frozen raspberry cake

Frozen fruit cakes, popularly known as "raw cheesecakes" sparked my curiosity from the time I saw them at Maka by Mana, a restaurant in Maui that became our favorite when we there. Unfortunately I didn't really get a chance to try them there. However, seeing them on some vegan food websites actually brought back my interest in them. Cashews (labeled "raw" at the store) were soaked for a few hours or overnight then processed with some of the water they soaked in.

a slice of raspberry frozen cake

date-walnut crust and processed cashew filling

For me, the crust was the highlight of this frozen cake. It was easy to press the sticky mixture of ground walnuts and dates into the bottom of a 7" springform pan. A food processor works best for this task. The soft dates (medjool dates were recommended but I just used Sunsweet brand pitted dates).

Fresh or frozen raspberries may be used for the cake mixture. If using frozen berries, they should be thawed out first before using. The pureed cashews and fruit were combined together then poured into the prepared crust. Freeze for a few hours until set. I was happy with how this refreshing and fruity summer dessert turned out :-)

tropical papaya version shown above

I used this Raw Raspberry Dreamcake recipe from My New Roots as my inspiration to create my version. I replaced the almonds with walnuts in the crust.

white chocolate torte with fresh fruit

I had fun making this cake, although it was a bit complicated. I was inspired by those tall Japanese cream cakes that I've been seeing online mostly in the Japanese food and travel videos I love to watch :-)

The special occasion cake looked impressive and colorful with an assortment of our favorite fresh berries and fruit all piled on top. To start off, the cake itself wasn't too sweet. The fresh fruit and toasted chopped nuts (I used macadamias) made the frosted cake even less sweeter. There was a complete balance of flavors - sweet, creamy and slightly tart. This torte will make an attractive centerpiece for any special celebration.

I plan to make this with a basic sponge cake next time. Perhaps more like a fluffier strawberry shortcake than a dense torte.

The torte was baked in two 9" round cake pans then split to make four layers (shown above). Butter, melted white chocolate and confectioner's sugar were mixed together for the frosting that went along the sides and top. Fresh whipped cream went in between the layers and was also piped on top. I may just try an all whipped cream frosting next time.

The cake recipe was adapted from Land o'Lakes White Chocolate Raspberry Torte. Fruits in season are great to use, however, I may do a tropical version of this cake next time with mango, pineapple and papaya or other available tropical fruits.

summer melon drink

Just because it's almost summer and it feels like it with temperatures shooting up to the 80's these past few days...I thought about making this melon drink. It's a simple concoction made with grated or shredded cantaloupe, sugar and water. Cantaloupe is actually called "melon" in the Philippines.

In Manila, it's very common to use this particular shredder gadget to make the cantaloupe "strings" as shown above. At the local markets, it's also a common sight to see melon vendors making this drink right at their stalls. Chop the shredded cantaloupe in smaller pieces if the strings are too long. Transfer them to a pitcher, add water, sugar and ice cubes. The amount of sugars depends on the sweetness of the fruit. For me, this is also one of the best ways to make a not so flavorful cantaloupe much better and more enjoyable. This melon drink never fails to bring back memories of hot summer days in Manila :-)

tropical fruits in Hawaii

Below are some of the fruits in season that we tried in Hawaii. Just for these tropical fruits alone, I would go back in a heartbeat :-) It must be the unique combination of rich volcanic soil and micro-climates that make fruit trees grow so well out there. I would rate our fruit tasting experience as almost perfect. Not a single one disappointed us.

just one of the hundreds of avocado varieties in Hawaii :-)

From the first Maui avocado (shown above) that our very acommodating host left for us at the apartment, we were quite impressed with the natural sweetness and intense flavors of all the fruits. This avocado variety was buttery and had a very smooth texture that melted in the mouth. We knew that it would be difficult to get back to regular grocery fruits again :-)

We stopped by the Ono Farms roadside stand in Hana town. It gave us a chance to unwind and buy some local Hawaiian fruits. We started our day early so it was a pleasant break from the twisty one-lane roads and bridges of the famous Hana road. Organic starfruit, banana varieties, Maui Gold pineapples, papayas and breadfruit are shown above.

