PUMPKIN BREAD

Final exam was over!!!! Yeah.... I can put away the BIG stone :-) So stress during the month.  Made a pumpkin bread to brighten up my day!

Saw nice pumpkin selling at the market. I just bought some & decided to bake a pumpkin bread.  I don't have any pumpkin bread recipe, so I just added mashed pumpkin to the Hokkaido Milk Toast recipe.

It turned out great... super soft till it can't stand properly on the wire rack. So I inverted the bread. Haha....  :D  It was hard to slice ( too soft ) & the shape gone too. Haha..... taste yummy!!!!

I added 250g mashed pumpkin into the recipe. Milk reduced to 100ml & added more bread flour ( 300g). But I think I added too much mashed pumpkin & forgot to put in EGG!!! Haiz... Next round, I will put in 150g. Hope the bread can stand after baked. Will adjust the measurements & will post the accurate measurements soon. Heehee...

Have A Nice Day!!!!

ORANGE OGURA CAKE

It was my busy day. Final exam is around the corner. I'm super busy doing revision with my kids. Tiring, but I still do baking for my family. 

Today I tried to make "Ogura Cake" 相思蛋糕。Wanted to bake this cake long long ago after I tried it. It was bought by my aunty from USJ bakery shop. It is a popular cake now. The texture is just like Chiffon Cake. I will describe the texture as butter cake + chiffon cake ( fine & soft )

I searched many recipes from internet but more a least are the same. I watched video too. The method is exactly the same with Chiffon Cake.

Here's the recipe I modified :

• 4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg
• 40g corn oil
• 65g fresh orange juice
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 60g Plain flour or Cake flour
• orange zest

• 4 Egg whites
• 1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
• 60g Sugar

1. Line baking sheet at the bottom of an ungreased 7 inch square pan and preheat the oven to 160C with a tray of boiling water on the most bottom rack.

2. Whisk egg yolks and corn oil until frothy and add orange juice, mix well. Sift in flour, salt and orange zest, mix well set aside.

3. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg white, cream of tartar and castor sugar till peak form (not stiff).

4. Mix 1/3 of meringue with yolk batter with a rubber spatula. Then pour in balance of meringue. Fold gently to mix well.

5. Pour batter into pan and tap pan lightly to remove air bubbles.

6. Steam bake for 40 minutes at 160°C and bake for another 20 minutes at lower temperature 140°C.

7. Remove cake immediately after baked and invert cake on wire rack to cool.

Enjoy your day with a light & yummy cake!!

CROISSANTS

So happy with yesterday's baking. My uncles are coming from Johor. So I decided to make some for them.  This time, I would like to try a new recipe. Google searched few recipes, somehow I decided to pick this as a try  ( http://www.roxanashomebaking.com/homemade-croissants-recipe/ ).

Compared with yesterday's , I prefer this recipe. So, I would like to share the recipe here too.

• 240g bread flour
• 90ml luke warm milk
• 5.5g instant yeast
• 30g egg
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 60ml milk
• 115g pastry margarine

1. In a large mixing bowl sift the flour and salt.

2. Mix the yeast with the 90ml luke warm milk, stir until dissolved and pour it into the flour.

3. Mix a little bit (the mixture is going to be dry) and add the sugar and egg. Bring the dough together slowly adding the 60ml milk.

4. When all the milk is added the dough is going to be quite sticky. Don't panic and definitely don't add more flour.

5. Knead until doesn't stick. It's going to be around 7-10 minutes. Place the dough into a clean oiled bowl, cover with plastic foil and let it rise until double in volume.

6. Meanwhile work the margarine. Remove the margarine and place on a plastic foil. Cover with plastic foil and with the rolling pin, flatten the butter until it forms a sheet about 3/4 inch thick.Put the margarine back in the fridge.

7. When the dough has doubled in volume, punch it down, cover again and place it in the fridge until double in volume again.

8. When the dough has risen for the second time, place it on a floured surface, roll it our into a 12 inch square. Place the sheet of margarine in the middle and fold the corners of the dough over the butter like an envelope, tucking the edges to completely hide the butter.

9. Roll the dough into a rectangle, about 3/4 inch thick, twice as long as it is wide.Roll the upper third down and the bottom third up. Wrap in plastic foil and chill for 20 minutes.

10. Take the dough out of the fridge, turn to 90 degrees, roll out into a rectangle and fold again. Chill for 20 more minutes, wrapped in foil.

11. Roll if out again, turning the dough, and fold one more. Chill for 20 more minutes whapped in plastic foil.

12. Flour your working area.vRolls the chilled dough out into a 25X13 inch rectangle. Cut into triangles. Roll the croissants starting from the wide side toward the sharp point.

13. Place the croissants on a baking sheet, spaced well apart. Leave to rise one last time until double in size.

14. Meanwhile heat the oven to 180c. Brush the croissants with egg wash and bake until puffed and golden, for 13-17 minutes depending on their size.

