Mango Glutinous Ball

I like glutinous ball or loh mee chi with peanuts filling so much as my monster as well, but when I'm see this with mango taste definitely like to try. The taste is nice, I'm prefer to serve warm but my shark said is good to serve cool. 

Adapted from: Mrs.Ip's Kitchen

Makes approx 30 pcs

300 gm glutinous rice flour
60 gm rice flour
1 tbsp Santan powder (coconut cream powder)
1.5 tbsp corn oil
200 ml hot water + 60g caster sugar
160 ml evaporated milk
250 ml mango nectar juice
2 ripe mangoes (diced into small cubes)
desiccated coconut for coating

Method

1. Sieve glutinous rice flour, rice flour and Santan powder into a big mixing bowl. Add in the oil.
2. Dissolve sugar in 200 ml of hot water. Pour this and evaporated milk into the flour mixture and mix till smooth and well blended. Stir in the mango nectar.
3. Strain batter into a greased tray/bowl and steam on high heat for 30 minutes.
4. Remove tray/bowl from steamer and stir the cooked dough with a flat plastic knife. Leave dough aside to cool. NB: the dough needs to still be warm in order for it be pliable, so don't cool it for too long, just long enough for it to be handled with your hands.
5. Wear a pair of plastic gloves and grease it with some oil. Take a 30 gm piece of dough and flatten it into a round disc (approx the size of your palm), and wrap as much mango cubes as desired. Seal the edges tightly and shape it into a round ball. 
6. Coat/roll the shaped ball with desiccated coconut.
7. Serve mango glutinous ball chilled or at room temperature.

Pineapple tart

Chinese New Year is coming soon, been try to search some new year biscuit. This pineapple tart is my favourite with homemade pineapple filling. Helping by my two monster for the shaping...is a good activities for family at the weekend. The taste just perfect but need some time to prepared but worth it thank Wendy for the recipe. All adapted from Wendy including the homemade pineapple filling.

Adapted from : Wendyinkk

Creative Swiss rolls

When I'm saw this creative Swiss roll from Veronica's Kitchen, I'm try it the next day with strawberries pattern and filling the result coming out so good. The texture of the cake so soft and my two monster like it so much then they request to make something different.....like ladybird and panda. Of course I need to follow their instruction but I'm try to make panda pattern with green tea favourite and filling with red bean.

Will try to make something different the next time.

Adapted from : Veronica's Kitchen

Sponge cake

6 egg yolks

20 gm caster sugar

60 g fresh milk

45 gm corn oil

100 g plain flour (sifted)

15 g corn flour

5 1/2egg whites

70 gm caster sugar

2 teaspoon green tea powder mix with some hot water if you prefer green tea favour on the cake 

For the pattern 

1/2 egg white

10 gm caster sugar

edible food coloring

green tea powder, cocoa powder

Filling for the cake

150 ml whipping cream 

25 gm caster sugar. 

Some fresh strawberries cut into 4 halves or into 2 halves.

Cooked red bean

Method for filling

1. Beat the whipping cream with sugar until peak and put it in the fridge to use later.

Method for sponge cake (chiffon cake method)

1. Place egg yolks and sugar into a mixing bowl, mix well. Add fresh milk and oil, (or green tea mixture) mix until smooth.
2. Add sifted flours, corn flour into egg yolk mixture until well blend. Set aside.

Method for pattern

1. Greased the Swiss roll tray with some butter or oil.
2. Line greased proof paper onto a Swiss roll tray.
3. Take 30 g (about 2 tbsp) from the above premix mixture(egg yolks mixture), add in coloring that you prefer. If need two colour, must separate to two bowls and add in the colour you prefer.
4. Beat  the 1/2 egg white with 10 gm sugar until stiff but not dry. Mix together with the colour  egg yolk mixture. Put them in a piping bag.
5. Pipe out a shapes on the pre-prepared Swiss roll tray. Bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 minutes at top temp 190 C and bottom 180 C.( I'm put it on 160 C(fan)). Make one colour follow by another don't make it together. Remove from oven immediately when is done.

