Tag Archives: dessert

Pineapple cake and pineapple flower DIY tutorial

Posted on October 12, 2015 | 2 comments

The joy of baking a cake for a special occasion shows that simple things in life are the best, a personal touch makes things memorable. Despite the difficulty of having a time on my own with a newborn, i insisted baking Antoun’s birthday cake myself. This is how we are used to celebrate and i won’t change this routine.

A pineapple cake sounds perfect, we all love pineapple at home. To prepare the batter we need:

3 cups flour sifted
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted and softened butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180°C and prepare 9″ baking dish (greased and floured).

In an electric mixer, whip butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time adding the vanilla with the last egg yolk.

Add the flour and baking powder in small amounts, alternating with the milk and pineapple juice, mixing on low speed until the batter is well combined, scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

Let it cool for at least one hour. Meantime lets prepare the frosting.

3 cups heavy cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cream cheese (left at room temperature)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In the bowl of the electric mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add 1/3 of the powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form or your cream will be runny when decorating. Scrape into a separate bowl to whip the cream cheese with the remaining 2/3 cup powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold the mixture in the whipping cream.

Now the cake is ready to be decorated. You will need 300g of pineapple chunks (caned) for the stuffing. Divide the cake in two layers, drizzle from the juice of the pineapple can on both layers for a moist texture before putting the cream and pineapple chunks. Cover the whole cake with the remaining cream.

To make it look festive and up to the occasion i decorated the top with fresh pineapple, looking like flowers. It’s very easy to make them, follow the fool proof scheme step by step :

Slice off the top and bottom of the pineapple and peel it. Pop out the seeds on the sides. Slice the pineapple very thinly so that the slices are almost translucent. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper. Bake at 150°C to dry them out slowly. Timing will vary, i worked with a baby pineapple so i didn’t need more than 10 minutes before i transfer them to a muffin tin so that the edges curve upward in the shape of a flower. I let them sit to cool this way to retain the flower shape.

Add some of the pineapple stems to give it a realistic look. Enjoy the heavenly taste of this mouthwatering cake.

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Posted in dessert

Tagged birthday cake, cream cheese frosting, dessert, food blogger, jaymmy, lebanon, marmite et ponpon, pineapple, pineapple cake, pineapple flower tutorial, qatar, recipes

Upside down peach cake

Posted on August 20, 2015 | 10 comments

I’m currently having a very busy and sleepless summer especially after delivering my baby. But being in Lebanon with the abundance of fresh fruits, I couldn’t but turn the oven to bake this upside down peach cake.

A very easy and quick recipe, and doesn’t require too much ingredients. I am sure you all have them at home even the peaches, it’s the season and it is at its peak (in July and August).

Who can resist this mouth watering cake. Preheat your oven and go ahead do it, trust me it took less time to prepare it than writing the post 🙂

You need:

3/4 cup softened butter, divided
1/2 cup brown sugar
4-5 peaches sliced
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 9″ pan with a quarter of the softened butter. Dust it with the brown sugar then layer the peach slices over.

In a deep bowl beat the remaining butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, beat well then add the milk. Spoon the mixture over the peaches.

Bake for 30 mns or until an inserted wooden skewer (or toothpick) comes out clean. Let it cool before inverting onto a serving plate.

Serve it warm or cold, as per your taste. I personally like it cold. If you want to jazz it up, serve it with ice cream to beat the heat, especially it’s too hot nowadays!

I am sure this cake will be the center piece of your table, whether for dessert after lunch or when snacking. It’s fairly sweet and fruity, quenches your thirst on summer days or warm your hearts with a cup of tea. Enjoy!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Tagged blog, dessert, food blogger, how to do, jaymmy, lebanon, marmite et ponpon, peach, qatar, recipe, upside down peach cake

Meghleh (floured rice pudding)

Posted on August 7, 2015 | 4 comments

Meghleh, is a traditional Lebanese sweet, served on a special occasion such as the celebration of a child birth or christmas. It’s a floured rice pudding spiced with caraway and cinnamon, and garnished with shredded coconut, assortment of nuts (almonds, pine seeds, walnut, pistachio) and dried raisins.

