Awayofmind

Prosperity Dragon Yu Sheng 2012 发财鱼生

2012-01-22T16:15:00.001+08:00

Yu Sheng (Raw Fish Salad) is a must have dish for my family in Chinese New Year. This year lot of restaurants have jazzed up the salad with elaborate styling. I saw the photo of the Dragon Yu Sheng at Pan Pacific Singapore's Hai Tien Lo yesterday and decided to copy the deco.

It did take times to plate and decorate the Yu Sheng, however, my version is far from the Hai Tien Lo master chef's one :) His shredded carrots is long and it makes the Dragon looks strong and tough. Anyway, my family members are impressed with my Dragon Yu Sheng ^_^

Wishing All A Prosperous Lunar New Year!

Ingredients:

sliced salmon

2 packs of jelly cuttlefish, boiled in water for 5 mins

shredded carrots

shredded radish

2 smalls shitaki mushroom

spring onions

preserved melon strip

preserved brown melon strip

preserved cucumber strip

preserved leek strip

white sour ginger strip

red sweetened ginger strip

sweetened lime strip

mashed peanuts

fried sesame

pepper powder

cinnamon powder

raw fish sauce

Wishing You A Happy & Prosperous Year Of Dragon

2012-01-19T17:00:00.001+08:00

Hi friends, thank you for visiting my blog while I was away for 3 weeks holiday. The wishes you leave for me warm my heart!

This year is a special year for me and my family. I'm thinking of slow down the pace in my kitchen and spending more quality times with my dearly hubby and son. Yes, hope to fulfill this point in the year of Dragon! There are many things I want to achieve and fulfill in life, hope this year is a good start for me and my hubby to make things happen.

Yes, 3 weeks of break from Internet is good! It clears my mind and thank God for giving me new vision. New direction of what me and my family need to chase after. I'm still in the process of tidy up my photos will share with you once I'm done.

I didn't intend to start my baking so soon, but Gabriel's school is organizing a potluck party on Friday to celebrate Chinese New Year. I baked two 8 inch chiffon cakes for him to bring to the party. Why chiffon cake? because my boy loves it! The step to make the chocolate chiffon cake is a bit different, the oil, milk and sugar were boiled and add in the flour mixture to cook until the batter no-longer stick to the pot before mix in the eggs and egg whites. The recipe is from Carol.

Let us usher the year of Dragon in high spirit!!

May Good Health and Wealth embrace you and your family always!

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Merry Christmas! Molten Chocolate Lava Cake

2011-12-15T18:21:00.000+08:00

This is my last post for this year.

Since it is December and Christmas is just a week away, I should bake something related to Christmas :) When think of christmas bake, I think of you... chocolate! Still remember the days two of us, spend the whole evening enjoyed chocolate dessert :) Ah...nowadays spending time slowly eating dessert in a restaurant seems too luxury with an active boy beside :)

I love Molten Chocolate Lava Cake, a warm chocolate dessert with crispy top and melty center. When cut open the cake, the melty chocolate flows down like lava, usually it is paired with a scoop of ice-cream or cream or may be berries but I love to go just as it is.

This is my second attempt, the first one with water bath method didn't turn out as espected. The cake didn't raise and there was no crispy top. This second attempt is without water bath, the cake batter go straight to the oven without resting in the fridge. The temperature for this bake should be set at 210C but I mistaken it to be 180C, 15 mins of baking time was far too soon for my bake, when I tried to detach the cake from ramekin, I found it was still wet on the side. I placed them back to the oven and baked for another 10 mins and luckily I still have a bit of oozing "lava" at the bottom of the cake.

Note: Greased the ramekins properly with butter is very important to ensure you can detach the cake later. Grease ramekins with butter on the center than upright strokes for the side to make the cake raise higher.

Crispy top cake. When shaking the ramekin you will find the cake still wobbly a bit.

Moist cake with melty center

Recipe adapted from auntyyochana's Warm Chocolate Cake

Ingredients for Cake:

2 eggs
2 egg yolks (omitted)
65 g unsalted butter
40 g sugar
100 g chocolate - melted (used 150g)
20 g cake flour (used plain flour)
5 g cocoa powder

Steps:
1. melt chocolate and butter over hot water or double boiler.
2. whisk eggs and sugar till creamy.
3. add in melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. (has to gradually add in)
4. sift in flour and cocoa powder and fold in the mixture. (fold, no stirring please!)
5. pour into greased cup moulds till 3/4 full. (the right mixture is smooth and thick)
6. bake in hot oven at 210C for 15 mins.
7. Detach the cake on a serving plate.

Are you able to resist this dessert?

Wishing you a blessed Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holiday!

Happy Baking! See you next year :D

Chocolate Wassant (65C Tangzhong Method)

2011-12-12T16:34:00.003+08:00

If you are living in Singapore, for sure you will know one of the famous bread from Provence Bakery is Chocolate Wassant. A soft crust bread with pretty swirl chocolate filling, you taste it before? my son is a big big fan of Chocolate Wassant. This bread really set a high challenge for me, I've been trying for the past few months baking this Chocolate Wassant... but ...my Chocolate Wassant didn't turned out well enough to look close to the one selling at Provence Bakery. The glazing and the chocolate layer are the challenges.

Since I got the right recipe for my Chocolate Marble Toast, I brave myself to use it on Chocolate Wassant. This time my chocolate wassant turned out really close to the one selling at Provence Bakery. Of course there is still room to improve on the shaping of this bread. The credit of this recipe go to Matumoto Youiti 松本洋一. For the steps on folding of dough, please refer to Do What I Like

Next time if I'm going to attempt this again, I'll divide the chocolate dough equal portion with the white dough, as I prefer to see the chocolate wassant with chocolate soft crust rather than the white one.

P/S: I'm slowing down as the Holiday is near and I'll be taking a long break from my kitchen until mid January. I wish to post another one post before leaving for Melbourne. As for this year Chinese New Year Cookies, I don't think I can bake any of it, but if I do it will be from my sister kitchen :)

The clearly defines chocolate lines

four Chocolate Wassant attempts with different recipes and chocolate paste, the third one was with Nutella.

Recipe for 65C Tangzhong

50g bread flour

250ml water

Steps:

1. Add flour to water in a pot, keep stirring it while cook until it reached 65C. or ripples appeared on batter. Set aside to cool.

Recipe adapted from 松本洋一（Soleil 面包教室）

300g bread flour

6g instant dry yeast

30g sugar (if you prefer the bread to taste a bit sweet, then add more sugar)

4g salt

24g milk powder

186g water (I substituted with 70~90ml milk as I added the tangzhong)

30g unsalted butter

1 egg

Chocolate paste:

6g unsweetened cocoa powder

6g water

Glazing:
milk

Chocolate Marble Toast 65C Tangzhong Method （65c 汤种大理石面包）

2011-12-07T19:17:00.000+08:00

This is the first time I present my Chocolate Marble Toast but the truth is ...it was my fourth attempt. I tried to use a few different recipes to make this Chocolate Marble Toast but ...most of them leave behind a messy worktop due to melting of chocolate paste and the repeated resting the dough in fridge and taking it out for rolling make the method look complicated for making this beautiful toast.

The recipe I'm going to share here is for you, whether you are beginner or advance baker, is easy and clean! Let me present the Japanese baker Matumoto Youiti 松本洋一 his book "My bread is sellable!" (我做的面包，可以卖!) My hands was cleaned from chocolate while flattening and rolling of this bread, and no resting of dough in fridge is requires. You are going to love this recipe! The baker used straight dough method, to ensure a soft, more elastic bread texture and long lasting of freshness I used water roux starter or 65C Tangzhong method.

Just a note for someone new to tangzhong 汤种. The water roux starter is a mixture of flour and water that is combine together, usually one portion of bread flour with five portions of water. It doesn't cook until boiling point but reach 65C when the ripples started to form.

crust without egg wash ...

Recipe for 65C Tangzhong

50g bread flour

250ml water

Steps:

1. Add flour to water in a pot, keep stirring it while cook until it reached 65C. or ripples appeared on batter. Set aside to cool.

Recipe adapted from 松本洋一（Soleil 面包教室）

300g bread flour

6g instant dry yeast

30g sugar

4g salt

24g milk powder

186g water (I substituted with milk and not all is used as I added the tangzhong)

30g unsalted butter

Chocolate paste:

6g unsweetened cocoa powder

6g water

Steps:
1. Add tangzhong and all ingredients except the liquid and butter in a bowl, gradually add 1/2 of the water and knead well. Divide the rough dough into 3/4 and 1/4 portions, 1/4 portion add in chocolate paste, knead until well-blended (gradually add milk if required). Add 7g butter and knead to form elastic dough.

2. The other 3/4 remaining dough, knead well (gradually add milk as this dough required more water than the chocolate dough). Add 23g butter and knead to form elastic dough.

3. Spray water on doughs and place in separate containers. Cover and let it proof for 60 mins.

4. Punch down the doughs, roll into respective balls, cover and let it rest for 10 mins.

5. Flatten the chocolate dough into a rectangle shape 18x12cm. Flatten the white dough into a rectangle shape 20x15cm. Place the chocolate dough on top of the white dough. Flatten it into 30x20cm.

6. Cut into 2 equal portions. Place one piece on top of the other. Flatten the dough into 30x20cm, repeat for another two times.

7. Cut it into three strips and plait it together. Place the dough into a greased load tin. Spray water and cover. Let it proof for another 30 mins. or when the dough reach 90% height of the baking tin.

8. Bake at 200C for 30~35 mins. Dislodge from tin once baked.

Homemade Kimchi

2011-12-05T09:00:00.011+08:00

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean banchan (side dish) made of vegetables with varied seasonings. Usually I get my kimchi from a well known Korean stall at Bukit Timah Plaza. They homemade the kimchi, it is very nice but is expensive compared to the one selling in the supermarket. It didn't cross my mind to make kimchi until four weeks ago I saw Lena from Frozen Wings made kimchi using cincalok, it was really a good way of clearing my nearly expire fermented shrimp paste (cincalok) since I'm a kimchi lover. I can eat kimchi with plain rice :) I got my gochujang paste from the Korean mini mart near my place and swing into action on 22 Nov and fermented it for 6 days.

I think the cabbage I used was a little small, and too much cooked rice added, it turned out that I have lot of paste at the end of fermentation. I added the paste to cook my noodle and the kimchi soup turned out so delicious! The cabbage tastes crunchy after 6 days of ferment. Thanks to Lena for sharing this recipe!

Recipe adapted from Frozen Wings, original from Elinluv's Tidbits Corner

Napa Cabbage (700gm, quartered with stem attached, soak in brine)

6 heaped tbsp gochujang paste

1/2 bowl cooked rice (my 1/2 bowl is far too much than Lena's)
1 onion, chopped
1 radish (omitted)
50gm spring onions, cut into lengths
50gm chilli flakes/chilli powder (omitted)
10gm sugar (used 25g)
50gm minced garlic
4 tbsps fermented shrimp paste (cincalok)(used the whole small bottle)
50ml fish sauce

Steps:

1.Soak the cabbage in soak salt water about 4 hours, weighing the cabbages with with a heavy plate during the soaking process. Remove cabbages from salt water and drain well.

2.Pound the garlic and rice till fine. (I didn't pound, but try to mash them with a masher) Transfer them to a medium size bowl and add in fermented shrimp paste, fish sauce, gichujang paste and ~~chilli powder~~ and mix well. Add in the cut green onions and the rest of the ingredients , mix well and leave to rest for about 1/2 hour.

