Sugar & Everything Nice

Yuzu Macarons with Orange Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache

2013-05-23T22:48:00.001+08:00

It has been a while since I had made macarons and in fact this is not even a recent baking adventure. I had made this early this year but had not managed to put up the post until now. These are yuzu macarons and the flavours were really refreshing.

Yuzu Macarons with Orange Buttercream
and Chocolate Ganache
Makes about 30 filled macarons
Macaron Template

For the Macaron Batter

Ingredients:

98g almond powder or almond meal
98g icing sugar
67g egg whites (aged 2 - 3 days in the refrigerator)
50g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp egg white powder (dehydrated egg white)
1/2 tsp dried yuzu fruit powder
Food colouring

Method:

1) Combine the icing sugar, yuzu powder and almond flour in a food processor. Pulse until fine and powdery.

2) Remove and then sift into a dry bowl. Set aside.

3) Add the egg white powder to the caster sugar and stir with a spoon until mixed through.

4) Place egg whites into another clean bowl. Beat with mixer on medium. until frothy. Then add in the cream of tartar and beat until it is mixed - about one minute. Then slowly add in the sugar with egg white powder. Switch to high and continue beating until medium peaks.

5) Then add in the food colouring and continue to beat until stiff peaks.

6) Add 1/3 of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold to combine. Then add in the rest. Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip, pipe 1.5 cm rounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

7) Once you have finishing piping all the macarons lift each baking sheet with both hands and then bang it down on the counter (you need to get the air out of the batter).

8) Rest the macarons for an hour to develop a skin on the surface.

9) Preheat oven to 150°C. Bake for about 15 minutes (baking time can be varied, from 12-15 depending on your oven) or until firm to the touch. Mid way through baking, rotate the pans.

10) Remove from oven and cool on trays. Slide a knife under each macaroon to release from paper. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or until ready to assemble. Once assembled put the macarons into the refrigerator. Best eaten a day later so that the flavours will develop.

Chocolate Ganache:

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup bittersweet chocolate (65%)

In a heavy saucepan set over medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Remove from the stove and add the chocolate to it. Let stand 2 minutes and then stir until fully combined. Let cool in the fridge until firm enough to put in a small piping bag.

Orange Buttercream:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp orange extract
1-2 tbsp milk, if necessary
Pinch of salt
1-2 drops of orange food gel

In a large bowl, cream together butter, salt and powdered sugar. Add orange extract. Stir in milk, one tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. Stir in orange food gel. Put in the fridge to set slightly before putting into a small piping bag.

Ultimate Sticky Pork Ribs

2013-05-08T19:31:00.003+08:00

The secret to this dish is to get the ribs really well caramelised before you add any of the other ingredients. As they braise in the oven, all that colour will turn into the most amazing flavour. The glaze is packed full of vibrant, citrusy flavours, with the sweetness of the honey counteracting the spices. It is the ultimate sticky ribs for me!

Sticky Pork Ribs
Recipe Adapted from "Gordon Ramsay" Ultimate Cookery Course"
Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients:

2kg pork ribs, separated
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
vegetable oil, for frying
6-8 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
10cm piece ginger, peeled and sliced
2-4 tsp dried chilli flakes, to taste
8 whole star anise
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
8 tbsp honey
280ml light soy sauce
4-5 tbsp rice vinegar
600ml Shaoxing rice wine or medium-dry sherry
10 spring onions, trimmed and sliced
800ml chicken stock

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180°C.

2) Season the ribs with salt and pepper, pushing the seasoning into the meat.

3) Heat a roasting tray on the stove top with a little olive oil and brown the ribs for 5-10 minutes until they are coloured on all sides. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and honey and continue to cook over the heat for 2 minutes until the honey begins to caramelise.

4) Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar and Shaoxing wine and bring to the boil, simmering for 1 minute.

5) Taste and adjust the flavours, adding a little extra vinegar if necessary. Add the spring onions and stock and bring to the boil.

6) Place in the preheated oven and cook for 1 hour until tender, turning the ribs halfway through the cooking time.

7) Remove the pan from the oven and place back on the stove top. Heat the marinade and reduce for 8-10 minutes until the sauce is thick and syrupy. Turn the ribs in the sauce to coat them well, then serve.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

2013-04-24T21:27:00.001+08:00

I recently bought some cook books from The Book Depository and one of them was Ina Garten's "Barefoot Contessa at Home". In it was this absolutely delicious looking lemon cake which I had to try over the weekend.

I am so totally for any desserts which has lemon in it ... all that citrus makes me feel less guilty if I have more than one! If you have not tried this recipe as yet, I so encourage you to do so. It cannot be any easier - two bowls and you are done - forgot about even taking out your handmixer.

Lemon Yogurt Cake
Recipe Adapted from "Barefoot Contessa at Home"
Yields One Loaf

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup low-fat plain whole-milk yogurt
3/4 cup + 1/3 cups sugar, separated
3 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

2) Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.

3) In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 3/4 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, vegetable oil and vanilla.

4) Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Make sure all ingredients are incorporated - however do not over-mix.

5) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40 - 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

6) Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

7) When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.

8) For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Duck Liver & Thyme Pâté

2013-03-20T21:22:00.001+08:00

This is my very first pâté and I used duck livers instead of chicken. It's probably not a dish for you if you don't like eating livers of any kind.

Chicken and duck livers are really inexpensive and this makes an impressive starter for a western sit down dinner. Serve this with baguette or melba toast with a sides of cornichons.

Duck Liver & Thyme Pâté
Recipe Adapted from Antony Worrall Thompson "Saturday Night Kitchen"
Serves 6

Ingredients:

175g/6oz unsalted butter, softened
450g/1lb duck livers, trimmed and cleaned
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp brandy or port
55g/2oz clarified butter, melted
1 tsp of fresh thyme leaves

Method:

1) Heat 15g/½oz of the butter in a frying pan until foaming.