The word meghleh in arabic means boiled, knowing that this dessert is served cold, after being boiled for almost 45 mns.

If you are expecting a baby or simply you want to enjoy a quick, easy and flavorful dessert, don’t hesitate to give it a try.

You will need:

1/2 cup floured rice
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbsp ground caraway
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
5 cups water

To garnish you will need shredded coconut, almond, pine seeds, pistachio, walnut and dried raisin. All the garnish is optional and depending on your taste. Personally i like them all, and i soak the nuts in the water before serving to become softer.

In a deep pot add the water, floured rice, sugar, caraway and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Stir over medium heat until the mix comes to a boil (20-30 minutes) Continue to cook the pudding while stirring over medium low heat for 5-7 more minutes, or until the pudding is thick. You know it’s done when it drips from the spoon as a sharp line.

The secret of success of meghleh is in the continuous stirring over medium low heat. Make sure to stir continuously and scrape the bottom of the pot to prevent the pudding from sticking.

Remove the pudding from the heat and pour it into ramekins and set aside to cool completely before garnish.

This pudding should stay put, try not to shake the ramekins so the surface doesn’t get cracks.

It is said that this brown pudding is symbolic of the fertile rich soil, and the nuts on top are like seeds that will sprout and grow on this soil – a perfect symbol for birth. Welcome my baby boy Joud!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Tagged blog, dessert, food blogger, jaymmy, lebanese traditions, marmite et ponpon, meghleh, newborn, qatar, recipe, rice pudding

Strawberry jam crumble tart

Posted on May 20, 2015 | Leave a comment

Are you craving a sweet treat that is unfussy? Try this delicious crumble tart with any jam flavor you fancy and reap a bounty of flavors in no time!

It’s been a hektic week, juggling hundred tasks, between work and home, especially we are moving to a new flat. I wanted to prepare something sweet but very easy and effortless. Right now, i am savoring one piece of this strawberry crumble tart while writing this post.

Share with me this pleasure, head to your kitchen right away to prepare this delectable tart, I am sure you have all the ingredients:

2 1/2 cup flour sifted
200g butter cold and cubed
1/2 cup confectioner sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla
300g jam (flavor of your choice)

Mix all together until it just starts to come together. You need a crumble like dough not a solid ball of dough.

Preheat you oven 200°C. Take 3/4 of the dough and roll it in your pan (10 inches) with a half cm thickness. Bake for 10 minutes before taking out to spread the jam on top of it. Use any jam you favor, i chose strawberry for this time.

Crumble the rest of the dough over the jam and bake again for another 10 minutes.

Let it cool before serving. Personally i like it at room temperature and also cold from the fridge. It’s one of the treats light in efforts but rich in flavors just bake and slice!

Satisfy your sweet tooth and Sahtein!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

So pretty to eat – elegant apple rose tart

Posted on November 19, 2014 | 2 comments

Apple rose tart are perfect for an elegant dessert and so easy to do. This was more of a technique than a recipe, that’s why i created a step by step unmistakable scheme.

First you need to have:

one big red apple
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp water
1 cup flour sifted
50g butter

– Wash and cut the apple in half. Remove the core and slice each half (2-3mm thickness for each slice). Put the slices in a pot and add the honey, sugar and water. Cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat. Take out the slices to cool, but don’t get rid of the syrup, we will use them in the dough.

– To prepare the dough, mix the flour, butter and 4 tbsp of the syrup. knead until the dough becomes smooth. Roll out and cut in strips of 2.5 cm width and 25 cm length.

– Place on each strip 5-6 slices of the cooked apple, and roll it up. It will make around 8 small tarts, you can easily double the recipe if you want more.

– Bake in the oven (180°C) for 15-18 minutes. Take it out, brush with honey and serve! If you are a cinnamon lover you can also sprinkle some on top with the honey.

With few ingredients always available at home, you can make this elegant dessert. They were so tempting that i was eating them in my mind while preparing them.

I am sure you will wow your guest if you are doing them for a special occasion. They are too romantic as well…. am i giving you ideas now?! Don’t hesitate to try them now.