Safari Quiet Book - Felt Book For Sell

I'm so proud to come here to show you my second quiet book (the first one you can see HERE in portuguese). It's all hand sewed and my 4 year little son had inspired me in many pages of this book.

I started this project in 2015 November and finished in 2016 March. There's no glued pieces, it has a lot of fun activities and love in each point. 

If you're interested in this book, please contact me at alochocorango@gmail.com and this book can be yours. :)

World map - travel to Africa

Wild Animals Train

Safari train

Details

Finger puppets

Details of animal finger puppets

My little son with finger puppets

Jeep and a giraffe eating leaves

Kids learn to button up in this activity. Giraffe drinks water.

Leopard and his detachable paws

Hippo puzzle

puzzle

Bird nest with eggs

Hidden little birds

Monkeys and crocodile in the jungle

Monkey, banana and crocodile details

In this activity kids train motor skills

Jumping dolphin

Fishes in the ocean

Swimming fish

Detachable pieces of My Africa Trip Book

Now you can watch the video. Sorry it's all in Portuguese but the most important are the images.

Easy Chocolate Cake

It was the first time I used homemade ferment instead the common baking powder. I did it 'cause here in Brazil I didn't already found a bought baking powder that doesn't contain transgenic cornstarch and aluminium and I'm really glad with the result, the cake was too fluffy and increased a lot.

The chocolate frosting brings just two ingredients and came out great! If you have a little leftover sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk you can use it too. 

Chocorango's recipe

*240ml measuring cup

2 large eggs

150ml oil

3/4 cup sugar

100ml cream

100ml water

1 cup chocolate powder

2 cups flour

1/2 tbsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (it's optional, the pic's cake I didn't use)

150ml cream

4-5 tbsp chocolate powder

Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a bundt cake pan.

2. In a blender, liquefy eggs, oil, sugar, cream, water and chocolate powder. Add flour divided in three parts, holding and let loose the pulse button. When everything is incorporated fold in cream of tartar and baking soda. Pour the batter in prepared pan and let to bake for 30-40 minutes.

Frosting

3. Cook over low heat cream and chocolate powder (and sweetened condensed milk if you're using it), let boil, stirring occasionally, until is creamy. Remove from heat and let warm. Cover the cake (hot or not) with this frosting and sprinkle the sprinkles if you want.

If you don't want to use the homemade ferment (cream of tartar + baking soda) you can use 1 tbsp baking powder instead.

Yield: 10 portions.

Super Soft Sweetened Condensed Milk Cake

This recipe really surprised me! The dough is so soft and light that combines with a lot of toppings! It's a recipe that I'll surely repeat as soon as possible!

Recipe from site Tudo Gostoso.

3 large eggs, divided in egg white and yolk 

180g butter at room temperature (I used unsalted)

1 cup flour

1 tbsp baking powder

2/3 of 1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease and flour a small round pan.

2. In a eletric beater, whip the egg whites until is in soft peaks, but not stiff. Reserve in fridge. On the same bowl that you whip the egg whites, beat the butter and yolks for about 7 minutes or until is really creamy and fluffy. Add flour and baking powder and beat over low speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sweetened condensed milk just until is incorporated. Gently fold in whipped egg whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cook's tip: You can moist the cake with the leftover of condensed milk stirred with 4 tbsp water. You can cover the cake with fruit jam, chocolate ganache, Nutella, melted chocolate or use melted goiabada (brazilizan guava paste) stirred with a little water.

Yield: 8 portions.

 

Oat and Apricot Cookies

I was thinking about change the blog's name... Will be called: Chococookie (Chocolate + Cookie). Have you notive how many cookie recipe I shared here? It was a lot! I hope you're not bored!

Well, it's complicated to me, cookie is one of my favorites bakings and I just love to eat them!

Today I brought a little different cookie: oat and apricot cookie! Yummilicious and healthy, that simple!

Ps. I was kidding about the blog's name, ok?! We'll be Chocorango for a long time...!

Recipe from Trem Bom blog.

*Xícara medidora de 240ml

1 1/4 cup oat

1 cup wholemeal flour

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda


1 cup dried apricot, diced

2/3 cup hazelnut, chopped (not used)

225g melted butter


1 egg slightly beaten

Preparation

1. 

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix well oat, flours, sugar, baking soda, apricot and hazelnut, if you're using. Stir in melted butter and egg until incorporate. Make small balls with the dough and press them a little. Bake for about 20 minutes or just until is golden brown.

Yield: About 55 cookies.

