Cake for a Fren...

This is a cake I baked for a friend's birthday which falls on today :D As most of her family members are diabetic, so I modified the recipe by placing the sugar with splenda sugar. I also replaced some of the flour with ground almonds to give a different texture & flavour :D Hope they like the cake!

Recipe modified from here...
Ingredients

• 100g butter
  
• 10 tbsp splenda sugar
  
• 50g yoghurt
  
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
  
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 140gm cake flour
• 70gm ground almond
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
• peaches, strawberries & longan
  

Method

1. Grease (with butter) and flour the side of a 8" square pan and line the base with parchment paper.
2. With an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and yogurt till light and fluffy.
3. Dribble in the eggs gradually and beat till incorporated in the batter. (The mixture may appear slightly curdled.)
4. Add vanilla paste and zest. Mix to combine.
5. Sieve over flour, ground almond and baking powder and mix till smooth.
   
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
7. Arrange fruits on top, don’t press the fruits down into the batter. Decorate the fruits as desired.
8. Bake in pre-heat oven at 180degC for 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake.
   
9. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for about 5~10 mins. Unmold and transfer to wire rack to let cool completely. Dust the cake with some icing sugar if desired.

Peach Muffins

After baking a fruit pastry cake, with some balance peaches, therefore make some fast & simple peach muffins! just stir & pop into oven, that's easy! :D As I do not have peach essence on hand, I just substitute it with same amount of vanilla paste. Very fragrant and soft muffins :D

Ingredient (makes 5 medium muffins)

• 80gm unsalted butter, melted
• 80gm sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp soy milk
• 150gm peach, diced
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste or 1/2 tsp peach essence
  
• 120gm plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 30gm ground almond

Method

1. Preheat oven at 200 deg cel.
   
2. Combine butter, sugar, salt, egg, soya milk and vanilla paste together. Stir till sugar dissolves. Stir in diced peaches.
3. Sift flour and baking powder. Stir in ground almond.
4. Fold in flour mixture into butter mixture in few batches until fully combined. Do not overmix.
5. Spoon batter into muffin cases, reduce oven temp to 180 deg cel and bake for 25mins until golden brown.
   

虫草花蒸鸡

什么是虫草花？ do not mistakenly it to be cordyceps 冬虫夏草!! is actually human cultivated fungus from Cordycepsmilitaris 蛹虫草 ....is a very neutral food so no worries of getting heaty after eating too much of these :D It taste kind of crunchy and chewy after cooking, so besides steaming with chicken, it can be used in stir-frying or boiling with soup...

玉竹，枸杞子，虫草花

ready to be steamed

after 1.5hrs steaming....

Ingredient

• 1 kampong chicken
• 30gm 玉竹
• 10gm 虫草花
• 10gm 枸杞子
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

• Rinse all herbs thoroughly. Soak in 1/2 cup water till soften.
  
• Wash chicken thoroughly, trim away excess fats. Rub 1/2 tsp salt evenly over the chicken including the cavity.
  
• Place chicken in a steamer plate. Pour over herbs together with the liquid. Stuff some herbs into the cavity.
  
• Steam over boiling water on medium heat for 1.5hrs.
  

Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake

Thanks to hubby whom got a copy of Nigella Lawson Kitchen back from his overseas trip :D Every recipe comes with a brief & easy reading on her thoughts on everyday life and how the recipes being created....really my idol!! :D The very first recipe I tried from the book is this Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake. A very moist & light chocolate loaf cake with tangy orange taste lingering in the mouth. The loaf crumbs almost melts in the mouth!!

Recipe modified from Nigella Lawson "Recipes from the Heart of the Home"
Ingredient (9" x 5" loaf cake)

• 150gm unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 120gm light brown sugar
• 150gm plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 25gm good quality cocoa powder (i use valhorna)
• 2 eggs
• 2 orange zests
• juice of 1 medium orange

Method

1. Sift flour, cocoa powder & baking soda together. Set aside.
   
2. Using a electric whisk, cream butter, golden syrup & brown sugar until light.
3. Add in 1 tbsp flour mixture into creamed butter, beat lightly and add in a egg and continue to beat until mixed. Beat in orange zest.
   
