recipes info

oil-free chocolate banana muffins

2015-06-23T08:09:00.000-07:00

This is my second attempt at baking these oil free chocolate banana muffins. In fact, I made them before baking the oil-free chocolate chiffon cake which I posted earlier. The first attempt was not that successful as the texture of the muffins was a little dense with a slight kueh-like texture.

I am not sure whether I had deflated the batter or was it due to the type of cocoa powder I used. I had ran out of Valrhona dutch processed cocoa powder so I used natural cocoa powder.

I tried making these muffins again right after I got hold of the Valrhona cocoa powder. The second batch turns out really well.

Unlike the usual muffin-method or creaming method, the batter is prepared just like making a sponge cake, that is, beating whole eggs with sugar before adding the liquid and flour mixture.

These delicious muffins were soft and moist even though they were made without any oil. As stated in the cookbook, 好吃不发胖低卡甜点, each muffin is 132 kcal compared to 197 kcal for a similar one made with oil. Once again this recipe shows that it is possible to enjoy homemade goodies which are lower in calories without having to compromise on the taste and texture.

Oil-free Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients:
(makes 8)

100g cake flour
30g cocoa powder (I used dutch-processed valrhona cocoa powder)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, room temperature
70g caster sugar (I used 60g)
150g banana, mashed
50ml milk (I used low fat fresh milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum

Method:

Sieve together cake flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Sieve the flour mixture twice and set it aside.
Place eggs and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer, whisk the mixture at medium-high speed till it becomes thick, pale and triple in volume. This should take about 5 to 6 mins. The batter should leave a ribbon like trail when the whisk/paddle is lifted. Turn to low speed, and beat for another 1~2 mins. This is to stablise the air bubbles in the batter.
Add in the mashed banana and Fold in with a spatula.
Add in the milk, vanilla extract and rum (do not pour in one spot, instead, gently drizzle over to prevent from deflating the batter). Fold in with a spatula, do not stir.
Sieve over the flour mixture in 3 separate additions. Each time Fold in the flour carefully with a spatula, making sure there is no pockets of flour being trapped at the bottom of the bowl. Do not stir the batter with the spatula, it will cause the batter to deflate.
Spoon batter into paper muffin cups to about 90% full.
Bake in preheated oven at 180 degC for 15mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out almost clean.

Recipe source: adapted from 好吃不发胖低卡甜点 by 茨木くみ子

oil-free chocolate chiffon cake

2015-06-13T01:51:00.000-07:00

怎么可能?!
无添加奶油 &油还是一样好吃?!

This is the subtitle of a cookbook, which means, 'How could that be possible?! It still tastes as good without adding butter or oil?!'

When my baking friend showed me her oil free chocolate banana muffins made following a recipe from this cookbook, 好吃不发胖低卡甜点 (loosely translated as: delicious low-calories desserts), I got really interested.

I bookmarked a few recipes and one of the first few I tried is this Chocolate Chiffon cake. The ingredients list is typical of a basic chiffon cake recipe, the only difference is, there is no oil in the list. There are no other special ingredients other than the usual eggs, sugar, flour and liquid.

Whenever I make a chiffon cake, I would usually prepare the egg yolk batter first using a manual balloon whisk before beating the egg whites with an electric handheld mixer. The instructions for this recipe however differ from my usual method as is it necessary to use the electric mixer to beat the egg yolks. Without having to wash the whisks/beaters of the mixer, the egg whites are first beaten before preparing the yolk batter. Hence, it is important to get ready the necessary ingredients so that the yolk batter can be prepared quickly, otherwise, the beaten egg whites may probably deflate if left aside for too long.

Other than the sequence, the rest is quite straight forward. Yet, I made a hiccup while preparing the egg whites. I over beat the whites, just slightly, but it still affected the finished product! What a major no no, and really unforgivable for someone who bakes chiffon cakes so regularly. I learned not to take things too easy or for granted, even if I am very familiar with the process.

Since I over beat the egg whites, I deflated the batter while folding the whites to the yolk batter. The finished batter was still thick but it could only fill up the pan to just 3/4 full. The cake didn't turn out as tall but fortunately, the texture was not really affected. Even without the use of any oil, the cake was still moist, soft and fluffy. If someone were to give me this cake to try, I would never be able to detect that it was made without oil. The only tell tale sign is that there wasn't any oil stain on the doily paper which I used to line the cake. Another thing I noticed is, the cake was a little more difficult to unmold, or is it just me?

The book states that 1/8 of this 17cm cake has got 113 kcal compared to 180 kcal for a similar chocolate chiffon made with oil, lower calories without compromising on the taste and texture. I used valrhona cocoa powder which lends the cake a richer and intense cocoa flavour. The cocoa powder also gives the cake a deep mahogany color. The pictures I took show a lighter shade as I had to adjust the brightness and contrast as the original images were too dark. I also took the liberty to add in some rum besides the pure vanilla extract. This recipe is a keeper and it will be my go-to chocolate chiffon cake from now on.

