Shanghai Mooncakes

Made another lot of Shanghai Mooncakes on 7 Sep 14

These are my favourite mooncakes that I loved to eat many years ago, unfortunately I am not able to find such good ones already. Until I came across this recipe from Fong's Kitchen and immediately after I gave my first bite on the mooncake, I was so elated. I gave some to my colleagues and relatives, they confirmed my judgement on this excellent recipe. 

I will definitely make these every Mid Autumn Festival :)

(With slight Modifications)

Ingredients

90g Planta
90g butter (salted)
60g sugar
2 tbsp milk
100g cake flour
140g plain flour
40g custard powder
3 tbsp parmesan cheese powder
Salted egg yolks

[Note: 15g Dough, 20g lotus paste +1/2 salted egg yolk]

Directions

1. Cream Planta, butter and sugar till creamy and white. Add in milk and cream well to combine. 
2. Sift cake flour, plain flour and custard powder together. Mix in parmesan cheese powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture to form a dough. 
3. Cut salted egg yolks into 1/2.  
4. Wrap each salted egg yolk in 20g lotus paste and roll it into an round shape. Set aside.
5. Divide the dough in 15g and wrap each lotus filling with the dough.
6. Bake in preheated oven of 150C for about 10 mins. Remove and apply egg wash. Bake again for about another 20 mins or till light golden brown.

Snowskin Mooncakes 2014

My yearly affair, made these Snow Skin Mooncakes for my colleagues, Sis-In -Laws and Neighbours. 

Moist Banana Cake

I came across this recipe from Facebook (Ms Amy Wong) and I knew this was the banana cake that I always loved to eat. Indeed this was moist and yummy! I had added more walnuts to the cake and it tasted much crunchier with every bite. 

(With slight modifications)

Ingredients

200g butter
180g castor sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs
2 1/2 tbsp milk
275g self-raising flour + 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5 ripe bananas mashed
50g toasted walnuts

Directions

1. Grease and line a 8" pan. Preheat oven at 190C. 
2. Beat butter, vanilla essence and sugar together until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in milk and banana. Continue to beat for another minute.
4. Fold in sifted self-raising flour with added bicarbonate of soda. Lastly add in walnuts and stir till combined.
5. Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake for 40-50 mins or until the cake is done.

Moist Chocolate Muffins

Baked these for Teachers 3/9/14

I am not a chocolate lover but my kids are chocolate monsters. While I was cracking my head to find a good chocolate recipe to bake for Teacher's Day gift, I came across this excellent recipe from Kenneth Goh. It was indeed an easy recipe and I just love the nice dome of the final bakes. My kids said these are the best chocolate muffins they have tasted - chocolaty, soft & moist. I have decided to bake these for the teachers and hope they will like it too. 

With modifications

Ingredients

125g butter (melted)
2 eggs
125g of brown or castor sugar
75g fresh milk
150g of self raising flour
2tbsp of cocoa powder
1/8 tsp of baking soda 

Optional
50g white chocolate chips 
20g macadamia

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 175C.
2. In a big mixing bowl, put in melted butter, eggs, sugar and milk, use a hand whisk to whisk until well combined. Sift in the self raising flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and add in white chocolate chips. Use a spatula to mix the flour as quickly and as lightly as possible (a bit of lumpy batter is acceptable). 
3. Scoop into the muffin cups (75% full) and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until skewer comes out clean.

Lo Mai Gai 糯米雞 & Homemade Nasi Lemak

Delicious Lo Mai Gai 

Yummy Homemade Nasi Lemak 

Check out the link @ BeautyMe Cooking Recipes.

Ang Ku Kueh (in Mooncake design)

As I had a packet of ground peanuts left in my cupboard, I decided to try making Ang Ku Kueh. Since Lantern Festival is round the corner, I had this crazy idea of making my Ang Ku Kueh using mooncake mould. It came out fantastic with the beautiful mooncake pattern and it tasted so nice with the sweet peanut fillings. My hubby and kids like these Mooncake Ang Ku Kueh as much as I do. 

* Sharing Notes:
1) I used mixer as I do not have blender.

2) I modified the dough to 20g & peanut filings to 15g which are nice amount for my moocake mould.

3) I added more water and oil to the dough as it was a little dry and I have some difficulty wrapping the peanut fillings in the dough. 

4) Do not steam for too long, steam 5mins and brush with oil and steam for another 5 mins. Extended steaming will cause the design to lose it visibility.