4. Add in a few more tbsp of flour mixture before beating in the other egg. (this is to prevent the mixture from curdling)
5. Add in the remaining flour mixture and beat in alternately with the orange juice. (no need high speed, just beat lightly till mixture is combined)
6. Pour batter into a lined loaf pan and bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 40-45mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. (some crumbs on it is fine, no need completely clean)
   
7. Cool slightly in pan before unmoulding and leave to cool completely on rack.
   

Black Sesame Chiffon

Recipe adapted from 我的厨房乐园

Ingredient

• 4 egg yolks
• 20gm sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 50gm cake flour
• 50gm black sesame seeds, toasted & grind
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 40gm corn oil
• 100gm coconut milk
• 4 egg whites
• 70gm sugar
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  

Method

1. Beat egg yolks & sugar till sugar dissolves. Stir in salt, coconut milk & oil.
2. Sift in cake flour, baking powder & black sesame seeds. Stir till combine.
3. In a clean dry bowl, beat egg whites & cream of tartar till foamy. Beat in sugar gradually till stiff peak formed.
4. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter. Fold in the balance meringue.
5. Pour batter into a ungreased tube pan, bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 45mins.
6. Remove tin from oven and invert immediately to cool down.

Raspberry Marble Chiffon

Loves the sweet raspberry flavour realeasing when slicing the cake!! As raspberries are very 'seedy' fruits, I puree the fruits and sieved the seeds away though the recipe book did not mention this step. This give a smoother texture to the cake with chunks of fresh raspberries here and there :D

Ingredient

• 120gm fresh raspberries
• 4 egg yolks
• 30gm sugar
• 60gm corn oil
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 100gm cake flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 5 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 80gm sugar

Method

1. Blend 50gm raspberries till fine. Sieve thoroughly to get 30gm puree. Discard seeds. Using a pair of scissors, cut remaining raspberries into small cubes. Set aside.
   
2. Beat egg yolks with 30gm sugar till dissolves. Stir in oil & salt.
3. Sift over flour & baking powder and mix till smooth batter formed.
4. In a clean dry bowl, beat egg whites & cream of tartar on high speed till foamy. Gradually beat in sugar till stiff peak formed.
5. Fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter. Mix evenly. Add in the remaining meringue and fold till combined.
6. Take 200gm of the above batter, fold in raspberries puree & 1/2 of raspberries cube.
7. Add remaining raspberries cube in the plain batter.
8. Scoop the 2 batters alternatively into a 22cm ungreased tube pan. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 35-40mins.
9. Remove from oven and immediately invert to cool completely before unmoulding.
   

Rainbow Crystal Cookies

Pretty little melts-in-the-mouth cookies :D Suppose to roll the cookie in sugar before baking, but run out of sugar!! just enough sugar to bake this batch of cookies >o< Therefore I dust some icing sugar over the cookies after baking :D Should call them rainbow snow cookies instead :D :D

Notice the little black specks in the cookies?? they are natural vanilla seeds from the pure vanilla bean paste I've used :D

My newly bottle of Pure Vanilla Paste :D

Ingredient

• 120gm butter
• 40gm shortening
  
• 80gm sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla paste
• 210gm plain flour
• 40gm custard powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp soy powder
• 50gm ground almond
• pink colouring
• orange colouring

Method

1. Sift flour, custard powder, baking powder, soy powder & almond powder. Set aside.
2. Cream butter, shortening & sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla paste till combined.
3. Fold in flour mixture in batches until a soft dough is formed.
4. Divide dough into 3 portions. Colour 1 portion with pink colour and 1 portion with orange colouring.
5. Pinch 3 different coloured dough and shape into round. Toss it with sugar. Place in a paper cup.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 20 mins.
   

Paper Sponge

Soft & fluffy old-fashioned 鸡蛋糕 in a cup!! Actually the recipe is baked in a normal cupcases, I improvised it by baking in a tall drinking paper cup (unwaxed) instead! :D The cake looks very yellow right? added yellow colouring? No!! is actually the amount of egg yolks used in the recipe...total 4 yolks + 2 whites.

Recipe adapted from "Baking Code" by Alex Goh
Ingredient (makes 4 paper cups sponge)

• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolk
• 100gm sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste
• 110gm plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 20gm soy milk
• 20gm corn oil

Method

1. Line 4 paper cups with greaseproof paper.
   
2. Sieve plain flour & baking powder.
   
3. Whisk eggs, salt & sugar on high speed until light & fluffy (ribbon-stage). Beat in vanilla paste.
4. Add in plain flour in 3 batches and fold till combine.
5. Stir in soy milk and corn oil and mix well.
6. Fill in batter into paper cups evenly. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 20min until golden brown.
   

