Marble Butter Cake

This is a recipe adapted from Bakericious' Marble Butter Cake  (which adapted from Mrs NgSK's famous butter cake).  I did not use the egg separation method as I was too lazy; and since I couldn't find any self-raising flour in the pantry, I used plain flour instead, but added baking powder into it. Much to my disappointment, the cake came out from the oven with cracks on top.  However, it still taste good - rich and buttery!

Ingredients:
230g butter, softened
120g caster sugar
4 eggs (200g without shells)
1 vanilla pod, scrape all the seeds out
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp dark cocoa powder

• Preheat oven to 170 deg C.  Grease and line a 7 inch square cake pan with baking paper.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.
• Cream butter, caster sugar and vanilla seeds in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine.  
• Fold in sifted flour mixture, alternating with milk; beginning and ending with flour mixture.
• Remove 1/3 of the batter and mix in cocoa powder.
• Spoon the plain and cocoa batter into the prepared pan alternately and use a chopstick to swirl the batter.
• Bake for about 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Stand cake in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.

Cinnamon Wholemeal Buns

Starter Dough:

95g bread flour

65g wholemeal bread flour

65g plain flour

20g caster sugar

5g instant dried yeast 

180g water

Main Dough:

110g bread flour

50g wholemeal bread flour

70g plain flour

60g caster sugar

3/4 tsp salt

20g milk powder

65g egg (lightly beaten)

40g water

40g corn oil

Toppings:  Mix together

Ground cinnamon

Ground walnuts

Black sesame seeds

Brown sugar

          

• Mix all the started dough ingredients until well combined.  Cover and leave at room temperature until the dough rises and becomes sticky, pasty and has a stringy appearance ("honeycomb"-like). 
• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all main dough ingredients, except oil. Then add in the starter dough, knead until well combined.  Add in oil and continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic and leaves the sides of the bowl and passed the Window Pane Test.
• Place the dough in a bowl, cover and let it rise until double in size.
• Punch down the dough to release trapped air.  Divide dough into 16 pieces (about 51g each).  Roll each portion into a ball and placed them onto a lightly greased baking pan.
• Cover and leave to rise until almost double in size.
• Preheat oven to 175 deg C.
• Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with toppings.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Non-baked Lychee Cheesecake

Crust:
250g Granita biscuits
120g butter

Filling:
250g cream cheese, softened
130g caster sugar
140g lychee + enough syrup
1/2 tbsp lime juice (optional)
extra lychee, chopped coarsely
15g gelatin + 50g hot water
250g thickened cream (chilled)

• Process biscuits in a food processor; add in melted butter and mix to combine.
• Pour biscuit crumbs into a 21cm springform pan and press crumbs over the base and sides of the pan to form a crust.  Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
• Blend lychee and syrup to get 250ml lychee purée.  Add in lime juice.
• Dissolve gelatin in the hot water.  Add into lychee purée.  Set aside.
• Place chilled cream in a cold bowl and beat until soft peaks form.  Set aside.
• Beat softened cream cheese with caster sugar until smooth.  Gradually add in lychee mixture, beating well to combine.
• Fold in whipped cream and chopped lychee.
• Pour cream cheese mixture into the crust and chill overnight.

Blueberry Cheesecake

Before baking

Ingredients:

Crust:  
135g Granita biscuits
45g melted butter

Filling:
350g cream cheese, softened
70g caster sugar
10g corn starch
pinch of salt
2 egg
50g plain yogurt
zest of 1 lime
1/2 tbsp lime juice


Berry Sauce:  (Cook under low heat until sugar dissolves.  Simmer for 1 min)
130g fresh blueberries
90g sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice (Meyer lemon)
10g cornflour + 1 tbsp water

1. Greased and lined an 18cm spring form pan.  Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.
2. Beat cream cheese on low speed until smooth and creamy.
3. Beat in sugar, salt and cornstarch until combined.
4. Add in eggs, one at a time and beat until incorporated.
5. Beat in lime zest, yogurt and lime juice until combined.
6. Pour cream cheese mixture into the crust.  Spoon blueberry sauce over and swirl with a toothpick.
7. Bake in water bath  at 160 deg C for 15 mins.  Reduce oven temperature to 120 deg C and bake for a further 30 mins. (Cheesecake should be firm and slightly wobbly at the centre).  Allow to cool in the oven with door ajar for about 1 hour.  
8. Cover cheesecake and refrigerate overnight.

