Christmas Fruit Cake

Recipe from Jeannie Tay.

Ingredients
300g mixed fruits of your choice – soaked these overnight in 3 tablespoons of rum/other alcohol (I used barcadi)
230g plain flour
60g self raising flour
230g salted butter
100g light brown sugar
70g castor sugar
1 tbsp fruit jam (i used blueberries jam)
4 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract

Zest from one orange/lemon

Method
*Preheat oven at 160C

• Prepare a 7″ square tin by lining the bottom. Prepare an 8″ square tin and insert in aluminum foils in between the 2 tins.  This is to minimize the crack on the cake.
  
• Cream butter and sugars till light and creamy, add in jam and vanilla extract.
  
• Add in the eggs gradually.
  
• Add in flour and fruit mixture alternatively.
  
• Transfer the mixture into the prepared 7″inch square tin. Put the baking tin into the 8″ square and insert aluminium foil between the two tin.
  
• Bake the cake at 160C for 1 hour or more depending on your oven until cooked. Removed and allow to cool on rack.

Easy Muah Chee

Recipe adapted from Fun at Sassy's Kitchen.

Ingredients
1 cup glutinous rice flour
1 cup of water
1 tsp sugar
Premix sugared peanut powder


Instructions

1. Mix flour, water & sugar until mixture is smooth.
2. Put into microwave for 3mins.
3. Cut pieces of muah chee and mix into sugared peanut powder.

Traditional Baked Mooncake

Recipe adapted from The Fatty Rie.

Ingredients:
*6 x 125g baked mooncakes

Crust
150g hong kong flour
90g golden syrup
30g canola oil
1/2 tbsp alkaline water

Filling
Lotus paste or any paste of your choice
20g to 30g melon seeds
6 Salted eggs

Egg Wash
1 chicken egg yolk + 1 tbsp milk, beaten and sift


Method:
1. Salted egg yolks preparation - Crack the eggs and remove the yolks, then soak the yolks in canola oil for about 15-20 mins, to remove the fishy smell.  After removing the yolks from the oil, use kitchen paper towel to dab dry the yolks.

2.   Place the melon seeds and egg yolks on lined baking tray.   Bake in preheated oven at 140C for about 8-12 mins. Once the yolks turn slightly lighter in color, and the melon seeds toasted, you can remove from oven and cool completely.   Set aside.

3.   Mooncake dough preparation - Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl, and create a well in the middle.  Add in golden syrup, oil and alkaline water.  Mix the ingredients into a dough and let the dough rest for about 30-35 mins.

4.   Lotus paste preparation -  Mix the toasted melon seeds into the lotus paste, and roll the paste into ball shape, then make a hole in the centre and place 1 yolk in it.  Gently roll the lotus paste back into a ball shape.  Set aside.
*Note:
a)  use plastic gloves as the paste can get very sticky
b)  lotus paste + yolk filling = 75g

5.    Divide the mooncake dough into 50g portions.

6.   Take 1 ball of the mooncake dough, flatten it and wrap the lotus paste in it, sealed the ends and roll it into a ball shape.

7.   Flour the mooncake mold generously and knock out excess flour, then imprint the prepared dough (from #6), and transfer it to lined baking tray.

8.   Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 5 mins.  Remove from oven and cool it for about 2-3 mins. Brush gently with egg wash, then return the mooncakes back into oven to continue baking for another 10-15 mins, or golden brown coloured.

9.   Once done, remove from oven and cool completely before storing them for about 3-4 days to to 回油 (crust soften).

Baked rosemary chicken & potatoes

Recipe adapted from Delishar.

Ingredients
4 Skin on, bone-in chicken legs, pat dry
6 small potatoes (Granola Potatoes), washed & quartered
1 yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 german sausages
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Salt and black pepper to taste
Some lemon wedges
Some cherry tomatoes
Chopped cilantro

Method

Preheat oven to 190C.

Mix rosemary, oregano, garlic, worcestershire sauce, and oil together in a large mixing bowl.

Add chicken, onion, and potatoes into bowl.  Toss to coat.

Lay everything out onto a large baking dish.

Rest the chicken on top of the potatoes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Bake on middle rack for an hour, uncovered.

Serve with lemon wedges, cherry tomatoes and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Butter Souffle Sponge Cake

Recipe adapted from Jeannie Tay.

Ingredients
*9" round cake

2 eggs
6 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
70g butter
pinch of salt
120g cake flour
100g full cream milk

6 egg whites
140g fine castor sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar


Method

Greased and line the base of the baking tin.

Preheat oven to 160C.

Combine egg, egg yolks, vanilla extract and beat lightly.  Set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, then add the sieved flour + salt, and mix well. 

Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and add in the milk and mix until blended. 

Add the egg yolk mixture in gradually,  mix well until batter is smooth.  Set aside.

Beat egg whites until foamy, then add in cream of tartar.  

Gradually add in sugar and continue beating until achieving firm peaks.

Fold meringue into egg yolk mixture until well combined.

Transfer batter into baking tin and bake in a water bath for 160C for 30mins, then 140C for 60mins.

Once done, remove baked cake from pan as soon as the cake starts to pull away from the pan and allow to cool on rack completely.

Rainbow cake

Recipe adapted from HowToCookThat.

Ingredients

*8" round cake

320g plain flour

180g castor sugar

1 bbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1½ tsp gelatine 

125ml canola oil

250ml cold water

7 egg yolks

7 egg whites

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Colorings


Method

Grease and line the base of the baking tin.

Preheat the oven to 160C, with a tin of hot water at the bottom tier of the oven.

Add sugar, baking powder, salt and gelatin into the flour and mix it with a whisk.

Make a well in the centre and pour in the oil, egg yolks and water but don’t mix it.  Set aside.

Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and whisk to soft peaks.

Now mix the flour mixture until it is just combined.

Fold meringue into the flour mixture until well combined.

Split the mixture evenly between 6 bowls.  Add a little colour to each bowl and gently fold through.

Pour in the first colored batter, send to bake for 10-12mins.  Remove and add the next colored and sent it back into the oven to bake for the same duration.  Repeat until you used up all batter.  And bake the last layer for around 15mins. 

Once done, remove baking tin and cool cake upright.

Decorate with chocolate ganache & chocolate of your preferred choice!

Cheese Chiffon Cake

Recipe adapted and modified from Anncoo Journal.

Ingredients:
*I used a 21cm tube tin

(A)
90g milk
60g cream cheese or cheddar cheese (I used a mixture of both)
38g butter
6 egg yolks
90g cake flour
15g corn flour

(B)
6 egg whites
110g sugar
½ tsp cream of tartar

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 150C.
   
2. Sieve both types of flours together.  Set aside.
   
3. Boil milk, then lower heat and add in cheese and butter stir till melt.  Set aside to cool.
   
4. Once the cheese mixture has cooled, whisk in egg yolks, then flour till well incorporated.  Set aside.
   
5. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add cream of tartar. Gradually add in castor sugar and continue beating until firm peaks formed.
   
6. Add the meringue into yolk batter, by 3 or 4 portions.  Fold in each portion with hand whisk, and fold the last portion with a spatula.  Fold until you do not see any meringue in the batter.
   
7. Transfer batter to the tube tin, bang on the table top few times to remove air bubbles.
   
8. Send it to bake at 150C for 1hour.
   
9. Once it is done, remove the cake from the oven immediately and invert to cool completely before un-moulding.

Marble Mocha Chiffon Cake

Recipe adapted and modified from Surelicious Bakie.  

Ingredients:
*I used a 21cm tube tin

A

10g cocoa powder 

20g hot water 

B

100g cake flour 

3/4tsp baking powder 

1/4tsp salt 

5 egg yolks

80g vegetable oil 

1/2tsp coffee oil/emulco 

70g caster sugar 

100g coffee (I made a cup from the 3-in-1 sachets.  Used 100g for the cake and drank the rest!)

C

5 egg whites

1/4tsp cream of tartar

70g castor sugar

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 170C.
   
2. Mix and dissolve the ingredients in (A).  Set aside.
   
3. Sieve flour, baking powder & salt.  Set aside.
   
4. Beat yolk with castor sugar from (B) with hand whisk until the batter turn creamy.
   
5. Add vegetable oil & coffee oil/emulco, and continue to beat until it is mixed in, then add coffee.
   
6. Add in sieved flour, baking powder & salt into the batter and mix until well combined (I used a hand whisk to do this).
   
7. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add cream of tartar. Gradually add in castor sugar (C) and continue beating until firm peaks formed.
   
8. Add the meringue into yolk batter, by 3 or 4 portions.  Fold in each portion with hand whisk, and fold the last portion with a spatula.  Fold until you do not see any meringue in the batter.
   
9. Scoop around 2.5 ladles of the batter into another mixing bowl and add in (A).  Fold until the cocoa mixture is well incorporated with the batter.
   
10. Transfer the cocoa batter back to the original batter.  Using a spoon, scoop from bottom upwards while gently spinning the mixing bowl.  Repeat this action about 3 times, but be cautious not to over do it, otherwise you'll lose the marble effect.
    
