Homemade Mandarin Pancakes

Mandarin pancakes or Peking Duck Pancakes are traditionally served with slices of duck with thin and crispy skin together with cucumber batons and scallions as well as Hoisin sauce which was spread onto the pancakes.

Fancy having your own 'Home-style' Peking Duck? Why not make your own mandarin pancakes and have a takeaway roast duck from your favourite restaurant. Carve out the meat together with the skin, and wrap with the pancakes.

This is one of the recipes that I've been wanting to try out for a long time. Actually it is not difficult to make, however  it is quite challenging for me to get really round pancakes. I tried out two methods in cooking the pancakes - steamed and pan fried. The steaming method took longer time compared to pan fried as you have to steam one pancake at a time.  

Ingredients:  Makes 32 pancakes 

240g plain flour
10g tapioca starch

1/2 tsp sea salt

160g boiling water
extra tapioca flour or cornflour for dusting

Note: *  Tapioca starch is added for chewiness.  

• Dissolve salt in the boiling water and pour into the flour mixture.
• Stir with a pair of chopsticks until the dough comes together.  When the dough is cool enough to handle,  knead until it forms a smooth ball. 

• Place the dough in a plastic bag and tie it.  Allow the dough to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  It should be smooth, soft and pliable after being rested.
• Dust your working surface with tapioca starch and roll the dough into a log and cut into 32 equal pieces.  
• Dusting with tapioca starch, roll each piece of dough into a ball.  
• Then flatten the balls with your palm into small discs (about 4cm in diameter).

METHOD 1:  STEAMED 

• Using a rolling pin roll out the discs in circles.  Dust with tapioca starch and stack them up.
• Meanwhile prepare the steamer, place a plate on the steamer rack.
• Working with one pancake at a time, roll it into paper thin circle of about 16cm in diameter.

• Place one pancake at a time onto the plate, cover and steam for 1 minute until the pancake is almost cooked.  While the first pancake is steaming, roll another piece of pancake.  Place the second pancake on top of the first one.  Continue to steam for 1 minute before placing the next piece.  Repeat the process until all the pancakes are done.       
  (TIP:  To easy transfer the thin pancake, roll the pancake onto the rolling pin, then unfurl it onto the steamed pancake)
• Once all the pancakes are cooked, separate them so that they do not stick to each other.  Then stack them onto a plate and cover with clingwrap to prevent from drying out.

METHOD 2:  PAN FRIED 

• Brush sesame oil (or cooking oil) onto the top of one disc, ensuring the sides and the entire surface are coated with oil.  Press another disc over it to form a two-layer pancake.

• Using a rolling pin, roll the double pancake thinly into large circle of about 16cm in diameter.  Dust the working surface with more flour to prevent sticking.
• Heat a frying pan over medium-low fire.  Place a pancake into the pan and fry until you see some air pockets forming in between the two pancakes.  
• Flip the pancake and fry for about half a minute. The pancake should be white with just some light brown spots. 
• Transfer the pancakes onto a plate.  Carefully separate the two pancakes at the seams while they are still warm.  Cover the pancakes with a damp kitchen towel to prevent from drying out.  

TO REHEAT THE PANCAKES BEFORE SERVING:

• Place the pancakes onto a bamboo steaming rack and steam for about 3 - 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

.

Meyer Lemon Tartlet

Adapted from Pierre Hermé  - Meyer Lemon Tart recipe

150g unsalted butter, cubed
60g caster sugar
30g almond meal
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
250g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt

• Place flour, almond meal, sugar and butter into a large mixing bowl.  Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Add in egg and mix until the dough binds together.  Knead the dough gently into a ball and wrap it in clingfilm. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour or overnight.
• Remove dough from the fridge.  Take a small amount of dough and press down gently with your fingers so that the dough is centred in the well. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork.  Rest in the fridge for 1 - 2 hours.
• Bake tart shells in 180°C fan-forced oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After tart shells are cooled slightly, remove them from the moulds and cool completely before use.

