watz cookin, baby?

Birthday Cupcakes for York Peng/Swee Fong - 3rd Oct 2009

2009-10-07T12:04:00.005+11:00

Birthday Vanilla Slice

2009-10-07T12:01:00.003+11:00

Birthday Vanilla

2009-10-07T11:49:00.002+11:00

Ang Ku Kueh

2009-10-07T11:44:00.003+11:00

Taste best when made with frens and eaten with a cup of Chinese tea!

Thanks again to Andrew Kow (Nyonya Kuih Passions recipe book) for the fantastic recipe

Cupcakes

2009-10-07T11:41:00.003+11:00

Birthday cake for Boss

2009-09-23T12:13:00.000+10:00

Joshua's 21st birthday cupcakes - 7 April 2009

2009-09-23T12:06:00.001+10:00

POPIAH SKINS

2009-03-11T11:10:00.004+11:00

SINGLE SKIN ON PAN

STACK OF SKINS (well, only about 10!) ON CHOPPING BOARD

Whether you may or may not wish to know why I took on the 'mammoth' task of making popiah skins for our popiah session, I'll tell you anyhow. It all came about when we were discussing after dinner/BS session (yes, we always talk about food as we miss all the 'local' M'sian/S'porean dishes here in Melbourne and we try to replicate the dishes)and the discussion somehow focussed on popiah. You may not know this but I absolutely LLOOOOOVVE to eat popiah and used to buy the fresh skins from a shop in Joo Chiat (they were really expensive and the price kept going up. I could eat up to 7 popiahs in one sitting!!!) - I really enjoyed watching the professionals spread the dough out on the pans and literally 'bounced' the dough back into their palms! Sheer artistry!

OK, so I volunteered to try my hand at making the skins as I had the flat pan, courtesy of my MIL, cos' the popiahs taste so much better with fresh skins - the frozen ones are way too chewy! I started by surfing the net to find the right recipe (they all had different proportions of liquid) and made 1/2 a batch, using 300g flour and about 150 or 200ml water. Needless to say, the dough was too dry, so I threw out that lot after after trying to make it on the pan - the dough didn't stick to the pan at all!! Then I tried the recipe fm a new Nyonya kuih recipe book that I'd bought during my last trip to S'pore in early January but that was a runny batter! No matter, I still tried to make the skin on the pan, based on what I saw on youtube etc. Naw......another batch down the rubbish hatch.

Sorry this 'story' is taking so long but the day of our popiah session is fast approaching (28 Mar) so I decided to give it another try. I even borrowed a stainless steel fry pan and a brass apom balik pan in hope of achieving success on one of those pans. I gave Andrew's recipe another try - made 1/2 batch and waited the 3 hours for the batter to rest (was too impatient to wait the last time)then tried the first skin on the apom balik pan..........hey. it seemed to work but I had really small diameter skins as I was afraid to burn my arm on the sides of the pan....so, I tried making a skin on the flat roti prata pan.... and hey, presto.....the rest is history!

I've even got pictures to prove it! Some parts of the skins are a bit thick, though, as I haven't mastered the process yet but I will get it right some day soon!

Looks like I'll have to make heaps of skins - maybe use 1.8kg or more of flour!

POPIAH SKINS (Recipe fm Nyonya Kuih Passions by Andrew Kow)

600ml plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp salt
600ml water

1. Sieve the flour with salt and cornflour into large mixing bowl, stir water in slowly.(I used my hand - forget the bread maker...tried it....didn't work!!)
2. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic (comment: the dough is more like a batter, actually!)
3. Set aside for 3 hours
4. Heat up a flat pan, grease with a little oil, place a small portion of dough onto pan and fry for 10 seconds over medium heat. Remove (will have pictures next time! OR you can watch how they make it on youtube. )

NB: It's important to let the dough rest for 3 hours. Also, cover the skins with a damp teatowel so that they don't dry out before you're ready to eat the popiahs. Skins can be frozen but they are best eaten fresh.

Q: I wonder whether the skins will have more 'spring' in them if I substituted the cornflour with tapioca flour?

JAPANESE COTTON SOFT CHEESECAKE

2009-03-11T10:32:00.008+11:00

JAPANESE CHEESECAKE

TABLE DECORATION (ROSES AND IVY FROM THE GARDEN)

ROAST TURKEY ASIAN STYLE WITH GLUTINOUS RICE STUFFING

Well, it has been a while since I last posted anything on this blog! Christmas/CNY kept me REALLY busy .......before I knew it, it's almost Easter.