3. Stuff the cabbage with the mixture, apply them starting from the innermost leaves and making sure every part of leave is covered. Repeat until the entire cabbage is covered well with the mixture as well as possible.

4. Put the kimchi in an airtight container and let it ferment at room temperature for half a day. After than, transfer the container to the fridge (temperature below 20C) and allow to ferment for about 6 days.

*Note: without adding the chilli powder the kimchi still taste spicy because there is chilli in gichujang paste and cincalok.

New Challenge: Pandan Layer Cake

2011-12-04T17:21:00.003+08:00

Last month saw Esther made her beautiful Pandan Layer Cake, I told myself Can I do this? I'm not good at baking a big cake especially this kind of layering to me will be challenging. However, my pandan (screwpine leaves) juice and paste was sitting in the fridge for over two weeks, is time to make use of it. I referred my recipe to Joceline as well as Eileen.

My first attempt turned out not so pretty on the pandan kaya paste. The surface of the pandan kaya paste doesn't look crystal clear (can it be because of the used of gelatin powder instead of the jelly powder, anyone can tell me why?) And my 1st layer of cake sponge is not in line with the 2nd and 3rd layer... but I love the taste of this cake! The sponge is a soft chiffon cake, the combination of pandan kaya paste and chiffon cake make the whole cake texture taste super soft! I'll definately will make this cake again!

As I don't have a 8 inch round mould, I used my 6 inch round springform mould.

Chiffon cake recipe from Eileen

Pandan kaya paste recipe from Esther and Joceline

Ingredients for chiffon cake:

A:
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (omitted)
50g fine sugar

B:
4 egg yolks
30g fine sugar
60g corn oil
60g milk

C:
90g superfine flour (used top flour)

Steps:
1. mix in sugar and egg in ingredient B, add corn oil, stir well.
2. whisk ingredient A until stiff peak.
3. add 1/3 of the egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, add in sifted C in 3 batches, alternate with milk.
4. fold in the rest of the egg white into the egg yolk mixture.
5. Pour the batter into 6 inch mould, bake at 180 for 30 mins.
6. Remove the cake from oven and turn upside down immediately to prevent the cake from sinking.
7. when the cake is cool, cut into 3 pieces.

Ingredients for pandan kaya paste:
600g coconut milk
500g pandan juice
1/2 tsp pandan paste (used the homemade pandan paste, I think about 1.5 tbsp)
120g fine sugar
85g Hoen Kwe flour
1 tbsp instant jelly powder (as I don't have jelly powder, used 1tbsp gelatin powder)
1/2 tsp salt
grated coconut (for decoration)

Steps:
1. Place sugar, salt, flour and gelatin powder together in a bowl, add in liquid and cook with low heat until it turned thicken and bubbles.

2. Pour in 1/4 of the pandan kaya paste into the mould, place a piece of cake sponge in the middle, add in 2nd layer of pandan kaya paste, place 2nd piece of cake sponge in the middle. Add in 3rd layer of pandan kaya paste, place 3rd piece of cake sponge in the middle, and pour in the last layer of pandan kaya paste. (It has to be done while the paste is still hot or else the cake sponge will not hold together with the paste)

3. Keep the cake in fridge for at least 3 hours before dislodge, decorate with grated coconut.

Snowflake Almond Cranberry Cookies

2011-12-01T17:50:00.001+08:00

December is the month that I've been waiting for so long, finally today is 1st December, start to count down :)

This week Life Group will be at my house, usually it will end around 10pm, and the host has to prepare light supper. Start thinking of the menu for supper, it should be light and easy for me to prepare as I want to enjoy the day and enjoy the present of God. When I saw Anncoo Journey posted this Almond Cranberry Cookies, I like the recipe as I've all ingredients ready in my freezer and it doesn't require a whisk or mixer...less washing for the lazy me :D

Oh, Christmas is not far, let me surprise everyone with these pretty and yummy Snowflake Almond Cranberry Cookies. I double the ingredients but it is still not enough for me :) I made about 18 nos. After grinding the almond flakes and dried cranberry, there is still small bits of almond and cranberry for you to munch and crunch on... I love this way of eating my crunchy cookies!

You may hop over to Anncoo Journey to see her beautiful baked and the photos illustrations.

Recipe adapted from Anncoo Journey

I double the ingredients to make 18 nos. big snowflake cookies
70g dried cranberry
70g almond flakes
200g plain flour
70g icing sugar
40g ground almond
100g cold butter, cut into cubes
2 tbsp fresh milk

Steps:
1. Toast the almond flakes in oven at 160C for 5 mins.
2. Blend the almond flakes and dried cranberry in a grinder separately and mix them together in a bowl.
3. In a bowl sieve in plain flour, icing sugar and add in ground almond. Add in cold butter and rub with finger tips with both hands until the mixture is sandy.
4. Add fresh milk into cranberry mixture, mix well and add it into the flour mixture. Mix well and knead it into dough.
5. Roll out the dough into 1cm thick and cut out shapes using your preferred pastry cookies cutter. Place them on baking tray with parchment paper.
6. Bake at 170C for 15~20 mins or until golden brown.

My new kitchen toy, KitchenAid ...my birthday present!

Coconut Bread 椰子面包

2011-11-29T22:40:00.003+08:00

I found a pack of desiccated coconut at the deep corner of my freezer, hmm... what should I do... thinking of the way to make full use of it. Flip through the recipe books, finally go straight to Carol's recipe.

Is fun to shape this bread. Cut and show off the inner filling make it looks tempting. I made the filling a night before making the bread, this make the whole process much more organized for me.

When bread was done, the moment I opened the oven, I was captured by the intense coconut's aroma! If you like coconut, this is a must try recipe! Carol's mentioned in her recipe that the bread looks like a chicken feet 凤爪, what do you think :D

Recipe adapted from Carol

I made 11 nos

Ingredients for filling:

70g unsalted butter, soften

100g coconut powder (used 150g desiccated coconut)

60g icing sugar

30g milk powder

25g egg (1 egg)

Ingredients for bread dough:

270g bread flour (used 300g)

30g plain flour

1/2 tsp instant dry yeast

1 egg

30g sugar

1/8 tsp salt

150ml milk

30g unsalted butter

Steps for filling:

1. Place desiccated coconut, icing sugar, milk powder and salt into a bowl.

2. Add in soften butter, use hand to mix well all ingredients until combined.

3. Add in egg and mix well until it form a dough.

4. Cover and keep it in fridge for at least an hour (I keep it overnight)

5. Take out from fridge 10 mins before shaping the bread. Divide into the 11 portions.

Steps for bread:

1. Place all ingredients in a big bowl (except butter and milk), mix the mixture with hand, gradually add in milk, knead to form a rough dough. Add butter and knead to form smooth dough.

2. Spray water on dough, cover and let it proof for 60 mins.

3. Punch down the dough, divide the dough into 11 portions, roll dough into a ball, cover and let it rest for 15 mins.
4. Flatten the dough, wrap in the filling, flatten the dough again and roll it into oval shape. Fold it into half and into another half again (the dough now is a triangle with 4 clear layers)
5. Use knife to cut 2 lines on the dough and flip the cut side upwards.
6. Place the dough on baking tray, spray with water and let it proof for another 50 mins.
7. Egg wash the dough before place it into oven.
8. Bake at 170C for 18~20 mins.

My Birthday

2011-11-28T16:51:00.001+08:00

Day pass a day and year pass a year,

finally I come to this junction,

where should I go,

turn left or turn right...or just stop at this point of time?

How am I going to proceed?

I wish I have the answer ...

I find myself in a dry land, deserted from my previous me,

what should I do? what should you do?

I wish I can go back...

how about you?

Sunday was my birthday, I baked a simple chocolate sponge cake with cream cheese frosting for myself. It is very meaningful to me because it is my first attempt in getting a tall sponge cake. My son loves this cake, WT think it is yummy too :) The cream cheese frosting is delicious and not too buttery. If talking about the cake decoration, well, as you can see, I need more practise.

To all fellow bloggers and readers, I just created a page on Facebook to record down my cooking and baking journey. Hope you don't mind to click on the Facebook "like" button on the right side column or here to support my attempt, thank you!

Ingredients for chocolate sponge cake:

3 eggs

100g fine sugar

2 tbsp milk

55g plain flour

15g unsweetened chocolate powder

20g unsalted butter

Steps:

1. Whisk egg with sugar.

2. Place the mixing bowl in a double boiler, whisk the egg mixture until light and fluffy.

3. The egg mixture temperature should be between 38~40C.

4. Remove from heat and beat the egg mixture in high speed until ribbon stage.

5. Add milk and flour mixture in 3 batches. Stir the mixture in one direction to mix the mixture well.

6. Add melted butter and mix well. Pour in baking mould, knock out bubbles.

7. Bake at 170C for 30 mins.

Ingredients for cream cheese frosting:

200g cream cheese

30g butter

50g icing sugar

Whisk the cream cheese until smooth, add butter and icng sugar and mix well.

Crispy Roast Pork Belly (aka Siew Yoke 脆皮烧肉）

2011-11-24T17:26:00.001+08:00

Roast Pork Belly also called Siew Yoke/Siu Yuk in Cantonese or Shao Rou in Mandarin. Is a fatty dish loves by most Chinese. Still remember my father loves roasted meat, if he got the chances he would buy roast pork belly, char siew and roast duck to add on to the table. My sisters, brother and I always like to eat only the salted portion of the meat and leave behind the crispy and fatty portions...which would finished up by my parent. Now we get older and I still love this roast pork belly, not just the salted portion but the whole of it.

Last year, saw many fellow bloggers homemade the crispy roast pork belly, at that point of time I told myself "I don't think I can do that!" This week, thinking of this dish and want to list this into my recipe collection, I try to look for more information, some used the recipe with an ingredient called nam yuk, I chose to use the recipe without it. My first attempt turned out quite nice, love the taste, the meat is tender and juicy, the crispy rind is crispy but still got room to improve! This is one of WT's favourite dish, he will be happy to see it when he comes home :)

Thanks Ann from Anncoo Journal for making the recipe easy for me to follow!

Don't want to waste the sauce, I marinated the side of the pork belly as well :)

Recipe adapted from Anncoo Journal

1kg Pork belly, clean and dry

1/2 tbsp Coarse sea salt

1/2 tbsp Sugar

1/2 tbsp Five spice powder (used 1.5 tbsps)

1 tbsp Rice wine (used Shaoxing)

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined

Steps:

1. Score the flesh part (not the skin) of the pork belly lightly in diagonal lines and rub in the marinade well.

2. Place the marinated side down on a container so it can sit and absorb the flavors.
3. Use a skewer or satay stick to poke repeatedly on the skin, then rub more salt on the skin only. (I don't have the special skewer and used the satay sticks and...it really need lot of strength to poke thro' the rind...I don't think I did it well enough)
4. Marinate the pork belly uncovered for several hours or overnight in the fridge so that the skin will dry completely. (I placed it overnight in the fridge)
5. When ready to roast, pat dry any moisture left on the skin and place pork in the middle of the oven. Remember to place a foil and pan underneath to enable fat to drip into the pan.
6. Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 45 mins then switch temperature to 200C for another 20 mins. (Bubbles appeared on rind after I switched the temperature to 200C) The skin will get slightly burnt and charred.
7. Once cooked, remove pork from oven, scrape off any burnt parts with serrated knife and leave to rest for 10 mins before chopping.

