Ham And Spinach Quiche

Tarts, pies and quiches are my favourites but I hardly make them because I always thought making the crust would takes up some time.    I remember the first quiche I have eaten was many many years ago when I was still working in Petaling Jaya. 

I have made a Crustless Tuna & Ham Quiche before somewhere  last year, but I was not happy with the outcome.  Probably I am still new in my cooking and baking.  

Since everyone at home loves to eat tarts, pies and quiches, why not I try to make it.   And for quiches, I can always add ingredients to suit our tastes instead to follow the same old ingredients.

Ham & Spinach Quiche

Adapted with slight changes from Rima of Bisous A Toi

Crust

190g flour

¼ tsp salt

120g butter

1 egg yolk

Filling

1 small onion, finely chopped

125g spinach, chopped

100g ham

3 eggs, beaten

200ml milk

200ml cream

75g grated cheddar cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt & black pepper

1.  Place a baking tray in oven and preheat oven to 220C.

2.  To make pastry.

      Sieve flour and salt in food processor.  Cut butter in cubes, give it a few pulse till well

      Blended.  Add egg yolk and continue to pulse till it form smooth dough.  Remove and

      Knead on a lightly floured surface.  Shape dough in a ball and wrap in clingfilm and

      Chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

3.  Roll pastry out in a circle on a lightly flour surface and use a line 20cm greased tart tin.

4.  To make filling.

      Heat oil, fry onion till brown, add spinach and fry for 5 minutes over gentle heat in a

      non stick pan.  Spoon into the tart tin.  Add and scatter the ham over.  

5.  Using your mixer, beat the eggs, add in your milk and cream, then add most of the

      grated cheese with some salt and black pepper and beat again.  Pour mixture over to

      ham/spinach and scatter the remaining grated cheese on top.

6.  Bake for 10 minutes, then lower temperature to 190C and continue for 30-35 minutes.

Overall this quiche is delicious though the look of perfection is not to the standard.

Next time I will try to bake with other ingredients.

Pumpkin Fritters

I have bookmarked this recipe for quite awhile but only till now I managed to make it.  I don't usually cook food in deep fry way because I can get heaty very easily.

Pumpkin is a very healthy food and we can use pumpkin in many ways of our cooking, be in in sweet dessert or in savoury ways.  

Pumpkin Fritters

Adapted from Gourmand Recipes 

1 cup coarsely grated pumpkin  (I grated too fine)
½ tbsp salt

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dried yeast

½ tsp sugar

2/3 cup milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup, finely chopped coriander

1 red chilli, finely chopped

½ tsp ground black pepper

 

1.  Place grated pumpkin in a bowl and scatter with salt.  Cover and set aside

     For 30 mins.  (this step is to extract the moisture from the pumpkin).

     Squeeze extra liquid from the pumpkin and set aside.

2.  Combine the flour, baking powder, yeast and sugar in a large bowl.  Mix in the

      Milk and egg.  Stir in the pumpkin, coriander, chilli and ground black pepper.

3.  Cover and set aside in a warm place till double in size (about 1 hour).

4.  Heat oil in deep fryer (about 180C).  Deep fry 1 tablespoon full of the batter, in 

      batches, turning once until golden.

5.  Drain on paper.  Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

 Indeed a delicious "afternoon snack" or out for a picnic!

Strawberry Cake...... Oh, not again!!

I wasn't prepared to post this Strawberry Cake..... must be bored of me keep making Strawberry Cake lately.  But anyway, still put it up to my blog here.

I loves the colour of this cake, rose red.  I was so impressed when I saw Grace post this Rose Bouquet Strawberry Birthday cake; of the piping out the rose frosting.  So beautiful.  Wish I can do that.....

Well, I just make it simple frosting on my cake.

Strawberry Cake

Adapted from Apron Of Grace

Ingredients

• 1 cup Butter(227g)
• 2 & 1/2 cups Sugar  (I used 330g only)
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 5 Egg Whites
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon Red Food Coloring
• 1 & 1/4 cups Pureed Strawberries
• 3 cups Cake Flour, sifted (375g)
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• pinch Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C.  Grease and line 2  9" round cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl, beat butter with sugar for 3 minutes.
3. Add egg yolks one at a time, then the vanilla, food coloring and strawberries, beat for another 3 minutes.
4. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter/egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
5. Mix just till combined.
6. In another bowl and clean beaters, beat egg whites till stiff and add in an increment of 3 to cake batter, being sure to fold in thoroughly but gently.
7. Pour batter equally to the 2 cake pans.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or till skewer comes out clean. 

