Unicorn Rainbow Mille Crêpe Cake 獨角馬彩虹法式薄餅千層蛋糕

If you want to see something magical, such as an unicorn flying over the rainbow, you’ve come to the right place!  Check out my video tutorial above and you’ll see that magic!  Okay, maybe I’m not really a magician, but I can certainly make a magical cake!



Have you been seeing everything Unicorn lately?  I sure have and there’s one particular “Unicorn Treat” that I saw on Pinterest that I couldn’t forget!  Yes, the Unicorn Rainbow Mille Crêpe Cake! 



According to the posts that I saw on the internet, there’s an unicorn themed café in Thailand that serves this unicorn cake.  It’s dreamy, whimsical, and definitely stole my heart!  Since I won’t be travelling to Thailand any time soon, my only solution to ease the craving is to recreate this stunning cake, based on the pictures I’ve seen on different social media websites.



Let me reassure you, this cake tastes amazing and just as magical as it’s look.  I don’t know how the cake in the Thailand café tastes like, but I sure know mine tasted wonderful and all these layers are made with natural ingredients! 



I’m not great in cake decorating, so I tried to keep the design of this cake rather simple, just like the one I saw on the internet.  But with the interior of this cake being so stunning, it’s better to keep the outside of this cake simple.



It’s so exciting to cut into this cake to reveal all these different colors and layers!



There are 4 different flavors in these layers of crêpes.  The pink ones on top are strawberries, follow by lemon, then matcha green tea, and last but not least, blueberries on the bottom.  If you eat the crêpe layers separately, you can definitely taste each of the different flavors.  If you taste all these layers in one bite, you’ll get the hints of berries, along with the earthiness of the matcha, and a very refreshing citrus flavor from the lemon.  



If you have a spring party, celebration, or know someone who is crazy about rainbow or unicorn, you’ve got to make this cake!  It is somewhat time consuming to cook all these crêpe layers, but nothing too difficult at all.  If you follow my tips on the video tutorial and use the right tools, your crêpes and cake will turn out just as beautiful!

I hope you enjoy today’s post and tutorial.  If you haven’t done so, please subscribe to my Youtube channel here.  That way, you won’t miss out on any future videos and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new tutorial published.  Stay tuned for more fun and delicious recipes!

Link to All Natural Red Food Coloring Video:

https://goo.gl/qs4phF

Ingredients and Tools Used:

Crepe pan  (Click here for more information)

Crepe Spreader (Click here for more information)

Crepe Maker (Click here for more information)

OXO Egg Turner (Click here for more information)

Lazy Susan (Click here for more information)

10-inch Ribbon Cake Stand (Click here for more information)

Marshmallow Twists (Click here for more information)

Silver Dragees (Click here for more information)

Pastel Color Butterflies Sprinkles (Click here for more information)

Ninja Blender (Click here for more information)

Mascarpone Cheese (Click here for more information)

Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)

Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)

Microplane for lemon zest (Click here for more information)

Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)

Matcha Powder (Click here for more information)

Matcha Whisk (Click here for more information)

Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)

Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)

Powdered Sugar (Click here for more information)

Pomegranate Mimosa

How was your Christmas holiday?  I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful time with your family and friends.  My family had a wonderful reunion with relatives travelling from Hong Kong.  The Kiddos had so much fun playing with their cousins.  We sure hope they’ll visit again soon. 



With so many things and events happened in 2016, some were great and some were definitely bad, it’s quite a mixed feeling to say goodbye to 2016!  On the bright side, there are many great things to look forward to.  The key is not to lose hope!  I constantly remind myself not to worry about the things that I cannot change, but to focus on how to improve myself in case I need to change and make things better!  I always tell my kids to think positive, but prepare for the worst!    



On a lighter note.  Today, I wanted to share with you the very last recipe and video tutorial for this year: Pomegranate Mimosa.  It’s a perfect cocktail to ring in the new year!  Usually, mimosa is a mix of fresh orange juice and champagne.  I’m changing things up and used pomegranate juice instead.  It’s a gorgeous and delightful twist to the traditional mimosa for sure!  I hope you’ll give this delicious cocktail a try soon.

Last but not least, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all your supports in 2016!  I’m truly grateful for each and everyone of you.  Your comments, feedback, and encouragement mean a lot to me.  Wish you and your family a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2017!  Cheers!




Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers. 