2) Add half the livers and fry quickly on all sides until golden, but still pink in the middle, about 4-5 minutes.

3) Repeat with a second batch of butter and livers.

4) Place the livers and juices in a food processor.

5) In the same pan heat another 15g/½oz butter, add the shallot, garlic and cook over a moderate heat until the shallot is soft but not coloured.

6) Add the brandy and freshly ground black pepper, and scrape the bottom of the pan to release any coagulated juices.

7) Place everything in the food processor, including the remaining unsalted butter. Blend until smooth.

8) Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and put in a ramekin. Pour the clarified butter over the mixture, give another sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and top with thyme. Cover with the cling film, cool then refrigerate.

9) To server, stand in room temperature for about 15 minutes. Serve with crusty toasted baguette and cornichons.

Lava Chocolate Cake

2013-02-24T21:20:00.002+08:00

I love lava chocolate cakes as it makes such an elegant dessert to round off a good meal. I had always thought it was a difficult dessert to make but after making it once (and dare I say that it was successful), I realized that it is actually very easy. The first lava cake I had tried a couple of years back came from Martha Stewart's Living recipes. It was delicious!

This is the second time I am making a lava cake again and this too doesn't have many ingredients to content with and the preparation and baking time is really "singe". The main thing to remember is to use good quality chocolate and don't over bake it - you want the chocolate to be oozing out!

Lava Chocolate Cake
Recipe Adapted from Delia Smith
Serves 4

Ingredients:

115g good quality dark chocolate (about 65 - 70% cacao)
115g salted butter
1 tsp of coffee extract or Tbsp of instant coffee granules
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
30g all purpose flour, sifted

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and butter 4 x 125ml ramekins.

2) In a heavy based pan over low heat, melt the chocolate, butter and coffee extract until melted. Stir to a glossy batter. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. (You can also use a baine-marine to melt the chocolate and butter)

3) In another mixing bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes or until pale, thick and leaves ribbons trails.

4) Add chocolate and sprinkle the flour into the egg mixture and gently fold until just combined. (You can also use a whisk.) Be careful not to knock too much air out of the batter.

5) Divide batter amongst ramekins and place on a baking tray. Fondants can be covered with clingwrap and stored in the fridge or freezer at this stage. Bake for 12 minutes or until the tops have risen and have set (but still soft underneath). If baking straight from the fridge, bake for about 13 minutes. If frozen, bake for 14 minutes.

6) Remove fondants from the oven and leave to sit for about a minute. Run a palette knife around the edges and turn out onto a plate. If baked from frozen, rest for 2 minutes before unmolding.

7) To serve dust with icing/powder sugar. Serve warm and if you want add a dollop of good vanilla ice-cream.

Vote for Ringo ..... "Star Pooch of the Month"

2013-01-17T20:21:00.001+08:00

Yeah!! And thanks if you have voted. Ringo has been picked TOP 6 and has advanced to the final rounds of voting. If you have not voted, please do and if you had voted earlier, please do vote one more time. Votes are now counted from zero again ...... closing date is 27 January. Keeping my fingers crossed!

******************************************************************************

I recently entered Ringo, my Boston Terrier into a competition which is meant for three different dog breeds - Botson Terriers, French Bulldogs and Pugs.

The top two pooches with the most number of votes will receive a spa treatment and a make-over. There are 2 rounds of competition and the first six pooches with the most number of votes will advanced to the second round.

So as a "mummy" and with all parents, you would want your child to win! In my case, the "child" happens to be a 4-legged furkid. So I am reaching out through my blog to ask that you Vote for Ringo - "Star Pooch of the Month" .

You would need to LIKE the Facebook page first before you can vote. Only one vote per person is allowed - and here is a sneak of Ringo's picture. Isn't he adorable? He is a very sweet doggie and I adopted him in April 2012. He is 7 and half years old and loves ... absolutely loves to play fetch. He is very good at it too. I think in his order of life it would be food, ball, sleep!

Please do vote for Ringo as he whispered to me last night that he "oooh so want to have a spa treatment".

Zinio Give Away Results

2013-01-11T22:39:00.002+08:00

If you had participated in the recent ZINIO GIVE AWAY, you must be anxiously waiting for the results. Well, wait no longer!

Ten lucky winners have been picked using Random.Org and they are, in no particular order:

* Cathy of Cathy's Joy
* Jasmine of The Sweetylicious
* ykristen
* Ann of Anncoo Journal
* Lubna of Kitchen Flavours
* Esther (wikilOv@gmail.com)
* Jesslyn
* Sinsationscakes
* Janine
* Kim Reid

Kindly drop me an email at jos2829@yahoo.com.sg with your email address and also confirming the choice of your subscription. Please do so within the next 48 hours. Your contact details will then be forwarded directly to Zinio to commence your subscription.

Happy reading and have a great weekend ahead!

Zinio Give Away

2013-01-02T21:30:00.001+08:00

I was recently contacted by Zinio via email with a fantastic offer on their magazines. Not familiar with Zinio? Well, Zinio has thousands of top magazines from around the world and you can browse and purchase subscriptions or single issues instantly from your computer or mobile device to read wherever and whenever you like. Their EXPLORE section lets you read as well even without a subscription - thousands of articles from your favourite magazines and share them with friends! Some of their popular magazines include La Cucina Italiana, Vegetarian Times, Food Arts, Clean Eating, Vogue, Style at Home, PC Magazine and MacWorld.

Zinio is currently offering readers about 300 different magazine titles at up to 50% off their already-discounted prices. Interested? Then go find out more about their ZINIO OFFER.. Hurry and sign up as their offer will expire on January 7th!

In addition Zinio is also running the ZINIO HOLIDAY SWEEPSTAKES and anyone can take part in this competition. You will have a chance to win an iPad Mini - contest will end on January 7th.

As if the above is not enough ....Zinio is also giving away 10 free subscriptions to 10 lucky winners! Wow! If you are interested, leave a comment in this blog by midnight January 6th. Your comment should include which magazine you would like to receive free and why.

