Today’s cooking

Japanese style carrot cake

Japanese Broadcasting Network (日本放送協会 - NHK) has two no-nonsense cooking shows called ‘Today’s cooking’ and ‘Today’s cooking for beginners’. These easy to follow and no drama, I meant to say low-key, shows are filled with great techniques and tips and no one yelling ‘Time is up!’. The monthly publication of Today’s Cooking magazine is also useful and both shows and magazines have very limited advertising so unlike other magazines I won’t  be distracted …you can lose 10 pounds in a week! So and so fortune teller find you true love! Isn’t this nuts? Anybody wanna peanut?  Inconceivable!, you say? Have fun storming the castle! Ha! As you wish!The carrot cake was featured in the February issue of ‘Today’s Cooking’. I thought it will be great for an Easter blog post. At a Japanese book store I started writing it on the back of my receipt but it was getting too long and I ran out of space. I could probably go on line and print out recipe?…But really good other recipes… ALL-IN-COLOR! Heck, I will just buy the magazine.

Once I got home, I have to make this right away. I need a test run before Easter, right? 

Ingredients and instructions for 1- 8 inch round cake pan

Line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper Tips: Use regular parchment paper instead of non-sick paper. This will help cake side raise straight. Dot the side of the pan with butter to help the paper to stick to the pan.

Fist: Cook Carrot

• Carrots 300g Wash and peel, then grate 2/3 of carrots finely and 1 inch long julienne the rest to give it a little texture. Or you can grate them all.
   
• Lemon juice 2 Tablespoons
• Sugar 3 Tablespoon

Put everything in a microwave proof bowl and combine, loosely cover with plastic wrap then microwave for 3 minutes on 60% power. Set aside.

2nd step and beyond

• Butter 75g
• Lemon peel yellow part only finely grated about 1 teaspoon
• Eggs 4 – at room temperature with white and yolk separated
• Sugar 150g
• Weak power flour 195g sifted with baking powder below
• Baking powder 2 teaspoons

1. Heat oven to 392F

2. Put butter in a microwave proof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minutes at 60% power to melt.
3. Add lemon peel to melted butter.
4. Combine with cooked carrots. Set aside.
5. Put egg white in clean and dry stand mixer bowl with whisk attached. Whip for 1 minute at high speed (speed #8). Add sugar in three separate steps. Continue for 3 more minutes until soft peak.
6. Add egg yolk and mix for 10-15 second at lower speed (speed #6).
7. Add a couple scoops of whipped egg mixture into the carrot/butter mixture (if this mixture is cold put back in the microwave to warm up about 20 seconds at 60% power before adding whipped egg) and mix well with whisk, about 10-15 seconds. Set aside.
   
8. Add half of flour to the egg mixture then gently fold in with rubber spatula.
   
9. When you no longer see the flour, add rest of flour and do the same as above. Do not over mix.
10. Gently combine carrot/egg mixture step7 and step9
11. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 338F and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes.
12. When the cake is done, cover with dry dish towel and a large plate on top until it has cooled down. Remove from pan and serve with whipped cream. Recipe below or cream cheese frosting.

Cinnamon whipped cream  – Heavy cream 150g,  sugar 2 Tablespoons, cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon. Whip until reach soft peak. Sprinkle with cinnamon.Marzipan carrot is optional of course but it gives you a chance to go back to childhood and play with food!

This carrot cake is exceptional! Light and moist.

Today’s (my son’s ) cooking: Chicken Taco Salad?

March 3rd is Girl’s Day in Japan. I take out a Hina Doll patchwork quilt done by my friend in Fukuoka Japan. She teaches quilt classes for over 70 students and has won numerous awards. Knowing her is bliss.And I made fondant Hina dolls from left over carrot project just for fun. Memo to myself: it will take more time than you think, do not attempt when you’re in rush. “We have to go” said my husband. Just a sec…Oops! See honey, what you made me do! Her make-up is ruined! They are supposedly a gorgeous couple. ….Anyway, Happy Girls Day!