Christmas Fruit Tart with Meyer Lemon Mousse

 
Will you be hosting a Christmas party this year?  Or, will you be a guest at a friend’s or family member’s house?  Honestly, I enjoy being a guest more than hosting a party at my place.  One reason is that I don’t really have a backyard that is spacious enough to host parties.  The other reason is the tremendous amount effort needed, such as planning, preparation, and cleanup!  As a guest, I’m always happy to bring desserts!  And I’m sure any host would be pleased to see this festive and gorgeous Christmas Fruit Tart with Meyer Lemon Mousse!  But of course, you can still make this pretty fruit tart even if you’re hosting Christmas gatherings at your place.  This tart will make a beautiful centerpiece for sure.
 

 
The crust of this tart is a simple cookie crust. It’s crunchy, buttery, and sturdy enough to hold up the Meyer Lemon Mousse fillings.  The Meyer Lemon Mousse filling is super easy to prepare.  It involves some mascarpone whipped cream and Meyer Lemon Curd.  Click here to check out my homemade Meyer Lemon Curd recipe.  If you want a short cut, it’s okay to use a store bought Lemon Curd as well.  After all, it’s the holiday and it’s alright to give yourself a break if you are in a hurry.  But the good news is that you can make the Meyer Lemon Curd ahead of time and they’ll last quite a long time in the fridge.  
 

 
I used green grapes, pineapple, pomegranate seeds, and persimmon to garnish this tart.  It’s quite self explanatory in terms of how to arrange the fruit to form the Christmas Tree.  You can be creative and use other fruits that you like.  For example, kiwi slices for the tree, yellow peach for the star, and other small fruit as ornaments as well.  These are the fruits that I have on hand so I used them.  The fresh fruit compliment the Meyer Lemon Mousse perfectly.  It’s refreshing yet decadent at the same time.  The mousse filling has a light, fluffy and silky mouth-feel, which contrast wonderfully with the crunch cookie crust.  The pomegranate seeds add a little pop and tartness in this tart.  And its natural color simply brightens up the whole tart.
 

 
It’s such a festive and simple dessert to enjoy!  I hope you’ll give this recipe a try and make it for your holiday celebration.  If you do try the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a message below or email me a picture on how it turned out.  I can’t wait to hear from you!  Stayed tuned for more fun and festive holiday treats next week.  
 
Tools and Ingredients Used:
 
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Powdered Sugar (Click here for more information)
Mascarpone Cheese (Click here for more information)
Rectangular Tart Pan (Click here for more information)
Parchment Paper  (Click here for more information)
Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)
Pie Weight (Click here for more information)
Pastry Cutter (Click here for more information)
Pastry Bag (Click here for more information)
Wilton Closed Star 2D Pastry Tip (Click here for more information)

 
P.S. Current Giveaway: The Origami Zoo Kit (Open till December 18th, 2016)

 

 
 
 
 

Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bars–Healthy and All Natural Toppings

Next Thursday, March 17th, is St. Patrick’s Day.  I love special occasions because they give me reasons to indulge, without feeling too guilty.  That’s the only time of the year when I prepare Corned Beef and cabbage for my family.  Yes, only once a year.  How about you?  Do you serve Corned Beef more often than once a year?  Speaking of celebration and indulgence without guilt, this Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bar definitely fits these categories!  Click on the YouTube video tutorial above to check out how to make it.  It’s super easy and fun!
 


My Daughter and I were working on her school project “Trap the Leprechaun” for St. Patrick’s Day.  She decorated her project with a hugh 3D rainbow across a shoebox (a.k.a. the trap).  My Daughter’s plan was to put gold pots at the end of the rainbow and doubled sided tapes inside the shoebox to “trap” the Leprechaun.  Will this trap work?  I am not sure.  But one thing I know for sure is that the colorful rainbow makes me feel happy and its so pleasant to look at!  That inspired me to create these Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bars.



These Rainbow Dark Chocolate Bars are topped with colorful and all natural toppings that are healthy and good for you.  You can use any ingredients that you like to create the rainbow color pattern.  I simply used whatever I had on hand.  Also, I tempered the dark chocolate to make the chocolate bars, click here to read more about tempering chocolate if you’re interested.    Did you know that there are many health benefits of eating dark chocolate?  It’s packed with antioxidants and can help lower blood pressure.  Of course, moderation is the key to any treats.  You can read more here if you’re interested.  



