Chocolate Dessert Party at Jin Patisserie - Feb 5th

In celebration of Jin Patisserie's newest outpost in Century City, they are throwing a chocolate dessert party on Feb 5, 5-8 PM for $17 per person.

It will be held at their new Century City location:
Pastry & Tea Boutique
at InterContinental
2151 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles CA 90067
310.789.6485



Here's the menu Kristy has prepared:

FINGER SANDWICH
Roast Beef w/Brie Cheese
Egg Salad
Cream Cheese Tomato


SWEET
Spicy Milk Chocolate w/Mango
38% Rondo Felchin

Baked Chocolate Tart w/Pineapple
64% Manjari Valrhona

White Chocolate w/Peach Compote & Yuzu Jelly
29% Weiss

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie
72% Felchin


Served with a glass of wine and a specially blended chocolate drink


$17 per person

Super Bowl Chili

Not many dishes spark as much controversy as chili. Debates rage on over the merits of storebought chili powder versus home ground ancho chilies, tomatoes or no tomatoes, vegetables or only meat, and the most disputed ingredient of all... beans. True Texan chili con carne contains only meat and dried chilies. Purists will argue that if you add any other ingredients then the dish no longer qualifies as chili but with so many regional variations, personal preferences, and secret ingredients that range from the interesting like beer, chocolate, and coffee to the downright bizarre like peanut butter and banana (this one makes me say what the heck), it's hard to say if there's a real right or wrong way. This Super Bowl chili features all of the aforementioned sacrilegious ingredients: vegetable, tomatoes, and beans, though strangely enough this is the chili that everyone is most familiar with since it's the kind thats widely available canned in the grocery store. This recipe is much better than anything that comes in a can and will make a hearty addition to your Super Bowl spread. If you can, make the chili a day before you wish to serve it because it tastes so much better the second day after the flavors have matured. Have a selection of condiments available because the fun part is deciding what to put on top of your big bowl of chili. You can serve the chili by itself, with cornbread, over rice, or my personal favorite, with Fritos corn chips.

Super Bowl Chili
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Serves 8 - 10

2 lbs ground beef, preferably 85% lean
2 medium onions, diced fine
1 large red bell pepper, 1/2 inch cube dice
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 C chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin (or roughly 1 3/4 tsp whole cumin toasted and ground)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (to taste)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste: I didn't use red pepper flakes so I used a teaspoon of cayenne)
3 chipotle peppers packed in adobo, chopped
2 Tbsp adobo sauce
1 28 oz diced tomatoes, preferably Muir Glen fire roasted
1 28 oz tomato puree or tomato sauce
2 15 oz cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper
Vegetable oil

Serve with:
Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
Sour Cream
Avocado cubes
Chopped fresh tomato
Chopped green onion
Diced red onion
Cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and brown half of the ground beef. Once the first batch of beef is browned, remove the meat keeping the fat in the pan and add the second half and brown the beef. Once all of the beef is browned, drain and reserve. Drain the rendered fat from the Dutch oven reserving two tablespoons of fat in the Dutch oven.

In the Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onions, red peppers, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, cayenne, chipotle peppers and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the beef, tomatoes, tomato puree, beans, adobo sauce, and bring it up to a simmer. Simmer with the lid ajar for an hour and a half. Remove the lid and simmer another 30 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the chili is dark and thick. If it starts to stick on the bottom stir in a little bit of water.

Ideally serve the next day with your choice of condiments.

Kok Chai/Mini Peanut Puffs

These are must-have for the Chinese New Year and they are so good, it is worth the time spend in making these tiny mini puffs.

KOONG HEI FATT CHOY/HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR


Ingredients:

300 gm. all purpose flour

70 gm. rice flour

120 gm. margarine or butter or lard

90 - 100 ml. cold water

1 large egg

Filling:

225 gm. roasted peanuts - skinned and chopped fine

3 Tbsp. roasted sesame seeds - crushed

120 gm. fine granulated sugar

50 ml. oil (preferably peanut oil)

Oil for deep-frying

Method:

For pastry:

Using the food processor, pulse magarine , flour and rice flour till it becomes breadcrumbs like.

Add water , beaten egg and pulse into a pliable dough.

Rest for 15 mins.

For filling:

Mix all the ingredients together.

To make the puffs:

Use the pasta machine to roll pastry into a thin sheet and cut into 1 3/4 - 2 inches rounds.