Enjoy (@*@)

DANISH & PASTRY

I love croissant so much. Tried once few years ago but failed. This time I would like to give it a try with the same recipe from 面包DIY by Khoo See Yew. I watched a video from youtube ( http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nvYMnMT6eVc&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DnvYMnMT6eVc ).  I followed the method by folding the dough. It success. .. Yeah :-)

Here's the recipe. From this recipe, you can make different kind of croissants and danish.

• 175g  high protein flour
• 75g medium protein flour
• 7.5g milk powder
• 30g sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 25g egg
• 100g cold water
• 7.5g yeast
• 25g butter
• 125g pasrty margarine

1. Combine high protein flour, medium flour and milk powder.

2. Instant yeast mix with cold water, add in sugar, salt and eggs.

3. Pour into sifted flours and knead to a dough, add in butter.  Knead dough until smooth and elastic.  Proof for 30 minutes.

4. Flatten the dough into square. Place pastry margarine in the middle of the dough. Fold up like an envelope. Roll and flatten into rectangular sheet. Fold up into 3 layers and rest in the freezer for 15 minutes.

5. Turn to 90 degre, roll and flatten into rectangular. Repeat step 4 twice.

6. Remove from freezer and roll into 5mm rectangular thin sheet. Cut into required shape. Please watch the video for a better method and shaping. Thank you.

7. Egg wash and bake at 180c for 13-15 minutes.

Happy Mid Autumn

Today is 八月十三  in our Lunar calendar! Two more days will be 八月十五 ( 19/9 ), it is Mid Autumn Festival!!! Yeah... time for kids to play lanterns & candles. It's also a special day for families & friends to gather up.

Normally, we just had a small gathering with neighbours or friends outside the house with mooncakes & others while admire the full moon. Kids will have fun with their burning candles not lanterns!!! Haha...

What you guys did for this year Mooncake Festival? This year I'm feeling super lazy not to do any mooncakes but I wanted to try to cook lotus paste. Haha..So I decided to make traditional mooncake if my lotus paste is success! Yeah... I did it!!!!!  I just tried 300g of lotus seeds.  It turns out great & taste yummy. Not too sweet.... ngam ngam ho.... heehee.

I searched few recipes from books & online. Their recipes are almost the same. But I decided not to follow. Luckily it success!

Here's my mix & match recipe :

• 300g lotus seeds
• 1 tsp alkaline water
• 230g sugar
• 230g groundnut oil
• 1 tbsp maltose

1. Put lotus seeds into a pot of water. Bring to boil. Add in alkaline water & boil for 5 minutes. Remove lotus seeds & place ibto cold water. Rub-off skins & discard stems.

2. Cook the cleaned lotus seeds with sufficient water. Boil till lotus seeds have softened. It needs more 30 minutes. Strain & blend into paste while hot. 

3. Heat up wok ( don't use non-stick wok). Melt 30g sugar into caramel till golden with low heat. Turn off heat. Add in lotus paste. Mix well & turn on heat to medium low. Keep stirring & add in the remaining sugar.

4. Stir paste till almost dry. Add in 1/3 oil & keep stirring until even. Then add in another 1/3 oil & so on for the last portion of oil. Keep stirring until paste boil ( it takes less then 3 minutes), add in maltose. Stir non-stop until paste starts to leave the sides of wok. It should be ready. Dish up to cool well. Don't leave it in the hot wok!!!!

Here, I wish everyone 中秋节快乐!!!

Ham & Cheese Hokkaido Toast

Hello my lovely friends & followers, how's your day?  I'm feeling wonderful today without baking. Hahaha... too lazy (**.)

I baked Ham & Cheese Bread yesterday with Hokkaido Milk Toast recipe. This time I divided the dough into 2 instead of 3. Really love this recipe.  It taste fantastic!!!! The texture still soft on the next day. Do try it to those who haven't try Hokkaido bread recipe before.

HOKKAIDO CHOCOLATE BREAD

Hello my beloved friends & followers, how's your day? I'm feeling great with my fresh baked Hokkaido Chocolate Bread ( http://happykitchen-janice.blogspot.com/2013/08/hokkaido-milk-toast.html?m=1 )  My family & I love this recipe so much. I make it once or twice a week for breakfast or lunch.

It is a great recipe. You guys must try to make at least once. Heehee....

From the original recipe, I just replaced the whipping cream with chocolate whipping cream. Sometimes I will replace milk with water or packed milo or chocolate milk. I added chocolate chips as well for a richer chocolate taste.

The next baking, I will roll with ham & top with cheese. Stay tune. Have a nice day everyone!

HOKKAIDO MILK TOAST

Last month I saw a bread recipe as an opened recipe from Facebook. I were surprised that the recipe is without butter. So I decided to give it a try.

So, I made it yesterday after my dinner. Heehee..... It turns out great, soft & fine. It is a good recipe. My hubhy immediately ate a slice while I'm slicing. Haha.....

