Snow Skin Mini Mooncakes

This year I decided to make my own mooncakes!  Before the actual period, I started my practising first on this snow skin mooncake recipe that a friend gave me.  It sure is hard work, because you need to do a lots of 'hands-on' work!  I distributed out them to my colleagues and all gave me a thumbs-up for it!  All worth the effort!

This round, I made them in chocolate and matcha flavour :)

Ingredients
*makes about 28 mini moon cakes
For the snow skin:
150g gaofen
150g icing sugar
50g shortening
160g gold water

Matcha flavour:
1 tsp matcha powder
2 drops green coloring

Chocolate flavour
1 tsp cocoa powder
2 drops chocolate coloring

For the filing:
420g lotus paste (I used the no-sugar type from Phoon Huat)
65g of melon seeds

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, place lotus paste & melon seeds together and knead until both ingredients is well combined.
2. Divide the lotus paste into portions of 30g each, then roll each portion into balls.  cover with cling wrap and set aside.
3. Sieve gaofen, icing sugar together.  
4. Rub in shortening until they resemble bread crumbs, then add in cold water and knead to a dough.
5. Divide dough into 2 equal portions.
6. Knead in matcha powder & green coloring by hand until the colour are spread out evenly. 
7. Repeat step#6 for chocolate flavour.
8. Divide the dough into portions of 25g each, then roll each portion into balls.
9. Take a ball of dough, and flatten it until you get a thin circle.  Place a ball of filing in the center and wrap and seal it up.  Roll again to smooth the surface.  Repeat steps for the balance.
10. Sprinkle some gaofen into the mould, pour out the access flour.  Press down the dough to the mould for imprint.  Repeat steps for the balance.
11. Put the mooncakes in a container and store them in the fridge.

Rub in shortening to the gaofen mixture

Knead lotus paste with the melon seeds until 

Roll up the filings

Knead in the colourings and flavourings

This are the mini moulds that I used.

Parts of my completed products.  I think they look quite cute :)

Packed up to share with my colleagues :)

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My last batch for 2015! :)

Mini Egg Cuppy Cake 鸡蛋糕

Wanted to make something for the kids's breakfast tomorrow, so I gave a try on this recipe that i got online.  It's awesome!  Easy to make, smells and taste great!

Ingredients

*makes 11-12 small cakes

25g canola oil

2 eggs

90g plain flour (i mixed in about 40g top flour as my plain flour was running out!) - sieved

100g sugar (I used 80g instead as I don't like my cake too sweet)

1/2tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

Method

*preheat oven at 180C
*If using baking moulds/silicon moulds, grease them before using.

1.  Sieved flour and baking powder.  Set aside.

2.  Beat egg, sugar and salt until the mixture turns pale yellow and fluffy.

3.  Fold in flour, then oil.

4.  Fill each case about 3/4 full.

5.  Bake for 20min.

Original recipe.  I halved the ingredients.

Beat egg mixture until light and fluffy.

Fill each case about 3/4 full.

Yummy!!

A variation from this recipe, just ass 1/2 tsp pandan extract to the batter :)

Light New York Cheesecake

I'll always stay away from making a New York Cheesecake because of the extremely rich content in it (750g-1000g cream cheese in a common recipe!).  My kids & I loves cheesecakes, so when I saw this recipe, I was ecstatic! You are not seeing things, indeed, I made this awesome NY cheesecake with only 250g of creamcheese!

Unlike the usual NY cheesecake, this cake has a light but flavourful cheese flavour. So if you are looking for those really rich taste, then this recipe is not for you.  But for me, it's good enough :)  The only down side,...the cooling down is a loooonnnngggg process!

Ingredients
*makes a 5" round cake

(A)

100g digestive biscuits - crushed

70g melted butter

(B)

250g cream cheese - soften at room temperature

75g sugar

2 eggs

15g corn flour - sieved

10ml lemon juice

80ml milk

Method
*Prep tin for waterbath

*Use removable base tin

1. Mix (A) ingredients together, and press the mixture into a tin. Set it aside in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat oven to 160C.

3. Beat cream cheese and sugar until pale and smooth.

4. Add in 1 egg at a time and mix well after each addition.

5. Add in the corn flour and mix well. Add in the lemon juice & milk gradually, mix well.  Tap on table top few times to release air bubbles.

6. Remove tin from fridge, grease the side lightly with butter.

7. Pour the cheese mixture into your prepared mould from a high height, say about 30cm (this helps to release air bubbles in the batter) and bake via waterbath method for about 45min, then another 15-20min at 150C.

8. Once done, leave it to cool in the oven for about 30 mins, with the oven door slightly ajar.  Then leave it to cool it in room temperature for another 30mins. Lastly, leave it to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (mine stay in the fridge overnight).

Put the biscuits in a ziplock bag and crush them with the rolling pin.  I have a little helper for this cake:) 

At the second cooling stage, in room temperature!

All nicely set after the overnight chilling :)

A more decorative & bigger size one that I did for an order :)

Easy Mocha Cake

So I was again browsing the internet and came across this recipe that claims no mixer is required.  So I decided to gave it a try, in another flavour (the original one was in banana flavour).  And it really works!  Plus it's really soft inside and yummy!  Another keeper!

Ingredients

*1 cup is equivalent to 200cc/ml

*4" round tin

125g butter

3/4cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp coffee powder

1tsp cocoa powder

1tsp condensed milk

1 egg

1 1/2 cup self raising flour - sieve

1/4cup milk

Some almond flakes to sprinkle

Method

*preheat oven to 170C

1.  Melt butter, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan.  Add in coffee powder, cocoa powder and condensed milk.  Stir well and leave to cool for around 5min.