For the Frosting, I used the same frosting from my Red Velvet Cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

125g cream cheese

50g unsalted butter

80g icing sugar

1 cup fresh cream, whipped until stiff

1.  Beat cream cheese with butter until soft.

2.  Turn mixer to low speed, add icing sugar a little at a time, whisk until well

      blended.

3.  Add whipped cream, stir through with a spatula.

Overall the cake is moist inside.  Well, this cake is very suitable for a birthday cake if you wish to bake for someone birthday!!

Siew Pau (Flaky BBQ Pork Bun)

I have been craving for this "Seremban Siew Pau" eversince few months back, when my brother-in-law's friends came to visit and brought us a box the famous Seremban Siew Pau!  So instead of going all the way to Seremban to buy this delicious Siew Pau (Flaky BBQ Pork Bun), I guess I have to make it myself!

I searched for the recipe through the websites and finally found one and bookmarked it.  I've been studying it for weeks on how to knead and roll the water and oil dough together to get the flaky type.  And also watching this Video Pleating Pau for umpteen times to learn how to pleat the pau.

And, finally I spend almost 2 and half hour completing this Siew Pau though wasn't to my satisfaction of the pleating of the pau.

Seremban Siew Pau (Flaky BBQ Pork Buns)
Adapted from The Waitakere Redneck's Kitchen

Makes about 9 paus

Ingredients
Water dough
60g all purpose flour
60g bread/high grade flour
40g cooking oil
18g sugar
½ tsp golden syrup
60g water (minus 1 Tbsp)

Oil dough
62g all purpose flour
37g vegetable shortening

Method
1. Water dough
    Rub oil with flour until it looks like breadcrumbs.
    Dissolve sugar and syrup in water and add to the above. Mix together to form a smooth dough. Cover

    and rest for 15 mins.
    Divide dough into 9 pieces.
2. Oil Dough
    Rub shortening gradually into the flour to form a soft dough. Cover to rest for 15 minutes.
    Divide dough into 9 pieces.
3. Wrap oil dough into water dough and flatten.
4. Roll out into a longish flat piece. Roll up like a swiss roll.
5. Turn 90deg., and repeat .

Please go to Waitakere Redneck's Kitchen's site to learn the step by step on how to roll the dough here.

6. Press dough with palm and lightly roll out into a circle.
7. Place filling in the center (do not put too much filling in), wrap and pleat into a pau shape. Place on a 

    greaseproof paper.
8. Brush pie with egg wash and bake at 190C for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Filling For Siew Pau

Ingredients
125 gm "Char Siew" (bbq pork) (chopped into small pieces)
5 Tbsp frozen peas
chives or spring onions (optional)
2 tsp oil

Seasonings
3 Tbsp water
¼ tsp sesame oil
1½ tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp sugar

3/4 tsp dark soy sauce
½ tsp cornflour
1½ tsp peanut butter
dash of pepper
dash of chinese wine

Method
1. Mix seasoning together
2. Heat oil, add seasoning and simmer till gravy thickens.
3. Add bbq pork and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well
4. Remove and leave to cool before using as filling.

Note : Leftover filling can be eaten with rice or frozen for future pau making.

The video which I have viewed umpteen times looks easy on the pleating but once I'm on hand to do it, it was difficult for me.  The pau still open its mouth when half way baking.

 Can you see some of the pau opened its wide mouth?

Though my pleating isn't perfect, the overall of this Siew Pau is very very delicious.  See the flaky part....

Making pau and bread is not my specialty as I know I still have a lot of room to improve to make it perfect.  Well, at least I have tried..........  Give me some praise please...............

Strawberry Cake

I have three big punnets of strawberries stocking inside my fridge for a week now and calling out for me to do something with it or it will go rotten soon.....

I searched into Martha Stewart's website as I always loves recipes from her site and hence this simple Strawberry Cake is baked.

And Mother's Day is coming soon this Sunday, just wondering what would my favourite fellow bloggers going to bake for their mother.  Maybe I should bake another Strawberry Cake for my beloved mother. 

Strawberry Cake

adapted from Martha Stewart's site

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Butter a 10-inch pie plate (I used a 7" x 10" baking dish). Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
2. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
4. Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 160C. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.
 

 Have a slice with a cup of tea..... moist and yummy..

Strawberry Shortcake

When I came across the Strawberry Shortcake at BreadTalk in Singapore sometime long ago, I was so tempted wanted to taste this beautiful looking little thing, but for just a tiny piece it was sold at S$6.50!  That was costly to me and I know this cake must be real delicious.

So I told myself I must try to look for the recipe to bake this one day no matter how tedious if I have to do one step after another.  I have bookmarked this recipe from Rima of Bisous A Toi  and sourcing from another site Fuji Mama of her Japanese Strawberry Shortcake and finally today I have made this Strawberry Shortcake.  In fact, this is my second time I've baked this.

