Braised Chicken With Chestnuts & Mushrooms

I always had a hard time thinking hard what to cook for dinner.  When we cooked, we have to change the method way of cooking, adding different flavours, so the dish would taste or look more appetizing.  I always go for simple way of cooking and I believe simple would means healthy too.

When I saw this dish using chestnuts, I immediately would like to try to cook this as the ingredients are easy and simple. 

Braised Chicken With Chestnuts & Mushrooms

Ingredients

½ chicken, cut into pieces

10 dried chestnuts, soaked overnight & removed skin

1 tbsp oil

3 pips garlic, peeled and chopped

10 shallots, peeled and chopped

8 slices ginger

8 dried mushrooms, soaked

1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

2 stalks spring onions, cut into short lengths

Seasonings

1 tbsp oyster sauce

½ tbsp light soya sauce

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp salt

300ml water

1 tbsp shaoxing wine

1.  Heat up oil, sauté garlic, shallot and ginger until aromatic.  

      Add mushrooms, chestnuts and all the seasonings ingredients and bring to

      boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.  Add carrot, chickens pieces and simmer for another 20 minutes or until the

      meat is cooked. 

3.  Lastly, stir in spring onions.  Dish up and serve hot with steamed rice.

Dulce De Leche Ice Cream

Before I started food blogging, I wouldn't know what is Dulce De Leche until one day I came across this after hopping from one blog to another and to another.  It seems like everyone know how to make their own Dulce De Leche.  It is so easy, just boil for 3 hours a can of unopened condensed milk.  And I acquire more information from Wendy of Table for 2....or more on how to make Dulce De Leche at home, and more so, to get the Full Cream Condensed Milk instead of the Sweetened Creamer!  Check out her site if you want to make this DDL at home.

After I make my homemade Dulce De Leche, I was cracking my head what should I make it into.  Aha....since the weather here is scorching hotter day by day,  why not make Dulce De Leche Ice Cream.  And......I can use my new beautiful Cuisinart Ice Cream maker. 

It is not easy to take picture of ice cream in this hot weather.  I heard there's a blogger, some photographer play cheating when taking ice cream photos, they use mashed potato instead.  Well, it does look very much the same if you know how to take good pictures!


Dulce De Leche Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream
1 cups milk
4 egg yolks (original recipe called for 6)
160g Dulce de Leche
1 tbsp sugar

1)  In a medium saucepan, combine the cream and milk and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat.
2)  In a heatproof large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, 3/4 of the Dulce De Leche, and granulated sugar until
     smooth and pale. When the milk comes to a boil, whisk 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg
     yolk-sugar mixture until smooth.
3)  Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream to the hot cream in the pan, whisking to combine.
     Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a
     spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean
     container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming.
     Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours.
4)  Remove from the refrigerator and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine. Freeze according to the
     manufacturer's instructions. When the ice cream is nearly completely churned, spoon in the remaining
     Dulce de leche to create a swirl in the ice cream. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to
     serve.

     Verdict :  Very, very, very delicious!!

This two types of Full Cream Condensed Milk I've bought in Singapore.  The one selling in Malaysia only available are Sweetened Creamer which is of difference.  If I have not read from Wendy's site, I would have just got any types selling in Malaysia.

I know, I know, the colour texture is a bit lighter compare to the real thing.  I think I boil it in too low heat.  I do better next time.

Check out my new red Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.....all the way from Auckland.

Thank you Kent, for this lovely ice cream maker.
Sitting next to my red Kenwood Patissier Stand Mixer.  I love red colour!

Blueberries Buttermilk Cake

July is a month of birthdays celebration for few of my family members.  First, it was my sister Sandy's birthday, next, my brother-in-law Clifford and tomorrow would be my beloved Mom's birthday!

I baked this Blueberries Buttermilk Cake for my mom's birthday eventhough she is far away in Auckland now.  I know she will definitely love this birthday cake I baked for her eventhough she could not taste this cake.  I couldn't decide what cake should I bake and made a hasty decision for this Blueberries Buttermilk cake. I have made the Lemon Buttercream for the frosting but it didn't turn up well beating and made a flop in it.  I scrapped it off and I change it to whipped cream topping with blueberries sauce on top instead.  The frosting top was not done nicely, well I believe more practice would make perfect one day.

