Going a litte nuts

For this weeks CapheSunday I decided to do a Chocolate Layered Cake. I was quite confident about making it. Big Mistake! The recipe is pretty simple just like the ingredients, but somehow my cake didn't want to come up. Which is weird because there was so many baking powder and baking soda in it. So I tried it again. This time I did it like the recipe (if I hadn't done it like that in the first try) but it worked and it grew in the stove like it was supposed to. But then I took it out of the oven and forgot one step. To turn the cake pan around and let it cool. So the whole cake went from up to down...and it was all flat...again! I was about to cry and throw the da** thing in the garbage when I still gave it a shot since I already had one layer (from the first try). So I made the ganache anyway and assembled the cake, but without cutting the cake into two layers since I baked two layers separately... 

And you know what? It turned out great!!! It tasted really really nice. It wasn't much of a sponge cake but it was rich of chocolate and that made it really really tasty! I was so relieved when everybody who bought the cake liked it and when I tried it, I liked it too, so I was really happy.

Everything was fine there. I was really happy.
And then I made the mistake...:/

So cute, right?

You can even see the layers. YUM

Chocolate Layered Cake
(Adapted from HappyHomeBaking)

Ingredients:
for sponge layer
85g cake flour
25g cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 teaspoon baking soda

3 egg yolks (use large eggs)
25g caster sugar
50ml vegetable oil
70ml water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites (use large eggs)
55g caster sugar

for chocolate ganache:
170g pouring cream (I used one can Nestle pouring cream)
170g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Method:
to make sponge cake:
-Line base of a round pan with parchment paper. Do not line or grease the sides.
-Sieve together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
-Place egg yolks in a mixing bowl. With a ballon whisk, whisk the yolks a little. Add in sugar and whisk till the mixture turns pale and thickens.
-Add in vegetable oil gradually, whisking at the same time till the mixture combines.
-Add in water gradually, whisking at the same time till the mixture combines. Some bubles will come up, it's normal. Add in vanilla extract, whisk to combine. Sieve over the flour mixture and whisk till the flour is fully incorporated. Do not over mix. Set aside.
-In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites with a handheld electric mixer on low speed until mixture becomes frothy and foamy. Add half of the sugar amount and turn to high speed and beat the mixture. Continue to add in the remaining sugar and beat until the egg whites reaches the soft peak stage.The soft peak stage is reached when the peaks of the whites curl over and droop slightly. The egg whites should appear smooth and glossy. (Do not over beat the whites still stiff, it is better to beat the whites still soft peaks for easy folding with the yolk batter.)
-Add the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk batter in 3 separate additions, each time folding gently with a spatula until just blended.

-Preheat oven to 170°C.
-Pour batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan lightly on a table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.
-Bake in pre-heated oven for 40~45 mins, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, when lightly pressed the cake will spring back. (Mine was already done after 25 minutes) VERY IMPORTANT! DO SO IMMEADIATELY!: Turn the pan immediately around, so that the bottom of the pan is up and let cool completely before unmould. (If you don't do that your cake will fall into iself and become very thin.) To release the cake from the pan, run a thin-bladed knife or a off-set spatula around the inside of the pan. 

to make chocolate ganache:
-Place cream  in a pan and heat it up.

-Place the chopped chocolates in a bowl. Set it over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl is big enough to sit over the saucepan).
-Stir the chocolate gently with a spoon till the chocolate melts.

-Add the hot cream to the chocolate and beat with a whisk until the mixture combines and becomes smooth.

-Remove bowl from the saucepan. Let it cool for two minutes or until the texture is sirupy but still stoft and then put on the plate. You can also use it immeadiately, but then it is really liquid and might not stay on your cake. 

to assemble:
-Slice the cake horizontally into three layers. Place a layer of sponge cake on a cake board. 

-Spoon about 4 heaped spoons of the chocolate ganache onto the surface. Spread evenly with a spatula. Repeat with the second layer of sponge cake. 

