17 February 2015

Dahlia Butter Cookies with Strawberry Flavour 草莓口味花开福贵牛油饼



This will be the last bake for the coming Chinese New Year, my previous baked on Dahlia Butter Cookies was with rose essence flavour, I like it but my hubby said he doesn't like the rose aroma. Today, even I still not completely  feeling well, I make an effort to bake this Dahlia Butter Cookies (Kuih Semperit) again with strawberry flavour. My boy loves this melt-in-mouth cookies with his flavorite strawberry aroma! Another beautiful Chinese New Year cookies that love by my family. 

May the Blessing of God be showered on you and your family, wishing you a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year!

新年快乐,一切顺心,身体健康,万事如意!















Ingredients:
125g butter
50g icing sugar
1
 tsp strawberry essence
1 egg yolk
110g plain flour
100g corn flour
20g potato flour
a few drops of pink food colouring paste

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 140C. (oven temperature may vary depends on the capacity of your oven)
2. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
3. Cream butter with hand whisk to light, gradually add the icing sugar, whisk until it is light and pale (Make sure to cream the mixture until smooth, this will result in melt-in-mouth cookies texture). Add egg yolk and strawberry essence. Mix well.
4. Sieve all flour together, add into the butter-egg mixture, stir with spatula until combine.
Knead the dough with hand until smooth. 
5. Take 1/3 of the dough, mix with a few drops of pink food colouring. Knead the dough well.
6. Put some plain dough and some pink dough in the big nozzle (I used Wilton 847 big nozzle without pipping bag), push it out using your thumb, press out the dough on the prepared baking tray.
7. Bake at 140C for 20~25 mins until the cookies is slightly brown (Watch your oven, not to burn the cookies). Take out the baking tray and cool the cookies on wire rack completely before keep in airtight container. 

13 February 2015

Valentine Rainbow Heart Cookies 情人节心型采红曲奇


第一次这面子书上看到Eugenie Kitchen的情人节心型采红曲奇就大大喜欢,於是就动手弄了。烘焙这种采红曲奇真的还得花点耐心,还有得计划好面团的厚度,这是成功的关键得记得哟!成品是亮丽的香脆牛油曲奇。。。我的牛油曲奇过早切面团了道至曲奇的背面不工整。

Fall in love with Eugenie Kitchen's Rainbow Heart Cookies when I saw her video on Facebook for the first time! Swung into action to bake this beautiful Rainbow Heart Cookies. I'm going to say that this is not a simple task as it involved lot of patient for the cookies dough to harden in the fridge and you need a little planning on the cookies dough thickness. 

The height of the dough before cutting has to be the same height as your cookies cutter. When you are flattening the dough, you have to estimate with your cookies cutter on what is the maximum number you can cut out from the dough, then decide the wide and length of the dough you are flattening. For my case, I want to cut out two hearts on each slice of the dough and  with the cookies cutter thickness, I have four slices of the dough stack. I got 9 rainbow hearts. With one salvage from the left over dough.

The end result is an awesome, attractive, crunchy butter Valentine Rainbow Heart Cookies that everyone who want to eat it will say "I love you!" Hahahaha!!! My hubby said it!! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Note: For future bake on this cookies, I will prefer using 160C~170C to prevent the browning on the side of cookies. My cookies was baked at 190C for 10 mins.








You can watch Eugine Kitchen Rainbow Heart cookies video on You Tube here

Ingredients:
170g unsalted butter, soften 
155g icing sugar
a pinch of salt
5ml vanilla essence
3 egg yolks
310g cake flour
food colouring: red, pink, yellow, blue, green and purple
egg white (to stick each dough together)


Method:
1. In a mixing bowl, cream the soften butter then add in icing sugar, hand whisk until the butter mixture is light and fluffy. 
2. Add salt and vanilla essence, mix well.
3. Add egg yolks, one at each adding, mix well in each adding.
4. Sift in cake flour, fold the flour with butter mixture. 
5. Knead the cookies dough well until it is not sticky to hands.
6. Divide the dough with 1/3 plain dough, for the remaining 2/3 dough continue to divide into 6 portions with rainbow colour as you wish. 
7. Knead well for each dough and wrap in individual plastic cling and keep in fridge for 15 mins. 
8. Take out the colour dough flatten the dough between two pieces of plastic cling to your plan thickness and size. Keep them back to fridge for 15 mins, or until the dough is a bit hard.
9. Lay red dough square on a piece of plastic cling, apply egg white on the red dough. Stack with pink dough, apply egg white on the surface of pink dough. Then lay the yellow dough square on the pink dough, apply egg white on the surface of yellow dough. Stack the blue dough square on the yellow dough, apply egg white on the surface of blue dough. Stack the green dough square on the blue dough, apply the egg white on the surface of the green dough. Stack the last purple dough square on the green dough.  Press the dough square lightly so they are sticking well. Wrap with plastic cling and keep in the fridge until the dough is hard.
10. Slice the dough into four slices, use the heart shape cookies cutter to cut out two hearts from each slice. You will have beautiful rainbow hearts, keep the rainbow hearts in fridge until the dough is harden. 
11. Stack the rainbow hearts together with egg white. Let it set or harden in fridge.
12. Take out the plain dough, wrap it to cover the rainbow heart. Wrap the dough with plastic cling and keep in the fridge until it is harden.
13. Slice the dough into the thickness you want. Bake in oven at 190C for 10 mins. (I find the temperature is too high for my oven, it should be bake at 160~170C in future) 



