Test Transplanting / Graft Red Ruby BOTAN / Moon Cactus - Failed - Update on 12/29/20

Updates at the bottom: 12/29/2020 Failed.

 I bought his Red Ruby BOTAN / Moon Cactus a few years ago.  It grew big, but it seems to have contracted some kind of fungus.  Some of the baby moons, look okay, but others seem to have contracted the fungus.  After researching, I decided to transplant it by using some of the Dragonfruits branches.  Whether it is successful or not is yet to be seen.  One of the four isn't doing well.  I followed a couple websites where the students illustrated what needs to happen in order for a successful transplant or grafting needs to occur.  I did not understand the first transplant I did a few years back, and I did not understand the chemical connection that needed to happen between the two plants' cuts at the center stem.  I am sure you have your favorite YouTube sites for all these, but here is how mine turned out.  This will be their 2nd week since the grafting.  I am not sure how they will turn out from here.  I am hoping to revive the large Moon.

 

This is my large Moon queen.  It's about four years old.  It grew many princess.  As you can see, there is sign of dark fungus problem.  It's been there for many years.  I don't know how to get rid of it, so I though I would try repotting. Before I decided to do transplant, I tried repotting, but I noticed the Dragonfruit plant started to have a pale color near the soil... it means it is rottening.  So, I decided to cut some of the new Dragonfruit branches and use them to do grafting.  

See the yellowing at the stem near the soil after repotting as a solution 1.    Notice the fungus illness at each new shoots toward the bottom of the Moon globe.

Time to change.  Removed the cactus.  Washed the pot, sanitized it, put the soil in, then, I forgot to put some rocks at the bottom, so, I dump the soil out, put some pebbles at the bottom, then filled with Cactus soil

With sanitized knife, I cut the Moon globe off.  I think I am supposed to slice it off straight, but as you can see, it has many princess in the way, so I end up cutting in.

I am not sure it's a good thing or not, I cleaned out the bottom and sliced the Dragonfruit branch top to match the cut.

It was pointed out in some of the YouTube illustration that the Dragonfruit branch's center core needs to have a firm contact with the Moon Cactus' center.

I did my best to do so.  I also noticed that both plants produce some kind of sticky enzyme.  It acted like a glue, I thought.  After placing them together, I used a stretchable band-aid to tie them in place.

While I was at it, I took a few of the baby princess moon off from the Queen and grafted them in.  Hope they will survive.

Update: 12/29/20

Sadly the transplant connection did not form.  The BOTAN was not in healthy condition to begin with, but it was a hope that it would revive after the transplant.  It just rotted off.

Best Bourbon-Vanilla Ice-Cream Recipe Tested - Lactose Free & Bonus MATCHA Chiffon Cake

 

The summer is over, but the COVID-19 stay home cooking adventures is ever going.  I dug out my "The American Century Cookbook" - The most popular recipes of the 20th Century by Jean Anderson.  I was actually looking for cocktail recipes and wine selection information.  I found one but it is a Ice-Cream recipe with Bourbon "Magnolia Grill Bourbon-Vanilla Ice Cream"  Makes about 2 Quarts, it says.  It got me interested at the same time I was bit apprehensive about using 14 egg yolks.  Because I didn't want to make Macarons with egg whites... then, I thought why not make the Angel Food Cake.  Perfect.  I gathered all the ingredients.  I only had 2-1/4 C Heavy Cream, 2-3/4 C Half-and-Half Lactose Free.  But I thought it's perfect.  I get to make Lactose Free Ice Cream and fill the required amount with my Fat Free Lactose Free Milk.  I was also very lucky to have purchased Vanilla beans several years ago when the price for a bunch is still at a very reasonable price.  I make my own vanilla extract at home too. It is so much more flavorful than the store bought pure vanilla extract.

It says, at Magnolia Grill in Durham, North Carolina, it is served as is or with Magnolia Grill Pecan Tart.  I love Pecans, so this must be a great ice-cream.  I would like to visit there in the future just to taste their Bourbon-Vanilla Ice Cream and Pecan Tart.

*Make sure your ice cream machine's bucket is in frozen state.  I used my Cuisineart ice cream maker and the bucket requires full 8 hour freezing before usage.

Polly's Modified Ingredients: *because that's what I had in my refrigerator

2-3/4 C Half-and-Half Lactose Free + 3/4 C Lactose Free Fat Free Milk to make 3-1/2 C

2-1/4 C Heavy Cream 

1-1/2 Large vanilla beans, split

12 Organic Egg Yolks

1-1/2 C Sugar

Pinch Salt

1/2 C Bourbon

Wash and rinse your eggs carefully under running water.  Pat dry.

Prepare 1 small bowl to drop egg in.

1 large heat proof bowl for the egg yolks.

1 large grease free mixing bowl for egg white to make meringue for the Angel Food Cake/Chiffon cake afterwards.

Crack egg and drop in the small bowl.  Separate egg yolks from the egg whites.

If you want to do egg shell juggling to separate egg yolks from the egg whites that 's fine, too.

Remove egg chalazae from the egg yolks.  Discard them.   Cover the egg white bowl and set aside.

Whisk egg yolks and sugar.  Mix well.  Cover and set aside.

