Tuesday 9 February 2016

SALTED EGG YOLK COOKIES



Ingredients:
(Recipe adapted from here). I halved the recipe.
250gm plain flour ( 135gm plain flour )
20gm corn flour ( 15gm corn flour )
1/4tsp baking powder ( 1/8tsp baking powder )
1/8tsp baking soda (half)
4 cooked salted egg yolks , mashed ( i used 4 egg yolks )
170gm butter, softened ( 95gm unsaled butter )
80gm sugar ( 40gm )
black and white sesame seeds ( optional )
1/2 tsp milk powder (1/4 tsp ) - I added this
1/2 tsp salt (1/4 tsp sat) - I added this

glaze : 1 egg yolk

note: add more flour if the dough is too wet until pliable.

Method:
1. Sift together plain flour, corn flour, baking powder and baking soda and set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt till sugar is dissolved.
3. Add in the mashed salted egg yolks and sifted flour, mix to a soft pliable dough (mine is not pliable, soft but manageable). If dough is too soft, wrap in cling film and keep in the refrigerator for 30 mins.
4. Line baking tray with baking paper and preheat oven to 170C
5. You can divide the dough into 2 and then keep one dough in the fridge while you are working on the other dough. Place the dough between 2 plastic sheets and roll out dough to 5mm thickness ( i rolled mine to 2-3mm as it will expand a little bit during baking ) and cut them using your desired cookie cutter. Apply glaze , sprinkle some sesame seeds and bake for about 15-20 mins ( The dough is quite soft and i have used a small spatula to lift them up to the baking tray and i baked mine for 16 mins.)

 

Monday 23 March 2015

RAISIN SCONES




Ingredients:
(Recipe adapted from here)

230g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
135ml double cream (I used whipping cream)
1 tbsp (15ml) creme fraiche (I replaced with some apple cider)
100ml whole milk (I used fresh milk)
some raisins (I added this)
an egg yolk, or a little extra milk, to glaze

Preheat the oven to 230C (I baked at 200C). Lightly grease a small baking tray. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Place the double cream and creme fraiche into a small bowl and whisk together.

Pour the cream mixture into the flour bowl and fold in very gently with a metal spoon, being careful not to overwork. When it is incorporated, add the milk in three portions, carefully folding between each. You don't need the dough to be uniform - just a sticky mess.

Dust your work surface with flour then tip the dough out onto it. Dust your hands with flour then quickly and lightly form the dough into a square about 3-4cm tall. Press down on a floured 6cm fluted biscuit cutter to stamp a scone out of the dough. Place onto the greased tray. You should get four scones out of the original square - place them close to each other on the tray, almost touching. Roll the remaining scraps of dough into two circles gently and with floured hands press lightly into the cutter (I find this causes less overworking than re-rolling). Place onto the tray.

Brush the tops of the scones with a pastry brush with either a little extra milk or an egg yolk. Place into the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes until risen and golden. Serve while still warm.

(Makes 6)

Tuesday 10 March 2015

CREPE SUZETTE



Crêpes Suzette
(Recipe adapted from here


For the crêpes:
15g butter
55g plain flour
1 egg
100ml milk
25ml water
extra butter for frying

For the sauce & to serve:
2 big oranges
1/4 lemon
60g caster sugar
50g butter
good splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier
2 scoops of cinnamon ice cream (optional)

Melt the butter in a big, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Keep heating until the butter foams up and dies down and is full of rusty flecks. Pour into a bowl to cool.

Weigh the flour into a mixing bowl and whisk it to get rid of any lumps. Make a well in the centre and break the egg into it. Start whisking the egg into the flour, slowly incorporating more from around the edges. Once you have a thick paste (about half the flour will still be there), start adding the milk. Keep whisking and incorporating splashes of milk and more of the flour until you have a smooth batter. Whisk in the cooled butter. Add most of the water, reserving a little to adjust if needed.

Heat the frying pan up again and add a little bit of butter. Either transfer the crêpe mix to a jug or find a ladle. Once the pan is smoking hot turn the heat down a bit. Pour some of the mix into the pan at an angle and swirl quickly. Flip when starting to brown at the edges. Once browned on the bottom too, remove to a plate lined with a piece of kitchen paper. Repeat until you've got four crêpes you're happy with (you should have batter for about 6). You can now keep them covered in cling film in the kitchen paper (I dampen the top piece) for a few hours or proceed immediately.

Slice one of the oranges so that you have two slices from the middle to serve fresh, and two ends to juice. Carefully pull the peel off the two slices and set aside. Juice the rest of the orange, the other orange and the lemon into a measuring jug. You should have about 150ml of liquid.

Clean the pan that you made the crêpes in. Have everything ready - a whisk, some tongs or a fork to maneuver the crêpes, the butter, the juice, the crêpes, the alcohol, a small frying pan to heat it, matches, the garnishes, plates.

Scatter the sugar evenly over the surface of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat, shaking the pan slightly every now and then to maintain an even layer. Once the sugar has melted and begins to caramelise, scrape the sides down and swirl lightly so that the sugar colours evenly. Once it has reached a deep golden colour, take off the heat, add the butter all at once and whisk until smooth and frothy. Add the juice in two goes, whisking well between each - it may clump up a bit but will melt down in a minute. You'll have quite a bit of liquid.