Mind you, I have not been lazy with my cooking and baking. We had a Christmas eve 'do' at our place (BBQ mainly) and I even roasted a turkey! (pix attached) Of course, there was Christmas cake but I forgot to take a picture.

After Christmas, we went to KL/S'pore for a 2 week break during which I bought a large chiffon cake tin. So now, I bake my pandan chiffon cake in the large tin, using 9 eggs (again, didn't take photos - how silly of me!)I even made kuih lapis as I had leftover coconut cream the week before(no pix, sori!) and cupcakes with butter cream icing last week - yummy! Recipe fm colleague - no photos :-( Also made a fudgie chocolate cake yesterday while waiting for my popiah dough to rest - see other post on my success with the skins.

Anyway, I did remember to take some pictures of the Japanese cheesecake that I baked sometime during CNY - didn't have any shots of the sliced cake as we were too busy cutting and eating! So, here you are ........

Oh, I almost forgot to post the recipe for the cheesecake :-0

400g cream cheese
200ml (1 cup) milk
100g butter
¼ tsp salt (I leave this out as it makes the cake a bit salty)
60g superfine flour (I use plain flour)
25g cornflour
6 egg yolks
1 tsp lemon paste or ½ tsp lemon essence (I use 1 tsp lemon juice and grated rind of ½ lemon to substitute)
6 egg whites
150g sugar
¼ tsp cream of tartar
Method:
1. Melt cheese, milk, butter and salt in double boiler. Cool. (Sieve into a basin to remove lumps.)
2. To above, fold in sifted flours, egg yolks, lemon paste and mix well.
3. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar till foamy. Add sugar and whisk until fluffy but not stiff.
4. Add cheese mixture to egg white mixture and mix well. Pour into 10” round tin.
5. Bake over water bath for 1 to 1 ¼ hours @ 160C

EL’s Notes: (tried and tested)
1. Line bottom of tin with greased greaseproof paper.
2. If using springform pan, wrap outside of pan with aluminium foil to prevent water from bath seeping into tin. (The std size springform pan is a little small and the cake may overflow while cooking. Adjust quantity of ingredients to 300g cream cheese, 150ml milk, 75g butter, 4 eggs, 40g & 20g of the flours and 100g sugar)
3. Use only fresh eggs at room temperature, otherwise the egg whites will not rise successfully and the cake will be anything but light.
4. Not necessary to place hot water in the water bath. Works well with tap water.
5. Check the cake after 1 hour. It’s done if a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

DURIAN CREAM PUFFS (the pictures, at last!)

2008-11-11T10:27:00.007+11:00

Making the choux pastry - stirring in the beaten eggs

Spoonfuls of choux pastry on lined tray

This 'yucky - gooey' mixture IS the mashed durians mixed with the whipped cream.

The puffs, after baking and before filling

Close-up view of a durian puff, dusted with icing sugar......YUMMMMM!!!!!

Egg custard tarts

2008-10-29T15:49:00.003+11:00

OK, so the tarts didn't look that 'pretty' BUT.......they tasted GREAT!!!
I think I left them in the oven for too long and the temperature was a bit high, so the egg custard puffed up but when I removed them, the custard 'sort of' deflated, hence, the 'crinkled' look!

EGG CUSTARD TARTS 10 Sept 08

Pastry:
160g plain flour
40g rice flour
100g butter/vegetable shortening
¼ cup icing sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten
¼ cup ice water

Filling:
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup (60g) caster sugar
1 ½ cups (375ml) milk
yellow food colouring (optional)
½ tsp vanilla essence (optional)

METHOD

1. Make pastry using the rubbing-in method. Leave to rest.
2. Roll pastry to about 3mm thickness.
3. Cut and fit greased 12-hole (10cm) tart pan.
4. Place filling ingredients into a wide-mouthed jug and beat till smooth.
5. Pour the filling into the pastry-lined tart pan till almost full.
6. Bake for 10min at 210C then 10-15min at 200C, until the custard has set.
7. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

NB: You can brush the pastry bases with beaten egg white (yolk used in pastry) before pouring in the filling. If you replace part of the milk with cream, say ½ cup of cream, the tarts will ‘become’ Portuguese egg tarts.

