Butter Buns...form in Christmas Tree Mood...

When Jessie of Jessie-CookingMoments posted her last post for 2012 last week, I was so impressed with the little buns that she made and formed it into a Christmas Tree !  It was so impresive and being first time looking at it, I think it is so creative and beautiful.

I loves to make bread and buns though I still need to master the skill more but this Christmas Tree buns keep running into my head that I must make it soon to get into this Christmas mood....

I used another recipe to make the buns because I like to have some buttery filling inside instead.... 

Mini Butter Buns 
Recipe sourced from Small Small Baker 
(from 孟老师的三色土司)   

Dough:
300g bread flour
30g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp instant yeast

180ml water
20g unsalted butter

Filling:
100g butter
20g icing sugar
pinch of salt (optional)

1 egg yolk (Egg Wash)

some sugar  (sprinkle on top)

some dried parsley (sprinkle on top)

Method

1. Mix the ingredients in the filling. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour so that it is easier to wrap later.
2. Mix all ingredients in the dough except butter and knead until the dough is smooth.
3. Add in butter and continue to knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic and able to stretch into a thin film without breaking.
4. Place the dough in a lightly greased mixing bowl. Cover with cling wrap and let proof for about 60 minutes.
5. Lightly knead the dough to punch out the air. Divide the dough into small balls of : -

For Big X’mas Tree:

1 x 50g

10 x 30g

For Small X’mas Tree:

1 x 14g

10 x 7g

  

6. To form the Big X’mas Tree, grab the 50g dough ball, wrap in the butter fillings and pinch to seal well. Roll the balls round and place them in a greased baking tray.  Repeat for all the 30g dough balls. Use 50g dough ball to form the tree trunk & the rest to form the tree. Leave enough gap between each dough ball, about 4mm.

7. Repeat Step (6) to make the Small X’mas Tree.  

8. Final proving. It is ready when the dough balls slightly stick together.

9. Brush with some egg wash and sprinkle sugar and dried parsley.

10. Bake in the 170C preheated oven for 13 minutes or until golden for the Big X’mas Tree but less time for the Small X’mas Tree.

11. Dust with some icing sugar before serve.

Please do hop over to Jessie to view more her beautiful Christmas Tree Bread too.

 This butter buns is something similar like the Roti Paun that I made previously.

See the small christmas tree buns on top of the big tree.....I forgot to dust with icing sugar for the snow effect...

The buns still stay soft the next day and taste good too!

What do you think about my Christmas Tree Buns?  

Santa Strawberries .....

Hi everyone, good day to you......

Christmas is just around the corner, and I bet some of you must be busy planning the menu for the Christmas dinner as well as shopping for Christmas presents.  

Today I would like to post something to coincide with the Christmas mood too and I have invited a guest to post in my blog here...  Well unfortunately this guest of mine do not have a blog but I have asked her to forward her photos and post it to my blog here.  She is none other than my beloved sister, Sandy.   She has some friends coming over to her home last Saturday and her friends would be "bringing their own plate" as well....

This Santa Strawberries is one of the desserts she made to welcome her friends....... 

Santa Strawberries

Ingredients

*  Strawberries

*  1 cup Whipped Cream

*  some chocolate sprinkles and silver beads

Method

Wash and clean the strawberries.  Cut the hulls off so the strawberries can stand up evenly;  and then slice the tip out to make as the hat.

Using a spoon or a large icing tip, place a large dollop (about 1-2 tsp) of whipped cream on top of the strawberry base. Plop the little hat on top. Add another small dollop of whipped cream to the tip of the hat to make a pom-pom like.

Place two chocolate sprinkles in the Santas as the eyee and the silver beads as the mouth.

Using a toothpick, place two very small splotches of whipped cream down the front of the strawberry for buttons and stick the silver beads on it if you like.

There....it's done and it is so easy.  Cute, isn't it?

My niece Tiffy loves her Santa Strawberries so much and she has so much fun helping making it!


Thank you Sandy!  
Yummy Santa......

Chwee Kueh

Have you eaten Chwee Kueh before?  If you are in Singapore and the mentioned of Chwee Kueh, everyone know of this steamed rice cake!  And as far as I know the famous Chwee Kueh in Singapore is in Tiong Bahru!  (Anyone from Singapore reading my blog here.... am I right).