Oil free Chocolate Chiffon Cake (无油巧克力戚风蛋糕)

Ingredients:
(makes one 17cm cake)

4 egg whites (I used eggs with 55g net weight)
45g caster sugar

4 egg yolks (I used eggs with 55g net weight)
25g caster sugar
60ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum (optional)
55g cake flour
20g cocoa powder (I used dutch-processed valrhona cocoa powder)

Method:

Sieve flour and cocoa powder, set aside.
Get ready all other ingredients.
Preheat oven to 180 degC.
In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric handheld mixer on low speed until mixture becomes frothy and foamy. Add half of the sugar and turn to high speed and beat the mixture. Continue to add in the remaining sugar mixture and beat until the egg whites reaches the soft peak stage. The soft peak stage is reached when the peaks of the whites curl over and droop slightly. The egg whites should appear smooth and glossy. Set aside. (Do not over beat the whites still stiff, it is better to beat the whites still soft peaks for easy folding with the yolk batter.)
Place egg yolks and sugar in another mixing bowl. With the electric handheld mixer (Note: it is not necessary to wash the beaters/whisks after beating the egg whites), beat the mixture on low speed until it turns pale and thick. Add in milk, vanilla extract and rum (if using), beat on low speed to combine. Sieve over the flour and cocoa powder, beat on low speed till the flour is fully incorporated. (Note: prepare all ingredients in advance to allow this step to be done fairly quickly so that the beaten egg whites will not be left aside for too long.)
Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk batter in 3 separate additions, each time folding gently with a spatula (I prefer to use a balloon whisk) until just blended.
Pour batter into a 17cm chiffon tube pan(do not grease the pan). Tap the pan lightly on a table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.
Place chiffon pan in middle rack of oven. Bake at 180 degC for 30 mins. Remove from oven and invert the pan immediately, let cool completely before unmould. To remove the cake from the pan, run a thin-bladed knife around the inside of the pan and the center core. Release the cake and run the knife along the base of the pan to remove the cake.

Recipe source: adapted from 好吃不发胖低卡甜点 by 茨木くみ子

Pork Floss and Sesame Seeds Cookies

2015-06-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

I am on a baking spree since the beginning of the June school holidays, making cakes and cookies for my children to enjoy as they are spending more time at home.

This pork floss with seaweed and sesame cookies recipe is a breeze to prepare. The cookie dough is made using rubbing in method, there is no creaming or beating of butter required. The dough is easy to work with as it is not too soft nor sticky.

These savoury cookies turn out really well...light, crisp that taste buttery and very fragrant. It is a nice change to the usual chocolate chip butter cookies and are great as snacks to be enjoyed at anytime of the day.

Pork Floss and Sesame Seeds Cookies

Ingredients:
(makes about 35 cookies)

260g plain flour
25g icing sugar
120g unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons pork floss with seaweed
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:

Sieve flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl.
With a fork (or use fingertips), cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add in pork floss, sesame seeds and salt. Mix with hand to combine.
Make a well in the centre and add in the lightly beaten egg. Mix and gather the mixture to form a shaggy mass. Give it a few light kneading so that it comes together to form a smooth dough.
Flatten the dough to form a disk. Wrap in cling wrap or a place it in a plastic bag and leave to chill in the fridge for about 30 mins. (If the dough is left in the fridge for too long, it will harden, if this happens, leave it in room temperature for a few mins until it is soft enough to roll out.)
When ready, roll out dough to about 5m thick between 2 sheets of cut-out plastic bags (or use two sheets of parchment paper).
Cut out cookie dough with cookie cutter and transfer to baking trays lined with parchment paper. Leave a space of about 1" in between each cookie dough. Gather up the scrape and re-roll to make more cookies.
Bake in preheated oven at 180 degC for about 20-25 mins until the cookies turn light golden brown.
Remove the cookies from the oven and leave on the baking trays for 2 ~ 3mins (to allow the cookies to firm up a little) before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in air tight container.

Recipe source: adapted from Little Bear's Kitchen

Steamed Tofu with Egg 嫩豆腐蒸蛋

2015-05-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

I have recently started on the road to a healthier lifestyle, being more mindful of what I put in my mouth and exercise more regularly. I am watching my diet, making sure I increase my protein and fibre intake, but lower carb and reduce fat and sugar intake. Since young, my diet is mainly high in carb, low protein, low fibre. I am a rice, noodles, bread person, so it is quite challenging to plan my meals to cater to my diet and the rest of the family.

I came across this Steamed Tofu with Egg recipe from a book on eating well and weight loss programme. It is such a simple dish and rather similar to the usual steamed tofu and egg I have prepared. The only difference is, this recipe uses only egg whites and I have never tried steaming tofu with mushrooms. This dish is high in protein with the tofu and egg whites and yet low in calories. There is no oil and salt is the only seasoning used.

Since I cook this dish for my family, I replaced the egg whites with whole egg (and I do not want to have any leftover egg yolks). I have also used more tofu since the blocks of tofu available here usually come in 300g packs.

The original recipe is meant for a weight loss programme and the dish can be served along with some brown rice. I served it for my family of four as a side dish instead. This is a simple and healthy dish that is enjoyed by everyone in my family, especially my elder son. I am rather surprised that he likes this as he has quite a well developed palate. This dish has now become our new regular on our dining table :)

Steamed Tofu with Egg 嫩豆腐蒸蛋

Ingredients:
(serves 4 as a side dish)

200g silken tofu (I used 300g which is 1 block of tofu)
2 egg whites (I used 1 whole egg)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (according to taste)
1 shiitake mushroom (fresh or dried)
1 red chili, sliced
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds (I used white)

Method:

Wash and cut fresh shiitake mushroom into slices (presoak dried shiitake mushroom if using).
Mash silken tofu with a folk. Add in lightly beaten egg/egg whites.
Add salt, mushroom slices, chili slices and sesame seeds. Mix to combine.
Place mixture in serving dish and steam at high heat for 10mins. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds, ground black pepper (optional), before serving.

Recipe source: adapted from 吃三天瘦一圈 by 李承桓

Luo Han Guo with Lotus Roots dessert 罗汉果莲藕甜汤

2015-05-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a few months since I last updated my blog...it feels good to be able to sit down and post something today.

I bookmarked this luo han guo with lotus root dessert ever since my blogging pal Sherlyn gave me a cookbook filled with delicious dessert recipes. As usual, I procrastinated and eventually forgot about it. It is only when the weather is getting so hot and warm that this recipe came to my mind.

