Shanghai mooncakes

Mooncakes festival is coming soon.Not long ago,I've got some thoughts of making Shanghai mooncakes..Even though it's still weeks away,I started trying it out.I've never make any Shanghai mooncakes before,or that I have but I can't remember?I've got the recipe copied 
down from a book many years ago.

 My recipe book has now been put to good use.I've kept it for too long and  it has now turned  a bit yellow.

Recipe:

250 g butter
140 g icing sugar
1 egg,beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence

Sifted Ingredients:(combined)

400 g plain flour     
50 g custard flour

100 g each lotus paste or any other paste(roll into balls)
1 beaten egg for glazing
Melon flakes

Cream butter and icing sugar,mix in beaten egg and vanilla essence.Mix in combined sifted 
flour.

Divide dough into 50 g portions and roll into balls.Roll out between sheets of plastic wrap.
Wrap the dough around 100 g balls of lotus paste.Shape up into round balls and place on
a baking tray.
Brush with egg glaze and sprinkle melon seeds onto it.
Bake in 200°C oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. 

Chicken Ham Roll

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts(boneless and skinless) 

4 slices ham
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp five-spice powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
4 spring rolls wrappers,cut into 4
some all-purpose flour for dusting
1 egg
2 tbsps milk
oil for deep frying

Method:

1.Cut breasts in half,pound very thin using mallet or rolling pin.
2.Combine spices(salt,pepper,4 spice powder.garlic powder-2 sprinkle,evenly over each flattened chicken breasts.
3.Tightly roll up each ham piece and place in center of each chicken piece.Roll the chicken piece around the ham.tucking in the ends of chicken.
4.Whisk the egg together with milk.
5.Coat the chicken with flour. 
6.Dip in the egg mixture.
7.Place the chicken roll diagonally across the spring wrapper.Brush some egg at the end of the wrapper
8.Roll the chicken up and tuck the end.

9.Deep fry in hot oil till cooked through.Drain on paper towel.Wait cool then cut.
10.Arrange on lettuce or cucumber.

.

Pandan Bread

I like to see the green colour of this bread.This is yet another of my bread machine recipe.

I'm having a fun time having a bread maker.I can do all kinds of breads.I don't have to go to the bakeries anymore.

See the pix?The texture is soft.The green colour comes from the screwpine leaves,a.k.a
pandan(malay words)Pandan is a really,really nice flavour just the same as vanilla.I like the smell of pandan.Not long ago,I left my pandan leaves inside the car and forgot to take
it inside the house.My car smells of the flavourful pandan, that I decided to leave it there.The smell last for almost 1 week.Everytime I open the car door,I smelled it.I like it so much.It was like my newest car freshener. 
When I bake this bread,the whole house was filled with this significant smell.


Ingredients:

125 ml milk(low fat)
1 egg
260 g bread flour
20 g sugar
1/2 tsp yeast
1 tsp pandan juice
20 g butter

Put inside the bread maker and turn to soft or basic.Small loaf.Choose your crust colour and press start.

CHAR KUEH

 Known to us here as Cha Kueh.


Ingredients:

(A)300g radish,shredded

(B)220g rice flour

40g tapioca flour

20g wheat flour

250g water

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

(C)50g water

Method: KUEH

1.In a mixing bowl, combine (B) rice flour, tapioca flour, wheat starch, salt, sugar, and cold water together.

2. Cook (A) with water till soft, or until radish turns translucent. Discard the water.

3. Heat pan with 1 tbsp oil, fried radish for 2 mins. and pour in (C).

4. Continue cooking till boiled. Stir in the flour mixture and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens.

5. Pour into an 8" square pan and steam over boiling water for about 30 mins or until cooked. Cool radish

 cake thoroughly before cutting into cubes.

 Ingredients for frying the radish cake:

3 tbsps chai poh(sweet pickled radish)

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 eggs 

oil

Seasoning: To taste

 dark soy sauce

sweet soy sauce

light soya sauce

pepper

sambal chili (optional)

Method:

1. In a nonstick pan, heat oil and fry minced garlic and chai poh. Fry till aromatic.

2. Add in radish cake cubes and fry till lightly browned and lightly crisp. Heat should be medium-high.

3. Add in seasoning and fry to coat evenly.

4. Push the radish cake to the side of the pan, then crack eggs into the pan. Allow the egg to set slightly

 before flipping the radish cake over it.