Fruit and vegetable stands like this one (shown above) are a common sight along country roads in the Philippines. This cute one along the Hamakua Coast in the Big Island with its attractive pink sign (shown below) caught our attention.

project bento for lunch

My first bento lunch projects :-)

fruit and green salad bento with hard-boiled eggs and ham

torta (ground beef omelet) with quinoa and vegetable salad

bear shape hard boiled egg with cantaloupe flowers

fish shape egg with green bell pepper and cucumbers

A creative way to present food in healthy portions that's just right for a light but satisfying lunch. This is what I like most about bento. The colorful fruits and vegetables in cute shapes definitely add a fun element to everyday meal time.

more jams

Here's another batch of reduced sugar jam I made this summer. I enjoyed my jam making project using the Ball FreshTech jam and jelly maker that I featured on a previous post.

plump and juicy summer blueberries

One thing that made me very happy was seeing that the bright colors of the fruits were retained in the cooking process.

sweet and juicy peaches were just perfect for the jam

love the taste and color of this peach jam 

Enjoy the summer!

jam & jelly maker

With strawberries still at their prime this summer, it was time to finally test this new gadget. It was a project that has been on hold for awhile now since my husband gave me this Ball Jam and Jelly Maker last Christmas. We were surprised how big the actual pot was when we unboxed it upon receiving it. It comes with a stirring paddle attached in the middle which starts as soon as the jam or jelly button is pressed.

I have to say, this gadget will surely please any avid jam & jelly maker and seller out there. Jams & jellies always make great gifts for the holiday season, so this is a handy gadget for such projects. It was very easy to use with simple instructions.

fresh strawberries all washed & ready for the test

Wash and drain the strawberries. Hull them and carefully crush with a potato masher. For jam, I prefer the berries chunkier than totally pureed. Measure the fruit and set aside. The enclosed recipe has two options, traditional or reduced sugar. We chose reduced sugar that required more fruit. Add the pectin into the pot followed by the fruit. Press the jam button to activate the stirrer and the timer. Wait for the beep before adding the sugar. It will automatically stop when the jam is done. Proceed with the canning process next. Otherwise, the jam may just be refrigerated or enjoyed immediately while still warm.

The jam making process shown above (1) Ball Real Fruit classic pectin and a set of lids (2) strawberry huller gadget worked well and made the job easier (3) strawberries crushed with a potato masher (4) the crushed strawberries in the jam maker (5) adding the sugar after the beep (6) a sample of the strawberry jam (7) tasty with gluten-free scones (8) strawberry jam preserved in jars.

summer cakes

My favorite past time this summer, staying cool while enjoying these light and fruity cakes :-) I'm still baking despite the seriously hot and humid days we've been having even in the early mornings. Instead of making regular banana bread, my over ripe bananas went into this banana chiffon cake, shown below. I found a good banana chiffon cake recipe at Chew Out Loud website.

One of the first chiffon cakes I learned to bake was pineapple chiffon cake, shown below. It has been my personal favorite for many years. The white mountain frosting may be optional but it just works so well with cake. I very seldom omit the frosting when I make this cake :-)

a slice of the light & fluffy pineapple chiffon cake

This Japanese strawberry shortcake version with a basic sponge cake base was just perfectly refreshing for summer. However, in Japan, this is called Christmas cake. It's traditionally made or sold during the Christmas season. I've seen pictures of other versions of it online. I also learned that the cakes in Japan are usually less sweet. The bakeshops get very creative with the fruit toppings. They use cantaloupe, honeydew melons and other fresh colorful fruits.

Japanese strawberry shortcake 

calamansi marmalade

Below are pictures and notes documenting my calamansi marmalade project from start to finish. Having harvested a bunch this year before the onset of cooler weather, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try making marmalade with them. I found a few helpful tips and recipes from other foodblogs and websites I read which served as my guide.