Here are the ingredients that I used to create the rainbow pattern; freeze dried strawberries for the red; orange zest for the orange; lemon zest for the yellow; Matcha (Japanese green tea powder) for the green; dried Blue Mallow for the blue; and dried lavender buds for the purple!  Also, be sure to use organic oranges and lemons especially when you’re using the zest.  As for the dried blue mallow, I got them from a tea shop.  It creates the most beautiful and dreamical blue colored tea!  You can read more about its benefits here if you’re interested.  The flavor is subtle and slightly floral.  I’ll list all the ingredients and tools that I used at the end of the post for your reference.



I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and video tutorial.  Thank you for reading and stopping by!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Tools and ingredients used:
Chocolate bar mold (Click here for more information)
Dried Lavender Buds (Click here for more information)
Dried Blue Mallow Tea (Click here for more information)
Freeze Dried Strawberries (Click here for more information)
Matcha Powder  (Click here for more information)
Dark Chocolate (Click here for more information)




Disclaimer: Health and General
No information, ingredient or product mentioned on this site is meant to diagnose, treat or replace professional medical advice.  They are my experience, my journey, and my opinions.  Please consult with your doctor before using any of the ingredients or products mentioned here. 

Broccoli Salad

I hope most of you had checked out my YouTube Channel by now.  If not, yes, you are missing out!  Simply click on the video tutorial above to learn how to make this healthy and hearty Broccoli Salad, and many other yummy recipes with step-by-step tutorials.  I know it’s Fall, as it said so in the calendar.  However, my thermometer said otherwise!  I can’t quite believe we’ll be bearing another triple digits temperature this weekend.  My solution to beat the heat?  Eat some salad. Not any salad, but this Broccoli Salad, which is packed with Fall flavors and wonderful goodness.




There are only a few simple ingredients, as you can see from the picture below.  Simple, clean and healthy.  And what I love most is how easy it is to prepare.  If you make them ahead of time, it’s equally good the next day as the broccoli stays nice and crispy even with the dressing tossed in.  Thus, make this Broccoli Salad a great pot luck item or perfect for your up coming gathering!  You can easily double or triple the recipe. 



In the recipe, I only blanch the broccoli for one minute and transferred it to a bowl of iced water.  The iced water helps stop the cooking process and helps the broccoli stay nice and green.  So, that’s an important step not to miss.



The dressing is simple with just a few ingredients.  Noticed in the video that I used Japanese Mayo instead of the regular ones.  I am partial to the Japanese Mayo.  It’s more flavorful and rich, since it contains higher ratio in egg yolks compare to the regular ones.  You can find it in most Asian supermarkets or ethnic isle in major supermarkets as well.  If not, you can also order it online.  I’ll provide a link at the end of the post for your reference.




Last but not least, don’t’ forget to check out the 2 current giveaways on my blog.  One is for the awesome Paleo Italian Cooking cookbook (worldwide) and the other one is $100 Visa gift card (U.S. only)!  Click on the links below for details on how to enter!

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway
Paleo Italian Cooking Cookbook Giveaway



Tools and Ingredients used:

Japanese Mayo (Click here for product information)
Wood Salad Bowl with Servers (Click here for similar product)
Small Glass Bowls (Click here for similar product)
Core Bamboo 3-Piece Cutlery Set  (Click here to see product information)
Wood Print Photography Backdrop (Click here to see similar product)

Meyer Lemon Tart with Almond Crust

I had been craving for some Meyer Lemon bars for quite some time.  Basically, ever since the last Meyer Lemon season, I guess!  Seems like my In-Laws knew about my cravings and personally delivered these gorgeous citrus to me as soon as they were ready, picked right from their garden.  Scored!  So, I made this Meyer Lemon tart with Almond Crust!  I know, these are not bars, but tart.  But a very gorgeous version of Meyer Lemon 'bars'.  Don’t you agree?



No matter what you call it, this is one refreshing and satisfying treat!  The crust is crisp, buttery, but actually pretty light.  The Meyer Lemon filling is silky smooth, sweet and tart at the same time.  It’s almost melt in your mouth kind of texture.  I love the special sweet fragrant from the Meyer Lemons.  They are not as tart when compared to regular lemons, and they have a sweet floral tone in them.  If you haven’t try these before, I encourage you to look for them the next time you’re in the market.  They are in season right now.