-Place the third layer and spoon the remaining ganache over the top and spread it over to the sides. Smooth the surface evenly with the spatula. Decorate as desired. Keep chilled in fridge.

Already into typical Hamburg food

So the other day I was craving for something sweet. It was in the afternoon after uni and all I could think about was something sweet. So I went to a bakery and found those little things called "Franzbrötchen" (mostly because the guy in front of me bought some). Now, I have never even heard about those sweet somethings. No wonder, they are typical for Hamburg and I believe sold only here . Anyway, the one I bought was very very delicious and I kept thinking about Franzbrötchen ever since. So you are wondering what this is. Well, it's a small pastry with butter, sugar and cinnamon. And very tasty.

But since I am student and can't really afford to eat out every day, I thought, why not try to make them by myself. So here it goes: They were actually pretty easy to make. You only have to be patient with the dough, because the yeast in it has to grow before you can put them into the oven. 

Recipe Franzbrötchen

What you need:

250g flour, plus extra for rolling out dough

20g yeast

35g sugar

125ml lukewarm milk

35g butter

pinch of salt

For the filling:

100g butter

100g sugar

1 Tsp cinnamon

Method:

1.Put the flour in a bowl but leave the middle empty and there break up the yeast. Add sugar, salt and the milk. It is important that the milk is lukewarm for the yeast to dissolve. Add the melted butter. You can use your hands or a dough hook from a mixer to make a even dough. Cover the bowl loosely with a cloth and let rest in a warm place for up to 40 minutes or until doubled in size.

2. After the rest you should knead the dough again. The dough should be slightly shiny but not sticky.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and roll the pastry. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a rectangle about 80x40 cm in size.

4. Next steps differ in some recipes. I went with the easiest way. But you can find another version here.

I added butter to it as well, but slightly melted. Add the cinnamon/sugar mix on top of the butter and start to roll the dough. Start with the long edge.

5. Cut the rolled dough into 4 cm wide pieces.

6. Press the floured handle of a wooden spoon firmly into the top of each piece, all the way down to the counter, so that the spiralled sides come out on either side of the handle. Put them onto a baking sheet and let them rest for another 10 minutes.

7. Preheat the oven to 200°C and bake them in the middle of the oven, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until well-browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.

So really not hard to do! Hope you try them too and if you are even more interested in Franzbrötchen you should check out Franzbrötchen (it's only in German, so use the other link at #4 for more English information).

A lot of...

FOOD!!!!!;)

1 - Cupcakes for the Caphe

2 - Key Lime Pie for the Caphe

3 - Saltry Crepes

4 - Chinese dish

5 - Cherry blossom

6 - Today at the Planten un Blomen in Hamburg

7 - More beautiful flowers day

8 - Go for it bumblebee!:P

9 - Yummy tiramisu ice cream

Not So Sweet...

...pancakes! Well, they are really flat pancake, more like a crêpe. But I decided not to make them sweet for today. I think my sweet tooth is still all set from yesterday!;) So I made them salty. I just used a normal pancake recipe and added some salt, bell pepper powder (sweet and spicy), some pepper and some chilly. While they were in the pan I added some cheese and ham as a filling. They were really yummy, for next time though I should remember to add more spices.

Recipe for Salty Crêpe

makes 12 crêpes

-2 eggs

-200g flour

-200ml milk

-spices you like

-herbs

Method

Put the milk, flour and eggs into a bowl and whisk till you have a smooth batter. Add all the spices you like and whisk again.

Put a pan on the stove and add some oil. I made them very thin so you see on the corners when to turn them around. The batter should start to thicken, then it's the right time to turn them.

Keep them in the pan till golden. I added some ham and cheese and folded the crepe into half, to cover the ham and cheese. Let the cheese melt for a little bit before you remove it from the pan. 

Enjoy!

Caphe Sunday

I thought I get a little bit involved with the things organized at the dormitory where I live now. That is why I, and another person, are organizing the Sunday Caphe. It is just a little get together with some coffee and cake. I made some Cupcakes, and the second baker (also female) made a Key Lime Pie. We hope everybody enjoys the cakes and we have a great time....