This dessert soup is very simple to prepare as there are only 3 ingredients...lotus root, lou han guo and some red dates. These three ingredients are packed with nutritional values and are known for their wide range of health benefits. There is no sugar added to this soup as the lou han guo is naturally very sweet. I bought the lotus root from the wet market, those which are sold covered in mud. I think this type of lotus root is better as it is more fresh and crunchy.

This healthy dessert soup helps to remove heatiness and moisten the lungs. Besides the health benefits, it is a delightful, fragrant and sweet dessert that can be enjoyed warm, hot or chilled.

Luo Han Guo with Lotus Roots dessert 罗汉果莲藕甜汤

Ingredients:
(serves 4)

2 luo han guo fruits (I used only 1 fruit)
1 large section of lotus roots
6 cups (1.5 litres) of water
10 red dates

Method:

Rinse and soak the red dates in some water for about 15 mins.
Rinse and crack the luo han guo.
Wash and peel the lotus roots. Cut into slices (about 5mm thick).
Fill pot with 6 cups of water, add in the luo han guo and red dates, bring to boil. Cover, turn to Low heat and leave to simmer for about 20 mins.
Add in the lotus roots, bring to boil and leave to simmer on Low heat for about 15 mins.
Serve hot, warm or chilled (let cool and leave to chill in the fridge before serving).

Recipe source: 甜蜜食堂, 贝太厨房

Easy Minecraft Birthday Cake

2015-02-27T12:46:00.000-08:00

If you have elementary-aged children, you know about Minecraft. Okay, that's not true at all. I know nothing about Minecraft, but many of my kids' friends do. And this birthday cake was for one of them.

What You Need:
Square Cake (This is two layers of 8" square)
Chocolate Ganache Icing (2 cups)
Buttercream Icing (1-2 cups) - colored dark green

Click Here to Read More>>

Yoghurt Soufflé Cake

2015-02-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

Chanced upon this 酸奶蛋糕 yoghurt cake from a Chinese website when I googled for a recipe to use up the two small tubs of yoghurt before they expire.

As mentioned in several Chinese blog posts, the finished cake resembles a Japanese souffle cheesecake. This is something rather 'unusual' from a usual 'yoghurt cake'...which tends to be more dense and butter cake-like.

The cake batter is prepared using the separate eggs method, very much like a chiffon cake and is baked in a water bath just like a Japanese cottony soft cheesecake.

Whipping up the cake was a breeze as the recipe calls for only a few pantry staples plus I am so familiar with making chiffon cakes. Yet, there was a major or minor (depending on how one views it) hiccup after I sent the cake into the oven.

I have set the oven temperature to 170 degC and for the first 30 minutes all went well and the cake rose and domed nicely just over the rim of the pan. However, very soon after that, the cake kept rising and expanding until the top erupted like a volcano! I immediately turned down the temperature to 150 degC but the damage was already done. I left the cake to continue baking and before the baking time was up, it looked more like a tall and gorgeous prosperous huat cake (^_^"). From my previous experience with baking souffle cheesecakes, I should have baked it at 150~160 degC instead.

Thank goodness, once I retrieved the cake from the oven, the exploded top started to close up. Upon cooling, the top sank and I was left with a souffle cheesecake-like cake with a crackly crust, lol. It is definitely a flawed cake but I have learned not to be too obsessed with baking the perfect cake. In the past I would have deemed this as a major let down but I am now able to take things easy and minor hiccups like this wouldn't bother me as much.

The texture of the cake is just like a souffle cheesecake although the tight and compact crumbs makes it look more like a Chinese traditional kueh.

I wouldn't use the adjective delicious to describe this cake. It tastes light and tender very much like a healthier version of a souffle cheesecake without the cream cheese flavour. The next time I were to bake this, I would probably jazz it up with some lemon or orange zest. The yoghurt lends the cake a very slight tangy flavour making it a refreshing dessert especially after it is left to chilled for a few hours in the fridge. This recipe will be a keeper, there is no doubt that I will grab it whenever I need to use up my yoghurt :)

Yoghurt Soufflé Cake 舒芙蕾酸奶蛋糕

Ingredients:
(makes one 7" cake)

200g plain yoghurt (I used marigold's plain low fat yoghurt)
48g vegetable oil (I used canola/sunflower seed oil)
4 egg yolks (I used eggs with net weight of 55g)
40g cake flour
24g corn flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg whites (I used eggs with net weight of 55g)
70g caster sugar (original recipe calls for 80g)

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degC.
Line the base and sides of a 7" round cake pan(fixed base) with parchment paper, set aside. (Note: it is not necessary to grease or line the sides of the pan).
Sieve together cake flour and corn flour, set aside.
Place vegetable oil in a mixing bowl. Add yoghurt and whisk with a balloon whisk to combine.
Add egg yolks, one at a time, whisk to combine.
Sieve over the flour mixture, whisk to combine. Small lumps may form once the flour is added, whisk the batter gently till there are no lumps.
Add vanilla extract, whisk to combine.
In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on low speed until mixture becomes frothy and foamy. Add half of the sugar and turn to medium-high speed and beat the mixture. Continue to add in the remaining sugar mixture in separate additions and beat until the egg whites reaches the soft peak stage.The soft peak stage is reached when the peaks of the whites curl over and droop slightly. Turn to low speed and beat for another 1 to 2 mins (this helps to stabilise the air bubbles).
Add the beaten egg whites to the yolk mixture in 3 separate additions, each time fold with a rubber spatula (I prefer to use a balloon whisk) until just blended.
Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan lightly on a table top to get rid of any trapped air bubbles in the batter.
Place cake pan in a deep baking tray. Fill the baking tray with hot water (the water should rise up to about 1 inch of the cake pan).
Place on the lowest rack of the oven and bake at 160 degC for 60 mins. (Note: every oven works differently, lower the temperature by another 10 degC if the cake rise and expands too quickly or if the top starts to crack).
Remove cake pan from oven and immediately drop the pan at a height of 20~30cm onto the table top. This helps to prevent the cake from shrinking upon cooling. Unmould the cake immediately. To unmold, place a large plate or baking sheet on top of the cake pan, invert the cake pan onto the plate/baking sheet. Remove the cake pan and the parchment paper on the base and sides of the cake (Note: do use oven mitten as the cake pan will be very hot). Next, place a cooling rack on the base of the cake, invert the cake right side up onto the cooling rack and leave to cool completely. Leave the cake to chill in the fridge for about 2 to 3 hours, best overnight, before serving.

