STIR FRIED CRISPY MUSHROOM

Ingredients :

(Recipe adapted from here)

200gm Abalone Mushrooms
2 sprig curry leaves (I omitted this)
6 tbsps rolled oats (I omitted this)
2 tbsp butter (I omitted this)
 
Batter :
1 generous cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup water

Seasoning (I skipped this) :
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
1 tsp sugar

Method :
1. Clean mushrooms and slice to three or four pieces, depending on the size of the mushrooms. Keep aside.

2. Combine batter ingredients well in a mixing bowl. If there are lumps, use a hand whisk to whisk until batter is free from lumps.

3. Heat oil, enough for frying. Dip mushroom pieces in batter and fry in the hot oil until golden brown on both sides. Dish out and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

4. Heat butter in clean wok until melted. Stir-fry curry leaves until fragrant. Add oats and seasoning. Stir-fry briskly, then add the crispy mushrooms. (I skipped this step)

5. Toss and fry over high heat until oats are crispy. (I skipped this step) 

6. Dish out and serve immediately

YEE CHAI PANG SPIRAL EAR BISCUIT

Ingredients :
(Recipe adapted from here) 
Makes : 48 biscuits

175g plain flour
1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/3 tsp salt
25g castor sugar

1 shallot, blended finely
1-3/4 tbsp oil
45ml or enough water

Method :
1. Sift flour, soda and five spice power into a mixing bowl. Add in salt, pepper and sugar. Mix in blended shallots and oil and add in just enough water to combine. Mix into a soft and pliable dough.

2. Roll dough out into a flat rectangle then roll up into a spiral. Put the roll in the freezer for 1 hour (this is done to harden the dough so that cutting it is easier).

3. Slice the roll thinly and deep-fry slices in hot oil over a moderate flame. Remove and drain the biscuits. (note: sliced as thin as possible as it is easier to bite else quite hard to bite if it is thick)

Store cooled ear-like biscuits in airtight containers

 

MAGNOLIA VANILLA CUPCAKE

Ingredients:
(Recipe adapted from here )
Makes approx. 36 mini cupcakes

85g Self-raising flour  
70g Plain flour  
113g Unsalted Liv butter, softened (I used SCS butter)
130g caster sugar  
2 large eggs, at room temperature  
122g Whole milk  
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean for even more intensity)

Method:  
1. Preheat oven to 170°C.

2. Line muffin tins with cupcake papers.

3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.

6. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3 full.

7. Bake for 18 minutes, or when the top turns golden brown.

8. Cool the cupcakes in tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

RASPBERRY MUFFIN

Ingredients:
(Recipe adapted from here)

Makes 24 Small Muffins

360g Plain Flour

Pinch of Salt

1tsp Baking Soda

2tsp Baking Powder

4 Eggs

200g Caster Sugar

180ml Vegetable Oil

270g Sour Cream <See Note 1>, softened at room temperature

2tsp Vanilla Extract

250g Raspberry

Icing Sugar for dusting, optional

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 170C.

2.Place 24 small cupcake cases into the lightly greased muffin trays. <See Note 2>

3.Sift the flour, salt, baking soda & baking powder into a bowl. 

4.Beat the egg & sugar in a separate bowl until pale & sugar is all dissolved. With low speed, continue beating the egg mixture, slowly adding vanilla extract, oil & flour mixture. Mix well on each addition.

5.Add the sour cream & mix until well combined.

6.Gently stir in the raspberries. Spoon the batter into the muffin cases to 80% full. I filled up to 90% & some of them were over-flow.

7.Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean. Remove & let to cool in the pan.

8.Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with icing sugar, if desired. Keep unconsumed muffins in an air-tight container.

Tip:

Don’t over-mixing as this results a tough texture.

CROISSANT

Ingredients:
(Recipe adapted from here )
Makes 9

1 and 1/4tsp instant yeast
45 ml warm water (less than 100 ° F/38 ° C)
1tsp caster sugar

250 g all purpose flour
2tsp caster sugar
1tsp fine salt
125ml milk
30 ml of neutral oil (sunflower, canola, corn oil)

120g unsalted butter at room temperature

1 egg yolk, for egg wash

To make dough
1. Mix yeast, warm water and sugar in a small bowl for 5mins.
2. Heat the milk until lukewarm, then dissolve salt and sugar in the milk.
3. Add flour, yeast mixture and oil in a mixing bowl. Slowly add in milk mixture and combine well.
4. Knead the dough until smooth. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
5. Let dough rise at room temperature for 3hours or until triple in size.  