08 February 2015

Mantou (Chocolate Spiral Steamed Bun 鲜奶巧克力双色馒头卷)


Mantou (Chinese Steamed Bun) a simple bun that can be taken plain or even go with chili crab, braised pork, curry, etc. In some occasions, we eat deep fried mantou. It is with no filling but mantou can have many varieties of flavour depends on what you like. I used to make bao, a type of Chinese steamed bun with filling, to me there is a little difference between these two steamed buns. The texture of the mantou is not so fluffy as the bao. Mantou texture is soft but denser than bao! My son ate two of the chocolate spiral steamed buns straight after I took the photos!

The proportion of chocolate dough and plain dough for this creation is 1:3, I have tried on 1:1 but the swirl turned out is not what I like. I love how this swirls turned out, it looks beautiful! 

This recipe is with reference to Carol's Milk Mantou (鲜奶馒头) with minor change. I add a tsp of cocoa powder and extra 30ml of milk. 

今天上的馒头。。。自己是非常满意那双色卷。巧克力和白面团的对比是 1:3



06 February 2015

Dahlia Butter Cookies (Kuih Semperit 花开福贵牛油饼)



This Dahlia Butter Cookies was on my baking list for long, but I didn't take any action thinking I'm not good in cake pipping. I was wrong! One day when I was searching on the web, I chanced on Nasi Lemak Lover's blog, she shown us the tool she used for her Dahlia Cookies which make me think that I should try baking one. 

I tried on a few pipping tips but it is the Wilton 847 big nozzle that work for me. I pushed and pipped the dough using my fingers without the pipping bag. This is actually a beautiful festive bakes with its unique rose aroma, of course who can resist the melt-in-mouth cookies. This cookies really make me feel that Chinese Lunar New Year is near!!

这是好久以前就想烘焙的牛油饼,那时的我看了以为很难的挤花后来才知道不难!所以说在生命里没有不能成的事,难在人心成事在人!我用了不同的挤花尝试,后来找出Wilton 847 大挤花头是用手直接把面团塞进花嘴挤出的。这是一道很漂亮的应节牛油饼,我想大家都会喜欢它那独得的玫瑰香还有酥滑的牛油口感。 这道牛油饼真的把过年的气息带来卡达尔了!

Thanks Jane for the recipe and Sonia for showing how to pipe the Dahlia Flowers. This recipe is a keeper as it doesn't distort the shape of the flower after baked!!







Ready for the oven!







Ingredients:
125g butter
50g icing sugar
1/2 tsp rose essence
1 egg yolk
110g plain flour
100g corn flour
20g potato flour
a few drop of pink food colouring 

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 140C. (oven temperature may varies depends on the capacity of your oven)
2. Line baking tray with parchment paper.
3. Cream butter with hand whisk to light, gradually add the icing sugar, whisk until it is light and pale. Add egg yolk and rose essence. Mix well.
4. Sift the flour together, add into the butter-egg mixture, stir with spatula until combine.
Knead the dough with hand until smooth. 
5. Take 1/3 of the dough, mix with a few drop of pink food colouring. Knead the dough well.
6. Put some plain dough and some pink dough in the big nozzle, push it out using your thumb, press out the dough on the prepared baking tray.
7. Bake at 140C for 20~25 mins until the cookies is slightly brown. Take out the baking tray and cool the cookies on wire rack completely before keep in airtight container. 

Peanut Cookies 花生饼


Peanut Cookies is sure in my menu because it is one of my hubby's favourite! This was the second batch I baked in a row, this year I changed the peanut cookies pattern a bit, it is with indentation in the middle. My first batch of peanut cookies actually didn't take the indentation well, the cookies dough cracked when I made the indentation in the middle. So I added more oil for my second batch of baking so the dough is able to bind well. 

To get a smooth peanut cookies, you need to use icing sugar and make sure you knead the dough well! Love this crumbly and addictive cookies!! Oops! the top of the cookies is way too dark...next time no more adding of golden syrup in the glaze. 

想家的时候。。。就是一直在厨房弄着想恋又熟悉的食物。把那对生命的热诚都化成了热量吃进肚子里了。。。所以说不在这个季节变胖是假的!!但是哟。。。那花生饼是真的弄得有点黑过头了啦。。。下次不会在蛋液里加糖酱了!!






