Butter Cupcakes

Butter Cupcakes to have a good closure for 2015!

It has been a fruitful year for 2015 with so many challenges and exposure to life changes. As I moved into 2016 with a stronger determination, to love life more and to enjoy every moment of my time with my loved ones.  I will continue to spend most of my time to bake and cook for my family members, who are always my great supporters and letting me have the great satisfaction with every dishes and bakes I have done. Thanks God for blessing me and my family.

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake - Orders (Dec 2015)

Finally mission completed making these No Bake Strawberry Cheesecakes for an order. The last batch failed as I was too impatient and rush to add the Jelly portion before the cream cheese set completely. Lesson learned not to rush things and to have more patient in whatever we do. 

Chocolate Chips Cookies

Made these Chocolate Chips Cookies for my dearest colleagues for our party on 18 Dec 15. I managed to get the Christmas bags from BC Market in time and hope my colleagues like the cookies.

Christmas Fruit Cake (2015)

It's the time of the year and Christmas is round the corner, so how can I not bake my favourite Christmas Fruit Cake.As usual, I soaked the mixed fruits in orange juice instead of rum and the same moist texture as I always wanted. I gave some to my neighbour, nicely wrapped for the festive and glad that she love it. 

Steamed Egg Muffins

I got so much craving for Steamed Egg Muffins and instead of the normal yellowish colour, I added some colourings to make it colourful. I used colour essence but if you prefer, you may used natural colouring from pandan leaves, carrot juice etc The amazing thing was, it has a nicer dome as compared to my usual ones. Not only it brighten up my day and also my craving too! 

Banana Cake

It has been a long time since I updated my blog as my kitchen was under major renovation. This was the day that I had an open ceremony for my new kitchen as well as my new oven. I baked these simple Banana Cake to try out the new oven and it turned out perfect! It was extremely quiet during baking (I almost forgot I was baking) and the heat was even, just the nice brown colour for my cakes. I am looking forward to do more bakes soon!

Blueberry Coconut Cake

I was cracking my head how I can clear my blueberry filing and I was elated to come across this recipe from Anncoo Journal, I replaced raspberry jam with bluebery fillings. I love this cake with the crumbly texture of desicated coconut toppings and blueberry flavour blended so well.

Recipe with slight modification

Ingredients

Cake base
90g butter (softened)
1 egg (70g)
95g sugar (reduce
35g self raising flour
100g plain flour
10g custard powder
Blueberry filings

Toppings
80g desicated coconut
30g sugar (original 40g)
1 egg (70g)

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 180 Deg C and line tray with parchment paper.
2. Whisk butter, egg and sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Add in sifted flour and custard powder and fold well with spatula. Spread batter on prepared tray.
4. Spread blueberry filings on top of batter.
5. Combine toppings together and spread on top of blueberry filings.
6. Bake for 30-40 mins or till golden brown.

Chocolate Cupcakes

I baked these Chocolate Cupcakes for a Special Person, to thank her for her great help. Hope she will like them.

Hello Kitty Cookies

Making my favourite Hello Kitty cookies had always in one of my To-Do list item and finally I made it!. I used one of my butter cookies recipe and added coloring for the red ribbons and yellow nose while I used melted converture chocolate to color the eyes and whiskers.  I am so delighted to see the finished cookies. 

French Toast

After making Fried Sardine Bread Puff, I was left with all the bread skins. So I decided to cut them up into cubes and added beaten eggs with sugar to make them into French Toast. I baked them till golden brown and topped with blueberry fillings or syrup. Great for breakfast as it is fast and easy to make, most importantly no waste at all.

Fried Bread Sardine Puff

I bought the curry puff mould and tried making curry puff but failed as the pastry always tore off easily. I came across this method using bread to make curry puff, however I did not have the ingredients so I used sardine instead. The moulding was so easy and surprisingly it tasted so crispy and yummy! Will definitely try to use it to make curry puff one day.

Step 1

Ingredients

1 can sardine
Chilli Sauce
Tomato Sauce
1 onion (chopped)

15 slices of bread (cut off the sides)

Step 2

Oil for frying

Directions

1. Cooked sardine with onion, chilli sauce and tomato sauce.
2. Press bread with rolling pin and place bread on mould. Scoop some sardine onto bread (Step 1) and press bread (Step 2). Cut off excess bread that protrude the mould.
3. Heat up a pot of oil and fry till golden brown. Drain off excess oil.

