The Best Guacamole

I made a bowl of guacamole for lunch today since I have 4 avocados in the fridge. It reminds me of the trip to Salt Lake City, USA with my SIL and our friend Jamie, last October 2012. Everyday my SIL and I would go to Harmon's to purchase ready made guacamole or hummus, fruits and salad plus some chips and breads. Those were our basic necessities back then... haha. Six days in SLC I lost nearly 4 kg.

The recipe is taken from this site posted by Elise Bauer. The recipe is very simple, tasty and to die for. I think it's one of the best dips I've ever made on my own. Thanks Elise for sharing. You only need 10 minutes to prepare it.

You need 7 main ingredients which I list according to their importance from 1 - 7: 
1. Avocado, 2. Salt, 3. Lime/Lemon juice, 4. Chiles, 5. Onion, 6. Cilantro, 7. Tomato.
However, I don't have cilantro in stock and it tastes just great!

Perfect Guacamole Recipe

2 ripe avocados

1/2 red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced (I used the normal chiles [lada besar] we have and added 3 bird chiles [cili padi])

2 tablespoons cilantro (leaves and tender stems), finely chopped (I do not add for I don't have in stock)

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

A dash of freshly grated black pepper

1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Garnish with red radishes or jicama. (I don't have this too)

Serve with tortilla chips. (I bought Mission brand original flavour)

METHOD

1 Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl. (Go to this site to learn how to cut and peel an avocado)

2 Using a fork to roughly mash the avocado. (I don't overdo it because guacamole is best when it is a little chunky.) 

3. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. (Since chili peppers vary individually in their hotness, you want to start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole according to your desired degree of hotness.) 

4. Only add the chopped tomatoes to the guacamole when you are ready to serve it.The recipe asks to cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it and refrigerate until ready.

5. Just before serving, chop the tomato, add to the guacamole and mix.

6. Serve with tortilla chips.

Variations

Elise gave some suggestions for a guacamole variation:

1. A very quick guacamole: take a 1/4 cup of salsa and mix it in with your mashed avocados.

2. The simplest version of guacamole: mash avocados with salt. 

3. You can add either sour cream or cottage cheese to your guacamole dip too. 

Yield: Serves 2-4.

Fruit Pocket

Pears and plums... I don't know what this is called though I know that there are people baking this. I call this Fruit Pocket. 

Fruit Pocket

Pears pitted and cubed

Plums pitted and cubed

A dash of cinnamon 

A tablespoonful of brown sugar

Puff pastry

Egg yolk for colour

1. Mix together the cubed pears and plums with cinnamon and brown sugar.

2. Roll the puff pastry.

3. Pour the fruit mixture on top of the rolled puff pastry.

4. Envelope the fruit mixture. Trim its end with fork.

5. Brush the egg yolk on top and make a small slit with a knife.

6. Bake in the oven until it turns golden and crispy.

7. Devour this with ice-cream.

Chocolate Moist Cake decorated with Chocolate Ganache, Chocolate Truffles and Dulce de Leche.

Apple Coffee Cake

This recipe is adapted from Stephanie's Jaworski's of Joy of Baking. I substitute plums with apples since I've so many apples left. The recipe:  Apple Coffee Cake: 1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (30 grams) ground almonds 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (120 ml) flavourless oil (safflower, corn, or canola) 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk (original recipe uses yoghurt) 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice 1 tablespoon orange zest (the outer orange skin (rind) of the orange) 1 large egg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar 5 Granny Smith's apples peel, cored and cut into slices  Garnish: 2 tablespoons (30 grams) coarse brown sugar

Apple Coffee Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place rack in the centre of oven.
2. Spray pan with non-stick vegetable spray one - 8 inch/20 cm spring form pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
3. A. In a large bowl, stir or whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and ground almonds.
4. B. In another large bowl, stir or whisk together the oil, yogurt, orange juice and zest, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in the sugar.
5. Add B to A (the wet ingredients to the flour mixture). Stir until just combined.
6. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and evenly arrange the sliced apples on top of the batter.
7. Sprinkle with the 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar.
8. Bake in preheated oven for about 35 to 45 minutes or until the cake tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

The recipe makes one - 8 inch (20 cm) cake.

RV for Jane's Farewell Party.

Mas' RV order for her friend's farewell party.

Adrina's Birthday Cake

Adrina Arisya's Barbie Cake.

RV for Nurul Hanisah

Happy Birthday Nurul Hanisah!