Fougasse (French flat bread)

2012-12-19T21:44:00.002+08:00

I recently tried my hand at making a starter dough as well as a traditional French flat bread called Fougasse - pronounced as "foogass".

One of the distinguishing characteristics of fougasse is that it is often baked into a shape that is somewhat like a tree, with one end resembling the trunk and the wider opposite end being more or less round in structure. Fougasse can be used as a tasty accompaniment to both hot and cold soups, as well as create sandwich like snacks for the family. For mains, it goes very well with most pasta dishes as well as creamy casseroles or stews - great to mop up all the tasty gravy too! Fougasse (French flat bread)

Fougasse (French flat bread)
Adapted from From “Raymond Blanc's Kitchen Secrets”
Makes 2.1kg loaves of bread

For the dough starter: (this needs to be prepared a day before)

5g fresh yeast
135ml cold water
100g strong white bread flour, preferably organic
100g rye flour

For the dough:

680ml tap water
940g traditional white bread flour, preferably organic, plus extra for dusting
130g rye flour
15g fine sea salt (do not reduce your salt, otherwise the bread is quite bland)
22g fresh or 11g dried yeast

For the fougasse topping:

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp finely minced garlic
3 tsp finely chopped black olives
3 tsp of thinly sliced sundried tomatoes in oil
-3 grindings black pepper
Sprinkle of sea salt for topping

Method:

1) .For the dough starter, whisk the yeast into the water until dissolved.

2) Mix the white and rye flours in a separate bowl until well combined.

3) Pour the yeast mixture over the flours, whisking well to form a thick paste. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and set aside to ferment for at least 6 hours and up to 18 hours at room temperature. You can use dried yeast but you will only need half the quantity. Yeast is dormant at 4C, active between 20-40C and destroyed at 45-50 C. Using a dough starter in bread making gives a greater complexity of flavour; as the yeast activates and feeds on the natural sugars present in the flour, over time it produces a distinctively tangy or sour taste.

4) For the dough, line 2 large baking trays with greaseproof paper.

5) Add the water to the fermented dough starter and mix well to combine.

6) Place the white and rye flours into a food processor, set with the dough hook. Add the salt to one side of the bowl of the food processor, then add the yeast to the other side, being careful not to let the salt and yeast touch at this stage. as the salt will attack the yeast and damage its ability to ferment.

7) Add the starter dough mixture to the food processor and mix on a low speed for 5 minutes. The slow mixing process will give the flour the opportunity to fully absorb the water. (I used my KitchenAid for the kneading process – use the dough hook)

8) Scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl of the food processor and from the dough hook, then continue to mix on a medium speed for a further 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. The faster speed will warm the gluten in the flour making the dough elastic and creating the right environment for the fermentation to happen.

9) Scrape the dough into a neat ball and cover the bowl with cling film. Set aside to prove at room temperature for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

10) When the dough has proved, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface using a scraper if necessary. Cut the dough into four equal pieces.

11) The dough can be shaped in any way you choose. For a fougasse-style loaf, line four baking trays with baking parchment.

12) Roll each piece of dough into a triangle shape and place one onto each baking tray. Make a cut all the way down the centre of each dough triangle, without completely cutting through the dough. Make 3 deep slashes on either side of the central cut, cutting all the way down to the baking tray, then pull the dough apart slightly to create holes.

13) Brush the fougasses all over with olive oil, then randomly scatter and gently push the remaining fougasse topping ingredients evenly over the dough. This is to ensure that the topping sticks to the dough whilst it is proofing. Set aside to prove for 30-40 minutes.

14) Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 250C/475F/Gas 9 or to its maximum setting (this is critical as the temperature will decrease significantly when you open the door) and place a baking tray in the middle of the oven and a roasting tin on the bottom.

15) Slide the loaves onto the preheated baking tray in the middle of the oven, using the greaseproof paper to transfer them and pour 50ml/2fl oz of water into the roasting tin on the bottom. This will generate steam within the oven creating a good crust on the bread.

16) Bake the fougasse in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden-brown and cooked through. (The loaves are cooked through when they make a hollow sound when tapped on the undersides.) Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

17) Extra fougasse can be frozen for about one month. Thaw and reheat in oven to serve.

Crispy Pork Belly in Milk

2012-12-04T22:25:00.001+08:00

I have been eyeing this recipe from "The Free Range Cook" series which is aired on my local cable for almost five months now. I finally decided to try out the recipe and got myself to a local supermarket.

You should have seen me at the meat counter peering at the slices of pork belly and trying to decide which piece looked the most succulent. I took several pieces out and turned it this way and that before deciding on my purchase. I must have stood there for at least ten minutes looking like a really picky shopper!

Overall this recipe turned out quite interesting. During the cooking process expect the milk to develop a skin and turn brown, somewhat caramel like. Although the recipe tells you to throw out the milk after the dish is done, I kept some of it and reduced it down further over the stove top. I used the sauce as gravy to the pork belly. I also made an apple cinnamon sauce to go with the meal as well as roasted pumpkin with mustard seeds.

Crispy Pork Belly in Milk
Recipe Adapted from Annabel Langbein "The Free Range Cook"

Ingredients:

1 to1.2 kg pork belly with skin scored
Freshly ground black pepper.
1 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
3 - 4 fresh sage leaves.
2 to 2 and a half cups of fresh milk

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 240C.

2) Pat the skin of the pork dry and season the flesh side with pepper and half the salt. Place the sage leaves on the bottom of a baking dish and put pork on top, skin side up. Score the skin with a very sharp knife. Season the top with the remaining salt.

3) Roast for 20-25 mins at 240C until the skin is starting to blister and crackle.

4) Remove the baking dish from the oven and slowly pour the milk around the meat to come about half to two thirds of the way up the sides of pork. Do not let the milk touch the skin otherwise it will loose its crackle.