In a medium stainless steel pot, heat half-and-half and heavy cream.  Split and scrape vanilla beans.  (Madagascar Vanilla Paste will work out fine also)  into the cream mixture and drop the beans in.  Simmer for 5 minutes to extract all the flavor from the vanilla beans.  Slowly bring the cream mixture to boil.

Gradually whisk in hot cream into the whisked egg and sugar mixture - all the while stirring them together.  After mixing in 2/3 of the hot cream, return mixture to the pot.  Stir and cook over moderate heat.  Stirring constantly, until custard coats the large metal spoon and candy thermometer reads 165'F or higher.

Strain custard back into the large bowl, cover and chill at least 2 hours or more or overnight.

Once it is fully chilled, stir in bourbon into cold custard.

Chilled custard mixture is quite thick.

*Churn ice cream in two batches.

Get your ice cream machine ready. Insert the paddle churner attachment and cover.  Start the machine.  Slowly pour the custard in and follow the manufacture's directions.  Transfer to doubled plastic containers of various sizes and store in freezer. 

Packed in doubled container. 

Optional ingredients in the 2nd batch.

1/2 C Golden Raisin - Add to the ice cream custard while it is churning.

1 fresh banana - Be sure it is just right.  Not all green or mushy.  Break it apart into 2 inch chunks with fingers and drop in the ice cream custard while it is churning.

1/2 C to 1 C frozen organic blueberries - Add to the ice cream custard while it is churning.

When  done, transfer to doubled plastic containers of various sizes and store in freezer.

The best part with this recipe, even though it calls for 14 egg yolks in the original recipe is that the ice cream remain soft and smooth.  Thank goodness for this recipe.  I don't have to buy ice cream at the store that is loaded with mono and diglycerides or Xanthan gum or tapioca just to give that smooth taste feeling.

The taste of the ice cream is just fantastic if you love that cool tastings from the Bourbon.  I love the chewy raisin and slight taste of banana trace and a bit of crunchy tart taste from the blueberries.  The vanilla flavor and Bourbon in this ice cream reminds you of the hot summer we had and great pairing with the Thanksgiving Day Pumpkin Pie or the Pecan Pie to look forward to.

Here is what to make with 12 Egg Whites.

I  had one broken egg + 12 egg whites.  I end up making Chiffon Cake with it.

I figured a good meringue will stand any cake you make, and it turned out just fine.

*Note:  There is no baking powder in my Chiffon recipes.

Ingredients:

12 Egg Whites 

110 g Sugar

Beat into stiff meringue

Flour mixture:

1/4 C Organic Avocado Oil

1/2 C Lactose Free Fat Free Milk

1 Tbsp Matcha Powder

160 g Shifted Flour

1 whole egg (it's from separation of egg yolk that it got broke, so no need to go to waste, use it here)

 Pour some milk into MATCHA Powder to mix.  Gradually add more milk to make ti smooth.

Whisk all together with flour until smooth.     *If too lumpy, just put it through the strainer.

 

Preheat oven to 325'F.

Add 1/3 of meringue into flour mixture.  Mix well.  Add another 1/3 of meringue and mix gently.

Transfer all mixed flour mixture into meringue bowl.  

Fold by cutting and fold over motion until well mix.

Very Slooooowwwly, pour the batter into angel cake mold.  This will help in exposing the air pockets in the batter and supposedly create finer crumb.   

 

Holding the cake mold's center core with both thumbs with your all other fingers holding the edge of the cake mold - in a butterfly position, Pound the cake mold a few times on a flexible mat, for example and release the trapped air bubbles in the batter.

Bake for 45-50 minutes at 325'F.  Test for doneness at 40 - 45 min.

When done, reverse the cake mold on a large baking sheet and allow to cool.

Slide knife all around the cake to release.  Slice and Enjoy!

*Note:  when MATCHA is mixed in, the flour mixture looks green.  However, just like a cup of good green tea, once it is exposed to the air, it oxidizes and will turn brown.  The final baked Chiffon Cake will look light brown tanish color.  The same with Pandan Chiffon Cake depending on how much the fresh Pandan is added. Those store bought Green colored cakes are result of green food color.

 

Saturday Morning Crepe Breakfast

It's been a long long time since I last made this crepe, and it was a great morning not to miss it.

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1/3 C Flour

1/3 C Lactose Free Milk

 

Beat eggs with fork.  Add vanilla and flour.  Mix well.  Add lactose free milk 1 Tbsp at a time.  Mix until lumps mixed in.

 

Heat the pan.  Coat the pan with avocado oil and a slight circling of butter.

At low heat.

Spread half of the mixture onto the pan.

Using the Crepe stick, spread the batter in circular motion.

Turning the heat a bit higher, holding the pan with mitten about 2 inches up, circle the pan to cook the edge of crepe a bit crisp.

 

Your preference maybe a tender crumb.  I like mine with crispy shell, so you might want to turn yours over as soon as the batter looks a bit dry.  Before turn it over, put two thin slivers of butter.

 

The crepe will momentarily swell up.  Turn off the heat and transfer to the serving plate.

 

Turn it over.

Fill the center with favorite fruits and whip cream.

Roll.  Decorate with whip cream or powder sugar.

Serve.