Sunday 2 March 2008

Banana Muffin



Banana, I hate banana and never eat it but I love banana cake and it's smell. I don't know why so many peoples gave me bananas last week. This recipe is actually banana cake but I bake it into muffin size and I rename it as banan muffin. It is very soft, fluffy and really tatsy.

Source: Baking mum, Yochana

Ingredients:

180g butter
180g sugar
2 nos eggs (slightly beaten)
250g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
220g very ripe bananas - mashed
50g evaporated milk
1/2 tsp banana or vanilla essence
2 bananas - slice

Method:

1. Cream butter and sugar till light and creamy. Add in egg once a time and beat the batter till creamy.
2. Add in milk, mashed banana and essence and mix well.
3. Sift all the dry ingredients and fold into th batter.
4. Pour into paper cups or pan, decorate with some sliced bananas.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 175 degree celcious for 20 minutes or till done.


Notes:

1. If your bananas are very ripe, you will get really nice banana cake.
2. The key to get fluffy and soft banana cake is in step 1, you must cream your butter and sugar till very light, pale and creamy before adding egg. Fold your flour and never beat it---- overmix will causing tough cake.

Peanut Candy




Peanut candy is a old fashioned snack, still remember when I was a young girl, my mom will served it during chinese festival, nowdays people is forgeting this snack already. I have been want to do it for a long time, and it is during chinese new year and I made it for my kids, they like it and perhaps in the future I'll make it again but with only sesame to make sesame crunch.

Source: Amy Beh

Ingredients

300g peanuts, toasted
30g sesame, toasted
150g castor sugar
1 tsp lime or lemon juice
75ml water
3/4 tbsp maltose (mak nga toong)

Methods:

1. Boil sugar, water and lime juice, add in maltose after it start to boil, reduce heat and cook till thick. (Test: drop the syrup into ice cold water, if it form to hard ball, it is ready.)
2. Add in peanut, mix well. Spread on a greased tray, sprinkle sesame on top.
3. Cover greased aluminium foil or plactic sheet, use rolling pin to press to a flat surface. Cut into shape and cool completely before store in air tight container.

Taiwanese Beef Pie 牛肉餡餅



This is a common street food that you can find in taiwan, it is a half fermented bread that filled with minced beef and some scallion (spring onions) and some seasoning. Easy, simple and tasty. But, becareful when you eat it cause it has a lots juices and it is very hot!!!!!

Source: Eupho Cafe, YTower

Ingredients:

300g flour
1/8 tsp icing sugar
1/8 tsp salt
170g water
1 tsp yeast
1 tbsp oil
360g minced beef
Seasoning:
1tsp sugar
2tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 egg
50g chopped spring onions
2 tbsp light soya sauce

Methods:
1. Combine the minced beef with seasoning, beat the meat till dry and ealstic. Keep aside.
2. Dissolved yeast into water, in a big bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Pour in the yeast liquid and knead to form a dough, add in oil and knead till smooth. Cover the dough and let it prove for about 20 minutes in a warm place. Test the dough after 20 minutes, if the dough is done, you will see a hole after you press it with a finger. If not, prove it again for another 10 minutes.
3. Divided the dough into 16 small balls (about 30g each), wrap the filling and slightly flat.
4. Pan- fry it over low heat for about 15 minutes or till done.

Notes:
1. I didn't use oil to pan-fry it, but you may pan fry it with some oil.
2.

Pita Bread



Pita bread is round, brown, flatbread that always served by middle eastern and mediterranean cuisin. It may served with gyros, shoarma, curry, or anything else you likes.

Source: Lily Wai Sek Hong

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon sugar or honey
1 tsp instant yeast
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water, - room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, or shortening

Methods:

1. Combine all ingredients except oil, knead to form dough and add in oil and knead till smooth and shiny.Let it rise in a greased bowl for 90 minutes (double size).
2. Punch down, divide to 8 portions, cover with damp clothes and rest 20 minutes. In the same time, preheat the oven 250 degree celcious.
3. Spray some water onto your baking surface and close the oven for 30 seconds, then bake for 3-5 minutes or till done. .

Notes:

1. If the dough does not stretch sufficiently, cover it with the damp towel and let it rest 5 to 10 minutes before trying again.

Palm Sugar Huat Kueh 椰糖发糕



Time flies, so soon and chinese new year is ended already. I steamed huat kueh again as my friend has been never taste steamed cakes before. This time I steamed my huat kueh in small tea cups and hoera, my huat kueh blowing up just likes flower blossom. It is not only pretty looks but taste just good.

Source: Amy Beh, Jo's Deli and Bakery

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
80g soft brown sugar
130ml water
130g palm sugar
5 pandan leaves
130ml coconut cream
250g cake flour
1tbsp double action baking powder

Preparations:
1. Boil water and palm sugar and pandan leavestill dissolved, cool completely before add in coconut cream. Set aside.
2. Beat eggs and brown sugar till fluffly and lightly, fold in sifted flour and baking powder, then mix in coconut syrup to a smooth batter.
3. Pour into small moulds or pan, steam for 30 minutes over rapid boiling water.


Notes:

1. It taste really nice with soft textures,moist and fragnant cake.
2. Store this cake in refrigrater during hot summer cause it contains coconut milk.
3. If you don't have mini cups, just steam it in a pan or even rice bowl.
4. Make sure the water is roaring bowl before you start to steam them or you will not get open mouth huat kueh.

Vanilla Cupcakes



Cupcakes or known as fairy cakes, I love simple things and originale tatse. My children love plain, simple food rather than mixed or complicated one. I'd been try a lots of cakes but this one is so simple but tasty. Everyone will love it, and it is worth to try.

Source: Baking Mom, Little Corner Of Mine, Imperial Kitchen

Ingredients:

195g cake flour
140g flour
150g sugar
100g light brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
225g cold butter
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla essence

Methods:

1. Preheat oven 165 degree celcious. Line the muffin tray with paper cups, set aside.
2.In a bowl, combine cake flour, flour, baking powder, sugar and light brown sugar. Add in cold butter and mix it till resembers coarse crumbs.
3. In another bowl, combine eggs, milk and vanilla essence till well mixed. Fold in the flour mixture and mix well but not overmix.
4. Fill the papercups with batter till 2/3 full. Bake 20-25 minutes or until done.

Notes:
1. You may use vanilla sugar in stead of vanilla essence.
2. You may add some raisin or chocolate chips too.