Sinukmani (Sweet Sticky Rice)

Sinukmani

Ingredients:

3 cups sweet rice (malagkit rice)
3 cups sugar
1 can coconut milk (2 cups)

3 cups water
1 tsp. salt

2 tbsp butter

Banana leaf (optional)

Mix sweet rice, sugar, coconut milk, water and salt in a pot. Stir until sugar is melted.

Bring to boil.

Lower the temperature to low heat and cover the pot for 30 minutes.

Stir to prevent rice from sticking at the bottom of the pot. Add the butter, mix well and cover. Simmer for another 30-45 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed, stirring every 10 minutes.

Grease a banana leaf with butter, place it on top of a pan. Transfer the sinukmani and allow to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Banana Choco Bread

Banana Choco Bread

Banana bread has been popular since 1930's. Though not yet proven, rumors say that that the recipe was experimented by housewives way back in the 18th century*.

For this post, I made a variation of the basic banana bread recipe by adding chocolate syrup.

Ingredients

• 3 or 4 ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 and 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chocolate syrup or 1/2 cup melted chocolate
  
  
  
  Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  Mix the sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour.
  
  
  
  
  Sprinkle the baking soda, baking powder and salt over the mixture and mix well. Set aside.
  
  In a separate bowl, mash the bananas. Add the butter.
  
  
  
  
  Grease the baking pan (for this post I used 2 medium round pan and a muffin pan). Fold the mashed banana into the mixture.
  
  Pour half of the mixture into the pan and drizzle half of the syrup over the mixture. Pour the remaining half of the mixture and drizzle again with the chocolate syrup.
  
  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Pionono (Caramel Cake Roll)

Pionono

Pionono reminds me of my childhood. I remember my mother would always have pasalubong for us everytime she comes home from palengke. It would be yema, puto, pansit luglog or pionono.

Pionono has many versions. The Philippine version of pionono is made up of a layer of pastry that consists of eggs, sugar, and sifted flour. It is sponge cake,filled with caramel filling, and then rolled.

Ingredients

For the cake

4 eggs, yolks separated from whites
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or lemon juice
powdered sugar

For the filling

1 can condensed milk
half can evaporated milk
butter or margarine


Preparation

To make the filling, combine the condensed milk and evaporated milk in a pot. Bring to boil, stirring constantly until mixture is thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the cake, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper coated with cooking spray and set aside.
Sift the flour into a bowl, mix with the baking powder, corn starch and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine the 4 egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed for 1 minute. Then, gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat at medium speed until the mixture is thick and pale yellow in color. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg yolks, and continue to beat at slow speed until the batter is thick and smooth.

In another bowl, combine the 4 egg whites and the cream of tartar (or lemon juice). Beat  at medium to high speed while gradually adding 1/4 cup sugar until soft peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the batter using a spatula, pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and spread evenly.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Sprinkle the top of the cake with about 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and cover the cake with another piece of parchment paper.

Carefully flip the cake, the surface with powdered sugar is now at the bottom. Carefully remove the parchment paper.

Spread the top with margarine or butter first, then  spread caramel filling.

Roll the cake and refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Leche Flan (Creme Caramel)

Leche Flan

Ingredients:

10 egg yolks
1 can condensed milk
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup nestle all purpose cream
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup water


Preheat oven to 375F.

To make the syrup, mix water with sugar and bring to boil. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the leche flan mold and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks together with the rest of the ingredients.

Pour the mixture in the mold.

Cover the mold with aluminum foil and put it on top of an aluminum pan with hot water. The water level should reach at least 1/3 of the height of the leche flan mold.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Insert a clean and dry toothpick at the center of the mold covered with aluminum foil, if the toothpick comes out clean, it means the leche flan is cooked. Turn off the oven and leave the leche flan inside the oven for 5 minutes.

Cool and refrigerate before serving.


***What to do with the left over egg whites? Slice some mushrooms and green pepper. Saute in a pan together with the egg whites. Add pepper and salt. Continue stirring until the egg whites are cooked. Serve hot with bread or rice.

Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta

Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta

1 pack penne pasta (16 oz)

1 cup chopped tomatoes

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 can meat sauce or spaghetti sauce
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 tbsp sugar
sliced sausage
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
black pepper



Cook the penne pasta in one gallon of boiling water as directed in the package. Add one teaspoon salt if desired. Drain and set aside.

Heat the pan, add the chopped garlic and onion. Add chopped tomatoes and sausage then  sauté for 2 minutes. Add the meat sauce and bring to boil. Add the cream cheese, grated parmesan, sugar and pepper and cooked for another 3 minutes.

Pour on top of penne pasta and serve immediately.