All my family members gave a two thumbs up for this delicious and yummy cake.  Of course, I will make this again and again, and will put in different type of fruits in the fillings.

Strawberry Shortcake

Adapted from Bisous A Toi

 

Ingredients

Cotton Cake

145g cake flour

15g corn flour

1 egg

5 egg yolks – whisk lightly with a fork

150g unsalted butter

65g fresh milk

5 egg whites

100g caster sugar

¼ tsp salt

250g punnet strawberries

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 160C.  Grease and line a 7” or 8” square baking pan, and wrap the

     the bottom of the pan with aluminium foil.  

2.  Warm the butter and milk (do not boil).  Turn off heat, and stir in the sifted cake and

      corn flour using a wooden spatula.  Transfer to a bigger bowl, and add in the eggs and

      continue to mix till smooth.

3.  In another bowl, whisk the egg whites till frothy.  Add in the salt and add in the sugar

     in 3 addition.  Whisk till soft peak.

4.  Pour 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg/butter mixture and fold in gently.  Pour in the

     rest and fold in gently till combined.  Pour batter into the baking pan and bake it at

     Bain Marie method for about 45 minutes.

Stabilised Whipped Cream

2 tsp gelatin powder

8 tsp cold water

2 cups whipping cream, cold

½ cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1.  Chill mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes.

2.  Pour cold water in the small saucepan.  Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface

     of the water and let stand for 5 minutes.  Place saucepan over the low heat and stir

     constantly with a wooden spoon just until gelatin dissolves.  Removes saucepan from

 heat and cool to room temperature.

3.  Remove the mixing bowl and beaters from the freezer.  In the mixing bowl, combine

    the whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla and whipped until slightly thickened. 

    Then, while slowly beating, gradually pour in the gelatin into the whipped cream

    mixture.  Then, whip the mixture at high speed until slightly stiff.

Simple Sugar Syrup

¼ cup caster sugar

¼ cup water

Method

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water.  Bring the water to a boil,       

     Stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

To assemble the cake:

1. Reserve a handful of nice and prettiest strawberries for decorating the cake.  Dice

the remaining strawberries into small cubes.

2. Slice the sponge cake horizontally into 2 or 3 layers.

3. Place one sponge layer cut-side up on a cake board or serving plate and lightly brush

the surface with the simple syrup.  Spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the cake

layer and arrange the dice strawberries over the surface.  Spread an additional layer of

whipped cream over the strawberries.  Brush the cut-side of the second layer with the

simple syrup and place it over the first layer.  Spread a thin layer over top of the cake

and return to fridge to chill for 30 minutes.  Using the leftover cream, pipe out the

cream as decoration.   Chill in fridge for cream to set for an hour or so.   Decorate as

desired and garnish with the reserved strawberries.

I make a little blunder when spreading the cream over and didn't let it set first before piping out.  This is why it is a little soft and wet.  A blunder for an impatient person!!
I will perfect it the next time when I bake this again, of course.

This Strawberry Shortcake is well received by everyone at home!

***************************

Chelsea Buns

I know I have been missing in action for soooooo long..........!!  Well I did done some cooking and baking delicious cakes, but unfortunately I was just too busy (or I should said lazy too) to take out my camera to take shots at it.

Today I have baked this Chelsea Buns (also known as Cinnamon Rolls).  I have been searching for this recipe for quite awhile until I saw Wendy of Table for 2......or more and I know I will make this very soon too.  After finished baking this, I get everyone to taste it but my sister asked me have I taken any photo of it yet?  I told her just be with it and to dig it but she insist me to post it in my blog so that she can view it next time to bake it too.  So here with........

Chelsea Buns

Adapted from Wendy of Table for 2..... or more

Bread Dough

170gm plain flour

170gm bread flour

1/3 tsp salt

30gm golden syrup

150ml milk

1½ tsp instant yeast

28gm butter

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

Filling

1 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 tbsp caster sugar

30gm butter

½ cup mixed dried fruit

Glaze

2-3 tbsp golden syrup

1 tbsp brown sugar

1.  Mix everything together and knead till it is no longer sticky and becomes smooth.

2.  Cover and let it rest for 1 hour or till doubled.

3.  Prepare a 9” baking dish (round or square).  Grease it with butter.

4.  Melt butter for the filling; set aside.

5.  Mix the cinnamon powder with both the sugars; set aside.

6.  Place dough on working surface and roll out into a large rectangle.

7.  Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugars onto the dough.

     Sprinkle with dried fruits.

8.  Roll it up, tightly and cut it into 9 pieces.

9.  Arrange the rolls into the baking dish.  Cover and let it proof (no need double).

10. While waiting for the buns to proof, preheat oven to 150C (fan assisted) or 170C.

      Bake for 25 minutes till golden.

