Roasted baby back ribs

This barbecue baby back ribs was cooked in a turbo broiler.  It is best paired with mashed potatoes,  but Filipinos love rice, and it certainly goes well with steamed rice.  The recipe involves letting the ribs marinate overnight so that all the flavors of the marinade will be absorbed well.  The ribs has a subtle barbecue flavor in it because of the barbecue marinade, but if you want a distinct smokey flavor you can also cook on your charcoal grill.

Ingredients:
1 kilo baby backribs
1 cup barbecue marinade
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp calamansi juice or lemon juice
1/4 cup banana ketchup
1 tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper

Procedure:
Rinse ribs and pat dry.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.  In a bowl, combine minced garlic, calamansi juice, barbecue marinade, banana ketchup, brown sugar, and oyster sauce and mix well.  Put in the ribs on the marinade mixture and cover and marinate inside the chiller for a few hours, overnight is better.  After marinating, cook the ribs in a turbo broiler, set at 150 degrees C, for 1 and 1/2 hours.  A few minutes before time, baste it with the basting sauce and cook for another 5 minutes.  Best served hot.

Banana Upside down Cake

Banana upside down cake is similar to pineapple upside down cake, in that it uses sliced bananas instead of pineapples.  The sliced bananas are placed at the bottom of the pan together with the sugar syrup and topped with the batter.  As it bakes, the syrup will caramelized and absorbed by the batter, giving it the sugary, caramely taste.  I also added mashed bananas into the batter to make the banana flavor more distinct but you also omit it if you prefer a milder flavor.

Ingredients:
For the topping:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
3/4 cup light brown sugar
Bananas, about 3 pieces, cut into 1/4 inch thickness

For the cake:
1 cup mashed over ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil, I used coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup milk
1 cup warm water
2 cups light brown sugar
1 and 3/4 cups cake flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Procedure:
Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter 10-inch baking pan.

Make the topping by putting the butter and sugar in a heavy saucepan under low fire.  Let it cook until sugar has completely dissolved.  Whirl the pan occasionally to distribute the sugar.  Once the sugar is completely melted and bubbles start to appear, remove from heat and transfer on your prepared baking pan.  Arrange the sliced bananas so that the bottom of the pan is completely covered.

In a bowl, combine the sugar, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well making sure all ingredients are well combined.  Set aside.

In another bowl, combine all 3 eggs together, lightly whisk.  Add in the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, vanilla, milk and warm water.  Mix in the dry ingredients mixture and stir just until combined.  Pour mixture into your prepared pan with the topping.


Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs in it.  Remove from oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.  Transfer on a serving plate inverted.

Cookies and cream blondies

Blondies are brownies that are white.  I love them because there are so many possibilities and potentials with this recipe.  It involves making the basic blondie batter and then just adding any mix-ins to your heart's desire.  You can add in chocolate chips, nutella, peanutbutter, nuts, ohh so many possibilities.  I added mine with simple Oreo cookies.  Just make sure that you do not over bake these.  I actually under bake mine a bit because I like them still gooey at the center.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature

1/4 tsp vanilla

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Any mix-ins you like (I used about 9 coarsely chopped Oreo cookies)

Procedure:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line 8 x 7 baking pan with wax paper or brush it with melted butter and lightly flour the bottom.

Combine butter and sugar together.  Mix well.  I just mix mine with a spatula.  Add in the egg and vanilla and mix again until all ingredients are well combined.  Combine together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Mix it to the butter mixture and stir just until combined.  DO NOT OVER MIX.  Next, fold in your mix-ins.  Transfer the mixture to your baking pan and bake it in the oven 20-25 minutes.  I baked mine just 20 minutes.  Just make sure the center is set.  Remove from oven and cool in a wire rack.  After it is completely cooled, cut it into squares and serve.  Store in a tightly sealed contained and it will last for about a week in the refrigerator, although mine never lasts that long.  Happy baking!

