Cantonese Egg Tarts II 港式蛋挞

Over the years, I've made egg tarts on few occasions. The result mostly looked rough and rustic but this time these tarts look  like the real deal! That said, am still trying to achieve a melt in the mouth lighter crust. Mine have slight chewy tart shell. I'll have to work on my short crust pastry technique. However, the filling is exactly what I'm looking for.

Cantonese Egg Tarts

serves : 12-15 tarts

I have halved the recipe from Guai Shu Shu

Ingredients

For tart shells 

1 egg (lightly beaten) 

220 grams of plain flour (sifted) 

40 grams of icing sugar (sifted) 

100 grams of chilled butter (cut into cubes) 

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence (optional) 

For egg custard filling   

220 grams of fresh milk 

75 grams of castor sugar 

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon of vanilla essence (optional) 

Pre-heat the oven to 180°c

In a big mixing bowl, put butter cubes and sifted plain flour together. Use the finger tips to rub the butter cubes and flours together until it become crumby. Add in sifted icing sugars and continue to rub until well mix.

Add lightly beaten eggs and vanilla essence, mix slowly until it become a dough. Put it in the fridge to chill for 20-30 minutes. Note that if you are able to handle soft dough, you can by pass this step. Take the dough from the fridge and use a rolling pin to roll it into a flat sheet with about 0.5 cm thickness.

Use a round cutter to cut about the size of the mould.  Note that this step is optional and will help you to roughly gauge the amount of dough required and you still need to adjust the quantity of dough as you progress.  Use your hand to press the dough against the sides and make it as even as possible. Use a knife or anything sharp to cut off the sides. If preferred, use a fork to lightly make some holes to let any trapped air to escape.  However, this step of making hole is optional. Set aside for later use.

For crispier crust, bake the tart shell in the pre-heated oven of 180 degree Celsius for 10 minutes. However, this step is also optional. 

For filling :-
In a microwavable bowl or mug, heat the milk until boiling hot (if you do not have a microwave oven, just heat the milk over the stove). Set aside for the next step. 

In a big mixing bowl, put egg, sugar and vanilla essence. Use a hand whisk to beat until well mixed. Pour the hot milk to the mixture and use a sift to sieve the custard mixture. 

Pour the custard mixture to the pre-baked tart shells. 
  
Bake the egg tarts in the pre-heated oven of 180˙c for 10-15 minutes. Once the tarts starts to puff up a bit, open the oven door, leave the door ajar and continue to bake the tarts for another 5 –8 minutes. A tart is considered as baked when a toothpick inserted in the centre of the tart, the toothpick stands upright. The tarts is best served warm when the custard is still soft and crust crispy.

Pineapple Upside-down Cake

My first Pineapple upside-down cake.  It was delicious and so the recipe's a keeper!

Pineapple upside-down cake
via BBC Good Food

For the topping

50g softened butter

50g light soft brown sugar

7 pineapples rings in syrup, drained and syrup

glacé cherry

For the cake

100g softened butter

100g golden caster sugar

100g self-raising flour (used all-purpose flour)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

++ lemon zest

++ lemon juice

Method :-

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. For the topping, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Spread over the base and a quarter of the way up the sides of a 20-21cm round cake tin. Arrange pineapple rings on top, then place cherries in the centres of the rings.
2. Place the cake ingredients in a bowl along with 2 tbsp of the pineapple syrup and, using an electric whisk, beat to a soft consistency. Spoon into the tin on top of the pineapple and smooth it out so it’s level. Bake for 35 mins. Leave to stand for 5 mins, then turn out onto a plate. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Chocolate Panna Cotta

Every summer, when we have guests, I search high and low for no-bake desserts. Although I have accumulated lots of easy sweet recipes, yet the simplest and most satisfying in hot weather : Panna cotta never crossed my mind... ???
Okay better late than never. My first try at panna cotta was a success! I'll definitely be trying more variations of panna cotta for the rest of this summer and beyond :)

Chocolate Panna Cotta
serves : 4-5 pax
credit : thanks! Chocswirl 

Ingredients
2 Tbsp water
2 tsp gelatine powder
2 cups (single/pouring) cream *used 12% fat
1/3 cup (50g) icing sugar, sifted * adjusted to taste
100g dark chocolate, chopped * used regular chocolate +cocoa powder. probably the caused of slight graininess , which I don't mind.