Steamed Black Sesame Custard Bun (黑芝麻奶黄包 Black Sesame Nai Huang Bao）

2011-11-22T21:15:00.002+08:00

My son requested to have Creamy Custard Bao for breakfast yesterday, and I promised him I'll make a nice one for him today. It has been nearly a year since I last made the bun with this custard filling recipe. It is different from Carol's recipe because of the coconut milk added. It has a stronger coconut's aroma and ...involved more work, the custard needs to be steamed, mashed and kneaded. Of course, for my son, the extra work is nothing.

I made the baos with two types of filling, one is with red bean paste (leftover from making mooncakes) and the other one is creamy custard. Added black sesame powder to the bao dough turned the bao into a stunning grey, with the yellow custard filling it looks beautiful and perfect for my afternoon tea.

Recently, I read a Chinese translation version book on "Unbeatenable Love" （爱无敌！给孩子满满的爱，孩子就会改变）it was written by an Japanese author 本吉园子. It is a good book to share with all parents who think they have a "difficult child" at home. The author said, all the child wants is only an unconditional love from parent...a hug, a kiss, a snuggle, a story, will resolve the tantrum or difficult situations. After finished the book, I hug and kiss my son when he requests my attention, when he throw his tantrum, when he is tire, especially when he wants me to "see" him working. Amazingly it works, he becomes more coorperative and follow the instructions. Thanks God for showing me this book and it is always on time.

Recipe from Ah Tze's kitchen play

Ingredients for custard filling:

150g custard powder

3 tbsp icing sugar
4 tbsp milk powder
150ml coconut milk (used 100ml)
50g evaporated milk (used 30g)
2 eggs
oil or 2 tbsp melted butter

Steps:
1. Place custard powder, sugar and milk powder in a bowl. Add coconut milk, whisk until sugar dissolved. Add evaporated milk, stir to combine.
2. Add 1 egg at a time, whisk until incorporated.
3. Add the melted butter or oil.
4. Sieve the liquid. Pour into a lightly grease pan and steam for 15-20 mins. (it depends on your steamer)
5. Take the pan out from steamer and mash the custard until it is crumble and knead the custard on clean work surface until smooth.

Bao/Bun Ingredients:

400g bao flour
100g black sesame powder
1 tsp instant dry yeast
280ml warm water (gradually add in)
30g sugar
some vegetable shortening

Steps:
1. Add all above dry ingredients into a bowl, graduately pour in the water. Knead until it form a nonsticky dough, add the vegetable shortening and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
2. Place the dough in a bowl, spray with water and cover with damp cloth. Let it proof for 45 mins.
3. Once proofing complete, punch out the air and form a long dough. Divide the dough into 18~20 nos. (depends on how big you want the baos to be)
4. Flatten the dough, stuff in custard filling/ red bean paste in the middle, wrap it and roll into a ball. (Haha, I'm not good in shaping the bao)
5. Place bao dough on a piece of baking paper and let it proof for another 30 mins. (if you had added 1 tsp baking powder into the it will shorten the proofing time)
6. Place bao dough in the preheat steamer and steam for 10~12 mins.

Chai Kueh (Steamed Vegetable Dumplings)

2011-11-21T15:50:00.000+08:00

I fried the jicama with other vegetables yesterday, a big bowl of it, usually I with use the leftover to make spring rolls but today I decided to make Chai Kueh/ Steamed Vegetable Dumplings.

Well, this attempt was a hard one, out of the eight dumplings only one with unbreakable pastry, the rest have holes on them even before go into the steamer. When I transferred the dumplings to the steamer it was frustrating to see the dumplings skin sticked on my hand and ... torn :(

When WT eat the dumpling, I told him this is $10 each, because of the tidiousness in getting a perfect translucent skin :) If you ask me, will I try it again, the answer is a sure ...yes!

Anyway, thanks 董夫人 for the pastry recipe!

Lesson learnt:

1. First oil your hand when flatten and handle the dumpling skin.

2. Filling must be fried until very dry.

Recipe for filling from Ah Tze's Kitchen Play

Ingredients:

300g jicama, shredded

3 tbsp dried prawns, soaked and chopped

1 big carrot, shredded

8 small french beans, chopped

2 big pieces of black fungus, soaked and shredded

4 tbsps sugar

1 tbsp salt

3 medium bowl of water

cooking oil

2 tbsps chopped garlic

Steps:

1. Heat the oil in wok, stir-fry garlic until fragrant.

2. Add in dried prawns and fry until fragrant.

3. Add in jicama, carrots, black fungus and french beans. Stir fry for 5 mins, add in water. Let it simmer until the vegetable is soft and cooked. Add in sugar and salt to taste. If you like me, prefer my vegetable to taste sweet to cover the raw smell of the jicama, you may add in more sugar.

4. Let it cool for later use.

Recipe adapted from 董夫人

Ingredients for the dumpling skin

50g Wheat Starch Flour (Tung Mein Fun) (I used about 80g)

50g Tapioca Flour

pinch of salt

102ml hot boiling water (I used 85ml)

3 tbsps oil

Steps:

1. Mixed wheat starch flour and tapioca flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2. Pour in boiling water and mixed it thoroughly with a pair of chopstick, until it becomes a dough.

3. Close it up and let it rest for 10 mins.

4. Add in oil gradually and knead into a smooth dough.

5. Rolled out the dough into long shape and divide into 8~9 pieces.

Steps to make Chai Kueh:

1. Lightly oiled the steaming tray.

2. Roll the skin pastry into a circle, stuff in 1 tbsp filling in the center.

3. Pleat the edge or fold the skin into half and wrapped it up tightly.

4. Arrange the Chai Kueh on the steaming tray. Brush with some oil before steaming. Steam for 7~10 mins or until the skin is translucent.

Hakka Yam Abacus 算盘子

2011-11-19T19:33:00.001+08:00

I will buy this dish whenever I see there is one selling it. The feel of munching an elasticity and juicy yam abacus balls is why I enjoy this dish so much.

Saw the recipe at Precious Moments many months ago and I told myself at that point of time, I want to try it out. Then saw it again last month at 鲸鱼's blog, and again at I Heart My Bakes. Eventually make my move because of the step by step photos at I Heart My Bakes look easy to prepare.

Oh my! This is delicious! Thanks Edith from Precious Moments, for the details in spelled out the steps.

For the recipe in Chinese, you may refer to 鲸鱼's blog.

Pretty soft yam ball ladies waiting ...

Forgot to add fried shallots while snapping the dish...

Recipe adapted from Precious Moments

Ingredients for yam balls:

490g steamed yam, mashed
150g tapioca flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup of hot water
2 tbsp oil

Ingredients for stir-frying the yam balls:
3 clove garlic, minced
3 shallot, sliced
4 tbsp dried shrimp, soaked and chopped
250g minced meat (used 100g)
3 mushroom, soaked and sliced thinnly
6 black fungus, soaked and sliced thinnly

Seasoning:
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp dark soya sauce
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste (omitted and used 1 tbsp light soy sauce)
1 cup water

Steps:
1. Mix all ingredients together and knead till the dough is smooth. Make sure the flour is well incorporated.
2. Divide into 5g each and roll into a ball. Press your thumprint for the imprint. (I didn't weight the balls, just made them into thumb size balls)
3. Boil a pot of water, add a dash of oil.
4. Add the abacus piece by piece to prevent it from sticking together.
5. Once it float, it is cook. Drain and put into a bowl and add 1 tbsp of oil to prevent it from sticking.
6. Heat some oil and saute shallot and then garlic till fragrant.
7. Add in dried shrimps and continue to fry till fragrant.
8. Add in minced pork, mushroom, black fungus and fry till everything is thoroughly mixed.
9. Add in seasoning and bring to boil.
10. Add in the abacus and stir fry till the liquid dried up.
11. Garnish and serve hot.

Duckling Apple Cupcakes

2011-11-18T08:11:00.002+08:00

I was inspired to bake this cakes after reading Min's Smiling Apple Cupcakes.

These cakes are baked for my neighbour son who came over to play with Gabriel this evening. What do you see? A duckling or a smiling face :D I think I made them look more like duckling instead of the smiling face. However, when I told the boys..."Duckling cakes!" They said "is smiling faces!" ...Haha, boys you really make my day!

These cakes are really yummy! A sure keeper for future boys party!

Recipe adapted from Min & J3ss Kitchen, original from My Kitchen

Ingredients

(makes 5-6 pieces)
1/2 apple (used green apple), peeled and chopped
1 tbsp fine caster sugar
20ml water

*Rub chopped apple with sugar, add water and cook till apple is softened. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

50g butter, room temperature
40g fine caster sugar (used 30g)
1 large egg
50ml full cream milk
80g cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

Toppings
1/2 apple, seeded and sliced thinly
1/2 tbsp fine caster sugar
2-3 pinches of ground cinnamon
*Combine everything together and set aside.

chocolate chips (duckling eyes)

Steps:
1. Preheat oven to 170C. Sift flour and baking powder together and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter till creamy. Stir in sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add in eggs until totally incorporated.
4. Beat in flour in batches alternating with milk until totally incorporated.
5. Stir in the cooled apples together with the liquid until just combined.
6. Scoop batter into paper cases, arrange the cinnamon sugar apple slices on the top, insert the chocolate chips and bake in preheated oven for 20-25mins. Cool completely before serving.

Stir Fried Chicken with Black Fungus

2011-11-16T22:01:00.001+08:00

I cooked this dish quite often, as I love to eat the soft black fungus with white rice.

This recipe appeared in Mum's Favourite Dishes cookbook (妈妈暧心菜) too. It is such a simple and comfort dish. Three main ingredients in this dish are chicken, black fungus and ginger, and I addded needle mushrooms.

Recipe adapted from Mum's Favourite Dishes cookbook (妈妈暧心菜)

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken, chopped in chunks

2 pieces of large black fungus, soaked til soft and cut into shreds

some needle mushrooms, soaked and tied knot

1 thumb of ginger, shredded

Seasonings

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp shao xing wine

1 tsp sugar (Omitted)

Steps:

1. Heat up sesame oil, fry ginger shreds til fragrant. Add in chicken, oyster sauce and light soy sauce. Stir-fry over high heat for 5~8 mins.

2. Pour in black fungus, needle mushrooms and shao xing wine. Add 1 cup of water. Braise over medium heat for 10 mins or until chicken is tender. Serve warm with white rice.

Butterfly Banana Cakes

2011-11-14T15:23:00.001+08:00

I have been thinking very hard on what to bake for this month Aspiring bakers which is hosted by Min from Min's blog The theme for this month is "Enjoy cupcakes!" I've tried out a few recipes but some of the results end up too sweet, I personally don't like them and I believed my blogger friends and readers won't like it too.

I came across the recipe for Butterfly Cakes in The Australian Women's Weekly this morning, trust my instinct to try this out by adding banana in it, yes, indeed the cake is nice! I baked 12 cupcakes and used 4 of them to create the butterfly cakes. Cutting the round on top of the cupcake is not as easy as I think, my first try, not a clean round wings.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) hosted by Min of Min's Blog

Recipe adapted from The Australian Women's Weekly, cupcakes and cookies

Ingredients:

150g self-raising flour

90g softened butter

3 big banana, mashed

1 tsp vanilla extract

110g caster sugar (used 60g)

2 eggs

2 tbsps milk

1 tbsp berry jam

180ml thickened cream, whipped

1 tsp icing sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced.

2. Whisk the butter to creamy, add in eggs, sugar, extract and milk, beat with electric mixer on low speed until combined. Add in banana, mix well. Add the sifted flour, increase speed to medium, beat until mixture changes to a paler colour.