Christening Cake

A 2-tier Christening chocolate cake covered with fondant.  The baby shoes topper are made of sugar paste.  The rosary was made out of gold edible pearls.  To order this or your own customized cake, visit and like my Facebook page Derek's Sweet World.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cake and cupcakes

A simple buttercream teenage mutant ninja turtles cake with gumpaste toppers and cupcakes with fondant toppers.

Easy chicken parmesan

A lot of people may think that chicken parmesan is a complicated dish because it does involve cooking the sauce and chicken separately and then baking it.  Boneless chicken breasts are used and then lightly pounded to flatten it and make it more tender.  And then making the marinara sauce is another step.  I used a store-bought marinara sauce, but you can always make your own by sauteing garlic, onion and carrots in olive oil and then adding whole peeled tomatoes, lightly mashing, and continue cooking until the tomatoes are fully cooked.

I love this because of the contrast of the crispy chicken breast with the gooey cheeses together with the sauce.  Try this chicken parmesan and let me know how it goes.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken breast, filleted into 3 pieces, lightly pounded
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup mozarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
vegetable oil for frying

Procedure:
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and garlic powder.  Dredge it in flour, and then egg, and then the panko breadcrumbs.  Set aside.  Heat your frying pan together with the vegetable oil.  When the oil is hot enough, fry seasoned chicken breasts until almost done, not cooked all the way through because we also have to bake them and we don't want overcooked chicken breasts.  Set aside.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  In a separate pan, heat your marinara sauce, if using store bought.  Season it with salt and pepper as desired.

In a baking dish, layer a small amount of sauce at the bottom, then arrange your cooked chicken breasts and then top with another layer of marinara sauce.  Top with mozarella, parmesan and cheddar cheese and bake for about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Best served while it's hot.

Steamed fish fillet

Ingredients:
1 fish fillet, you can use any fish fillet you like.  I used tilapia fillet
1 onion, sliced into rings
1 tomato, sliced into rings
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter
Minced cilantro

Procedure:
Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.  Rinse and pat dry fish fillet.  Season with salt and pepper.  Put it in a foil.  Brush butter on top.  Top it with the onion rings and tomato rings.  Sprinkle minced cilantro.  Tightly cover foil and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes.  After 20 minutes, oven foil and bake for another 10 minutes.  Transfer on a serving dish and serve.

Pork and mushrooms in oyster sauce

Ingredients:
1 kilo pork, you can use shoulder or butt part
3 cups water
3 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup cream of mushroom
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp sliced onion
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
Cut pork into cubes and boil in 3 cups of water, oyster sauce, and Worcestershire sauce until tender.  Add water as necessary while it is boiling.  When the pork is tender, remove from heat and let it cool.  Once cooled, slice pork in about 1/3 inch thickness, set aside.  Reserve the sauce where the pork was boiled.  Saute garlic and onion in butter.  Add in the mushrooms.  After a few minutes, when the mushroom is cooked, add in the cooked pork and reserved sauce.  Stir and let boil for a few minutes.  Add in the cream of mushroom.  Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook until pork is very tender and sauce has thickened.  Best served with rice.

Sweet and Spicy tofu

Ingredients:
1 block raw firm tofu
1 medium sized red bell pepper, diced
1 medium sized green bell pepper, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp minced onion
1 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 4 tbsp water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 red eye chili, diced
salt and pepper to taste
cooking oil for frying

Procedure:
Cut tofu into bite-sized squares and deep fry until lightly brown.  Set aside.  In the same pan, remove some of the oil and saute onion and garlic.  Add in the red and green bell peppers.  When the bell peppers are cooked, add in the vinegar, ketchup and sugar.  Continue stirring and add in the cornstarch mixture and red eye chili.  Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook until thick.  Serve and enjoy!