Process :-
1) Place the cold water in a bowl, add the gelatine and let stand for 5 min or so until the gelatine absorbs the water.
2) Place the cream, sugar and chocolate in a sauce pan over medium heat and stir to melt the chocolate, allowing the cream to just come to the boil. Add the gelatine and stir for 1-2 min to dissolve it.
3) Strain the mixture and pour it into 4 x 1/2 cup capacity ramekins, that have been lightly greased with the oil.
4) Refrigerate for 4-6 hrs or overnight, until firm. Remove them from the fridge 5 min before serving, then unmould and serve.

Cantonese Egg Tart { 蛋挞 }

Egg Tarts is a popular dessert amongst the Cantonese community. The tart shell should be flaky and light while the egg custard silky smooth. As you can see from mine, it is neither :D. I'm still in the process of refining my technique. The reason I'm posting here is to note down the recipes that I've followed.

Cantonese Egg Tart { 蛋挞 }

For the tart shells, recipe from Anncoo Journal

125g Cold butter - cut to cubes

120g Icing sugar, sifted

1 Egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

320g Plain flour - sifted

• Cream butter and icing until light and fluffy. Add in egg and mix well.
• Pour in flour and mix for few seconds, stop machine.
• Use a rubber spatula to fold the flour mixture into a soft dough.
• Put soft dough in a plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 30 mins or freezer for 20 mins.
• Divide the pastry into 15 small balls and evenly press into 15 tart moulds. If you find the pastry is too soft and sticky, just return it to the fridge to harden a little.
• Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork to allow steam to escape as the shell bakes.
• Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from oven and leave to cool.

For the filling , recipe from Yummy Bakes
200g boiling water

150g sugar

5 eggs

250g fresh milk

1. Dissolve sugar in boiling water, let it cool, add egg and fresh milk.  Do not beat, just stir and mix.
2. Strain the mixture and pour into the pre-baked tart shells  Bake at 180C for 20 mins or until cooked.

Hungarian Sour Cherry Cake { Meggyes Lepeny }

When you freeze lots of sour cherries during the summer season, you get to make this simple yet delicious cake through out the year! Okay, the frozen sour cherries that I used to make this cake was given by my MIL though :D  As appreciation I made her this cake when she visited last weekend.

In my archive I already have a similar cake, but I find this version more to my liking as I prefer crumbly texture as opposed to the tighter crumb version. Therefore, this will be my go-to sour cherry cake recipe from this day forward.

Hungarian sour cherry cake {Meggyes Lepeny}
via About.com

Ingredients

450gm pitted sour cherries (left whole), fresh or frozen

170gm unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, separated

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch salt

1/4 cup bread crumbs

Vanilla sugar

Preparation :-

1. Heat oven to 190°c / Gas 4. Butter a 10x6-inch rectangular tart pan, or a 9-inch square or a 9-inch round cake pan and dust with bread crumbs.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and half the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and continue creaming until well incorporated. Add the flour and salt, mixing well.
3. With clean, grease-free beaters, whip egg whites with remaining granulated sugar until stiff. Gently fold whites into cake batter.
4. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Top with cherries, stem side down. Bake 30 minutes. The batter will partially bubble up and cover the fruit. Cool in pan. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar. Cut into squares or wedges and serve.

Basic Choux Pastry

Choux pastry is not just easy but versatile for sweet and savoury fillings. I'm going to experiment more with ways to fill and decorate these delicate and tasty parcels.