3. Spoon batter into cases.

4. Bake for 20 mins. Cool on wire rack.

5. Cut a round hole about 3 cm deep in the top of the cake. Halve the rounds of cake to make butterfly wings.

6. Fill the hole with jam, top with cream. Position the wings on the cake, dust with sifted icing sugar.

A Day at West Coast Park

2011-11-11T20:14:00.001+08:00

11-11-11 a special day, no food for today post.

Today Gabriel no need to go to school as it is their school teacher-parents interview day. I brought him to West Coast Park again to play sand...

Out of so many times coming over, today I can feel the sand is the best day for building sand castle. The surface of the sand was dry but when we dug deeper, it was wet.... see the castles we have built with the beautiful details.

A peaceful and quiet moment enjoying the breeze and beautiful day with my son ...and WT is coming back today.

Souffle Cheese Cupcakes

2011-11-10T10:13:00.000+08:00

Another rainny day, a perfect dessert for Gabriel is this Souffle Cheese Cupcake. He dashed to the dinning table when he heard "cheese cupcake", he spooned the cake spoonful by spoonful into his mouth while saying "Mama, this is so nice!" I'm glad to see him content and satisfy with this cupcake.

By folding in the egg whites into the cheese mixture makes the texture of the cake soft and light. The flavour of cream cheese is still there, the cake tastes like eating souffle, soft and tender. If you love the cake to be light, this is the right recipe.

The top of this cake cracked like earthquake due to my impatient in waiting the cake to raise and brown, switched the oven heat to higher temperature was a mistake! This cake is recommended to take it on the very day, as the softness and tender will disappear if you keep it in the fridge.

You may hop over to Corner Cafe and Baking on Cloud 9 to see theirs beautiful baked. They have the top of Souffle Cheese Cupcakes beautifully brown too.

Recipe adapted from Corner Cafe and Baking on Cloud 9

Ingredients:

125g cream cheese

60ml milk

40ml canola oil

3 egg yolks

40g caster sugar

20ml lemon juice

30g cornflour, sifted

3 egg whites

70g caster sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line 12 muffin holes with paper cups. Place a large tray of hot water inside the oven just below the shelf where the cheesecakes are to be baked.

2. Soften cream cheese with milk and oil in a bowl placed over a double-boiler. Whisk until smooth, remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.

3. Beat egg yolks with 40g sugar until combined, beat in lemon juice. Gradually whisk in cheese mixture to combine. Lightly whisk in sifted cornflour, mix well.

4. Beat egg whites until foamy. Then gradually beat in 70g sugar, spoonful by spoonful, until firm but just under stiff peaks stage.

5. Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the cheese mixture until thoroughly mixed in. Repeat two more times with the remaining egg white mixture.

6. Spoon batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup nearly to the rim.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the tops of the cheesecakes are lightly browned.

Salted Crispy Chicken 咸酥鸡

2011-11-08T11:42:00.000+08:00

Recently feel so drain by my son's tantrum, people said terrible two, I say is terrible three!

A fast and simple dish from Mum's Favourite Dishes cookbook (妈妈暧心菜）I didn't snap photo for the dipping sauce I made, for the main dish only 3 ingredients needed, chicken, salt and lettuce. I like this dish, is a sure keeper for all busy mothers!

Recipe adapted from Mum's Favourite Dishes cookbook

Ingredients:

1/2 chicken

1 stalk lettuce

1/2 tbsp salt

Steps:

1. Chop chicken into chunks. Marinate with 1/2 tbsp of salt for 15 mins.

2. Arrange lettuce in a plate.

3. Heat up 2 cups of oil, deep fry chicken over high heat till golden brown.

4. Remove and drain the chicken oil. Serve warm.

Turmeric Rice and Chicken Curry (Nasi Kunyit)

2011-11-06T00:05:00.000+08:00

After I came back from Penang, Gabriel, WT and I became healthier, no more coughing! My mum fed us daily with double boiled soup and chicken essence. This really make be believed how important it is to add a soup on the table!

Missed Penang very much, suddenly thinking of Nasi Kunyit or Turmeric Rice, the taste of the curry and coconut's fragrance. I cooked the chicken curry the easy way, using Asian Home Gourment brand Indian Chicken Curry paste and added other ingredients to suit my family taste.

The recipe for Turmeric Rice is from UnderWraps! by Debbie Teoh, she wrapped the turmeric rice together with chicken curry to form a dumplings. I prefer to have gravy for my curry, I didn't form a dumpling and boil the turmeric rice but steamed it and served the curry side-by-side with the rice. Eating the rice using hands and dipping it in the curry gravy, oh my, finally quench my craving!!

Recipe for turmeric rice adapted from UnderWraps! by Debbie Teoh with changes

500g glutinous rice

1 tbsp ground turmeric (Kunyit serbuk)

3 pieces dried sour fruit

150ml coconut milk

1 tsp white peppercorns

1 tsp salt

Steps:

1. Soak washed rice in water mixed with ground turmeric and dried sour fruit slices overnight.

2. Wash and drain the soaked rice.

3. Combine coconut milk, peppercorns, salt and rice in a mixing bowl. Set aside for 1 hour for the flavours to infuse.

4. Steam (3) in the steamer for 20 mins or until the rice is cooked.

Recipe for chicken curry from Ah Tze's kitchen play
1 pack of Asian Home Gourment Indian Chicken Curry paste
chicken, cut into small pieces
3 medium potatoes, cut into cubes
1 big carrot, cut into cubes
1 lemongrass, cut to small length
1 onion, sliced
5 pieces of lime leaves, chopped
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of indian mild turmeric powder
5 table spoons cooking oil
600ml water

Steps:
1. Heat Wok with oil, add in onion and lemongrass. Stir-fried for 2 mins.
2. Add carrots and potatoes, stir-fried for 5-8 mins before adding chicken.
3. Add the Asian Home Gourment Chicken Curry Paste, add the mild turmeric powder and water. Add lime leaves and salt. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Reduce heat and cook until chicken is done. Serve warm with Turmeric Rice.

Dumplings

2011-11-03T17:05:00.000+08:00

Saw 子瑜妈妈美食坊 made the beautiful mini prawns dumplings, at 子瑜妈妈爱米美食坊 she shared how to make the store bought dumpling skin thinner. By using the rolling pin to roll over the store bought dumpling skin a few times, we can get a thinner skin. Trying her recipe with the store bought dumpling skin.

Indeed the dumpling skin becomes bigger after rolling, whether it has becomes thinner, this you have to justify it yourself. I always deep fried the dumplings, this is the first time trying to boil them in boiling water. When I used the chopstick to poke the dumpling, gravy oozing out from it, I love this! This is definately a healthier choice if compared to deep fried dumplings.

Recipe adapted from 子瑜妈妈美食坊

Ingredients for filling:
250g prawns, peeled, cleaned and chopped
250g meat (I used pork), chopped
60g carrot, grated
1 egg
some spring onions, chopped
some salt
a pinch of peppers

Steps:
1. Place prawns, meat, carrot, egg and spring onions in a bowl, add the salt, peppers and stir well in the same direction. Set aside.
2. Using a piece of dumpling skin, stuff the filling and make a pleat.
3. Place the dumpling in hot boiling water, boil for 4-6 mins. or until the dumpling float on the boiling water. Serve while hot.

For how to make the dumpling skin, please refer to 子瑜妈妈美食坊

Clitoria Flower Chocolate Chiffon Cake

2011-11-01T17:37:00.001+08:00

Melacca is famous for lot of things such as: chicken rice balls, gula melaka, coffee, art and craft, nyonya kuehs, etc.

I know most of the foodbloggers who love to make kuehs like me will be interested to know where to get the Dried Clitoria Ternatea or Butterfly pea flowers or Bunga telang. With this flower, we are able to produce the food in natural blue. Yes, I managed to buy the flower from Melacca! How I found it? Well, I asked nearly each food stalls which I stopped over at 鸡场街 about this flower, not a single stalls selling it! I managed to buy the flowers from a nyanya kuehs shop at the side lane out from 鸡场街, with RM5.00 a pack. After that I bought another two packs with a cheaper price from an old run down grocery shop at the end of 鸡场街, with RM1.60 a pack.

So sorry that I was in a hurry that I didn't note down the shop's name. The grocery shop is at the left side of the ice kacang stall, opposite the public toilet which is at the end of 鸡场街. With this clue, hope you are able to find the dried clitoria flowers too.

If you are my usual reader you will know that I rarely baked a big cake with the beautiful frosting, the reason of that is it requires time to do the deco and also I have no confidence in baking a big cake.

WT's birthday was on Halloween, as we were just back from Penang and I didn't have time to shop for a good cake, I decided to brave myself baking a cake for him. His answered was "I can buy one when I get home!" Haha...no confident in my cake deco.

The cake sponge is a chiffon cake just because Gabriel likes this kind of soft cake. Do you see the green chiffon cake above? The blue juice of dried clitoria flowers mixed with the egg yolk and egg white turned the batter into green, I was thinking whether this is as simple as blue + yellow = green.

The chocolate ganache didn't turn out well, I tried to stabilise it with a piece of gelatin but it was still runny. I fridged the cake for a few hours before WT cut the cake. He was delighted to see the cake .... haha, at least this is not a plain chiffon cake :) Gabriel also said yummy to this cake!

I really need to practise more on cake baking and deco!

Happy Birthday WT!

Recipe from Ah Tze's kitchen play

6" round springform pan

A. Egg yolk batter

5 egg yolks

90g top flour

15g fine sugar

30ml olive oil

5 tbsps dried clitoria flowers juice

B. Egg white mixture

5 egg whites

1 tsp lemon juice

60g brown sugar

C. Chocolate Ganache

200g dark chocolate, chopped

125ml double cream

D. Deco

Walnuts

Almonds

Strawberries

Bluberries

Steps:

1. For egg yolk batter: Mix the egg yolk with sugar, whisk until creamy. Add olive oil. Add the flour alternate with flower juice. Set aside.

2. For egg white mixture: Beat the egg white with lemon juice until foamy, add in half of the sugar, beat in high speed until soft peak, add in another half of sugar until stiff peak.

3. Stir in a portion of B to A. Fold in B to A in 3 portions.

4. Pour in the batter into baking pan, knock the pan on table top to reduce the bubbles forming in between batter. Bake at 170C for 40-45 mins.

5. Once baked, turn upside down the pan to let the cake shrinks to flat top. Let it cool completely before deco.

6. For chocolate ganache: melt the chocolate, cream in a double boiler over barely simmering water, stiring occasionally until smooth, add in the soften gelatin. Set aside to cool and it will thicken slightly. Refrigerate for later use.

7. For Deco: Pour the chocolate ganache on the cake, fridge it for an hour before deco.

I'm back with ...

2011-10-31T16:51:00.001+08:00

These chicken siew bao were made when I was in Penang. The pastry is better than my previous siew bao but there is room to improve on the sealing part as the BBQ chicken source still leak out. I really love the taste of this yummy pastry :)

This is one of the busiest hawker centre at Lip Sim Garden in Penang. We were there on the morning of Deepavali (Indian's New Year)

Banana Chocolate Cake from Secret Recipes.

Is Grandpa's birthday!

Gabriel insisted to cut the cake and not to share the cutting session with Clement. Eventually it was Grandma holding Gabriel hand to cut the cake.

Gabriel had a great time staying in Penang because Clement is big enough to play with him. On the morning when we were going to leave Penang, Clement said he wanted to go Singapore with us. Gabriel who sat behind the car seat said "Of course, you can come Clement! No need to wear shoes, come!" When grandma took Clement away, Gabriel was very sad, he asked "why Clement can not come with us?" I told him, Clement has to get permission from his mommy.

