Yew Char Kway

As I was searching online for yew char kueh recipe,I found out that many of the recipes have ammonia and alum added.It sounds scary to me.I'd known about alum.I used that when I have gum problem,but ammonia sounds like chemical things to me.Both ammonia and alum are out for me.
I kept on searching and finally,I found one that minus the two things.It was from a vietnamese woman named Helen.Actually,I'd tried wantanmien one from Hong Kong but the recipe didn't work for me.So,here I stick to Helen.I'd tried twice.You can watch her on youtube.OR here:http://danangcuisine.com/banh/recipe-fried-breadsticks-banh-quay-youtiao-patongko/
The dough have to kept kneading and resting for four times.In the final times,it had to rest for at least 4 hours.I don't have any problem with that.I go fetch my kids home and then come back in time to continue.

Here goes her recipe:
500 g all purpose flour(10-11% protein)
300 ml water at room temperature
10 g baking soda
5 g baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar

Here's what Helen advise:
If protein % of flour is lower than 10 % use less water,between 250-300 ml.If want more crispy,use 5 g baking soda and 5 g baking ammonia to replace baking soda and baking powder in recipe. 

Method:
1.Place baking powder and baking soda in 2 separate small bowls.Take out from the measured water 50 ml(3 tbsps) water and add into each bowl.Stir well to dissolve.
 
2.Place the flour in a big mixing bowl.Add salt and sugar.Mix well.Make a well in 
the middle and pour the liquid from the bowls and the rest of the water into the well.
Stir well with a spatula until the flour absorbs all the liquid.Then knead with your 
hand for just 1-2 minutes until a rough dough is formed.Cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.

3.After resting for the first time,take out and knead for 1-2 minutes.The surface of the dough becomes smoother,but still not 100 % smooth.Cover and rest for another 20 minutes for 
the second time.

4.Repeat the process one more time.Take out and knead for 1-2 minutes. The surface of the dough now becomes very smooth. Cover and let it rest for another 20 minutes for the third time'

5.Take out and knead for a few more strokes. Then roll the dough flat to a thickness of 1cm (1/2 inch). Cover with a slightly damp cloth and let it rest for 4 hours. Make sure you let it rest long enough (minimum 2.5 hours and maximum 4 hours)

6.After resting 4 times, roll the dough flat to a thickness of 0.5 cm (1/4 inch). Cut into 8-10cm (3-4-inch) bands, and then cut each band into 2.5cm (1-inch) strips.

7. Dip a bamboo skewer in water and press down in the middle of each dough piece lengthwise. Do that for just half of them, and then stacked the other pieces on top to form pairs. Then use the same skewer to again press down in the middle of the pieces on top lengthwise.

8. Fill a large wok/frying pan with at least 2-inch vegetable oil. Heat the oil to 180°C/360°F, or until you stand a dry wooden chopstick in the center of the wok and see bubbles appear steadily around it. Lower the heat to medium and start deep-frying. 

9.Quickly pick up one dough pair (use both hands to hold near the ends), stretch out to double the length and carefully drop into the hot oil. The dough will float to the surface in a second. Use chopsticks or tongs to keep flipping the dough until it puffs up into the shape of the fried breadstick that we normally see. Deep-fry until it turns golden brown. Then let it rest on a rack or paper towel to drain off the excess oil. It’s easier to manage if you fry one at a time. If the pieces stick too tight together, use chopsticks to loosen a little, so that it has enough room to rise and puff up.(very tricky,I'm not skilled)

So,that is how I followed her recipe and steps in making a perfect yew char kway,though
not so perfect yet.I have to give myself a few more tries.

Kaya

Making kaya in the bread maker

Due to vanilla essence added,the colour turns olive green

This kaya is not sweet.It's just the right amount of sugar.Most store bought kaya are very sweet,not to my liking.I made this kaya using the bread maker.I think I better quickly write down what and how much ingredients I have used in making this.I tend to forgot sometimes.
This made 2 small plastic cups with lids(just like store bought one)

Ingredients: 
5 eggs 
1 1/4 cups sugar or 1 1/2 cups if you prefer more sweet
200 ml coconut santan
1 tsp vanilla(to get rid of the egg smell)optional

Whisk the ingredients needed with a balloon whisk or blender until smooth and mixed well.
Strain through a sieve into the bread maker.Choose "jam" setting and press start.The bread maker will begin the job.
When finished,pour into the blender to blend into a smooth consistency.


 

Sausage Rolls

Tangzong Asian Recipe using the bread maker to make the dough.This is my first time getting to know about tangzhong.Thanks to the recipe by Lazy Awesome Dad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C65CfhTUDg.I am able to make a soft and fluffy buns.

Start by making the tangzhong first:(120 g)

125 ml water
25 g flour

Stir on low heat until thickens to 65°C.
Take out to cool and cover with plastic cling wrap.

Dough recipe:

125 ml milk
1 tsp salt
4 tbsps sugar
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 tbsp milk powder(optional)
1 large egg
2 tsps yeast
30g butter

Next is to make the dough using a bread maker or mixer with dough hooks.
Here,I'm using the bread maker.
Add in the milk,tangzhong,salt,sugar,flour,milk powder,(optional),egg,and lastly yeast.

Select dough setting and press start.

After 10 minutes of kneading,add in the butter.

When the dough is ready,let it to rise in the machine or take it out into a clean big bowl and cover with a towel.Let it rise for 45 minutes.Sprinkle some flour onto a clean table.Deflate the dough on the table.Divide 8 equal porions and shape into round.Cover with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes.Deflate each of the balls and roll long.Wrap round the sausage to make into a bun.

Bake at preheated 180°C oven for 20 minutes.Take it out and glaze egg yolks onto each bun.

Back to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes till it tuns brown.

Cool on a wire rack.

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.