Choux Pastry

via GBBO masterclass

Makes: 12 eclaires

Ingredients

50gm butter

150ml water

65gm plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

Method

1. Pre-heat oven at 200°c / Gas 6
2. In a sauce pan, bring the water and butter to a full boil. In goes the flour. Beat the mixture until smooth. When it come together into a ball shape, remove from heat. Loosen the dough and add a little of the beaten egg at a time. Combine well.
3. Prepare piping bag with a 1cm nozzlel. Put the dough into piping bag and pipe out 6” strip on to baking dish lined with grease proof paper. You should get 12 strips. Spray some water on to the dough by using a spray bottle. This will create steam.
4. Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 10 mins. Then lower to 170°c and bake for another 20 mins. Or until it is light golden colour.

Once fully cooled, fill with desired fillings.

One-bowl Chocolate fudge cake with chocolate sour cream frosting

In the last minute, I've decided to try out this chocolate cake for a birthday cake since my first bake (another chocolate cake recipe) failed! This cake turned out moist and stable, great with my go-to chocolate sour cream frosting. The left over also freezes well. PERFECT!
I've declared this is going to be go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on. No more fussing about with other recipes :p

Chocolate Cake

via kitchencorner

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

½ cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoon granulated coffee

Chocolate sour-cream frosting

adapted from kwanster

100g chocolate, break into pieces
64g unsalted butter, at room temperature
50-64gm confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
Pinch of salt, sifted
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. sour cream , room temperature **12 or 20% fat
added rum for extra flavour

For the cake:-

1) Pre-heat oven at 180°c.

2) Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a large bowl. Whisk through to combine using a hand whisk to stir through flour mixture until combined well. 

3) Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together until well combined. Mix the granulated coffee with  boiling water then pour into the cake batter and mix well combine. 

4) Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans or one cake pan where you can cut horizontally after the cake is baked and cooled down. 

5) Bake for 30-35 minutes if using two pans or 1 hour until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 

6)Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

For chocolate frosting :-
1) Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Set aside to cool until just barely warm.
2) In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale.
3) Gradually mix in the sifted confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder and salt, beat until light and fluffy.
4) Beat in the melted and cooled chocolate and then the sour cream.
5) Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and well blended.

Frost cake and decorate as you desire.

Gerbeaud Walnut slice { Zserbó }

Yay, Another Hungarian classic cross-off my "to-bake" list! Like many things, something that seemed daunting was actually manageable and I would go as far as saying easy! Of course, I'm not saying I did a perfect job. I was a bit dry and crumbly. To suit my taste and my family's, this recipe still needs tweaking, but it is a very good base to work on.

Gerbeaud Walnut Slice ( Zserbó)
source : http://citromhab.blogspot.hu/2014/03/zserbotorta.html
step by step tutorial : http://aprosef.hu/gerbeaud


Ingredients
250g Flour
100g butter, room temperature
50g sugar + 1 sachet vanilla sugar
1 egg yolk
50ml Milk
10g fresh yeast (**I had no fresh; so, sub. with instant. Will lessen the quantity on next bake)
salt, a pinch

Filling
150g Ground walnuts
100g sugar (reduced to 70g)
1 sachet vanilla sugar
 200g apricot jam
+++ Lemon zest
Note :- I'll add some milk next time to the dry filling**

Chocolate icing
100g chocolate (used 1x60g bar)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (not olive oil!)
+++ Rum

Ground walnuts to garnish

Method :-

1) Get ready the filling by mixing together ground walnuts, sugar, vanilla sugar and lemon zest +**.Set aside.
2) Start dough by bring milk to luke warm, add in instant yeast and a little sugar. Let it sit for 10 mins. until yeast mixture starts to foam/come alive.
3) Once yeast mixture is reading. In mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt. Then work in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Then add in the egg yolk and yeast mixture. Combine well and start to knead until smooth. Let it rest in a covered bowl for an hour.
4) 30 mins. into the dough resting time, start pre-heating the oven at 180°c.
5) Once dough full rest, divide it into 4. Start rolling out the 1 dough ball, enough to cover a 18cm round cake tin. Lay the rolled out dough into the the cake tin. Spread the apricot jam evenly and then sprinkle the walnut filling (1). Repeat this process for 3 layers and cover it with final rolled out dough. Pierce the layers with a knife all the way through to let any steam out when baking.
6) Bake for 30-35 mins. until golden brown.
7) Once the cake is cooled, start making the chocolate icing by melting chocolate by using double boiler or microwave (max 1min) and add in vegetable oil to loosen. Spread all over the cake and let it set in room temperature.