2.  Add in egg, mix well.

3. Add in flour.  Mix well.

4.  Add in milk.  Mix well and transfer to aluminium mould (if using baking tin, grease and lined), sprinkle almond flakes on top.

5.  Send to bake for 50min.

This is the size of the aluminium foil pan I used.  Got it from Daiso.

Melt over heat.

Final consistency of the batter.  Note, it will be quite thick and sticky.

Ready to bake!

Raise nicely!

Soft and moist texture!

Dog Paws Madeleines

I wanted to play with my new silicon paw mould, so i tried it out with this recipe.  It looks so cute, and taste very yummy, cruncy outside and soft inside!

Ingredients

*makes 12 cakes

100g cake flour

1/2tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/4tsp vanilla extract

70g sugar

80g butter - melt over heat

Method

1.  Sieve flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

2.  Beat eggs till foamy, add in vanilla.  Continue beating and add sugar in 3 batches.  Continue beating untill egg mixture attain ribbon stage.

3.  Fold in flour in 3 batches.

4.  Take few spoonful of the batter to mix with the melted butter untill well combined, then rransfer this mixture to the batter and mix well.

5.  Cover batter with clingwrap and set to chill in fridge for 1 hour.  This will helps to ensure the hump for the madeleines.

6.  Preheat oven to 180C. Grase and flour the mould. 

7.  Spoon each case about 3/4 full, send to bake for 15min.

Beat egg mixture till ribbon stage

Fill each case about 3/4 full.

Yum yum!

Almond Puff Fingers

So, my family complain of having too much cakes recently, so I made something different today, with Flaky Pastry 😏

Flaky pastry is different from rough puff pastry.  Rough pastry is quicker to make as the butter are added at all once and it is all spreaded out evenly.  For flaky pastry, you'll need to spread the butter a little at a time while rolling and folding the sheet.  This action helps to build up the think layers of pastry that raise while baking.

Generally, there are 2 golden rules in making pastry:

1.  Everything has to be cool.  Ingredients, utensils and also your hand.  Hence, avoid having the palm touching the dough, use only your finger tips to manage.

2.  Pressure on the rolling pin have to firm , downwards and only roll out in one direction.  Because that's how to keep the pastry even.

Ingredients

*makes 9 sticks

100g bread flour (you can also use plain flour, but it is preferred to use a high gluten flour for pastry making)

1/4tsp salt

75g butter

4tbsp cold water

1/4tsp lemon juice

For toppings

25g sugar

25g almond flakes

1 egg - beaten as eggwash

Method

1.  Sieve flour and salt.

2.  Cut butter into small even sizes and divide into 4 portions.

3.  Rub 1 portion of the butter into the flour until it looks like breadcrumbs.

4.  Mix in water and lemon juice to form a dough.

5.  Lightly dust the rolling mat, transfer dough onto it.  Knead and roll into a long rectangular shape of around 1cm thickness.

6.  Put 1 portion of the butter, evenly on the lower end of the dough. Flour lighly and fold into 3 layers.

7.  Seal the edges and make a turn to the right.  Roll out and repeat step#6 until you use up all the butter.

8.  Wrap dough with a cling wrap and leave it to rest in the fridge for 15min.

9.  Lined a baking tray and preheat oven to 210C.

10.  After the dough is ready, bring it back to the rolling mat, re-roll and fold at least 3 times.  Note:  the more you fold and roll, the more layers you'll get in the pastry.

11.  After the final roll, cut the pastry into long strips.  

12.  Transfer them to the baking tray, sprinkle almond flakes over it and press down gently.  Apply a thin layer of eggwash, then sprinkle sugar on top.

13.  Send to bake for 25-30min. 

Rub 1st portion of fat until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Add water and lemon juice, mix to a dough.

Spread 1 portion of the butter at the lower end of the dough and dust little bit of flour over it.

Fold 1/3 of the dough from top.

Make another fold to cover the butter.

Seal the edges.

Make a turn to the right.

And roll down.  Repeat the steps until finish up all the butter.

After chilling in fridge: roll down the dough.

Fold 1/3 of the dough from top.

Fold the bottom 1/3 to cover the earlier fold.

Make a right turn.

And roll down.  Repeat folding for at least 3 times.

All ready to be sent to the oven!

Yumyum :)

Ban Jian Kueh

Been on my to-make list for a while, finally has the mood to make this today! Yum Yum!

Got the recipe from one if the cooking group in FB, but I cannot recall excatly from who! :p

 

Ingredients

*makes 5 5" pancakes

(A)

150g plain flour - sieved

1 egg

30g sugar

1/2 tsp yeast

1/2 tsp baking soda

190ml water

(B)

100g roasted peanuts

25g sugar

Method

1.  Mix all (A) ingredients together to a smooth paste.  Cover with cling wrap and leave to proof in room temperature for 45min.

2.  Mix (B) ingredients

3.  When batter is ready, heat up non stick frying pan with little oil, then turn to low heat.

4.  Using a landle, spoon 1.5 landle of batter to the pan. 

5.  Once you see bubbles formed, sprinkle some peanuts over it, cover with lid to cook for another 1/2min, then flip half of it to cover the cover half side.  

Cover with clingwrap tonproof for 45min

Mix peanut with sugar

My station!

Let it cook till bubbles formed

Sprinkle with peanuts mixture

Cover with lid to cook for another 1-2min

Done! :)