SnowSkin Mooncakes 2012

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/572604-SnowSkin-Mooncakes

These SnowSkin Mooncakes were fantastically done! Made these with my colleagues Jo & Liz a few years back. We have improved along the way, now with low sugar lotus paste and nicer imprints. Will try to get my hands on it this year!

Ingredients

• (A)Filling
• 1kg paste
• 70gm melon seeds (roasted)
• (B)Dough
• 500g snow skin mix
• 70gm shortening
• 250ml cold water
• 1/2 tsp pandan-flavoured green food colouring

Directions

1. Mix A together and shape 25gm of lotus paste into a ball.

2. Mix B together and let it rest for 30 mins. Shape 18gm of dough into ball before rolling it out.

3. Wrap the dough skin around the filling and shape it into ball.

4. Dust the moon cake moulds and press the filled dough ball into it, making sure the surface of the dough in contact with the patterned-face of the mould. Stop when the dough skin is level with the top of the mould.

5. Knock the moon cake out of the mould and put into moon cake box.

6. Refrigerate the moon cakes.

Winnie Pooh Cookies

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2972891-Winnie-Pooh-Cookies 

I made these Winnie Pooh Cookies for my colleagues on the 1st day at our new office at One Raffles Place. They were well-liked by most of my colleagues as it had that great butter aroma and crunchy bites. Do give this a try and I am sure you will like it!

Ingredients

100g butter (softened at room temperature)
80g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
180g cake flour
20g corn flour

Directions

1. Sift cake flour and corn flour together and set aside. Line baking tray with baking paper.

2. With electric mixer, add sugar to the butter in 2-3 additions and cream till the mixture turns pale and fluffy.

3. Add in egg yolk and mix well.

4. Add sifted flour mixture in 2-3 additions, stir with a spatula to form a soft dough.

5. Place dough in a plastic bag and flatten with rolling pin.

6. Refrigerate the dough for about half an hour.

7. Remove dough from fridge. Roll out dough on slightly floured work surface and cut out with slightly floured cookies cutters.

8. Bake at pre-heated oven at 175 deg C for 15-20 mins. (cookies should not turn brown).

9. Let cool and store in air-tight container.

Fruit Pastry Cake

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3314480-Fruit-Pastry-Cake

I was attracted to this pretty cake so I decided to make the attempt to bake it today. The steps were easy but it took 60 mins to bake, the longest time so far I baked a cake. I actually baked this for my colleagues and another one for my family.  For the second cake, I decided to use self raising flour and a little baking powder and baked in a 20cm X 20cm square aluminium baking tray. Apparently, the fruits all sank into the batter during baking and really don't look pretty at all but the texture was soft and spongy. I will get to taste the first cake tomorrow and then I will be able to tell the difference. Hope it will be soft too and my colleagues will like it.

Ingredients

• 100g butter (soften at room temp)
• 170g caster sugar
• 50g low fat yogurt
• 3 eggs (lightly beaten)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp orange zest
• Strawberries, blueberries, peaches (canned)

Sift together:

• 210g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions

1. Wash and cut fruits. If using canned fruits, wash the fruits to remove the syrup and set aside.

2. Preheat oven at 180 deg C. Grease side of a 9" round pan with butter and line base with baking paper.

3. With an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and yogurt till light and fluffy.

4. Add in eggs gradually and beat till incorporated in the batter.

5. Add in vanilla extract and zest. Mix to combine.

6. Add in flour and baking powder and mix till smooth.

7. Pour batter in prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.

8. Arrange fruits on top, don’t press the fruits down into the batter.

9. Bake at 180 deg C for 60 mins. Cover the top with foil in the last 15 mins of baking to prevent the top from getting over browned.

10. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for about 5-10 mins and transfer to cake board. Dust the cake with some icing sugar.

Orange Sponge

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3313976-Orange-Sponge

Finally, I took up the challenge to make this Orange Sponge which required accurate folding method to yield a successful cake. I was so careful with every step and was lucky that the cake turned out excellent. Though the cake did not have so much of the orange taste (as I reduced the orange zest) but it was spongy and had a nice, smooth top. I even poured some batter into cupcake fillers to see if it looked good. It really did!

Ingredients

• 4 yolks
• 16g sugar
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• Orange zest from 1 big navel orange
• 100g cake flour (sifted)
• 50g corn oil

Whisk:

• 4 whites
• 80g sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 180 deg C. Grease (with butter) the side of 20cm X 20cm baking tray and line the base with grease paper.