Note:-
It is best to let the cake sit over night to let the flavour melts together.

Simple chocolate cake for Valentine's day!

Get the simple chocolate cake recipe from Joy of Baking

Steamed coconut milk Glutinous rice and custard { Kuih Seri Muka } (Vanilla)

Kuih Seri Muka
serves : 8-10 pax
Base :-
1 cup Glutinous Rice, washed and soaked over night
150ml coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt

Coconut custard
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
2.5 Tbsp plain flour
250 ml coconut milk

Method

1) Wash and soak glutinous rice the night before you intend to serve the "kuih"
2) Get the steamer ready.
3) Drain soaked glutinous rice, mix in the coconut milk and salt. Mix well. Pour into a greased square steaming pan**. I used about .........., which I think makes the base too thick. Next time I'll use a slightly bigger pan for thinner layer of rice.
4) Steamed for 30 mins. or until the rice is cooked. Do not fluff the rice, just leave it as is.
5) Make the custard by placing 2 egg yolks in sauce pan. Beat in the sugar and add a little coconut milk and slowly beat in the plain flour, ensuring no lumps. when you get a smooth paste, then add in the rest of the coconut milk.
6) Cook the custard until thicken, then pour onto the glutinous rice base. Place the square pan back to the steamer and steam for 15 mins. If it is not quite set, steam a bit longer. When it is wobbly, remove steamer from heat and let the rice in for another 10 mins. before removing from steamer.
7) After 10 mins. remove from steamer and let it cool fully so that the custard to set fully.
8) Serve at room temperature. If you have left over , keep in the fridge and steam lightly when you want to eat again.

Check out the video if you're still unclear http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pohskitchen/stories/s2924623.htm

Easy Poppy Seeds Cake

Any tea or coffee time cakes get two thumbs up from me! I say this because they don't require much fussing about and the simplicity of it allows the ingredients to shine. If you are like me, you'll like this recipe from No Salty

Easy Poppy Seeds Cake / Bread
Serves : 8
Note: I halved the recipe

Ingredients :-
2 cups of flour (I used 1/2 AP flour , 1/2 ground poppy seeds) **may try with gluten free
2 tsp baking powder (also added baking soda)
1 cup whole poppy seed (I sub. with walnuts)
1 cup sugar or to taste (for my halved recipe, I used 1x7g sachet vanilla sugar, 3 Tbsp sugar)
1 cup milk, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs , room temperature
pinch of salt
powdered sugar, for dusting  
++ 1 lemon zest

Method :-
1) Pre-heat oven at 180°c. Grease and line loaf tin.
2) Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt and set aside
3) In a bowl, beat the eggs with sugar until combine. Pour in the milk, mix and then finally the vegetable oil.
4) Add in sifted flours,baking powder, soda, salt and lemon zest and ground poppy seed. Mix until just combine *DO NO OVER MIX
5) Pour batter into loaf tin and bake for 20 mins. Check at around 15 mins  when skewer stick in the middle comes out clean, it is done.
6) Let it cool. and serve dusted with powdered sugar.

Cinnamon "Marshmallow" Squares

Joy of Baking is a great source of recipe archive for me. Not only that, the owner of the site took the trouble to provide videos for some of the recipes. That way, when you're not sure how things should look , you could just refer to the videos for guidance.

Marshmallow squares recipe is one which come with a video and so I feel confident enough to give this recipe a go. Despite the end result was so different from the photo and video, I am actually happy with the taste and texture.  The difference in result could be due to my decision to drastically reduced the sugar used as well as the inclusion of cinnamon powder; which resulted in the grainy appearance (not in texture though). I will definitely make this again!

Marshmallow Squares

shortbread base:

113 grams unsalted butter, room temperature

3 Tbsp light brown sugar (reduced to 2 Tbsp + 1/2 sachet vanilla sugar)

130 grams all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

++ Note : to add lemon zest next time.