Lemon Cream

2 eggs (100g without shells)

120g caster sugar

70g fresh Meyer lemon juice 

zest of 2 lemons

120g unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed

• In a large metal bowl, rub lemon zest with sugar until sugar is moistened and aromatic. Then add in eggs and lemon juice.
• Bring a small saucepan holding a couple of inches of water to a simmer over very low heat. Place the metal bowl on top of the saucepan (ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water) and whisk the mixture constantly until thickens and reaches 85°C (at this stage your whisk should leave a trail through the cream).
• Strain the cream and let it cool to about 60°C.  Pour into a blender or use a stick blender to beat in the butter, a few cubes at a time until well blended.  Continue beating for another 2 - 3 minutes to achieve an airy and light cream.
• Transfer cream into a container and press a piece of cling wrap on the surface of the cream.  Leave the cream to cool at least 4 hours or overnight in the fridge before using.  Just whisk the cream to loosen it before filling the tart shell.

Baked Three-Cheese Tarts

Originating from Japan's island of Hokkaido, the most raved about Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart is a crispy, and buttery shortcrust pastry base filled with a top-secret mix of three types of cheese produced in Hokkaido.  However what we are getting in Australia is a close replica, made with local quality dairy product. Today I decided to try my hands on making Meg's HBCT recipe.  And I was over the moon when my tarts came out from the oven - they were simply beautiful and bursting with cheesy aromas. Thank you Meg for sharing the recipe!

Tart Pastry:
100g plain flour
20g caster sugar
50g cold salted butter, cut into cubes
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp fresh milk

• Place flour, sugar and butter into a large mixing bowl.  Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Add in egg yolk and milk and mix until the dough binds together.  Knead the dough gently into a ball and wrap it in clingfilm. Refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour.
• Remove dough from the fridge.  Take a small amount of dough and press down gently with your fingers so that the dough is centred in the well. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork.  
• Bake tart shells in 180°C fan-forced oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. After tart shells are cooled slightly, remove them from the moulds and cool completely before use.

• 
  

Cheese Custard:

(A)

150g cream cheese

50g mascarpone cheese

20g parmesan cheese

30g salted butter

100g fresh milk

(B)

30g icing sugar

12g corn starch

(C)

1 whole egg

1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp sea salt

• Bring a small saucepan holding a couple of inches of water to a simmer over very low heat. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water (you only want the steam from the simmering water to gently warm the bowl).
• Place all ingredients (A) into the bowl and stir occasionally until all the cheese have melted.
• Sift in all ingredients (B) and stir to combine.  
• Add in all ingredients (C) and continue to stir until well blended.  The mixture will thicken.
• Strain the cheese custard through a fine mesh strainer to get a velvety and smooth texture.  Leave the custard to cool completely before using.

cooking cheese custard over double-boiler

cooked cheese custard

To fill the tart shells:

Glaze - 1 egg yolk, beaten

• Preheat oven to 230°C (fan-forced).
• Fill the cheese custard into a piping bag with a nozzle and pipe custard into the cooled tart shells.  Brush the top of the custard with beaten egg yolk.
• Bake the cheese tarts for 7 minutes.
• Remove tarts from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Note:  I managed to make 8 mini tart shells but didn't use up all the cheese custard. 

Apple Rose Tarts

Aren't these edible flower arrangement gorgeous?  Served them as dessert and I am sure your guests would be wowed by these pretty tarts. They are actually quite easy to make.  I must thank Lorraine of 'Not Quite Nigella' who recently shared this amazing recipe (The Most Magical Apple Flower Tarts). Hop over to her blog to watch her step-by-step video tutorial on making these pretty roses using apple slices.

[Makes 6 tarts]

Ingredients:
1 red apple
1 green apple
a large bowl of water with lemon juice (from 1/2 a lemon)
1 tbsp jam mixed with 1 tbsp water
3 tsp almond meal
1 sheet of ready-made puff pastry
a little plain flour to roll the pastry
icing sugar for dusting
6 cupcake cases

• Place cupcake cases into muffin pan.  Preheat oven to 180 deg C.

• Cut the apples in half and core them using a melon scoop.  Leave the apple skin on.

• Using a mandolin, slice the apples.  Then cut them in half.

• Place the apple slices into the bowl of lemon water.

• Then microwave the apples until they are pliable (about 4 minutes). Drain the apples and rinse with cold water to cool them.  Dry the apple slices with paper towel.

• Flour a clean surface and roll out the puff pastry lengthwise so that it becomes longer.  Cut into 6 long strips.  Brush with jam and sprinkle some almond meal over the jam.

