Graphika Manila 2010 Experience

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.

- Pablo Picasso

So last Saturday, August 7 (this blog is so long overdue hehe), my friend and I went to the SMX Convention Center for Graphika Manila where esteemed Multimedia Designers from its different fields discuss and showcase their works and the behind the scenes look on how they make them. I would like to narrate the events during August 7, from the morning until evening where it rained cats and dogs.

Here it goes...

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Red Velvets

Being bored has its perks & drawbacks. Well huge drawbacks - weight gain!!!

As I said being bored has its perks: catching up with the latest news, getting rest, fixing my room, eating, & discovering new stuff. One of the new things that I got to do for the last leg of my summer vacation was to bake all sorts of stuff, that includes cupcakes.

I have always wanted to make red velvet cakes but I see cakes to be a bit tedious so instead I made cupcakes!!!

On my first take of baking these delicate cupcakes I burned the bottom and did not really do a buttercream frosting instead I did a weird sweet butter topping.

I would really like to thank Ming Makes Cupcakes for the original recipe (I tweaked some elements on my recipe), my family totally loved it!!!

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

For the Cupcakes you need:

1 1/4 cup flour (all purpose flour could do)

3/4 cup sugar (brown sugar in my case)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp cocoa powder (in my case I pulverized semisweet chocolate)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup buttermilk (a substitute of milk & vinegar should do the trick; ratio - 1:1)

1 egg

1 tbsp red food coloring

1/2 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

Sift together the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, & cocoa powder in a medium sized bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, egg, food coloring, vinegar, & vanilla. Now add the

wet concoction

to the

dry mixture

gradually while mixing at medium speed until mixture is just combined and at smooth & gooey consistency. Fill the cupcake liners. Bake in a preheated oven at 175C for 15 to 20 minutes. To be sure that the cupcakes had been baked, poke a toothpick in the cupcakes and if it comes out clean then it's ready.

For the Buttercream Frosting:

1 stick room temp. butter (1/2 cup or 8 tbsp)
2 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
a dash of almond extract

Cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar, milk, vanilla, & almond extract then beat until spreadable consistency. This will yield a pale yellow-white mixture. Just wait for the cupcakes to cool then you can frost. You can use a plastic spatula or a piping bag to frost (I used spatula).

Voila!!! You now have delicious red velvet cupcakes topped with buttercream frosting. This recipe should make at least 12 cupcakes. :)

LATER!!!

Exclaiming Eclairs

The other day I was feeling bored and creative so I thought to myself to make some pastries. I searched the interwebs for a recipe of eclairs because I was inspired by watching Chef Academy (I'm a sucker for cooking shows) in 2nd Avenue. Luckily I found an easy recipe using choux pastry.

The choux pastry is fairly easy for a pastry virgin like men. All you need are: a cup of water, half a cup of unsalted butter, a teaspoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of salt, 2/3 cup of plain flour, & 5 large Eggs.

1. Combine the water, butter, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a full rolling boil then remove saucepan from heat, and add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spoon til the mixture comes together.
2. Turn the heat to low and put saucepan back on and stir and mash continuously for about 3 mins to cook the flour and either put the mixture in a food processor or in a large mixer bowl and process or beat for 30 seconds.
3. Add the eggs one at a time and keep mixing til they're incorporated.
4. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 1/2 inch plain round tube, with pastry then pipe 10cm lengths on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
5. Run the tines of a fork down the tops of the eclairs to encourage the pastry to crack evenly when they bake.
6. Bake in a 180C oven for 30 min.
7. When cooked, gently make a hole under each eclair for steam to escape enabling them to dry out inside.
8. Put them back in the turned off oven for another half an hour to cool down slowly.

Eclairs can't be without its cream filling which is very simple! All you need are 3 1/2 cups of thickened cream, 3 tablespoon Icing Sugar, 1 teaspoon Caramel Essence and 1/2 cup White Hot Chocolate Powder then combine everything and pipe the cream in the holes made at the base of each eclair.

Another essential element of an eclair is the caramel icing. You need 2 tablespoons of butter, 4 tablespoon of milk, 3 cups of sifted icing sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoon of caramel essence. First, put the butter in a saucepan over really low heat til melted. Then add the icing sugar, milk and caramel essence and beat til smooth over the heat. Dip the top of each eclair in the icing and let them cool.

VOILA!!! You now have caramel eclairs!!!! Good to share or not!!!!

Recipe and Image Source: Lifestyle food.com.au

LATER!!!

Broguing

Good day, today is Sunday meaning Church Day and lazy day(as with most of the days of summer-boring). Had brunch(brunch because I basically woke up during lunch) a while and the food was delicious dinuguan, a Filipino delicacy made with pig's meat and doused in its own blood to be consumed with either a puto or white rice!

Image Source: Going Filipino

Anyways, I've been thinking of getting myself brogues! Yes brogues! I have been obsessed with brogues.

Image Sources: Style Bubble & Flickr

I have been searching for brogues for men(even for women) everywhere within the Makati and Manila area but to no avail. I personally think that brogues are one of the biggest trends in footwear this Spring/Summer. It could be worn with frilly dresses for a feminine with an edge look or with cropped tailored pants for a casual look. Oh well, here are the brogues that I am currently fixated with.

Image Sources: Polyvore, Asos, & Net-a-Porter

Aren't they fabulous? Gonna save me some money for new shoes and clothes.

Anyways, sorry if my entry feels a little disconnect because I am not enitirely focused. Oh well, I feel hungry again.

LATER!!!

Cupcake Comebacks

Been on a hiatus since February because of the many projects and activities that I have been busy with because of college.

I am currently at my room sitting at the foot of my bed with the laptop in front of me thinking of clever things to say on this blog while watching a rerun of Gossip Girl's episode last week - The Unblairable Lightness of Being, on ETC. Oh well, what a tiring and sweltering hot summer this has become and to beat the summer heat is to stay cool by creating delectable desserts like CUPCAKES!!!

I have been a secret aspiring foodie and chef, showcasing my cooking (dare I say it) prowess to my family and the dishes that they enjoyed (hopefully) were my desserts. In the past I did Choco Cakes, Panna Cottas, Fruit Cakes and cookies, now I would want to venture on creating cutesy cupcakes.

I recently stumbled upon Ming Makes Cupcakes, as Refinery29 would describe it: a veritable goldmine of cupcake porn you can salivate over and then attempt to recreate. It is truly a dessert lovers site aiming to recreate Cupcakes by Sonja. Ming doesn't only make cupcakes he also makes cookies and savory snacks for those with aversion to cupcakes.

Just look at these delectable delights, aren't they scrumptious!

Pictures from: Ming Makes Cupcakes

Makes me want to make some right now but unfortunately its getting late (2:00 in the morning!!!) and I'm dozing off.

LATER!!!! =D