Banana-Chocolate Muffins

Recipe taken from here.
 
Ingredients:  (Makes 12)


(A)
230g plain flour
150g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
115g walnuts, toasted and chopped coarsely
50g chocolate chips

(B)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
113 g butter, melted and cooled
454g bananas, mashed  (Reserve 12 slices of banana)
1 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.  
• In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients in (A).
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine all the wet ingredients in (B).
• With a spatula, lightly fold the wet ingredients (B) into the dry ingredients (A) until just combined.  The batter should be thick and chunky.  Do not over mix the batter.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and place a slice of banana on top.
• Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or until cooked.
• Cool the muffins for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.  

Yogurt-Cranberry Scones

I was very excited when Chontelle Clark (Fleishman-Hillard) asked me if I would like to sample the newly launched Chobani Greek Yogurt.  It is the number one yogurt brand in the US and now available here in Australia. The good news is it is produced locally in Dandenong, Victoria.   They come in 7  flavours - fat free Strawberry, Blueberry, Peach, and Plain, and 98% fat free Pineapple, Mango, Passion Fruit, and Plain.  

Chobani is made with only natural ingredients using a traditional Greek straining method, which is why it is so thick and creamy. It is packed with real fruit which tastes great! My daughter who never likes Greek yogurt fell in love instantly with the Strawberry as well as the Mango flavour.

All Chobani products are gluten free, Kosher-certified, made with milk free of rBST and provide five live and active cultures and three strains of probiotics.  It has two times more protein than regular yogurt and also safe for those with nut and soy allergies.

 

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:

310g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
100g sugar
1/2 tsp salt
zest of 1 orange
85g butter, cut into cubes
65g dried cranberries, chopped coarsely
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tub (170g) Chobani Greek Low Fat Yogurt  (Passion Fruit flavour)

milk for glazing

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.  Line a large baking pan with baking paper.
• In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter and orange zest until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Add cranberries to flour mixture.
• In another small mixing bowl, lightly beat egg and egg yolk; stir in yogurt.  
• Add egg mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
• On a floured surface, pat dough into a 1 inch thick.  With a 2 inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut out as many rounds as possible.  
• Arrange rounds about 1 inch apart on baking pan.  Brush scones with milk and bake for about 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve scones warm with jam and plain Chobani Greek Yogurt.

Ma Lai Ko (Steamed Sponge Cake) 馬拉糕

This is the unyeasted and darker version of  steamed sponge cake  also known as Ma Lai Ko (馬拉糕).  Thanks to my friend Linda, the Wonder-Cook who kindly shared this recipe with me -


Ingredients:

(A)
110g caster sugar
230ml water
200 butter
1 tsp dark soy

(B) Sift together:
300g plain flour
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda

(C)
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
2 tbsp condensed milk
400ml evaporated milk

• (A)  Heat sugar until dissolves.  Add in water and stir well.  Turn off heat.  Stir in butter and dark soy.  Set aside to cool.
• (C)  Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in milks.  Then add the butter mixture and gently fold in the sifted flour mixture.  Pour into a cake pan or individual moulds.  
• Steam over high heat for about 20 minutes.

Fruit Pastry Cake

Cake batter recipe adapted from Maggie Beer's  Upside-down Grape Cake - which I find involves too many steps and since I don't have any verjuice on hand, I'd just make it into a Fruit Pastry Cake which I had bookmarked many months ago.  I loved the texture of this cake which is quite light. 

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated
150g caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup plain yoghurt
160g plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
icing sugar - for dusting

250 blueberries and strawberries (cut into smaller pieces) - toss with 2 tbsp of sugar

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
• Line the base and sides of a 20 cm pan with baking paper. 
• Beat half of the sugar with egg yolks and lemon zest until thick and pale.  Gradually pour in the olive oil and yoghurt into the egg yolk mixture.  Mix for 30 seconds to combine.  
• Sift flour and baking powder mixture into the batter and beat for about 1 minute or until mixture is smooth.  Set aside.
• Place egg whites into a clean mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in the remaining sugar and and continue to whisk until sugar has dissolved.  
• Gently fold the meringue into the batter 1/3 at a time, using a metal spoon.
• Pour mixture into the prepared pan and place fruits on top of batter (do not press fruits into the  batter).
• Bake for about 45 - 50 minutes or until cake is cooked.
• Remove from oven and allow cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before unmoulding. 
• Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Hokkaido Cupcakes

 

Source:  Nasi Lemak Lover and Lite Home Bake with some changes in red. 

Ingredients:
 
3 egg yolks
25g caster sugar
35g corn oil
60g milk (substitute with orange juice)
1 tsp vanilla extract
70g cake flour (substitute with plain flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder 
3 egg whites
20g caster sugar
1 tsp lemon juice (substitute with 1 tsp cream of tartar)
Icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 170C.
2. Sift flour and baking powder twice.  Set aside.
3. Using a handheld electric beater, beat egg yolks and sugar until pale in colour.  Add in oil,  milk and vanilla extract.  Mix well.  Beat the mixture into flour.  Set aside.
4. Beat egg white until foamy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar in 2 additions and beat  until stiff peaks form.
5. Fold 1/3 egg white into egg yolk batter.
6. Fold in balance egg white until well combined.
7. Fill in paper cups to almost full.
8. Bake for 18-20 minutes.  I left cupcakes in oven with door ajar for 5 minutes before removing them to cool completely.
9. Transfer the cupcakes onto a wire rack and turn them upside down to cool completely.
10. Dust some icing sugar on the cupcakes before serving.