JiJu Inspiration - You are the apple of my eye - Apple Tea Cupcake 蘋果紅茶蛋糕

Its hard to keep blog up and running when there are so many distractions during summer holiday season and also busy excuses from work. The turnover point is, a new roommate moved in who is fond of baking, or obsessed of baking I would say. When I saw lovely patisserie in the kitchen when I got home, all the passion and affection hits directly in front of my face. Another trigger is actually from a warm morning conversation with my boss asking the updates of my blog.

跟之前在台灣上班比已經有很多私人時間的我,可以每天六點離開公司（對！這邊也是要工作到六點並沒有大家想的歐洲是如此般的愜意),週末總是在外面的蟲鳴鳥叫鴨鵝歡唱的迎接六七點的“清晨”,照道理來說是有相當多的時間可跟大家分享歡樂的廚房時間.人總是有惰性以及劣根性,當只有簡易廚房的時候又夢想如果有更多的器材就可以變出更多的花樣.當有一個升級後的廚房反而少花時間. 直到新室友搬進來,看著她五花八門的烘焙器具以及勤勞的烤蛋糕甜點,重新點燃熱(戰？)火!

It is also nice we have a different weekend, kitchen is all mine on Saturday while she got the privilege on Monday. I love the fact that she intrigues me back to kitchen, also with her lovely baking tool and kitchen appliance brings baking more possibilities with enjoyment.  The thing does not change is I still bake quite spontaneously, normally it turns out totally different treats from what I initially "planned" to make. So, roommate asked what I am going to make when I borrowed baking tray from her, I smiled and answered, " I have no idea, probably a Japanese style honey cake."  Again, it went not as the same as I said, instead of making a mono flavor honey cake, I wanted to combine more flavor by using what I've already had. No extra shopping, another golden rule in my kitchen.

還好因為工作性質的不同讓我們兩個的週末錯開,星期六是我的主場,她掌控星期一和星期二！騎車上下班的路上常常會“思考”要做什麼才好,甜死人不償命或是大玩顏色裝飾蛋糕的不是我的style,夏天應該要來一些"輕"甜點,日式的抹茶或是蜂蜜蛋糕應該不錯!後來又因為懶得到亞超找"茶”就秉持一慣的概念：冰箱有什麼就作什麼！

之前看到有人在討論冰箱如果缺少什麼東西就會渾身不對勁的話題,雞蛋,牛奶是大部份人的答案,我想我的冰箱如果沒有蘋果,隔天早晨會有些手足無措！既然蘋果是必備的食材那就以它當主角吧！

 

Apple and cinnamon are best friends, this applies to most of EU countries, it never goes wrong to combine apple and cinnamon. Personally I do like the combination, however, black tea rang the bell this time, inspired by apple black tea, a common summer beverage sold in the convenience store or tea shop in Taiwan. Once decided the key flavor, fun time start! 

在歐洲最常見的就是蘋果跟肉桂的組合,從甜點,麵包,茶包,只要其中有蘋果,肉桂的味道就馬上會浮現在我的腦海！我自己把它歸類為在歐洲生活一段時間的同化現象！既然是台灣人當家當然要來一點自己的味道. 台灣人引以為傲的便利商店也曾經是我的衣食父母,冰箱裡各式各樣的飲料我僅鍾情於無糖的茶品,居住在上海的表弟有機會回台灣就一定要到便利商店報到買飲料,其中有一款蘋果紅茶是他的最愛讓他回上海依然魂牽夢縈那個回甘的滋味.這樣念念不忘的情懷成為我的靈感,用一個減糖少油的方式作成蘋果紅茶杯子蛋糕！

Two highlights of this recipe. Using black tea and apple juice as the liquid part, black tea: apple juice= 7:3 cuz I love more tea flavor staying in the mouth, you can refine the proportion based on your personal reference. To compensate the apple flavor, I generously mix big chunks of fresh apple in the batter to make it more moisture and fresh. To finish up, several drop of honey on the top to increase sophisticate sweetness and cheerful flavor.

既然要突顯紅茶跟蘋果的絕佳滋味,我刻意把紅茶的比例放多一些些,因為即使只用少許的奶油在成品中還是很搶戲.酸甜的清爽感用蘋果粒來補充,新鮮的水果可降低熱量較高的蛋糕體比例,最後表面在加上少許的蜂蜜提味！因為是杯子蛋糕,一口就能讓你享有整體融合的美味！

A colleague asked me how to bake cup cake, "Quite easy, basically just mix flour, sugar, butter and liquid together, pour into tray, pop into oven, you will have a nice home-made cup cake after 20-30 mins". Her face told me, "yeah, it sounds easy but not easy for execution" I really have to say, she is 100% WRONG, IT IS MUCH EASIER than making bread, fixing a proper meal or even easier than frying a sunny egg for breakfast.

講了那麼多好像自己很厲害,現在才驚覺這是本人第一次烤蛋糕就可以做出自己都吃了1/3的成品！！！！這真的比做麵包,饅頭,手工水餃,蔥油餅等麵食簡單太多了！甚至比煎荷包蛋還來的輕鬆寫意.夏天下午茶想嘗點清爽又不失綿密口感的甜點非此莫屬！

Keep up this spirit, roll up your sleeves, you will find how easy and fun baking is!

 


Ingredients: (Serving 12 cup cakes)
1.  200g flour and 1 tsp baking powder,sifted
2.  80g unsalted butter, room temperature
3.  2 eggs, slightly beaten
4.  50g sugar
5.  1/4 tsp salt
6.  80g black tea + 40g apple juice
7.  2 apples, 1 peeled and diced, 1 sliced
8.  Honey(optional)

Instructions:
1.  Slight beat the butter into creamy texture. Mix butter with sugar and salt, beat until the color turns yellow-whitish

 

2.  Add in egg in 4-5 batches, do not pour the next batch until all the ingredient combined thoroughly.

 

3.  Add half powder (ingredient 1) and half liquid (ingredient 6) into mixture, mix nicely with a egg whisker, add the rest ingredient and mix until it becomes a smooth batter.

 

4. Pour in apple diced and gently combine with the batter.

 

5. Cover with a plastic wrap and set aside for half hour.
6. Put cup cake liner into baking tray, pour the batter till 70% full. Place slices of apple on the top. Add some honey for personal preference.

 

7. Preheat the oven at 180 degree, bake 25-30 mins. Serve with black tea