Pomelo Tea Macarons

Loves this little gems to core ! Always feel so happy whenever bake this, especially seeing the feets raising in the oven!!! As I've some balanced egg whites & pomelo tea jam buttercream left in fridge, therefore decided to try baking some yellow macarons :D This is the first time I used food colouring gel (Wilton brand) in the meringue and the result turn out very well after baking!

cute lil feet :D :D

ground almonds & icing sugar...this is how fine the mixture looks like after grinding

Ingredient (makes approx 40 individual shells)

• 70gm egg whites
• 35gm granulated sugar
• 140gm icing sugar
• 80gm ground almonds
• few drops food colouring paste (do not use liquid colouring as it may affects the meringue consistency)
  

Method

1. Grind almonds and icing sugar till fine (see pics above). Sift the mixture to remove lumps.
2. Beat egg whites on high speed till foamy. Add sugar gradually and beat till glossy and stiff peak form.
3. Fold in almond mixture in batches until well blended.
4. Transfer batter into piping bag and pipe on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Rest the shells for 30mins.
5. Baked at preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 10-12mins. (depends on the size of the macarons u have piped)
6. Remove from oven, cool down for 5mins and peel the cookies from parchment paper. Cool completely on wire rack.

Lemon Chiffon Roll

This chiffon roll likes perfect?? neh...is NOT! I've actually break the roll at the initial rolling! Think I've leave the cake in room temperature for too long and I hesitate too much at the rolling phase >o< You can see at the last 2 pics of the 'broken' swiss roll...But taste wise is did not fail me! I loves the soft texture and the sweetness is just right for me after adjusting the sugar amount used :D :D....for now no more swiss roll making for me as it always gives me a love & hate feeling hahahaha....

Recipe Source : Fruity Cakes by Alex Goh
Ingredient (fits 9" x 9" pan)
A:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1gm salt
• 50gm corn oil
• 20gm lemon juice
• 20gm water
• 30gm sugar
• 60gm cake flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

B:

• 2 egg whites
• 40gm sugar
• 1/3 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Combine ingredient A until smooth batter formed.
2. In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites & cream of tartar till foamy. Add sugar gradually and beat till soft peak form.
3. Take 1/3 of the meringue and mix in egg yolk batter till combined.
4. Fold in the batter into the remaining meringue.
5. Pour batter into a lined cake pan and spread evenly.
6. Baked in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 15-20mins.
7. Remove cake from pan immediately and cool on rack before spreading with buttercream.
   

Pomelo Tea Jam Buttercream Filling ...recipe modified from "Kevin Chai's Chiffon Cake Is Done"

• 100gm unsalted butter
• 40gm sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 2 tbsp honey pomelo tea jam
  

Method

1. Beat butter and sugar till light & fluffy, mix in vanilla essence.
2. Add in hot water, 1 tbsp at a time and beat well after each addition.
3. Beat until smooth & creamy.
   
4. Beat in jam till combine. Ready to spread on cake.
   

I'm submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #9 Jul 2011 - Swiss Rolling Good Times! hosted by Obsessedly Involved with Food

Pandan Coconut Roll

Little mini roll which I can pop one whole slice into my mouth! My son eaten 3 slices in one row for his breakfast! :D Successful attempt in rolling up the cake without breaking the roll into pieces! :D

Recipe Source : Fruity Cakes by Alex Goh
Ingredient (I used 9"x9" pan) (original recipe fits 16"x10")

• (60gm) 30gm butter, melted
• (60gm) 30gm plain flour
  
• (60gm) 30gm coconut milk
  
• (1 tsp) 1/2 tsp pandan paste
• (4) 2 egg yolks
  
• (4) 2 egg whites
• (90gm) 40gm sugar
• pinch of salt
• kaya for filling
• dessicated coconut for decoration

Method

1. Sift flour into melted butter, mix till combined.
2. Add in coconut milk and pandan paste and mix well.
3. Stir in egg yolks.
4. In a clean dry bowl, whisk egg whites till foamy. Add in sugar & salt gradually and beat till soft peaks formed.
5. Fold in beaten egg whites into egg yolk batter and mix till combined.
6. Pour batter into lined pan and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 15mins.
7. Remove cake from pan and cool on wire rack. Spread cake with kaya jam and roll up. Spread some more jam over the roll and sprinkle with dessicated coconut.
   