CUSTARD CAKE

Ingredients:
For the custard:
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp lemon rind

For the cake:
A
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup fresh milk
1/4 tsp lemon rind
B
3 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar for caramel topping

Procedure:
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Prepare a 9-inch round cake pan.  To make the caramel topping, in a heavy saucepan, put 1/2 cup sugar under low fire until it's completely melted.  When it's completely melted and light brown in color, transfer it to your cake pan, making sure that the bottom of your pan is completely covered.  Set aside and let it cool.

To make the custard, combine all eggs and whisk lightly.  Add the condensed milk, fresh milk, sugar, lemon rind and mix until well combined.  Strain and transfer it to your pan with the caramel topping, which should have hardened by now.

To make the cake, sift cake flour and baking powder together.  Combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk until light.  Add cake flour mixture and mix well.  Add the milk and mix again.  Finally, add the other half of the cake flour and lemon rind and mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, beat your egg whites until frothy.  Add 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks.  Fold your egg whites to the cake mixture, being careful not to deflate the egg whites.  Transfer mixture to your cake pan where the custard mixture is.  The cake mixture would float on top and the custard mixture at the bottom.

Put the cake pan in a larger baking dish with hot water at the bottom and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean.  Let it cool completely.  The cake would deflate a little, this is normal.  Transfer it on a serving plate upside down.

Sofia the first cake

Sofia the first fondant cake.  To order your own personalized cake, visit my Facebook page Derek's Sweet World.

Wedding Cake

A 3-tier wedding cake.  Bottom cake size is 10 inches, middle cake size 8 inches and top tier 6 inches.  To order this or your own customized cake and other baked products, visit my Facebook page Derek's Sweet World.

Christening cake

A 2-tier Christening cake.  It's chocolate cake inside with caramel filling and chocolate chips.

Beer mug cake

Beer mug cake for hubby's birthday.  To order this or your own customized cake, visit my Facebook page Derek's Sweet World.

Vanilla Latte Cupcake

This cupcake is one of my favorites.  It has a very distinct coffee flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.  The cupcake itself is soft because of the use of cake flour.  You can also use all purpose flour if you prefer a denser cupcake.

Ingredients:

For the cupcake:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature, I used salted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cup cake flour or all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup fresh milk + 1 tsp coffee powder
About 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar, measured and sifted
1 tbsp fresh milk + 1 tsp coffee powder

Yield:  About 12 cupcakes

Steps:
Cupcake:
1.  Sift flour and baking powder together.
2.  Cream butter until light, about 1-2 minutes.  Add in sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy.
3.  Add eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition.
4.  Alternately add the flour and milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
5.  Add in the vanilla and chocolate chips and mix well.
6.  Line your cupcake pans and transfer the mixture.
7.  Bake at 350 degrees Celsius for about 15-20 minutes.  Note that each oven is different, so make sure to check a few minutes before the timer and it's done if a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean or just a few crumbs in it.
8.  Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
1.  Beat butter until light and fluffy.
2.  Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
3.  Add the milk and coffee mixture and continue beating until light and fluffy.  Frost your cooled cupcake and top with your favorite toppings.  I topped mine with dark chocolate chips and jimmies.

No churn ice cream

This is a recipe for a no-churn ice cream.  I've always wanted to make my own ice cream and finally I did, and OMG! I wish I had tried it sooner.  The steps and ingredients are so simple you can make it in a few minutes and then all you have to do is wait for it to chill.

Ingredients:

2 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 cup condensed milk

Your choice of add-ins (I used Oreo cookies and white chocolate chips)

Steps:

Chill whipping cream and evaporated milk for a few hours.  When the cream is well chilled, whip it until soft peaks.  Add your evaporated milk and continue whipping for about 3 minutes or so.  Add in the condensed milk and stir well.  This will be your basic ice cream in which you can add your choice add-ins for any flavor you want.  I added crushed Oreos, about 10, which I crushed, and then about 5 Oreos which I had broken into chunks.  I also added white chocolate chips.  Put it in the freezer for about 4 hours or overnight, and that's it!  You'll have your homemade ice cream that's creamy and so yummy!  Enjoy!