Japanese Cream Pull-Apart Bread

 

 

Recipe Source:  Alex Goh's Japanese Cream Bread taken from Magic Bread

Ingredients:
(A)
120g bread flour
85g boiling water

(B)
380g bread flour
75g caster sugar
6g salt
8g instant yeast

(C)
120g cold milk
100g whipping cream (I used thickened cream)
1 cold egg

(D)
40g butter

(E) Mixed together:
25g butter, softened
25g condensed milk

(F)
dried blueberries
dried cranberries
almond flakes

• (A):  add the boiling water into the flour, mix until well combined to form a dough.  Cover and set aside to cool.  Refrigerate dough for at least 12 hours.
• (B):  Mix all ingredients until well combined.  Add in (C) and knead to form rough dough.  Add in (A) and knead until well combined.
• Then add in (D) and continue to knead until an elastic dough is formed and passed the Window Pane Test.
• Place the dough, covered, in a warm place to proof until double in size.
• Punch down and knead lightly. Roll the dough into a rectangle and using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips.  Brush (E) mixture liberally on the first strip of dough and place a second strip over the first one. Repeat until you get a stack of 4 strips.  
• Then cut the stack crosswise through all the 4 layers, into 6 equal rectangles.  Arrange the rectangles vertically into a 20cm chiffon pan that had been greased with (E).
• Cover and let it proof until almost double in size.  Brush (E) over the top and sprinkle (F) over the top.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for about 25 minutes.

Banana-Macadamia Sponge Cake

This banana cake is very similar to my previous Banana Sponge Cake but with added macadamias in it and a crunchy topping of macadamia brittle to make it extra special.

Macadamia Brittle:

100g caster sugar
2 tbsp water
50g macadamia
pinch of salt

• Place caster sugar and water in a frying pan over medium heat.
• Swirl the pan occasionally (do not stir) until sugar dissolved and light golden.
• Add in macadamia and salt, spoon around to coat.  When nicely golden, pour onto a sheet of baking paper to set.
• Once cooled, pound the brittle finely using a mortar and pestle.

Ingredients for the cake:

3 eggs
45 g coconut sugar
35 caster sugar
200g mashed bananas
20g sour cream or yogurt
zest of an orange
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
100g corn oil
150g self-raising flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
50g macadamias, chopped roughly

• Preheat oven to 180 deg C.  Line the base of a 7" x 7" square pan.
• Sift flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
• Whisk eggs and sugars with an electric beater on high speed until pale and thick and reaches ribbon stage (when the whisk is lifted, the batter should falls back slowly onto the surface, leaving a trail).
• Reduce speed and beat in oil in a slow and steady stream.
• Add in mashed bananas, sour cream, orange zest and vanilla extract.
• Fold in flour mixture and macadamias.
• Pour batter into the prepared pan and drop the pan onto the benchtop to eliminate any large air bubbles.  Then sprinkle crushed brittle over the batter.
• Bake for 20 mins at 180 deg C.  Then reduce oven temperature to 160 deg C and continue to bake for 35 mins.
• Drop the pan onto the benchtop to prevent the cake from shrinking.
• Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Pulled Pork Sliders

This is a fuss-free recipe which is perfect for a relaxed get-together with family and friends.  And no cutlery required - that means less washing and cleaning! Remember there is a saying about good food tastes better when eaten with the hands?   Just get lots of napkins ready and wrap your hands around these mini burgers and dig into the tender and juicy pork loaded with crunchy coleslaw. 

This is a very simple recipe that uses 4 main ingredients - pork shoulder, root beer (I substituted with Sarsaparilla), onion and garlic.  Put everything into a slow cooker and let it braise for at least 6 hours and you'll have the most tender and juiciest meat.  This no-fuss recipe makes enough to feed a crowd of 7 - 8 people.

Ingredients: 

1.5kg pork shoulder

375ml Sarsaparilla (equivalent to Sarsi in Asia) 

1 big onion, cubed

3 cloves garlic, smashed

freshly ground black pepper

salt, to taste

375ml barbeque sauce (of your favourite brand)

20 mini buns (or any bread roll of your choice) 

Coleslaw

• Sear the pork in a frying pan until brown on all sides.  
• Place the pork, onion and garlic into the slow cooker and pour Sarsaparilla over the meat.  
• Cover and cook on High heat for at least 3 hours then turn down to Low heat and let it cook until the meat is tender.
• Remove the pork from the slow cooker and shred it using 2 forks.
• Drain liquid and set aside (to be added into the shredded meat if it is too dry).
• Return shredded pork into the slow cooker and stir in barbeque sauce. 
• Continue heating on Low heat for a further 30 - 45 minutes.  Or keep warm until serving time.