Broccoli Cheese and Ham Muffins

Those muffins are really appetizing for a afternoon snack or even for a light dinner. They're not dense and you can use whatever you have in your fridge to fill them. We ate warm and I had to force myself to store a single muffin to photograph the day after.

Recipe from Tudo Gostoso website.

240ml measuring cup

2 3/4 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup oil 

2 large eggs

1/2 cup ham, cut into cubes

3/4 cup broccoli flowers, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, gruyere) into cubes

1/2 peeled carrot, cut into cubes

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Prepare 14 muffin pans (I used silicon muffin pans).

2. Mix in a bowl flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk milk, oil and eggs. Open a cavity in the center of dry ingredients and pour the liquids, gently stirring with a silicon spatula. Mix in ham, broccoli, cheese and carrot. It's really important NEVER OVERMIX this batter or you'll have a very dense muffin.

3. Fill with the batter about 3/4 of muffin pan (I put a cube of cheese over each muffin) and bake for about 25 minutes or until is golden brown. 

Yield: 14 muffins.

Dark Chocolate Brigadeiro

I already gave some brigadeiro's recipe here in Chocorango but trust me, when I said to you brigadeiro is really common in Brazil I was not kidding.

Today I bring a gourmet version made with a lot of chocolate and a little cream. If you never tried yet I recommend it!

Chocorango's recipe

1 can (395g) sweetened condensed milk

5.3oz dark chocolate

2-3 tbsp cream 

Chocolate Sprinkles (you can use those cute Callebaut chocolate flakes)

Preparation

1. In a small pan, stir sweetened condensed milk and chocolate and let to low heat, always stirring until smooth and thick. When you can see easily the pan bottom it's time to remove from heat. Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoon cream (if you want it thicker, less cream; smoothier, more cream).

2. Refrigerate for about 3 hours. Using your hands, shape the brigadeiro into balls  (it's unnecessary grease hands) and roll them on sprinkles.

Tips: You can use milk or white chocolate instead dark chocolate.

Yield: 20 huge brigadeiros.

Apple and Raisin Cookies

I've never tried apple cookies and what a good surprise that I had!! I can say it's a wonderful idea to combine apple, raisin and oatmeal in a cookie. It's tasty and healthy, everybody will love it!

Chocorango's recipe.

*240ml measuring cup

100g butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 cup flour
1 cup instant oat 
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1 cup raisins

2 medium apples, thinly chopped  (Red Delicious, Fuji, Granny Smith)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Reserve.

2. Cream butter and sugar until is pale and fluffy. Beat in egg for 2 minutes, high speed. Add flour, oat, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon and beat in low speed just until incorporate. Fold in raisins and chopped apples.

3. Using a cookie scoop ou two tablespoon, mold the cookies.If the dough is too soft, you can refrigerate ir for 1-2 hours. Bake for about 12 minutes or until the base of cookies is golden brown. Let cool completely over a rack.

Yield: About 45 small cookies.

Ultimate Broccoli White Cheese Quiche

Finally I found the perfect quiche recipe!! I'm serious! 

Crunchy crust but not dry combined with a very moist flavor filling... Can you realize something better?! 'Cause I don't!

I prepared quiche so many times. It's pratice, easy and extremely versatile. In this one I used farm white cheese and eggs that I brought from Hozana's farm.

Chocorango's recipe.

240ml measuring cup

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt 

100g cold butter 

1 egg  

1-3 tbsp cold water

Filling

3 small eggs or 2 large eggs

300ml heavy cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp nutmeg powder

250g shredded white cheese 

3/4 cup broccoli florets, blanched (click here to see how can you do that)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºC. Separate a 22cm round quiche pan, if its bottom is removable you don't need to grease it.

2. In a bowl, stir the salt in flour. Add butter and egg and rub using your fingertips. Add 1-3 tbsp cold water, enough to incorporate the dough. If the day is too hot cover in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Cover the bottom and the sides of pan with the dough and bake for 12 minutes or until the dough is almost baked, its surface don't be uncooked.

Filling

4. Meanwhile the dough is baking, whisk eggs, heavy cream, salt and nutmeg. Stir in shredded cheese and blanched broccoli florets. 

To finish

5. When the dough is already pre baked, fill it with the filling and bake again for more 18 minutes. Pay attention to the filling, it must be firm but not overly brown, 'cause it'll loose moisture.Serve warm.

Tips: If you, just like me, can't resist to tomatoes, don't be shy! Then you pour the filling on pre baked dough, place some tomato slices over the quiche surface and bake.

Yield: 5 portions.

Coconut Chocolate Cake

Sorry about not posting anymore recipes here at Chocorango in English. I had a baby and decided to keep a little distance to take care the little one. 