Today I have made Chwee Kueh......a recipe from "Cooking for the President" (the President mentioned here is the ex-President of Singapore Mr Wee) and her daughter, Ms Wee Eng Hwa has compiled some delicious recipes in this cookbook.  And Chwee Kueh is one of it.

CHWEE KUEH (Steamed Rice Cakes)

Recipe from  here  

(Wee Eng Hwa's cookbook-cum-biography, Cooking for the President.)

(I made half of the recipe and makes 9 small cups)
 

Toppings
240ml oil
50g garlic, peel and chop 2mm bits
150g chai por (preserved Chinese white radish), chop 3mm bits and soak 5 minutes
160ml water
20g dried red chillies, soften in hot water and chop 2mm bits
½ tsp salt

Mixture A
200g rice flour
40g tapioca flour
480ml water

Mixture B
480ml boiling water
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
20 chwee kueh metal cups

1. Fry the chai por. Fry the garlic in 120ml hot oil in a wok over medium-low heat few seconds. Add the chai por and fry until light brown and aromatic. Add the water and simmer over low heat until tender and almost dry, medium brown and intensely aromatic. Do not over-fry to avoid the chai por becoming tough and garlic becoming bitter. Set aside the fried chai por in its oil.
Fry the dried chillies in 120ml hot oil in a wok with the salt over medium-low to low heat until darker red and aromatic. Set aside the fried chillies in the oil.

2.  Make the rice cakes. Steam the chwee kueh cups very hot in a covered wok. Mix Mixture A ingredients and strain into a saucepan. Boil Mixture B ingredients in another saucepan. Add hot Mixture B to Mixture A. Stir quickly to mix well. Uncover the wok and quickly fill the hot cups up to just below the rim. Wipe dry the inner surface of the lid and cover the wok. Steam 15 minutes over medium-low heat until cooked. Cool to set.

3. Assemble to serve. Re-steam the cakes. Take a cup from the steamer, run a slender spatula along the inside, lift and slide the cake onto a serving plate. Top the cake with 1 teaspoon fried chai por (which may be heated if desired) and ½ teaspoon fried chillies if desired.

4.  Serve the cake hot or at room temperature as a snack. It is particularly suitable for breakfast, but can be served at tea time.

And lastly, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Sonia of NasiLemakLover for sending this adorable beautiful wooden plate, bowl and spoon when she was holidaying in Bali recently.  When I received this, I have a big smile on my face!  Thank you lots and lots Sonia.  I love this very much!!

Lemon Tart

Lemon Tart 

Shortbread Crust:

Recipe from Joy Of Baking
 

1 cup (130 grams) all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (35 grams) confectioners sugar (powdered or icing sugar)

1/2 cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, an 8 or 9 inch (20-23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom. 

In your food processor, place the flour, sugar, and salt and process to combine. 
Add the cold butter and pulse until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps. 
Transfer the pastry to the prepared pan and, using your fingertips, evenly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan. (Can use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface of the pastry.) 

Gently pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork. (This will prevent the pastry crust from puffing up while it bakes.) Cover and place the pastry crust in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. (This will help prevent the crust from shrinking while it bakes.)

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C  and place rack in the center of the oven. 

Place the tart pan on a larger baking sheet and bake the crust until golden brown, about 13 - 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. It is now ready to be filled.

Lemon Cream

Adapted from Rima of BisousAToi
 

3/4 cup lemon juice
lemon zest (as much as you want)
4 eggs
245g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature

To make the lemon cream, place the sugar in a large bowl.
Finely zest the lemons and add the zest to the sugar. Mix with the tip of your fingers.
Add the eggs and lemon juice and whisk well.
Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water without touching, in order to thicken the cream. Stir constantly, it is ready when it coats a wooden spoon.
Remove from the heat and let cool a little before adding the pieces of soft butter tablespoon by tablespoon. Mix well by hand first until the butter is melted, then with a hand mixer to lighten the cream. It can take a few mins.
Once the crust is cold, fill with lemon cream. 

Level it and chill in fridge overnight, before serving.

The shortbread crust still stays crunch and crispy the next day...... I thought I make a blunder when I make the crust because it shrunk and puff up while baking and makes my heart bob, bob, bob....thinking it is a flop again..... nevertheless I just use it.
And I complain to my sister that this shortbread crust is no no good.... but it turns out SO GOOD!!
hee...sorry....!