Coleslaw: 

1/2 head of red cabbage, shredded

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

dash of pepper

• Toss everything together.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

Hawaiian Bread Rolls

... after final proofing

... with egg white glaze

... with pineapple puree glaze

Ingredients:

Tangzhong:  *  (Refer here for instructions on how to make tangzhong)
25g high protein flour or bread flour
125ml water

Main dough:
400g high protein flour or bread flour
70g plain flour
100g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
15g milk powder
6g instant yeast
1 egg (54g without shell)
220g crushed pineapple or pineapple puree
15g desiccated coconut
all the tangzhong *
35g olive oil

Glazing:
beaten egg white
3 tbsp pineapple puree + 1 tbsp honey

• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all the main ingredients except olive oil.  Add in tangzhong and knead until well combined.  Then add in oil and continue to knead until dough is smooth and elastic and leaves the sides of the bowl.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap and allow to rise until double in size.  
• Punch down the dough to release trapped air.  Divide dough into 20 equal portions.  Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll each portion of the dough into a ball and place onto a baking tray.  Cover and leave them to rise until almost double.
• Preheat oven to 180 deg C.
• Brush the rolls with egg white and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove rolls from the oven and brush the surface of the rolls with pineapple puree, then bake for a further 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove rolls from the oven and transfer onto a wire rack to cool.

Steamed Pork Spare Ribs

Ingredients:

520g spare ribs
1/2 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp grated garlic
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp black beans, rinsed
1 tbsp fermented soy beans (tau cheong)
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1/2 tbsp raw sugar
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
ground pepper
2 tbsp water
1 red chilli, sliced
coriander leaves

• Add all the ingredients (except chilli and coriander leaves) into the spare ribs and mix well. Set aside to marinate for at least an hour.
• Place spare ribs onto a steaming dish and top with sliced chilli. 
• Cover with foil and steam over high heat for 30 minutes or until done.
• Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Nescafe Swiss Roll

 

 

Ingredients:  

(A)
4 egg yolks, room temperature
10g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
25g oil
8g milk
65g plain flour
5g corn flour
1 tbsp Nescafe 
(B)
4 egg whites, room temperature
45g caster sugar


Filling: (Beat thickened cream and icing sugar together until light and fluffy)
95g thickened cream
10g icing sugar

• Preheat oven to 160°C.  Brush a 22 x 32 cm Swiss roll pan with melted butter and line with baking paper.
• Sift plain flour, corn flour and Nescafe together.  Set aside.
• Using a hand mixer, beat egg whites in a clean, dry mixing bowl until foamy. Gradually add in sugar and beat until until soft peaks form . Set aside.
• Using the same hand mixer, beat egg yolks, salt, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and thick. Beat in oil and then milk.  Fold in flour mixture.
• Pour one third of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture using a hand whisk.  Then gently fold in the remaining meringue in two additions using a spatula. 
• Pour the batter into the prepared tray.  Spread evenly using a scraper.  Knock the tray on the benchtop to remove air bubbles trapped in the batter.
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the sponge feels springy to the touch.
• Remove from pan.  Cover with baking paper and place on a wire rack to cool.

How to roll up a Swiss Roll:

• Flip the sponge onto a baking paper larger than the sponge and peel away the lining paper.
• Trim off the stiff edges with a sharp knife. 
• Slice out a small strip of sponge on a 45 degree angle on both ends.
• With one of the shorter edges of the sponge nearest to you, score a line approximately 2.5 cm away from the edge, cutting right across the sponge, making sure the cut is not too deep; this will help you when you start to roll the sponge.
• Spread evenly whipped cream over the sponge.
• Starting with the short edge and using the baking paper as a guide firmly roll up the cake.  Wrap in baking paper and place, seam-side down, on a baking tray.
• Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set. Cut into slices to serve.

Neapolitan Marble Sponge Cake

Today I woke up thinking about making a colourful cake and instantly neapolitan came to my mind.  This is a fun and festive-looking cake although it looks a bit naked without frosting ;-)   Anyhow, this cake is moist, soft and fluffy.  And it is so light that I gobbled up a few slices at one go (what a pig! Oink! Oink!)