11. Now pour the batter to the tube tin, bang on the table top few times to remove air bubbles.
    
12. Send it to bake at 170C for 20mins, then 160C for 20mins.
    
13. Once it is done, remove the cake from the oven immediately and invert to cool completely before un-moulding.

Isn't the marble effect lovely? :)

The cake is really really soft and fluffy! :)

Yoghurt bread

Recipe adapted from LY's Kitchen.  With the usage of greek yogurt, the recipe promised to keep the bread soft for 3 days!

Ingredients
180g milk
80g greek yogurt
300g bread flour
25g caster sugar
1tsp salt
1tsp instant yeast
22g unsalted butter -softened

Egg wash - 1 beaten egg + 1tsp milk

Method

1. Add the above ingredients, except butter, in the same sequence to the breadmaker.
   
2. Make a well in the center, be sure not to expose water and add the yeast in it.
   
3. Start BM at menu 8 (dough menu).
   
4. After 10min, add in butter.
   
5. When the dough is ready, remove from BM and roll into equal portions of 80g each, leave to proof for 15min.
   
6. Start shaping into desired shapes, leave for final proofing for an hour.
   
7. Apply egg wash and send to bake for 20 mins at 170'C.

Hanjuku Cheesecake

Recipe adapted from Jeannie Tay.

Ingredients

300g Cream Cheese -softened to room temperature

40g  salted butter

3 eggs yolks 

20g Corn Starch

80g greek yoghurt

30g milk

1tsp vanilla extract

3 egg whites

75g caster sugar

Method

1. Prep for water bath baking.
   
2. Grease 7" round tin, line the base.
   
3. Preheat heat oven to 150C.
   
4. Melt the butter in the microwave.
   
5. Beat the cream cheese with the back of the spatula (mixer & hand whisk is fine as well, depends on your personal preference), then add the melted butter and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
   
6. In another bowl, mix together the egg yolks and sifted cornstarch until well combined. Add yoghurt and mix well. Then add in the milk and mix until combined.
   
7. Add yolk mixture into the cheese mixture and mix until fully incorporated.
   
8. Whip the egg whites until foamy, gradually add in sugar and beat until just reached soft peaks.
   
9. Fold meringue into the cheese mixture.
   
10. Send to bake via waterbath, at 150C for 80mins.
    
11. Once baked, removed from oven and leave to cool on cooling rack.  After around 10-15mins, while the cake is still warm, unmould the cake on a silpat or greased-proof baking tray, remove the baking paper at bottom and reinvert back to cool completely, then leave to chill in fridge overnight.

It was prefect!

Until I had a minor accident while unmoulding the cake!  I was doing something else and took a bit too long to get to the cake, so it was already pretty cooled down by the time I unmoulded it.  So the trick here is to quickly remove the cake from the tin while it is still warm.  Work just like JCC!

Pandan Almond Cookies

Adapted & modified from Kenneth Goh's recipe.

Ingredients

*makes about 50 cookies

250g plain flour

100g chopped almonds 

75g butter (I used salted)

100g castor sugar

1 egg

1/2tsp pandan extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150C.
2. Grease and line baking tray.
3. Sieved flour, set aside.
4. Cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy.
5. Add egg & pandan extract and mix until well-combined, then add in sieved flour and mix to a dough.
6. Roll out the dough and cut them out with cookies cutter.
7. Send to bake for 15min, then flip them over and bake for another 15min.
8. Leave to cool completely on cooling rack.

This is the plunger that I used.

And I thought they looked like jade before baking!

Baumkuchen (German version Kek Lapis)

A healthier version of the traditional Kek Lapis.  

Original recipe shared by Daniel Leong.

Ingredients
200g butter (as a personal preference, I use salted butter)
6 egg yolks
60g castor sugar
50g almond powder
100g plain flour
1tsp lapis spice*
50g milk
1tsp vanilla extract
2tsp rum*

60g castor sugar
6 egg whites

*these ingredients are optional.  I added them as I wanted a distinctive kek lapis taste.

Method

1. Preheat oven at 240C.
2. Grease and line 6” square baking tin.
3. Sieve flour with lapis spice.  Set aside.
4. Beat butter with 60g sugar until fluffy, then add in yolk, one at a time, until well combined.
5. Add milk, vanilla & rum until well combined.
6. Mix in sieved flour mixture & almond powder until well combined.  Set aside.
7. Beat egg whites until foamy, then add in remaining 60g sugar gradually, and continue whisking until attained firm peak.
8. Fold in meringue mixture into yolk mixture.
9. Change your oven to ‘top heat’ mode.
10. Using a ladle, transfer 2 scopes to the baking tin.  Using the back of a spoon/spatula, level the batter.  Sent to bake for 3-5mins, or until the top turns brown.
11. When the first layer is down, remove from oven and transfer baking tin to a heat resistant surface.  Using a lapis press (I don’t have one, so I used the back of a frying spatula), lightly press down the cake surface to release any air bubbles.  Then repeat step#10 for the next layer.
12. Repeat the step#10 & #11 until you finish all the batter.  For the last layer, keep the cake in the oven for extra 10-15mins, or till the top turns to desired brown.
13. Once baked, remove and leave to cool completely on cooling rack.