Staying at Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur, having opportunity to see Kolam the decorative artwork drawn on the floor using coloured ground rice powder. It represents Hindu deities and auspicious signs that are intricately displayed in front of a home or a prayer room.

This is one of the shop which sell various types of coffee powder in Melacca. It is located at 鸡场街, this shop is full of coffee aroma. There is an atrium to allow sunlight coming down in the middle part of the shop, with a cup of coffee in hand to enjoy the quiet time this is beautiful.

I found another special thing in Melacca which I will share with you in my coming post. Bye and keep tune!

Kuih Talam (Steamed Coconut Pudding)

2011-10-21T09:10:00.000+08:00

Today clearing my pandan juice (screwpine leaves) from the fridge :)

Kuih Talam is one of my favourite kuih, I ate half of the tray once it is ready for cutting :) The salty coconut topping blends so well with the sweet pandan bottom layer. The taste is so close to the Kuih Talam I ate when I was young. The memory of waiting at the doorway with my sisters for the Indian man who sell all sort of nyonya kuihs in his little push trolley to pass by my house, come back to me.

I placed the grease banana leaves in the tray to make the kuih more flavourful.

Recipe adapted from Aromas of Kuihs by Amy Wong

I changed a bit on the quantities because I used the 6 inch tray instead of the 7 inch tray as stated in the recipe.

Ingredients A (soaked for 15 mins)

50g green bean starch

150ml water

Ingredients B

180g sugar (used 120g)

70g rice flour

15g tapioca flour

Ingredients C (blended and filtered for ~~400ml~~ 300ml)

100g pandan leaf

380ml water (used 250ml)

Ingredients D

1/8 tsp alkaline water (omitted)

2 drops green colouring (omitted)

Ingredients E (Top)

250ml coconut milk (used 200ml pack)

200ml water (used 150ml)

45g rice flour

35g tapioca flour

3/4 tsp salt

Steps:

1. Mix ingredients A, B, C and D. Filter and cook till slightly thickened. Pour the mixture into mould and steam for 30 mins.

2. Mix ingredients E. Filter and cook till slightly thickened. Pour the mixture onto step 1 and steam for another 20 mins. (medium heat) set aside to cool before cutting into pieces. You may place it in the fridge before cut for serving.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker. Also sharing this in the Muhibbah Malaysia Monday Event hosted by 3 hungry tummies.

Note: This should be the last kuih from me for this month, I'll be away for a week and happy baking to all!

Steamed Purple Sweet Potato Chocolate Bun/ Bao

2011-10-19T22:05:00.000+08:00

Rainny day.

Today is the third day walking Gabriel to school, he was rubbing his eyes, still tired after a short nap. He looked happy, smiling and joking with me while I held his little hand. This new school is so close to home, a 5 mins walking distance, and I really appreciate God give me this opportunity to walk my son to school, this experience is invaluable. So much joy to see him willing to wear his new uniform and anticipate to see his teachers and friends.

It was raining heavily when I went to fetch him, I cuddled him close to me and he held the umbrella which was so big if compared to his size. The 5 mins walk was so long as my sandle was so slippery and Gabriel was a bit heavy for me. He held the umbrella up right until we reached our condo gate, when I finally placed him on the floor, he asked me "Mama, are you tire?" His caring warm my heart. Sharing an umbrella, snuggle together to prevent getting wet, all these experiences I will treasure in my heart for a long long time.

This afternoon, I made these purple sweet potato chocolate buns using the leftover from my previous baking, need to clear the fridge as I'm counting down for my holiday :) Gabriel loves chocolate, he will be happy to see this bun waiting for him when he is home.

Until today, all my baos and breads were hand kneading. I like to feel the softness of the dough and kneading them using hands will ensure you get the dough right. The end result will be a soft and fluffy bao/bun.

I appreciate some readers sent in emails asking baking related questions and also sharing their experiences after using my recipes. To be precise, I'm a bit overwhelm by it. Who am I to guide them in their baking journey while myself still in the process of learning? I'm only a mother to a little kid who love to make baos using my hands.

Recipe for Bao/Bun Ingredients:

400g bao flour

100g purple sweet potatoes (peeled, boiled and mashed)

1 tsp instant dry yeast

200ml warm milk (used 150ml)

20g sugar

1/4 salt

some vegetable shortening

Filling:
Chocolate paste from Phoon Huat

Steps:

1. Place the yeast into warm liquid for 5 mins.

2. Add all above dry ingredients into a bowl, graduately pour in the yeast liquid. Knead until it form a nonsticky dough, add the vegetable shortening and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3. Form a ball and place in a bowl cover with damp cloth. Let it proof for 1 hour.

4. Once proofing complete, punch down and form a long dough. Divide the dough into 18 nos.

5. Flatten the dough, stuff the filling in the middle, wrap it into small ball.

6. Place bao dough on a piece of baking paper and let it proof for another 20 mins.

7. Place bao dough in the preheat steamer and steam for 10~12 mins

Pulut Inti (Glutinous Rice with Coconut Topping) and tonight dinner

2011-10-16T19:43:00.001+08:00

Lot of half used ingredients laying in the fridge, what should I do with them? Need to clear as soon as possible! Glutinous rice in two boxes already there for ... 2~3 days, grated coconut, pulut panggang lemongrass filling, mashed purple sweet potato, countless ingredients... I've spend so much time preparing them, no way for me to just trash them in the bin! So tonight, a very fast meal appears on the table... Pulut Inti and Baked Lemongrass Chicken.

I've made 9 small balls of Pulut Inti to go with my baked lemongrass chicken. For the recipe to make the rice please refer here. For the recipe to make the lemongrass paste please refer here (Pulut Panggang filling)

Recipe for the coconut topping

100g palm sugar/gula melaka

75ml water

2 knotted screwpine leaves/pandan

150g grated skinned coconut

1/2 tsp salt (option)

Steps:

1. Combine palm sugar, water and screwpine leaves in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until sugar dissolves.

2. Remove from heat and strain mixture into a clean saucepan.

3. Stir in grated coconut and salt. Place mixture over the heat again and continue cooking, stirring well, until mixture is thick and glossy about 10 mins.

4. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

5. To assemble Pulut Inti, spoon 1 tbsp rice, mixing plain and blue, top with 1 tsp coconut filling.

Spread the lemongrass paste on the chicken, bake at 210C for 45 mins with aluminium foil covered above the baking tray.

Cinnamon Walnut Purple Sweet Potato Bread

2011-10-16T13:38:00.000+08:00

Today is a happy day because my new domestic helper coming in. Well I'm turning from a slave to a Queen again, just wonder how long this can be.

This round adding purple sweet potato in the bread to make my favourite cinnamon walnut bread/roll. My previous cinnamon walnut bread was using gelatinized dough method. I'm using straight dough method for this creation, the bread texture turned out soft and fluffy because of the purple sweet potato added.

My kitchen was filled with cinnamon's fragrance, the bread tastes so sweet with the combination of brown sugar and walnut. While I sit back and enjoy my labour, this bread complete a beautiful afternoon tea.

Good control of the water is crucial for this bread, the mashed purple sweet potato contains lots of water, the additional water has to be gradually added to get the right bread dough.

Recipe adapted from Carol with changes

Ingredients:
A
150g purple sweet potato (peeled, boiled and mashed)
270g bread flour
30g plain flour
1/2 tsp dry instant yeast
1 egg
20g maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
30g olive oil
130ml milk (used 50ml)
B
1tbsp cinnamon sugar
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
80g walnut (toast at 150C for 7~8 mins and chopped)
C
egg wash

Steps:
1. Add all A ingredients in a big bowl (except oil and milk), mix the mixture with hand, gradually add in milk, stop when the mixture turns too sticky, knead to form a rough dough. Add oil and knead to form elastic dough.
2. Spray water on dough, cover and let it proof for 60 mins.

3. Punch down the dough, roll into a ball, cover and let it rest for 15 mins.
4. Flatten the purple sweet potatoes dough into a rectangle shape, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, brown sugar, and chopped walnut. Roll up swiss roll style, cut into 4cm pieces (about 8 pieces for mine) arrange the dough in baking tray with cut side up.
5. Spray some water, cover and let it rest for 50 mins.
6. Egg wash and sprinkle some chopped walnut on top of the bread.
7. Bake at 180C for 20 mins.

I'm submitting this post to the World Bread Day.

Kuih Kosui (Pandan Flavoured Steamed Rice Pudding)

2011-10-13T23:03:00.002+08:00

Kuih Kosui is a saucer shaped rice pudding which full of pandan (screwpine leaves) flavour. A good Kuih Kosui will carry strong pandan aroma, the texture should be springy and soft. Usually it is eaten with freshly grated coconut.

This week was a busy week, tag along Gabriel shopping for pre-schools. We even went through a trial session, finally, enrol him into a pre-school which needs him to attend the afternoon session as the morning session is full, hopefully he can adjust well with this new arrangement until next year he got a place in the morning session.

He is happy and I'm happy too, both of us decided to go marketing, yes, marketing in Jurong West wet market :) I saw the freshly grated coconut and it reminded me of 鲸鱼 beautiful creation and the Kuih Kosui recently becomes hot bakes for some bloggers. I told myself may be it is easy to make, but... I was wrong, I loss my first tray of Kuih Kosui just because dislodge them too early. Luckily, the second tray save the day :) My son, first time eating Kuih Kosui, he gave the thumb up to this kuih!

Lovely natural green from pandan/screwpine leaves

Recipe adapted from NyonyaFood with minor changes.

Ingredients for syrup:

16 oz/500ml water (used 400ml)
10 oz/310g sugar (used 100g)

Ingredients for pandan juice:
12-15 pandan leaves (used 10 pandan leaves)
21 oz water (used 300ml)
1 tbsp alkaline water (lye water) (omitted)

Ingredients for batter:
6 oz/180g rice flour (used 100g)
2 oz/60g tapioca flour (used 30g)
150ml thick coconut milk

Ingredients for decoration:
some freshly grated coconut (breifly steam together with salt)
1 tsp salt
Steps:
1.To make the syrup, melt the sugar in water over low fire until sugar dissolves . Set aside to cool.
2.Cut pandan leaves into small peices. Combine pandan leaves and water in an electric blender. Blend for 1-2 minutes. Strain the pandan juice through a fine sieve. ~~Add alkaline water into pandan juice~~. Set aside.
3.In another bowl, add rice flour, tapioca flour and coconut milk. Slowly pour in the pandan juice mixture while stirring it consistently till well blended. Add in syrup.
4.Cook flour mixture on low fire till slightly thickened. Remove from fire and pour into pre-heated little teacups/moulds. Steam on high fire for 15 minutes. Take the kuih out from steamer immediately.
5.Leave to cool for at least 6 hrs (I only waited for 2 hrs, should wait longer to get a better shape of the kuih) before removing the kuih from the little teacups.
6.Serve with fresh grated coconut.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.

Pulut Panggang (Grilled Glutinous Rice)

2011-10-11T16:31:00.000+08:00

Pulut Panggang is one of my favourite kueh. It is different from the usual nyonya kuehs texture because of its filling, the fragrance and favourful filling makes me want to eat more of it.

When I eat kuehs, I always remember the days I was living in Penang, the day living with parent and grandparent. If the kuehs carry so much memories in our life, we should pass on the fragrant of it to our next generation, let them remember and one day they will recall the life they had together with us.

I bought the banana leave from the day SSB anounced the theme for the month, wanting to make Pulut Panggang, the need of blending the spicies and stir-fry the filling, then steaming the glutinous rice make the recipe looks time consuming. I wait, and wait until the banana leave wither, I told myself, let do it. This morning, taking pockets of time, in and out of kitchen as Gabriel is with me at home. Juggling his needs for me and the food in the kitchen, finally, all over and I tell you making Pulut Panggang is easier then I thought.