Folding
1. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a large rectangle of 14 x 8 inch (35 cm x 20 cm).
2. Spread butter on 2 / 3 of the dough and fold in 3 (The non-buttered the middle, then the last 1 / 3 above). Cover with plastic sheet and refrigerate for 30mins.
3. Take the dough out of the fridge and rotate the dough 90 degree so that the dough will be rolled in opposite direction from previous fold. Repeat this folding and resting process twice more.
4. After the final round, refrigerate the dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, 5 hours or overnight.

Shaping
1. On floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle 15 in. x 6 in. (38 cm x 15 cm ).
2. Using a pizza cutter, cut triangles 3 inches (7.5 cm) core.
3. Starting from the base and roll up towards the tip, pressing the tip of triangle to make the triangle longer. Pull away two corners at the base and roll it towards the tip to secure.
4. Place croissants 2inches (5cm) apart from each other on the baking pan lined with parchment paper.
5. Cover with plastic wrap/cloth and let rise for 1hour in a warm place (72F/22C) or until they have doubled in size.

Baking
1. Preheat oven to 475F (240C). (I baked at 200C as I'm worried my old oven cannot take the high temp)
2. Mix the egg yolk with a teaspoon of water, then brush on the croissants.
3. Bake the croissants in the oven for 12mins, until top is golden OR reduce oven temp to 190C and bake for about 15 mins, or until a deep golden colour.
4. Remove the croissants from the oven and place on wire rack. Cool slightly on tray before serving.

CHICKEN FLOSS

Ingredients:
(Recipe adapted from here)
(I used chicken instead of pork)

For every 1kg lean meat
5 tbsp light soy sauce
5 tbsp sugar
2 tsp five spice powder
3/4 tsp chicken stock powder (optional)

If you like spicy you can add some chilli powder

If the meat is very lean like leg or butt meat add 1.5 tbsp cooking oil, omit the oil if the shoulder meat is fatty.
2 stalks of spring onion, leave whole
1 chunk of ginger, sliced
3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

Optional:
some seasoned nori sheets
some dry roasted sesame seeds

Cooking instruction:

1. Cut the meat into large chunk about 500g pieces. Put the meat in a saucepan or stockpot, cover with boiling water and briskly boil for about 2 minutes. Discard the water and rinse the meat to remove any scum and also scrub the pan.
2. Put the meat back into the pan or pot. Add boiling water just enough to cover the meat and add the spring onion, ginger and cooking wine. Bring this to the boil then very gently simmer for about 1.5 hours till the meat is tender and can be flaked with fingers.
3. Take the meat out to cool completely. The cooking liquid or stock can be used for other purposes like noodle soup, congee etc...
4. Flake or shred the meat with fingers. Another less messy method is put the meat into a zip lock bag, press or punch with hand to loosen the meat fibres. The end result is finely shredded meat.
5. Mix soy, sugar, five spice, stock powder, chilli powder and oil together then mix with the meat thoroughly.
6. Heat the wok to medium hot, add the meat and stir fry. This will take quite a long time and plenty or hand and shoulder exercise. Keep pressing and teasing the meat with the tip of the wooden spatula to loosen the meat fibres (especially those lumpy not finely shreded meat), at the same time turning or stirring to prevent the bottom getting brown too quickly. At first this may seem impossible the meat could be lumpy and wet or not thoroughly shredded. After a while you will see the meat beginning to loosen and the fibres getting finer and finer. Use low heat, if the meat is turning brown too quickly can use a heat diffuser. This will take about 1 hour till the meat is brown evenly and getting very dry. Do not stop stirring. If you are tired get someone to help. The longer you stir the crispier the meat floss which will melt in the mouth.
7. When done leave in the wok to cool completely. The meat floss will get even more crispier once cooled. Then store in airtight jar.
8. If you fancy you can mix in some shredded seasoned nori sheets and sesame seeds.

