Kuih Talam

Source:  Amy Beh (with some slight changes)

For bottom layer:
75g rice flour
25g mung bean flour
280ml water
250ml coconut milk
180g sugar
a few drops of pandan paste
soda bicarbonate solution (¼ tsp water  mixed with ¼ tsp soda bicarbonate)

For top layer:
50g rice flour
1½  tbsp mung bean flour
½  tsp salt
75ml water
225ml coconut cream

• In a mixing bowl, combine rice flour and mung bean flour with water and set aside for 15 minutes.  Then add in pandan paste, sugar and soda bicarbonate solution; mix well.  
• Set the bowl of flour mixture over boiling water and stir continuously with a balloon whisk until batter becomes fairly thick.
• Pour the hot batter into a greased 20cm round pan.  Smooth and level the surface with a spatula.  Steam over boiling water for about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the top layer - mix rice flour, mung bean flour, salt, water and coconut cream to combine.  Set aside for 10 minutes.  Gently pour the mixture over the cooked bottom (green) layer.  
• Steam for a further 10 minutes.  
• Cool the kuih completely before cutting.  

Black Sesame Spiral Bread

 




















Inspired by Vivian Pang's Black Sesame Spiral Loaf Bread


(Makes 3 loaves)

Scalded dough:

150g bread flour

115g boiling water
50g water (room temperature)

• Add boiling water into the flour and mix with a wooden spoon to form a dough.  Rest for 5 minutes.  Then gradually add in the room-temperature water and mix into a pasty dough.   Cover with a clingfilm and set aside to cool.   Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Main Bread dough:

300g bread flour
150g wholemeal flour

150g plain flour

60g caster sugar
1½  tbsp active dry yeast

2 eggs, lightly beaten

110ml milk
150g natural yoghurt /Greek yoghurt
2 tsp salt

90g Rice Bran oil
1/2 cup black sesame powder (see Note)

• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flours, sugar, yeast and egg together.  Add in the scalded dough, then gradually add in the milk and yoghurt to form into a slightly sticky soft dough.  Add in salt and continue to knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Add in oil gradually and continue to knead until fully incorporated.  
  [At this stage, the dough should be able to stretch to form a window-like thin membrane without tearing].
• Take out two-thirds of the dough and leave one third of the dough in mixer; add in the black sesame powder.  Knead well to combine.  
• Shape the two doughs  into smooth balls and place in a greased  bowl.  Cover with lightly oiled clingfilm.  Then place it in a warm, moist and draught-free place to allow the doughs to rise until at least double or nearly triple its original size.
  [To determine if the dough has risen long enough, poke a floured finger into the  dough.  When you remove your finger, the dough shouldn't spring back at all.  If the dough springs back immediately, it is under-proved and needs more time to proof further.]
• Once the doughs has doubled in size, press down gently on the dough to deflate it.
• Turn the doughs out onto a lightly oiled work surface, divide them into 3 equal pieces.  Roll them into balls. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
• Working with one piece at a time, flatten the dough into a rectangle.  Place the black sesame dough onto the plain dough and roll into a tight cylinder, tucking the dough under itself as you go.  Pinch the seam at the end to close. 
• Place the loaf, seam side down, in the greased loaf pans.  Repeat with the second and the third piece of dough.  Loosely cover with lightly oiled clingfilm and let them rise until just about doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
• Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove the pans to a wire rack and brush the top with butter. 

 Note:  Lightly toast black sesame seeds in a pan, then grind into powder.

French Earl Grey - Vanilla Chiffon Cake

An exotic fruit salad of aromatic delights, blended with China black tea, bergamot oil, hibiscus, sunflowers and rose petals.

Ingredients: (for a 20cm chiffon)

(A)
5 egg yolks
20 sugar
70g oil
70g earl grey tea
70g self-raising flour
2 tbsp French Earl Grey - grind into dust
1 vanilla bean - split and scrap out the seeds (reserve the pod for other purposes)



(B)
5 egg whites
80g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

• Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.
• Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale.  Gradually add in oil, tea, vanilla and tea dust. Beat until well combined.
• Sift flour into a mixing bowl.  Gradually whisk in the egg yolk  mixture in a slow and steady stream.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the flour/egg yolk mixture in 3 batches. 
• Pour batter into an ungreased tube pan.
• Bake for about an hour or until cook.
• Remove cake from the oven and invert the pan to cool.
• Unmould the cake when it is completely cool.

Steamed Pumpkin Cake

Ingredients:

500g pumpkin (cut into cubes)
100g dried shrimps, washed and chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
5 shallots, finely sliced
3 tbsp cooking oil

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 tsp chicken stock granules
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper


Batter:

250g rice flour
40g wheat starch
30g tapioca flour
1.25 litre water

For topping: 

spring onion, sliced finely
ground toasted peanuts (optional)
toasted white sesame seeds
chilli sauce

• Heat oil in a frying pan and saute shallots and garlic until fragrant; remove from pan.  Then lightly fry dried shrimps. Transfer to a bowl.
• In the same pan, stir fry pumpkin for about 2 minutes.  Add in the fried shallots, garlic, dried shrimps and seasoning.  Stir fry for another minute.  Remove from heat.
• In a mixing bowl, mix  the rice flour, wheat starch, tapioca flour and water together.  Stir to ensure there are no lumps in the mixture. 
• Cook batter over low heat until mixture thickens.  Add in pumpkin.  Mix well.  
• Pour batter into a well greased (26 cm round) pan.  Using a spatula, level the surface.
• Steam on high heat for about 45 - 55 minutes or until cooked.  (There will be liquid on the surface, just leave it as it will be absorbed as the cake cools and prevents the surface from drying out). 

Coco-Pandan Chiffon Cake

Ingredients: (for a 20cm chiffon)

(A)
5 egg yolks
20 sugar
70g oil
70g coconut milk
70g self-raising flour
1/4 tsp pandan paste
cocoa powder (for dusting)


(B)
5 egg whites
80g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

• Preheat oven to 150 degrees C.
• Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale.  Gradually add in oil, coconut milk and pandan paste. Beat until well combined.
• Sift flour into a mixing bowl.  Gradually whisk in the egg yolk  mixture in a slow and steady stream.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the flour/egg yolk mixture in 3 batches. 
• Pour a layer of  batter into an ungreased tube pan and sift cocoa powder over it.  Gently pour another layer of batter over the cocoa powder (you do not have to level it).  Then sift cocoa powder over the batter.  Repeat the process.
• Bake for about an hour or until cook.
• Remove cake from the oven and invert the pan to cool.
• Unmould the cake when it is completely cool.