  
The original recipe for Lemon Cream is using Meyer Lemon but I just use the normal lemon which resulted a little sour.... unless you want to add more sugar in it but I chose not!

And finally I have this beautiful rectangular pan which I have been looking for so long........... and thank you my dearest Sister S for getting this for me......all the way from NZ from my favourite shop... Briscoes... and it is half price!!
I remember I used to go there almost everyday.... oh my....

Curry Puff

When you are craving for curry puff and don't wish to buy at the shops or at the 'roadside' stalls, we have to make it ourselves.  And when we feel lazy to make the dough pastry, we can always use the ready made puff pastry.  So easy!

CURRY PUFF

Ingredients

1 (10" x 10") sheet ready made/store bought puff pastry (cut into 4 squares)

 Potato and chicken filling

Recipe source from Sonia's

250g potato, diced
150g chicken, diced
1tbsp chili paste
2tbsp meat curry powder
1 big onion, chopped
3 sprigs curry leaves
1tsp salt or to taste
1tsp sugar or to taste
1tsp light soy sauce

Method
1. Heat oil in wok, sauté chopped onions until aroma
2. Mix in chili paste, curry leaves and curry powder till fragrant.
3. Add in diced chicken and potatoes, mix well.
4. Add in some water and simmer for 10-15min, season with salt, sugar and light soy sauce, cook

     until potato tender and mixture is dry.
5. Dish out to cool.

*  Preheat oven to 200C.
* Place one square of puff pastry and scoop the filling to one side of the puff pastry.
* Fold/wrapped it up and seal the edges by pressing it with a fork.
*  Egg wash the curry puff.
*  Bake for about 20 minutes or puff up golden brown.

* Left over extra filling have it with your rice for dinner.....

I remember, when my family they still resides here, we used to make sardine puff and had so much enjoyed this together with our tea.

Fried Cubic Noodles (Char Kuih Kak)

In food blogging we always seem to find one recipe posted by a blogger and later on another fellow blogger will posted right after one another.  Isn't it great we can find recipes through food blogging and tagging from one blog to another?

Would you mind if I say cooking and baking can make a person addicted and it is being contagious too?  In one way or another I am being addicted and baking is contagious!  But I do feel good about it as I can learn to bake and cook good dishes and cakes for my family, don't you think so?  Of course, we will feel so satisfied if our cooking is appreciated and the plates being swept clean after your hard worked!

Well, let's talk about my post today, Fried Cubic Noodles (Char Kuih Kak).  Previously I have made something similar like this before; Stir Fried Radish Cake (Loh Pak Koh) with the shredded radish in which is much more tedious and 'hardwork' in preparing.  After I have tried this version, this is so much easier.  I love it and in fact this is my second time making and frying it!!

I am sure you have eaten this in the hawker stalls, right?  Well you can always make this at home.  So easy.... prepare to steam the 'kuih' at night and then fried it for breakfast next day!

Fried Cubic Noodles (Char Kuih Kak) 
Recipe source from Minty's Kitchen 

Serves for 2-3 person

Ingredients for Cubic Noodles

110g rice flour
2 tbsp tapioca flour (or cornflour)
1 tbsp wheat starch (tang mien flour)
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl combine rice flour, tapioca flour, wheat starch, salt and cold water together.  Stir in oil. 

Pour boiling water into the batter and stir until batter is smooth.

Pour into a 17cm (6") round or 19cm loaf pan and steam over boiling water for about 25 minutes or until cooked.  

Cool the rice cake thoroughly before cutting into cubes.  

Ingredients for frying cubic noodles:
3 tbsp chopped pickled radish (chai poh)
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs
a few sprigs of chinese parsley
beansprouts (about 3  handfuls)
oil

Seasoning:  (to taste)
dark soy sauce
light soy sauce
sugar
salt & pepper

With about 2 tbsp of oil, pan fry the cubic noodles until golden brown.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Stir fry the pickled radish and garlic until aromatic. 

Return the cubic noodles to the wok.

Push the cubic noodles to the side of the wok then crack eggs into the centre and scramble until egg is just set.

Pour in seasoning.  Toss well to combine.

Finally add in beansprouts and chinese parsley.  Toss until well combined and heated through.

Serve while it is hot.  

        Yum!!

It is easy to make to steam "kuih"....

 ..... and the frying the cubic noodles, of course you can add in other ingredients like prawns too if you like.  Serve with your favourite chilli sauce or sambal ....