Recipe source: adapted from here.

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

2015-02-11T08:44:00.000-08:00

Looking for a sweet gift idea for your Valentine? I'm here to help!

S'Mores Toffee Bark

Wild About You Cupcakes

Cream Cheese Mints

Click Here to Read More>>

Weekly Meal Plan

2015-02-08T19:28:00.000-08:00

I don't have any pics this week, but some yummy meals!

Monday-We had Chicken Stuffed Peppers. There are always a favorite around here!

Tuesday-Stuffed Shells from Skinny Taste

I haven't made these in awhile, but they are yummy! And it made enough for leftovers, too!

Wednesday-Leftover stuffed shells

Thursday- Green Chile Chicken Oven Baked Tacos

These are delicious and SUPER easy!

Friday-Pizza! ;)

Saturday- Out to eat

Sunday- We had these ravioli. Hudson (us, too) loves these!

S'mores Toffee Bark {Recipe}

2015-02-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

This recipe is amazing.
I found it in the Busy in Brooklyn blog a few months ago when making a special S'mores treat for my sister's wedding festivities. I changed it just a little, as I like a little more s'moresy goodness on top.

I highly recommend making it only when you have somewhere to take it, or you may end up eating the entire batch all alone! It is also called "S'Mores Crack," and for good reason!

What You Need:
2 sleeves honey graham crackers
2 sticks (1 cup) butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips
2-4 cups mini marshmallows

Click Here to Read More>>

Weekly Meal Plan

2015-02-02T11:41:00.000-08:00

Meal planning is going well, so far! We had some yummy meals this week!

Monday- I made Beagle Bagel chicken salad! This is a restaurant from Jackson that I miss so much! This recipe tastes so close to it! I served it with crackers and fruit.

Definitely not the best picture! But this stuff is AMAZING!

Tuesday- Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

This was pretty good. I definitely wouldn't rate it as my favorite, but it was easy and filling so it's likely I'll make it again. I served it on top of brown rice and I also added more pineapples.

Wednesday-Spicy Sausage Pasta

This was the hit of the week! I've heard everyone talk about the full fat version of this recipe, so I was excited to try this lighter version. It was delicious! Trey and I both loved it. Plus, it made enough for leftovers, too, which I wasn't anticipating!

Thursday- Leftover Spicy Sausage Pasta

This was even good as a leftover!

Friday- Pizza night

Saturday-We typically go out on Saturdays, but it was cold and rainy so we stayed home. I made nachos.

Sunday-Gnocchi

I haven't been able to find gnocchi in forever, so I was glad to have this. Easy, yummy, and filling!

Guinness Chocolate Chunk Cheesecake with Pretzel Crust {Recipe}

2015-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

My hubby is a chocoholic. For his birthday, it's always a challenge to come up with something new that is chocolatey enough for him.This year, brainstorming brought me this...

A chocolate cheesecake with Guinness, chocolate chunks and a pretzel crumb crust.

What You Need:
For the Crust:
4 cups of pretzels to crush, or approx. 3 cups crushed pretzel crumbs.
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (melted)

For the Cheesecake:
3- 8 oz. packages of cream cheese (at room temperature)
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
1/2 cup sour cream (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (6 oz.) Guinness -or similar- beer
3/4 cup (6 oz.) melted semi-sweet chocolate
3 Tbsp. flour or 2 Tbsp. corn starch
Optional: 3/4 cup chocolate chunks

For the Chocolate Ganache Swirl:
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (4 oz.) semisweet chocolate

Click Here to Read More>>

Weekly Meal Plan

2015-01-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

Monday- We ate out since it was a holiday!

Tuesday- Slow Cooker Chicken Gyros

These turned out so yummy! I used pita pockets and this cucumber dill dip for the sauce. I served it with a Greek salad!

Wednesday- I had planned to make Doritos Taco Salads, but I didn't have enough lettuce. So, I improvised and just kind of made something up! It ended up being pretty good and was filling.

I cooked ground beef and added black beans and a jar of salsa. I layered Doritos on the bottom of the casserole dish. Then, I added the meat mixtures. Topped with shredded cheese and then more crushed Doritos. Bake for about 20 minutes. I served it with brown rice, so it ended up being kind of like a burrito bowl.

Thursday- I made Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup. This was pretty good! It was my first time making this. I did have to add about 1/2 cup of flour at the end to thicken it up a bit. I didn't serve anything with this and I think if I made it again I would make a panini or baked potato with it!

Friday-Like usual, was pizza night! Again, we had Papa Murphy's deLite pizza.

Saturday- We love going out to eat on Saturdays!

Weekly Meal Plan

2015-01-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try to start posting the meals we've eaten each week in an effort to help me with meal planning! So, here's what we ate last week!

Monday- Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili from SkinnyTaste

This was SOOO good! Definitely will make this again! We topped it with sour cream, cheese, and a few Fritos! It made great leftovers, too!

Tuesday-leftovers

Wednesday- I had Bunco! So, no cooking for me!