BANANA CAKE

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
250g (1 cup) mashed over-ripe banana, from about 2 cavendish bananas
1 teaspoon lemon juice
150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
200g plain flour (I mixed in 40g of whole wheat flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarb. of soda (baking soda)
2 tablespoons milk powder

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease the sides of a 20cm round cake tin and line base with baking paper.

2. Mash the bananas and lemon juice with a fork, set aside. Sift plain flour, baking powder, soda and milk powder together, set aside.

3. Cream butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined.

4. Add mashed banana and fold in. Add sifted flour mixture and fold in.

5. Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for about 50 minutes, or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

WHOLEMEAL LOAF

Recipe adapted from the book 'Magic Bread' by Alex Goh

INGREDIENTS A:
80g bread flour
55g boiling water

INGREDIENTS B:
180g bread flour
140g wholemeal flour
1 tsp molasses
20g sugar
8g salt (I reduced to 6g)
5g instant yeast

INGREDIENTS C:
190g cold water

INGREDIENTS D:
25g butter

METHOD:
1. Add the boiling water from A into flour, mix until well-blended to form dough.  Cover and set aside to cool.  Keep it into refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

2. Mix B until well-blended.  Add in C and knead to form rough dough.  Add in A and knead until well-blended.

3. Add in D, knead to form elastic dough.

4. Let it proof for 40mins.

5. Divide the dough into 40g each and mould it round.   Let it rest for 10mins. (I skipped this)

6. Mould it into cone shape.  Roll it out into triangular shape and roll it up. (I skipped this)

7. Place it onto a greased pan.  Let it proof for 45mins.  

8. Bake at 200C for 12-15mins.

PHONG PIAH

Makes 20 puffs

Ingredients:
(recipe adapted from here)

Chinese Flaky Pastry: Water Dough:
120g bread flour
120g cake flour
50g icing sugar mixture
90g butter
70ml water, adjust as necessary

Lard Dough:
120g cake flour
60g lard

Filling:
225g icing sugar mixture
60g maltose *
90g cake flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
20g white sesame seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons fried shallot flakes
60ml shallot oil
15ml water, adjust as necessary
extra white sesame seeds, for topping (optional)

* When getting maltose out of the container, it is easiest to use wet fingers to dig/pull out the required amount, this way the maltose doesn’t stick to your fingers.
 
Preparation:

Filling (please refer to his blog for the step by step pics):
1. Put icing sugar in a mixing bowl and place the maltose on top of the sugar. Scatter some icing sugar on the maltose so it doesn’t stick to your fingers and dig a hole in the maltose to make a figure ‘0’, or like a donut shape. Pull the maltose to enlarge the hole, just like making noodles by pulling the dough. Twist the maltose so it now becomes a figure ‘8’. Fold the ‘8’ to become ‘0’ again. Pull the ‘0’ to enlarge and twist into ‘8’ again. Continue and repeat the pulling, twisting and folding of the maltose until the maltose becomes very thin threads.

 Chinese Flaky Pastry:
1. For the Water Dough: Put both types of flour and sugar in a mixing bowl, rub in butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Slowly add just enough water to form a soft but non-sticky dough. Knead until smooth, form into a ball, wrap in cling film and put into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before using.

2. For the Lard Dough: Rub lard into the flour and then knead into a soft dough. If it is too soft, chill in the refrigerator to harden a bit. If it is too hard, knead it a bit more until you get soft dough about the same pliability as the water dough. It is important that the malleability of the lard dough should be about the same as the water dough when making the Chinese flaky pastry.

3. Divide the water dough and the lard dough respectively into 20 equal portions each and round them all into small balls.

4. Follow the preparation of the Hidden-Layering Flaky Pastry as shown in Huaiyang Flaky Pastry up to step 17.

5. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line baking sheets with baking paper. 

6. With the heel of your palm, gently press the filled dough down to flatten it.

7. Arrange the pastry apart on the lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with a little extra white sesame seeds on top of each puff dough if desired, pressing the seeds lightly to stick to the dough.

