan works best.  If you are using the non-stick dark chiffon cake mold to bake, be sure to turn the heat down from 325 to 310 or 300 to make sure that it is not over baked or shorten the baking time.

 After cooling, remove the cake out of the mold using sharp knife to gently separating the cake from the mold.   Try to slice down in single motion if you want to keep the nice brown crumbs intact all around the cake.

 Make Chocolate ganache.  Or make your favorite frosting.

 Prepare the center filling.  This one has sliced banana - sprinkled with "FruitFresh" ascorbic acid powder to keep banana from browning.  And covered with fresh whip cream.

 Lift up the top half of the cake when the ganache is all set/firm.

 Set the top cake.  *It was a bit challenging.   The cake of course would not slide off.  Maybe the trick would have been to cover the cake spatula with powder sugar?   I used a long frosting spatula to lift and slide it to top the bottom cake.   Luckily it transferred smoothly.

 Since the cake has to be transported up the hill from where I live to Placerville.  To avoid cake slide during the driving, I decided to insert  bamboo skewers to hold the cake in place.
Upon arrival at the location, I placed the KitKat chocolate bar and inserted the fondant gymnast figurines on top by sticking toothpick thru them.

Merry Christmas Egg Nog Biscuits

This Bud's Egg Nog Biscuits turned out deliciously fluffy and tasty, and I am glad that I was brave enough to have tried it.

 Anyway you look at it, they were light and fluffy.  Full of vanilla flavor.

Ingredients:
2 Cups AP Flour + 1/2 C more for counter
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 TBsp of butter cold, cut into big chunks
1/3 C Bud's Egg Nog

Shift flour, baking powder, and salt together, including the extra 1/2 C more flour into a large bowl.   Set 1/2 Cup aside on the counter top.
Add cold butter chunks.  Using fingers and mash flour and butter chunks between fingers.  Leaving pea size butter here and there.  Add Bud's Egg Nog.   Mix.
Dump the sticky dough onto the counter.
Gently knead to form a very "soft" ball.
Roll it out - Let dough rest for 10 minutes.   
Preheat oven to 425'F.
Roll dough out to 1/2 inch thick.  And cut with biscuit cutter.
Place closely to each other if you like soft side biscuits.  Let them rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
Bake until golden on the top.
Serve with crispy bacon, etc, etc.
 

TAKOYAKI

TAKOYAKI is one of my favorite childhood snack after going to the bathhouse.   It's easy, and fun to make them.
Special Tools - TAKOYAKI Fry Pan/Griddle, frying "pick", and oil brush

Ingredients:
1 C flour
1 beaten egg
1 C water
pinch of salt

Vegetable oil 

Cut Octopus tentacles into 1 inch long strips -or chopped -  set aside.

Optional:  chopped vegetables  - cabbage, carrots, onions, chopped shrimps, etc.

Sprinkles:
Red pickled Ginger
Katsuo - Shaved Bonita  or Powder form
Green seaweed powder
TAKOYAKI sauce or TONKATSU (Thick Japanese Worcestershire sauce)

Mix flour and beaten egg a bit, then add 1/8 C of water.  Mix.  Then, add another 1/8 C of water.  Mix, then, add 1/4 C of water, MIX.  and repeat.    Until the batter is thin, but not watery, nor thick.

Heat the pre-seasoned TAKOYAKI fry pan/griddle.  If this is the first time ever using it, oil it well  with the dedicated oil brush.

Tester:   If this is the first time the TAKOYAKI griddle is being used - be aware of the Murphy's law.  The first batch will most likely get stuck to the grill.  Be ready to experiment and throw away the first batch or enjoy it just the same.

 This is my first tester - not filled all the way was a mistake.  It has been a long time since I made them last, so I forgot.  And since I added all the goodies in the, I enjoyed the flops, too

Add the batter full in each section of the TAKOYAKI fry pan.  Add ingredients to the center of each section.   Cook until the side of each section appear translucent.  Use the Pick to flip the ball over.  Tuck all the dough under.   Cook for 1:30 min to 2 min, depending on your stove's heat power.  Take one out and check for doneness.

 Serve with all the sprinkles.
Your flipping skills will improve after the tenth flip, and they will turn out just great.

Much better.