11. Remove from oven and brush golden syrup generously over the buns and sprinkle

      the brown sugar, if you preferred.  Let buns cool for 10 minutes and remove out.

Delicious when it is still warm and of course great having it with a cup of my favourite TEA!! 

Simmered Meatballs With Mushrooms

I loves to eat balls.  Noooooo..............what I meant is meatballs!  Be it beef balls, fish balls, prawn balls or meatballs, I like to try out  these recipes.  Usually when making meatballs, we will have to mince up the meat and add in other ingredients and thereafter forming into a ball. And meatballs I am sure is always a welcome to children and the elderly because it is easily chewable to digest in.

Recently I have came across a few bloggers posted some delicious meatballs and of course, I am going to make it at my soonest too.

Simmered Meat Balls With Mushrooms

Ingredients (A) :

200g minced pork

60g sweet turnips (chopped) (I used two medium size Water chestnuts)

½ egg

1 tbsp corn flour

Marinade:

½ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp sesame oil

Ingredients (B) :

10 Chinese mushrooms (soaked)

1 stalk spring onions (sectioned)

10g carrot slices

4 ginger slices

½ tsp chopped garlic

200 ml water

Seasoning:

½ tbsp oyster sauce

½ tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine

1.  Mix Ingredients (A) with marinade, then form the mixture into meat balls.  

     Deep fry in the hot oil at high heat till golden in colour and cooked.  Remove, drain well and keep

     aside.

2.  Leave 2 tbsp oil in the hot wok, fragrant ginger slices and chopped garlic, add in mushrooms, carrot

     Slices and seasoning, stir fry until aromatic.

3.  Pour in water and bring to a boil.  Cover, simmer at low heat for 5-7 minutes, then add in the

     Meat balls, continue to simmer for further 10 minutes.

4.  Lastly, add in the spring onions, toss well.  Thicken with a little cornstarch solutions, remove from

      heat.  Serve hot.

Tish Boyle's Plainly Perfect Pound Cake

I am not bragging about this but this Tish Boyle's Plainly Perfect Pound Cake is really delicious; and at this post, this is already my third time baking it. 

When Rima posted and mentioned that this pound cake is so delicious, it just tempted me to go ahead to bake it,  And she is right, it is better than Orange Sicilian Cake! You thought it is just plainly a pound cake but wait till it goes into you mouth.  It is so moist and with the citrus zest in the cake makes the cakes taste ....... orh.....I speak no more but you have to bake it to find out yourself.

I gave a few slices to my neighbour and she commented the same too.

Tish Boyle's Plainly Perfectly Pound Cake

adapted from Rima of Bisous A Toi & Shirley of kokken69

Ingredients :

200g Plain flour
1/4 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Salt
227g Unsalted butter (softened)
250g castor sugar (I added only 200g)
4 Large eggs
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
80ml Heavy cream

Method :
1. Preheat oven to 170C.
2. Sift flour with baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. Cream butter in a mixer at medium high speed until creamy. Add sugar gradually and
    continue beating for 4 mins until light and fluffy.
4. Reduce the mixing speed of the mixer to low and add eggs one at a time mixing until well
     mixed.
5. Add the citrus zest and vanilla extract.
6. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating it with cream (added in 2 additions).
7. Pour into 2 lined 3"x 7" pound cake mold and bake for 60-70 mins or until the cake turns 
    brown and a testing skewer comes out clean.

It does lives up to that name; it's plain but perfect.....pound cake !!

Liebster Blog Award........

Liebster is German and translates to

the English word “dearest”or” favorite”. It’s meant for up-and-coming blogs with less than "200 followers".

I was pleasantly surprised when Cosy Bake share her blog award with me. Yes me too, I was surprised as I never knew many bloggers who knew about my blog as I created this blog just to document all my food that I have baked and cooked and wouldn't expect much more from it.

This award was presented to me before by To Food With Love in December 2011 but I was not well that time and could not link back to others.  

This award is simply a way of giving recognition to newer blogs or those that have fewer than 200 followers, which is a wonderful idea. The recipient of the award then has to select five other such blogs to pass the award on to and here are my selection to : 


Lulu's Sweet Secrets

Simply Anne's

Hearty Bakes

Amelia's De-ssert

From My Lemony Kitchen


Here are the rules:

• Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.
• Link back to the blogger who presented the award to you.
• Copy and paste the blog award on your blog.
• Present the Liebster Blog Award to 5 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed. (Some say just 3 or more blogs of less than 200 followers each).
• Let them know they have been chosen by leaving a comment at their blog.