Original recipe fm Tok Suan (DPA) for 24 small egg tarts
Pastry:
3 cups (375g) flour
180g lard
5 tablespoons hot water

Made on Tuesday 28 October 2008 using 150g plain flour, 50g rice flour for pastry(no egg yolk; used cold water to bind pastry) and 4 eggs / 500ml (2 cups) milk. Produced 16 tarts. Yummy! Next time, try using half rice / half plain flour.

Mango Galette

2008-10-29T15:42:00.001+11:00

(Used leftover pastry from spinach/ricotta/feta quiche to make mango galette. Recipe below )

MANGO GALETTE

Pastry
Brown sugar
Ground almonds
2 ripe Mangoes

Glaze
Apricot jam
Lemon juice

1. Roll pastry out. Place on baking tray. Make decorative ridge around edge of pastry (to retain the filling ingredients)
2. Sprinkle pastry with ground almonds and brown sugar.
3. Place sliced mangoes (cut in halves and sliced just before using) decoratively on top of filling. Press in lightly.
4. Bake at 180C for 30-40 minutes, till pastry is golden and mangoes are soft.
5. Cool and brush with glaze, if desired. (warm jam over stove; remove and add lemon juice. Sieve)

Spinach, ricotta and feta quiche

2008-10-29T15:37:00.001+11:00

SPINACH, RICOTTA AND FETA QUICHE (Makes 2 quiches)

Pastry
300g plain flour
150g butter
pinch of salt
ice water

Filling
2 bunches of baby spinach (blanch 1min in boiling water, squeeze out excess water then shred the spinach )
250g ricotta
250g feta
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
5 eggs, beaten
½ cup milk
chopped parsley / spring onions
cayenne pepper
fresh ground black pepper
ground nutmeg

Pastry

1. Make pastry (rubbing-in method) and refrigerate for ½ hour.
2. Roll out and line 2 loose-bottomed flan tins. Refrigerate for another 10mins
3. Bake blind at 200C for 10 min. Cool

Filling

1. Mix all the filling ingredients except nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.
2. Pour into quiche bases, sprinkle with ground nutmeg.
3. Bake at 180C for 35 min or until golden brown. Leave in tin for 5 minutes.
4. Serve hot on its own or with fresh garden salad.

Apple Crumble Slice

2008-10-28T11:11:00.003+11:00

Sorry - no recipe for this. I got the idea for the apple crumble slice from one of the blogs on the internet when I was searching for another recipe.

Basically. I made a short crust pastry for the base, then baked that for 10-15min till golden. Then, I 'slapped' on a layer of home made plum jam which one of my friends had given to me. I then topped that with some stewed granny smith apples (stew with a bit of sugar, cinnamon and lemon rind) then finished it all with a crumble made with plain flour and butter, then sprinkled it with almond flakes before baking in a moderate oven for 20-30min till golden. Serve warm with cream or ice cream or custard. Also delicious on its own.

Scones with homemade jam and cream

2008-10-22T16:46:00.000+11:00

FORGET the 'best ever scones' recipe that I posted last year!

This recipe is even BETTER! I call it the 'Better than the Best Scones' recipe. Would you believe that after a few decades of using the New Zealand Edmonds cookbook scone recipe where I had to rub butter into the sifted dry ingredients before mixing in the milk, I 'discovered' this wonderful light scone recipe in a very obscure section of a magazine? In fact, I didn't even realise that I had the recipe as it was part of a few pages that I tore out from some magazine at work (errr......they were going to throw out the mag so I thot I should salvage some 'good' stuff from there!)
Anyway, I was thumbing through some of my recipes when I came across this - something light to serve with Lipton's tea for the afternoon, so I gave it a try and.....voila, the rest, as they say,is history, !!!

I tell my friends that they don't have to go out for Devonshire teas anymore as they can make these super scones themselves in a matter of minutes!