Old Times Slice Cakes

After making the Rosy Birthday cake for my elder daughter, I was left with half packet of whipping cream. Since I needed to clear it soon, I decided to make these Old Times Slice Cakes that I love to eat during my childhood days. Making these cakes needed a bit of time and patience - I baked 2 square sponge cakes and sandwiched with whipping cream. It was also a little tricky to slice it as the cream will squeeze out so the best is to put the cake into the fridge before slicing. I just love the beautiful and taste of these Old Times Slice Cakes so much!

Note : recipe below for 1 layer of sponge cake.

Ingredients

2 eggs (room temperature)
1 egg yolk (room temperature)
55g sugar
a little salt

40g milk
60g self raising flour
Red Colourings

Whipping cream
Pipping Jelly
Colourings (Red, Yellow, Green)

Note :
For Chocolate sponge - 50g Self Raising Flour & 10g cocoa Powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 170 deg C.
2. Whisk eggs and egg yolk, sugar and salt till pale and ribbon stage.
3. Add milk, follow by flour and cocoa powder until just combined. Do not over beat.
4.Pour batter into square baking tin and bake for 20mins or till skewer comes out clean..
5. Spread whipping cream and keep in fridge for 1 hour before cutting into slices.
6. Add colour to piping jelly and mix. Decorate as preferred.

Cake - We ❤ Recipes

With the excess whipping cream left over from making a birthday cake for my daughter and Old Times Slice Cakes, I also made a special cake to commemorate my Facebook Group "We ❤ Recipes" thanking all members for their support and active participation. A simple yet meaningful cake!

Butter Cake

I have tried a few butter cake recipes but this the best I have ever baked. Thanks to The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. I like the crispiness of the sides and the buttery aroma as well as the moist texture from the cake. Perhaps, this recipe has milk added that made the cake moist after baking.  A great recipe to keep.

Ingredients 

250g butter (room temperature)
150g sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsop vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
240g fresh milk

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg one at a time, beat to combine.
3. Add sifted flour, milk and vanilla essence in sequence flour-milk-flour-milk-flour, mixing just to combine. Do not over beat.
4. Pour batter into greased baking pan. Smooth top and bake at 170 Deg C for 50-60mins or until stick comes out clean. 

Birthday Cake (2015)

Made this cake for my eldest daughter's 19th Birthday. Took a long time to get this done but great satisfaction after completion. I am so happy that I attempted to pipe the roses, however not too perfect but glad that my daughter like it and also I received all the compliments for such a pretty cake!

Gift for A Special Couple

Baked these Chocolate Muffins for a special Couple - Marcus & Foong Ee. They have always been supportive in all my bakes and so blessed to have them as my dearest friends.

Pear Drink (鸭梨水)

I remembered this drink we had during the last haze period. It was said to be a cooling drink for the body and expelled heatiness. So it was time that I made this drink for my family members with the recent haze. Glad that everyone love this drink!

Ingredients 

6 Pears (cut each pear into quarters)
1 pkt Rock Sugar
Water

Directions

1. In a pot add water and pear (I used a big pot and add more than 1/2 pot of water).Cooked till boiled.
2. Add rock sugar and continue to boil another 30 mins. Can serve hot or chilled.

Orange Cake

Trying out to make a whole cake (exclude cranberry and double the ingredients quantity) with my Orange Cranberry Cupcakes Recipe. Not quite satisfied with the texture though as it did not rise as I expected from the cupcakes. The texture was tight and not spongy enough, perhaps due to the use of my new mixer (Kenwood) to whisk the eggs and sugar. It took a long time to whisk till pale and fluffy stage. I guess I will try again with my long time Philip Mixer if it yield the same result.

Coconut Buns

It was a hazy day (PSI 262) and since we plan not to go out, I decided to bake this Coconut Buns. I had cross referenced with a few recipes on the coconut filings but the quantity was too much for 1 lot of dough. So I decided to come up with this adjusted quantity which I feel should be perfectly fit the amount of dough. I love the filings with a little moist and  the gula melaka flavour that blends so well with the bun.