Recipe from Kenneth Goh with modifications

Ingredients

250g ground peanut
120g castor sugar
10g sesame seeds
15g cooking oil
2 tbsp plain flour
70g water

200g sweet potatoes (steamed and mashed)
20g caster sugar
50g cooking oil
200g glutinous rice flour
100g hot water (add a few drops of red colouring)

Cooking oil for brushing

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add grounded peanuts, castor sugar, sesame seeds, cooking oil, plain flour. Mix well. 
2. Add water gradually into 3 stages and use hand to mix until it form a firm dough.
3. Shape about 15g into balls and set aside.
4. Put mashed potatoes, sugar and cooking oil into mixer and mix well. 
5. Add in glutinuous rice flour and red hot water in 3 stages. Blend until well combined. Divide dough into 20g balls. 
6. Take a dough, flatten it and place in the centre with a peanut ball. Seal the edges, shape round and place onto mooncake mould. Press down firmly and dislodge it by knocking the mould on the table. Place on top of a piece of banana leaf.
7. Bring water in the steamer to boil. Once boiling, transfer the Ang Ku Kueh to the steamer. REDUCE THE HEAT TO LOW and steam for 5 mins.
8. After 5 minutes, open the cover, lightly wash the cake with some cooking oil (to prevent sticking) , and continue to steam the cake for another 5-7 minutes.

Huat Kueh

Steamed these for praying my Father-In-Law
17 Aug 2014

I have been trying out a few Huat Kueh recipes that can laugh beautifully like these and finally I got it. Amazingly, these Huat Kueh not only tasted like those store bought but also easy to make (just add 300ml water or coconut milk).  Even my hubby gave a thumbs up for such a successful Huat Kueh!

Chocolate Chips Walnut Butter Cake - Orders (2014)

Very satisfied with this Chocolate Chips Walnut Butter Cake which I experimented with Rumford Baking powder - indeed soft and moist. Feeling happy to complete this simple yet yummy cake order. 

Nutella Peanut Butter Chiffon Cake

Baked on 11 Aug 2014

Finally used my Chiffon pan to bake this Full Nutella Chiffon Cake and texture equally good.

Baked on 7 April 2014

It was amazing when I saw the cake coming out of the oven. After so many failed attempts baking a perfect chiffon cake, I finally made it!

I love the color of the cake using Nutella but I only have 100g of Nutella left, so I added 80g of chunky peanut butter, finger crossed to treat it as same content. Apparently, it came out fantastic and I could feel the chunky peanut in the cake. It is indeed a unique combination.   

This recipe requires the technique to beat the egg white until the correct stiffness and also folding it correctly. I was extra careful with the folding steps and my hard work paid off. The cake risen beautifully and the texture was excellent.   

Ingredients

100gm hot milk
100gm Nutella
80gm peanut butter
80gm top flour,sifted
5 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

5 egg whites
70gm sugar

Directions

1. Melt Nutella with hot milk, stir until smooth. Let it cool down.
2. Preheat oven to 180C. Prepare baking pan and line base with baking paper. Do not grease.
3. When the Nutella mixture has cooled down, mix the egg yolks, flour, and vanilla extract until it becomes a smooth batter.
4. In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks and gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff.
5. Put 1/4 of the egg whites into the Nutella butter, with quick and gentle stroke, fold the batter. Repeat with another 1/4 of the egg whites.
6. Pour the Nutella batter into the egg whites, scrape the Nutella batter bowl clean and fold the final batter until no streaks of egg whites are seen.
7. Bake the cake for 40-50mins or until done.
8. Remove from oven immediately, and once the cake leave the side, use a butter knife to go round the cake. Place a tray on top of pan and over turn the cake to remove the pan, then place wire rack on top of the cake and over turn on wire rack (the base with baking paper will now be on the bottom).
9. When the cake has totally cooled down, use a cake board and over turn. Remove baking paper and ready to serve.

Light Cheddar Cheescake

Baked on 17 Aug 2014

I have bookmarked this recipe for a long time and finally today I have the chance to try it out. I have just learnt on the folding method for chiffon cake and now it is time that I put what I have learnt to practice. This recipe called for 6 egg whites and water bath baking. With strong determination to get it right, I think I have done it well. The cake baked to perfection with a nice colour top, soft texture and the right cheesy flavour. I felt great accomplishment and motivation to do folding method recipes moving forward.   