I'm submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #9 Jul 2011 - Swiss Rolling Good Times! hosted by Obsessedly Involved with Food

Orange Pilaf

Recipe adapted from Food-4Tots

Ingredients

• 300gm Basmathi rice
• 150gm chicken fillet, sliced
• 50gm raisins
• 50g mixed frozen vege
• 1 grated orange zest
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 4 cloves
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
  

Seasonings A (for chicken):

• 1½ tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp cooking wine (optional)
• Dash of pepper
• 1 tsp cornflour

Seasonings B (for pilaf):

• 375ml orange juice plus 250ml water
• ½ tsp tumeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• Dash of pepper

Methods

1. Mix chicken slice with seasonings A in a small bowl. Cover with cling wrap and marinate in the fridge for half an hour.
2. Heat some oil in the pan, sauté chicken until it turned slightly pale. Set aside.
3. Heat some oil in the pan, and sauté onions, garlic, clove, cardarmon, cinnamon until onions turn translucent.
4. Add rice and tumeric powder, and toss until the rice is fully coated. Add in chicken (in step 2), orange zest, salt and pepper, and toss again.
5. Pour item (4) into rice cooker. Add in orange juice mixture and cook until the rice is done.
6. When the rice is cooked, add raisins & mixed vege. Stir to mix evenly. Replace the lid & rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Vegetarian Baked Rice

Recipe source : Fong's Kitchen
Ingredient

• Cooked rice (enough for 3)
• 2 slices of cheese + a handful of grated cheese
• 2 tomatoes, cut into small cubes
• 1 zucchini (3/4 cut into thin slices, 1/4 cut into cubes
• 1 eggplant (3/4 cut into thin slices, 1/4 cut into cubes)
• 5 fresh shitake mushroom, diced
  
• 1 cup tomato sauce (I used canned Heinz)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary

Method

1. Prepare the tomato-based sauce: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in pan. Add chopped onion and garlic. Fry till fragrant. Add in the chopped zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook the vegetables till slightly soften. Add rosemary, tomato sauce and 1 cup water, bring to boil and simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. Set aside.
2. For the sliced zucchini and eggplant: Rub a little cooking oil and a pinch of salt/pepper onto the sliced vegetables to prevent them from turning brown. Heat up a grilling pan till very hot (no need to add oil). Place the sliced zucchini/eggplant on the hot grilled pan to brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Place the cooked rice in a lightly-oiled baking dish. Pour about 1/3 of the tomato sauce over the rice. Place the grilled zucchini and eggplant on top, follow with 2 slices of cheese. Pour in the remaining sauce and sprinkle a handful of grated cheese on top. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for about 15 minutes till cheese is golden brown. Serve hot.
   

Japanese Steamed Lavender Cake

This recipe is extracted from Alex Goh recipe book which I've bought few days ago! This cake is so cottony soft, like Japanese cheesecake but without the cheese taste :D I've also learnt something new from the book on beating egg whites. He mentioned that for chiffon cake to be fluffy & large, the whites have to beat till stiff. But if the cake is to be baked in a shallow pan instead, the egg whites should not be overbeat, which means stop at soft peak formed! This will ensure the cake will not be overly shrunk after baking. Indeed I try his method and my steamed bake cake only shrink slightly after cooling down.

Recipe Source : Fruity Cakes by Alex Goh
Ingredient

• 60gm milk
• 1 tbsp dried lavender
• 40gm butter
• 55gm plain flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 50gm sugar
• 1/3 tsp cream of tartar

Method

1. Place milk & lavender in a mixing bowl. Double-boil till milk is warmed. Add butter and stir till butter melts. Cool slightly.
2. Sift in flour and stir till smooth.
3. Beat in egg yolks till combined.
4. In another clean mixing bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar till foamy. Add in sugar gradually till soft peaks formed. Fold in 1/3 of the whites into the egg yolk batter.
   
5. Fold the batter into the balanced egg whites.
6. Pour the batter into a lined 7" cake pan. Spread evenly and sprinkle extra dried lavender over the surface. Bake at 160 deg cel in water bath for 50mins. Remove cake from mould and cool completely on wire rack.
   

Pandan Coconut Muffins

Very moist & fragrant muffins! I've replaced the flour with cake flour instead of normal plain flour therefore the muffins is not dense at all :D

Recipe adapted from Siew Hwei's Blog
Ingredient (yields 6 mini muffins)

• 75gm corn oil
• 50gm sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• 75gm cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 15gm dessicated coconut
• 1 tsp pandan paste
  

Method

1. Sift flour & baking powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in dessicated coconut & salt.
2. Beat oil & sugar till sugar is well dissolved.
3. Add in eggs & pandan paste and stir well to combine.
4. Fold in flour lightly in 3 batches.
5. Fill batter into cup cases and bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 15mins.