Spring - Almond Jelly with a Twist

Cherry blossom

Cherry blossom - This creation was inspired by Wagashi dessert ( Japanese dessert ). I'm truly amazed with the unlimited possibilities of the Japanese sweet desserts art.

With canned longan

There is no special mould required.. I only used freezer bags & red food colouring. 

Here is how I shaped them. Add your choice of colours & fruits. 

Twist the bag & seal

Leave them in the fridge, serve cold.

Bon appétit !  

Chin's notes: 

1. Do not pour into the bags when the liquid is hot. Leave it cool a little before you shape. 

2. The possibilities are unlimited! :) 

Strawberry & Orange Sorbet

Yummy sorbet recipe shared by my friend Esther Tho, they are really yummy! Thank you!

2 cups of strawberries - I used 280g 

1 orange,  juiced - I used 100ml 

Sugar to taste

Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Seive out the strawberries seeds then transfer to a freezing container.  Leave in the freezer for a few hours until mixture completely frozen, scope to serving glass / bowl & serve cold. 

Bon appétit ! 

Chin's notes: 

1. I will add more strawberries in future. ;) 

Pickled Cucumbers

Joanne Lee, from SHC shared her wonderful recipe. Thank you!! They are really yummy. 

I made some adjustment to the recipe as I like them more sourish & sweet. 

Pickled Cucumber Recipe 

Ingredients 

1 large cucumber

1 tsp salt

Seasoning 

3 tbsp white vinegar 

1 tbsp sugar

2 bird eye chili / chili padi - thinly sliced

1 tsp sesame oil 

Toasted sesame seeds

Preparation steps: 

1. Clean the cucumber, halve & remove the seeds. Slice the cucumber about 1cm thick or thinner.  Put them into a large bowl. Evenly coat with salt. Leave for about 10 mins. Then drain the water accumulated. 

2. Add in all the seasoning, mix well & keep in the fridge for at least 30 mins. Mix again before serving. Serve cold. 

Voilà ! 

Chin's notes: 

1. I garnished with extra sesame seeds before serving. 

2. Do not wash the cucumber after they were seasoned with salt. If washed the cucumber will not be crunchy. Salt is to remove the excess water in the cucumber. 

Chiffon Cupcakes Again

I'm very pleased with my bake today. :) Tried the following method and it seems to give me a nicer chiffon cupcakes after they have completely cooled. 

Fill the cake mixture to about slightly more than half full in the baking liners.

Baked at 165 degree C for 20 mins then lower oven temperature to 160 degree C for another 25 mins. 

After 4hrs, the cupcakes still looks good. 

Pandan Chiffon Cake recipe: 

Ingredients 

A 

6 egg whites 

80g sugar 

1/2 tsp cream of tartar 

B 

6 egg yolks 

100g sugar 

100g plain flour 

1 tbsp pandan extract 

1/4 cup / 50g coconut milk 

1/4 cup / 50g vegetable oil 

Preparation steps: 

1. Whisk ingredients for A until stiff peak. 

2. In a separate bowl, mix well all the ingredients  for B. 

3. Gently fold mixture A into B. 

4. Transfer mixture to muffin tray lay baking liners. Fill to slightly more that 1/2 full. 

5. Bake on the lowest rack in a preheated oven at 165 degree C for 20 mins then 160 degree C for another 25mins. 

6. Remove from oven, & leave cupcakes to cool upside down on cooking rack. 

Voilá! 

Chin's notes: 

1. This is the same recipe that I used for the normal chiffon baked in the chiffon pan. 

2. For normal chiffon bake, bake for 55 mins to get the lovely crust on the side. Turn baking tin upside down for cooling. Remove cake from baking tin. Slice the cake into serving portion before serving. 

3. Other chiffon bakes 

http://fromchinshome.blogspot.fr/2014/09/earl-grey-chiffonc.html?m=1

4. These were baked in March 2015. 

I did not get the nice dome then. 

5. Added on 26 April 2015 - baked more cupcakes by halving the ingredients. I managed to get 17 cupcakes. I also got the same results with nice dome & they stays nice. 

Middle & bottom racks were used for these bakes. 