Put in 1/2 tsp of filling into the center of cut pastry and wrap up filling . Pinch edges neatly.

Heat up oil for deep-frying peanut puffs and fry till golden brown using medium heat.

Remove and drain onto kitchen towel.

Let it cool before storing into containers.

Serves

Double Sided Gold Noodle/Leong Mean Wong

This dish is all about the noodles. Noodles fried in this manner excite your palate with crispy and soft texture at one go. The topping does not have to be seafood, this noodles go well with whatever topping you can dish up - anything available except the kitchen sink.


Ingredients:

1 pound dried thick egg noodles
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 lb choy sum , cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb of mixed seafood - salt and pepper just before browning
1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 cup stock

1 tbsp cornstarch dilute with 2 tbsp water

1 tbsp shao xing wine
Cooking oil for frying
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Boil noodles in salted water until al dente. Drain and combine with sesame oil to keep strands from sticking together.

Heat a large, flat-bottomed non-stick pan over medium-high heat covered well with oil. When oil is hot, add noodles in an even layer, covering the bottom of the pan. Let cook, without moving, until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. When browned, flip and brown the other side, adding a touch more oil to pan. (To flip noodles, put a big plate over pan and flip pan. Then slide the noodles back to the pan)

Meanwhile, in a wok over high heat coated lightly with oil, brown scallops on both sides, dish out and leave aside. Do the same with all other seafood.

Reheat wok with a little more oil and add sliced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add choy sum and stir-fry until tender-crisp.

Add in the stock and bring to the boil, thicken with cornstarch solution and lastly add in shao xing wine. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, gently place noodle cake on platter. Top with the seafood gravy, spreading to cover entire surface of noodles.

Serves

Pumpkin Cookies

Happy Halloween

Ingredients:

Sugar Cookies

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 stick butter

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Method:

Day one:

• Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl.

•In a larger bowl cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Mix in the egg. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and lemon extract and blend. Cover in wrap and chill overnight.

The next day:

Preheat oven to 400°F .

Cut off a piece of dough and roll out on a floured dry surface.

Add more flour to the dough until no sticking occurs.

Use your favorite cookie cutters than transfer shapes to a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for seven to ten minutes.

Let cookies cool before frosting with glaze icing

Glaze Icing

1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
food coloring

Stir confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and water together. Stir in food coloring if desired.

This glaze must be stirred each time you use it.

If it is not stirred before each use it will dry with a mottled look instead of a solid color.

Rainbow Agar Agar

It's a refreshing dessert, a perfect finish to an Asian meal, especially after heavy stuff like curry. It's served cold, so it's great for summer too. It is easy to make and oh so impressive to serve.

Ingredients:

The Transparent Layer:

2 tbsp agar agar powder

1200 ml water

200 gm castor sugar

Colorings - green is a must and i use pandan paste, it not only gives the green, it fragrants the whole jelly.

The Coconut Milk Layer:

2 tbsp agar agar powder

400 ml concentrated coconut milk

800 ml water

200 gm of castor sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Method:

1. Boil above ingredients for the transparent layer except colourings till dissolved. Sieve mixture and return to pot. Leave it on the stove on the lowest heat or doubleboil to keep the mixture warm until the coconut layer is ready for assembling.

2. Boil the agar agar, sugar and water for the coconut layer till dissolved, then add in coconut milk and salt. Sieve mixture and return to pot. Leave it on very low heat .

Assembling:

1. Measure about 250 ml of transparent agar agar and colour it in the colour you like. Leave it to harden slightly(not too hard if not the jelly will not stick together. If too hard, just use a fork to lightly scratch the surface before adding the next layer.)

2. The second layer will be 250 ml of the coconut milk agar agar. Leave to harden slightly

Do the same alternating between the transparent layer and the coconut milk layer until all the agar agar have been used up.

3. Leave the whole jelly to cool down before refrigerating it for at least a few hours.

Serves

Pulut Tekan/Lam Fah Koh

I think that what i wanted to say haved been so nicely said and presented by Seadragon http://cafeoftheeast.blogspot.com/2007/02/pulut-tai-tai.html. This is one of the classics of nyonya kuih and how organic can it be when the color blue is obtained from the flower 'Bunga Telang' which gives the special blue to marble the compressed rice. These flowers are hard to come by and they are not so treasured when you are in Malaysia , but here, it is different, friends who have treasured ingredients like this, share and i have the opportunity to get some from my dear friend, Sandra Ho, whose mom is in Malacca and dried some for her. Thanks to Sandra's mom.