Continue for Sponge cake method

1. Beat 5 1/2 egg whites with sugar until peak form but not dry.
2. Mix in the balance egg yolk mixture until mixture is well combined.
3. Pour into the Swiss roll tray, use a spatula to level evenly. Bake for 12 - 13 minutes at  190 C . (I'm bake it at 160 C(fan) for 15 to 20 minutes). Let it cool down a second.
4. Prepare a large piece of grease proof paper and turn the cake around onto the grease proof paper.
5. Slowly rip the grease proof paper of the cake. Then you can see the pattern on top. 
6. When the cake gets cool, use another piece of grease proof paper to put on top of the cake and turn it over again let the pattern go on the bottom.
7. Cut the four side of cake for easy and nice rolling. 
8. When you're ready to roll the cake, use a sharp knife to score two lines at one end, each line 0.5cm apart. And start rolling from this end.
9. Spread fresh cream and place strawberries or red bean, roll up and cover with grease proof paper and put in the fridge for about 20 to 30 minutes.
10. For the dots on ladybird , in a  small bowl fill with little of cooked cold water. Mix with cocoa powder.
11. Take out Swiss roll, use a very fine brush or end of the chopstick to draw  for tiny dots on the ladybird. If making strawberries pattern also the same matter.
12. Let the dots dry up and cover it back with grease proof paper put in back to fridge, if serve later.

Shanghai mooncake

When staying in Kuala Lumpur,  mooncake festival is a good gathering time for all the family coming home to have a good dinner but is busy day for the mum. And everywhere we can get nice and delicious mooncake with different shape and filling. But in here we just can get the mooncake with not much variety and too expensive. Then at the first time maker of mooncake I'm try this Shanghai mooncake because is no need to use mould. The recipe I'm adapted is using red bean filling but I'm prefer white lotus filling. The first time making homemade filling, result is good and importance we can adjust the sugar we use.

Pastry Adapted from : Nasi Lemak Lover 

Filling adapted from : The Wandering Eater

Filling(I'm prefer white lotus paste filling)

2 packages of dried lotus seeds (each package 170 g)-get lotus seeds without skin if for white lotus paste

2 cups water (or more if needed)

200 gm sugar (more or less, according to taste)

100 – 150 ml peanut oil 

2 tablespoon honey or maltose syrup

1 teaspoon lye water(alkaline water)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Method: 

1. Rinse the lotus seeds and soak for at least 3 hours, or overnight. Remove the germs/cores inside the seeds if any, as they taste bitter.
2.  Place water and lotus seeds in a pan and boil on medium heat until all water is absorbed and seeds are soft.
3. Place cooked seeds in food processor or blender and process until very fine. Set aside.
4. Heat the wok and melt 5 tbs sugar with a little bit of water (until the water barely covers the sugar) until it turns into caramel color. (if you prefer white lotus paste then skip this part)
5. Add pureed lotus seeds, the rest of the sugar, oil and salt. Stir well. Add in honey/maltose, lye water and mix well. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until dry and paste comes off the sides of the pan. Leave to cool.

Pastry

250gm butter (salted) 
150gm icing sugar
1 egg (large)
380gm plain flour
60gm custard powder

16pcs salted egg yolks, brush with rice wine, steamed for 5mins (I use 1/2 of egg yolk every mooncake for healthy)

Melon seeds or Black and White sesame seeds
Egg wash-1 egg yolk+1 tablespoon water+1 tablespoon milk

Method:

1. Weight the filling paste for 40 gm each and wrap with 1 pc(I use 1/2) salted egg yolk and shape it to ball, set aside.
2. Sift plain flour and custard powder, set aside.
3. Beat butter and icing sugar till creamy (do not over beat, 2-3minutes just nice).
4. Add in egg, beat well to combine. Add in sifted flour and custard powder, lightly to combine to form a soft dough.
5. Cover with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for 30minutes.
6. Weight dough for 50gm each and shape to ball.
7. Flatten dough with your palm and wrap up the paste filling into it and shaping it like an egg shape then place on baking tray (you may dust hands with Kor Hun (cooked glutinous rice flour).
8. Lightly brush the whole mooncake with egg wash and decorate top with melon seeds or black and white sesame seeds.
9. Bake at pre-heated oven at 180C for 20mins.(I'm bake at 160C(fan)
10. Leave to cool before cutting.

