Mandarin Cake

I hereby wishing You & Your Families a Healthy, Wealthy & Prosperous Chinese New Year! 

祝愿大家来临的马年身体健康，财源滚滚，万事如意！

This is a flourless and butter-free cake, sounds very healthy yah?! Not sure how the cake will turn out like, I halved the recipe and baked a 6" round cake. This is one of the simplest cake I've ever done just by blitzing  all the ingredients in a food processor! When I've first read the recipe, the main steps that caught my attention was boiling the whole fruit for 2 hours till soft and thereafter blend the whole fruit with the rest of the ingredients to create the cake batter. Won't the cake taste bitter and awful by adding all skin and pith?? Surprisingly the cake turned out very well liked by my kids... super moist and sweet with a lovely tangy flavour! 

Recipe source : Nigella Lawson

Ingredient (one 6" round cake)

• one 200gm Mandarin, blemished free
• 3 eggs, 
• 100gm sugar
• 125gm ground almonds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 100gm whipped cream
• 1 small canned mandarin segments

Method

1. Clean mandarin thoroughly. Place it in a deep saucepan, add some cold water to submerge the fruit. Bring to boil and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Drain away water and cool the fruit. Split the fruit and remove any pips. Blend the mandarin (include skin, pith, fruit) and give a quick blitz in a food processor.
2. Add in eggs, sugar, almonds and baking powder, blitz lightly after each addition. 
3. Pour the cake batter into a lined 6" cake pan and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 50 mins or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Tent the surface of the pan at the last 10 mins if the cake start to brown too fast.
4. Remove pan from oven and leave to cool. Unmould the cake when is completely cooled. Place the cake, top side facing down on a serving plate. (Actually not necessary to do this but if the cake is unfrosted, down-side facing up will look nicer as it looks even and crack-free)
5. Spread whipped cream evenly over the surface of the cake and arrange mandarin segments on top, or simply just serve the unfrosted cake with whipped cream and mandarin segments at the sides.

White Asparagus & Ham Gratin

This bunch of lovely white asparagus is given by my mother-in-law :D I've seen this vegetable in supermarket, about S$12/kg, but I've never purchase before so not to mention cooking it :D Not wanting to ruin it, I googled on the methods to cook this white asparagus :D

The texture of the white asparagus turned out very tender and sweet in this cheesy and luxurious cream sauce, even my kids cannot get enough of it! 

Recipe source : Food&Wine.com

Ingredient

• 500gm fat white asparagus, peeled & peels reserved
• 45gm unsalted butter
• 2.5 tbsp flour
• pinch of nutmeg
• pepper & salt to taste
• 3 slices honey baked ham
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese

Method

1. Bring 5 cups water to boil. Add asparagus peels and salt and asparagus bundles and cook over high heat for 12 mins until tender.
2. Spoon out the asparagus and pat dry. Strain the broth and reserve 3/4 cup of the liquid.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook over medium heat for 1 min, stirring frequently. Add in asparagus broth and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens. Season the sauce with salt, pepper & nutmeg.
4. Roll a slice of ham around 5 sticks of asparagus and place in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake the gratin over preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 25mins, until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

I am submitting this post to the the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and  Doreen from My Little Favourite DIY , hosted by lice from I Love.ICook.IBake

Lemon Cookies

Hmmm after baking this last batch of cookies, I've checked my stock of butter and realized have used up 8 blocks of butter!! hahaha that's quite a large amount of butter used just for baking cookies ^0^ This batch of lovely lemon cookies is made especially for my 2 kids to bring to school for their CNY celebrations in school :D 

No lemon essence is used in these cookies, the subtle lemon flavour comes from the fresh lemon juice and the zest. No weird aftertaste, just soothing light lemon taste which I like.  My boy sampled one and told me it is lemon cookie which I did not tell him beforehand! To make it more attractive, I've decorated them with some colorful sprinkles on top of the cookies which I think it will be appealing to the kids :D Hope they will enjoy this little cookie as much as I do!

This is how they looked like before baking, every define outline. As the cookie batter is rather soft, after baking some of the cookies outline becomes blur. I've should have chilled the tray of cookies before baking to reduce the spreading but anyway my fridge is packed hehehe….

hahaha I was trying to search for a decent looking cookie for photo taking and found this cutie, this is one of the better looking one ^0* Aiyah but I think the kids won't go into such details, as they will just pop them into their mouths hahaha….