Ingredients 

Coconut Filings
130g gula melaka
130g water
2 pandan leaves
250g grated coconut

Dough
320g bread flour
30g sugar
5g instant yeast
210g milk
40g salted butter

Milk (I used Soya Milk for brushing)

Directions

1. In a frying pan, add water, pandan leaves and gula melaka. Cook till the sugar completely dissolved. Reduce heat and stir in grated coconut. Cook until gula melaka has evenly coated the grated coconut. Set aside to cool down.
2. Mix bread flour, sugar and yeast in the mixing bowl, mix well.
3. Add in the milk and mix into a dough.
4. Add in butter and continue kneading for another 10 mins.
5. Allow the dough to rest about 1 hour or till double in size.
6. Divide the dough into 35g and roll into round shape. Spoon coconut filing in the centre, seal the edge and place them on a lined baking tray. Allow the dough to proof for about 40 mins.
7. Brush the dough with soya milk (or fresh milk).
8. Baked in a preheated oven 180 Deg C for about 15 mins or until the top brown.

Soya Milk/Pandan Soya Agar Agar (2015)

This year, I have decided to make the non Traditional & Cooling Mooncakes ie Soya Milk Agar Agar and Pandan Soya Agar Agar Mooncakes. My first attempt making the Pandan Soya Agar Agar Mooncakes failed as I did not cook the mixture long enough (till thicken). I have updated the recipe for future reference.

Moist Banana Cupcakes

I was craving for banana cake and since I needed to clear a packet of walnuts which was going to expire, I decided to whip up this easy and yummy banana cupcakes with my Moist Banana Cake recipe. Feeling satisfied!

Colourful Agar Agar

I was in the mood to make something colourful and cooling, so I bought different colour of Agar Agar powders from Supermarket and get my hands to make these. This was quite time consuming as it needed time for them to set before adding the next layers but after completion, it was indeed pretty. They kids love them as it was not only nice to see but cooling too.

Ingredients 

Coconut Layer
10g Agar Agar powder
800ml water
200g sugar
200g coconut milk
2 pandan leaves

Colour layers
1 pkt Green Agar Agar Powder
1 pkt Red Agar Agar Powder
1 pkt Yellow Agar Powder
1 pkt Orange Powder
Colorings (optional)

Directions

1. Coconut layer - In a pot, add water, pandan leaves and agar agar powder and heat t boils. Turn off heat and add coconut milk. Remove pandan leaves and set aside to cool slightly. 
2. Coloured layers - I start with green colour and follow by other colours (to your reference). Dissolve 1 pkt of Agar Agar powder in 1 litre of water. Add 250g sugar, stir and bring to boil on low heat.
3. Assemble - Scoop a few spoonful of Green Agar Agar and let it set in fridge for a while. Scoop a few spoonful of coconut agar agar (just enough to see the white layer) and let it set in fridge.
4. Cook the next colour as per Direction #2. Follow by filling in the coconut layers after each colour till all complete.

Condensed Milk Bread

Came across this great recipe from MiMi Bakery House and immediately got my hands on baking it. My dough did not rise alot but I am satisfied with my final bakes. The texture was soft and the sweetness from the condensed milk made the bread really yummy. Will definitely bake this again.

Recipe with modifications

Ingredients

200g bread flour
20g sugar
3g salt
3g instant yeast
25g condensed milk
130g milk
20g unsalted butter

Fillings
20g condensed milk
20g unsalted butter

Topping
Sliced almond
Icing sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Put all the bread ingredients into your mixer bowl, knead on Medium speed for about 7-10 minutes, pliable dough. Cover with damp towel and proof for 30 mins until the dough doubles up in size
2. Meantime, place the ingredients for condensed milk fillings into another bowl and allow the butter to soften. Mix the condensed milk +soften butter to get a smooth paste.
3.Once proofing is ready, roll the dough into a rectangular shape. Spread the condensed milk filling onto it, and cut the dough into 4 equal strips. Stack the dough strips onto one another and cut them into 8 equal parts.
4. Place them into an 8-inch chiffon pan and allow them to proof for the 2nd time, about 30-40 minutes.
5. Sprinkle some almond flakes on the ready dough and bake them in a preheated oven of 150 Deg C for about 20-25 minutes. Remove the bread from the bread pan and dust them generously with icing sugar.

Apple Bread Pudding

I have never liked bread pudding because of the wet sponge texture but when I saw this recipe from MiMi Bakery House, I decided to give it a try. Simple steps and I have added chocolate chips and almond flakes. Overall, the texture wasn't as bad as I thought but I felt if it was sweeter it would be perfect! Now, I can make this if I have bread that are going to expire.