The finished product taste test as shown above. The canning jars, lids and rings were washed thoroughly with warm soapy water then sterilized in boiling water for 10-15 minutes before using. I let them air dry on a wire rack while cooking the marmalade. Served with some crackers and toasted slices of French bread, the calamansi marmalade had a good balance of sweetness and citrus flavor with a slight bitterness from the strips of calamansi peel. The distinct calamansi flavor in this marmalade was unlike any other citrus marmalades I've tried.

washing the calamansi under running water

Using a small knife, slice and juice the fruits removing the seeds (above). I separated the segments from the peel, however, this step is optional. Slice the peel into strips next. I later found out that it was better not to slice the peel too thinly as they almost melted while cooking. Add 3/4 cup of water to every cup of fruit. I simmered the juice with the peel and the pulp segments in two separate pots for 10-12 minutes. Then I strained the pulp into the juice to get maximum pectin. Refrigerate the mixture preferably overnight.

The next day, pour the refrigerated mixture into a bigger pot before adding the sugar. The bigger pot ensures that the mixture doesn't boil over during the cooking process. Add 1 cup of sugar to every cup of the mixture. A tablespoon of butter may be added to prevent foaming. I learned that a candy thermometer is most helpful to precisely determine the correct temperature (ideally 220F) for the marmalade to properly set. The calamansi fruits contained lots of pectin eliminating the need for Sure Jell, a dry pectin product used for jam and jelly making.

the jars all filled up with the hot mixture

Hand tighten the lids and rings onto the jars then process them in boiling water bath for 10-12 minutes, as shown above. Using a jar lifter gadget, carefully transfer the hot jars to a towel-lined tray or cutting board. As the jars start cooling down, they will pop and seal. Jars that didn't seal properly must be refrigerated. Sealed jars may be stored in the pantry.

Homemade marmalades and jams make great gifts from the kitchen for the coming holiday season. Label them with the date they were made then wrap them in clear cellophane, as shown in the example above. Tie with a pretty ribbon or raffia.

calamansi muffins

Bright sunny days make me think of these citrusy muffins. I usually make them with lemons but now that we're having a steady supply of calamansi, I thought about using them instead of lemons in the recipe. Do not underestimate these tiny citrus fruits when it comes to flavor and juice content :-) They're extra juicy with a good balance of tartness and sweetness.

As soon as these muffins came out of the oven, I dipped the tops in melted butter then quickly rolled them in sugar forming a crust, as shown in the pictures below.

The highlight of every bite was the calamansi flavor which was as bright as the sunshine outside :-) These muffins will surely be a nice breakfast or snack treat for citrus lovers out there. I'm thankful for warm summer days and for our yearly fresh calamansi supply. I look forward to another harvest season next year.

For the recipe...

calamansi harvest 2014

For many years now, it has been a tradition for me to feature our calamansi harvest. It has been a bountiful summer once again for our potted calamansi, shown above.

Harvest time is always a happy time for me :-) I gladly welcome these citrus fruits every summer. This year turned out to be an extended season for them. It's October now and I'm still harvesting! This may be due to the freezing temperatures we had last winter. Somehow it took them awhile to start flowering. Summer just wouldn't be complete without them. Calamansi citrus fruits may be substituted for lemons and limes in many recipes.

calamansi 2013

The year will not be complete unless I post about our yearly calamansi harvest :-) As shown in the pictures, it was another bountiful batch. Our potted calamansi plants are still growing well and producing healthy fruits. Every summer, it makes me happy to see and smell the fragrant white flower buds as they start to appear on the branches signaling another growing season. I particularly love harvest time when I get to cook many Filipino dishes and meals flavored and marinated with  calamansi juice.

This time I made sure that I cooked one of my favorite noodles we call "pancit" in the Philippines (shown below). Pancit is so much better when sprinkled with the tart but slightly sweet balance of calamansi.

pancit with lean chicken and vegetables served with calamansi

Our potted calamansi plants are over ten years old now but I sure hope they will continue to thrive in their sunny location and provide us with our summertime citrus supply for many years to come :-)