Give it a try and tell me what you think! So far, I have had rave reviews from everyone who tried the recipe (the bakers as well as the tasters)

BETTER THAN THE BEST SCONES

Ingredients:
3 cups self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup milk
¾ cup cream

Method:

1. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl
2. Make a well in the centre, then pour in combined milk and cream, mixing quickly with a butter knife to form a soft, sticky dough.
3. Turn the dough onto a floured bench and, using your hand, press out evenly to 3cm thickness.
4. Cut dough into 5cm rounds and place close together on a greased baking tray.
5. Bake for about 13 min at 200C/180C (fan forced oven) or until browned lightly. Tap scones underneath to check done-ness (hollow sound)
6. Cool on cake rack. Best eaten warm with whipped cream (beat 300ml cream till doubled in volume. Add 1 tsp sugar) and home-made raspberry jam. Scrumptilicious!!

ONDEH-ONDEH KELEDEK

2008-10-21T10:30:00.002+11:00

'Keledek' is Malay for 'sweet potato'

This recipe was one of many that I saved from Domestic Science (Home Economics) class back in my secondary school days. I used 1.2kg of sweet potato (quadrupled the recipe) when I made the ondeh2 on 18 Oct. Yielded 66 ondeh2. The only problem with making them on your own is that you can't make the sweet potato balls and boil them at the same time. (Could do that when we were in S'pore and I had a fantastic Filipina domestic helper. The ondeh2 were perfect then!) Anyway, this time, I made the balls first, placing them on floured plates before boiling which resulted in some of the gula melaka melting before cooking and oozing through the green dough. Tasted great all the same, though! No complaints from the tasters. (I think I gobbled down at least a dozen of them - probably a lot more!)

ONDEH ONDEH KELEDEK

½ kati (300g) white sweet potatoes ½ tbsp tapioca flour
1 tbsp flour ¼ piece gula melaka
½ tbsp gran. Sugar 1/6 coconut (grated white)
1-2 tbsp thick pandan juice pinch of salt
1. Scrub the sweet potatoes and clean and boil or steam them in their jackets till cooked.
2. Chop up the gula melaka and mix it with sugar
3. Mix the coconut with a little salt.
4. Skin and mash the cooked potato and mix in the sieved flour to get a pliable dough.
5. Add the pandan juice to get a good green colour
6. Turn the dough out on to a floured board and divide it into small pieces the size of small marbles.
7. Make a hole in each piece and put in some sugar
8. Shape into balls and boil in boiling water till they float to the surface of the water.
9. Drain them well and toss them in the coconut
10. Serve ondeh-ondeh in little baskets made from banana leaves or on a clean plate.

WALNUT 'N DATE CAKE

2008-10-18T14:00:00.000+11:00

Recipe for the walnut and date cake with lemon cream cheese icing will be published at a later date. Have yet to type the recipe!

TUESDAY 28th Oct 2008

OK ...I've got the recipe typed up so here it is.........

WALNUT & DATE CAKE
Ingredients
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup chopped dates
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• ¾ cup boiling water
• 200g butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
Icing
• ½ cup cream cheese
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 8 walnut halves

Method
1. Preheat the oven (not fan-forced) to 180°C. Grease a 23cm square cake pan and line.
2. Combine walnuts and dates in bowl with baking soda, golden syrup and boiling water. Stir well.
3. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and creamy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt. Stir well.
6. Combine with warm walnut and date mixture.
7. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60min until top springs back when lightly pressed.
8. Icing: Beat cream cheese until soft. Sift in icing sugar, beat well. Add lemon juice. Spread on to cake, decorate with walnut halves.

* Recipe fm Tina Soh circa 1979

ROAST PORK 'N CHAR SIEW

2008-10-18T13:42:00.000+11:00

TIRAMISU

2008-10-18T13:36:00.002+11:00

TIRAMISU
4 egg yolks
½ cup brandy or coffee liqueur (Kahlua / Tia Maria)
500g mascarpone or cream cheese
4 egg whites
½ cup sugar
1 large packet finger biscuits (Saviordi)
2 cups strong coffee - cooled
21 oz semi sweet chocolate, grated OR cocoa
1. Blend egg yolks, liqueur and cream cheese well.
2. Beat egg whites till stiff. Add sugar a little at a time & beat until stiff.
3. Fold egg whites into cheese mixture.
4. Dip ½ the biscuits in the coffee (count to 6). Line tin.
5. Spread half the blended cheese mixture over the cookies. Sprinkle with grated chocolate or cocoa.
6. Repeat with other half of biscuits and cream mixture.
7. Refrigerate overnight.

DATE SQUARES

2008-10-18T13:32:00.001+11:00

YUMMY DATE SQUARES!!