But now I'm really excited to resume this sweet blog. I hope you can go along with me! =)

So, this recipe is just A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! I won't talk too much, you'll all see the moist dough, the creamy filling... You'll can't resist!

Chocorango's recipe.

*240ml measuring cup

4 whipped egg whites (stiff peaks but not dry)

4 yolks

2 tbsp butter

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tbsp baking powder

3/4 cup heavy cream (you can use milk)

1/4 cup water

To moisten the cake

2/3 cup water

1 tsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Filling

1 (395g) can sweetened condensed milk

200g cream (20% fat)
100g shredded coconut

Ganache Frosting
150g milk or dark chocolate

1/4 cream at room temperature 

50g shredded coconut

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Separate a 22cm springform cake forma redonda de 22cm, you don't need grease it.

2. In an eletric beater, mix yolks, butter and sugar until a light and fluffy cream. Alternately add flour previously sifted with cocoa and baking powder and the cream previously mixed with water, always beating in low speed just until incorporate. Turn off the beater and fold in half whipped egg whites at a time, using a silicon spatula making  movements from down to up. Fill the separated pan with the batter and bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Chill over a rack.

To moisten the cake

3. Dissolve the sugar on water, stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.

Filling

4. On a small pan, mix sweetened condensed milk, cream and coconut. Heat on low always stirring with a silicon spatula until is creamy.

Ganache Frosting

5. Melt chocolate on water bath or microwave and stir in cream.

Building the cake

6. Slice the cake to fill, drizzle with half sweetened water and spread all the coconut filling. Cover with the another cake layer, drizzle with the remainder water, cover with  ganache and sprinkle shredded coconut. Refrigerate until is time to serve, covered to not dry.

Yield: 12 portions.

Alfajor - Dulce de leche Cookie Sandwiches

This recipe really got an alfajor flavor - not as this try. I must confess that I really liked the result, but in the next time I'll reduce the cornstarch to about 150g 'cause the cornstarch flavor it was a little strong and I'll make the dough a little softer - I think I put too much flour so the cookie it was a little dry.
However, I liked so much this recipe and what surprised me was the fact that the alfajors aren't too sweet even with a generous layer of dulce de leche and milk chocolate couverture. Love it!

Recipe from Na Minha Panela.


100g margarine, at room temperature
100g sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
200g flour


Filling
150g creamy dulce de leche (we used a homemade dulce de leche)


To Dip
150g couverture milk chocolate 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.

2. In a bowl, cream the margarine and sugar using a fork until is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well. Fold in the cornstarch and baking powder. Gradually add flour. You don't need to add all the flour, the dough must to be very soft, easy to stick on hands.

3. Roll out the dough between two plastics and cut with a round cutter. Place the cookies on a lined with waxed paper cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes. The cookies doesn't must to brown. When they are set with a golden brown base remove from oven. Let cool a little and fill with dulce de leche each cookie pair.

4. Melt the chocolate and dip each alfajor and let set on a waxed paper.

Serve: 15 regular alfajors.

Some yummies:

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Chocorango Bon Bon Candy

Today is a very special day: Happy B-day Chocorango! We could have a rich layer cake  to celebrate the date, but we baked it the last year.
What to present this year? A bonbon is a great idea!
We created a yummy version: strawberry, white chocolate with nuts, orange zest and a milk chocolate coating.

So, let's copy the recipe? It's really easy!

1 can condensed milk (395g)

1 tbsp butter

170g white chocolate with nuts

Zest of 2 oranges

15 strawberry hygienized and drained, remove the leaves and reserve

250g milk chocolate couverture

Directions

1. Heat over low heat the condensed milk and butter always stirring until makes a creamy mixture. Remove from heat when the condensed milk is very soft yet, 'cause when it's mixed with chocolate comes out thick. As soon as you turned off the heat add the chopped chocolate and stir until is complete melted. Stir in orange zest and let cool at room temperature.

2. Using your hands roll out a small portion of cold candy to make a thin circle. Mold this dough over the strawberry until is complete covered. If necessary, lightly grease your hands with butter so the candy won't stick on them. Repeat the same process with all strawberries.

3. Melt the milk chocolate and dip each bon bon on it. Drain the excess and place over a greased surface to dry. If desired, decorate with strawberry leaves when the chocolate is still melted. Let cool and serve cold or room temperature.

Tips: We used milk chocolate to coat but if you want use dark chocolate.

This bon bon takes strawberries in natura so it's better to consume them just until 3 days, refrigerated.

Serve: 15 bon bons.

Want a bite?





Another Chocorango's birthdays:

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