5) Reduce the oven to 160C and roast for a further 1 and a half hours or until pork is meltingly tender.

6) Check the level of liquid during cooking and if it has evaporated add a little more to the pan. Remove pork from oven, lift out from dish and allow it to cool. Discard the liquids as it breaks into curds.

7) For easy cutting place the meat flesh side up on a chopping board and use a heavy sharp knife to cut into slices 3-4cm thick. Serve warm or room temperature.

Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes

2012-11-27T21:12:00.005+08:00

Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes seem to be the latest craze with Singapore food bloggers and I am probably one of the last few to be actually trying out the recipe. When I first had a taste of this cupcake, I sort of compared it with a chiffon cake with fresh cream filling. In fact it is pretty close to it. The method of making the cupcakes is a chiffon method using oil plus requiring the egg whites to be whipped and folded into the cake batter.

After trying out this recipe from Nasi Lemak Lover, I came across another blogger who had actually made a comparison of two Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcake recipes, one of which is this one. Check out the comparison Here!

Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes
Makes about 10 cupcakes
Recipe Adapted from Nasi Lemak Lover

Ingredients for the Cupcake:

3 egg yolks
1/8 tsp of salt
20g vegetable oil (you can also use corn/canola/sunflower oil)
20g milk
25g self-raising flour
105g egg whites (about 3 eggs)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
40g castor sugar

Method:

1) Whisk egg yolk with salt. Add in oil and milk and mix well.

2) Sift flour and baking powder into the egg yolk mixture.

3) Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy and then slowly add in the sugar and beat till soft peaks

4) Fold in half of the egg whites into the cake batter and mix until incorporated using a whisk or spatula. Then add in the other half and mix them evenly (do not overmix - you want to maintain the volume of the cake batter).

5) Fill the mixture into the cupcake liners.

6) Bake at pre-heated oven at 160c for 20mins. Leave to cool completely before filling.

7) Make a small hole at the middle, pump the custard cream into the chiffon. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Custard Cream Filling:

Ingredients:

30g non-dairy whipped fresh cream, cold from the refrigerator
1 tsp custard powder

Add the custard powder to the fresh cream and whip until it is almost stiff peaks.

French Macarons with Capuccino Ganache

2012-11-17T22:51:00.000+08:00

I have been baking macarons for the last two weeks and have finally achieved zero spoilage. This is truly a breakthrough and I am really happy about it. If you have yet to try your hands at making macarons, make sure that you do lots of research first before starting. Although macarons have no more than five ingredients to making the shells, the methods itself is somewhat tricky. I would say that they are really fussy cookies!

I recently came across this Site which gives you a run-down of the "do's" and "don'ts" ... mainly "do's" to having successful macarons. Hope this helps with your adventure.

French Macarons with Capuccino Ganache
Makes about 30 filled macarons
Macaron Template

For the Macaron Batter

Ingredients:

98g almond powder or almond meal
98g icing sugar
67g egg whites (aged 2 - 3 days in the refrigerator)
50g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 1/2 tsp egg white powder (dehydrated egg white)
Food colouring

Method:

1) Combine the icing sugar and almond flour in a food processor. Pulse until fine and powdery.

2) Remove and then sift into a dry bowl. Set aside.

3) Add the egg white powder to the caster sugar and stir with a spoon until mixed through.

4) Place egg whites into another clean bowl. Beat with mixer on medium. until frothy. Then add in the cream of tartar and beat until it is mixed - about one minute. Then slowly add in the sugar with egg white powder. Switch to high and continue beating until medium peaks.

5) Then add in the food colouring and continue to beat until stiff peaks.

6) Add 1/3 of the almond flour mixture into the meringue and fold to combine. Then add in the rest. Don’t overfold, but fully incorporate your ingredients. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain half-inch tip, pipe 1.5 cm rounds onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

7) Once you have finishing piping all the macarons lift each baking sheet with both hands and then bang it down on the counter (you need to get the air out of the batter).

8) Rest the macarons for an hour to develop a skin on the surface.

9) Preheat oven to 150°C. Bake for about 15 minutes (baking time can be varied, from 12-15 up to your oven) or until firm to the touch. Mid way through baking, rotate the pans.

10) Remove from oven and cool on trays. Slide a knife under each macaroon to release from paper. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or until ready to assemble. Once assembled put the macarons into the refrigerator. Best eaten a day later so that the flavours will develop.

Capuccino Ganache

Ingredients:

85g heavy cream or thickened cream
120g mixture of dark and milk chocolate
1/2 tsp instant espresso coffee powder (or instant coffee powder)
15g unsalted butter at room temperature

Method:

1) Place the chocolate into a bowl with the coffee powder.

2) In a saucepan, heat the cream until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and pour into the chocolate. Let sit for a minute before stirrring to mix well. Add in the butter and continue to stir until mix through. Leave to cool before refrigerating. Once the ganache has hardened slightly, you can use to sandwich the macaron shells.

Lemon and Thyme Roast Chicken

2012-11-11T22:07:00.001+08:00

I recently started a herb garden and I am glad to say that my plants are triving. So now whenever I am in need of fresh herbs for cooking, I just head towards my planters and snip whatever I need. I don't exactly have a garden as I stay in an apartment - so my herbs are actually grown in pots.

So it came about two weekends ago that I decided to make do a simple lemon (which I usually would have stock in my fridge) and thyme roast chicken. This is truly a simple recipe and absolutely delicious. It makes a great Sunday lunch or dinner for the whole family.

Lemon and Thyme Roast Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (approx 2.25kg), cleaned and pat dry
1 head of garlic, broken into pieces (do not remove the skin)
2 lemons, cut into half
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 onions, sliced into 1/8
4 sprigs of thyme
4 sprigs of rosemary
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp salted butter
1.5 cups cooked baby potatoes, slightly smashed
Salt and black pepper to taste
Additional olive oil for drizzling

Method:

1) Place the lemon juice, olive oil, sweet paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. into a bowl. Mix the marinade until well combined. Rub all over the chicken and leave for about an hour.

2) Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

3) In a roasting pan, layer the potatoes on the bottom, cut onion and 2/3 of the garlic cloves. Add 3 pieces of the lemon halfs into the pan. Roughly pull the leaves off half the thyme and rosemary sprigs and strew them over the vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and black pepper. Using your hands mix everything together and spread the mix out.

4) In the cavity of the chicken, stuff in half a lemon, the remaining garlic, the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Push the butter under the skin of the chicken.

5) Truss the legs with some string and tuck the wings under the chicken. Place chicken on the bed of vegetables in the roasting pan, breast side up. Add a final season of salt and black pepper. Drizzle additional olive oil over the chicken.

6) Roast the chicken for about an hour until it is cooked. If it starts to brown too much, place a foil over the chicken and continue to roast in the oven.

7) To serve, either carve at table or cut into 8 pieces and place on platter. Serve vegetables separately and pour the gravy into a gravy bowl.

Noah's Ark .... a Cake or an Ark?

2012-11-03T13:20:00.001+08:00

I have not made a fondant cake for a long, long time and decided it was time to put in some practice. I decided to try out this particular design from "Cake Shaping" by Helen Penman which I had borrowed from the local library.

The fondant is home-made and the cake itself is a chocolate sheet cake. The original design had a pair of hippos but somehow I could not manage to get the hippo's face. After several attempts I gave up and went with little piggies instead

Chocolate Sheet Cake
Recipe Adapted from Joy of Baking

1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed), sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (240 ml) warm water
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or vinegar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Grese a 8 inch (20 cm) square cake pan,

2) In a bowl stir together the flour, sugar, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the melted butter, water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

3) With a fork, mix all the ingredients together until well blended. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Passionfruit Bars

2012-10-24T20:43:00.003+08:00

There is something about passionfruit that evokes beach, holiday retreats and chilling by the pool. I am guessing it has to be the sheer name of this fruit.

Passionfruit is a small, spherical fruit. It is dark brownish purple when ripe,and green when unripe. The fruit contains many small, black seeds covered with the fruit's flesh. It is tart and sweet. The seeds can be eaten or used for various cooking recipes. Because of its unusual taste it is probably used much more in desserts than actual dishes. It also makes a great fruit juice on its own or as a cocktail, mixed with other fruit juices or alcohol.

Passionfruit Bars
Recipe Adapted from Use Real Butter

Ingredients for the Base:

300g all purpose flour
70g confectioner’s (icing) sugar
250g unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt

Ingredients for the Filling:

6 large eggs
320g castor sugar
55g all purpose flour
1/1/2 tsps baking powder
2/3 cup passion fruit puree
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Confectioner’s sugar (for dusting)

For the Base:

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. For the cookie base, mix the flour, confectioner’s sugar, and salt in a medium large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2) Grease thorough a 9x13 baking pan, then place parchment paper on top with sides hanging out (for easier removal of the bar after baking). Then grease one more time. Press the dough into the base of a 9×13 baking pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until just golden. Remove from oven.

For the Filling:

1) Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Whisk or beat the eggs until slightly frothy. Gradually whisk in the sugar. Then beat in the flour and baking powder until well-mixed.

2) Add in the passion fruit purée, lemon juice and whisk or beat until thoroughly combined. Pour the filling over the crust in the baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top of the bars are golden brown and the center is firm.

3) Cool completely and refrigerate for a few hours before slicing into squares. Makes 2 dozen 2×2-inch squares.

A Dark Chocolate Birthday Cake!

2012-10-16T22:08:00.003+08:00

This cake was made early this month for my boss birthday. For the last 5 years, I have been baking a cake for her B Day whenever she happens to be in town. This year I made a 3-layer Dark Chocolate Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting ... absolutely delicious and oh so sinful! Unfortunately I was unable to cut this to show you the layers - so you will just have to make do with photographs of the whole cake itself.

Dark Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

312g plain flour
420g caster sugar
2 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
120 grams unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
150 ml vegetable oil
280 ml buttermilk (make your own using fresh whole milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice)
4 eggs at room temperature
260 ml hot strong coffee
2 tablespoons of vanilla

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180°C and grease/ line three 8-inch cake tins.

2) In large bowl, sift in all the dry ingredients. Into another bowl, add all the wet ingredients and give it a quick whisk. Then add the wet ingredients with the dry and whisk for about 2 minutes until well combined. The batter will be quite liquid. Measure out equally and pour into prepared baking tins.

3) Tap the tins on the counter a few times to get rid of the air bubbles.. Bake each layer for about 20-25 minutes, rotating once (if necessary). Cake is done when toothpick or skewer comes out barely clean. Refrain from overbaking. Cool completely on a wire rack in the pan before over-turning.

Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Recipe Adapted from Tish Boyle's "The Cake Book"

Ingredients:

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Method:

Put chocolate in a stainless steel bowl and place bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is completely melted. Remove the bowl from the pot and set the chocolate aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat at medium speed untl light and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Add the cooled chocolate at low speed, mixing until blended and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Increase the speed to high and beat until slightly aerated, about 2 minutes.

An Irish Love Affair with Rachel Allen

2012-10-11T23:04:00.003+08:00

Last Saturday I attended a paid event show-casing one of my many favourite chefs, Rachel Allen. Her latest program which is currently aired on BBC Lifestyle is called "Rachel Allen: Easy Meals".

Born and raised in Dublin, Rachel Allen left home at 18 to attend the world-famous Ballymaloe Cookery School. There, she began to hone her skills on food, "growing it, preparing it, cooking it, eating it and,crucially, enjoying it."

In this series, Rachel Allen brings us to her home town and shares her expertise with the audience. Rachel shares the secrets of her approach to delicious but fuss free food, perfect for the hectic lives we lead, through a collection of simple but sumptuous recipes. Each show is themed around a particular occasion or cuisine: Oriental Feast; Sunday Lunch; Take a Few Ingredients; Easy Indian; Lazy Sunday Mornings; Cooking for a Crowd; Quick Easy Baking; Romantic Dinners; Middle Eastern Spice; Cook Ahead; Speedy Sunshine Food; Inspired Italian; Easy Christmas.