Recipe source : 'Traditional Koh Kuih, Lap Mei & Cookies' by Y3K

Ingredient (approx 65 cookies)

• 200gm salted butter
• 120gm icing sugar, sifted
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 heap tsp lemon zest
• 300gm plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• sprinkle for decorating

Method

1. Cream butter and icing sugar until fluffy.
2. Beat in egg yolks until well blended.
3. Beat in vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest.
4. Sift in flour and baking powder in 2 batches and fold till just combined.
5. Scoop cookie batter into cookie press and pipe out cookies onto lined baking sheet. Decorate top with some sprinkles.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 12-15 mins until the edges is slightly brown. Cool completely before storing.

I am linking this post to Bake Along event, Chinese New cookies for the month Jan 2014 organised by Frozen Wing, Bake for Happy Kids and  Kitchen Flavours.

I am submitting this post to  Cook Your Books #8 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Savoury Bread Pudding

Recipe source : Honey Bee Sweets Avocado Bread Loaf…A beautiful loaf but the texture is way too dry for our liking :( The kids rejected after just one mouthful….what to do with this huge loaf of bread? Can't possibly throw and feed Mr Bin right? Not wanting to waste food, I turn it into another dish! A savory bread pudding with cherry tomato, broccoli, ham and cheese! 

This dish looks so pretty with the green broccoli and red cherry tomato :D

Recipe source : bbcgoodfood.com

Ingredient

• 25gm butter, softened
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 6 slices stale bread
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets
• 50gm ham, roughly chopped
• 500ml milk
• 3 eggs
• 50gm cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg cel. Mix butter and garlic together, use a little of the mixture to grease a shallow baking dish. Use the balanced to butter the bread slices, then cut them in half diagonally.
2. Arrange the bread slices, overlapping, in the baking dish. 
3. Tuck the cherry tomatoes, broccoli and ham in and around the bread slices.
4. Whisk the milk and eggs together. Season with some salt & pepper. Pour over the bread slices and gently push the slices down in the liquid. Leave to stand for 5 mins. Scatter the cheese over the top, bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown and just set. Serve warm.

I am submitting this post to the the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and  Doreen from My Little Favourite DIY , hosted by lice from I Love.ICook.IBake

酥脆炸蟹柳 Crispy Fried Crabstick

Chinese Lunar New Year is almost 1 week away but seems that I've lots of stuff yet to be done!!! >0<" Luckily both of my kids are in school during the morning, thus I can do some quick baking during their absent :D 

Do you notice nowadays there are several innovative CNY snacks available in the market? e.g....Seaweed with Popiah Skin, Crispy Cod Fish Stripes, Mini Crispy Spring Roll with various fillings, Crispy Crabstick etc…I've actually wanted to make this crispy crabstick last year but too lazy and so the pack of imitation crabstick was kept in freezer since last year hahaha….Now I know why this little snack is so popular…..it taste salty and full of crunch after frying, totally addictive! But have to consume sparingly as I've mentioned is rather salty. 

500gm of imitation crabsticks

Gently unroll the crabsticks and tear them into narrow strips

Deep fried in medium hot oil till golden brown and drain well on kitchen paper. Cool well before storing in air-tight container.

Garnish with some toasted sesame seeds and ready to serve!

I am linking this post to Bake Along event, Chinese New cookies for the month Jan 2014 organised by Frozen Wing, Bake for Happy Kids and  Kitchen Flavours.

Nam Yee Cookie 南乳香脆饼

It's been a long time I've tasted Kai Zai Paeng (鸡仔饼), really miss that unique savory flavour :D I managed to find this recipe in a food magazine which is a simplified version of Kai Zai Paeng. It tasted more buttery and the spice flavour is milder than the traditional one. It is very crunchy and rather addictive too! Surprisingly even my two kiddos love the taste of this Nam Yee Cookie….

These are the main spices used in the cookies

Extracting garlic and shallots juice

Before baking...

After baking...

Recipe source : 'Traditional Koh Kuih, Lap Mei & Cookies' by Y3K
Ingredient (120 pcs)

• 250gm salted butter
• 160gm sugar
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cube nam yee 南乳, mashed
• 2 tsp nam yee liquid
• 1/2 tbsp garlic juice
• 1/2 tbsp shallot juice
• 1/4 tsp five spice powder
• 360gm bread flour
• 1 tsp baking soda

Method

1. Cream butter & sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and mix well.
2. Add in nam yee, nam yee liquid, garlic and shallot juice and mix well.
3. Sieve in flour, five spice powder and baking soda and fold till evenly combined.
4. Spoon cookie batter into cookie press and pipe out the cookies on a lined baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 15-18 mins until baked through and golden brown.
6. Cool completely before storing.

