Steamed Egg Muffins (鸡蛋糕)

Had craving for my 鸡蛋糕, made these for
breakfast (13 Jul 2014)

I am a lover of 鸡蛋糕 and was so excited when I got this recipe from my colleague, Elaine Ler. The steps indeed were simple and within 20mins, my 1st batch of muffins were out from the steamer. Gave it to my kids to try and surprisingly they loved it. These muffins were not as eggy as I thought but the texture was so soft even for the next 2 days. A great breakfast to make the night before.

Ingredients

230g self raising flour (sifted)
120ml cream soda (Schweppes non sugar)

1 tsp vanilla essence

190g sugar

4 eggs 

Directions

1. Whisk egg & sugar till pale color and add vanilla essence.

2. Add 1/3 self raising into creamed mixture and alternating with 1/3 cream soda. Repeat mixing process and stop once all well combined.

3. Pour into cup fillers 3/4 full.

4. Steam for 10mins and ready to serve when cooled.

Best Lemon Cake

I actually don't quite fancy lemon cake but after trying a few pieces from my friend Jo, I bookmarked this recipe in my "To Do" list.   I had a strong craving to eat lemon cake and so went ahead to bake it even it was already 8pm. Without much effort, I had a slice of yummy lemon cake with a cup of hot milo. 

I have modified a few ingredients, 4 eggs (200g instead of 170g), 40ml lemon juice (instead of 20ml). The cake was soft with a gentle lemon taste and aroma. This is the best lemon cake I ever tried before.

Ingredients

250g good quality unsalted butter
185g castor sugar
4eggs whole eggs
40ml lemon juice
grated zests of 1 lemon
230g self raising flour (sift)
Almond Flakes (Optional)

Directions

1. Preheat Oven at 180 degree C and preparing baking tin (I used a 20cm X 20cm pan & a loaf pan).
2. Rubbing lemon zests into sugar until the flavour is infused into the sugar.
3. Cream the butter and infused sugar on medium high speed for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
4. Add beaten eggs (lightly beat in a bowl) into the creamed butter in 6 additions and ensuring each addition is well incorporated before adding the next addition.
5. Add 1/3 of self raising flour to the egg-butter mixture until the last bit of flour is absorbed. Next, add in half the lemon juice and mix until the lemon juice is incorporated.
6. Repeat the mixing process by adding another 1/3 portion of self raising flour, followed by the remaining half of the lemon juice, lastly followed by the remaining 1/3 of the self raising flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to incorporate loose ingredients.
7. Pour batter into prepared baking tin. Bake for 50 mins at 180 degrees C. 

Strawberry Jelly Hearts Cheescake

This is my 2nd attempt making this Strawberry Jelly Hearts. The first time, I was too rushed to get it done and didn't wait for the cheese mixture with strawberries to be chilled enough before I poured the jelly mixture. All the strawberries started to swim in the jelly mixture. This time, I have obediently followed the instruction from Jelly Hearts Cake & Juice's recipe (advertised on Newspaper dated 8 Aug 2012) and all went well. Although it took me alot of time and patience to make these desserts, but I felt great accomplishment when I saw the final products.   

Ingredients

300g Digestive Biscuits

120g butter (melted)

250g cream cheese

10g gelatin powder

50g sugar

450ml boiling water

1 box of jelly crystal

250ml cold water

Strawberries

Directions

1. Mix  biscuits crumbs & melted butter together and press firmly with the help of a spoon onto the base of the cup. Chill for 4 hours.
2. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth & creamy.
3. Dissolve gelatin powder and sugar with 200ml boiling water.
4. Pour gelatin solution into cream cheese mixture and mix well.
5. Scoop the cheese mixture into the biscuit base and chill for 2hours.
6. Cut strawberry into half and cut a deep V in the centre. Press each strawberry half into the cream cheese mixture. Let the strawberry sink in gently. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
7. Dissolve the jelly crystal in 250ml of boiling water, followed by 250ml of cold water. Pour jelly onto the cheese mixture. Chill for 2 hrs and ready to serve. 

