Steps and Procedure in Making Peanut Square, Pichi Pichi, Cassava Cake and Rum Flan Cake

Making Peanut Squares

Ingredients

• 1 cup of shelled roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of sugar for the pastry board

Equipment needed:
You will need meat grinder, a saucepan, a spatula, a rolling pin, a knife and, a cooking spoon.

Directions

1) Put the peanuts through a meat grinder with a medium blade. Then place them in a saucepan with the 1/2 cup of sugar and the milk. Mix well.2) Place the peanut mixture over medium flame and cook, stir constantly, until the mixture boils and the sugar dissolves.
3) Lower the flame and cook, stir often, until the mixture thickens. As the mixture gets very thick, stir continually, to prevent sticking. This will take around 15 minutes.
4) When the mixture is so thick that you can see the bottom of the pan when you stir, remove from stove.
5) Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of sugar on the pastry board. Turn the peanut mixture out onto the sugar and flatten it out with a spatula.
6) Allow it to cool so you can handle it.
7) Next roll it out with a rolling pin until the mixture is about 1/4 inch thick. With a knife, cut the mixture into small squares or with a cookie cutter.
8) Remove the cookies from the pastry board with a spatula.

This recipe makes 3 1/2 to 4 dozen.

 How to MAke Pichi Pichi

Ingredients

• 2 cups grated cassava 
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups pandan water (see note)
• Grated coconut, for garnish

  Directions

  Combine all ingredients, except the coconut. Pour into 2 9-inch round pans. Steam for 45 minutes or until set. Cool. Form into balls, then roll in grated coconut.Note: Cassava is a root vegetable, also called manioc and yuca, available in Asian and Latin markets. It is the base ingredient in tapioca. Pandan is related to lauhala, classified as a pandanus plant, and is widely available in Asian markets. It is sometimes called fragrant screwpine. The leaves are used throughout Asia as a flavoring. To make pandan water, boil the leaves from 4 pandan stalks in 2 cups of water until fragrant. Cool.
  From:"The Filipino Cookbook: The Maya Kitchen"(Anvil Publishing Inc., Philippines, 1994)
  
  

  Cassava Cake

  This is a classic Filipino dessert enjoyed year round.  Most of the ingredients can be found in an oriental store near you.  I have found the most difficult ingredient to find is usually the coconut cream.  If you can't find it don't worry.  Simply use another can of coconut milk in it's place.  Also it is easier to just buy the cassava already grated.  It should be in the freezer section.  You could cut the recipe in half but then you are left with 1/2 a can of everything.  Or try making one thick cake.  You'll have to cook much longer though. Careful, I'm not sure if it will all fit in one pan.  I hope you enjoy it!

  Ingredients

  Cake

• 2 Lbs Grated Cassava
• 1 14 oz. Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (Reserve 1/3 cup for Topping)
• 1 12 oz. Can Evaporated Milk
• 1 14 oz. Can Coconut Milk (Reserve 1/3 cup for Topping)
• 1 13 oz. Can Coconut Cream (Reserve 1/3 cup for Topping)
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 3 Eggs plus 3 Egg Whites
• 1 Cup Grated Coconut
Topping
 

• 3 Egg Yokes
• 1/3 Cup Reserved Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/3 Cup Reserved Coconut Milk
• 1/3 Cup Reserved Coconut Cream

Steps

Preheat oven to 325° f.  In large mixing bowl combine cake ingredients. Mix well.  Pour equally into two large greased rectangular pans.  Bake until top is no longer liquid (approximately 30 minutes).  Mix topping ingredients well and spread evenly on the two cakes.  Bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes.  Cool cakes completely.  Slice each cake into 24 equal squares.Courtesy of Jeff Palazzo



Rum flan cake




Ingredients

• 1 c Sugar
• 3 Egg yolks
• 2 Eggs
• 13 oz Evaporated milk
• 1 ts Grated orange peel
• 2 tb Rum
• 3/4 c Sifted cake flour
• 1/2 c Sugar
• 1 ts Baking powder
• 1/4 ts Salt
• 2 Egg yolks
• 3 tb Oil
• 1 tb Rum
• 3 tb Orange juice
• 3 Egg whites
• 1/4 ts Cream of tartar
• Whipped cream

Steps in Making

Caramelize 1/2 cup sugar in 9-inch (about 3 1/2- to 4-inches deep) heart-shaped or round pan. Beat together 3 egg yolks, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, evaporated milk, orange peel and 2 tablespoons rum. Set aside. To make cake batter, sift flour with 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt. Place in small bowl and make well in center. Place 2 yolks, oil, 1 tablespoon rum and orange juice in well. Stir until blended, starting from center. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Gently fold batter into whites.Pour custard mixture into caramel-lined pan. Gently spoon cake batter over flan mixture. Place pan in larger pan and pour hot (not boiling) water into larger pan until it reaches half depth of cake pan. Bake at 325F 50 to 60 minutes, or until cake is done. Cool on rack or chill until ready to serve. Invert onto serving platter and pipe whipped cream rosettes around edges of flan.