Recipe adapted from Hot Favourites Kuehs & Pastries (No more failed recipes)

Ingredients A

300g glutinous rice

50ml thick coconut milk

1 tsp salt

2 pieces pandan leaves

16 pieces banana leaves (12x15cm)

Ingredients B

150g dried shrimps, chopped

200g grated coconut

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp coriander seed powder

2 tsps pepper

150ml water

Ingredients C

1 piece lemongrass

20g turmeric

3 pieces candlenut (omitted)

2 cloves garlic

5 cloves shallots

Steps:

1. Rinse glutinous rice. Soak in water for 1 hour and drain well. Steam glutinous rice for 20 mins. (I soaked overnight)

2. Mix coconut milk and salt together. Slowly pour coconut milk onto glutinous rice. Add pandan leaves and steam still cooked. The glutinous rice should be soft. Set aside.

3. Blend ingredients C into paste.

4. Fry grated coconut in a dry wok till fragrant. Set aside. Heat 3 tbsps of oil, and fry ingredients C paste till fragrant.

5. Add pepper and coriander seed powder, mix well. Add chopped dried shrimps, grated coconut, salt and sugar and 150ml of water, fry till almost dry. (Remember to taste before adding salt, as some dried shrimps is much salty then the others) Divide filling into 16 equal portions.

6. Rinse banana leaves and heat over dry pan till soft (Rinse with hot water it will soften as well)

7. Spread 1 tbsp (or more) of cooked glutinous rice over the banana leaf, follow by filling, then press tight and roll it up to form a cylinder. Use toothpicks to secure the ends.

8. Grease a flat based pan. Place wrapped glutinous rice on the pan, and grill over low heat till fragrant.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.

Pulut Tai Tai 2 (Blue Glutinous Rice Cakes)

2011-10-10T21:30:00.000+08:00

This is not my first time making this rice cakes or kueh (Malay language), my first one was more than 9 months ago, using same recipe from My Kitchen Snippet, this time just play around with a little change of colour in the rice cakes. As WT is away, I made smaller portion this time, just 1/3 of the ingredients from the original recipe. Anyway, I finished the Pulut Tai Tai in one breakfast, haha... who can resist the coconut milk, a taste from home.

For the recipe and steps please refer to here.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.

Fried Bee Hoon

2011-10-07T16:18:00.002+08:00

I'm not in the mood of posting anything because lots of thing suddenly go haywire, from my bakes to Gabriel's schooling. Even my blog, I can't leave a comment on it!! I really hate things happened this way!! I was unable to concentrate on my baking, too much worries about Gabriel. I was just telling you how good he was in the new environment and suddenly thing turned upside down. Again, an Indian teacher hard handled him at school, left him with red swollen mark on the left shoulder. I said again because it happened before when he was much younger.

He told me the name of the teacher who did it but the school director defends the teacher and afraid if they dismiss the teacher might put the school in unstable stage!! To be precise, just 3 weeks in that school, he had another serious scratch mark done by so call "his friend" according to the teacher assistant. The scratch mark was on the neck to shoulder and it was bleeding, until today already more than a month, it still leave a white mark on his shoulder, I really can't convince myself that it was done by a small boy about 3 years old! Moreover, his form teacher who was merely 3 weeks with him left the school without notice....

The school believe in the teacher assistant who is unqualify to take over the class, if you are me, will you still send your child there? To me the answer is clear!

This vegetarian fried bee hoon was done many months ago, I think around Feb 2011. I'm not in mood of writing the recipe or steps, please pardon me.

Note: I'm still not able to leave a comment on my own blog :(

Thank you all for the concerns and hugs for Gabriel and me.

It is ridiculous for the teacher to pull and press so hard on the small boy shoulder just because he didn't want to drink water and stand near a table to play toys. He told me why he didn't drink water because the teacher shown him "angry eyes" and he felt it was "not safe". I'm so sad that Gabriel has to go through it alone.

Today, I signed the withdrawal form. Without me asking, the school even returns the school fees for this month.

To all mothers, please be aware and scrutinize the teachers qualification and how they handle children if you want to enrol your child to private run school. Enrolled my son into this school was my biggest mistake, I wish I can name the school!!

Jeannie and Verons, so sorry to know that you also had to go through this kind of stressful situation. As a mother, we need to stand up for our child, yes Verons if I were you I would do the same too.

Today is children's day, let pray and ask God to pour His blessing upon all children. Give them a safe environment and surround them with loving and kind people always.

Siew Bao 2 (Baked BBQ Chicken Buns) 烧包

2011-09-30T16:39:00.004+08:00

I plan to bake the Siew Bao for my parent when I go back Penang next month, therefore lot of practise is needed. I find the pastry dough in my previous baked was a bit dry, it resulted the Siew Bao didn't close well on the top. This time I went through Carol's steps on how to make a good pastry and strictly followed every steps and tips. The pastry dough is soft and smooth throughout my rolling, even until the final process. I managed to get a better result, the pastry puffed well and there is hollows and crips feeling when you touch it! This make me really happy!

I used butter instead of oil, managed to make 14 instead of 12 Siew Bao.

Tips to get a good Siew Bao pastry:

1. Don't roll the dough too long or too thin, this will ensure the oil dough and water dough doesn't leak into each others and ensure you get flaky pastry.

2. Don't press the dough too hard while flattening it.

Lovely flaky pastry with juicy chicken filling.

Ingredients for filling:

250g chicken breast, sliced into small cubes
some mix vegetables
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsps sesame oil
a pinch of salt
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsps cornstarch
2 tbsps oyster sauce
1 tbsps dark soy sauce
3 tbsps cooking oil

Steps:
1. Marinade all the ingredients (except garlic and cooking oil) for an hour.
2. Heat wok, add cooking oil. Stir-fry garlic for 2 mins, add the marinade chicken. Stir-fry the chicken until cook, or about 8 mins. Set aside to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Jane's Corner
Ingredients for pastry:

water dough:
200g plain flour
50g butter
1 tbsp sugar
90ml water

oil dough:
200g top flour
70g butter

Steps:
1. In a bowl, mix ingredients for water dough (except butter), slowly add in water. Knead into a rough dough, add butter and knead to a smooth dough. Cover and set aside for 30 mins.
2. Mix ingredients for oil dough. Use butter knife to cut the butter and use fingertips to lightly rub the butter with flour until mixture look like fine breadcrumbs. Lightly press together the oil dough. Cover and keep in fridge for 30 mins.
3. Divide water and oil dough into 14 portions respectively.
4. Flatten the water dough, wrap the oil dough in it. Flatten with rolling pin, roll up. Cover and let it rest for 15 mins. Flatten from the long side, roll up. Cover and let it rest for 10 mins.
5. Use finger to pull up two end of the dough and press into middle. Flatten the dough into circle and stuff filling, egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6. Bake at 210 C for 30 mins.

Chilli Crabs

2011-09-28T08:00:00.001+08:00

I cooked this dish last Friday to celebrate WT finally has a break to stay in Singapore for two weeks! Cooking Chilli Carbs really not an easy task, you need to have live crabs, the frozen one is not advisable. In this post I'll share with you on how I put my crabs into "sleep" before it goes under the chopper.

I bought four medium live crabs with S$22, this is really cheap if compared to eating the chilli crabs in a restaurant! While I was choosing the crab, one of it literally bounce up to attack me!! Luckily its claws were bound. With two layers of plastic bag the live crabs went straight into freezer to...sleep! Then I went straight to pick up my son from school. Came home, lunch, washed my dishes, when I took them out from freezer it was an hour later. I bathe the crabs, haha, ya! brush them with my kitchen brush, and then ...suddenly two of the crabs woke up, moving!! I was shocked, how come they still ALIVE, straight to the freezer the two went!

Cleaning crab is an important task, if didn't clean it probably the dish will stink!

Steps to clean the crabs:

1. Scrape the crab with kitchen brush under running water (my brush is with a long handle for easy holding)

2. Use knife to poke into between shell and fresh of the crab to pull open the top shell, it reverts the spongy grey portion of the crabs, this stink portion has to be discarded totally.

3. Cut the crabs into half like in number 4. Wash the crabs clean, smash the claws with a cleaver to allow the sauce to penetrate later.

The paste itself is very spicy, if you are like me which is unable to take super spicy food, you can add more tomato sauce and sugar to make it less spicy.

See above steps on how to clean the crabs

This dish is yummy to go with buns or steamed white rice!

Recipe adapted from Chng Kee's with modifications

1 bottle of Chng Kee's Singapore Chilli Crabs Sauce

4 fresh crabs

5 tbsp oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp sugar

600ml boiling water

5 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp corn flour mix with a bit of cold water

1 egg, beaten

few sprigs coriander leaves to garnish

Steps:

1. Heat wok (or large pan) with oil, stir-fry garlic for 2 mins, add Singapore Chilli Sauce, stir-fry until fragrant. Add crabs into the wok, stir-fry for 5 mins.

2. Add light soy sauce, sugar, water, tomato sauce, and oyster sauce, simmer crabs for 15 mins or until the crabs are cooked. Add a little more water if the wok begins to dry up.

3. When sauce is boiling, add corn flour mixture to thicken the sauce, stir in beaten egg.

4. Garnish with coriander leaves, serve at room temperature with hot rice or buns.

Gabriel's Artworks 2

2011-09-27T11:23:00.000+08:00

It has been a while since I posted Gabriel's Drawings 1 (10 Nov, 2010), he has created quite a numbers of them, is time for me to record his learning development. I have mentioned Gabriel's love to draw and is a strong will boy who doesn't want people to hold his hands, he is still a strong will boy. Yes, I'm glad that drawing still is his favourites activity.

12 Nov 2010

The above drawing was done after he took his nap, he used mainly paint brush and hand printed the water colour.

I asked him: what are you drawing?

He told me: snakes!

and he used his palm to press on the paper to show me how the snake moved, isn't it amazing?

14 July 2011

To me, this is an abstract drawing. He mainly used marker pens, initially drew the difference sizes of squares then added the expression to some of them. I can see the different emotions in them, this is his world and how he sees the people surrounding him. This kind of maturity make me worries, my son, as always is a sensible and sensitive boy.

Gabriel and Papa

Mama, Gabriel, Grandma and Papa

A house for grandma

each of us has a house

24 Aug 2011

This drawing was done in an evening, he drew Yiyi, Mama, Gabriel, Grandma and Papa. It was his first "Family" drawing, he especially highlight Grandma with curly hair :) As you can see he drew Yiyi and Grandma in blue and Mama, Gabriel and Papa in Green pencil. I think he has the idea of who is considered as direct family members.

Can know Yiyi and Grandma have a special space in his little heart, he always want Yiyi to visit him again when is time for Yiyi to leave. As for Grandma, I think he still remember the fun he had when Grandma came over to Singapore. But I think he was confused with why Papa is always not around the house because once he said "Ask Papa to come to Gabriel's house!" this is bad, I really hope that WT no need to travel so much in future. The weekly missing of Papa in the house really affected him.

7 Sep 2011

This was done on an afternoon, he came back from school and straight away creating this piece of 3D Art. I was in the kitchen busy with the washing, came out shock to see hole on the drawing board then I realized it was hole on the paper. I was wondering what is this? He told me "Campfire!"

He literally cut and sticked the paper on top of the other and colour it with crayon!! Can you see the 3D effect (second picture) The blue short lines on the bottom of the fire is branches, the darker blue on top is the fire flame! I am really impressed that he is so detail into even translate the fire tones into his drawing. He is very observant!