ALL RECIPES

BREAKFAST
CREPE SUZETTE
DUTCH BABY (aka PUFFED PANCAKE)
FLUFFY PANCAKE 
RAISIN SCONES  

BREAD
CROISSANT
CHALLAH (EGG BREAD)
PANDA BREAD
PAI PAU
RED BEAN PANDA BUNS
ROTI PAUN
ROTI BOY
VARIETIES OF BREAD USING SWEET DOUGH
WHOLEMEAL LOAF
WHITE SANDWICH BREAD 
5 THOUSAND-DOLLAR STARTER DOUGH BREAD

BOURKE STREET
FINANCIERS WITH STRAWBERRIES N BLUEBERRIES


CANDIES
HOMEMADE VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS (without egg white)
HOMEMADE VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS (with egg white) 

CAKES & CUPCAKES
BANANA CAKE
BIRTHDAY CAKE 1 
CREAM CHEESE MARBLE CHOCOLATE CAKE
GOLDEN SPONGE CAKE 

NIGELLA'S OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
MAGNOLIA VANILLA CUPCAKE
MRS NgSK's BUTTER CAKE
PAPER-LINED SPONGE CAKE
SOUFFLE CHEESECAKE CUPS
VANILLA CUPCAKE

CHEESE CAKES
OREO CHEESE CAKE
BAKED CHEESE CAKE 


CHIFFON CAKES
BANANA CHIFFON CAKE
LEMON CHIFFON CAKE
PANDAN CHIFFON CAKE
PANDAN CHIFFON CAKE 2 

COOKIES & BISCUITS 
ALMOST FAMOUS AMOS CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
ALMOND AND CRANBERRY BISCOTTI 
ALMOND COOKIES 
CAT'S TONGUE COOKIES (SHIROI KOIBITO)  
CRISPY ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES 
CRISPY WALNUT COOKIES 
GRAHAM CRACKERS n NUTELLA 
PINEAPPLE TARTS 
SESAME WAFERS
SODA (SALTINES) CRACKERS
SULTANA BISCUITS 
YEE CHAI PANG SPIRAL EAR BISCUIT

DIM SUM & SNACKS 
CHICKEN FLOSS
CHAR SIEW PAU
DIM SUM PRAWN ROLLS 
KOU ROU BAO
MIN JIANG KUEY
MUAH CHEE
FRIED CARROT CAKE
OKONOMIYAKI JAPANESE SAVORY PANCAKE
 PRAWN FRITTERS
STEAMED RED BEAN BUNS 
STUFFED CHICKEN FLOSS PANCAKE 
THAI-STYLE CURRY CRAB PAU 
PAN FRIED BAOS/PANCAKES
PUMPKIN MANTOU
SATAY 


NAAN & CHAPATI
EASY GARLIC HERB AND SESAME NAAN
NAAN FLATBREAD
CHAPATI  

PASTRIES
CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS
CHOUX PASTRY CREAM PUFF
CROISSANT
DONUT
JAPANESE PASTRY
PHONG PIAH
MUSHROOM PUFF PASTRY


SWISS ROLL
COTTON SPONGE ROLL
KAWAII DECO ROLL (cute swiss roll)

TARTS
LEMON TARTS
VANILLA TARTS

ASIAN DISHES
BAK KWA
CHAR SIEW PORK
HOMEMADE FISHBALLS 
STIR FRIED CRISPY MUSHROOM
STIR FRIED FISH HOR FUN
LYCHEE PORK
MALAY POTATO PATTIES
PRAWN FRITTERS 
SATAY 
THAI-STYLE CURRY CRAB PAU 
 

MUFFINS
RASPBERRY MUFFIN
SOUR CREAM CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

MACARONS 
PISTACHIO - COCOA NIB MACARONS WITH BITTER CHOCOLATE GANACHE 
EARL GREY MACARONS WITH BLUEBERRY COMPOTE BUTTERCREAM 
PIERRE HERMES BITTER CHOCOLATE MACARONS