I have seen a few of the show's series and I love the simplicity of the dishes she whips up. She also gives tips about ingredients as well as information on how ingredients are grown as well as a visit to a local cheese factory, how local sausages and meats are cured and made.

The event was organized by Starhub, a local cable network provider. About 170 people attended the function, all foodies for sure. Heh if you weren’t you definitely would not be there would you? It was held at The Jewel Box, a splendid venue which is atop Mount Faber with commanding views of Sentosa Island. I was even vowed by their washrooms as it too had full height glass windows (with the exception of the toilet cubicles) and an amazing view of Sentosa skyline.

During the two and half hours, Rachel Allen interacted with the audience and she even had an omelette cooking competition going with two participants from the audience, both of whom received a personal signed copy of her “Easy Meals” cookbook.

The meal served that night was a scrumptious three course dinner from Rachel’s cookbook. She even demonstrated one dish which was the Apple Tart. The recipe for the tart dough seems so easy and the pastry was amazing. I was expecting the bottom crust to be slight soggy as it was a closed tart and no blind-baking was done. But the pastry was not soggy at all – in fact it was so soft and crumbly … simply delicious!

Overall I loved how the event went. Maybe I am bias because I do like Rachel Allen. Her personality was exactly how I had imagined her to be … easy going, ultra friendly and very approacheable.

Salad with Beetroot, Toasted Hazel Nuts and Cashel Blue Dressing - for starters

Roast Duck with Gravy and Sage and Onion Stuffing Served with Cucumber Pickle, Buttered Cabbage and Granny's Roast Herbed Potatoes - for the main

Apple Tart - to round off the whole evening

Marble Cake

2012-09-26T21:21:00.003+08:00

Alright it is another Marble Cake recipe! You have probably come across so many by now especially if you are not a novice baker.

The first time I tried out this recipe I made a big boo-boo. I missed out on adding the baking powder and thought that the cake would turn out tasting really horrible. Surprisingly it did not. I even took it to the office and my colleagues liked it.

The second time I baked this again, I made sure I read the ingredients properly and ticked each one off as I assembled everything together. The recipe has a few more steps than most usual marble cakes but I have to say that it taste really good. I actually prefer it the day after as the oil from the butter seems to make the cake more moist and flavourful.

Marble Cake
Recipe Adapted from Here

Ingredients:

8 large eggs, separated
200g castor sugar
340g unsalted butter
255g all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp orange zest

Method:

1) Preheat oven at 180C (165C for convection fan) with a wire rack in the middle. Line an 8-inch round cake tin with parchment, butter and flour. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

2) Cream butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment till light and fluffy.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar till light. Gradually add this into the butter and beat on medium speed till just incorporated.

4) In a separate bowl, with a hand mixer, whisk the egg whites till stiff peaks form. With a spatula, fold in the meringue into the egg yolk mixture in 3-4 batches.

5) Add in the dry ingredients gradually until just incorporated. Divide the batter into two, 3/4 in one batch and the rest in another bowl. Add the orange zest into the larger batch. Then sieve cocoa powder over the lesser batch and fold to mix well.

6) Pour batter into tin, alternating between the two mixtures, starting with the yellow batter and ending with the cocoa mixture. Rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles.

7) With a long skewer, swirl around the batter to create the marble effect. Bake for 40-55 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of the cake come out clean.

Assam Pedas Fish (Sour and Spicy Fish)

2012-09-16T22:00:00.000+08:00

Assam Pedas Fish, or literally "Sour Spicy" Fish is a classic Malaysian dish. Ask any home cooks in Malaysia--Malay, Chinese, or Indian--and you are bound to get a number of different recipes for Assam Pedas. Everyone has their own interpretation for this favorite dish and there are endless adaptations; suffice it to say, it's sour, fiery hot, and tastes extraordinarily satisfying.

It is an extremely easy dish to prepare and can be ready in an hour. I love having this dish with rice. In fact the gravy taste even better the next day

Assam Pedas Fish (Sour and Spicy Fish)
Recipe Adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Ingredients:

1 spanish mackarel, pomfret or any firm white fleshed fish (1/2 pound to 1 pound)
8 small okras (ladies fingers)
1 medium tomato (cut into wedges)
1 teaspoon of fish curry powder
1/4 teaspoon tumeric powder
2 sprigs of daun kesum (or you can use Vietnamese coriander)
4 tablespoons of cooking oil
1 tablespoon of white sugar (you may need more depending on taste)
Salt to taste

Spice Paste:

3 clove garlic
1 stalk of lemon grass (white part only)
4 shallots
1/2" fresh ginger, sliced
2 fresh red chillies, de-seeded
6 dried chillies (more if you like it spicy)
1/2 tablespoon of belacan (prawn paste)

For the Tamarind Juice:

1 1/4 cup of water
Tamarind pulp (size of a small lime)

Method:

1) Pound the spice paste with mortar and pestle or grind them in a food processor. Set aside.

2) Soak the tamarind pulp in warm water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind pulp constantly to extract the flavor intto the water. Drain the pulp and save the tamarind juice.

3) Heat oil and fry the spice paste for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

4) Add the tamarind juice, fish curry powder/turmeric powder and bring to boil.

5) Add the tomato wedges and okras and bring to boil.

6) Add the fish, salt, and palm sugar/sugar.

7) Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Serve hot with white rice.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-09-12T13:00:00.001+08:00

Peanut Butter Cookies must surely be an all-time favourite for both kids and adults. I call this the "American" version as it uses peanut butter. The other version which I call the "Chinese" version uses roasted peanuts which have been grounded and this is usually made during the Chinese New Year.