Japanese cotton cheesecake

When I'm seeing this Japanese cotton cheesecake on web, can't wait for more longer. Been try to make it but fail many times with different recipes....maybe more then three times. Already give up and my mood is very bad most of the times because is the family favourite but I'm can't make it to perfect.Then I'm keep thinking what is the reason and problem...keep searching for more and more different recipes. Then at last I saw this recipes from The Little Teochew, I know what is my problem because she show the tips and tricks. So happy with the result and my little monster can finish all of the cake by herself.

Adapted from: The Little Teochew

8 inch round springform cake pan or removable bottom cake pan

140 gm fine granulated sugar
6 egg whites
6 egg yolks
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
50 gm butter
250 gm cream cheese
100 ml fresh milk
60 gm cake flour (or plain flour)

20 gm corn flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 160C(140C(fan). Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Cool the mixture. Fold in the flour, the cornflour, salt, egg yolks and mix well.
2. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
3. Add the egg whites to the cheese mixture to and fold well. Pour into a 8-inch round springform cake pan or removable-bottom cake pan (lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of the pan with grease proof baking paper or parchment paper). Wrap the base of your cake tin with aluminium foil, to prevent seepage 
4. Bake cheesecake in a water bath for 1 hour 10 mins or until set and golden brown at 160C (140C(fan). Put it on the lower rack of the oven. Cover loosely the top of the cake with aluminium foil.
5. Leave to cool in oven with door ajar, about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Sudden changes in temperature may cause the cake to cool too quickly and collapse.

(My first two attempt I'm open the door ajar straight after the cake done but the cake shrink badly then I'm prefer keep it in the oven with door close until the temperature of oven cooling down then open the door ajar)

Tip #1 : Beating the egg whites
You can beat your whites on high until they start to stiffen, but for the last 3 to 4 mins of whisking, do switch your mixer speed to low. This helps to stabilise the air bubbles. I notice I get a "foam sponge" texture when I do this . When I beat on high throughout, I tend to get larger air bubbles.

(Experience from me, remember is SOFT PEAKS FORM (mean the form still moving inside the bowl). If beat until stiff peaks the cake will crack on top. That the result on my first two trying.)

Tip #2 : Sieving the cream cheese batter
I want a lump-free, smooth as silk batter. So once I have combined my cream cheese mixture with the flour and yolks, I usually strain it using a wire mesh sieve. After that, I fold the beaten egg whites in. I repeat, sieve BEFORE you fold in the egg whites ... otherwise, you can say sayonara to your cake!

Tip #3 : Baking in a water bath
I place tart moulds which have been filled with water, in the four corners of my oven. They provide the sauna effect but do not add dampness to the cake. Why not a tray of water, you ask? Well, with a tray, you still get condensation at the bottom of the cake tin. With individual tart moulds placed around the cake, your cake's bottom will always remain dry. 

(Experience from me, I put tray on my first attempt the result is damp on the bottom)

Tip #4 : Lining the cake tin
Line the bottom and sides of your cake tin. Make sure the baking paper extends higher than the cake tin by about 1.5 inches or more. If you prepare the batter correctly, you will notice that it rises very well during baking. You need that extra height from the baking paper to prevent possible spillage.


Tip #5 : Tenting with a foil 
I recommend this 100% because the cake top browns very easily. I use a sheet of aluminium foil and loosely place it over the tin. That's why point #4 is important ... because if you do not provide ample room for the cake to rise, it will get stuck onto the foil. And when you peel it off? Will not so pretty. So, tent the cake, and remove it only in the last 1 to 2 minutes of baking time, just for it to brown (not burn).


Tip #6 Drier is better
Personally, I like to overbake the cake slightly (say, about 10 minutes more), to be on the safe side. A Japanese Cheesecake should be tear-away soft and fluffy, and to get that sort of texture, you need to have a dry cake. As long as you follow #4 and #5, your cake will not burn. A drier cake is airier and less likely to collapse or shrink (you won't get those dreaded crease lines on the top). Finally, open the door slightly ajar for at least 30 minutes to an hour.

Note: Because every oven is different, my oven is super summer then I'm bake at 140C(fan) for 20 minutes and at 120C(fan) for 60 minutes, at last take off the foil on top and put on grill function for 1 or 2 minutes to get brown. 

Follow all the tips from The Little Teochew definitely will get the nice and soft lovely cotton cheesecake.

                              

Been try to add the cocoa flower pattern on top at the last step before bake....result  so good