5. Garnish with spring onion and serve hot. 

Bread Machine Chocolate Swirl

 This is the softest bread that I've ever made.Thanks to the video by Goh Ngai Leng on youtube.My swirl are not as beautiful as hers.I cannot get the perfect roll.I need a little more practice.It was so soft to the extent that when I cut it,it shrinks.I've made thrice.The second time I double the recipe because I want more bigger and taller size.The third time,I leave out the chocolate swirl and just bake it plain.I was so worried that it might not be good,but it turns out well.I hope I can have the perfect swirl next time. 
I don't really have an idea what is raw sugar,nor can I find it,so I just used castor sugar instead.

Ingredients:

150g fresh milk
20g condensed milk
20g unsalted butter(salted can do as well)
25g beaten egg
30g raw sugar
1/4 tsp salt
225g bread flour
25g cake flour
3/4 tsp instant dry yeast
10g cocoa powder

Method:

Keep warm 150g fresh milk,20g condensed milk and 20g unsalted butter in the rice cooker for 10 mins.I warm my one in the oven.
Pour butter and milk mixture into the bread pan.add 25g beaten egg.Add 30g raw sugar and 1/4 tsp salt.Add 225g bread flour and 25g cake flour.
Dig a small hole,pour in 3/4 tsp instant yeast.
Select dough program and press start.Take the dough out and flatten it.Sprinkle some flour on dough and table.
Divide into 2/3 and 1/3 portion.Shape 2/3 portion with 10g cocoa powder.Cover and let both doughs rest for 15 mins.Sprinkle flour.
Roll out both doughs with the width corresponds to the length of the bread pan.
Cover and proof for 30-40 mins.
Brush with egg yolks.
Put back into the bread machine.Press bake function(my took abt 30-35 mins for a smaller bread)
Choose color and crust.

It don't have to be swirl all the time.

Yogurt And Blackcurrant Cake

This cake is very soft and fluffy.Perfect for an afternoon tea snack.I like seeing the rich yellow colour.It uses margarine and not butter.

       

Ingredients:

150g margarine

130g castor sugar

200g self-raising flour

50g blackcurrants

100g yogurt

3 eggs

Method:

1.Beat margarine and sugar till fluffy.

2.Add in eggs one by one at a time.Combine the mixture well.before adding the next egg.Beat well.

3.Fold in self-raising flour and mix well.

4.Lastly,add in yogurt and blackcurrant.

5.Pour the batter into a 8"x3"x3" baking tray.(but I use a deep 7" round tray)

6.Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 40 minutes or toothpicks inserted in the center comes out clean.

Bread Machine Bread recipes

Soft Bread or Basic Bread

Fit in the kneading paddle to the bread barrel.Measure and add everything  in order according to the below recipe.Usually,the wet ingredients first.I'm using PENSONIC brand.

This ingredients yields a 2.0 LB loaf.

310ml water

3 big spoons butter

1 small spoon table salt

3 big spoons granulated sugar

5 big spoons milk powder

520g high protein flour

1 small spoon yeast powder

Cover  the lid and select 1 (soft)Choose the weight and crust color.Press start.

Raisin and pumpkin seeds cupcakes

I made cupcakes late in the night last night.The recipe was taken from the back of the Blue Key brand self-raising flour box.The paper cups that I bought last month was left untouched inside my kitchen cabinet.Seeing the recipe made me wanted to try it out.As it calls for unsalted butter,I had to run to the nearest shop to buy .Honestly speaking,I don't like recipes that calls for unsalted butter as I only have the salted butter handy and unsalted butter are fairly much,much more expensive.Luckily,the store where I bought last night had a discount.

Ingredients:

230g unsalted butter
170g castor sugar
4 eggs(grade A)
1/2 tsp vanilla flavour
230g BLUE KEY self raising flour(you can use any other brand)
50g toasted pumpkin seeds
80g black raisins

Icing:

200g icing sugar
70g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla flavour
30ml UHT milk
a few drops green colouring(my green has a taste of mint)

piping bag needed

Method:Cupcakes


Preheat oven to 180°C. 
Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
Add in eggs one at a time and beat until smooth.Add in vanilla.
Add in flour,follow by pumpkin seeds and raisins.Mix well.
Scoop the batter to paper cups until 65% filled.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or toothpicks inserted in the center comes out clean.
Leave to cool before icing.

To make the icing:

Beat butter and icing sugar until fluffy.
Add in milk and vanilla flavour.Mix to form creamy icing.
Divide into two portions.One portions,add green colouring and another portion,add in red colouring.
Pipe the cupcakes with a piping bag and decorate with desired things.

          

My bread Maker

 My Bread Maker

This machine saved my time.I just put the ingredients in,and the machine do all the work.Perfect for morning breakfast,and I always do it in the night time.

I start off by making the most basic soft bread,of course!Smaller size first,then medium,then big.Then from plain to things added.So fun and still loving it!