Ingredients:


500 gm glutinious rice, wash and soak for 4 hours, then drain well

350 ml coconut cream

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried bunga telang - reconstitute with 1/4 cup of boiling water)

a large piece of banana leave

Method:


Put all the ingredients int0 a steaming tray and steam on high heat until cooked (about 45 minutes)



Remove 1/3 of the cooked glutinious rice into a mixing bowl, add a little of the blue bunga telang extract and mix well to obtain a blue glutinious rice.



Add in the remaining 2/3 cooked glutinious rice and mix lightly to obtain a marble effect.



Using a piece of banana leave, press glutinious rice into a 7 inch square cake pan which has been lined with banana leaves. Cut a piece of 7 inch square thick cardboard and cover it with heavy duty aluminium foil. Use this as a lid and press it down on top of the pressed glutinious rice. Use something heavy (i use a 6 inch saucepan filled with water) on top to weigh down cake until cool and firm.



Cut into pieces and serve with KAYA(recipe is http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2005/05/kaya-rich-egg-custard.html)

Serves

Rice Crispies Dora and Spongebob

These were made for Renee's birthday party and these rice crispies were a real treat. I made Dora for the girls and Sponge Bob for the boys.



Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups miniature marshmallows or 40 large
6 cups rice crispies

Method:

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, vanilla, and marshmallows.

Melt over medium heat while stirring with a wooden spoon.

Remove from heat, and mix in rice crispies

Or:

Put butter, vanilla and marshmallows and microwave on high for 2 minutes,

Spoon and press into Dora and Sponge Bob moulds.

Cool and remove from moulds and ice with melted chocolate and buttercream. M & Ms, sliced almond and tiny marshmellows were also used to decorate Sponge Bob


Serves

Renee's Chocolate Cake

Renee named this cake as her cake because she found this recipe from her game cd - My Little Pony, printed it out and insisted that i have to make it. We made it, the both of us as a team, she measured all the ingredients with my supervision of course but when it comes to cracking the eggs, it was quite a task for a to be 5 year old. Well, we had fun and the best part is that the cake turned out to be the best chocolate cake that i have ever baked and it was so easy that a child could accomplish.



Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup coffee



Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 f.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cocoa.

Add the milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. We don't want to see lumps!!!

Add in coffee and mix again thoroughly.

Grease two 9 inch round cake tins with butter (i line the bottom of the tins)

Pour the cake batter into the cake tins.

Bake at 375 f for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes.

After the cakes have cooled, take them out of the tins.

Decorate with frosting or whatever pleases you.(i put two strips of paper on top of cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar)

Your're done and ready to eat.

Enjoy!!!!!



Serves

Apple Cardamom Spiced Cake

The name of the cake is self explanatory and does not need any introduction but what is needed are high praises for it's appearance and the spice, cardamom, with apples made a good marriage indeed.



Ingredients:
115 g/4 oz/1/2 cup butter
115 g/4 oz/1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
225 g/8 oz/2 cups all purpose flour
15 ml/1 tbsp baking powder
30 ml/2 tbsp milk
crushed seeds from 2 cardamom pods
50 g/2 oz/1/2 cup walnuts - chopped
15 ml/1 tbsp poppy seeds
500 g/l lb granny smith apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced.

To decorate:

3 walnut halves
Reserved apple slices
45 ml/3 tbsp clear honey

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 c/350 f.

Grease a 20 cm/8 inch round loose-bottom cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and light.

Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, until incorporated.

Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold in, alternating with the milk.

Stir in the cardamom, chopped nuts and poppy seeds.

Remove 1/3 of the apple slices and chop the rest.

Fold in the chopped apples into the creamed mixture.

Transfer to the prepared tin.

Smooth the surface, making a small dip in the centre.

Place the 3 walnut halves in the centre of the cake mixture, and fan the reserved apple slices around the walnuts, covering the cake mixture.

Bake for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean

Remove the cake from the oven.

Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack, brush with the clear honey and leave to cool completely.


