Mars Puff Balls

Ingredients:

• 250g Butter
• 2 tablespoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Egg
• 400g All Purpose Flour
• Mars, chopped into about 1.5cm cubes
  
• Some regular white sugar or brown sugar

How to do it:

1. Beat butter, sugar and salt till creamy.
2. Add egg and vanilla essence.
3. Mix evenly.
4. Fold in the flour and mix into a dough.
5. Roll dough into 9g balls each.
6. Flatten the dough with your palms.
7. Place the mars cubes in the middle and fold the dough to cover it.
8. Roll the combination into ball.
9. Gently press it on some sugar. (So when the sugar melt from baking, the puff gets a shiny top)
10. Baked in tray lined with baking paper for 8 to10 minutes in preheated oven at 150C.
11. Cool on wire rack before storing.

http://wokkingmum.blogspot.sg/search/label/chinese%20pastry

Sesame Cookie 芝麻酥

Ingredients:

• 300g Sesame Powder with sugar
• 120g Castor Sugar or Icing Sugar
• 250g Top Flour or All Purpose Flour
• 180ml Oil (I use Olive Oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 100g Toasted Sesame Seed for topping
• 1 Egg Yolk, beaten for glazing

How to do it:

1. Mix flour, salt, sugar and sesame powder together to combine.
2. Pour half of the oil into the sesame mixture and mix together. I use hands to do it.
3. Pour the remaining oil and continue mixing and kneading till the (icing) sugar has melted.
4. Roll a ball of 10g sesame paste and if it doesn’t crumble, your paste is ready. Otherwise, add a bit of oil till the sesame ball doesn't crumble when you roll it.
5. Place sesame ball on baking tray.
6. Brush with egg yolk.
7. Sprinkle some sesame seed on top.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 13mins at 180C till egg yolk glazing turn lightly golden brown.
9. Cool on rack and store in air tight container.

Note:

• If you use castor sugar, you will be able to able to eat into some sugar giving it the crunchy feel. Use icing sugar instead if you prefer it to be smooth.

http://wokkingmum.blogspot.sg/2012/01/sesame-cookie.html
 

 

Root Beer Float Cupcake

This recipe was inspired by Deb from Smitten Kitchen. When I saw it, I knew I had to give it a try. ;) I did several changes to it to match the amount of root beer in a standard can size for easier baking.

Ingredients for Root Beer Float Cupcakes (makes about 6 X 4oz cupcakes)

Cupcake

1 can or 330ml root beer (I used A&W brand, but any brand should do fine)

85g unsweetened cocoa powder

85g unsalted butter

180g Caster sugar

60g light brown sugar

170g cake flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows)

Some maraschino cherry (cocktail) or fresh cherries

Method:

• Preheat oven to 175°C. In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
• In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined.
• Fold the liquid and flour mixtures together in the large bowl. The batter will be slightly lumpy; this is okay. If you overbeat it, it will get tough.
• Fill cupcake liners about 80% full and bake for about 17 to 20 minutes or till the tester comes out clean. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping is Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream (makes ~4 to 5 cups)

5 oz egg whites (~140g)
5 oz caster sugar (~140g)
1/4 tsp salt
bean scrapings from 1/2 of a vanilla bean

1 tsp quality vanilla extract
500g unsalted butter, cut into 2” chunks, room temperature

Method:

• Prepare a double boiler with a gentle simmer. In a heat proof bowl, combine egg whites, sugar and salt into it. Mix well but no beating is required. Place the bowl over the double boiler and placing a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature.
• Stir once in awhile to prevent the egg white from curdling at sides. Aim to to have the temperature reached at least 146F / 63C for food safety reasons.
• Once the temperature is reached, remove from heat and beat it till it is silky white. Add vanilla extract and mix well. If the mixture is still hot, place it over a bath of ice water to cool it down.
• Add the butter chunks one piece at a time and continue to beat while doing so. Continue to beat till all the butter has been added and the buttercream is smooth and silken.
• Use about 1 cup for the cupcake while you can chill the rest in the fridge for use in future.

I'm pretty sure many of you have had a root beer float before? In order to create that root beer float effect, that vanilla buttercream on top is supposingly the vanilla ice cream scoop. The cherry? Well, it does give it a more sundae look, don't you think? Although using a Maraschino cherry would be more "appropriate" but personally, I much prefer to fresh version. :))

 

 

http://honeybeesweets88.blogspot.sg/2011/11/root-beer-float-cupcake.html

Sesame and Peanut Cookie 芝麻花生酥

 

 

Ingredients:

• 300g Peanut Powder with sugar
• 150g Toasted Sesame Seed, grind into powder
• 50g Sesame Seed
• 120g Extra Fine Sugar
• 250g Top Flour or All Purpose Flour
• 190ml Oil (I use Olive Oil)
• 1/3 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Egg Yolk, beaten for glazing
• Additional Sesame Seeds as toppings

How to do it:

1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, grind sesame and peanut powder together to combine.
2. Pour half of the oil into the peanut mixture and mix together. I use hands to do it.
3. Pour the remaining oil and continue mixing and kneading till the (icing) sugar has melted.
4. Roll a ball of 10g paste and if it doesn’t crumble, your paste is ready. Otherwise, add a bit of oil till the peanut ball doesn't crumble when you roll it.
5. Place peanut ball on baking tray.
6. Brush with the egg yolk.
7. Sprinkle on some sesame seed.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 13mins at 180C till lightly golden brown.
9. Cool on rack and store in air tight container.

