Pumpkin Pull-Apart Bread

Ingredients:

350g bread flour
10g milk powder (optional)
40g caster sugar
5g instant dried yeast
4g salt
140g mashed cooked pumpkin
145g (1 egg + milk)
35g olive oil

For brushing:
30g melted buter
30g condensed milk

Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

• Fit the stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.  In the bowl, combine all the  ingredients, except oil.  Turn the mixer on and knead until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Add in oil and continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic and passed the "window pane test" (Refer to note below).  
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl.  Cover with cling wrap and let it rise until doubled in size.
• Punch down the dough to release trapped air.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.  Roll into balls. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.
• Flatten the dough and brush with melted butter and condensed milk mixture;  fold into half .  Then place into a greased loaf pan.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.  Cover and let it rise until almost doubled (90%). 
• Preheat oven to 170°C.
• Sift some icing sugar on the surface of the buns before baking.
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes or till golden brown.

Window Pane Test:  This is the best way to determine if your bread dough is properly kneaded.  To do this, take a small chunk of dough and stretch it between your fingers.  If the dough tears, that means the gluten has not developed and it needs more kneading. The dough is ready to rest and prove if it stretches without tearing (like the picture above).

Pandan Cotton Sponge Cake

This is a very soft and light sponge cake shared by MyKitchen1010.

Ingredients:
(A)
60g oil (I used Rice Bran oil)
50g thick coconut milk
70g pandan extract (blend 40g pandan leaves with 80g water and strain)
1/4 tsp salt
110g cake flour
1 egg
7 egg yolks

(B)
7 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
150g caster sugar

• Grease and line a 20cm square baking pan with baking paper.  Wrap the baking pan with 2 layers of foil.
• Preheat oven to 150°C.
• In a mixing bowl, combine oil, coconut milk and pandan extract.  Sift in cake flour, and with a balloon whisk, mix until combined. 
• In a bowl, lightly beat 1 egg and egg yolks, then gradually add into the batter.  Set aside.
• In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites on low speed until foamy.  Add in cream of tartar and beat until tiny, fine bubbles are formed.  Gradually beat in sugar on low speed until soft peak forms (meringue is shiny with arch shape). Add meringue into egg yolk in 4 batches, mixing gently with a balloon whisk.
• Then fold gently with a spatula until well mixed.  Tap the bowl a few times on the benchtop to burst large bubbles. 
• Pour batter into the prepared pan, tapping the pan on the benchtop a few times.
• Sit the baking pan with batter in a larger pan filled with hot water (1 inch high) and bake for about 2 hours.
• Remove the cake from the oven and tap the pan on the benchtop to minimise shrinkage. 
• Unmould the cake and cool completely on a wire rack.
• When the cake is completely cool, cut with a serrated knife.

Note: The cake is baked at low temperature to enable it to rise slowly to prevent it from over-rising then collapsing when out of the oven.  If the cake shrunk when removed from the oven, that means the temperature is too hot.

Braised Glass Noodles With Prawns

[4 -5 servings]

(A)
800g prawns

(B): Marinade
3 coriander roots, chopped finely
6 cloves garlic, minced (38g)
15g ginger, minced
1 chilli, chopped finely
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp oil

(C)
400g glass noodles
20g ginger slices
20g garlic slices
1 chilli, sliced (optional)
1 tbsp oil

(D) Sauce:  (Adjust to suit your taste)
4 cups of water (or prawn/chicken stock)
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
3 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
pepper & salt to taste
1 tsp sesame oil

(E)
coriander leaves or spring onion to garnish

• Clean prawns by removing the heads and cutting off all the legs (leaving the shells on).  Using a sharp paring knife, make a slit along the back of the prawns and remove the vein. Set aside. 
• In a bowl, mix together ingredients (B). Heat 3 tbsp oil in a small pot until hot, then pour into the paste, stir to combine. Pour half of the mixture over the prawns and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• Soak glass noodles in cold water for about 20 minutes.  Drained and set aside.
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan (or saucepan).  Fry the marinated prawns until half cooked. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• In the same pan, add in 1/2 tbsp oil fry sliced ginger and garlic until aromatic.  
• Add in noodles and pour in the sauce.  then place the prawns on top of the noodles and spoon the remaining (B) mixture over the prawns.  Cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the noodles turn transparent.  Add more water/stock if necessary.  Turn off fire when all the liquid has been absorbed by the noodles.  Drizzle sesame oil over and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot.

Green Bean Vermicelli (or Glass Noodles)

B:  Marinade

Marinate prawns