Here, I would like to wish you a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!  I wish you good health and be happy wherever you are.  I love you lots and lots Mom!

Blueberries Buttermilk Cake

Source from here Southernfood

• 2 cups sifted cake flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar (1 add in 1 tbsp only)
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Method:

Sift flour, baking soda and salt together. In mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening; add sugar gradually, creaming until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks; beat until very light. Add vanilla and lemon extract; blend well.
Combine buttermilk and vinegar. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk mixture. Beat until batter is smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.  Add in the blueberries.
Pour buttermilk cake batter into greased & flour of two 8-inch layer cake pans.
Bake single at 350°. 35 to 45 minutes.

Blueberry Sauce

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup blueberry (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

 In a small saucepan, mix sugar, water and lemon juice and stir in cornstarch.  Cook and stir until thickened.  Add blueberries, cook until bubbly.  Chill.

Mom, I have cut the cake on your behalf........ to celebrate in advance!

Mom, here is your piece of cake....

Mom, take good care yourself and keep yourself warm...

Italian Cream Cake

It is my sister Sandy's birthday today!
I have been cracking my head for the past whole month what cake should I bake for her birthday.  Red Velvet Cake?  Hummingbird  Cake?  Cheesecake with blueberries topping?  Or Chocolate Cake?  And finally I made up my mind on this Italian Cream Cake.  I wanted to bake the Hummingbird cake for her but on the second thought, she is not a pineapple lover and so I have to skip that one.

Here you are my dear sister, I present you your birthday cake.... hope you like it and may you be in good health and happiness will come back to you all over again.

The original recipe call for whole cream cheese frosting topping but I adjusted it with some whipping cream mixed with the cream cheese in it.

And also I have used walnuts instead of pecans as pecans selling here is very costly.  I have to crush finely the walnuts so my dad can eat happily when chewing and biting the cake.  He has "teething" problem ....ha..ha...  I believe when the chef bakes or cook, have to consider the person who consume it have any difficulty or health problem on the food they eat, right?

 Sitting nicely on the side table of our dining table.  See the upper tier right hand side, that is a "towel cake".

Italian Cream Cake
For the cake:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups shredded coconut
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans (I used walnuts instead)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 450g cream cheese
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 160g icing sugar
• 2 cups fresh cream, whipped till stiff

For the cake:
1.  Preheat oven to 170 Celcius. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
2.  Cream butter, shortening and sugar together in a large bowl. Add 5 egg yolks one at a time, until each is
     fully incorporated.
3.  Add dry ingredients, vanilla and buttermilk to butter and sugar mixture.  Stir in coconut and walnuts and
     set  aside.
4.  In another large bowl, beat 5 egg whites until stiffly beaten but not dry. Fold egg whites into cake batter by
     hand, being careful not to overmix.  Evenly divide batter between prepared pans.
5.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6.  Cool in pans on rack until cool to the touch.

To Make Frosting:
Beat cream cheese with butter till soft.  Turn mixer to low speed, add icing sugar a little at a time. Whisk till well blended.  Fold in the whipped cream.  Put in the refrigerator for an hour or two before spreading to the cake. 

  

This is a three layers 8" cake.
Will post how it look like after my sister cut it out... ok?  Oh, and one more thing, I would like to thank Sonia for sending me the Cake Leveler as a gift, if not my this cake wouldn't be that level cut out.  Thank you once again.

Herewith, after the cake been sliced......

Serradura Dessert (Sawdust Pudding)

Serradura literally in Portuguese means "sawdust".  The sawdust meant in this dessert is all that from the crushed Marie biscuit and the condensed milk added in made this dessert more creamier in taste.  As this dessert is easy and simple to make; and since I have some left over whipping cream I better make use of it or else it will have to go down to the waste disposal.