The cupcakes are supposed to be Red Velvet Cupcakes (from CompletelyDelicious), but unfortunately the food coloring was not the best and for my taste there is too much cocoa powder in it, so that they rather taste like chocolate cupcakes! But I'm going to sell them, like that was supposed to be like that!;) So I have to change that when I try them again! And I will, because I really want to make a Red Velvet Cake...

Recipe Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 36 cupcakes (The recipe was originally for three layers of a nine inch cake. Feel free to cut the recipe in half, or make a layered cake, to suit your needs.) 

For the cupcakes:

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 1/2 cups cake flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (I'd say a tsp is enough)1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups canola oil

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

6 Tbsp (3 ounces) red food coloring (also depends on the food coloring you have!)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 tsp white vinegar

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

In a medium bowl, sift cake flour, cocoa and salt together. 

In another bowl mix the oil and the sugar until well-blended with an electric whisk. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each until just combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add all of the red food coloring, being very careful not to splash. Add vanilla.

Add flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk in two additions, ending with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined, scraping bowl down as needed; don’t over mix.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (170°C). Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners or grease with butter.

Add baking soda to another small dish. Pour in vinegar and stir to combine (it’s a chemical reaction!). Add mixture to the cake batter and mix until blended.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 fill and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. (Don't put too much in the cupcake liners because you have to add the frosting on top.)

Frost cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Cream together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla, mixing until smooth and creamy.

Frost away...

I featured this post in a Link Party. It's the first time I have ever done something like that! But I like her blog and she has interesting things on it! So check it out!;)

Hamburg #2

This time I went to two Kiez, because they are so close to each other! I started from the Elbpark with the Bismarck memorial walking down to the Landungsbrücken and the old Elbtunnel. Then I went to the fish market and to the Patrizier-buildings. Great architecture around there, a lot of old buildings combined with new ones. I like that a lot, somehow it really is working together! After that I went to the Reeperbahn and was at the Elbpark again...

Bismarck

Landungsbrücken

Old Elbtunnel

Riding the car elevator

I'd like that a lot!!;)

Fish market hall

Cherry blossom

I had a fun day!!;)

Hamburg #1

Since I'm living in the nicest big city in Germany (according to Spiegel) I am going to explore it one Kiez at a time...;)

First I went to the Alster, Jungfernsteg and around...

Alsterfleet

Chronicle of Nivea

Binnenalster

St. Petri church

Love those staircases

St. Jacobi church

Centrtal station

All around town

1 - Shopping in the city -Abercrombie & Fitch

2 - Inspiration for my flat. I've always wanted something like this!;)

3 - Apple pie at the dormitory meeting

4 - They are here....:P

5 - Yummy icecream from Eiszeit in Hamburg

6 - Saw the Shopping Queen bus 

and participants (it's a German TV show).

7 - More sightseeing in Hamburg

8 - Yummy quesadilla with chicken from Gecko in HH

9 - Cherry blossoms near campus

Up and Down

1- First time eating Borschtsch

2- New GSL to learn

3- An oldy but goody! Thanks to

 grandmas recipe: I still LOVE it!

4- Spring has arrived

5- A tower of Ritter Sport...yummy

6- FREE CONE DAY @ Ben&Jerry's 

7- My free cone: The Vermonster

8/9- ...more spring around Hamburg

Up and Down mainly because of the weather!:/ Last week ended nice but today it started raining...not hard, but that makes it worse...plus wind...not a great combination!;) I want the sun back!!!!

