Indonesian Batik Agar-Agar (Indonesian Batik Jelly)

 

 

I still remember when I was in primary school, when come the time for year end class party, my mother always make me a tray of agar-agar (Jelly) to bring along. Sometime the agar-agar was in pink where she added rebina or, in orange where she added orange juice. Simple and plain...but all my classmates including me enjoyed the agar-agar so much.

 

Kuih Talam

I bought the pandan leaves (screwpine leaves) since last week, can't decide what I wanted to do with it until today. The baking mood is up and I know I want to make Kuih Talam (Steamed Coconut Pudding) again. 

Kuih Talam is my all-time favourite kuih since childhood. It has two distinctive layers in term of taste and texture. The top layer which make of coconut milk, salt, tapioca flour and rice flour, taste salty and the texture should be softer than the bottom screwpine layer. The bottom screwpine layer which consist of green bean flour, tapioca flour, rice flour and sugar, taste sweet and the texture should be slightly firm but still chewy to bite. The flavour of both layers complement each other.

My first Kuih Talam was in 21 Oct 2011, it is nearly a year. The texture of the bottom screwpine layer for my first Kuih Talam was a bit soft, this round of kuih making I'm using another recipe. The result come out satisfying. However, I still think the texture of the bottom screwpine layer still not complete what I desire.

Recipe adapted from Hot Favourites Kuehs & Pastries Recipes Book
Ingredients for Base Layer:
10 pieces pandan leaves (blended with 600ml water, strain)
1/2 tsp lye water (omitted)
100g rice flour
75g tapioca flour
20g green bean flour
200g sugar (used 150g)
2 drops green food colouring (using the homemade pandan paste)

Ingredients for Top Layer:
200ml thick coconut milk
100ml water
50g rice flour
20g tapioca flour
1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Base layer: Sift rice flour, tapioca flour and green bean flour together. Add in 500ml pandan juice, sugar and pandan paste, and mix well. Cook the mixture over medium heat till it turns thick and sticky. Stir constantly. Pour mixture into steaming tray and steam over medium heat for 30 mins till cooked.

2. Top layer: Mix thick coconut milk and water together. Sift rice flour and tapioca flour together. Add in coconut milk mixture and salt, and strain. Cook mixture over low heat till it turns thick and sticky. This should take about 4-5 mins. Stir constantly.

3. When base layer is cooked, gradually pour the top coconut layer over, continue to steam the whole kuih over high heat for about 2 mins. Set aside to cool, it will be good to refridgerate it a few hours before cutting.

To prevent the kuih from sticking to the knife while cutting, you must first dipped the knife into cold water.  

Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls (Gelatinized Dough Method) 蔓越莓肉桂卷

This afternoon, I missed you ...my soft bread.

It is you who pushed me into the kitchen and I tried my best to make this creation again. Time flies, it has been more than a year since I baked my Cinnamon Rolls using Angie's Hakkaido Milky Loaf recipe. Again, the result is rewarding and satisfactory! 

It is Gabriel first time trying out a bread with cinnamon flavour and he loves it. I think the credit mainly goes to the rich creamy milk flavour of the bread. When WT tasted the roll, his eyes wide open and said this is better than the one selling. Haha...it make my day. It is down pour outside but it doesn't affect my mood to enjoy my afternoon tea.

I had a date with my Cranberry Cinnamon Rolls this afternoon, and it was beautiful! If you love soft bread like me, give this recipe a try!

Gelatinized Dough Ingredients:
250ml milk
50g bread flour

Method:
1. In a bowl, add milk then stir in flour.
2. Bring batter to gas stove, on medium heat cook and stir until the batter thicken.
3. Leave the gas stove once the batter thicken, continue stir until swirling batter.
4. Once cool, the dough can be used directly, if saving in refrigerate has to use within 3 days.

Recipe adapted from Angie's Recipes

Ingredients:
50g whipping cream
1 egg
pinch of salt
55g sugar
30g milk powder
350g bread flour
50g rye flour (omitted as I added 50g of bread flour)
7g dry instant yeast
30ml milk
120g Gelatinized dough
30g unsalted butter
10-20ml olive oil

Filling ingredients:
100g dry cranberry (chopped)
4 tbsp cinnamon sugar


Method:
1. Place all bread ingredients into the mixer (except butter and milk), using bread hook, low speed, mix the ingredients until forming a rough dough, pour in milk and continue mixing with medium speed until dough becomes smooth.

2. Add in butter. Mix the dough with medium speed, touch the dough to check whether it is too dry. The dough should feel soft and not sticky to hand. Add in the olive oil, and continue mixing until the dough is able to form smooth elastic film. (add a bit of chopped dry cranberry into the dough if you wish)

3. Roll the dough into ball, spray water on the surface and cover it with damp cloth. Let it proof for 1 hour (or until 2 times bigger)

4. Once proofing complete, use hands to punch out air. Flatten the dough into a rectangle shape about 12"x10"

5. Sprinkle with a bit of water on the dough surface, top with cinnamon sugar and dry cranberry. Roll up the dough from the side into a cyclinder and cut the dough into 2" section. Cut side up and arrange the dough in prepared baking pan.

6. Let it proof for 30-45 mins or until the dough double in size. Egg wash the surface, and bake at 180C for 40 mins.

7. Immediately turn out the bread from pan when it is done.