[Baking] Canonigo / Ile Flottante

Are you one of those who find themselves in the dessert table more than the sumptuous buffet spread?
If you are, I would like to welcome you to the club, my club!

I particularly love creamy desserts and one of them is a Filipino dessert called:  "Canonigo."  My first taste of it was in a Spanish restaurant in the Philippines called "Alba's" where they served it with sweet mango balls. It is made of a soft, egg white based cake (meringue) that is topped with a creamy custard.  The French have a similar dessert called "Ile Flottante" or floating island.  I don't know where the dessert originated but I am just thankful to them for coming up with it!

This post tells about my first attempt and it was pretty good.  

This recipe is from Nora and Mariles Daza, with a few revisions (*).

CANONIGO

Ingredients:      Meringue        8 eggwhites

                                              1/2 cup white sugar

                                              1/2 teaspoon baking powder

                        Caramelized sugar            1 cup white sugar

                                                                1/2 cup hot water

                        Custard          8 eggyolks

                                              1 cup evaporated milk

                                              1/4 cup white sugar (*)

                                              1 tsp vanilla extract
                                              1/4 cup rum (*)

I caramelized the sugar first.  Just be super careful in pouring the hot water when the sugar has completely melted and changed color - it will bubble.

I used 2 loaf pans but you can use any pan with a solid base.  Line the pans with the caramelized sugar and butter.

In a bowl, beat the eggwhites (I used an electric handheld mixer) until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the sugar and baking powder and beat until the eggwhites are very stiff.  Gently pour the meringue in the molds halfway and bake in a pan with water at 350F for about 30 minutes or until brown.

The custard sauce is cooked using a double broiler.  Whisk and cook the eggyolks, sugar and milk until it thickens.  Add the vanilla and rum last.   Serve on the side.

Try it out and share your wonderful stories with me. 

 Warning:  You definitely have to share this deliciousness with others.

Have fun!  

♥  Michelle  ♥                                     

[Cooking] Japchae - Korean noodle dish

Aneyong haseyo.
Have you ever seen a korean drama?  My husband and I love to watch (and read) because how neat, realistic, funny and educational they are.  We've seen a couple of k-dramas that featured their cuisine thereby influencing our taste buds.

This was my attempt to make Japchae which is a noodle dish.

We have several Filipino noodle dishes, called Pansit but it was my first time to cook using Potato starch noodles.  

Ingredients:  

Potato starch glasss noodles

Red and green bell pepper

Cabbage 

Dehydrated mushrooms, and

Marinated thinly sliced beef.  

Soy sauce, sesame seed oil, salt and pepper to taste.

The procedure is very simple:  saute the beef and cook thoroughly.  

Add the vegetables but do not overcook.

For the noodles, bring water to a boil, add the glass noodles and cook per package instructions.  

Once cooked, add a little sesame seed oil and toss the noodles.

Place the sauteed mixture over the noodles and enjoy!

Enjoy your Korean food trip with a glass of barley tea.  YUM!

Kamsamnida!

♥  MICHELLE  ♥

[P3 Guild] The Mask has Bloomed!

 The mask has bloomed!  

The gold base served as a nice "neutral" template for these colorful flowers... if you've been reading my blog, you know by now that I love to make use of floral themes.

This is for the princess who's going to the ball.  

Simple. Classy. Feminine.

Time to go dancing!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[P3 Guild] W.I.P.

I'm so glad you're back!

When I started reading blogs and updates of other artists, I didn't know what "WIP" was.  Funny me but there are just a lot of craft or jewelry jargon  going around and I can't keep up sometimes.

So this is my current Work In Progress, WIP.

I am working on a mask.  Initially, I didn't know where to get one that could hold the weight of whatever I will adhere to it and it should withstand high oven temperature without melting or burning.  This was what I found at Michaels.  It's made out of paper mache or something like that.  I hope it doesn't burn.

I used Adirondak Metallic Acrylic Paint in Gold.  Oh, I love the rich texture!  I am thinking of a Princess going to a masquerade ball wearing a beautiful gown to meet Prince Charming.

Isn't it dramatic?

I decided to let it dry overnight and will start completing the design tomorrow. 

What do you think would be nice to decorate it with?  Beads, polymer clay, wire, flowers, fiber or maybe a little of each?

Come back soon and find out.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

Blessings,

♥  Michelle  ♥  

[Vintaj] "The Beaming Raven" Sept. 2012

Welcome back to Making Jewelry!

I wanted to share with you this necklace that I made for the September 2012 Vintaj Challenge:  "Radiant Raven."   Head over to the VINTAJ BLOG and  cast your vote.  I'm Number 8. 

This necklace is:  "The Beaming Raven."  

I started with a Vintaj circle blank and used the Deco Emboss folder    .  This was followed by the fun stuff!  I added patina and sealed it with the Vintaj sealer.  It was my first time to use the products and they were really nice - but you have to work fast because it dries up pretty quick.

The necklace is 24 inches in length and has a toggle clasp closure.  I made a tree branch to hang the focal embossed blank using 20g wire with wrapped coral beads.  I wanted the piece to be organic, so I added pearls and ceramic beads that match the color palette.  I love it!

Head over to the Vintaj blog and see what others have made.  While you're there, why don't you cast your vote (wink! wink!)

Have fun!

♥  Michelle  ♥

[Clay] "Inspired By" Magnets

Welcome back!  This is my last post for September 2012 - time flies by so fast!

Do you have one of those refrigerators with a lot of magnets on its door?  Photo magnets that remind of family and loved ones or those with 'save-the-date' wedding reminders.  Some people have magnets from the places they've visited.  We have quite a few magnets on our ref now - mainly used to clip our bills or new recipes... LOL.

I made a few magnets (for the ref and/or magnetic message board) that have inspiring messages.  

It's nice to read something "positive" to brighten up our hectic day.

You are My Sunshine!

You are Precious!

Love Will Be Our Home

May you have a wonderful week!  Let us all welcome October!  

See you soon!

♥  Michelle  ♥

Travertine Tile Coasters

Welcome back!  It was a fun and hectic weekend for Mr. C and me.  We joined neighborhood street sale for the first time!  It was nice to meet our neighbors and sell some items as well.  More on that on a future post.

I would like to share with you a DIY project:  Travertine Tile Coasters.  You can see a lot of these in blogs or pinterest and though it's quite simple to make, it looks beautiful.

Materials:  1.  Travertine Tile 4x4 inches - It is best to use travertine tile (tumbled tile) for this project versus shiny ceramic tiles.  The tiles come in 9 pieces but some of them had more and bigger 'craters' in them, which also adds character.

2.  Solvent ink pad and rubber stamp cleaner.  StazOn solvent inks work best for this project as they are nicely absorbed by the material.

3.  Rubber stamps 

4.  Cork - to be used as backing.

5.  Cyanoacrylate glue

Procedures (kindly refer to the photo collage):

1.  Figure out your design and choose a nice stamp.  I used a sentiment and a vine stamp.

2.  Apply StazOn ink liberally and carefully stamp the tile.  Avoid "rocking" the rubber stamp instead press firmly.
Allow to completely dry.

3.  While waiting for the ink to dry, cut a cork sheet a little smaller than the tile.

4.  Use cyanoacrylate glue to attach it to the base of the tile.  Allow to dry for several hours to make sure it is secure.

5.  Your tile is ready to use!

I didn't apply a sealer anymore.  Gina K of StampTV said that it is permanent and water proof.  Well, I had to prove it to myself.  I ran tap water over it and true enough. the ink stayed crisp!

Try making these.  Have fun and share your project with me.

Have a blessed week ahead!

♥  Michelle  ♥