Ingredients
250ml Whipping cream
100g Marie biscuits
50g Condensed milk (or to your sweetness taste)
1 tsp Vanilla essence

Method
1. Crush Marie biscuits finely either by using a food processor or put in a ziploc bag with rolling pin method.
2. Whip whipping cream to soft peaks. Add vanilla essence and condensed milk (Suggests you add 2/3 
     first, taste, then add more if it needs sweetening). Continue whipping until stiff peaks.
3. Transfer the cream into a piping bag. (fitted with a plain 1 or 2 cm nozzle)
4. Place a layer of biscuit into individual moulds or cups and pipe a layer of cream on top. Repeat until filled. 
    (Suggests that don't put too much biscuit, or the cream will adhere to only the top bits and the 
     dessert will look messy)
5. Chill in the freezer for two hours. When serving, leave it out for a bit (around 10 minutes) for it to soften.

I love dessert with some fruits in it .... especially strawberries.

Red Velvet Cake

Red is all over and the red is so seductive...... yes Red Velvet Cake.  The look in it is so delicious and tempting.  I have bookmarked to bake a Red Velvet Cake for months ago and only until now.  Though some might not dare to go ahead to bake by the amount of red colouring in it, but once in a while I think it is alright.  Maybe, I should think to use Beetroot as an alternative to the red colour.  What do you think, bakers?

Red Velvet Cake

This delicious cake adapted from Bisousatoi

1 ¼ cup sifted cake flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp red colouring

¼ cup (abt 57g) soft unsalted butter

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

½ tsp vinegar

½ tsp baking soda

1.  Preheat oven to 175C.

2.  In a bowl, sieve flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder and red colouring and stir well until

      form a paste.

4.  Using a stand mixer, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the egg

      until blended.  Add the vanilla extract and cocoa powder mixture.  Beat until

      well blended.

5. Add in sifted flour and buttermilk alternately.  Beginning and ending  with

     flour (F, M, F, M, F).

6.  In a small bowl, combine vinegar and baking soda and add it to the batter.

      Stir well with a spatula.  Pour it into a 6” cake pan and bake it for 40-50 mins.

7.  Once cool, slice cake into two and spread cream cheese frosting, spread all

      over the cake too.  Chill it for few hours.

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.

Still need to master on the cream cheese frosting.  Quite watery even have chill it in the fridge for an hour! Anyway, this cake is very yummy.  I love cake using buttermilk in it.

Profiteroles or Cream Puff

I remember the first time I bake this Cream Puff was way back when I was studying in the Home Science class.  It was fun baking this mini cream puff.  I almost forgotten how to make this cream puff.   After I started working, I don't have time to bake, so mostly buy at shops or the frozen cream puff.  Believe me, those frozen cream puff do taste as good too. 

Cream puff or profiteroles can be eaten with whipped cream filling or with vanilla ice cream.  Or you can cut strawberries pieces and mix into the whipped cream filling.  

Profiteroles adapted from here

Makes 20-24

200g cold water
½ tsp sugar
85g unsalted butter
pinch salt
113 plain flour
4 medium eggs, beaten

For the cream filling:
2 1/2 cups double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar


Method 
1.  Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2.  To make the pastry, place the butter, water and sugar into a large saucepan.
3.  Place over a low heat to melt the butter. Increase the heat and add the flour and 
     salt. Remove from the heat and quickly beat the mixture until it forms a smooth paste, 
     stirring continuously. Once the paste curls away from the side of the pan, transfer the 
     mixture into a large bowl and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes.

4.  Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, stirring vigorously until the paste is smooth and 
     glossy. Continue adding the egg until you have a soft dropping consistency. It may not be 
     necessary to add all the egg. The mixture will be shiny and smooth and will fall reluctantly 
     from a spoon if it is given a sharp jerk.

5.  Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Dip a teaspoon into some warm water and 
     spoon out a teaspoon of the profiterole mixture. Rub the top of the mixture with a wet 
     finger and spoon on to the baking tray. This ensures a crisper topping.

6.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown, if too pale they will become soggy when cool.

7.  Remove from the oven and prick the base of each profiterole. Place onto the baking tray 
     with the hole facing upwards and return to the oven for 5 minutes. The warm air from the 
     oven helps to dry the middle of the profiteroles.