Filling:

180 ml cold water

a scant tablespoon / 7 grams unflavored powdered gelatin

150 grams granulated white sugar (reduced to 120gm + 1 sachet of vanilla sugar)

1/8 teaspoon salt

85 gram powdered or icing sugar, sifted (reduced to 50gm)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

red food coloring (optional)

++ Note : added ground cinnamon together when adding powdered sugar

Garnish:

60 grams dried coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) (shredded or flaked)

Method:

shortbread:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. 

2) Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick cooking spray, an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan.

 

3) In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add the brown sugar and beat until incorporated. Beat in the flour and salt until the mixture starts to form clumps. 

4) Press the dough evenly and firmly onto the bottom of the pan. Lightly prick the dough with the tines of a fork. 

5) Bake for about 20 minutes or until the shortbread is set and beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool while you make the filling.

Filling: 

1) Place the cold water in a saucepan and then sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let stand for five minutes or until the gelatin is swelled and spongy. 

2) Stir in the granulated white sugar and salt and place saucepan over medium heat. Heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin and sugar are dissolved and mixture is hot to the touch. Remove from heat and stir in the powdered sugar. Let cool to room temperature.

3) When cool, pour into your mixing bowl, fitted with the whisk attachment, (can use a hand mixer) and beat until foamy. Add the baking powder, vanilla extract, and about 2 drops of red food coloring. Continue to beat on high speed until the mixture is very thick and holds stiff peaks. This will take about 10-15 minutes. 

4) Then pour the filling over the pre baked crust and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top. Let stand for about 6-8 hours or until the marshmallow has set.

To serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, and then cut into squares. The bars can be covered and stored at room temperature, or in the refrigerator, for up to five days. They can also be frozen.

Garnish: Place the coconut on a baking sheet and bake in a 325 degree F (165 degree C) oven for about 5-8 minutes or until the coconut is lightly brownied. Watch carefully and stir the coconut often as it bakes to prevent over browning.

Makes 16 Marshmallow Squares. Preparation time 45 minutes.

Check out: Original recipe + video

Pastry with Peach

I wanted an easy snack for the guests this Easter. For me, easy always equal to ready-made puff pastry. After googling around, I finally settled on the following recipe. You can always substitute the jam in the recipe to custard, for a fancier result.


Pastry with Peach


Ingredients
Puff pastry, best quality you could afford
Peach, canned in syrup, thinly sliced
Apricot jam
Egg yolk, for glazing
Powder sugar, for dusting
Ground cinnamon, for dusting

Method :-
1) Defrost ready-made puff pastry and pre-heat oven according to packet's instruction.
2) If the raw pastry hasn't been rolled out yet, then roll it to about 4mm thickness. Cut into squares or whatever shapes you fancy. Score the pastry (not too deep) about 1cm away from edge, around the shape. Then use a fork and poke  the middle of the pastry where you're going to place the fruit.
3) Spread jam in the middle, next place the sliced peach on the jam. Glazed the edge with egg yolk.
4) Bake according to packet's instruction. Mine too about 12mins @210°c.
5) Sprinkle some powdered sugar and ground cinnamon before serving.

You can see a pictorial of how to prep the pastry from here.

Poppy seed bread pudding {Mákos Guba}

Okay, I know this looks strange..haha. If you like poppy seed desserts you will like this.
After many years living in Hungary, strangely I haven't tried Mákos Guba before this. Perhaps because I am still getting use to poppy seeds. Slowly, I got used to it, but only in poppy seeds pie! Well, I think it is time to  add another dessert which feature this ingredient into my limited experience.