The first best part about the "American" version is that there is no roasting/grinding involved. The second is that you can have two different types of cookies by swopping smooth peanut butter with the chunky version (for more texture). These cookies are slightly crisp on the outside and chewy in the center. Exactly how I love my cookies to be. Guess the kids will probably ask for a glass of milk to go with a cookie!

Peanut Butter Cookies
Adapted from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
1 cup peanut butter at room temperature (I used smooth version)
1/2 cup caster sugar (sugar has been reduced)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup peanut butter chips (Reese version)
1/2 cup chocolate chips

For rolling:: 2 tablespoon sugar, regular or superfine

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180C. In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture in two portions and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter and chocolate chips.

3) Place the sugar for rolling in a separate plate. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of the dough into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving about 3" between each for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent across the dough ball with a pattern but do not overly flatten cookies. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not. (I baked mine for 12 minutes).

4) Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Soya Sauce Chicken

2012-09-07T22:43:00.001+08:00

I have been meaning to make this dish for a long time now. My mum used to make a similar version of this with chicken and also with beef. However her beef version uses a lot more pepper ..... black pepper to be precise!

There is a eatery shop directly opposite Hong Lim Market which is well-known for their delicious soya sauce chicken. I used to frequent this shop when I was working around the corner many years ago. It's not a fancy eatery and the shop front seems to have "stood still" in time. The soya sauce chicken dish is either accompanied with white rice or egg noodles. I was hoping that this recipe would come close to what this shop serves and how I remembered the dish's flavours. And I was not disappointed at all ... it is really, really close! Definitely a keeper's recipe and a dish that will be enjoyed by the whole family.

Soya Sauce Chicken

Serves 4 -5

Recipe Adapted from Rasa Malaysia.com

Ingredients:

1 medium size chicken (about 1.2kg), cleaned and cut into half 3-inch ginger, skin removed, sliced into thick pieces and lightly bruised
6 cloves garlic, peeled, whole and lightly bruised
2 stalks spring onions, tied into a knot
4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick (about 2-inch length)
1 cup light soya sauce (I used Lee Kum Kee’s less salted version)
1/2 cup dark soy sauce
2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon brandy or cognac
1 teaspoon white pepper
100g rock sugar (can be found in Asian grocery shop)
4 cups water

Ginger and Spring Onion Dip

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon ginger, minced finely and pounded
1 stalk spring onion, thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil

Method for the Dip:

To prepare the ginger and scallion dip, place the ginger, salt and spring onion into a small bowl. Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan until it becomes really hot and starts to smoke. Pour the oil into the small bowl and stir until everything is combined. Be careful as the oil may splatter slightly when it touches the ginger mix.

Method for the Chicken:

1) Add all ingredients (except the chicken) into a deep pot and bring it to a boil on high heat for 15 minutes. Add the chicken halfs into the pot and boil over high heat for about 10 minutes. Lower the heat to simmer for 30 minutes.

2) Then turn off the heat and let the chicken soak in the sauce until it has completely cooled. Chop the chicken up into bite size serving pieces. Place onto plate. Pour the sauce into a separate bowl to be served together with the dip. This dish is usually served at room temperature together with hot steaming bowl of rice.

Note:

Any left over sauce can be kept for other dishes such as soya sauce eggs. Add a few hard-boiled eggs into the sauce and let it sit overnight in the fridge. Alternatively you can use it as a marinade over deep fried beancurd.

Orange Cranberry Cake

2012-08-30T23:10:00.002+08:00

There are times when baking a simple, uncomplicated cake seems so right.

I never did like cooking or baking when I was young. But I do remember having to help my mum cream butter and sugar whenever she made her chocolate cake. We didn't own a cake mixer in those days and cakes were always made by hand ... a good old fashion wooden spoon and a big mixing bowl did the trick!

The very first oven my mum had was a big round stove top type made of aluminium with a glass window. She would place the oven in the corner of the dining room whenever a cake was being baked. Many years later we managed to purchase a stove built-in oven and this oven lasted us for years.

Orange Cranberry Cake

Ingredients:

170g unsalted butter, softened
260g caster sugar (reduced from original recipe)
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp orange zest
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup light sour cream (or you could use greek style yogurt)
2/3 cup dried cranberries soaked in 2 Tbsp orange juice for 15 minutes

Method:

1) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and orange zest.. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in cranberries.

2) Grease and line an 8" round cake pan with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven of 350° for 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chicken and Mushroom Pie inspired by Maggie Beer

2012-08-23T23:37:00.002+08:00

My sister had told me to try out Maggie Beer's pie pastry a long while back. I had totally forgotten about it and thought that it would be just another pastry recipe ... how good can it be? One fine day I happened to chance upon a food blogger post mentioning the same recipe. She had tried it out and swears that it is the best ever pie she has ever tasted!

I must say that this is the longest ever chicken pie recipe I have come across. Not only that, it had so many steps to putting the final product out. It had better be good otherwise I would have wasted one whole afternoon. And true enough it was fantastic. The sour cream pastry was ever so moist, flavourful and crispy at the same time. The base was only slightly soggy. I have to say that the pie was great and the sour cream pastry recipe is even better - one that you could use in any savoury pies or tarts.

Chicken and Mushroom Pie
Recipe Adapted from "Maggie Beer's Pheasant Pie"

Marinade for the Chicken:

1 medium sized chicken about 1 to 1.2 kg weight
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 orange zested and juiced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 bay leaves, fresh (if using dried, use only 3)
Salt and black pepper to taste

Pie Filling:

60g unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, crushed and roughly chopped
1 small onion diced
2 Tbsp rosemary chopped
350g portobello mushrooms diced into cubes
1 tsp salt flakes
30g flour
100ml white wine + extra 2 Tbsp
100ml chicken stock (unsalted) or water
80g thickened cream
50g walnuts roasted and rubbed, roughly chopped
1 lemon zested
Pinch of salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 Batch of Sour Cream Pastry (recipe below)

Glaze:

1 egg yolk
1/2 tbspn milk

Method for the Filling:

1) Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2) To prepare the chicken. Remove the wing tips. Cut the chicken along the breast bone side in half. Spread open the chicken and using the back of your palm, press hard against the back-bone. Make a cut on each side in between the leg and the breast and dislocate each leg at the socket by bending them back. Twist the legs 180 degrees, so the breast of the chicken and the skin side of the legs are facing up, then cut through to the back bone to remove the legs from the body. Remove the back-bone and discard. You should end up having the chicken in quarters.