Thursday- Shrimp and Grits

This has been a new dish that I've made the last two weeks and it's delicious and easy!

I just use the Five Minute grits. I cook them in the microwave and when they are finished I add a tablespoon of butter and 1 cup of cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and combined. Then, I use frozen precooked shrimp that I've thawed. I heat up a little butter and garlic in the skillet on medium. Then, I toss the shrimp for a bit. Not too long, since they're already cooked. Then, top the grits with the shrimp! That's it! It's so yummy!

Friday- Pretty much always pizza night! Lately, we've been getting Papa Murphy's deLite cheese pizza because it's so much healthier and it's really yummy!

Saturday- Out

Sunday-Breakfast

I made chocolate chip banana muffins, omelets, and bacon.

I even had a cute sous chef for these! :)

I try to use the same pattern each week. This makes planning a lot easier!

Monday-Thursday: cook, leftovers at least one day

Friday- Pizza

Saturday- out

Sunday- some type of breakfast for dinner

an easy crowd pleaser

2015-01-17T21:54:00.000-08:00

I made these easy muffins for my younger child's school outing yesterday. He was supposed to bring sandwiches but we would need to be out the whole morning, I thought it was not a good idea to let sandwiches go without refrigeration for hours especially in hot weather. Upon checking with the organisers, he told me it would be ok to bring muffins instead.

I would love to bake a batch of our favourite blueberry muffins but I decided to opt for a guaranteed crowd pleaser...chocolate-chocolate chips muffins :)

Most chocolate flavoured muffin recipes which I have came across seem to use quite a substantial amount of sugar and fat. I believe they would yield really moist and rich chocolate crumbs, but I prefer something lighter and yet taste as moist and chocolatey. I played around with my usual 'go-to' muffin recipe, substituting a few tablespoons of the flour with cocoa powder and used an extra tablespoon of sugar so that the muffins wouldn't turn out too bitter-sweet.

The result was indeed very satisfactory. The muffins turn out moist and tender despite using less sugar and oil. I guess the yoghurt really works wonders as a great substitute for butter and oil in baking muffins and cakes. The sweetness was just right for us and I love the chocolatey flavour which was further enhanced by the chocolate chips. Just like any easy muffin recipes, these muffins took me no time to prepare. The most important thing was, I didn't have to worry about my boy returning home with a box of leftovers ;)

Double Chocolate Chips Muffins

Ingredients:
(makes 15 small muffins)

240g plain yoghurt (I used low fat yoghurt)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons canola or corn oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
230g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
120g* caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
50g~60g mini chocolate chips

*note: use extra 1~2 tablespoons more sugar if you prefer it to be sweeter

Method:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yoghurt, lightly beaten egg, oil, vanilla extract until just combined.
Sieve flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into another mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt and whisk to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir only until the ingredients are just combined. Do Not over mix. (Note: stop stirring once the flour incorporates into the batter, but do check that there is no pockets of flour at the bottom of the bowl).
Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Do Not over mix the batter. The finished batter should appear thick and lumpy.
Spoon batter into paper muffin cups, fill it to about 3/4 full.
Bake in preheated oven at 190degC for about 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with a few crumbs or almost clean (do not over bake). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Learn to Decorate Cakes in 2015!

2014-12-31T08:01:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! How about a fun New Year's Resolution you'll enjoy?! Learn to Decorate Cakes this year. I just happen to have many, many classes that will help you to do just that!

WILTON CAKE DECORATING CLASSES

You can join me any month at the Hobby Lobby in Woodbury for Wilton Cake Decorating classes.
Wilton classes are taught all over the country, and are really a great place to start if you are a home decorator. You learn all of the basics of cake decorating, cupcake decorating, icing and more!

Upcoming Class Dates:
Tuesday evenings in January - Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27
Wednesday evenings in February - Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25
Thursday evenings in March - Mar. 5, 12, 19, 26
Sign Up at the Hobby Lobby Store (9895 Hudson Road Woodbury, MN 55125)

COMMUNITY EDUCATION CAKE DECORATING CLASSES

If you don't have four weeknights in a row, I also teach one-time cake and cupcake classes through Community Education. If you click the date/school, it will take you to the registration page for that class.

Click Here to Read More>>

Pan Goop - Copycat 'Cake Release'

2014-12-17T18:00:00.000-08:00

This is the best, easiest, quickest, cheapest gift for the baker in your life.
It's called "pan goop." I found it on another baking blog when I ran out of my favorite, Wilton's Cake Release, and I needed something to grease my cake pans with.

This stuff is a-maz-ing! It works perfectly, and it's SO easy and cheap to make.

What You Need:
1 cup shortening
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup flour

Click Here to Read More>>

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix {Recipe}

2014-12-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

My boys and I made these homemade hot cocoa gifts for their teachers this year. Just because I thought they needed it, I also threw in a mini bottle of schnapps to flavor their cocoa. They work with second graders all day. They deserve it!

What You Need:
1 cup Hershey's Cocoa Powder
1 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Pinch of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

* Note: You could use all of the original Hershey's unsweetened cocoa, and you may cut back about 1/2 cup of the sugar.

Click Here to Read More>>

Orange and peach yoghurt cake

2014-12-10T18:01:00.000-08:00

Here's sharing with you an easy to prepare, moist and delicious orange flavoured yoghurt cake which I made using my Bosch Maxomixx hand blender set. This simple cake is made with basic baking ingredients that are readily available and it takes no time to whip up.

I topped the cake with peach slices which makes the cake a delightful and refreshing treat that pairs well with a hot cup of tea especially on a cold, gloomy afternoon.

Its sunny disposition brightens up my morning and it is pleasing to the eyes as it is to the palate...

the golden crumbs tastes tangy and sweet while the scent of the orange makes one feels joyful...what a great way to kick start the day.