Poppy seeds bread pudding {Mákos Guba}
adapted from I like Baking

Ingredients for 6 servings:

6 pcs stale crescent rolls (you could also use sweet bread, baguette)

450 ml milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped (or sub. with vanilla sugar)

40 g unsalted butter

75 g ground poppy seed (I used much more for 3 pax)

75 g castor sugar (or to taste)

4 tbsp honey

1 finely grated lemon rind

1 pinch of ground clove (sub. with ground cinnamon)

Method (for pictorial, check out the link provided!)
1) Pre-heat oven at 180°c. Lightly grease baking pan (26x17cm)
2) Slice up  the rolls/bread and set aside.
3) Add vanilla seeds, honey and butter into milk and bring it to boil.
4) Pour boiled milk over the rolls/bread prep. earlier.
5) Mix together poppy seeds, lemon zest, ground cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle all over rolls/bread. Mix well. Be careful not to mush up the bread.
6) Pour the mixture onto the greased baking dish, prep earlier and let it bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 mins. or until the edges of bread are crispy.
7) Serve warm. To serve, you could sprinkle with icing sugar and drizzle over some custard.

No-bake chocolate hearts for Valentine's Day

Recipe same as this .

Sour Cherry Pie {Meggyes Pite}

This is my take on the traditional Sour cherry Pie, a favourite during the early summer months in Hungary. Also, one of my MIL's favourite fruit in desserts. Since the weather dropped 10°c overnight, I thought I'd bake one pie for my MIL when she was visiting this weekend.

There are simply too many variations of this pie found online ; however, I'm too lazy to follow any new recipe at the moment, I've actually just used my tried and tested pastry recipe combined with a simple sour cherry compote.

Sour Cherry Pie {Meggyes Pite}

For pastry { source : nami-nami }
100gm butter, room temperature
50 gm sugar
1 sachet vanilla sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
175gm flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt

For the compote
1x450gm jar of preserved sour cherries, stoned and drained
3 - 4 Tbsp of sour cherry juice from preserve
1 sachet vanilla sugar
3 Tbsp sugar, or to taste
1/2 lemon zest
few drop of lemon juice
2 Tsp flour or corn starch, mix with a little water to use as thickener
Bread crumbs

Steps
1) For the filling the filling:
In a saucepan, pour-in  the sour cherries , add 3-4 Tbsp of the preserve liquid, vanilla sugar, 3 Tbsp sugar or to your taste. Cook cherries until boiling, reduce heat and pour in the a little by little flour/corn starch to thicken the liquid. Continue to cook until re-boil and liquid thickens, squeeze in the lemon juice. Let it simmer a little and switch off the heat. Let it cool completely before using it as filling. You can make this ahead of time and keep it in fridge until you need it.


2) For pastry dough :-
With an electric mixer mix butter, sugar and egg until light and creamy. Mix the dry ingredients, then pour into the batter (wet) mixture. Do not over mixed, just until the dough comes together. Put into the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.

3) Start pre-heat oven after dough has rested for 15 mins. Set oven at 180°c / Gas mark 3.

Grease baking dish* well.
*Baking dish
I like using my rectagular 18x24cm dish as I am baking a close pie with top and bottom layer but you may use a 26 cm springform tin to bake a open pie.

After 30 mins. of resting. Take out dough from fridge.

Assembly :-
If you're making a close pie, divide dough into 2 and press down the bottom layer by using your hand.
Pour filling over bottom layer and sprinkle with some bread crumbs to absorb some of the excess liquid
Roll out the second half of the dough and cover the top.

Bake for 20 mins. or until pastry is golden brown.

Chestnut puree Ice cream

Chestnust Puree Ice Cream with chocolate specks
makes about 450ml Ingredients

For chestnut puree custard
3 Egg yolks
1 sachet Vanilla sugar
1 Tbsp Flour
150ml milk
175gm ready-made chestnut puree
30-50gm powdered sugar, to taste
(if chestnut puree has been sweetened beforehand, then less sugar should be added)
1 Tbsp cocoa powder

200ml whipping cream (30% fat content)
1/2 tsp rum

Steps
1) In a sauce pan, put egg yolks, vanilla sugar, powdered sugar and flour. Mix-in a little bit of the milk and whisk until you get a smooth paste before pouring in the remaining milk. Mix well.
 2) Cook the mixture over low heat for a few minutes. Add in the chestnut puree and let it melt slowly while stirring constantly.
3) The custard is ready when the mixture thickens and coats the back of wooden spoon. You can stir in the cocoa powder. Set it aside to cool completely.
4) When custard is cooled, start whisking the whipping cream until soft peak. Add rum into whipped cream and whip a bit more. Then slowly mix in the whipped cream into custard.
5) Pour the cream mixture into a freezer-proof container and freeze for at least half a day.
6) Before serving let it sit in room temperature for at least 15 mins.