 

http://wokkingmum.blogspot.sg/

 

 

Chocolate Pudding With Mocha Sauce

Adapted the recipe from Dida's site (translation below), a little modification here and there, also the amount of water used cos in Singapore, the amount of agar agar in 1 packet is slightly more = 12g

What you need:

For the pudding:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 packets white agar agar powder
120g dark cooking chocolate - cut small
50g cocoa powder
2 egg yolks
1600 ml water
1 tsp chocolate emulco
4 tbsps caster sugar
1 small pinch of salt

For the sauce:
500ml fresh milk
50g sugar
50g milk cooking chocolate - cut small
1 tbsp mocha paste
1 tbsp instant coffee
1 tbsp (heaped) cornflour - mix with a little milk
1 egg yolk
1 small pinch of salt

To make the pudding:
Mix cocoa powder with 10 tbsps of water (taken from the required amount of water) - mix well and strain

In a medium pot on medium heat, cook the remaining water, condensed milk, agar agar powder, chocolate chunks, sugar, cocoa mixture, salt - stir continuously with whisk

In a small bowl, ligtly beaten egg yolks, add in 3 tbsps of pudding mixture - mix well

Add in egg mixture into the remaining of pudding mixture - do it bit by bit gradually while whisking continuously

Add in mocha paste, whisk fast

Bring to boil, pour into mould - let cool and set in the fridge

To make the sauce:
In a medium pot on low heat, cook milk, sugar, coffee powder, mocha paste, chocolate chunks and salt - whisk til mixed well

In a small bowl, mix egg yolk and cornflour mixture, add 1 tbsp of sauce mixture - mix well
Cook and stir continuously til boiling - let cool

Pour the sauce over cut pudding
You may add some fruit cocktails

 

 

http://iloveicookibake.blogspot.sg/2011/05/chocolate-pudding-with-mocha-sauce.html

 

 

 

Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry Pie

 

Puff pastry is the key to all things simple and impressive. Fancy mustard, ham, and good cheese are just a bonus.

Delicious bonus.

 

It’s really important to use all-butter puff pastry for this recipe.

Any puff pastry that doesn’t boast about its all-butterness is made of weirdo fats that just aren’t cool.

 

 

Puff pastry is thawed, but still cold… and rolled out just slightly.

 

This recipe will work both round and rectangle shaped. Go with what ya got!

Egg wash. Whole grain honey mustard. Thinly sliced Black Forest Ham.

 

 

 

The puff pastry can be thawed and assembled (just like above), and then placed in the fridge overnight. When you wake up on New Year’s Day, you can brush this with egg wash and toss it in the oven. Almost instant brunch. Add an egg. Call it success.

 

 

Humble pie.

Oh how you are filled with beautiful mustard, salty ham, and creamy cheese.

 

This dish is wonderfully simple and gloriously make-ahead. Because this pie highlights just a few ingredients, I like to use the best ingredients I can find/afford. All-butter puff pastry is a luxury and so worth the splurge. Whole grain mustard pops with flavor. Black Forest Ham and Gruyere cheese were meant to be married for life. It’s simple, because delicious doesn’t have to be complicated.

Ham and Cheese Puff Pastry Pie
serves 6
inspired by Ina Garten
Ingredients
1 package (2 sheets) all-butter puff pastry, defrosted but still cold
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced Black Forest Ham
1/4 to 1/2 pound Gruyere cheese, sliced (depending on how much cheese you like)

Method
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet, or round pizza pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Unfold or unroll one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Gently roll with a rolling pin until each side is increased by about 1/2-inch. This is just a light rolling. Place the pastry on the prepared baking sheet.

Brush pastry, from edge to edge with egg wash. Spread mustard atop the egg wash, leaving 1/2-inch of space between the mustard and the edge of pastry. Layer on ham slices. Top with sliced cheese.

Gently roll out the second piece of puff pastry. Layer on top of the ham and cheese pastry. Press the edges together with your fingers. Gently fold about 1/2-inch of the edges over, creating and thick crust. Press with the tines of a fork. Dip the fork in flour if the fork sticks to the puff pastry during pressing.

Brush with egg wash from edge to edge. Use a sharp knife to cut three venting holes through the top pastry.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.


http://joythebaker.com/2012/12/ham-and-cheese-puff-pastry-pie/#more-10463






 

Orange Lapis Surabaya Cake (Spiku)

 

 

What you need:
(below is half recipe I made with a slight modification)

Orange layers (makes two):
10 egg yolks (I used medium size)
70g caster sugar
35g plain flour
8g corn flour
8g full cream milk powder
125g butter
1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 tbsp sweet condensed milk
1/2 tsp orange essence (optional)

Chocolate layer (makes one):
5 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
15g plain flour
10g cocoa powder
65g butter
1/2 tbsp sweet condensed milk
1 tsp chocolate paste

Filling:
strawberries jam

Method:

Grease pan, line and grease again. Set aside

To make the orange layers:

1. Beat butter til smooth. Add in orange juice and sweet condensed milk, beat well. Add in orange zest, mix well
2. Beat egg yolks and caster sugar til tibbon stage
3. Fold in sieved plain flour, milk powder and corn flour
4. Pour egg yolk mixture into the butter mixture, gently mix with spatula til well incorporated
5. Pour into 2 pans, and bake in preheated oven of 180degC for 18 minutes til cooked (when the skewer comes out clean)

Do the same for the chocolate layer

To assembly:

When the cakes are cooled, place one orange layer and spread the top with jam, top with chocolate layer
Spread the top of chocolate layer with jam, top with the other orange layer
Cut and serve

 http://iloveicookibake.blogspot.sg/2013/01/orange-lapis-surabaya-cake-spiku.html