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed *
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• .
• Date Filling:
• 250-300g chopped dates *
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda +
• ½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Preparation:
Combine filling ingredients in saucepan; simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until mixture is thick. Set aside to cool.
Mix flour, oats, sugar, butter, soda, and salt; press about half of mixture in a greased and floured 9 X 13-inch pan. Spread filling over the oat layer. Add remaining oat mixture and press well.
Bake at 180C for 20 min, till golden

NB: Made on 30/9/08. Verdict: - Good!
* Measurements have been changed / reduced
+ added

Carrot Cake

2008-09-30T13:30:00.001+10:00

Made this carrot cake with marzipan carrots for York Peng's birthday.
Had fun making the carrots - like playing with plasticine!
Sorry, no photo showing the two layers of carrot cake sandwiched with
the cream cheese icing - too busy cutting and eating the cake!

Ingredients

1 cup (150g) plain flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 ½ cups raw sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup cooking oil
3 cups grated carrot
1 cup sultanas (optional)
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Icing:

60g unsalted butter, softened
250g cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup icing sugar, sifted
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method

Preheat the oven (not fan-forced) to 180°C. Grease a 23cm square cake pan and line the base.
Sift and mix dry ingredients.
Add oil and stir well.
Stir in beaten eggs then add carrot, sultanas and walnuts. Mix thoroughly.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45min or until cooked. Remove from the oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, beat all ingredients for the icing, except the nuts. Ice cake when it has cooled. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of cake.

Chocolate heaven cake with chocolate truffles and chocolate glaze

2008-09-30T13:22:00.001+10:00

Don't look too closely! You'll see the defects! Had a couple of 'mishaps' in the kitchen after decorating the cake. Won't tell you what but I managed to 'save' the cake.

The things a wife has to go through for her hubby's 50th birthday ........ I don't know......

Siew Pau

2008-09-30T13:17:00.002+10:00

Ingredients
• 1 cup (150g) plain flour
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ cups raw sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 3 cups grated carrot
• 1 cup sultanas (optional)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Icing:
• 60g unsalted butter, softened
• 250g cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
Method
1. Preheat the oven (not fan-forced) to 180°C. Grease a 23cm square cake pan and line the base.
2. Sift and mix dry ingredients.
3. Add oil and stir well.
4. Stir in beaten eggs then add carrot, sultanas and walnuts. Mix thoroughly.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45min or until cooked. Remove from the oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, beat all ingredients for the icing, except the nuts. Ice cake when it has cooled. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top of cake.

Teochew Yam Paste Moon Cakes

2008-09-30T13:11:00.002+10:00

Ingredients
Filling:
1 kg cooked yam, mashed – I microwaved the yam
300g castor sugar (reduced fm 500g)
180ml oil
25g melon seeds (kuaci), toasted
25g olive nuts (lum yan), toasted

For the flaky pastry:

Water Dough (A):
375g plain flour, sifted
50g castor sugar
150g corn oil

Combine:
165ml water
1 tsp lime juice – I used lemon juice

Oil Dough (B):
280g plain flour, sifted
150g shortening - I used butter
Method
To make the filling: Cook mashed yam with sugar and oil until mixture turns dry and leaves the sides of the wok. Add in melon seeds and olive nuts and mix well. Leave to cool.

Divide paste into equal portions. Roll each lump into a small ball to be used as filling.

To make the pastry:
For water dough(A): Mix flour, sugar, corn oil and water. Knead into a smooth dough. Leave aside to rest for 30 minutes to an hour. Divide into 100g portions.

For oil dough (B): Combine flour and shortening into a dough. (add 1-2 tabsp water to combine) Leave aside to rest. Divide into small portions of 60g each.

Wrap oil dough within the water dough. Flatten and roll up swiss-roll style. Flatten length-wise and roll up swiss-roll style again. Cut into halves. Leave aside for 20 to 30 minutes.

Press the spiral centre lightly to make an indentation and flatten out the sides with a rolling pin (you should get a dome-shaped pastry).

Use this to wrap a portion of filling by pleating the edges together. Tuck in the edges neatly.

Place pleated side down on a greased baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is cooked.