Ingredients:
500g fine ground peanuts
200ml peanut oil (may need to add a bit more oil, it depends on the flour you used)
400g plain flour
200g icing sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg yolk for glazing + a few drop of golden syrup (should not add golden syrup next time)


Method:

1. Bake the ground peanuts in the oven on low heat until fragrant (120C for 15 mins)

2. Sift the plain flour into bowl, add sugar, ground peanuts, salt and oil (oil has to add gradually, stop when the dough can hold up into ball). Mix the mixture with a spatula then knead until the dough is smooth.

3. Make the peanut balls using hands, place the peanut balls on lined baking tray. 

4. Glaze with egg and used the back of a chopstick to make indentation on top of each peanut ball. 

5. Bake at 180C for 15-20 mins. or until the cookies turned slightly brown.


05 February 2015

Kuih Bahulu 鸡蛋糕




After waiting for more than five months, eventually I received all the parcels! The Kuih Bahulu mould is the one I'm waiting all this while. This little flower cake is filled with its unique eggy aroma, it will retain its crispy crust and fluffy sponge for a few days if you keep it in air tight container. 

It was a chore for me to remove the Kuih Bahulu when I started first batch of baking, but when the mould finally heat up to its optimum temperature (may be third batch of baking), it is a bliss to remove the cake from the mould. I wish I could have more than one Kuih Bahulu mould at the time of baking as it can save up lot of baking time.

The crucial steps to ensure a successful Kuih Bahulu are: 1. Heat up the greased Kuih Bahulu mould properly so the cake will not stick on the mould after baking. 2. Whisk the egg mixture to light and pale before adding the sugar, then whisk the mixture to fluffy light again. 3. Gradually fold in the flour and mix well the flour with the egg mixture. The end result is the beautiful crisp and spongy Kuih Bahulu! The ratio for egg and sugar should be 1:1 portion.


十二箱的邮包在经过五个多月的等待终于都来到卡达尔!在里头有我等了好久的鸡蛋糕模子,昨晚终于开工烘焙鸡蛋糕了。这个糕点除了鸡蛋香,那香脆的表皮和松软的蛋糕是让人回味的。我说呀下次回去时得买多倆个鸡蛋糕模,那么就可缩短烘焙鸡蛋糕的时间!

弄这蛋糕成功的要点有几个,第一:在倒蛋糊之前,模子一定要刷油加热!第二:鸡蛋液一定得打至发白才逐渐加糖,再充分打发。第三:面粉是逐渐拌入蛋液的。这些是得留意的要点。

Note on 8/2/2015: This Kuih Bahulu has to be consumed within 3 days, as the cake turns very dry on the fourth day.








Ingredients:
337g sugar
6 eggs (337g)
225g plain flour + a pinch of salt


Method: 
1. Preheat the oven at 200C. Greased the Kuih Bahulu mould and place it in the oven to heat up.
2. Fry the flour on a flat base wok over low heat for about 15 mins, until the flour is light.
3. In the mixing bowl, add 6 eggs and whisk on high speed until the egg is light and pale.
4. Gradually add sugar in 6~7 batches, in each adding make sure the egg is whisk to light and fluffy.
5. Fold in the flour in a few batches, the batter will turn thick and creamy. Make sure mix the batter well.
6. Take the mould out from oven and place a spoonful of batter into the mould, fill up the mould. Place the mould back to oven and bake for 10~12 mins. or until the cake turn lightly brown.
7. Use a toothpick to prick out the cake. Greased the mould and place it into oven for 2 mins before fill the mould with batter again. Repeat steps until all batter is used.
8. Cool the Kuih Bahulu on wire rack before keep in airtight container.  

01 February 2015

How to make Dried Longan 自制龙眼干



Personally feel that this desert land has taught me so much about appreciate and utilize the ingredients we can get. A lot of food we can't get here, if you chance on the ingredients you familiar with in the shop you better grab some before you decided what are you thinking to do with it. It may be funny to some but this is the life living here. I was so happy to see fresh longan one day when I was doing my grocery shopping at Lulu Hypermarket. The price tag is not cheap for a pack of fresh longan, but thinking I may not find longan on my next trip here, I bought it.

I made it into dried longan, what you basically need to do is everyday diligently bring the longan out under the sun and if you are lucky may be just a week of sun shine is good enough to turn the fresh longan into dried longan. For us who can't get the dried longan here, this is a way out from no way!! Through this sun dry process it produced soft and sweet dried longan texture. 

Thanks Carol for her recipe. 

每一天在我的厨房都有小小的惊喜,尤其是今天。。。龙眼干收成的时候。

前一阵子在Lulu发现竟然有卖龙眼,价钱也不贬宜但还是心疼把它买下了,耽心这次不买下次来可能就找不着了。这一收就是好几天,后来决定把它弄成龙眼干。有大太阳的日子就把那龙眼扛出外晒一整个下午。。。这样来去弄了一星期。果壳变黑时就可剖一颗来捡查,如果肉是深褐色那就是完成了。