Prepare the filling: 
1.  Lightly whip the cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form. Do not overwhip. When the 
     profiteroles are cold, cut them in half and using a piping bag with a plain nozzle, pipe the 
     cream into the middles. Alternatively, you may also enjoy filling them with small scoops of 
     vanilla ice cream.

Puff awaiting to put whipping cream in.....

Puff Pastry Egg Tarts

When I saw this Puff Pastry Egg Tarts at NasiLemakLover , I told myself I must make this one day.  I loves Egg Tart very much, regardless whether it is the shortcrust pastry or the flaky type, as long as it is with the egg pudding in it.  Delicious!

I was a little greedy and over pour the egg filling in it and lucky me it didn't spill out.  Using the ready made puff pastry made it easier.   Why not for a change instead of making that tedious type of flaky egg tart though it may be of different texture!

 Out from oven......

Claypot Pork Belly With Salted Fish

I've bought the Claypot for quite sometime but didn't get the chance to use it to cook any dishes till yesterday when I suddenly browse through one of my cookbook on claypot dishes, and here, Claypot Pork Belly With Salted Fish.  Since I have all the ingredients with me, why not cook something different for dinner.

Claypot is an ideal choice for braising and stewing food over low heat as it heats evenly and retains heat well.  Ingredients cooked over a long period of time in a claypot are soft and tender,packed full of their natural flavours and emit a unique aroma that can only be achieved by cooking in a claypot.

Ingredients :
300g pork belly, slice about 0.5cm)
25g salted fish
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
3 dried chillies, cut in 1/2" section (I use fresh chillies)
5 slices ginger
1 stalk spring onion, cut in 1/2" section or coriander
6 cloves shallots, cut in thin slices
1 onion, section in 4 pieces
2/3 cup water

Marinade
1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp potato starch

Seasonings
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp thick soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp shoaxing wine

1.  Combine well pork belly slices with marinade and set aside for about 30 minutes.
     Scald in hot oil and drain well.
2.  Pan-fry salted fish in oil until fragrant.  Set aside.
3.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in a claypot, add shallots, garlic, ginger slices and chillies to fry until fragrant.
     Stir in the pork belly slices and toss well.  Add in the soy sauce and thick soy sauce to combine
     well.  Add in water and sugar and bring to a boil.  Cover with a lid and let it simmer over low heat
     for about 3 minutes, add salted fish and continue to cook until the gravy is fairly dry.
4.  Stir in spring onion/coriander and onion to toss well briskly, drizzle over shaoxing wine and serve.

Steamed Fruit Cake

I have made this steamed fruit cake for the third time now.  You know what, all fruit cakes are best eaten overnight and I understand too, some fruit cakes if well kept can kept till a year!  Usually fruit cake takes very long hours to either bake or steamed.  This steamed fruit cake takes about 3 hours in the steaming pot to complete.  I have read some cookbooks that some fruit cakes takes about 4 hours to bake!! 

I remember when I was young, my mum used to bake fruit cakes for us. 

Steamed Fruit Cake

170g butter
150g caster sugar
150g caster sugar
150g plain flour, sifted
3 eggs
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50g water

150g plain flour, sifted
300g mixed dried fruit

1.  Mixed 150g sifted plain flour and the mixed dried fruit together.  Combined well and set aside.
2.  Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
3.  Add in eggs, one at a time until well combined.  Add in vanilla essence.
4.  Put in sifted flour, bicarbonate soda and cream of tartar.  
5.  Add in the fruit mixture.  Mix all well together and set aside.
6.  Meanwhile, place the 150g caster sugar into a saucepan and pour in the 50g water at the side of the
     saucepan.  Cook till the sugar turn caramel.
7.  Mix a well centre in the dough batter and pour in the caramel in the well and quickly mix all well
    combine.
8.  Grease an 8 inch square pan and pour the cake mixture in.  Cover with aluminium foil.
9.  Steam for about 2 hours 45 minutes.

Just out immediately from the steaming wok.  Beautiful delicious brown colour.
Care for a piece?