Steamed Chocolate Cupcakes

I was so fascinated with this cupcakes when my colleagues, Liz showed me. Since I am not a chocolate person, I just pinched a small part to have a taste of it and surprisingly, it was yummy! The cupcakes were so soft and spongy even for the next few days. The steps are simple and used steaming method. I gave these cupcakes to my kids and nephews, some like them steamed but some still prefer them baked. So it really depends on individual preferences. 

Here are some tips about steam cakes that I got from the experts:
1) Remember to beat the eggs + sugar very well. And by that, it means more than 10 mins of high speed whipping.
2) Heat up your steamer before putting the batter - filled moulds in.
3) Do not open the steamer halfway through the steaming process.
4) Fill the moulds all the way, don't worry about the batter spilling over during steaming -  it won't.
5) Do not let water into your batter, not even a drop. They are really sensitive and won't rise as nicely if that happens.

Ingredients

(A)
3 eggs
130g sugar
1/4 salt
100g corn oil
(B)
100g Orange juice
(C) Sift together
180g flour
20g cocoa powder
1tsp baking soda/sodium bicarbonate
2tsp baking powder

Directions

1. Whisk A together until sugar dissolves and add in B, mix until well blended.
2. Mix in sieved C, mix until well combined.
3. Pour into cup fillers, slightly more than 1/2 cup.
4. Steam for 10 mins and let it cool before you place the flower marshmallow on top (use a little nutella to stick the marshmallow to cupcakes).

Wonders of Agar Agar

I am submitting this recipe to the Aspiring Bakers #24 (October 2012) : Jellies & Puddings hosted by Charmaine of MiMi Bakery House. I found this Milo Agar Agar quite interesting and made some modification to it. I have added Oreo/Chocolate balls/KitKat to the milk layer to create another magnificient flavour and texture. Thanks to my friend, Shirlyn Lee for the pretty flower bottles. 

Ingredients

Milo Layer:
6 gm agar agar powder
500 ml water
90 gm sugar
5 heaped tbsp Milo powder
Milk Layer:
6 gm agar agar powder
300 ml water
90 gm sugar
200 ml Carnation Low Fat Evaporated Milk 

A few drops of vanilla essence

Filling (your preference):

1) Oreo (break into pieces but keep the sandwich together)

2) Chocolate balls

3) Kit kat (break into pieces)

Directions

1. In a pot, add water, sugar, Milo and agar agar powder into a pot. Cook until all has been dissolved.

2. In another pot, add water, sugar, agar agar powder and Carnation Low Fat Evaporated Milk into a pot. Cook until all has been dissolved. Stir in vanilla essence.

3.Carefully spoon the milo mixture for the base. let it set slightly on surface before pouring the milk layer on top.

4. Sprinkle oreo cookies & let it set and pour the milo mixture on top.

Tips:

1) Do not wait until the layer is completely set before pouring the next layer, or else it will not stick.

2)Make sure the mixture is still hot when pouring on the earlier layer so that it will stick well.

Vanilla Butter Cake

Made this Vanilla Butter Cake with Chocolate Rice for one of my colleague who will be leaving our company soon. Interestingly, this recipe (which I got from Women's Weekly Magazine) was very soft and less buttery. Will try to make the vanilla icing the next time I make this cake.

Ingredients

125g butter
170g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
250g self-raising flour (sifted)
120g fresh milk
Chocolate rice for toppings.

Vanilla Icing* (Optional)
220g icing sugar
15g butter
1-2 Tbsps hot water
1 tsp vanilla essence

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 180 deg C. Lightly grease and line a deep 20cm round cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla essence together until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping down sides of bowl.
3. Lightly fold flour into creamed mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour.
4. Spoon mixture into pan, smoothing top. Bake 40 to 45 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a pan for 5 mins, before turning onto wire rack to cool completely.

Note : * For icing, sift icing sugar into a bowl  Add butter, water and vanilla. Beat well until mixture has a smooth, spreadable consistency. spread over cooled cake.

Orange Agar-Agar

Since I have alot of oranges left making the Orange Muffins without butter, I made used of the orange juices to make these Orange Agar-Agar. A very easy recipe to ripe up a nice refreshing desserts for a  hot day. 