Ku-Chye Kuih ( Steamed Chinese Chives Dumplings )

Ku-Chye Kuih ( steamed Chinese chives dumplings), one of the many Nyonya's snacks that I love! 

This is my first attempt to make these. It was not difficult but a bit time consuming to make the fillings, skin & wrapping. It was worth it all for my craving!! 

I need to work on my wrapping as they broke during the steaming process. 

I followed the skin recipe from Rasa Malaysia - link below. 

http://rasamalaysia.com/chai-kueh-steamed-vegetable-dumplings/2/

Makes 30 dumplings

Ku-Chye Kuih Fillings ingredients: 

500g Chinese Chives, thinly sliced. 

6 cloves of garlic - minced 

30g dried shrimps - clean 

3 dried mushrooms - soaked & thinly sliced. 

5 water chestnuts (optional) - cut into small cubes

1 tbsp oyster sauce 

1 tsp sugar

Salt & pepper to taste 

3 tbsp vegetable cooking oil

Dumpling skins ingredients: 

165g wheat starch 

85g tapioca flour

420g hot water 

5 tbsp vegetable oil 

Preparation steps: 

1. Prepare all the ingredients. 

2. In a wok, heat up the oil, then add in the garlic. Fry until fragrant. Set aside some fried garlic for garnishing. 

3. Add the dried shrimp. Fry until the dried shrimps are fragrant , add in the mushrooms, then add in the Chinese chives.

4. Add in all the seasonings & fry until vegetable is cooked & set aside to cool. 

5. Prepare the dumpling skin, recipe & methods from Rasa Malaysia. 

6. Wrap the dumplings. 

7. Place dumplings on parchment paper on the steamer tray. Steam for 12 - 15 mins on high or until dumpling skin is translucent. 

8. Garnish with fried garlic & your favourite chili sauce. 

Bon appétit ! 

Chin notes: 

1. Take note to seal the dumplings with a bigger sealed allowance to avoid breaking of dumplings.

2. I added water chestnuts, normally water chestnuts were not added.

Added on 24 April 2015 

3. Leave about 1 to 2 cm gap between dumplings on the steaming tray. The dumpling will expand slightly.

4. They freeze quite well too. Made extra to freeze. No thawing is required, I steamed them directly out from the freezer. 

Frozen dumplings

Baileys Buttercream Icing

My first attempt in making buttercream & decided to give a little twist. Added Baileys, just enough for the alcohol to lingers in the mouth. 

Great for dressing up any chocolate/coffee cake & have the cake with a cup of coffee / tea! 

Baileys Buttercrram Icing Recipe 

Ingredients : 

250g soft butter at room temperature

250g icing sugar sifted

4 tbsp baileys

Preparation steps : 

1. Cream butter until light & fluffy in an electric mixer. 

2. Add the icing sugar & baileys, give it a bit of stir with a spatula before you start the machine to prevent the icing sugar flying all over. 

3. Cream until light & fluffy. 

Voilà!

Fried Rice Noodles

Fried rice noodles ( char bee hoon ) for today's lunch. Someone mentioned that anything cooked with Thai fish sauce will be yummy. Yes, indeed they are yummy noodles. 

Fried Rice noodles : 

1 packet of rice noodles - persoaked with cool water until soft - drained & set aside 

200g fried fish cake, thinly sliced

4 cloves of garlic - minced

Thumb size ginger - thinly sliced

Vegetables of choice - I prefer cabbage / bak choi 

Dried enchovies - fried until golden brown with some oil & set aside. 

Thai fish sauce to taste. 

Preparation steps: 

1. Use the oil for from frying the enchovies. Heat up the oil & add in the garlic & ginger. Fry until fragrant the add the fish cake. Fry a little while. 

2. Add in the vegetables & fry until almost cook. Add in the noodle , add seasoning & mix well. Add some water, close the lid & let it simmer a few mins. Check if noodles is cook & fry a few more minutes to mix it well. 

3. Dish out & garnish with fried enchovies, spring onions & cut chili with light soya sauce / sambal. 

Bon appétit !

Chin's notes: 

1. Pre-fried some omelettes & sliced them thinly. Great for garnishing. 

2. Alternative sunny side up egg will be perfect too. 

3. I like to use the oil from frying the enchovies because the give the noodles more flavours.