3) Combine all the marinade ingredients into a large flat dish and mix well. Place the chicken in the marinade for a minimum of 20 minutes.

4) Line a baking tray with parchment and place the chicken skin side up. Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces. Roast the chicken for about 30 - 40 minutes depending on the overall size of the chicken. Mid way through the cooking process, turn the chicken around.

5) Check by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the breast to see if any pink juices show, if so a few more minutes cooking is required. To rest, remove from the oven and turn the bird so that the breast and legs are facing down in the roasting pan. Splash the chicken with 3 Tbsp of white wine and rest until cool enough to handle. Once cooled, remove the flesh from the bones and set aside.

6) Roll the pastry to the desired thickness and cut into two circles, one x 27 centimetre and one x 21 centimetre for the lid. Line the fluted base with the larger circle and place the smaller circle on a plate and refrigerate.

7) Start to make the pie filling. Place a frying pan over high heat, melt the butter, fry off the garlic, onion and rosemary and then add the mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms are soft and half reduce by half their amount. Season with salt and pepper whilst the mushrooms are sautéing. Then add the flour to the pan to make a roux, cook out for 3 minutes, then pour in the wine and stock. Bring the mixture to the boil and stir in the cream.. Reduce to a simmer, cook the mixture for 15 minutes, check the seasoning and allow to cool in the fridge. Once cooled, stir in the shredded chicken meat and set aside.

8) Make the glaze quickly by mixing the egg yolk and milk together.

9) Take the pastry from the fridge and spoon the cooked chicken mixture into the base and cover with pastry top. Crimp and seal the edges. Brush glaze and make a pattern if you wish. If pastry warms in this process put back into the fridge for 5 minutes. Remove from the fridge and place in a 200°C preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and is cooked through. Serve with a side salad for a tasty lunch.

Sour Cream Pastry

Ingredients:

125ml sour cream
250g plain flour
200g unsalted butter chilled

1) To make the pastry, dice the butter, then pulse with the flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2) Add the sour cream and continue to pulse until the dough starts to incorporate into a ball.

3) Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

4)  Roll the chilled pastry out until 3 mm thick and cut to suit your chosen recipe.

Salmon Teriyaki with Lemon Pomegranate Cous Cous

2012-08-14T22:09:00.001+08:00

This is an absolutly simple, delicious and flavourful meal when you are really rush for time. I had made this for dinner after work one evening and dinner was served in less than an hour - and this is including prep time as well.

If you are even more rush for time, forget about making your own marinade. Bottled eriyaki sauce is easily available in most Asian grocery shops. It's great on fish, BBQ, roast chicken and I even drizzle a bit of it on my cold tofu dishes.

Salmon Teriyaki with Lemon Pomegranate Cous Cous
Serves 4
Recipe Adapted from BBC Goodfood

Ingredients for the Salmon Teriyaki:

4 pieces of salmon fillets
4 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp sake (or substitue with Chinese wine)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
4 cm root ginger , grated and squeezed to give 2 tsp juice
Pinch of black pepper

Method:

1) Heat the grill to high. Mix together the marinade ingredients, put the salmon in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over. Leave for 20 minutes.

2) Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and cook the salmon, skin-side-down, for 4-5 minutes until the skin is crisp and the salmon almost cooked through. Spoon over a little leftover marinade and slide under a hot grill. Cook until the surface is glossy brown.

Ingredients for the Lemon Pomegranate Cous Cous:

500 g couscous
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juice only
500 ml boiling chicken stock or water
1 tsp salt and black pepper
3 tbsp chopped mint or coriander
1 pomegranate, cut in half, seeds removed

Method:

1) Place the couscous in a bowl and add the olive oil and lemon juice, and mix well.

2) Pour over the boiling stock or water and season with salt and pepper.

3) Leave on one side to sit until all the liquid has been absorbed - about 5-10 minutes.

4) Stir in the chopped herbs and add the pomegranate seeds.

Bacon and Leek Tartlets

2012-08-06T22:19:00.000+08:00

I really must apologize for being so slack with my postings. To be honest I have not done much baking or trying out new recipes for a while now. And I think the longer I stay away, the more slack I have gotten.

However my blog is always at the back of my mind and I hope to pick up from where I have last stopped. I made these tartlets quite a while back and they are extremely delicious. You can even freeze them and then reheat them back in your oven whenever you feel like having a quick lunch or snack.

Bacon and Leek Tartlets
Recipe Adapted from Taste.com.au
Ingredients for the Pastry:

2 cups plain flour
150g butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 egg yolk

Ingredients for the Filing:

20g butter
1 large leek, trimmed, halved, washed, thinly sliced
160g rindless shortcut bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup fresh milk
Pinch of dried mixed herbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1) Combine flour and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

2) Add the egg yolk and process until dough just comes together. Turn pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 mins until slightly firm.

3) Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add leek and bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes or until leek is soft. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley. Leave aside to cool.

4) Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper or cling film to form a 30cm circle. Line base and side of of tart moulds with pastry, trimming excess. Prick the tart shell and freeze for about 15 minutes.

5) Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Place tart shells and bake blind for about 10 minutes. Remove baking paper and rice or weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Cool tart shells for 5 minutes.

6) Beat the eggs lightly, season with salt and pepper. Add in the grated cheese and the leek/bacon filing. Spoon into tart shells and bake for about 20 mihnutes until top is golden brown. Serve tartlets with a side salad.