• Line the apple slices on half of the pastry strip so that they slightly overlap each other.  Fold over the pastry to cover the bottom half of the apple slices.

• Then start rolling up from one end to the other to form a flower.  

• Place each tart into a cupcake case.  Bake for about 45 minutes until the pastry in the centre is cooked.
• Dust icing sugar over the tarts and serve with ice cream.

I am submitting this post to the Best Recipes for Everyone - 

May 2015 Event (Theme:  My Favourite Desserts)

Organised by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and

Co-host by Aunty Young

Rustic Chicken Pies

[Makes 15]

6 sheets frozen ready-rolled Pampas puff pastry, thawed
a 12-cup muffin pan, greased
egg wash
egg whites, lightly beaten

Filling:
200g roast chicken, cut into cubes
1 small carrot, diced (85g)
1 potato, diced (130g)
1/2 brown onion, diced (65g)
90g bacon, diced
a handful of chopped chinese celery/parsley
1 small sprig of rosemary, chopped (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp sugar
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chicken stock/water
2 tbsp plain flour
3/4 - 1 cup cream

• Heat olive oil in a pan and lightly brown diced onion.  Add in bacon, followed by carrot and potato.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Then add in chicken and rosemary.  Fry for about a minute or two then stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Add in stock and bring to the boil.  Season with sugar, salt and pepper.  Add in cream.  Lastly stir in chopped chinese celery. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
• Preheat oven to 180°C fan-forced.
• Cut circles out of the pastry to fit the greased muffin pans.  Then press each circles into the pan to fill the base and line the sides of the pan.  Brush the base with beaten egg white (to prevent the base from being soggy) and chill the pastry for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator.  
• Meanwhile, cut the pastry for the top crusts.
• Fill the pies to the brim with the filling.  Brush edges of pastry with egg wash and place the top crust over.  Using a fork, press down the edges to seal.  Brush the top of the pies with egg wash and prick a few holes on top.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
• Serve hot. 

1. 
   

Baked Flaky BBQ Pork Buns / Siew Bao (烧包)

Recipe Source :  My Kitchen Snippets with slight changes


Ingredients:  (Makes 21 buns)

Water Dough:
240g plain flour
60g icing sugar
60g cooking oil
90g water

Oil Dough:
240g plain flour
120g butter, cut into cubes

egg wash (1 egg, beaten)
white sesame seeds

• Water Dough:  Put flour and cooking oil into a food processor and Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Add enough water to form a soft dough and lifts away from the food processor.  Remove and wrap the dough in cling wrap.  Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• Oil Dough:  Put flour and butter into the food processor and Pulse to form a dough. Wrap with cling wrap.  Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Divide both dough into 21 equal portions.  
• Flatten the water dough and wrap oil dough in it.  Shape into a ball.  Using a rolling pin, flatten it and roll into an oblong shape. Then roll it up swiss roll style.  Turn 90 degrees and using the rolling pin, roll it out again into an oblong shape.  Then roll it up swiss roll style.  Repeat for the rest of the dough.
• Flatten the rolled dough with your palm and using a rolling pin, roll out into a round disc. Place filing in the centre and pleat to seal the bun.  Place on a tray lined with baking paper. Repeat for the rest of the dough.
• Brush buns with egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the buns.  
• Bake in a preheated oven of 180 deg C for 30 minutes.  

Ingredients for Fillings:

300g BBQ pork (Char Siew) - cut into small cubes

3 shallots, diced

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

pepper

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 tsp sesame oil

Thickening:

2 tsp cornflour + 2 tbsp water

• Heat about 1 tbsp oil, stir fry shallots until fragrant.  Add in BBQ pork and the rest of the ingredients, except thickening.  Fry for about 2 - 3 minutes.  Add in sesame oil.
• Pour in cornflour mixture, stir to combine and until the gravy has thickened.  Dish out and let it cool.  (or refrigerate it overnight)

Pork & Fennel Rolls

Recipe adapted from  Nasi Lemak Lover

Ingredients:
(A)
2 kg minced pork
150g celery, finely chopped
180g carrot, finely chopped
240g brown onions, finely chopped
2 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
12 tbsp oil
5 tsp ground fennel
4 tsp dried thyme
80g fresh bread crumbs
3/4 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tbsp ground white pepper