Serves

Chocolate Wafer Torte

These wafers come in the size of 11 1/2 inch x 18 inch and have 5 layers. It is so convenient especially when you need to have a cake and do not have time to bake. All that is required is to assemble and viola - you will have the biggest 'Kit Kat' I do not know where i could get them when i ran out as a dear friend moved to Dubai and left me 3 pieces. I don't know why it is spelled as Tort Wafers as i have always spelled Tort with a silent 'e'



Ingredients:

1 piece Tort Wafers
7 ozs melted chocolate
6 egg yolks
1 1/2 cups of cream
8 oz butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
7 ozs ground roasted hazelnuts

For glaze

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
10 oz fine-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Method:

Cut Tort Wafers into 9 inch square.

Mix and stir, sugar, egg yolks and cream over very low heat until foamy.

Add in butter, melted chocolate and ground hazelnuts.

Mix thoroughly.

Fill Tort Waters in layers, press lightly and chill.

Ice the torte with the glaze

Serves

Double Chocolate Financier Cake

I found this recipe in Epicurious.com and liked this quote "The original financier was an almond pastry created by a 19th-century Parisian pastry chef for his wealthy banker clients. This chocolate version is worth its weight in gold. " Our dinner guests said they rather have another piece than gold. That's how yummy it was. I subtituted the heavy whipping cream while making the ganache with unsweetened coconut milk not by choice but because we were snowed in and i could not get to the store. The ganache turned out really well, very nutty and flavorful.







Ingredients:

Cake

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 large egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds (about 4 ounces)
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped Chocolate

Ganache

6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream/unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup apricot jam
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted (i used Godiva Chocolates)

Method:

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F convention or 325 f convection.

Butterthree 9-inch round cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper round.

Melt 3/4 cup butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until light brown, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, sift flour, cocoa, and salt into medium bowl.

Whisk egg whites in large bowl until foamy, then add sugar; whisk at medium speed. Whisk in corn syrup and vanilla and continure to whisk until soft peak.

Add flour mixture; whisk just to blend.

Add ground almonds; whisk just to blend.

Using whisk, put in some of the batter above and fold in browned butter, then chopped chocolate. Add this to all the batter and fold in to blend.

Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops.

Bake cakes until firm to touch and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 - 20 minutes. (i used convection and cake was ready in 15 minutes)

Cool cakes on rack 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack; peel off paper. Cool completely.

For chocolate ganache:

Place chocolate in small metal bowl.

Bring cream to boil in small saucepan. Pour cream over chocolate; whisk until smooth.

Add butter, 1 piece at a time, gently whisking to blend between additions, adding as little air as possible.

Transfer 2/3 cup ganache to heatproof 1-cup measure with spout.

Place bowl with remaining ganache over bowl of ice water. Stir until semi-firm and thick enough to spread. Set aside for filling.

Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Place rack on sheet.

Place 1 cake, flat side down, on rack.

Strain apricot jam into small skillet; bring to boil.

Spoon warm jam over cake, spreading evenly almost to edge.

Let cool 5 minutes.

Drop filling by teaspoonfuls all over cake, then spread in even layer.

Place second cake atop filling, bottom side up.

If glaze is too firm to pour, rewarm in microwave at low power in 15-second increments until pourable.

Pour over cake, allowing glaze to drip down sides and using offset spatula to spread glaze evenly over sides of cake.

Chill cake 2 hours.

Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead.

Cover with cake dome; keep chilled.

Arrange sliced almonds/chocolates atop cake.

Serves

Durian Cake

When my cousin's family from Malaysia came for a visit, he bought 2 huge Thai Durians of which one was so delicious and the other is not quite. So, in the freezer it went for recycling. Made this cake ahead of the party and it froze very well. Picture was taken after it came out of oven and forgot to take a picture of the one that has been defrosted and drizzled with melted chocolate. The flavor was fine and ok for guests who have not tasted or do not like durian but for those who love durian, will suggest using the best delicious durian.



Ingredients:

120 g margarine
125 g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
160 g durian flesh
3 large eggs
20 ml milk/coconut milk
150 g all purpose flour )
1/4 tsp baking powder )Sieve together
1 tsp custard powder )

Method:

Preheat oven to 350f. Grease the bundt pan and dust with flour.

Cream margarine, sugar and salt until fluffy.

Add durian and mix well to combine.

Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by milk.

Fold in sieved flour.

Check for dropping consistency, if too stiff, add a tbsp of milk.

Pour mixture into prepared bundt pan and bake for about 45 minutes.

Test for doneness.

Cool in bundt pan and using the hot towel method, remove cake and let cool on rack.