16 Sep 2011

This is a beautiful art piece just because Gabriel used different materials on hand to create his master piece. I was in the kitchen after lunch and came out to see this beautiful smiling plate welcoming me!

He used water colour, plastic plate and toilet paper to complete his creation. Need to highlight is he used something sharp to scrape out the eyes, nose and mouth for his smiling plate. The fun part is he sticked toilet paper balls on the "cheek" :D I asked him, who is this? He told me "elephant!" This is really a happy elephant!

Angkoo Kueh (Red Tortoise Cake/Steamed Glutinous Rice Paste with Mung Bean Filling)

2011-09-25T16:57:00.001+08:00

Angkoo Kueh is a kind of Chinese Nyonya kueh usually serve during religious event or auspicious occasion such as baby's full moon or birthday. Still remember the days when I was young and lived with my grandma in Penang, we often received Angkoo Kueh from relatives on occasion such as child birth. People give Angkoo Kueh together with yellow glutinous rice and curry to relatives to inform them of the arrival of newborn. The relatives will know whether the baby is a boy or girl by looking at the shape of the Angkoo! If there is round Angkoo in the gift box, it means the baby is a boy. In Hokkien Angkoo or Angku means Red Tortoise. Kueh means Cake and tortoise symbolizes longevity.

The filling for the Angkoo can be mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes, or sometime mung bean. Recently I saw Lena posted her beautiful Purple Sweet Potato Angkoo, however, I've run out of purple sweet potato I decided to used beetroot, an ingredeint used in ReeseKitchen's Angkoo. This is my first Angkoo and I'm very exciting about the result, thanks ReeseKitchen for the recipe!

I pureed my beetroot. It was bright red, after mixing it with the glutinous rice flour, the mixture turned pink. The Angkoo was pinkish before steam, when it is hot it was orange, then it turned red when the Angkoo has cool down.

Beetroot

The colour in different stages.

I'm submitting this to Malaysian Muhibbah Monday Event hosted by Test With Skewer.

Recipe adapted from ReeseKitchen

Ingredients for pastry:

200g beetroot puree (cooked, mashed and blended)

300g Glutinious flour
1 tbsp Rice flour
2 tbsp Sugar
3 tbsp Cooking oil
200ml Water (gradually add in, I used ~80ml)

Ingredients for filling:
250g Split Mung beans
140g Sugar
4 tbsp Cooking oil

Steps for filling:
1. Soaked the Mung beans overnight.
2. Steam the beans for 45-1hr, with pandan leafs on top if desire.
3. While its still hot, add in oil & sugar, blend till fine. (I mashed my mung beans)
4. Make into small balls.

Steps for pastry:
1. Mixed all ingredients by hand.
2. Make into a dough, leave for 20-30 minutes.
3. Grab a portion (as the mould using) then wrapped in the paste(ball)
4. Dust the mould with some rice flour or oil before pressing in the dough.
5. Knock out & place on the cut & oiled banana leafs.
6. Brush a bit of oil on top of the cut banana leafs before placing the dough on top.
7. Use a steamer, steam on medieum heat for 8-10 minutes.
8. When its done, brush oil on top of each kueh to prevent sticking together.

Chocolate Green Tea Bao/Bun (with red bean)

2011-09-22T09:23:00.001+08:00

I have lot of red bean paste leftover from my mooncakes making, what should I do? Lot of ideas cross my mind. To me, Bao/Bun making is easy and fast with less cleaning up, as no machine required. I made these buns in 1.5 hour using Straight Dough Method! (I've mentioned so many times, still I need to say, I love Gelatinized Dough Method)

Cocoa powder and green tea powder are used to create double tones on the bao skin, but as you can see the green is subdued. May be you can share with me on the type of green tea powder to be used for getting the beautiful green. I'm referring to 爱生活，爱厨房 to make mine baos.

According to doctor Gabriel is sensitive to haze. He coughs a lot during night time. He lost his appetite, hopefully these buns can attract his attention and fill his little tummy. These few days he is at home with me, and I discovered that he knew how to button his own cloth and no longer afraid (using shower head) when I wash his hair, he loves to sing "rain, rain go away, Gabriel wants to play!", Haha, is time to move him away from his little bath tub.

I used Hong Kong Bao Flour for this creation, the bao is soft on the first day and getting chewy on the second day. Re-steaming is required to make it soft again. I didn't add shortening, an ingredient believe to make the bao skin looks smooth. However, I still able to get a smooth bao skin. I think this mainly has to do with how we knead the dough and the steamer is crucial factor too.

Recipe adapted from 爱生活，爱厨房 with modifications

Ingredients:

300g HK bao flour

4g dry instant yeast

40g sugar

1/4 tsp salt

150ml warm water

15g cocoa unsweetened powder

15g green tea powder

red bean paste

Steps:

1. Mix bao flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Divide the powder into two portions, one portion add cocoa powder and another add green tea powder. Gradually add water to respective mixtures and form rough dough. Knead to smooth dough. Spray water on the doughs and cover with wet cloth. Let it proof for 40 mins.

2. Punch down the doughs, roll into balls. Let it rest for 10 mins.

3. Flatten the green tea dough into a square, flatten the cocoa dough into the same size as the green tea dough. Laid the cocoa dough on top of green tea dough, roll it up swiss roll style.

4. Cut into the small portions (12 portions). Cut side up, flatten the dough using your palm before roll it with rolling pin. Flip the circle dough and wrap in the filling.

5. Steam for 10 mins.

I'm submitting this post to {Event} Natural Colours Bakes hosted by Hankerie

Chocolate Purple Sweet Potato Toast (Gelatinized Dough Method 汤种）

2011-09-20T16:00:00.004+08:00

Weekdays means WT needs to fly again, sigh! This week is challenging because Gabriel is down with runny nose and coughs, this means many times of vomitting and cleaning up, sigh! Emotionally I'm a bit tire.

"Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you in easy, and the load I will put on you is light." ... Matthew 11:28-30

Not really satisfy with the pattern on the toast, I think I made a mistake while folding the dough. I was especting the purple portion to be bigger than the brown. The Brown portion turned out with a "big" head :<

This round of baking is with reference to Carol's 峰密南瓜吐司 and 孟老师 Cocoa Double Tone Toast. The gelatinized dough used was different from my previous baking, a piece of cheese was added to it. Less water was added to this toast because of the used of wet mashed purple sweet potatoes. I love the taste of the toast, a bit bitterness from cocoa and sweetness from purple sweet potatoes.

Bit of pieces of purple sweet potatoes on the crust. I like the light purple hue :)

Recipe adapted from 孟老师 with modifications.

ingredients for gelatinized dough:

1 piece of cheese

70ml milk

20g bread flour

Ingredients for main dough:

280g bread flour

150g mashed purple sweet potatoes (peeled, boiled and mashed)

1 egg

40g fine sugar

1/4 tsp salt

4g dry instant yeast

130ml water (used 60ml water from boiled purple sweet potatoes)

20g Unsalted butter

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Steps:

1. Tear cheese in A into small pieces, add milk and cook on low heat, stir until melted. Add flour and stir to form a dough, remove from heat, set aside to cool, cover and keep in fridge for 1 hour.

2. Add gelatinized dough and all ingredients in B except the mashed purple sweet potatoes in a bowl, gradually add 1/2 of the water and knead well. Divide the rough dough into two portion, one portion add mashed purple sweet potatoes, knead until well-blended (gradually add water if required). Add 10g butter and knead to form elastic dough.

3. The other remaining dough, add unsweetened cocoa powder, knead until well-blended (gradually add water as this dough required more water than the purple sweet potatoes dough). Add 10g butter and knead to form elastic dough.

4. Spray water on doughs and place in separate containers. Cover and let it proof for 60 mins.

5. Punch down the doughs, roll into respective balls, cover and let it rest for 15 mins.

6. Flatten the purple sweet potatoes dough into a square shape which has same length as your toast tin. Flatten the cocoa dough into a square shape (I think I made mistake in this step, the cocoa dough should be smaller than the purple sweet potatoes dough to get the right pattern on the toast) roll up the dough and place in baking tin. spray water and cover. Let it proof for 60 mins.

7. When the dough reach 90% height of the baking tin, place in the preheat oven at 210C and bake for 40 mins. Dislodge from tin once baked.

Happy Baking!

I'm submitting this post to {Event} Natural Colours Bakes hosted by Hankerie.

Chocolate Purple Sweet Potato Roulade

2011-09-15T14:28:00.002+08:00

I could feel the breeze on my face, it was bending branches in the trees. I woke up to my amazed to see the rabbit dressed and had a watch, ran by at full speed, muttering "I'll be late!". There were colourful flowers in the countryside, a sleepy-looking caterpillar laid on a giant toadstool, a cat curled up on the tree's branch.

The Queen of Hearts ate the log with purple swirl without hesitating! What?! ...yes, you are in the Wonderland.

Manage to get a copy of 孟老师's roulade recipes from Kinokuniya, swing into action as I have been long wanting to bake her roulade. For the sponge I'm using the recipe for Chocolate log that used France Style Egg Separation Method 法式分蛋海绵蛋糕。As the filling I'm using her method for Yam Swiss Roll as it doesn't require to whisk the whipped cream, this really save me time on cleaning up :)

The texture of this roulade is difference from my previous roulades because of the method and almond powder used. The sponge is soft and dense, the taste is better with almond. Oh, dear! time to wake up from my wonderland.

Recipe adapted from 孟老师 with changes to the filling.

Ingredients for cocoa batter:

25g butter

20g icing sugar

25g egg whites

20g top flour

5g cocoa powder

Steps:

1. Soften the butter, mix with all ingredients.

2. Pour on baking tray, use a scraper to smoothen the cocoa batter.

3. Use comb scraper to comb out the line pattern on batter. Place in freezer for 30 mins.

Ingredients for purple sweet potato filling:

250g purple sweet potatoes (peeled, steamed and mashed)

50g icing sugar

30g butter

50g whipping cream

Steps:

1. Add icing sugar and butter to the mashed purple sweet potatoes while it's hot. Use a spatula to stir well.

2. Gradually add the whipping cream into the purple sweet potatoes and mix until it is smooth. Set aside in fridge for 30 mins.

Ingredients for sponge:

20g butter

60g almond powder

30g icing sugar

120g eggs (about 2)

100g egg whites (about 2.5)

60g fine sugar

50g top flour

Steps:

1. Melt the butter.

2. Whisk the almond powder, icing sugar with full egg until the batter turned pale.

3. Beat egg whites until frothy, add 1/2 sugar and beat until soft peaks. Put in remaining sugar gradually and beat until stiff.

4. Fold ¼ of egg whites into (2) and then another ¼ egg whites.

5. Pour egg batter into the remaining egg whites and fold (no need to be too thorough).
6. Shift in the flour in two batches, fold well.
7. Pour small amount of the flour batter into (1), mix well and pour the butter batter into the remaining flour batter, fold until well combined.
8. Pour into baking tray and bake at 190C for 12~15 mins.
9. Remove the sponge from tray once the sponge is out from oven. Let it cool completely before apply the filling.
10. Roll up the sponge in swiss-roll style and place in firdge for at least 1 hour before cutting the edge.

I'm submitting this post to Natural Colour Bakes hosted by Hankerie.

