is it a cake or cookie??

Another simple recipe to share! No involving of a mixer and beating procedure :) The recipe book actually named it as shortbread cakes but it does not have any cake texture at all. Instead it is crumbly and melts in the mouth, taste more like a cookie to me. Think I will catergorise this recipe under my cookie section :)

Blueberry Shortbread Cookie
Ingredient (8 cookies)

• 150gm unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 cup corn flour
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 8 tsp blueberry jam (or any prefered jam)

Method

1. Stir vanilla essence into melted butter.
2. Sift icing sugar, corn flour & plain flour and stir to mix. Using a wooden spoon, stir in melted butter into flour mixture to form a soft dough.
3. Fill 8 greased muffin cups with dough mixture, abt 43gm each. Make a dent in the middle and place 1 tsp jam in each dent.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 35-40mins. Cool completely before unmoulding.
   

Berries Yoghurt Pancakes

No sugar or butter is added as the yoghurt gives the sweetness and moisture to the pancakes. Moist and fluffy texture yum yum....

Ingredient

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 cup berry yoghurt (others flavour will also do)
  
• 1 egg

Method

1. Sift flour, baking powder & mixed spice into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre.
2. Whisk egg into yoghurt. Pour into flour mixture and mix well. The batter will be slightly lumpy.
3. Heat up a lightlygreased non-stick pan, Scoop 2 tbsps of batter into pan and spread into round shapes and cook for 1 - 2 mins. Turn over and cook the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.
   

Cheese & Ham Puffs

Prepared this simple finger food for my son's school year party. The puffs taste so awfully great that I could not stop popping them into my mouth!

Ingredient (makes approx 50 small puffs)

• 125ml milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 250gm cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• 4 slices ham, finely diced
  
• 300gm onion, finely chopped
• 150gm self-raising flour

Method

1. Combine milk & egg in a mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon.
2. Drop rounded teaspoon of mixture onto lined baking sheet. Baked in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 20mins or until golden brown.

Happy 3rd Birthday!

hmmm...the base looks fine right? actually certain parts of the mousse leak out from the finger biscuits!! hehehe...lucky manage to get a 'nice looking' shot.

My son is more interested with the candies on the cake rather than the cake itself!!

Soft & moist chiffon cake, match well with the strawberry & chocolate mousse!

Vanilla Chiffon Cake
Ingredient

• 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  
• 60gm milk
• 60gm corn oil
• 50gm sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
  
• 120gm cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 50gm sugar

Method

1. Sift flour and baking powder. With a hand whisk, beat egg yolks, milk, oil, vanilla essence, sugar & salt till sugar is well dissolved. Flour in flour and mix till mixture is lump free.
2. In a separate clean bowl, whisk egg whites & cream of tartar till frothy. Add in sugar gradually and beat on high speed till stiff peak formed.
3. Fold in 1/3 egg whites foams into egg batter and mix evenly. Pour batter into balance egg whites foam and mix till combined.
   
4. Pour into a ungreased 7" loose based cake pan till 70% full, tap cake pan on hard surface to release trapped air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 35mins. Invert cake pan immediately onto cooling rack to cool completely before unmoulding.
   

Chocolate mousse
Ingredient

• 2 egg yolks
• 65gm sugar
• 100gm milk
• 20gm cocoa powder
• 50gm water
• 100ml whipping cream
• 1ogm gelatine powder (dissolve in 50gm water)
  

Method: Boil milk, sugar, water and cocoa powder together. Add in egg yolks and stir vigorously till well mixed. Add in gelatine mixture and mix till well combined. Fold in whipped cream.

Strawberry Mousse
Ingredient

• 200ml whipping cream
• 250gm strawberry puree
• 50gm sugar
• 10gm gelatine powder (dissolved in 50gm water)
  

Method: Mix strawberry puree and sugar into a saucepan and warm it over a stove to melt the sugar. Then add in gelatine mixture. Leave to cool. Fold in whipped cream.

Assemble:

1. Prepare a 8" loose based cake pan, arrange 24 ladyfingers biscuit along the sides of the cake pan.
   
2. Place a slice of vanilla chiffon cake over the base of the cake pan. Spread chocolate mousse over. Chill in fridge for a while to set slightly.
   
3. Place another slice of chiffion cake over the chocolate mousse. Pour strawberry mousse over. Chill in fridge to set. Decorate surface as desired.
   

Asparagus Beef Fillet

Ingredient

• 300gm beef fillet
• 1 stalk spring onion, chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  
• 250gm asparagus, trimmed & parboiled
  
• 1/2 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp light soya sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

Method

1. Marinate beef fillet with egg, pepper, soya sauce & cornstarch.
   
2. Heat some oil in pan, quickly stir-fry beef on high heat for 1 min. Set aside.
   
3. With remaining oil in pan, saute spring onion & garlic till fragrant. Add beef, asparagus, sesame oil, sugar & oyster sauce. Stir fry for 2 mins. Remove from heat.
   