Ingredients:

(A)
75g plain flour
10g corn flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

(B)
5 egg whites
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
80g caster sugar

(C)
5 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
60g Rice Bran oil
85g coconut milk

(D)
pink food colouring
1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

• Preheat oven to 160 deg C.  
• Sift all ingredients (A) together twice.  Set aside.
• Beat egg whites until frothy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.
• Mix egg yolks together with vanilla extract, oil and coconut milk until well blended.  Sift in flour mixture.
• Lighten the batter with a quarter of the meringue using a balloon whisk. Then pour the egg yolk mixture into the meringue and fold gently.
• Divide the batter into 3 portions.  Add in food colouring to one portion to tint the batter pink.  Sift cocoa powder into the second portion and stir to combine.  Leave the third portion plain.
• Drop large spoonful of each mixture alternately into an 8" (or 20cm) round cake pan.  Repeat with remaining batter, placing colours alternately on top of the first layer.  
• Bang the cake pan on the kitchen bench to remove large air bubbles.  Then, using a chopstick, swirl through the batter to create a marble effect.
• Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until cake is done.
• After removing cake from the oven, drop the pan onto the kitchen benchtop (this is to prevent cake from shrinking).
• Leave the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before unmoulding the cake.

NOTE:  I am using a removable bottom cake pan, so I didn't grease or line the pan at all.  If using a fixed bottom cake pan, just line the base.

Oreo Cotton Cake

Recipe adapted from My Mind Patch


(A)
3 egg yolks
1 whole egg

(B)
35g butter
45g plain flour
5g cornflour
50g condensed milk

(C)
3 egg whites
30g caster sugar

(D)
10g crushed oreo biscuits (with cream removed)

• Preheat oven at 170 deg C.
• Line the base of a 6" round pan.
• Sift cornflour and plain flour together, set aside.
• Lightly beat the egg yolks and whole eggs. Set aside.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat until small bubbles start to break on the surface.  Turn off the heat.  Immediately add in flour mixture all at once and quickly stir to combine, using a balloon whisk. Add in condensed milk and stir to combine. Then add in the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Set aside.
• In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Add in sugar gradually and continue to beat until it reaches firm peaks stage.
• Add one-third of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture and gently mix until it is well incorporated.  Next, pour the egg yolk mixture into the meringue and using a silicon spatula, gently fold to combine.
• Add the crushed oreo into the batter and fold gently to just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Gently drop the pan twice on the benchtop to eliminate any large air bubbles in the batter.
• Place the cake pan in a larger pan filled with hot water (about 1 cm deep).
• Bake the cake (on the lowest rack of the oven) for about 1 hour.
• Remove the cake from the oven and drop the pan onto the benchtop (to prevent the cake from shrinking).
• Leave the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmould.

Radish and Carrot Soup

I am sure this soup is quite common in many Chinese households.  This is one of our family's favourite soup which is easy to make. Most of the time we don't really need a recipe for soup; just put in your favourite ingredients and some meat or bones, and viola, you'll have a bowl of tasty soup!  I usually cook my soup for at least 2-3 hours because the longer you cooked it, the more flavoursome the soup becomes. If you have leftover soup, keep it in the refrigerator.  It tastes even better the next day as the flavour continues to develop.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized radish (Chinese daikon) about 500g
1 carrot (about 300g)
1 kg pork bones (or chicken)
4 dried scallops, washed
10 red dates, washed
a thumb-sized ginger, smashed
1/2 tbsp white peppercorns, washed and crushed
about 4 litre water
salt, to taste

• Peel radish and carrot; cut into chunks.
• Bring a large pot of water to the boil; put in pork bones and blanched for about 5 minutes (to remove the impurities).  Drain and discard water. Wash the bones and set aside.
• Fill the pot with 4 litre of water and bring to the boil.
• Add in all the ingredients except salt.  Bring back the water to a rapid boil and cook for 10 minutes over high heat. Then reduce to low heat and let it simmer for about 3 hours.
• Season with salt and serve hot.

Vegetarian Sambal Petai

Petai or stinky beans - you either love it or loathe it.  Despite the pungent odour that lingered in your breath and toilet after consuming these, this is one dish that you wouldn't want to miss if you are a fan of petai.  It is commonly cooked with sambal prawns or ikan bilis with brinjal, okra, long beans or winged beans (aka four angled beans) in the mix.  

One word of caution, before you cook, make sure you split the petai into halves to make sure there are no worms hidden inside.

sambal mushroom stems

Ingredients:

petai
brinjal
long beans
winged beans
your favourite sambal (I used the sambal mushroom stems I cooked the other day)
oil
salt & sugar, to taste
3 - 4 tbsp water
lime juice (optional), to taste

• Heat a little oil in the frying pan and add in sambal and water.
• Toss in brinjal, long beans and winged beans.  Stir until all vegetables are coated with sambal. Add in more water if too dry. 
• Lastly add in petai and toss well.  Season with salt and sugar and lime juice.