The batter is prepared using the creaming method, that is, beating butter with sugar to incorporate air into the batter. The batter will turn pale, increase in volume and become light and fluffy. I usually leave the butter to soften in room temperature (which is around 28-30 degC) for 15 to 20mins. During this time, I will gather and prepare the rest of the ingredients. The butter should be firm and easily leaves an imprint when you press a finger into it. It is important not to leave the butter out for too long especially if the weather is hot, if the butter appears greasy or becomes too soft, it will not be able to hold too much air or give as much volume when creamed with sugar. As a result, the cake may not rise that well during baking.

The next step is whisking in the eggs. Patience is key. Add the eggs in several portions and whisk well each time it is added. Adding eggs too much at a time will cause the batter to curdle. Using room temperature eggs will also help to prevent curdling. If the batter starts to curdle, add some flour to the mixture to stop it from curdling. Do not try to continue to whisk a curdled batter as it will make worst.

Due to the 'runny' consistency of beaten eggs, I tend to pour too much eggs into the batter. However, with a hand held whisk, I can prevent curdling as I could easily manoeuvre the whisk over the batter so as to incorporate the eggs a little at a time. The balloon whisk attachment of the Bosch hand blender works like a charm. If the butter is still too cold or too firm, I could use the turbo button or pulse function to beat the mixture as it provides more power. The balloon whisk is also much easier to clean as compared to the paddles of my handheld electric mixer.

The final steps involved whisking in some orange juice and zest, followed by flour and yoghurt. I added the flour alternate with the yoghurt to prevent curdling and also for easier mixing.

The finished batter could fill up slightly more than half the height of my 7 inch round pan.

The cake rose beautifully and the crust baked to a nice golden hue.

The texture of this zesty cake is tender and moist, smells good and is full of orange flavour. Everyone in my family loves it. It is going to be another great add-on to my baking repertoire, something which I will turn to whenever I feel like baking on a whim :)

Orange and Peach Yoghurt Cake

Ingredients:
(makes one 7" cake)

150g unsalted butter, cut into cubes (leave to soften at room temperature for about 15~20mins)
120g caster sugar
2 medium sized eggs, lightly beaten (about 100g without shell)
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
200g cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
120g plain yoghurt
some canned peach slices

Method:

Grease the sides of a 7" round pan with some butter, dust with flour. Line the base with parchment paper, set aside.
Cut canned peaches into 8 slices. Rinse, drain and pat dry with paper towel, set aside.
Sift cake flour and baking powder together, set aside.
Place butter in a mixing bowl. Using the Bosch MaxoMixx hand blender with the whisk attachment, whisk the butter using speed 8 for about 1 minute. Add in the caster sugar, whisk until the batter becomes pale, creamy and fluffy (takes about 2 mins). Stop in between to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.
Add in the beaten eggs in a few separate additions, whisk well each time the eggs is added.
Add in the orange juice and orange zest, whisk to combine.
Sift in half of the cake flour/baking powder mixture. With a spatula, stir until the flour mixture is incorporated into the batter.
Add in the yoghurt, stir with spatula until just incorporated.
Sift in the rest of the flour mixture, stir until flour mixture is just incorporated into the batter. Do not over mix. Scrape down the sides and the base of the mixing bowl to make sure there is no residual flour mixture.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Spread and smoothen the top with the spatula. Arrange peach slices on top.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180deg for 50-55 mins till the top turns golden brown or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven, let cool slightly for about 10mins. Run a knife along the sides of the pan (use oven mitten as the pan will still be hot). Invert the pan onto a plate or baking tray. Remove the pan and the parchment paper on the base of the cake. Place cake right side up on a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving, optional. The cake can be stored in room temperature for a day, any leftovers can be stored in the fridge, let the cake returns to room temperature before serving.

just one bowl

2014-11-28T07:34:00.000-08:00

I serve this simple rice bowl dish whenever my children are home for lunch especially during the school holidays. It is something that can be put together in a jiffy as my mornings tend to be shorter during this time of the year. We have the luxury to sleep in, unlike during the school terms we do not have to start our day at the crack of dawn.

My children are not fussy when it comes to home-cooked food...they will finish whatever I prepare for them. They like their greens, can take spicy food and have no issues with brown or multi grain rice. It is a different story when it comes to eating out though. When they are given options, they can make things difficult.

The stir-fried pork slices was marinated with ready-made sauce (I used CJ Bibigo Korean bbq marinate and cooking sauces) which makes cooking convenient and quick. While my children like the sweet and savory flavour, I prefer to use a combination of two sauces, its original and hot and spicy sauce for that extra kick. The sauce doesn't make the dish too salty and certainly lends it a better flavour, something which I am (a lousy cook) not able to replicate by using soya sauce, salt or sugar.

From the photo, somehow, the broccoli looks raw, but the florets were actually blanched till fork tender. The open secret to make blanched vegetables stay green is to add some salt to the water that is used to boil the vegetables.

I liked to serve this dish with Gim (laver dried seaweed) a type of crispy, roasted Korean seaweed that goes really well with rice. It is also a great dinner option on days when we would rather have a lighter evening meal, or occasionally when I only have to set the table for two...which I believe will become the norm in time to come...

fuss free comforting soup

2014-11-23T22:03:00.000-08:00

As the weather gets cooler during this rainy season, my thoughts turn to warming stews, porridge and soups. With my kitchen helper the Bosch MaxoMixx hand blender set, I am now able to make thick, creamy soup with great ease.

I have been making this fuss free Pumpkin soup ever since I store the handy MaxoMixx hand blender in my kitchen drawer, alongside with my daily cooking utensils. This handheld device is indeed so much easier to clean, store and retrieve than a stand blender. Besides blending soup, it is very convenient for making smoothies as I can use it to purée fruits right inside the serving cup.