I made this tart on a heavy rainy day.  And guess what?  It really brightens up my day because each bite simply tastes like sunshine to me.  So, thank you again to my In-Laws for always sharing the goodness with us.  I’m such a lucky girl!  If you’re looking for a dessert to share with your friends and family this holiday, give this Meyer Lemon Tart with Almond Crust a try!  I’m sure you can bring some sunshine and smiles to your loved ones.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Gelée and a Giveaway

It’s only a few more weeks from Valentine’s Day.  If you do celebrate, I have a fabulous dessert recipe for you today.  Okay, even if you don’t celebrate, you can still make this gorgeous desserts, right?  Who knows, if you make this dessert for that special someone, after just one bite (of the dessert of course), that person could be falling in love with you.  Worse case scenario, that person only falls in love with this dessert.



After tasting this Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Jelly, my Little Boy named it “Bouncy Jelly with Cream”.  Very descriptive and to the point!  My Little Girl was too busy eating and she didn’t even say a word until the whole cup disappeared in less than a few minutes.



Just like how my Little Boy described it, the Pomegranate Lemon Gelée was quite bouncy, yet tender and smooth.  The perfect texture for Gelée.  It’s sweet and tart at the same time.  Super refreshing and packed with fresh lemon scent because of the NuNaturals Lemon NuStevia that I used as the sweetener.  The Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta was creamy and decadent.  The vanilla aroma was wonderful.  Please note that I don’t normally use sweeteners because of the after-taste that is often associated with most of them.  I have to say, I was very surprised there’s no after taste from these natural liquid sweeteners at all.   I also love the fact that these sweeteners are made with natural ingredients, alcohol free and gluten free.  It’s a great way to reduce or eliminate refined sugar from my diet, yet still satisfy my sweet tooth cravings.
      


Want to check out how to make these Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate Lemon Gelée?  Please follow me to the kitchen.

1)  In a medium saucepan, heat the cream, vanilla seeds and pod on medium-low heat until simmer. Cover, remove from heat and let mixture steep for an hour.

2) Sprinkle the gelatin over the milk in a bowl and let stand for 5 minutes, or until the gelatin softens. Reheat the vanilla cream mixture and add the gelatin mixture into the hot cream, stir to dissolve. (sorry, I forgot to take a picture of that) Add the Vanilla Sweetener, taste and add more if needed.

3) Strain mixture into a measuring cup with beaker.

4) Equally divided the mixture into 10 3-ounce ramekins or glasses, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferable overnight or until set.



5) In a small heat proofed bowl, place 1/2 cup pomegranate juice and powdered gelatin and mix well. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

6) Place the remaining 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice in a measuring cup. Heat the gelatin mixture in the microwave for 30 to 45 second, or until gelatin dissolved. Add gelatin mixture to the measuring cup, add Lemon Sweetener and adjust to your own taste.

7) Evenly divided the pomegranate mixture over the panna cottas and refrigerate for at least two hours, or until set.

8) Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and mint leaves when ready to serve.



Simple enough, right?  I hope you’re convinced to give this dessert a try.



Here’s a closer look of that perfect bite.  The fresh pomegranate seeds on top add a little crunch and the juice will burst in your mouth when you bite into one. 
 

Great news for you, my friends!  Here’s a chance to win some of these NuNaturals products of your own to create this wonderful dessert, courtesy of NuNaturals. 


This giveaway is now closed.  Winners were announced on this post.

Giveaway Details:
1) NuNaturals generously offered 4 uTry.it readers a bottle of each of their new all-natural sweeteners (as shown in the picture below):

• Chocolate NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle
• Lemon NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle
• Orange NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle
• Peppermint NuStevia Liquid, Alcohol-Free, 2 oz. Bottle

2) This giveaway is open worldwide

3) To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite thing to make/cook for a special occasion.

4) Deadline to enter is January 28th, 2013 (my mid-night PST). Winners will be randomly selected and notify by email. So, please make sure to leave your email address in the comment so that I can contact you if you’re one of the lucky winners.

5) For extra entries, share this post (with a link back to this post) on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or any social media that you like.  Simply leave a separate comment for each action that you did to let me know you’ve shared.

NuNaturals is also offering a special discount for uTry.it’s readers as well.  At check out, enter the SPECIAL DISCOUNT CODE of  BLG0613 to receive a  -15% discount on your entire order. This Discount remains effective until  June, 30, 2013.

That’s all. Good Luck everyone.



Disclaimer: I received NuNaturals products free of charge to try.  I was not required to write a review at all, nor a positive one.  I was NOT compensated in any other way.  All opinions are 100% my own.