With raisins added

Chocolate bread

Pandan Bread

Then from breads,to making cakes,

Chocolate Cakes

and pizzas,

Pineapple Pizzas

and you can even make all kinds of buns or dinner rolls.

Plain Dinner Rolls/Sausage Buns

I'm so glad I bought this bread machine.The brand is PENSONIC.

From now on,I'll just use this machine to make dough for me.

Kuih Talam

This local dessert is a memory of my school days,taught in cookery lesson.It look similar to Kueh Salat because of the colour.Both have white and green layers.

Thinking back now,I only had a vague memory of how we made Kuih Talam.Sadly to say,I've lost the recipe, but I found one similar to it.The batter don't have to cook first.It is what I wanted.

Recipe adapted from poh's kitchen.TQ

Ingredients:

Bottom layer: 

1 cup sugar
1 cup rice flour
0.75 liters water
45g tapioca flour
1/2 tsp lye
green colouring
pandan paste

Topping:

110g rice flour
2 cups coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp salt 

Method:

Sift rice and tapioca flours into a mixing bowl.

Put sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to boil stirring until sugar dissolves.

Once sugar has dissolved,add green colouring and pandan paste.

Pour into the flour mixture and mix with a wooden spoon.

Pour batter into a 22 centimeter cake pan and steam over rapidly boiling water for 15 minutes.

Combine all the topping mixture and mix well.

Pour mixture over the green layer and steam for 20 minutes over medium heat.

Leave to cool and slice.

Ngo Hiang

Recipe here was adapted from the book by Agnes Chang, once a famous face on tv. I will make my own recipe soon, closest to my late mother-in-law who makes the best ngo hiang on every Chinese New Year.Ngo Hiang is porks and prawns wrapped and rolled in beancurd skin with added five-spice powder.(ngo hiang hun,hokkien).
It is often seen eaten at every household on Chinese new year and most mothers are keen to make during these special occasions.Of course, there are some people who are 
keen to make at anytime of the weeks.It is also great for parties.These rolls are sweet and
savoury.My mother in law always made extras.Visitors who came are lucky to eat her ngo 
hiang, for she stuffed in a lot of porks and prawns.These rolls can be kept in the refrigerator
for weeks and when you want to eat it,you can either microwave it or put in the steamer 
again for just a few minutes to make it hot.Then enjoy with rice.
My neighbour told me that she added mackerel into it. I was never told that there are Hokkien
and Teochew versions.If you ask me which version mine is,I don't know.I can only eat because it is good.I think I'll make a campur(mix)version. In the meanwhile,enjoy this recipe
from Agnes.



Ingredients:

1 piece bean curd skin
600g minced pork
300g minced prawns,without shell
2 bombay onions,chopped small
10 water chestnuts,chopped (I opt out cos I couldn't find)
1 egg
enough oil for dip-frying



1 tsp salt
1/4 chicken stock granules
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp five-spice powder
1/4 tsp pepper

Method:

1.In a big mixing bowl,mix minced pork,prawns and salt till sticky.Add bombay onions,water chestnuts(if using)egg and all seasoning.Mix well.Divide into 4 parts.
2.Cut bean curd skin into 4 pieces,8"x6".Wipe with a damp cloth.
3.Place 1 part of meat mixture onto 1 piece of bean curd skin and form into a long roll.Roll out lightly.
4.Place the meat rolls on a steamer or if using kuali,steam for 8-10 minutes.Take it out.
5.Heat up oil in a saucepan or kuali,and fry on medium heat till golden brown.Take it out onto a plate to cool and cut into thin slices.Serve with dipping sauce.

The sauce are also from Agnes,but we just dipped with chilli sauce.

Dipping Sauce:

4 tbsp dark soya sauce
2 tbsp light soya sauce
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp five-spice powder
2 tbsp water,mixed with 1/2 tbsp cornflour

Waffle

Lately,I've been making waffles at home.I bought two types of waffle makers,a square shape,and a heart shape.I do not really like the former one,so I sold it away to someone who also wanted to buy a waffle maker..

My recipe here are of the crispy type,so don't worry,go ahead and try.

Crispy waffles:

2 cups flour

2 tsp yeast

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp melted butter

1 cup milk

1 egg,room temp

1 tbsp vanilla

1/2 cup warm water

Method:

Mix flour,yeast,salt,butter,egg,vanilla and milk together.Whisk slowly and thoroughly.

Add in warm water slowly,bit by bit and mix again.If the batter is still thick,add in a little more water,bit by bit first.

Rest the batter for 10-15 mins.Heat the waffle maker.Pour 1 ladle of batter into the center and wait till it's brown.

After making,you can spread whatever you want onto it.Mix the flavours from kaya to peanut butter,chocolate,milk,honey,butter, jam or even nutella.The choice is yours.