Ingredients  

6 slices of Kraft cheddar cheese (tear up)
100g fresh milk
100g unsalted butter
6 egg yolks
100g cake flour

6 egg whites (cold)
100g caster sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 150 Deg C with water bath. Line the side and bottom of square tin.
2. Melt butter, milk and cheddar cheese in a pot over medium heat, stir constantly with a spatula till all melted and well incorporated. Set aside to cool before use.
3. Lightly whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl. Ladle spoonful of the cheese mixture into the egg yolks. Mix till all well combined.
4. Sift in cake flour into the mixture, mix well and ensure no lumps.
5. In a mixer, whisk egg white till foamy and gradually add in sugar. Whisk till stiff peak or close to stiff.
6. Add 1/3 of egg white mixture into the cheese mixture and fold gently with a hand whisk. Repeat the balance portion till all well mix.
7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the surface.
8. Bake the cake for 50-60 mins at lower rack or till golden brown.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan before removing it and cool on wire rack.

Baked Fish Cheesy Macaroni

It's Singapore 49th Birthday today and how can we not celebrate for the country, so I made this Baked Fish Cheesy Macaroni for dinner. Everyone enjoyed the meal while watching the National Day Parade. 

Baking Mission

I always wanted to give my Kitchen an appropriate signage for all my beautiful bakes. When I first saw this in one of the shops in Malacca, I fell in love with it at first sight and from now on, this will be my Baking Mission for my lovely kitchen.

Almond Soya Milk Chiffon Cups

I had a special request from my Sister in Laws to bake this Almond Soya Milk Chiffon Cake again, so I decided to bake it in cups for easy consumption with no cutting required. I felt the texture was not chiffon but more of a sponge cake type. Nevertheless, I like this texture too. 

Kueh Lapis

Had always wanted to make this Kueh Lapis as my youngest daughter loves this very much. But due to the time consuming processes to steam each layer at a time, I was reluctant to do it until I found this simple step by step recipe from Kenneth Goh. 

After exploring this recipe, I managed to grasp some good tips when doing this Kueh Lapis.

1) I should add pandan leaves to the 500g water and boil it so the Kueh Lapis with have a fragrant pandan flavour.

2) I should ladle the equal amount of batter to each layer but I just estimated each layer of batter till I am not able to see the below layer.

3) I am not able to loosen out Kueh Lapis from my pan (after 2 hours) and so after going round the sides, I placed my hand beneath the base of the kueh to lift it up. Perhaps the correct way is to leave it in the chiller before attempting to take it out from the pan.

4) After releasing the Keuh lapis from the pan, I placed it on a tray and tried to cut with a greased knife but unfortunately it was so sticky and I am not able to get a nice smooth cut for every pieces. I would think the correct way is to place Keuh Lapis in the chiller for a few hours and it will be much easier to cut out nicely. 

  

Overall, it was a good try on this recipe :)

Ingredients  

(with my own modifications)

100g rice flour
350g tapioca flour
500g water (boil with Pandan leaves and leave to cool)
350g castor sugar
500ml of thick coconut milk (about 1 big packet)
Red food colouring

Directions

1. Put some water in the steamer and bring to boil.
2.Shift the tapioca and rice flours to a big bowl. Add in sugar. Stir well and make a well. Add in water and coconut milk. Use a balloon whisk to stir until well mixed and sugar are dissolved.
3. Lightly grease your preferred container and put the empty greased tin in the steamer. Let it steam for at least 5 minutes.
4. Open the lid of the steamer. Put 1-1.5 ladles of green/red flour solution in the tin. Steam for another 5 minutes. Repeat the procedure until all the green and red flour solution have finished. In the final layer, steam the whole cake for 15-20 minutes until the cake looks transparent. Rest for at least 1-2 hours before transferring for cutting.
5. Lightly grease a "sharp knife". Cut the cake in one knife. Do not saw the cake as the edge will not be smooth. 

Chocolate Cheery Cake - Orders (2014)

Very satisfied with this cake decoration and glad that my customer loves it too. 

Sunkist Huat Kueh

I saw this recipe in Facebook Baking Group and was attracted to the vibrant yellow of these Huat Kueh. So with great curiosity, I decided to give it a try and indeed, it came out with such a nice color and they were smiling beautifully. The taste was not orangy but soft and fluffy. Personally, I still preferred Ji Dan Gao more with a strong eggy taste and slight chewy texture. Good experiment though!

Ingredients

230g Orange Juices (fresh or in Sunkist bottle)
100g sugar
50g corn oil
250g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder

Directions

1. Mix orange juice & sugar till dissolved. Add oil mixed till combined.
2. Add in flour and mix well.
3. Spoon mixture to paper fillers up to 95%.
4. Steam for 15 mins at high heat.