Citrus Poached Cherry Snow

Today, I have the coolest treat for you, literally!  If you want a treat that is totally cool and refreshing for the summer, look no further.  Give this Citrus Poached Cherry Snow a try.  The best part is, you’ll feel good after having this snow.  It cools you down from the hottest weather from the very first bite.  It’s also packed with wonderful flavors, as well as lots of vitamins and antioxidant to keep you energized for all those summer activities.  



My first snow cone memories was dated back to a 2nd grade school visit at a County Fair, when I came to visit the United State (I lived in Hong Kong until I turned 18, before moving to the States).  My very first snow cone was simply some crushed ice with some deeply colored and artificially flavored syrup (blah!)  But I remember I did enjoy it a lot because it turned my tongue blue!  That was pretty fun for a 7 year old, I guess.  Fortunately, I’ve never craved for another artificially colored and flavored snow cones afterwards. 



With this Citrus Poached Cherry Snow recipe, I used the zest and juice of oranges and lemons as the poaching liquid along with half a vanilla bean, some fresh thyme and mint leaves.  Bam!  That is such an awesome flavor combination!  I let the poaching liquid simmer for a few minutes so the flavor developed before adding the cherries and white peaches into it.  That way, the fruit still has a bite after poaching.  When it’s ready, let the fruit and syrup cool down and chill in the fridge.  When you’re ready to serve, scoop some crushed ice into a glass, spoon some poached fruit and syrup on top along with some freshly diced mango.  hm…that’s simply heaven.



Here’s a pictorial on how to dice a mango.  Super easy and you’ll get perfectly diced mango every time. 

1) Position the mango on a plate or cutting board as shown in picture number 1 below.  The pit is right in the middle so, you want to cut through the mango in thirds right along the pit. Then, gently score the flesh horizontally and vertically to create the squares, be careful not to cut through the skin. 

2) With a spoon, scoop out the flesh and you have perfectly diced mango.  The part with the pit usually is my “treat” right after dicing.  You know, gotta reward the chef after the hard work!





The poaching liquid turned to a vibrant deep red color because of the cherries.  Best of all, it didn’t turn my tongue into bright red.  hahaha…My kids certainly enjoyed this Citrus Poached Cherry Snow a lot.  It’s the best way to cool down this summer.



What is your favorite summery treat?  I would love to hear from you and maybe try some of your recipes if you share.  Until next time, take care.



 
 

Honey Roasted Carrot Salad

Years ago, I’ve tried some honey roasted carrots at a restaurant.  I believe it was from a buffet restaurant when my Hubby and I visited Las Vegas.  Those honey roasted carrots were amazing.  Perfectly sweet and got a hint of the caramelized aroma from the honey along with the freshness from the carrot.  They were tender and succulent.  I’m surprised that those carrots didn’t help on my cognitive wellness for better memories!



Anyhow, I’m just glad that I was able to recreate those honey roasted carrots right at home. Maybe that was the reason why I forgot which restaurant I first had them.  Because nowadays, I can enjoy them at home any time I want without the long drive to L.V.  Of course, I still enjoy a trip to L.V. every once in a while, but not just for the purpose of consuming carrots.



The Honey Roasted Carrots are perfect as is if you serve them as a side dish. But since I was roasting them for lunch, I included other root vegetables such as parsnips and radishes.  The salad was dressed in Meyer Lemon and Herb Vinaigrette, so refreshing!



Now that we’re done talking about the salad, it’s time for a confession.  I used to dislike radishes.  I guess it’s the strong peppery aroma that I dislike the most.  It’s only recently that I started to appreciate them, especially so when I serve them in salad.  Now, I adore radishes.  Ironically, it’s also that peppery aroma and flavor that makes me fall in love with the radish.  I can’t resist their lovely crunchy and crispy texture either.  I guess our palates and taste do change as we grow.  Boy, that makes me feel old.  Let’s just say, my palates gets more sophisticated as time goes by, like a bottle of fine wine.  Okay, that sounds more elegant, but I still feel O.L.D.!  Nevermind.



Is there a vegetable, or any type of food that you dislike at first but love them now?  I have quite a long list.  What are some of yours, if any?  I would love to know. 



By the way, this salad is perfect if you serve them in individual glasses for gatherings as a healthy appetizer or side dish (such as your upcoming Memorial Day Grilling).  All you need to do is to chop the root vegetables in smaller pieces to fit into the serving glasses.  For a pretty presentation, simply layer each ingredients on top of each other and drizzle the vinaigrette on top.  But for me, the big bowl such as the one in the picture below is more of my type... for a substantial lunch.  Wish you all a Happy Memorial Weekend.  Happy roasting and grilling!