Pandan Chiffon Cake

2008-09-30T13:00:00.002+10:00

Beating the egg white

Mixing egg yolk /pandan mixture into flour

Egg whites folded into the egg yolk mixture

Batter in tin prior to baking

Baked chiffon cake, straight from the oven, before turning over the tin

Chiffon cake baked in kugelhopf tin

Sliced pandan cake (sorry pix didn't turn out well!)

PANDAN CHIFFON CAKE -this recipe has been adapted fm the original which uses 9 egg whites and 6 egg yolks as my chiffon tin is not big enough - the batter overflowed from the tin when I used 9 egg whites

6 large egg whites
½ tsp cream of tartar
125g castor sugar
4 egg yolks
80g vegetable oil
½ tsp pandan essence
¾ tsp vanilla essence (optional)
85g coconut cream
135g cake flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder (heaped)
½ tsp salt

Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar till stiff.
Gradually add sugar and whisk for another 5-7min
Combine yolks, oil, cream and essences in a bowl and beat lightly.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
Make well in centre of flour and pour in egg/oil/coconut cream mixture.
Bring flour in from sides and beat till smooth.
Fold in 1/3 of the stiff egg white mixture and blend well. Then, add the rest of the egg white and blend.
Pour batter into ungreased chiffon cake tin
Bake at 160C for 50-60 min till cake springs back when pressed with finger.
Remove from oven, invert cake tin over lid and leave for ½ hour before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Pandan Muffins

2008-09-30T12:56:00.002+10:00

choc chip cookies, sour cream cheesecake and pandan muffins - all made in one morning

Recipe adapted from American muffins recipe that I copied from somewhere ages ago.

AMERICAN MUFFINS

Ingredients

225g (1 ¾ cup) plain flour
3 ½ tsp baking powder
100g sugar
pinch of salt
250ml (1 cup) milk
1 egg
120ml (1/2 cup) corn/sunflower oil
½ tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat the oven (not fan-forced) to 200°C.

2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

3. Add the sugar.

4. Mix egg, oil, essence and milk together, then pour into dry ingredients. Blend quickly (mixture will be a bit lumpy)

5. Spoon into paper cases placed in patty tins (3/4 full) and bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.

6. Makes 15 medium or 12 large muffins

Variations

Blueberry and lemon

Add 200g blueberries and rind of ½ lemon
Chocolate chips

Use 175g flour and 40g cocoa

100g choc chips

½ tsp vanilla essence

Breakfast muffins

100g wholemeal self-raising flour

125g plain four

75g sugar

100g chopped apricots (dried)

1 tabsp honey

4. Cranberries/Raisins

Add a handful of dried cranberries/raisins

5. Pandan

Add a few drops of green pandan essence instead of vanilla essence and substitute part/all of the milk with coconut milk/cream

Baked cheesecake with sour cream topping

2008-09-30T12:54:00.002+10:00

chocolate chip cookies

2008-09-30T12:49:00.000+10:00

2 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour (2 1/8 cups)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter (12 tbsp / 170g), melted and cooled until just warm
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 - 2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars. Beat in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, followed by chocolate chips.
Drop by (scant) 1/4 cups onto the baking sheet and pat lightly so the cookie is an even thickness, not a ball shape. Cookies will spread as they bake and this ensures a more even spread.
Bake at 325F for 15-17 minutes, until just turning light brown all over. The edges should only be very slightly more brown, if at all, from the rest of the cookie. Allow cookies to cool before removing them from the baking sheet.
Makes 18-24 large cookies.

BEST EVER SCONES!

2007-08-21T12:29:00.000+10:00

Ingredients:

2 cups plain / cake flour

2 cups self-raising flour

30ml baking powder

½ tsp salt

120g butter, cubed or grated

80ml white sugar

250ml sour whole milk

1 extra large egg

125 ml sour whole milk

Method:

1. Sift flours and baking powder into large mixing bowl

2. Rub in cold butter till mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Stir in sugar and mix well.

4. Combine beaten egg with the 250ml sour milk and mix into dry ingredients.

5. Stir in sufficient amount of the 125ml sour milk to make a soft but not sticky dough.

6. Knead dough lightly on floured surface to form a ball.

7. Cut with a 7cm diameter scone cutter, place on lightly greased baking trays.

8. Bake at 220C for 12-15 min. Tap scones underneath to check done-ness (hollow sound)

9. Cool on cake rack. Best eaten warm with whipped cream (beat 300ml cream till doubled in volume. Add 1 tsp sugar) and home-made raspberry jam. Scrumptilicious!!