And I noticed Helena's  also has made this too!

 



 

Strawberry Swirl Swiss Roll

I've made swiss roll many times and in fact I have bought a recipe book mainly in making swiss roll (this recipe book is in Chinese though I am illiterate in Chinese).    I believe some of you might have bought recipe or cookbook that you doesn't even read of that language, right?  We been caught dying to buy books just because the food photos was so beautiful and looking so deliciously.....

Whenever I met failure in my baking, I am too shy to post it out of the ugly looking baked... but I do admire those who share out their failures.....  But sometimes, things shouldn't need to be perfect in looking and the quality is the most important.

Today, my first post of Swiss Roll, though while rolling it up, it crack but who cares now....

Strawberry Swirl Swiss Roll

Recipe adapt from  Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover with minor changes

Decoration batter
50g unsalted butter

1 tsp corn oil
40g icing sugar
30g egg white
50g cake flour  (I did not use up all the flour)
Abt 2 tbsp strawberry puree
A drop or two red food coloring

Method
1. Melted butter and corn oil over a double boiler.
2. Sift in sugar, stir well.
3. Add in egg white and strawberry puree, combine well.
4. Add in cake flour, mix well.
5. Put in the color.
6. Pipe the patterns onto the swiss roll pan that line with paper.
7. Chill in the fridge for 20mins.

(Please note :  I have strained the batter to give it a smooth consistency to pipe out the swirl).

Swiss roll sponge
5 egg yolks (medium)
50g corn oil
50g milk
20g caster sugar
85g cake flour

5 egg white (medium)
1/4 tsp lemon juices, optional
50g caster sugar

Whipped Cream Filling

120g dairy whipping cream
20g icing sugar
(Whip fresh cream until thick.  Add in sugar and whisk until stiff. Chill before used)

2 big strawberries, cut into small pieces 

Method
 1. Lightly whisk egg yolk with sugar.
2. Add in corn oil, stir to combine.
3. Add in milk, combine well.
4. Fold in cake flour, mix well, set aside.
5. Add lemon juices into egg white, beat till foamy.
6. Gradually add in sugar, beat till stiff peaks.
7. Take 1/3 portion of egg white mixture and use hand whisk to mix with egg yolk mixture till
     light.
8. Fold the balance of egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture, combine well.
9.  Remove the pan from the fridge (the pan that you pipe out the swirl remember?)
10. Pour the batter over to cover the swirl and careful level the surface.
11. Bake at 160C (at middle rack) for 25mins.

To assemble Swiss roll
1. Carefully turn the baked sponge cake onto a piece of baking/parchment paper.
2. Slowly peel off the attached baking/parchment paper from the cake.
3. Place a new piece of baking/parchment paper over the sponge. Invert the sponge again.
4. Slice out a small piece of sponge on a 45-degree angle at another end, so the end of sponge

     will neatly attached to the sponge at the end of rolling.
5. Make few slits on the whole cake. Spread evenly a layer of whipped cream and spread all

     over the strawberries cut pieces.
6. With the shorter side/breadth facing you, roll the cake up tightly to form a swiss roll. 

    Wrap with cling wrap and chill in the fridge to allow the swiss roll to set. Slice to serve.  

I draw out a stencil of the swirl pattern and I draw out again on the line parchment paper.

I believe some of you have come across strawberry print like or teddy bear, or angry bird on the swiss roll, right ... hmm...I'm just no good in drawing, it might come out something else...

This swiss roll sponge cake texture is so soft and Sonia is right, and I loves this very much!

Thank you Sonia!

 

Spaghetti with Sardine & Sesame Sauce

Just last week, Sonia of NasiLemakLover posted her Japanese Avocado & Crabstick Pasta, which I think it is such a brilliant idea to make for a quick lunch when she used the sesame seed dressing recipe which was origin from Nami of Just One Cookbook created for salad dressing.  

Isn't it great that we can use salad dressing for pasta as well too.  I am so thrilled for this!!

.....though my picture doesn't do much justice, but for sure the food is good enough already!