Sambal Mushroom Stems

Dried shiitake mushrooms

Do you discard dried shiitake mushrooms stems after using the caps for cooking? Some people used the tough and fibrous stems to flavour their soup and then discard them before serving. However, I love to save and freeze them for making vegetarian sambal.  Building up my collection of mushroom stems takes several months, but it's worth the wait. 

Before cooking, blitz the mushroom stems in the food processor or crush them with mortar and pestle.  I prefer using the latter to achieve the 'floss-like' texture.  Cook your favourite sambal recipe and just add in the pounded mushroom stems and you'll have a bowl of delicious sambal! 

Ingredients:

About 3 cups of mushroom stems (soaked in water overnight) 

salt & sugar, to taste

4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

2 tbsp light soy sauce

enough oil

Sambal paste:

200g shallots

100g garlic

4 stalk lemon grass (use the white parts only)

a knob of galangal

a small knob of turmeric

6 candlenuts

2 tbsp chopped bunga kantan

5 tbsp chili powder

some water 

• Blend all the sambal ingredients into paste.  Set aside.
• Pound the mushroom stems using mortar and pestle until you achieved 'floss-like' texture.  Set aside.
• Heat enough oil to fry the pounded mushroom stems under low heat until dry. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Heat enough oil to stir fry the pounded ingredients until aromatic.  Add in the mushroom stems and shredded kaffir lime leaves and stir to combine.  Add in light soy sauce, salt and sugar. Continue to fry until dry.

Pumpkin Chiffon Cake

Ingredients: [For a 20cm chiffon cake]
(A)
5 egg yolks
20g caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
60g rice bran oil
20g coconut milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
70g mashed pumpkin
75g plain flour
15g rice flour

(B)
5 egg whites
65g caster sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

(C)
pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

• Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.
• Toast pepitas in the oven for 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
• Sift plain flour and rice flour together twice.  Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar and salt until pale. Gradually add in oil and mix well.  Then stir in mashed pumpkin, coconut milk and vanilla extract. Beat until incorporated.
• Add flours into the egg yolk mixture in three batches, using a balloon whisk to stir.
• In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.  Add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.
• Add a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the flour/egg yolk mixture and using a balloon whisk, mix to lighten the batter.
• Next, add in the remaining beaten egg whites in two batches. Fold gently with a silicon spatula.
• Sprinkle pepitas evenly over the base of the tube pan.  Then gently pour the batter into the pan.  Use the spatula to level the surface of the batter and sprinkle the rest of the pepitas over the batter. Gently tap the pan on the kitchen bench twice to remove any large air bubbles.
• Bake the cake for 1 hour 10 minutes.  The cake is done when the top springs back when touched and the cracks on top should look and feel dry.
• As soon as the cake comes out from the oven, invert the pan to cool. Unmould the cake when it is completely cool.

Spiced Raisins Buns

... before baking 

Recipe adapted from Victoria's  Soft & Fluffy Cranberry Bread 

Ingredients: [Makes 20 buns]

Cooked starter dough:  [Prepare this the day before]

60g bread flour

5g caster sugar

42g hot water

24g butter

• Place water into a small saucepan over low fire.  Add butter into the hot water and stir until butter has melted.
• Bring to the boil and turn off the fire.
• Mix in flour and sugar and stir to form a soft dough.
• Transfer into a container and keep it covered.
• Chill for 18 - 24 hours.

Main dough:

400g bread flour

60g plain flour
40g coconut flour

90g light brown sugar

8g salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice

8g instant dry yeast

60g egg
50g thickened cream

255g coconut milk

125g starter dough (all of the starter dough)
100g raisins

50g coconut oil

• In a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine all ingredients (except coconut oil) together.  Knead until a soft dough is formed.  Add in coconut oil and continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic and passes the window-pane test.
• Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover it.  Allow to proof until double in size.
• Punch the dough down and knead lightly.
• Divide dough into 20 equal portions.  Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
• Then shape dough into balls and place close together onto a greased and line baking tray (32 x 25 x 5 cm).  Cover and proof until almost double in size.
• Preheat oven to 185 degrees C.
• Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes or until buns are golden brown.
• Transfer buns onto a wire rack and brush butter over hot buns.  Set aside to cool.