NB: To make sour milk, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 250ml of milk.

If you're 'worried' about too much fat intake, use low-fat milk instead of the whole milk. However, the scones will not be as light and fluffy / rich.

Sushi Rice

2007-08-15T11:52:00.000+10:00

A fren asked me how to make the rice for sushi, so I typed this up for her.
You'll need a bamboo mat for rolling up the sushi, and, of course, the seaweed
sheets (can't remember wat they're called)

Sushi Rice
(for 5 cups of rice)

8 Chinese soup spoons Japanese vinegar

5 Chinese soup spoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1 Chinese soup spoon mirin

1 Chinese soup spoon sake

Cook 5 cups of washed Calrose/Japanese rice in rice cooker (use less water than for long grain rice) If Calrose rice is not available, use long grain rice.
Place other ingredients in saucepan and cook over low heat till sugar has dissolved.
Scoop cooked rice into a large basin and cool with a fan (move rice around so that steam can escape easily) Mix in the liquid from 2 into rice. Rice should be glossy.
As soon as rice is cool enough to handle (not cold) use rice for California maki, hand roll,etc

Suggested fillings for sushi

Smoked salmon, tuna, cucumber, egg omelette, Japanese preserved radish, avocado, cooked prawns, crab stick, preferably cut into lengths to fit the width of the seeweed

Method for making sushi

Place seaweed on bamboo mat.
Spread a layer of rice over, to within 1cm of edges.
Spread mayonnaise on portion of rice.
Place sticks of desired filling about 1/3 fm bottom of sheet.
Roll up, using the mat to guide you.
Tighten rolled up mat with your hand.
Tap ends of roll on work surface.
Unroll and place on a plate.
Repeat with the other sheets of seaweed.
Cut rolls into desired lengths

NB: I don’t bother with the sake; only use mirin. Alternatively, instead of using Japanese vinegar and mirin, buy the premixed Sushi Vinegar seasoning. Should be available in NTUC, S'pore (I use that now as it’s easier. Available in the Chinese shops here)

DURIAN CREAM PUFFS (for all the durian lovers)

2007-08-15T11:27:00.000+10:00

This is my recipe for durian cream puffs. U'll need lots of patience to make them but watch'em disappear and wait for the accolades fm yr family and frenz! Absolutely shookalicious!!

Sorry for the imperial measurements. The choux pastry recipe's been with me for over 30 yrs! (Back in those days, we didn't use metric units of measurement) If anyone really wants me to , I'll convert them to metric - just give ma a holler!

Choux Pastry

9 oz flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

6 oz butter

6 large eggs, beaten

¾ pint water

1 tabsp sugar

½ tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1. Heat water and butter in a saucepan on the stove. Bring to the boil.

2. Add sifted flour and baking powder at once.

3. Remove from heat. Beat with a wooden spoon to combine.

4. Mix in sugar and vanilla essence. Cool mixture.

5. Beat in eggs a little at a time with the wooden spoon. (batter will be stiff)

6. Spoon (or pipe) batter onto greased trays.

7. Bake at 200C for 25 min.

8 .Remove trays, slit puffs, scoop out uncooked dough. Return to oven to dry puffs out – 5 min.

Durian filling

500g durian meat (mash with fork)

500ml cream, whipped

icing sugar (optional)

1. Whip cream till stiff. Add 1 or 2 tabsp sifted icing sugar, if desired.

2. Whip again to dissolve sugar (do not over-whip or cream will turn into butter!)

3. Stir in durian meat

4. Fill cooled puffs with the durian cream filling. Enjoy!!

Made 84 puffs on 30 Jan 2004

Made 88 puffs on 27 Aug 2004

Original recipe for Custard puffs

Choux pastry

3 oz flour

½ tsp baking powder

2 oz butter

2 large eggs

¼ pint water

pinch salt

Custard (for original recipe)

1 ½ cups milk

4 tabsp custard powder

4-5 tabsp sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Prepare custard according to packet instructions.

Hello, Hello!

2007-08-15T11:19:00.000+10:00

Hi there

Just started this blog today, Wednesday 15th Aug 2007, to post my recipes and exchange views/thots on cooking/baking with others.

Please be patient while I set this up ;-)