Ingredients

2tsp agar-agar powder
400ml pure orange juices (from 4 oranges) or mix with store-bought orange juices
50g rock sugar

Directions

1. Cut the orange to half. Extract the juice using a manual juice extractor, drained.
2. Remove the flesh and reserve the orange “shell”.
3. Mix agar-agar powder, orange juices and rock sugar in a saucepan.
4. Bring to boil till rock sugar dissolved, drained. Cool the mixture slightly.
5. Pour into the reserved orange “shells”.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for several hours till cool and set. Serve chilled.

Orange Muffins without Butter

I always feel disheartened doing folding method (the cake usually don't rise well) but I have decided to give it another try on these Orange Muffins. I was also attracted with this recipe that does not use butter and indeed the texture was fantastic! I have succeeded with the folding this time and the muffins were light, spongy with a strong orange aroma.  

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
30g Sugar
35g fresh orange juice
Orange zest from one large orange
70g natural yoghurt
80g plain flour
10g corn flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt

3 egg whites
70g sugar

Directions

1. Beat egg yolks and sugar until white at medium speed and add orange juice, natural yoghurt and mix well.
2. Remove bowl from machine, add in sifted flour (plain flour, corn flour & baking powder) and mix well with a hand whisk, follow by orange zest, mix well again.
3. Whisk egg whites and sugar until peak form.
4. Fold 1/4 of egg white to egg yolk mixture with a rubber spatula until well mix and fold in remaining egg white in two batches.
5. Scoop batter into muffin liners to 3/4 full and place them on a baking tray.
6. Bake at preheated oven at 170C for about 25-30 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Bang the baking tray together with the small cakes on the counter top 2-3 times once they are cooked, as this will prevent the cakes shrink. Leave to cool and store them in an airtight container in room temperature for 2-3 days.

Steamed Pumpkin Pau

I had some leftover mooncake lotus paste and so I decided to make these steamed Pumpkin Pau with them. I adapted this recipe from Nasi Lemak Lover but I guessed my skills wasn't as good compared to hers. I found the dough of 30g a bit too much (as it will rise larger), I reduced to 25g instead. My MIL and my girl said it was nice, tasted like the normal pau sold outside.

Ingredients

150g mashed pumpkin
225g all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/3 tsp salt

To make Yeast water
1 tbsp lukewarm water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp instant yeast

Filling
Lotus paste (you can replaced with red bean paste, peanut or etc)
Pumpkin skin- cut into small piece to make as pumpkin’s stem

Directions

1. Add in all ingredients and yeast water in a mixing bowl and knead till smooth dough.
2. Cover with damp cloth and rest for 60 mins.
3. Knock down dough to expel some air, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for a while.
4. Weigh out 25g of dough and roughly shape into a ball.
5. Weight lotus paste 15g and lightly shape into ball.
6. Fatten out the dough into a circle. Place lotus filling onto the center, wrap and pleat up the sides and seal.
7. Use a butter knife, mark from top and lightly press down towards bottom, keep a small gap in between, repeat this step till whole dough ball finished. Place a small piece of pumpkin skin at the middle and lightly press down.
8. Place the pumpkin buns (pleat area face down) onto a piece of greaseproof paper, on the rack for steaming. Cover with a piece of damp cloth and let rise for another 10-15 mins.
9. Lightly mark bun with butter knife again (to sharpen the pattern), steam the buns under rapidly boiling water on high heat for about 15mins.
10. Wait for 2mins then only open the lid and remove from the steamer.

Chocolate Walnuts Brownies

Saw this recipe in one of the magazines with very simple steps, so I gave it a shot. Since I am not a chocolate person, I will not know if these are the perfect brownies. Got my 2 nephews and my 2 kids tasted and glad to hear they found it delicious. For those who like chewy and not too fudgy type of brownies, I think you will like them.

Ingredients

100g plain chocolate
125g unsalted butter
2 eggs
130g caster sugar (reduced from 150g)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
65g all-purpose flour
100g chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Add the soft butter to the melted chocolate. Mix together with the hand whisk.
2. With an electric mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar together, and add in chocolate mix.
3. Add vanilla extract, flour and stir in walnuts. Mix well.
4. Pour the mix into a baking tin and level with a spatula.
5. Bake at 190 deg C for 35-40 mins.