This pumpkin recipe calls for just a few basic ingredients which is readily available at the local supermarkets. The soup is quick and easy to put together with just a few simple steps. To reduce the cooking time, I cut the pumpkin into thin slices instead of cooking them in chunks. The most difficult part of preparing this soup is 'peeling' or removing the skin of the pumpkin (^^!)

It takes only about a couple of minutes to cook the onions and not more than 5 minutes to cook the pumpkin till soft...

and under a minute to purée the mixture till smooth...

Fresh milk is added to lend it a nice creamy flavour and it is a healthier option than to use thickened cream or double cream.

The soup is ready when it starts to simmer and comes to a full boil. Season with a pinch of salt and some pepper and it is all ready to be served.

This warm and comforting pumpkin soup is really delicious. The soup is thick and yet doesn't taste rich or greasy. Nothing beats a bowl of hearty homemade soup that is pleasing to the palate and enjoyed by both young and old in the family.

Easy Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:
(serves 2)

600g pumpkin
25g yellow onions, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh milk
pinch of salt
pepper

Method:

Peel and deseed pumpkin, cut into thin slices.
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Cook the chopped onions on low heat for about 1 to 2 mins, until soft.
Add the sliced pumpkins and give it a few quick stir. Add in the water and bring to a boil. Leave to simmer for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally until the pumpkin turns soft.
Turn off the heat. Using the Bosch MaxoMixx hand blender, purée the pumpkin using speed 4 until the mixture becomes well blended.
Turn to medium-low heat and add in the milk, stir to combine. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Serve with croutons or pumpkin seeds or crusty bread.

Pumpkin Treat Roundup

2014-11-21T08:45:00.000-08:00

Looking to 'spice up' the Thanksgiving table with something other than the traditional pumpkin pie?
Here's a collection of pumpkin-inspired recipes and ideas that you can make to impress your holiday guests.

Pumpkin Cake Pops Many, Many Ways

Pumpkin Cheesecake Streusel Bars

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Amazing Cream Cheese Icing

Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake

Pretty Pumpkin Cake

Apricot Soufflé Cheesecake

2014-11-14T21:19:00.000-08:00

Whenever I start harboring thoughts of giving up blogging altogether, all I needed to do was to try something new(to me)...be it a new ingredient, a new baking method or a new recipe.

I happened to come across this Apricot Soufflé Cheesecake recipe from a cookbook which I borrowed from the library(the second time) and somehow it caught my attention this time...I have no memories of it when I first borrowed the same book a couple of years back (^^")

There is nothing new in this recipe...there is no new ingredients since I have already tried baking with apricots. There is no new baking method involved as the preparation is similar to baking a chiffon cake. The only new things I could think of is the combination of apricots with cheesecake, and baking cheesecakes in ramekins.

The cheesecake rose beautifully, well above the rims of the ramekins while they were in the oven. They started sinking as I left them to cool. I wonder, if I had given each of them a bang on the table when they were right out of the oven, would it help to prevent them from sinking that much?

It is stated in the cookbook that this dessert is best served before the cake starts shrinking and sinking, which means it is best served warm or almost immediately when it comes out of the oven, just like a soufflé. I didn't have the chance to sample the cake while they were still all puffed up. By the time I was done taking pictures, the cakes were well sunken. Nevertheless, the texture was still soft, fluffy and moist. I offered one to my younger child and he ate it in silence. We were not on speaking terms that day as he felt that it was unreasonable of me to scold him for not taking care of his things ;( Anyway, he devoured the cake in no time and I noticed him licking up the crumbs from the ramekin. Under normal circumstances, he would have asked for a second helping. I broke the silence and offered him another serving. He gladly took it and enjoyed the very last crumb, still in silence.

I kept the leftovers in the fridge for my elder child. When left to chill over night, the texture became rather dense, tasted rich and quite similar to a new york style cheese cake. I personally prefer the lighter version but my younger child liked both.

If you are keen to give this a try, I would suggest to use fresh apricots instead of canned ones. The canned apricots I bought was a tad too sour for my liking. I think to replace the apricots with peach slices or even strawberries would be a delightful variation as well.

Apricot Soufflé Cheesecake

Ingredients:
(makes 8)

250g cream cheese, cut into cubes, room temperature
30g caster sugar
30g butter, room temperature
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract (optional)
45g cake flour
100ml milk

2 egg whites
50g caster sugar

8 apricot halves, canned or fresh
some extra butter for greasing
some icing sugar for dusting

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degC.
Grease 8 ramekins with some butter, set aside (size of ramekin: diameter 9cm, height 5cm).
Sieve cake flour, set aside.
Wash canned apricots halves (to remove the syrup), drain and set aside. If using fresh apricots, use a knife to cut around the fruit, break into halves and remove the pit. Wash, drain and set aside.
With an electric whisk or stand mixer, beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add in the caster sugar and beat till smooth, stop to scrape down sides of bowl when needed. Add in the butter, beat till smooth.
Add in the egg yolks gradually and beat till incorporated. Beat in the vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, if using.
Add half the amount of flour, beat till incorporated. Add half the amount of milk, beat till incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour followed by the remaining milk. (Note: when beating in the milk, the batter may form small lumps initially, continue to beat and the lumps will dissolve. Alternatively, add in the milk gradually as you beat to avoid lumps from forming.)
In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric whisk on low speed until mixture becomes frothy and foamy. Add half of the sugar and turn to medium-high speed and beat the mixture. Continue to add in the remaining sugar mixture in separate additions and beat until the egg whites reaches the soft peak stage.The soft peak stage is reached when the peaks of the whites curl over and droop slightly. Turn to low speed and beat for another 1 to 2 mins (this helps to stabilise the air bubbles).
Add the beaten egg whites to the cream cheese mixture in 2 separate additions, each time fold with a rubber spatula (I prefer to use a balloon whisk) until just blended.
Pour batter into the prepared ramekins till 80% full. Place ramekins in a baking tray.
Place on middle rack of the oven and bake for 20 mins. (Note: the top may start to crack, but it is perfectly alright.)
Remove ramekins from oven and top each ramekin with an apricot halve. Return ramekins into oven and continue to bake for another 15 to 20mins until golden brown.
Remove from oven and leave to cool slightly. Dust with icing sugar, optional. For light fluffy texture, serve immediately. Alternatively, for a dense cheesecake texture, leave to cool completely and chill in the fridge for about 2 to 3 hours, best overnight, before serving.