Soy milk pudding (Tofu fa)

Soy milk pudding (Tofu fa)
serves : 1 - 2 pax

Ingredients
200ml soy milk
30ml cold water
1/2 Tbsp powdered gelatine

Sugar syrup
3-4 Tbsp sugar , or to taste
1/2 cup water
few slices of ginger, optional

Steps
1) Heat soy milk gently, do not boil. I heat the milk for 1:30 mins. in the microwave. Set aside while you get ready the gelatine
2) Put double boiler on stand by while sprinkle powdered gelatine over cold water and let it sit for 5 mins. untouched. After 5 mins. heat gelatine over double boiler until gelatine dissolves. Do not let it boil.
3) Mix together gelatine and heated soy milk. Let it set in the fridge for at least 6 hrs. or over night.
4) Cook ingredients for syrup. Serve soy milk pudding with either cold or hot syrup.

Raffaello Cake

Raffaello Cake

Ingredients
For the base
4 egg whites
pinch of salt
3-4 Tbsp sugar (incl. 1 sachet vanilla sugar)
100gm desiccated coconut

For the cream top
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp plain flour
250ml milk
1 sachet vanilla sugar / or vanilla extract

200ml whipping cream
3-4 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 Tbsp gelatine

For decoration
Toasted almond slices
Toasted desiccated coconut

Steps
1) Pre-heat oven at 160°c / Gas mark 3. Grease cake tin
2) In a bowl, pour in egg whites and pinch of salt. Beat egg whites until soft peak. Add in sugar gradually and continue to beat egg whites until stiff peak. Fold in desiccated coconut carefully.
3) Pour batter into cake tin and bake for 15 mins. or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.
4) Set cake aside to cool.

5) In a sauce pan, mix together a little of milk with egg yolks and flour until smooth in texture. Then gradually add in remaining milk.
6) Cook mixture over low heat until thicken by stirring continuously.
7) Once thicken to the right consistency, remove from heat and cover the custard directly with cling film. Set aside to cool.

8) Once custard is cool, you can start soaking gelatine powder by sprinkling gelatine power over 60ml of cold water. Do not stir the mixture! Leave to soak for 5 mins. Then cook gelatine over double boiler until gelatine is fully dissolved. Do not boil the mixture. Set aside to cool.
9) In a mixing bowl, pour whipping cream and 3 - 4 Tbsp of powdered sugar until stiff.
10) Mix half of whipped cream into cool custard and whipped until well combined. Mix in a few table spoons of gelatine liquid into the custard mixture, combine well and pour this custard cream onto cake.
11) Mix remaining whipped cream with a couple of spoons of gelatine, combine well and pour whipped cream over custard cream.
12) sprinkle a little of the toasted desiccated coconut over cake. Let cake chill in fridge over night.
13) sprinkle toasted almond slices over cake when serving.

Banana Bread

Finally I've found the best banana bread recipe!

Banana Bread
source : http://www.thelittleteochew.com/2011/01/banana-rum-cake.html

Ingredients
90g canola or sunflower oil
70g castor sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
125g plain flour, sifted (- 2 Tbsp, + 2 Tbsp ground walnuts)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt
2 large bananas, mashed with a fork
25g regular milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (I used vanilla sugar)

Steps
1. Pre-heat oven at 175°F (Gas mark 3). Grease and line loaf tin.
2. Beat egg and sugar till light and creamy.
3. Add milk, mashed bananas, oil, vanilla and combine.
4. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder and baking soda, and give a quick whisk. Fold in flour into the wet ingredients until no traces of flour remain. Do not over-mix. Stop the moment everything is incorporated.
5. Pour into a lined loaf tin.
6. Bake for about 30mins, or until cooked.