After such a day

...I just want to crawl up into bed and do nothing! The day started with me running to class, which is nothing great to start the day! I made it into the room before the teacher but then being in the wrong room isn't helping much. After a rather desperate (asking everyone I stumbled into to help me) search I finally found the room and was asked by the teacher what I was doing here. So you guess right, I was wrong...AGAIN! But this time it wasn't my fault but rather the ones who put the course online since it was not a beginners class but an advanced one. So you could imagine my disappointment. After a marathon of going to teachers offices, I had my first class for today (4pm). At least the talk with the teachers was helpful and I hope that now everything is sorted out. I just hate days when everything goes wrong.... Don't get me wrong, I love being here and studying sign language but sometimes it's nerve-racking when you go form office to office and don't get an answer!:/ But now everything should be fine and I can stop worrying about it....at least I hope so...;)

25 @ 25

I wanted to publish this post on my 25th birthday but I had no time. Inspired by some other blogs (for example Ja-Sagerin) I decided to do a list of things I wanted to do when I am 25. I think 25 is also a special age, like turning 16(finally having an ID),18(finally able to drive a car) or 21(it's wasn't much of a change for me just something legal)... Since I wasn't blogging then I had no idea of such lists I have not done it before. So I decided to start one now and if it's going great to do that the following years!:) So on my list are 25 things I want to do at 25. On the list are all kinds of things I want to do, have to do or need to check out (do something new). 

Here's the list:

1--Travel at least 2 times outside of Germany

2--See at least on musical

3--Finish two old DIY-projects

4--See at least one concert

5--Do at least 5 DIY-project to give away

6--Watch 10 classic movies

7--Read 5 classic novels

8--Decorate something new/different than usual

9--Get a different haircut

10-Cook at least 5 meals out of "Jamies 15 Minute Meals"

11-Learn something new (language, game, craft...)

12-Finish my 2012 travel diary

13-Do something regularly (at least: once a week for a month)

14-Do something crazy

15-Redesign my blog header

16-Do a scrapbook class

17-See more (sights...) of the area (at home and in Hamburg)

18-Sell old things (at least one)

19-Sew a bag

20-Write a short story (at least five pages)

21-Do something for others (help somewhere...)

22-Try a new ride (motorcycle, quad bike...)

23-Go to a book fair

24-Get a make-up consult

25-HAVE A FUN YEAR!

I am pretty sure some of them will challenge me but I hope to have a lot of fun 

Hello Hamburg

My first week in Hamburg is almost over and a lot has already happened!

On the first of April I drove up north (1) at six in the morning. The first two hours I drove were going by so slow...and even the km...I thought I would have left some more km behind me, I guess my mind was playing some tricks… The traffic was non-existing and so my body was half a sleep. And because I didn't get much sleep last my body was in much need of caffeine... The caffeine helped and also the animals I saw along the road!;) It was almost 12pm when I arrived (2) and got my keys for the apartment. The building I am going to live in (3) is really nice but as usual the picture online was a bit better than the original...But the room (4) is really nice and big...and that’s where I live in not the building, right!? I got settled into the apartment and the next day I went to the university for the first time. I have to use the subway but I don't mind! After 25 minutes (subway) and a 15 minute walk I was there for the first class...it was an orientation class. Thanks to that I know what to do this semester!;) I tried to sign in for my classes but it was not really working so I had to contact some people...nobody quite knew what the problem was...how I love internet platforms for class (STiNE), NOT!! My first class this week was not until Thursday...but that went rather difficult because it's a German sign language class and the signs used are so different from the ones I learned. But I had a lot of fun and hope I'll catch up fast!;) Monday evening (first day) was also a test on how good my English is, which I need to pass (B2 or C1 level) if I want to take English classes. (I got the results on Thursday...C1...yayy) And the lecture room was soo big (5)…that's how it supposed to be and everybody thinks about one!!

Going to university and getting some groceries (7 yay we have STAPLES... I love it!!!) were the only things I did this week. I am still kind of stressed out from the last couple of weeks that I just relaxed at home if I didn't had to go to school. But next weekend will an weekend on exploring Hamburg!!!;) But campus is rather large and so I already got to see some of Hamburg (6/8). 

My last stop for the week was at the library for sign language (9) to get a book for class. It's the library with the most books on sign language...that's my place to be for the upcoming semesters!;)

For starting my MA studies from my Mom  

It's a wrap...