蜜汁肉排

Ingredient

• 500gm pork chops
• 2 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp light soya sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Sweet Sauce

• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 1 lemon juice
  
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp light sauce sauce
  

Method

1. Marinate pork chops with egg, pepper, sugar, soya sauce & cornstarch for at least 30mins.
2. Heat some oil in wok, deep fried pork chops till golden brown. Drain well.
3. In a separate pan, heat up 1 tbsp oil, add sweet sauce ingredients. Bring to boil. Add pork chops and mix evenly. Lower heat and cook till sauce thickens & reduce. Sprinkle in sesame seeds.
   

Chocolate Chiffon

One of my perfect bakes! ^-^ the chiffon stands tall and looks pretty after unmoulding..no broken pieces here and there..the taste is rich and chocolaty as commented by my hubby :)

Ingredient

• 70gm dark chocolate
• 150ml milk
• 60ml corn oil
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 tsp chocolate emulco
• 110gm plain flour
• 20gm cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 100gm sugar

Method

1. Melt chocolate and milk over a pan of simmering water. Cool. Whisk melted chocolate, oil, egg yolks and chocolate emulco in a mixing bowl.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Fold into step (1).
3. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar till foamy. Gradually beat in sugar in 3 batches on high speed till stiff peak formed.
4. Fold in 1/3 of the egg white foam into batter. Mix evenly. Pour the batter into the balance egg white foam and fold in gently till combined.
5. Pour into ungreased 9inch tube pan. Tap the pan on hard surface to release excess trap air bubbles and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 40 mins. Invert immediately to cool completely before removing from pan.

Hotcakes

Another homemade pancakes recipe, compare to commercial pancakes batter, this one does not puff up as much but the texture is still light and fluffy :)

Ingredient

• 1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 50gm butter, melted

Method

1. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre.
2. Add eggs, milk and butter all at once, use a wire whisk and mix till batter is free of lumps. Cling wrap and rest for 20mins.
3. Lightly grease a non-stick pan, pour 1/4 cup batter over the pan and cook over low heat for 1-2 mins till golden brown. Turn over and cook the other side.
4. Repeat process with remaining batter, grease pan when necessary. Serve with honey & fruits.
   

香菇腊肠蒸鸡

Ingredient

• 1 small chicken, chopped
• 12 chinese mushroom, softened & sliced
  
• 100gm chinese sausage, sliced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
  
• 3 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light/dark soya sauce
  
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp chinese wine

Method

1. Marinate chicken with salt, pepper, oyster sauce, sesame oil & chinese wine for at least 30mins.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan, pan fry mushroom and sausage till fragrant & slightly brown. Set aside and cool.
3. Mix chicken, mushroom & sausage together and place over a hot steamer, steam for 40mins.
   

Homemade Breakfast

Made this breakfast over the weekends :) Serve the oatmeal pancakes along with a simple and unique tasty jam which was made in advance few days ago.

Tomato & Passionfruit Jam
Ingredient

• 500gm tomatoes
• 3 passionfruit pulps
• 50ml lemon juice
• 250gm sugar

Method

1. Cut a cross at the base of the tomatoes, bring a pot of water to boil, submerge the tomatoes for 1 min. Remove from heat, peel of skin and roughly chop the tomatoes.
2. Put the passionfruit pulps, lemon juice & tomatoes in a pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15mins or until the mixture is thick & pulpy.
3. Add the sugar and stir over low heat till all sugar has dissolved. Turn on medium heat and bring to boil and cook for 30mins, stirring often to prevent the base from burning. Remove and scums during the process.
4. If the jam falls from a tilted wooden spoon in thick sheets without dripping, the jam is done. Remove from heat and pour the jam into clean, warm & dry jars and seal. Turn upside down for 2 mins then invert and leave to cool. Refridge after opening for up to 2 mths.

Oatmeal Pancakes
Ingredient

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 80gm butter, melted

Method

1. Place 2 cups rolled oats, flour & sugar in a blender. Process till oats is fine. Transfer flour mixture into a mixing bowl, make a well in the centre.
2. Add milk, eggs & butter all at once. Whisk until well combined and free of lumps. Stir in remaining oats, cling wrapped and rest for 20mins.
3. Lightly greased a non-stick pan, drop 2 tbsp batter into pan and spread into a circle. Cook over low heat for 2mins or until golden brown. Turn over and cook the other side. Repeat process with remaining batter, greasing pan when necessary.