Original recipe shared by Daniel.

This is the lapis spice that I used.

Egg whites to be beaten till firm peak.

My final batter.

I used this ladle.

Level 2 scope of batter for each layer.

First layer baked.

(I should have bake them for few mins longer to get it more browned!)

When I was baking the first few layers, I used the back of a small baking tin (the size of a muffin) to act as my 'press'.

Once it got higher, I used the back of a frying spatula to press down each layer.

I'm using a conventional oven.  Selecting 2 Level Convection Bake for top heat mode.

Baked and done!  I love the brown top!

Almond & Melon Seeds Crisp

Recipe adapted from Evangeline Diana Lee.
A great recipe to clear the egg whites after making the Pineapple Tarts!

Ingredients
100g almond flakes
50g melon seeds
3 egg whites
2tbsp vegetable oil
70g castor sugar
40g plain flour
Black & white sesame seeds to sprinkle


Method

1. Lined baking tray and preheat oven at 180C.
2. Mix egg whites, sugar, oil & flour until well-combined.
3. Add in almond flakes & melon seeds and mix well.
4. Transfer mixture into baking tray and spread them thinly & evenly over the tray. 
5. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the mixture.
6. Send to bake for 18mins.
7. Once baked, quickly lift the baking paper to a heat-resistance surface (eg: silpat or wooden choping board) and cut them into squares or rectangular shapes. Note:  they will turn hard once cooled.
8. Then transfer to cooling rack and leave to cool completely before storing them in air-tight containers. 

Original recipe.

Before baking.

Fresh out from oven!

Baked, cut & packed!

Pineapple Tarts (melt-in-the-mouth)

Tart recipe adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover.

Ingredients
*Makes about 100 tarts

350g butter (I used salted)
100g condensed milk
510g plain flour
2 egg yolks

700g Pineapple filling (I used store-bought types, but if you prefer to make them yourself, you can take a look at this Kenneth Goh's recipe that just required 30mins to make!)

Eggwash: 2 egg yolks + 1tsp water + 1tsp oil

Optional (depending on design): Sesame seeds & green coloring


Method

1. Roll pineapple jam into balls of 8g each (Tip: wet your hands while rolling, it'll prevent the jam from sticking to your hand) I did this the night before baking the tarts, and store them in an airtight container and left it in the fridge.
   
2. Cream butter and condensed milk with mixer, until light & well-combined.
   
3. Add in egg yolks, one at a time.
   
4. Then mix in sieved flour (half by mixer, and the other half manually).
   
5. When the mixture comes to a soft dough, roll each dough into balls of 10g.
   
6. Shaping into balls:
   (1) Flatten a piece of dough on your palm, then place a piece of the roll pineapple filling in the middle. Seal the edges of the dough and roll it into a round ball shape.
   (2) Apply egg wash and sprinkle some sesame seeds in the center.
   
7. Shaping into pineapples:
   (1) You need to color a small portion of the dough with green coloring.
   (2) Flatten a piece of dough (original) on your palm, then place a piece of the roll pineapple filling in the middle. Seal the edges of the dough and roll it into a round ball shape.
   (3)  Press a skewer lightly across the ball to create the lines.
   (4) Using a small flower plunger, cut out 3 small flowers from the green dough.
   (5) Stick them on the sides of the ball to create the leaf.
   (6) Apply egg wash.
   
8. Shaping into nastar:  Transfer dough to the nastar plunger and pipe out a strips of dough, add a piece of pineapple jam, roll up and cut off extra dough.
   
9. Send to bake at 160C for 20mins.
   
10. Once baked, leave to cool completely then store in airtight container.

The jams I used.

Roll them into balls of 8g each.

Pineapple Balls: before baking.

Pineapple Balls: baked!

Pineapple shapes: before baking.

Pineapple shapes: baked!

This is the flower plunger that I used to make the leaf on the pineapple shape tarts.

Nastar: before bake

Nastar: baked!  For this shape, I did it without eggwash.

This is the plunger that I used for the nastar shapes.

Illustrations on the nastar shaping.
Photo credits to Food4Tots.

All baked & packed!