Serves

Empress Roll

I had to rename these rolls as i made them for all the empresses who attended the asian ladies high tea. It was out of the theme as The Host Empress, Sumi had prepared a complete menu for an English high tea with jams and clotted cream to go with the scones, several platters of sandwiches and 5 pots of different types of tea to choose from. The table was set with Royal Dolton fitted for the Queen of England. Thank you Your Highness, Sumi for being such a gracious host.



Ingredients:

150 gm cake flour - steam for 30 minutes, cool then sieve
150 gm koh fun
300 gm powdered sugar
8 - 10 tbsp water
4 tbsp wheat starch(tung mein fun), mix with 4 tbsp very hot boiling water
2 tbsp oil/shortening
1/4 tsp banana essence or essence of your choice
400 gm of red bean paste


Method:

Mix all the above except the red bean paste and knead to a smooth dough. Leave to rest.

Divide dough and red bean paste into 4 portions.

Using plastic wrap, roll one portion of the red bean paste out to 1/8 inch thick rectangle and roll dough to the same size and thickness as the red bean paste.

Top the red bean paste rectangle with the dough rectangle and roll up both ends to meet.

Chill before slicing.



Serves

Mini Cream Cheese Cupcakes

This recipe is from JoDeliBakery and the cupcakes were so good that Renee, who normally does not eat well, ate 6 at one go. Thanks Jo for sharing. The cupcakes freeze well and i could make them way ahead. I will thaw them the night before the party and decorate them with icing on the party day.




Ingredients:

130g cake flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
125g cream cheese, at room temperature
135g butter, at room temperature
145g castor sugar
1 tsp grated lemon rind
2 nos. medium (Grade B) eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp lemon juice

40 mini paper cups

Method:

Line muffin pan with paper cups.

Sift cake flour, baking soda and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Cream butter and cream cheese until light and creamy for 8-10 minutes. Add castor sugar and continue to mix until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in lemon rind and lemon juice.

Finally, fold in sifted flour.

Fill a big piping bag with plain nozzle, pipe batter into paper cups.

Bake in preheated oven at 350f convection for 15 minutes

Remove the pan from the oven.

Rest for 10 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the pan .

Cool on wire rack.

Decorate as you wish and serve chilled.

These minis can be frozened and thawed before decorating.




Serves

Spiral Curry Puffs

These curry puffs are party favorite for the guests as well as for me because i can make them ahead of time and freeze them. The pastry in this recipe is crispy even when puffs are cold.



Ingredients:

Outer layer:

400 g flour
50 g margarine
1/3 tsp salt
1/2 egg
170 ml water

Inner Layer:

120 g flour
60 g lard/shortening

Filling:

150 g chicken meat
150 g onions
500 g potatoes
50 g shallots
2 tbsp oil
2 1/2 tbsp curry powder
1 1/2 tbsp freshly ground chilly (paste)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
3/4 cup coconut milk


Method:

For Wrapping:

Outer layer:

1. Boil margarine, water and salt. Pour into the flour. Add in egg. Knead well. Let dough rest for a while. Divide into 8 portions.

Inner layer:

2. Mix flour and lard/shortening together. Knead well and divide into 8 portions.

3. Wrap inner layer with outer layer. Flatten it and then roll it up like a swiss roll. Repeat twice and then divide into 2 portions.

4. With cut side on the table, roll dough into a circle and fill with a spoonful of curry filling. Wet the outer rim of circle and fold into half, seal the edges.

5. Puffs can be left to freeze and packed in ziploc bag when frozen until needed.

6. To fry frozen curry puffs, start them in cold oil. Remove several ladles of hot oil as the puffs are slightly brown, turn heat on to the highest and fry puffs until brown. This way will ensure that the puffs will not be soggy.

7. To fry the second batch, add in the slightly cool oil and put in the frozen puffs, frying the same way as no.6.

8. Put fried puffs in 250f oven to keep warm.

For the filling:

Cube the chicken. potatoes and onions

slice shallors.

Boil the potaoes till soft.

Heat oil ,sweat the shallots and add in ground chilly(paste). Fry until fragrant then add curry powder.

Add in the cubed chicken, then onions. When chicken is no more pink add in coconut milk.

Simmer until filling thickens, season with salt and sugar.

Leave to cool.

