Monday 4 May 2009

Nestum Cookies & CornFlakes Cookies






I want to bake these cookies for quite a long time ago, but got no time as I have 3 lovely kids. Lastly, we made it together and it was so much fun to see how these young kids shaping the cookies. After baking, they were so proud and enjoying these cookies.

Source: Agnes Chang

Ingredients:
(A)
120g butter/ margarine
60g sugar
1 egg yolk
1tsp vanilla essence
(B) Sift Together
150g self raising flour
1 tbsp custard powder
(C)
Some crushed cornflakes for cornflakes cookies
Some nestum for nestum cookies

Methods:
1. Cream (A) till pale, light and fluffy. Fold in (B) and mix well.
2. Roll into small balls and coated with cornflakes or nestum. Place on greased tray or into small paper cups.
3. Bake in preheated oven 170 degree celcious until golden brown. Remove and cool completely before store in container.

Notes:
1. You may used chopped nuts likes almond, walnut, cashewnuts, peanuts or even desicated coconut in stead of cornflakes or nestum.
2. This cookies are so nice and you won't get enough.
3. For an experiment, I added some almond essence with vanilla essence into these cookies, taste heavenly.

Hup Toh Sou



Hup Tou Soh is chinese walnut cookies which welcomed by almost everyone at anytime. I hate it when I was a girl but after I emigrated to Netherlands, homesick makes me loves local foods even what I hated before. HAhhhaha.... I found this recipe from kuali.com , taste quite good but next time I will omit the salt!

Source: Amy Beh

Ingredients:
!25g sugar
1 cup oil
50g chopped walnuts
(A)
300g flour
1.5 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ammonia
1 tsp salt ( I suggest use less)
Yolk - glazing

Methods:

1. Sift (A), add in sugar and walnuts. Combine well and add in oil, knead till smooth dough.
2. Divided 60g each, rounded and slightly flatten, put walnut on top, brush with some yolk.
3. Bake in preheated oven 170 degree celcious for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.


Notes:
1. It was too salty for me, I suggest use less salt.

Mini Egg Tarts 蛋撻




Egg Tarts, a popular chinese dim sum which made by pastry skin with custard filling. There are 2 types - (1) shortcrust pastry (more for western cuisine), and (2) puff pastry (more popular among chinese cuisine). I tried it both and personally I prefer chinese version which not so sweet. I made these tarts for my girl's birthday party at her school. I need to bake it twice as the first batch were eaten by my kids in a time.

Source: Agnes Chang

Ingredients:
(A)
150g flour, sifted
20g custard powder, sifted
30g icing sugar, sifted
60g shortening
2-3 tbsp water
(B)
90g flour
60g shortening
Filling:
3 eggs, lightly beaten
120g sugar
250ml warm water
1tsp vanilla
1tsp vinegar

Methods:
1. Mix (A) and divide 15 portions. In another bowl mix (B) and divided 15 portions.
2. Wrap B with A, roll into long shape, roll up likes swiss roll. Roll into a round piece and line onto moulds.
3. Mix the fillings until sugar is dissolve and strain. Pour the filling into moulds until 3/4 full.
4. Bake in a preheated oven 180 degree celcious for 15-20 minutes.

Notes:
1. I divided the pastry into 30 portions as I make it mini ones.
2. Adding vinegar is to create soft and shiny egg tarts filling. Don't use too much or less.
3. I used 100g sugar in stead of 120g sugar.
4. Dont bake too long or the filling will puffing up.

Mini Dutch Apple Pie

Crossaint




Crossaint again for my kids! But this time I glaze it with koffie milk - condense milk - ideal milk. We make it together and enjou it together!

Ingredients:

300g flour
2tsp yeast
2tbsp sugar
1tsp salt
1 egg
140ml water (please adjust)
120g butter

Methods:

1. Mix all ingredient and knead till smooth. Prove for30 minutes.
2. On a floured table, roll the dough into long rectangular shape. Put the butter in the center, enclose the side carefully. Cover with clling paper and put in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
3. Take the dough out and roll it to 15cm x 45cm, fold 3 times rectangular shape and cover with cling and put it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes again. Repeat 3 times.
4. Roll flat, cut into triangle shape, roll up. Let it rise till double bulk on the tray, brush with some beaten egg or milk. Bake in preheated oven at 210 degree celcious for 5 minutes and then reduce to 180 degree celcious for 10 minutes or till done.

Notes:

1. This is easiest way to make croissant at home, hope you will like it too.

Cornbread




Cornbread is a sort of quick bread/ common stapel food in US. There are 2 types, Northern US is commonly made by yellow cornmeal/polenta and is sweeter. Southern US might be use white cornmeal/polenta and taste saltier. I still have a big pack of polenta at home - my husband bought wrong goodies. He thought cornflour/starch is same with cornmeal. Funny huh? Never ask a man to buy household. I found this recipe in a famous malaysian chef wan's book. The result is very soft likes muffin, not so sweet and very very fragnant!!!!! Worth to try. And super easy!

Source: Chef Wan

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup rye flour ( I didn't have rye flour, I used flour)
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal/polenta (fine)
3 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter/margarine
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup cream corn

Method:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and sieve.
2. In another bowl, combine eggs, sugar, melted butter, evaporated milk and cream corn.
3. Finally fold in the dry ingredients, don't overmix!!!!!!
4. Bake in preheated oven at 205 degree celcious for 20 minutes or until done.

Notes:

1. You may bake it in muffin tray, taste very nice.
2. Never overmix it or you will have tough one!

Tiramisu

Victoria Sponge Cake

Vanilla Chiffon Cake


Pandan Chiffon Cake

Butter Muffin

Friday 1 May 2009

Baozi & Siew Mai



I found this method for making paus, easy and taste nice and doesn't need too much time at all. Siew mai, a famous chinese dim sum and I will made it too if I made pau's. My kids will having fun with me doing these together. What important is, homemade might be healthier and tastier!


Source: Agnes Chang, Lily, Amy Beh

Ingredients:
500g flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp yeast
100g sugar
240ml water
3 tbsp shortening/ oil/ butter/ margerine
1 tbsp double action baking powder

Methods:
1. Mix all ingredients except baking powder, knead into smooth and elactic dough.
2. Cover wthe dough with wet cloth and leave to prove till double bulk.
3. Sift double action baking powder on top of dough and knead till smooth again.
4. Cover with damp cloth and let it proof for 15 minutes before shaping.
5. After shaping or wraping, proof for another 15 minutes and steamed in high heat for 15 minutes.

Notes:
1. Knead the dough throughly , the more you knead the much better the paus taste.
2. I rolled up the dough likes swiss roll, and cut it into pieces to make mantou.


Siew Mai:
300g chopped pork
300g chopped prawn meat
10 chopped water chestnut
wantan wrappers
Seasoning:
1tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1tsp sugar
1 tsp chicken granules
1 tsp cooking wine
2 tbsp tapioca flour/ cornflour

Methods:
1. Mix meats, prawn and seasoning together and stir it till very sticky. Add in water chestnut, mix well.
2. Keep in the fridge for 1-2 hours before using.
3. Trim wantan wrapper into round, wrap up some fillings, shape into siew mai.
4. Put some grren peas or chopped carrots or else for decorating. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes.

Notes:
1. I used tender loin pork in stead of half lean and fat pork.