NIGELLA'S OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE

Ingredients :
(Recipe adapted from here)
Makes about 8 slices (or about 12 cupcakes).
For the cake
- 200g plain flour
- 200g caster sugar (I reduced to 140g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 40g best quality cocoa (I used Valrhona for best results)
- 175g soft unsalted butter
- 2 large eggs (or 3 medium eggs like I did)
- 2 tsp real vanilla extract
- 150ml sour cream

For the icing (I skipped this)
- 75g unsalted butter
- 175g best quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (I used Valrhona Caraïbe 66%)
- 300g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp golden syrup (this gives the lovely sheen to the icing, but it is optional, in my opinion)
- 125ml sour cream
- 1 tsp real vanilla extract

Source from the video here which is made in a cake form.

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.