Hey there! I am so sorry that my last post was in February. Since then a lot of things have happened and I was to stressed, focused and overwhelmed to dedicate much time for my blog. I had so many things I wanted to share but I was too busy getting other things sorted out. That is why I started Weekly Snapshots On Wednesdays, to keep you up to date what's going on in a very short and simple way. But it turned out not to be as easy since I have to do a lot of stuff with the pics before I can upload them. Sure it's a lot easier with Picasa (which I use) but it's still work and figuring out which photos to use, collage them and write something about it was too time consuming the last weeks but I hope to do better from now on...since I got everything settled. But from the beginning:

After my last entry I had some time off. So I did things you normally do when you don't have a schedule: RELAX AND DO NOTHING. But that only lasted a week or so. It was also my birthday and turning 25 is not all just fun. I guess the 'real' life starts now...at least for the authorities (insurance, bank...) so I had a lot of appointments and figuring things out. I also had a job interview which was kind of really nice and it calmed me down for upcoming ones since the interviewers were really nice. Even though I didn't get the job, I got a different positive answer from a university...but one by one. After all the appointments, things changing and still no idea what I was going to do from April on I wanted a break, but there was just no time for that. So when I received an email on the 6th of March I jumped for joy. I got into University of Hamburg!!!yayyyyyy I was so excited when I read that email. After two months of worrying about what I was going to do after my BA studies, I had finally got some clearance and my nerves were soothed (which was good too, because I still had to write a term paper and have my final BA exam). Now I was even more thrilled to wrap up my BA studies and finish up that last paper. So I wrote the last paper in my BA studies and was surprised when the teacher told me my grade two or three days later after I submitted it to her. The last couple of days at home I spent going to the cinema and spending some time with friends before I had to go back to Germersheim to study hard for my final exam. So I studied for a week and didn't do much besides. Two days before the exam I thought I learned everything and I had no idea what to study further, so I decided to meet up with some friends and say goodbye, since I knew these days were going to be the last ones in Germersheim... There is a saying when you come to Germersheim: You cry twice...when you come to this town and when you leave it. Coming because you are shocked it's such a small town (I didn't, I was just curious about how uni life was going to be) and going because you'd miss it somehow (well I am not sad for leaving Gtown, I'm just sad for not seeing all my friends again before I left, but I know we'll stay in touch, so my worries were at a minimum...I had such a big experience in a head of me that I couldn’t wait for it to start). 

February

1 Easy Pancakes with friends

2 My Birthday Breakfast

3/4 Vapiano in Nürnberg..so yummy

5 Birthday Flowers

6 I LOVE the hat, don't you?:P

7 Can't wait for a tour...

8 THE NIGHT OF THE YEAR
9 Can I have it all?

A walk before the big and final exam

March

1 Leipzig book fair

2 Gifts from the book fair &my name in braille

3 Oreo cookie covered in white chocolate

4 Coffee with a friend

5 Let spring in

6 After my final exam

7 Last time in the Uni library

8 Last time on campus

9 Last time on the Rhine

So the last week of March was a stressful one: On Monday I had my final exam and I passed it *yay*. After that I had to go to some offices to exmatriculate myself and all that stuff and then I had to pack the rest of my belongings. The next day my parents came and we stuffed two cars with all my stuff... I still can't believe how much stuff there was left since I already took home so many things...:/ Wednesday and Thursday I was going through all that stuff again and figuring out what to take to Hamburg. This was not as easy since I didn't really had a clue what I need in my new apartment. I knew that I had a room for myself but I had no idea how the kitchen and bathroom situation was handled (now I know :P) So I packed the things I thought were useful (guess there is still stuff I didn't bring with but could use...) and again stuffed the car!;)

After the Easter holidays I drove off to Hamburg and now I am almost a week here and can't believe how that first week got by so fast... but I leave that for another post!;)

So that was my crazy March…and I hope to write regularly again from now on! 

Be sure to check out the whole blog if there will be a time again with no new posts! See the pages under my header and discover...