(B)
10 sheets frozen "Pampas" puff pastry (semi-thawed)
extra fresh breadcrumbs
egg wash (mix 1 egg with 1 tbsp milk and a pinch of salt)
poppy seeds, for sprinkling

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan, saute minced garlic and onion until aromatic.
• Add in celery and carrot; continue to cook for a minute.  Set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine everything in (A).  Blend and stir the meat mixture in one direction until mixture becomes gluey.
• Cut the pastry sheets into halves.  Shape the meat mixture into logs and coat with extra breadcrumbs.  Then place along the long edge of the pastry.  Roll up the pastry to make into rolls.  Cut into 8.  Place rolls, seam-side down onto the baking tray.
• Brush rolls with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds. 
• Bake in a preheated oven of 180 deg C for about 20 minutes or until golden and puffed up.

Spiral Curry Puffs

Ingredients: [Makes 24]

Fillings:
350g potatoes, cubed
2 big onions, cubed
4 tbsp curry paste (A1 brand)
curry leaves
salt and sugar to taste

• With 2 tbsp oil, fry onion until softened.  
• Then add in curry paste and curry leaves and potatoes.  Fry for a minute.  Add in water and simmer until potatoes are soft.  Season with salt and sugar.
• Cook until dry.  
• Dish out and set aside to cool.  

(A)  Water dough pastry:
400g plain flour
2 tbsp rice flour
200ml water
3 tbsp cooking oil
40g butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 egg white

• Using a dough hook, knead all the ingredients together until it forms a soft dough.  
• Cover dough and set aside to rest for about 30 minutes. 

(B)  Oil dough pastry:
200g plain flour
1 tbsp rice flour
100g shortening (or butter)

• Put flour in a mixing bowl.
• Rub chilled chopped butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Knead until a smooth dough is formed.
• Cover dough and set aside.

To form spiral pastry:

• Flatten water dough (A).
• Wrap oil dough (B) inside the water dough and roll out into a rectangular shape on a floured surface.
• Fold a third of the pastry into the centre, then fold the bottom third up over that.  Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll out again.  Repeat folding, rolling and turning twice more.  
• Then roll the dough into a long spiral rope (like a swiss roll) and let rest for about 20 minutes.
• Using a knife, cut the dough into 24 pieces (50g each)

To make the puffs:

• Use a rolling pin, roll out each disc
• Fill with fillings and crimp the edge.
• Heat enough oil in a wok/pan.  Deep fry the curry puffs over medium-high heat until golden brown. 

Sausage Rolls

Ingredients:


450g minced beef

250g minced pork

1 small onion, diced

1 small carrot, grated

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp mixed herbs

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp worcestershire steak sauce (optional)

2 eggs

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs + extra breadcrumbs

pepper

beaten eggs (for brushing)

4 sheets puff pastry - halved

• Heat oil in a pan and saute onion and carrot until softened.  
• Mixed together minced beef and pork, onion, carrot, garlic powder, herbs, tomato paste, sauces, sugar, eggs, pepper & 1 cup breadcrumbs until well combined.  
• Shape the meat mixture into 8 logs and coat with extra breadcrumbs.  Then place along the long edge of the pastry.  Roll up the pastry to make into sausage roll.  Cut into 4.  Place seam-side down onto a baking tray.
• Brush sausage rolls with beaten eggs and bake in a preheated oven of 190 degrees C for 20 minutes or until golden and puffed up.  
• Serve hot with ketchup.

Mini Bacon, Mushroom & Spinach Quiche

Ingredients:


Fillings:  onion,mushroom,bacon,spinach, etc. (create your own fillings)
150ml cream
150ml milk
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
salt & pepper
puff pastry (cut into 8cm diameter rounds)
grated cheddar cheese

• Preheat oven to 190 deg C.
• Grease muffin pans.  Line each muffin hole with pastry rounds.
• Combine eggs, yolks, milk, cream with a whisk.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.
• In a frying pan, cook bacon for about 3 minutes in butter, drain.
• Saute onion until softened.  Add mushroom and stir fry for a minute.  Set aside to cool.
• Spoon cooked fillings over pastry case. Top with grated cheese.  Then pour egg mixture over the fillings.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden and puffed.