But, after I posted in Facebook.... my friend told me she made it before long long ago. Haha...I thought this is the latest recipe @@" pai seh......

Here you go the recipe

•280g bread flour
•30g all purpose flour
•130ml milk
•95ml whipping cream
•30g egg
•9g milk powder ( I avoided)
•40g sugar ( I put 35g)
•5g yeast
•4g salt

1. Mix all ingredients & knead untill smooth & elastic.
2. Proof for 40 minutes.
3. Punch out the air, divide the dough into 3 equal portion.
4. Flatten the each dough & roll up. Place rolled dough into a greased loaf tin. Proof for another 45 minutes.
5. Egg wash & bake for 30-35 minutes at 180c.

NASI LEMAK WITH CHICKEN RENDANG

I'm lost here since my last post. Haha... great to come back & sharevmy recipe.  Yesterday, I cooked my kids favourite " Nasi Lemak" . This was my 2nd attempt. It turns out great. This time served with Chicken Rendang instead of sambal.

Here you go with my own agak-agak recipe but nice o..... heehee.

Rice :
• 3 1/2 cup rice, washed
• 400ml coconut milk
•1 1/2 tsp salt
•8 pieces pandan leaf
•water

1. Put all ingredients in a steamer tray. Add in water until the you reach the level ( just follow the level you cook rice)
2. Steam at high heat for 25 minutes, remove from heat & leave to stand for 15 minutes.
3. Fluff up with chopsticks.

Chicken Rendang :
GROUNDED FINELY
• 10 pips garlic
• 20 shallots
• 15 dried chillies
• 3 red chillies
• 2cm thick galangal
• 3cm thick turmeric
• 3cm thick ginger
• 4 stalks lemongrass, sliced

• 200ml thick coconut milk
• 4 drumsticks
• 150 ml water
• 3 pieces dried tamarind slices
• 2 pieces turmeric leaf, knotted
• 6 pieces 枫杆叶
• 2tsp salt or to taste
• 1 tbsp gula Melaka

1. Heat up 3 tbsp oil, add grounded spices & stir-fry till fragrant, slowly add in some thick coconut milk during stir-fry to prevent it from getting too dry.
2. Add in chicken & stir-fry till aromatic.  Add water, tamarind slices & bring to boil. Covered & cook with low heat until chicken ia tender. ( about 45 minutes, stir in between)
3. Add in turmeric leaf,枫杆叶, salt, gula melaka & remaining coconut milk. Bring to boil & serve or cook till the gravy is dry.

DONE!!! Serve with nasi lemak rice or plain rice! Superb....

Hope you like it... Have A Nice Day!

LONG WAITS

It seems like I'm disappeared quite a long time. Haha..... I'm so busy since end of last year. I baked but no time to post those recipes that I tried. Here, I will post a few recipes I had tried with a very simple method. Hope you don't mind :-)

The very 1st picture is Danish Butter Cookies from a blogger. You can view the recipe from the link below
http://angelcookbakelove.blogspot.sg/2013/01/danish-butter-cookies-vaniljekranse.html?m=1

The 2nd picture is " Fettuccine With Zucchini & Bacon " from Women Weekly Magazine & Pork Chop from my own recipe. Here, I just share with you the pasta.

• 375g fettuccine
• 80ml extra virgin olive oil
• 100g thinly sliced bacon
• 2 small zucchini , slice thinly
• 3 cloves garlic, chop finely
• 1 fresh large red chilli, slice thinly
• 1/4cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2cup shaved Parmesan cheese
• lemon wedges for serving

1. Add pasta to a large pot of boiling water, add 1/4 salt & boil until just tender. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain pasta.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon, in batches, in a single layer, cook until browned. Remove from pan.
3. Add zucchini to same pan until softened about 2 minutes. Add the remaining oil, garlic & chilli. Stir till fragrant.
4. Toss zucchini mixture with hot pasta & the reserved cooking water to moisten. Season some salt to taste.
5. Top the pasta with Parmesan cheese & serve with lemon wedges.

Try it..... I tried twice.... NICE!!!!!

The 3rd picture is "Chocolate Cranberry Cupcake" adapted from Easy Stir'n Bake Cakes from Kevin Chai's Lichee Cake. I changed Lichee to cranberries & desiccated coconut to ground hazelnuts. Here's the recipe :

• 100g plain flour
• 10g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 100 caster sugar
• 80ml corn oil
• 120g cranberries
• 10g ground hazelnuts
• 20g chocolate chips

1. Combine flour, baking powder & bicarbonate of soda in a mixing bowl.
2. Combine eggs, sugar & oil. Stir into flour mixture together with cranberries, ground almond & chocolate chips until well blended.
3. Spoon mixture into paper cups. Bake in preheated oven at 175c for 20 minutes.

It was super easy cake without using mixer. Haha... Simple & yummy! I will be back soon will my bread recipes. See you soon:-) Have a nice day!