2. Whisk yolks & sugar till light and fluffy. Add in orange zest and juice,continue to whisk till ribbony stage.

3. In another bowl, whisk whites to soft peak and add in sugar, continue whisk till stiff.

4. Gently fold in the whites mixture into the yolks mixture until well-blended.

5. Add in the flour and gently fold it using a spatula until batter well combined.

6. Lastly, fold in the corn oil until well incorporated.

7. Pour batter into baking tray and bake at 180 deg C for about 30 mins.

8. Remove cake, cool and ready to serve.

Notes

*Take note: this is not an easy cake to make as it needs correct folding otherwise the cake will not be spongy.

Doggies Cookies

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3010889-Horlick-Milo-Doggies-Cookies

These Doggies Cookies not only cute but taste good. Made these with my Sister-In-Laws, Cherral during Christmas as gifts for friends. Indeed an exclusive gift ever!

Ingredients

• 180g Butter, soften at room temp.
• 80g Horlicks/Milo
• 200g cake flour
• 25g corn flour
• 25g milk powder
• Chocolate chips
• Chocolate rice
• Koko Krunch

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 140 deg C. Line baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

2. Sieve cake flour, corn flour and milk powder.

3. Cream butter & Milo/Horlicks for about 3 mins at low speed. Do not over beat.

4. Put in cake flour, corn flour and milk powder and beat for about 1 mins to form dough.

5. Divide dough into 10g each. Put 3 chocolate chips in centre of dough and roll into balls.

6. Insert 2 pcs of Koko Krunch for “ears”, chocolate rice for “eyes” & a chocolate chip for “nose”.

7. Bake at 140 deg C for about 25 mins.

8. Leave to cool on wire rack before storing in airtight container.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3307778-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies 

Making these chocolate chip cookies for my office TNT Walk The World Charity Sales on 28 May 2012. Recipe from my friend, Josephine Ng, really as good as Famous Amos.  

Ingredients

• 190g butter (SCS salted)
• 70g white sugar
• 70g brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 270g self raising flour
• 1 egg
• 100g chocolate chips

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven at 180 deg C.

2. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence together.

3. Add lightly beaten egg gradually, beating well after each addition.

4. Mix in sifted flour.

5. Add in chocolate chips and use spatula to mix well.

6. Shape teaspoon of mixture into small balls and place on lined baking tray.

7. Bake at 180 deg C for 20mins.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese

This picture taken by Mandy, really made my carrot cake looks so wonderfully nice!
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3308495-Carrot-Cake-with-Cream-Cheese

Wow, I cannot believe I could make such yummy carrot cake! Not only it looks so pretty and it taste so nice too. Mandy, my elder daughter likes it so much. My greatest achievement so far.....

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 150g vegetable oil
• 90g white sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 165g shredded carrots
• 55g walnuts

Sift together:

• 125g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 125g cream cheese (room temp)
• 50g butter (room temp)
• 50gm icing sugar (sifted)
• few drops of lemon juice

Directions

1.Preheat oven 180 deg C and lined grease paper in 20cm X 20cm baking tray.

2. With an electric mixer, beat eggs, oil, white sugar and vanilla extract. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir in carrots and walnuts.

3. Pour into prepared baking tin and bake for 40mins.

4. To make cream cheese frosting: Mix all the ingredients and beat till well blended. Spread frosting on top of cool cake. Frost for an hour and cut into squares.

German Cookies

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3307775-German-Cookies

This recipe given by my colleague, Rachel Tan. Delicious and simple to make using only 4 ingredients. Great  for Christmas or Chinese New Year. My Mother-In-Law thinks that these are fabulous cookies.

Ingredients

• 125g butter (SCS)
• 55g Icing sugar (sifted)
• 110g Potato starch (sifted)
• 95g Plain flour (sifted)

Directions

1. Beat butter and icing sugar till fluffy and lighter in colour.

2. Add in potato starch and flour and mix to form a soft dough.

3. Roll into small balls and press lightly with a fork (dip the fork in water after each press).

4. Bake in preheated oven at 170 deg C for 30mins.

Chocolate Banana Squares

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/3308464-Chocolate-Banana-Squares

 I found this recipe so easy to make with bananas and half with cocoa base. Look presentable with squares, easy to serve and eat. My kids love it ...yummy!

 

 

Ingredients

• 113g butter (softened)
• 140g sugar
• 1 egg (lightly beaten)
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 big ripe bananas (mashed)
• 50g chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 20g cocoa powder

Sift together:

• 190g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven 180 deg C & lined greasing paper on base of 20cm X 20cm baking tray.

2. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

3. Gradually add in egg, vanilla essence and mashed bananas, beating thoroughly.

4. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt to the creamed mixture. Mix well.

5. Divide the batter into half. Add cocoa powder to one portion of the batter and mix well. Spread that portion in the bottom of baking tray.

6. Spread the remaining batter on top of cocoa batter. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips.

7. Bake at 180 deg C for about 30mins. Cool and cut into squares to serve.