NOODLES
STIR FRIED FISH HOR FUN

MEE HOON KUEY 
CREAMY LINGUINE PASTA WITH PORK
HOMEMADE PASTA
HOMEMADE UDON


PIES
SHEPHERD'S PIE
WHOOPIE PIE

CNY
ALMOND COOKIES 
BAK KWA
PINEAPPLE TARTS 
CRISPY ALMOND BUTTER COOKIES 
KUIH BAHULU

ICE CREAM
HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM and CONES

 

 

WHOOPIE PIE

(recipe adapted from here)
makes around 36 cookies/18 whoopie pies

Ingredients
113gm butter, at room temperature
225gm sugar ( i used 175gm )
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
219gm all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
11/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1cup buttermilk

Cream Cheese Filling
220gm cream cheese, softened
76 gm butter, softened
250gm icing sugar ( i didnt use all )

Beat the butter and cream cheese till smooth , add in icing sugar bit by bit until you reach the desired consistency and taste. 

Method for whoopie pies: 
1. In a large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy , beat in eggs and vanilla.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of flour and 2 additions of buttermilk.

3. You can drop by tablespoons of batter onto the parchment paper, leaving 3 inches apart and bake in a preheated oven at 180C until the top is slightly crack and spring back when lightly touched, about 12-14 minutes. ( i used a piping bag to pipe the batter onto the parchment paper, i piped them round about diameter 3.5cm each ) Let them cool in a wiring rack.

4.To assemble, take a dollop of filling and sandwich between 2 cookies.

COTTON SPONGE ROLL

  

Makes one 30cm x 25cm sheet cake, roll up into approx. 20cm long roll

Ingredients:

(recipe adapted from here )

Japanese Cotton Sponge:
50g butter
55g plain flour
40ml milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 whole egg
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
80g caster sugar (I reduced to 50g)
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon hot water

Cocoa Butter Cream:
100g butter, softened (I reduced 50g)
50g pure icing sugar (I reduced 20g)
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon hot water

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 30cm x 25cm Swiss roll tin and line the base with baking paper.

2. Melt butter over gentle heat and bring to just simmering. Remove from heat and add flour all at once, whisk quickly to form a thick roux. Add milk and vanilla, whisk to combine.

3. Add whole egg and whisk until smooth. Add egg yolk one at a time and whisk in well after each addition. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, set aside.

4. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites and salt until foamy. Gradually add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until just under stiff peaks stage.

5. Fold 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture. Repeat two more times with the remaining egg white mixture.

6. Dissolve the cocoa powder in hot water in a small mixing bowl. Remove two tablespoons (or three tablespoons for closer zig-zag lines) of the sponge batter and mix into the cocoa mixture. Transfer the cocoa mixture to a small plastic freezer bag and make a small cut in one corner for piping.

7. Pour the remaining sponge batter into the prepared tin. Smooth the surface and give the tin a gentle tap on the bench to settle the batter. Pipe parallel lines of the cocoa mixture on top of the sponge batter. Then use a skewer to draw across the cocoa lines to form pattern.

8. Bake for 15 minutes at 180°C, turn heat down to 170°C and bake a further 5 minutes, or until the cake feels springy when touched lightly. (I baked at 180C for 20mins)
 
9. Remove from oven and loosen the sides of the cake from the tin. Turn out onto a tea towel immediately. Remove lining paper and let cake cool completely this way, about 20-30 minutes or until room temperature. Do not let it cool too long or the cake will lose too much moisture and crack when rolling up.

10. Cut away the hard edges from the cake. Spread Cocoa Butter Cream onto the cake. Roll up from the short side; roll as tightly as possible. A good way to roll up the cake is by placing a rolling pin at the end where you are going to start rolling (with the sheet cake still sitting on the tea towel). Fold the end of the tea towel over the rolling pin to wrap it up. Then start rolling the rolling pin forward (as you roll more of the tea towel will wrap over the pin), at the same time start rolling up the cake in front of the rolling pin. Keep rolling the pin forward until the cake if fully rolled up. Then release the rolling pin from the tea towel and now wrap the tea towel over the cake roll and leave it until the cake roll is stable before cutting and serving.

Cocoa Butter Cream:
Dissolve the cocoa powder in hot water. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in cocoa mixture.