Recipe source: adapted from 起司蛋糕，信太康代

luncheon meat buns

2014-11-09T07:24:00.000-08:00

I have not been able to update my blog recently as I was caught up working on the itinerary for our year end holidays. After weeks of googling the internet, reading travel reviews, guidebooks and scrutinising google maps, I have finally settled the accommodations, car rental and even bought the travel insurance for our trip. I just need to tie up some loose ends and work on the minor details. I hope I am able to get back to blogging and update with a few more posts before we leave for our holidays.

I made these tangzhong bread buns quite some time back...

I couldn't help but to share it although they are nothing fancy...just ordinary bread buns wrapped with one of my childhood favourites...canned luncheon meat ;)

Beside shaping them into the usual round buns, I have also wrapped some with thick slices of luncheon meat, yum!

One plus point about using luncheon meat as fillings for homemade buns is that there is no preparation required other than slicing or mashing the luncheon meat.

I am becoming a die hard fan of tang zhong(water roux) bread dough as I find the recipe rather straight forward especially if you use a bread machine or a stand mixer to knead the dough. Bread buns made with tang zhong method do keep well and the texture remains soft even after a couple of days. Besides luncheon meat, this bread dough recipe is great for any other type of savoury fillings such as char siew, sardines or curry potato buns. The next time I were to made these again, I will put in a little extra effort to use a mixture of luncheon meat and mashed potatoes as fillings :)

Luncheon Meat Bread Buns (午餐肉小餐包)

Ingredients:
(makes 12)

for the buns:
tang zhong (water-roux):
20g bread flour
100ml water

bread dough:
195g bread flour
90g cake flour
12g milk powder
30g caster sugar
6g salt
6g instant yeast

60g egg, lightly beaten
65g water
75g tang zhong (water-roux)

45g unsalted butter

for the fillings:
some mashed (or sliced) luncheon meat

Method:

to make tang zhong:
* Place 20g bread flour in a saucepan. Add 100ml water, mix with a hand whisk till smooth, making sure there are no lumps of flour. Cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly with the hand whisk to prevent it from burning. Within 1 to 2 mins, the mixture will start to thicken, stop when you see traces in the mixture for every stir you make with the hand whisk. The tang zhong is ready. Immediately transfer the hot tang zhong into a bowl and cover it with a cling wrap, making sure the cling wrap sticks onto the surface of the mixture. This is to prevent a film from forming on the surface. Leave to cool completely before using it.

to make the bread dough:
* Place bread flour, cake flour, milk powder, sugar, salt, yeast, egg, water and tang zhong (use 75g) in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Let the mixer knead the dough on high speed until the ingredients come together to form a dough, takes about 8 to 10 mins. Add in the butter and continue to knead for another 15~20mins until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. (Upon adding the butter, the dough will become very wet/slack again, add some flour if it remains slack after 10 mins of kneading. Depending on the type of flour used, the dough may still stick to the sides of the mixing bowl after 15-20mins of kneading. If this happens, continue to knead for another 5mins or so, stop the machine, oil or dust hands with flour and proceed to remove the dough from the bowl.

* Place dough in a lightly greased (use vegetable oil or butter) mixing bowl, cover with cling wrap or a damp cloth and let proof in room temperature (around 28 to 30 degC) for about one hour, or until double in bulk.

* Remove the dough from the bowl and give a few light kneading to press out the gas in the dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 45g each). Roll each dough into smooth rounds, cover with a damp cloth or cling wrap and let the doughs rest for 10mins.

* On a lightly floured work surface, flatten each dough into a round disc. Press out any trapped air as you flatten the dough. Wrap each dough with one heaped tablespoon of mashed luncheon meat. Pinch and seal the seam tightly. If using sliced luncheon meat, roll dough to form a longish oval shape. Wrap dough with sliced luncheon meat, pinch and seal the seam tightly.

* Place seam side down on a greased (or lined with parchment paper) baking tray. Space doughs two inches apart to allow them to expand. Cover with damp cloth or cling wrap and leave doughs to proof for the second time for about 40mins, or until double in size.

* Bake in pre-heated oven at 180 deg C for 12 to 15 mins or until golden brown (if necessary, tent the surface with foil if the top browns too quickly closer to the baking time). Remove from oven and transfer to wire track to let cool. Once cool, store immediately in an airtight container.

Recipe source: 65度C汤种面包, 陈郁芬

Easy Halloween Eyeballs Cake

2014-10-30T15:30:00.000-07:00

A super quick post to show you a super quick Halloween cake idea that's easy on the eyes... get it?!?

What You Need:
Cake
Icing
Fondant
Round Cutters (or Icing tips)

Simply cut out the white and black fondant in various round sizes. Layer them, using vanilla to help them stick to one another.
Voila! Spooky Eyeball Cake.

For an Easy Fondant-Free Halloween Cake...

Check out My Monster Cake Tutorial

Or These Super Simple Monster Cupcakes