Steamed Creamy Purple Sweet Potato Custard Bun (紫薯奶黄包）

2011-09-12T17:37:00.004+08:00

It has been a while since my last making of bao/ bun. I made these Purple Sweet Potato Custard Buns, WT was around to help me taking care of Gabriel that afternoon. I packed the bao as dinner, we were in a rush to attend the Moon/ Lantern Festival celebration at the Singapore Zoo and we have friends help sampling food too :) Actually it is my first time asking friends to sample my bao.

It was in a hurry to make these buns, I used the straight dough method instead of the usual gelatinized dough method which I preferred. The texture of the bun is still soft when I consumed it the second day, it could be because of purple sweet potatoes added.

It's relaxing to eat homemade bun with family in an outdoor setting. Its simple, its basic but it holds us together as family.

custard filling

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to Everyone!

欢乐庆中秋！

Recipe adapted from Carol's 奶黃包

Custard Filling Ingredients:
100ml milk
50g caster sugar
50g unsalted butter
2 eggs
10g cheese
25g corn flour
25g plain flour
1 chopped salted egg yolk (omitted)

Steps:
1. Add milk, sugar and butter in pot, stir under low heat until bubbles.
2. Eggs lightly beaten, add in cheese, corn flour and plain flour, mix well the egg mixture.
3. Add the egg mixture batter into (1), stir well.
4. Bring the pot over the low heat, keep stirring until thicken and form a soft dough.

Bao/Bun Ingredients:
400g bao flour
200g purple sweet potatoes (peeled, steamed and mashed)
1 tsp instant dry yeast
200ml warm milk (used 100~150ml liquid from boiled purple sweet potatoes)
20g sugar
1/4 salt
some vegetable shortening

Steps:
1. Place the yeast into warm liquid for 5 mins.
2. Add all above dry ingredients into a bowl, graduately pour in the yeast liquid. Knead until it form a nonsticky dough, add the vegetable shortening and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Form a ball and place in a bowl cover with damp cloth. Let it proof for 1 hour.
4. Once proofing complete, press out the air and form a long dough. Divide the dough into 18 nos.
5. Flatten the dough, stuff in custard filling in the middle, wrap it into small ball.
6. Place bao dough on a piece of baking paper and let it proof for another 20 mins.
7. Place bao dough in the preheat steamer and steam for 10~12 mins

I'm submitting this post to Natural Colour Bakes hosted by Hankerie.

Purple Sweet Potato Snowskin Mooncake: purple obsession

2011-09-08T19:30:00.001+08:00

Gabriel brought home a piece of small yellowish snowskin mooncake, he told me "teacher made it!" the smell of the snowskin is ...yuck! too much shortening used! (Don't misunderstanding me, the snowskin mooncake he brought home was placed with his unfinished snack in his snack box, the mooncake was made in class to strengthen the students knowledge on mid-autumn festival, so as a mum you wouldn't let your kid eat this too) and I threw it to rubbish bin straight away. The story didn't end because after lunch my son asked me for the mooncake he brought home! He insisted to have it back, I shown him the rubbish bin and promised to help him make a nice one.

My purple obsession started when I baked Thousand Layers Yam Mooncake, then I saw Wendy's purple sweet potato chiffon and then again Lena's purple sweet potatoes angkoo kuih, so I couldn't get rid of the purple and come out with this Purple Sweet Potato Snowskin Mooncake! This round no food colouring used, is natural romantic purple :)

One big piece of purple sweet potato about 200g, peeled and boiled until soft. Separate the water with purple sweet potato, mashed the purple sweet potato and retain the water for later use.

Can see bit and pieces of purple sweet potatoes on the snowskin. If you ask me on the taste, yes, this is yummylicious!

Ingredients for snowskin:

200g premix snowskin powder

200g mashed purple sweet potatoes

10g shortening (no need to add all)

50ml water from boiled purple sweet potatoes

5ml pandan essence

15g icing sugar

Ingredients for filling:

red bean paste

Steps:

1. roll the red bean paste into a small balls set aside. I made 10 pieces.
2. Place snow skin powder into a small bowl, add mashed purple sweet potato, pandan essence, sugar, mix well. Graduately add water, knead into a rough dough and add shortening and knead into a smooth dough. Set aside for 30 mins.
3. Flatten the skin dough and wrap in filling, shape the dough into a ball. Place in the mooncake mould, press and dislodge imprinted mooncake.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treats (September 2011), hosted by Happy Home Baking.

Thousand Layers Yam Mooncake (Teochew Spiral Mooncake 芋头酥)

2011-09-06T11:37:00.001+08:00

Mid-Autumn Festival is around the corner, I'm making this Thousand Layers Yam Mooncake or Teochew Spiral Mooncake for an old friend. Please go to Carol's blog to see the method in making yam paste and the flaky yam mooncake.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treats (September 2011), hosted by Happy Home Baking.

Recipe adapted from Carol
Ingredients for yam paste:
1 big (500g) yam, cut into small cubes, steam for 20 mins, mash.
80g sugar
30g butter
20g milk powder

water dough:
200g plain flour
15g sugar
70g Ghee (used olive oil)
105g cold water

oil dough:
160g top flour
80g Ghee (used olive oil)
few drops of yam essence (used voilet food colouring)

Steps:
1. To prepare water dough: sugar + flour, add water + oil, knead for 5-6 mins to form soft dough.
2. cover dough with wrapping foil and set aside for 40 mins.
3. To prepare oil dough: flour+ oil+ food colouring, knead to form soft dough (don't knead too long), keep in fridge.
4. Cut water and oil doughs into 3 portions respectively, form balls.
5. Wrap oil dough in water dough. Flatten the dough, roll up the dough in swiss-roll style, cover with wet cloth, let the dough rest for 10 mins.
6. Flatten the dough and roll up the dough in swiss-roll style, cover with wet cloth, let the dough rest for 20 mins.
7. Cut the dough into half, flatten the dough with rolling pin, cut side outward, wrap in yam filling.
8. Bake at 170C for 25 mins.

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Gabriel, 3 years 5 months writing his name by himself for the first time, the writing in purple was written by him!

Penang Tau Sar Piah/ Mung Bean Biscuits 豆沙饼

2011-09-04T20:46:00.001+08:00

Ghee Hiang and Him Hiang are the two oldest shops in Penang which is famous for theirs' Tau Sar Piah or Mung Bean Biscuits. I ate this quite often when I was young because the Ghee Hiang shop is just opposite my father working place :)

After baking my first Siew Pow, I've more confidence in baking my own Tau Sar Piah. I refered to Jane's Corner and My Kitchen Snippets recipes and found that they have some differences in the ingredients, Jane used peeled mung beans and Gertrude used dried mung beans and vineger, both creations were beautifully done. At the end I used Gertrude, My Kitchen Snippets recipe because she didn't use shortening. However, as I don't have dried mung beans, I used mung beans and ...that's really lot of time in preparing the filling, it took me nearly 4 hours in the kitchen just to make these Tau Sar Piah, while two boys rushed me to go picnic with them in West Coast Park! I think this is a good excuse why I forgot to peel the mung beans :) My filling end up in frightening....grey greenish.

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Snippets

Oil Dough:

175 gram Flour
100 ml vegetable oil

Water Dough:
345 gram Flour
180 ml vegetable oil
135 ml water
¾ tsp vinegar (omitted)

Filling:
50 ml vegetable oil
2 shallots - thinly sliced (used 5 shallots)
150 gram sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp white pepper
400 gram dried mung beans (used 300g mung beans)

Steps:

1. Soak the beans overnight, steamed for 40 minutes or until soft, then Mashed. Add In the sugar, salt and pepper and mix well.

2. Heat up the oil and fry the shallots until lightly brown and fragrant. Add in the bean mixture. Stir and fry until the mixture is slightly dry and you are able to form it into a ball.

3. Remove and divide the filling into 65 small balls. (I made 34 medium balls) Set it aside.

Prepare the dough:

1. Mix ingredients for oil dough until it form into a smooth dough. If the dough is too dry add a bit more oil. Wrap dough with cling wrap and set it aside to rest for 30 mins. Divide into 65 pieces.

2. Mix Ingredients for water dough together until it form into a smooth dough. Wrap dough with cling wrap and set it aside for 30 mins. Divide into 65 pieces.

Please refer to My Kitchen Snippets to see how to assemble the biscuits.

Soak the mung beans overnight, steam for 40 mins. then mash.

Add salt, pepper, fried shallots and mix well.(as I forgot to peel the mung beans, the mixture is grey greenish)

Oreo Chiffon Cake

2011-08-31T17:06:00.002+08:00

My son has been attending Sunflowerbambini for a month. I accompanied him only for the first day. He goes to school daily, every morning he will ask me "where are we going?" I'll tell him, "You are going to school." Then he goes to school happily! This is a big change if compared to when he was at LV. He attended LV for nearly 3 months, at LV he was so attached to his form teacher and his own class room. I was worried and I think the decision to change him to Sunflowerbambini is the right one!

Every morning he will have a chance to play in the real playground, I say real because the playground is in the school garden, he sees grass and soil not the one with rubber floor mat! When come to mid day, he no need to sit in the toilet waiting half an hour for teachers to bath his classmates. At Sunflowerbambini, the teacher will bathe two students at a time and the rest play or listen to stories tell by teacher assistant.

Everyday, he comes home with colour patches on his hands and shirt. I'm a strong believer of empower children to do their own things and not holding their hands to accomplish what we think they should accomplish. I don't want a beautiful result, children have their own thinking and I think a good education system should help to unleash their creativity. Is amazing and releasing for me to see my boy being categories by teachers as "active" and "vocal". .. Moreover, he no longer attached to a teacher, any teachers take over the class is fine for him!!

Post-note (19/10/2011):

I withdrew my son from Sunflowerbambini on 12/10/2011. His form teacher gone "missing" after a mere 3 weeks with him, the school asked an unqualify teacher assistant to take over the class (which I strongly disagreed and the director of the school think this is appropriate). Add on to that was one day my son came home with red swollen mark which he told me done by a teacher assistant, which the school defended and denied the case. I believe my son, the mark was on his shoulder for 3 days.

He merely with school for about 2 months and there was an earlier case of deep scratch mark which bleed (on left side of the neck to shoulder) who the school claimed was done by a student who merely 2+, the wound recovered but leaving a white mark on my son shoulder until the day I write this note, can you believe a child can create this kind of deep cut on his peer?

Whoever read this, please judge for yourself before sending your child to this school.

So much about my son ^^ Let me present to you this interesting Oreo Chiffon Cake. You may hop over to Table for Two or More, Bakericious and Cherry Potato to see theirs beautiful Oreo Chiffon Cakes too!

Recipe adapted from Table for Two or More, Bakericious and Cherry Potato

Ingredients :

(A)
65gm oreo (half a regular tube), lightly pulverized together with cream

(B)
5 egg yolks
50gm sugar
60gm milk
60gm corn oil
100gm cake flour, sifted

(C)
5 egg whites
~~½ tsp cream of tartar or~~ 1 tsp lemon/lime juice
60gm sugar

Steps:
1. Preheat oven at 160/180C.
2. Mix yolks and sugar together. Then put in the oil. Alternate add in milk and sifted flour. Combine with a whisk until smooth. (Do not whisk or beat but just combine)
3. Beat egg whites until frothy, add lemon juice and beat until soft peaks. Put in sugar gradually and beat until stiff.
4. Fold ¼ of egg whites into (2) and then another ¼ egg whites.
5. Pour egg yolk batter into the remaining egg whites and fold (no need to be too thorough).
6. Put in pulverized oreos and fold until well combined.
7. Pour into a clean ungreased tube pan (22 or 25cm will be fine) and bake for 45 minutes.
8. Invert immediately upon removal from oven. Wait for it to cool down totally before removing cake from pan.