Recipe with modifications

Ingredients

4 pieces slice bread (diced)
1 apple (diced)
5g butter
1 tbsp sugar
Raisins
Chocolate chips
Almond flakes
Icing sugar

3 eggs (small)
200g milk
40g yoghurt (I did not use whipping cream)
20g sugar

Directions

1. Cook diced apple with butter under low heat. Add sugar and cook for awhile.
2. Beat eggs, milk and yogurt until well combined. Add in sugar and mix until sugar dissolved.
3. Put apples, bread, raisins, chocolate chips into baking tray or ramekins.
4. Pour egg mixture over and spread almond flakes on top.
5. Baked 190 Deg C for 30-40mins. 

Bread

Thanks to MiMi Bakery House for this great bread recipe. I have used this recipe to make into Mini Kaya Cheese Buns (topped with Kaya and cheese) and Plaits Bread. The Cheese Bread Sticks were crusty when they were out from the oven while the Kaya Cheese Buns has soft and airy texture inside. The only thing with bread making is the waiting time for proofing. Great satisfaction to see the final product

Recipe with slight modification

Ingredients 

320g bread flour
4g salt (I omitted)

30g sugar
4g instant yeast
210g milk

40g unsalted butter (I used salted butter)

Grated mozzarella cheese
Sugar
Kaya

Milk (for brushing)

Directions

1. Mix bread flour, sugar and yeast in the mixing bowl, mix well.

2.Add in the milk and mix it into a dough.
3.Add in the butter and continue kneading for another 5-7 minutes.
4.Expel the air the dough and shape the dough into a round ball and allow the dough to rest for about 10 minutes.
5.Roll out the dough into rectangular shape. Cut the dough in stripes and place them on a lined baking tray.Allow the dough to proof for about 40 minutes.
6.Brush the dough with some milk, sprinkle both cheese and sugar over the dough.
7.Bake in a preheated oven of 175 degree Celcius for about 10-12 minutes.

Curry Puffs

I had a craving for Curry Puff and found this simple dough recipe from Coco's Sweet Tooth. I cooked the curry fillings in my own preference (you can do the filling your way too). The curry puffs tasted fantastic. I just love the crispiness on the outside and tasty curry filings inside. 

Recipe with modifications

Ingredients 

Pastry
250g Plain Flour
2 1/2 tbsp corn oil
120g water
1/2 tsp salt

Curry Potatoes Fillings (you can refer to this instructions)
4 potatoes
200g breast meat (diced)
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp salt (adjust according to your taste)
2 eggs (hard boiled and cut into 8 parts each)

Directions

1. Combine ingredients using dough hook and knead for 10 mins to form a smooth dough. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 15 mins.
2. Sprinkle flour onto worktop. Roll the dough into long rectangular and into a long roll.
3.Cut rolled dough into small pieces and roll each cut into round disc.
4. Place 1 tbsp of curry potatoes fillings and fold into half. Press and seal the edges with fingers. Use fork to make imprints on the seal edges.
5. Deep fry till brown and drain the oil. 

Green Tea Cotton Cake

I was so attracted to Julynn Tan's post of her Matcha Condensed Milk Cake in Facebook (very nice green color) and also My Mind Patch post of her Condensed Milk Cake, so I decided to cross reference both recipes to bake using Green Tea Powder. The result was amazing (though the green wasn't the bright green I wanted)! The cake did not shrink badly, the top did not crack, the cake did not collapse and there was no thick layer at the bottom (which I always had these problems). I can taste the fragrance of green tea in the cake and the texture was soft and well risen. Great instructions from My Mind Patch to bake the cake at different temperature ie  170 Deg C with only upper heating for 30 mins and 150 Deg C with upper and lower heating for another 20 mins (I reduced the timing as my portable oven is usually hotter than conventional oven).  I also learned about banging the baking tin 3 times to prevent the cake from over shrinking during cooling period. Will definitely bake more of this cake (with different flavors) :)

Recipe with modifications:

Ingredients 

4 egg yolks (small eggs)
1 whole eggs (small egg)
35g salted butter (melted)
40g cake flour (I used Top flour)
10g Green Tea Powder
50g condensed milk