Return to the heat. Add the first crêpe to the pan, then carefully turn it over with the tongs/fork, making sure it's totally soaked. Fold in half, then into quarters and move to the side of the pan. Repeat with the next three crêpes until the pan is full of the four quarters. Let the crêpes soak and the sauce reduce a little over the heat for about 1 minute, until you have a deep golden syrupy sauce. Transfer the crepes to the plates with some extra sauce. Add the orange slice and ice cream.

Turn off most of the lights in your kitchen. Quickly add a splash of alcohol to the small frying pan and heat until vapours start rising. Light a match and touch it just inside the pan. Blue flames will erupt - watch for the flickers of gold. Pour over the two plates while still flaming and serve immediately.

(Serves 2)



Crêpes Suzette
(Crêpes adapted from Delia's Complete Cookery Course, sauce adapted from Matthew Fort and Raymond Blanc here)

For the crêpes:
15g butter
55g plain flour
1 egg
100ml milk
25ml water
extra butter for frying

For the sauce & to serve:
2 big oranges
1/4 lemon
60g caster sugar
50g butter
good splash of Cointreau or Grand Marnier
2 scoops of cinnamon ice cream (optional)

Melt the butter in a big, heavy-bottomed frying pan. Keep heating until the butter foams up and dies down and is full of rusty flecks. Pour into a bowl to cool.

Weigh the flour into a mixing bowl and whisk it to get rid of any lumps. Make a well in the centre and break the egg into it. Start whisking the egg into the flour, slowly incorporating more from around the edges. Once you have a thick paste (about half the flour will still be there), start adding the milk. Keep whisking and incorporating splashes of milk and more of the flour until you have a smooth batter. Whisk in the cooled butter. Add most of the water, reserving a little to adjust if needed.

Heat the frying pan up again and add a little bit of butter. Either transfer the crêpe mix to a jug or find a ladle. Once the pan is smoking hot turn the heat down a bit. Pour some of the mix into the pan at an angle and swirl quickly. Flip when starting to brown at the edges. Once browned on the bottom too, remove to a plate lined with a piece of kitchen paper. Repeat until you've got four crêpes you're happy with (you should have batter for about 6). You can now keep them covered in cling film in the kitchen paper (I dampen the top piece) for a few hours or proceed immediately.

Slice one of the oranges so that you have two slices from the middle to serve fresh, and two ends to juice. Carefully pull the peel off the two slices and set aside. Juice the rest of the orange, the other orange and the lemon into a measuring jug. You should have about 150ml of liquid.

Clean the pan that you made the crêpes in. Have everything ready - a whisk, some tongs or a fork to maneuver the crêpes, the butter, the juice, the crêpes, the alcohol, a small frying pan to heat it, matches, the garnishes, plates.

Scatter the sugar evenly over the surface of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat, shaking the pan slightly every now and then to maintain an even layer. Once the sugar has melted and begins to caramelise, scrape the sides down and swirl lightly so that the sugar colours evenly. Once it has reached a deep golden colour, take off the heat, add the butter all at once and whisk until smooth and frothy. Add the juice in two goes, whisking well between each - it may clump up a bit but will melt down in a minute. You'll have quite a bit of liquid.

Return to the heat. Add the first crêpe to the pan, then carefully turn it over with the tongs/fork, making sure it's totally soaked. Fold in half, then into quarters and move to the side of the pan. Repeat with the next three crêpes until the pan is full of the four quarters. Let the crêpes soak and the sauce reduce a little over the heat for about 1 minute, until you have a deep golden syrupy sauce. Transfer the crepes to the plates with some extra sauce. Add the orange slice and ice cream.

Turn off most of the lights in your kitchen. Quickly add a splash of alcohol to the small frying pan and heat until vapours start rising. Light a match and touch it just inside the pan. Blue flames will erupt - watch for the flickers of gold. Pour over the two plates while still flaming and serve immediately.

(Serves 2) - See more at: http://www.poiresauchocolat.net/2012/02/crepes-suzette.html#sthash.pnKYaGfJ.dpuf

Friday 20 February 2015

STIR-FRIED FISH HOR FUN



{ no pics}

Ingredients: 
(Recipe adapted from here

500g snakehead fish slices 

1kg hor fun

100g bean sprouts

6 garlic cloves, chopped

3 to 4 tbsp light soya sauce

Salt

Cooking oil



Marinade for fish:

2 tsp Chinese wine

1 tsp sesame oil

Dash of pepper

3 tsp cornflour

Method:


1. Add two teaspoons of salt to a bowl and fill it with enough water to cover the fish. Soak the fish in this solution for 30 minutes, chilled.

2. Drain away the water.

3. Heat three to four tablespoons of oil in the wok. Add some of the garlic, fry until fragrant.
4. Add the hor fun and stir-fry.
5. Remove hor fun from wok and set aside.
6. Heat two tablespoons of oil in wok and add some garlic.
7. Add the fish and fry until opaque. Set aside.
8. Heat oil, fry rest of the garlic with the bean sprouts.
9. Season with light soya sauce and salt.
10. Put it all together, add a little sesame oil and serve hot.