Spaghetti With Sardine & Sesame Sauce
Inspiration from Sonia of NasiLemakLover
and Sesame Dressing from Nami of JustOneCookbook

Sesame dressing ingredients
4 tbsp white sesame seeds
3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
3 tbsp rice vinegar (I use Heinz vinegar)
1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
1½ tsp caster sugar or to taste
1 tsp mirin
A pinch of salt or to taste

150g spaghetti, cooked till al dente
1 small can of sardine in olive oil, mashed
one bunch of spinach, blanch and chopped fine

some cherry tomatoes

Method
Toast sesame seeds in a frying pan on low heat until golden brown and aroma.

Grind the sesame seeds in a spice grinder (don’t grind too fine, keep it a bit coarse gives better texture when eating)
Mix sesame dressing seasonings in a mixing bowl, add in grinded sesame seeds, mashed sardine and the chopped spinach; mix till combine.
Mix sesame dressing with cooked spaghetti 

Serve with cherry tomatoes.

The sesame seed dressing taste real good, and of course you can always substitute with other ingredients other than the sardine I put in to my spaghetti.

Thank you Sonia for this great idea for using the dressing in pasta and thank you Nami for this great delicious dressing!

  

 

Nyonya Tamarind Fish (Ikan Gerang Assam)

I always loves to eat fish in tamarind sauce; it is so appetizing.  Just mentioned cooked spicy sour sauce will just makes me drool.

Previous I used to buy the ready mix sauce which is much easier and thought I would like to give it a try to make the tamarind sauce my own.

 

Gerang Asam

Nyonya Tamarind Fish

Recipe source from masam manis
(I only cooked half of the recipe here)
Original By: Chef Florence Tan
 Recipes from the Nyonya Kitchen

Ingredient
175 ml or 3/4 cup cooking oil
3 cups tamarind juice or 750 ml water + 75 gm tamarind pulp
900 gm Spanish Mackerel or any fish 

2 kaffir lime leaves ~ optional
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
20 young lady's fingers (I didn't add)

Finely Ground Paste
20 dried chillies, soaled in water and drained
18 shallots, peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
5 candlenuts
1/2 inc fresh turmeric, peeled
1 inc galangal, peeled
4 stalks lemon grass, sliced
11/2 teaspoons crushed dried shrimp paste

Method
Heat the cooking oil and fry finely ground paste until fragrant
Add the tamarind juice and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes
Increase the heat and add fish, kaffir lime leaves, sugar and salt.
Cook for 4 minutes.
Add lady's fingers and cooked for another 5 minutes until the fish is done and lady's fingers are tender.

If you loves this type of spicy and sour sauce, you will go for second helping!
Was it spicy?  No, I don't think so.....though the colour looks like sooooo hot and spicy here!

Earl Grey Pound Cake

When I first came across those using the Earl Grey tea leaves into baking cakes, I felt that it is kind of "unique" as I only know tea leaves only use to infuse or extract out the flavour to make beverage.  Just never came across that the dried tea leaves can be eaten or into making cakes.  

The next thing came to mind was, "Was it good using tea leaves to make cakes?"  Well, if I want to get the answer I have to bake it myself to find out.  

I am a coffee and tea person.  Every morning I must have a cup of coffee to get my whole self to full charge.  Else, seems like something is missing in life already.   And after my lunch, a cup of tea is a must too...and if there is a piece of cake to go with my tea, that would be just perfect!

So, today, out of curiosity how the Earl Grey cake turn out to be, herewith Earl Grey Pound Cake....  

  
EARL GREY POUND CAKE
Recipe sourced from Piggy's Cooking Journal  with slight change

Ingredients
130g self raising flour
7g earl grey tea leaves, crushed
120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
2 tablespoons milk

Method:
Preheat oven to 170 deg C. Lightly grease and line a 19cm x 9cm loaf pan  with baking paper.
Sift flour and tea leaves into a bowl. Set aside.

In an electric mixer,  cream the butter with 50g of sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, follow by milk. Beat well with each addition.

Using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture till all combined.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, beat egg white until soft peak forms,  add the remaining 50g of sugar gradually and continue to beat until the egg whites are glossy and form firm peaks.

With a spatula, fold 1/3 of egg white into butter mixture until just combined; and fold in with the remaining egg white.

Scrape the batter into cake pan.   Make a dent lengthwise in the centre.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake turns out clean. Let the cake cools on wire rack.

The Verdict of this cake?

Soft like chiffon, and not forgetting the Earl Grey aroma when chew inside the mouth. 

As I am a tea person, you bet, I loves this cake!

 

Join me for an afternoon English tea with a slice of Earl Grey Pound Cake!