4 egg whites
50g sugar

Directions

1. Line baking tin with parchment paper at the base.
2. Mix eggs and set aside.
3. Melt butter in microwave and add sifted flour mixture (cake flour and green tea powder). Fold to mix with a spatula.
4. Add in the condensed milk to combine.
5. Add the above to eggs mixture and mix till well combine.
6. Beat egg white till frothy for 30 seconds. Add in the sugar, in 3 batches and beat the meringue till almost stiff peak (the meringue has a slight dip at the tip).
7. Scoop 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter. Fold to mix.
8. Pour the yolk batter back to the remaining meringue and fold into a smooth batter.
9. Pour the batter into the baking tin and lightly bang the tin on the table to remove any trapped air bubbles.
10.Bake in water bath in preheated oven at 170 Deg C with only upper heating for 30 mins. After 30 mins, reduce temperature to 150 Deg C with upper and lower heating for another 20 mins.If the cake turn brown too fast, cover with aluminium foil.
11.Remove the cake from the oven and drop the baking tin 3 times from a height about 5cm. This is to prevent the cake from over shrinking during cooling period.
12. Let the cake cool down for 10 mins (when the cake slightly shrink away from the wall of the cake tin). Run along the edge of the cake and remove the cake to a wire rack (to prevent accumulation of moisture at the base of the cake).

Milo Cookies

Thanks to Sharon Lam for this recipe. I love Milo and always wanted to have it in my baking. These cookies are the chewy type instead of crunchy ones.  I preferred the crunchy texture more but my kids love the chewiness. Overall, a good to keep recipe.

I am sending this post to Little Thumbs Up September 2015 - Milo organised by Bake for Happy Kids and my little favourite DIY.

Recipe with slight modification

Ingredients 

190g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
100g Milo
Pinch of salt
125g butter
110g brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla essense

Directions

1. Mix all dry ingredients together (plain flour, baking powder, milo, salt)
2. Whisk eggs and sugar until creamy.
3. Add in egg and vanilla essence. Mix till well combined.
4. Add half the dry ingredients and fold well. Follow by the other half .
5. Scoop batter using 2 teaspoons (shape as round as possible) and drop onto baking tray, leaving some space between (as it will expand while it bakes).
6. Bake for 10 mins and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Mini Egg Cuppies 鸡蛋糕

I am a Egg Cuppies (鸡蛋糕 ) lover and when I came across this recipe from Angela Seah, I was so excited to try it out. It was indeed an easy recipe with no hassle steps like egg white separation and folding method.  I could make quite alot from the quantities of ingredients used. When they came out from the oven, the top were a little crusty and once cooled down, it softened as what I expected and preferred. Overall, I like it very much but if they were more eggy, it would be perfect. 

Ingredients 

3 large eggs
170g sugar
Pinch of salt
160g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
30g oil

Directions

1. Whisk eggs, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
2. Sieve in the flour and baking powder till well combined (I used hand balloon whisk).
3. Then add in oil and fold with spatula until well mixed.
4. Scoop batter into fillers and fill 3/4 full.
5. Bake at preheated oven 170 Deg C for 15-20 mins or until top lightly brown.

No Bake Strawberry Cheesecakes - Orders (Sep 2015)

Thanks to Felicia for the orders of No Bake Strawberry Cheesecakes on 4 Sep 2015

Chocolate Chips Cookies & Muffins - Orders (Sep 15)

Baked Chocolate Chips Cookies for Teacher's Day Gift

 Also did these Hershey's Chocolate Muffins

Thanks to Felicia for the above orders for her kid's Teachers..

Pork Floss Toast

I just cannot resist Pork Floss so I baked these toast for Teatime. Simple and Yummy :) !

Ingredients 

Slices of bread
Pork Floss
Condensed Milk

Directions

1. Spread condensed milk on bread.
2. Top with Pork floss and baked for 10 mins. 

Ham & Cheese Croissants

Whipping up these Ham & Cheese Croissants for supper!

Ingredients 

Puff Pastry
Ham (cut into small squares)
Sliced Cheddar cheese (cut into small squares)
1 Egg (beaten)

Directions

1. Cut Puff pastry into triangles.
2. Place Ham and cheese on the wider part of triangular.
3. Roll the pastry (from the ham & cheese towards the sharp end).
4. Brush with egg wash and bake till pastry brown.