Banana Bundt Cake

Overriped bananas and fruits piled up fast in the fridge. Like the chinese saying goes 'ngan foud tho chak' - the eye is bigger than the stomach, I will buy in abundance and can't catch up with the eating. So....., being as frugal as i am, will have to turn them into something delicious.

Ingredients:

12 1/2 ounces cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
Heavy pinch salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
1 cup yogurt/sour cream
a tiny drop of banana essence
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas and sieved plup of 2 ripe peaches
1/2 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup chopped roasted walnuts

Method:

Grease the bundt pan with shortening and dust with flour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F convection.

In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

In another large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, egg, egg yolk, mashed banana and peaches and yogurt/sour cream .

Add the dry ingredients that is the sieved flour. .

Stir mixture for a count of 10. Add coconut and walnuts to mixture and stir 3 more times.

Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and place into the oven .

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, test for doneness.

Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. Turn cake onto rack and then wrap a very hot towel over the cake pan. Leave it on for 5 minutes and cake will dislodged.

Cool completely before serving.

Serve immediately or store in airtight container for 2 to 3 days or wrapped tightly with cling wrap and aluminium foil and leave in freezer. Thaw in fridge or countertop before serving.

Serves

Sweet and Sour Layer Cake

Renee likes to eat haw flakes and calls them 'apple' but one day she says she don't like them anymore and i am landed with a pantry full of them. Found this recipe at http://jodelibakery.netfirms.com/ and since i have all the ingredients, i gave this recipe a try and viola, it is so delicious. Thank you jo for sharing.




Ingredients:

330g cream crackers
350g butter/margarine
400g condensed milk
10 large eggs, separated
100g fine granulated sugar
120-180g large Haw Flakes ( Weight of Haw Flakes depends on size of Haw Flakes used and how close they are placed in the cake.)



Method:


Prepare a 8-inch cake tin. Lightly grease with butter/margarine.

Crush cream crackers until they resemble breadcrumbs. in the food processor or alternatively, use a large ziploc bag, close and crush with rolling pin.

Beat butter and condensed milk until creamy. Add egg yolks one at a time and beat until well incorporated.

Beat egg whites and sugar until fluffy ( Egg whites need not be beaten till stiff peaks form.)


Add crushed crackers into mixture of Step 3. Mix well. Fold egg whites into batter.

Bring water in a steamer to boil. Place prepared cake tin into steamer and using a 4 oz ladle, scope batter into tin. Level batter with a small offset spatula. Top batter with Haw Flakes and steam for 5 minutes.

Repeat layering of batter and haw flakes, and steaming until all batter is used up. Increase steaming time as the cake becomes thicker.


When all batter is finished, steam cake for further 30 minutes.


Let cake cool completely before turning it out from the cake tin.

Note:


If you are using normal plain crackers (not cream crackers), weight of butter/margarine can be brought up to 400g.

Serves

Barbie At the Beach

A six year old love for Barbie had me scratching my head for awhile as to how shall i make her birthday cake? Well, it is summer and I am sure Barbie would love to go surfing at the Beach. I hope you liked your birthday cake, Malia.



Ingredients:
and
Method:

Refer to http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/03/renees-birthday-cakes.html

Substitute the frozen strawberries to melted chocolate.

The sea is made from Jello Blueberry flavor.

Crushed Chocolate Cookies, Crackers are used for the sand



Serves

Tapioca Rasin Cake

I have this recipe for more than 20 years and never got to try making it because the availabily of fresh tapioca in the city is scarced unless a kind friend from the kampong gives you some. I finally made it and i like it. It takes the drag out of a plain butter cake and made it more interesting by adding the grated tapioca and rasins. It was a conversation piece for the tasters as most will not imagine that 'east met west'.



Ingredients:

250 g unsalted butter
200 g superfine sugar
3 large eggs - separated
250 g tapioca, grated and unstrained
200 g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
150 g rasins (bloom with water, drain, dry and coat with a tsp of flour )

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 f/180 c. Grease and line a 8 inch square baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating continously, scrape sides of bowl.

3. Add in grated tapioca and mix to combine.

4. Whisk egg whites until stiff but soft peak and fold in to butter mixture.

5. Sieve flour and baking powder.

6. Fold in flour and then raisins. Check for consistency, it should drop at the count of three, otherwise add in 1 or 2 tbsp milk/water/egg white because the eggs used might not be the right size or the grated tapioca is more drained than expected)

7. Pour into the prepared baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Check for doneness.

Serves