I am linking this post to Bake Along event, Chinese New cookies for the month Jan 2014 organised by Frozen Wing, Bake for Happy Kids and  Kitchen Flavours.

I am submitting this post to  Cook Your Books #8 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours

Chocolate Doughnut Cake

Our sweetie pie 4th Birthday!

Helpful brother helping her to slice the cake ^0^

All kids love doughnut, don't they? But I seldom rarely indulged them in this rather unhealthy pastry :P One fine day I've just have this idea of baking a cake in doughnut shape and frost exactly like a doughnut! Thereafter I've started googling for further inspirations and discover a fantastic cream cheese frosting without adding butter and icing sugar! How good can that be! A healthier choice compare to the conventional cream cheese frosting which is loaded with butter and icing sugar :D 

This is the 7" cake pan which I used to create this doughnut cake. As I've only have a single pan, I baked the batter in two batches. No washing the pan in between! I only used a kitchen bowl to clean of fthe crumbs after unmoulding the 1st cake. Follow then I greased and floured the pan again! 

Top                                                                             Bottom

hehehe ignored the ugly appearance of the cake, it will be camouflaged by the frosting later ^0^ I've sandwiched the cake with some of the cream cheese frosting and berry jam.

 Slowly spoon the cream cheese frosting over the cake and sprinkle some confetti over...

 Tadah!….A doughnut cake is formed! Doesn't it looks like the real thing?!  

Yummylicious chocolate cake…very soft and fluffy texture along with the light tasty cream cheese frosting.

Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Recipe source : Tested & Tasted
Ingredient (makes two 7"round cake)

• 70gm boiling water
• 25gm cocoa powder
• 20gm sugar

• 4 egg yolks
• 15gm sugar
• 50gm oil
• 50gm cake flour

• 3 egg whites
• 50gm sugar

Method

1. Grease a 7" round hollow cake mould with butter and floured evenly with some cocoa powder. Pat the pan lightly to remove excess powder. Set aside.
2. Sift cocoa powder and sugar into a bowl. Add in boiling water and stir well. Set aside.
3. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale. Add in oil and cocoa mixture and mix well.
4. Fold in cake flour until combined.
5. In a clean dry bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Add in 50gm sugar gradually and whisk until stiff peak formed.
6. Scoop 1/3 egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture and mixed well, then pour this into the balanced egg white foam and mix well.
7. Pour batter into mould and tap the pan lightly on a hard surface to remove excess air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 15-18 mins.
8. Cool cake in pan for 10mins before unmoulding.
9. Cool completely before frosting.

A simple roux made with flour, sugar & milk                   Combine the prepared roux with the cream cheese and beat till well combined and ready to use!

Extra Creamy Cooked Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe source : thekitchn.com
Ingredient

• 100gm cream cheese, softened
• 15gm plain flour
• 75gm sugar
• pinch of salt
• 100ml milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste

Method

1. Whip the cream cheese until smooth and silky. Set aside.
2. Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and slowly add in milk, whisking constantly to create a smooth paste.
3. Simmer for 1 min, then turn off heat.
4. Scrape the paste into a mixing bowl. Beat the mixture for 10mins or until light and no longer piping hot. 
5. Add in whipped cream cheese and vanilla and beat  until well combined.
6. Use it immediately for store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Whip again briefly before using.

I am submitting this post to the the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and  Doreen from My Little Favourite DIY , hosted by lice from I Love.ICook.IBake

Ham & Cheese Muffins

Let us start this beautiful morning with some warm and lovely savory muffins! Besides having this ham & cheese muffins as breakfast, I do not mind having this as lunch too!….along with a bowl of hearty creamy soup would be great :D 

Ingredient (9 muffins)

• 125gm plain flour
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 125ml milk
• 65gm melted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped ham
• rosemary leaves for garnishing (optional)

Method

1. Sift plain flour, curry powder, baking soda, cream of tartar into a mixing bowl. Stir in cheese and salt evenly.
2. Combine egg, milk and melted butter.
3. Pour the egg mixture into dry ingredients and fold lightly till well combine.
4. Fold in chopped onions and ham.
5. Scoop batter into lined muffins cups till 3/4 full. Garnish with rosemary leaves.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg cel for 20-25 mins until golden brown. Serve warm.

I am submitting this post to the the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids and  Doreen from My Little Favourite DIY , hosted by lice from I Love.ICook.IBake