Monday, January 28, 2013

Beware of these Firecrackers!!

Swiss roll
  
Ingredients:
Egg yolk batter
5 egg yolks
45g vegetable oil
45g water
75g plain flour
15g powder
紅麴粉
 
Egg white batter
5 egg whites
80g castor sugar

Method:
1.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the yolks, vegetable oil & water until combined. Sift in plain flour & mix until smooth & well combined.

2. Remove 1 Tbsp of yolk batter & add in 1 tsp flour. Add in
紅麴粉 to the batter in (1).

3. In another bowl, beat egg white & sugar till soft peaks. Remove 2 Tbsp & add into picture batter & mix till combined. Pipe wordings onto baking tray. Bake in oven @ 190 degees for 1 min.

4. Fold in the remaining whites into (1) to obtain a smooth batter.

5. Pour batter into the tray & bake @ 190 degees for 10mins.
 
I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Belated Birthday Celebration

I invited my good friend over to my place for a simple lunch cum belated birthday celebration today as I was away for holiday last week
 
Chocolate cake with walnuts

Pasta in Broccoli sauce with squids & tiger prawns

 Bacon & Ham Pizza
(Tomato Okara base ~ recipe adapted from Carol)

Friday, January 25, 2013

Strawberry Macarons

I added 紅麴粉& Strawberry powder for these macarons.


This strawberry powder is really nice with a light plum taste when eaten on its own. When added to bakes, it really enhance the cake flavour & balance out the sweetness from the macarons. I have two bottles of Strawberry powder (40g per bottle)to giveaway. For more details, please click here.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

冰花煎饺


冰花煎饺
(Recipe adapted & modify from Carol)
 
Ingredients:
Dumpling skin
200g plain flour
100g water
1/4 tsp salt

Fillings
300g  minced meat
6 big prawns (chopped into small chunks)
1 packet chives
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp corn flour
pepper

煎饺子粉浆
1 Tbsp plain flour
300g water

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Cheesecake Bread


Cheesecake Bread
(Recipe adapted & modify from Veronica's Kitchen)

Ingredients: 

Bread dough 
250g bread flour
45g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast

10g cream cheese
100g egg whites
20g shortening

 

Cheesecake
150g cream cheese
35g castor sugar
18g egg yolk
38g melted butter


Dessicated coocnut
Chopped walnuts
 
Method:
1. Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese till soft add in sugar to beat till creamy & fluffy. Add in egg yolk, mix well. Add in melted butter & mix well till well blended.

 

2. Bread: Place all ingredients except shortening in a big mixing  bowl, beat until a rough dough is formed. Add in shortening & continue to beat until the dough becomes smooth & elastic. Proof for 30mins.
 

3. Divide dough into 25 equal portions, shape into small balls. Proof for 1 hr.
 

4. Pour cheesecake batter on top, use a rubber spatula to spread evenly. Sprinkled dessiated coconut & chopped walnuts on top.
 

5. Bake in preheated oven @ 160 degrees for 25 minutes. 

 
Verdict: Best eaten when warm. Extremely yummy! Love the soft bread with  slight melted cheese. You simply can't stop at one!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Passionfruit Ogura Cake & Giveaway


Passionfruit Ogura Cake
(Recipe adapted & modify from Bernice's Kitchen)

Ingredients
(A)
100g egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/4 tsp salt
60g oil
70g passionfruit puree

(B)
80g plain flour, sifted

(C)
200g egg whites
55g sugar

Method:
1.  Whisk ingredients (A) together in a mixing bowl. Add in (B). Set aside.

2. Whisk egg whites until frothy & add in sugar. Continue to whisk until soft peaks.

3. Mix (2) into (1).

4. Pour into an 8" pan & steam bake in a preheated oven @ 100 degrees for 1hr.


 My mum loves these soft & fluffy passionfruit ogura cakes. She even asks me to bake her another  flavour next time.

I went Strawberry picking at Taiwan recently & came across these Strawberry powder. Besides having a nice fragrant strawberry smell, it also has a light salty taste (due to the plum powder in it). I was told that the powder can be added onto ice shavings or dip guava in the strawberry powder. I even saw on a cooking show where the chef sift the powder on macarons!

I have 2 bottles of Strawberry powder (40g per bottle) for my Cathy's Joy readers. This is how to enter the giveaway:
  • Leave a comment below telling me that you wish to try this Strawberry powder & how you are going to use the powder
  • If you have a Facebook account, all you have to do is 'LIKE' Cathy's Joy on Facebook to get an extra entry.
  • The winners will be selected randomly. They must reside in Singapore for self collection of prize.
  •  Giveaway starts from today & ends next Monday, 28th January 2013.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

豆渣羅宋麵包


豆渣羅宋麵包
 
Ingredients

100g plain flour
200g bread flour 
100g okara (from home made walnut soya milk)
1 tsp yeast
30g sugar
100ml milk 

30g shortening

*Using direct method 

Bread shaping by Carol


Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Mango Cheesecake

Mango Cheesecake
(Recipe adapted & modify from Table for 2 or more)

Ingredients:

250g cream cheese
100g mango puree
50g milk
2 eggs, separated
2 Tbsp sugar
8 pieces Digestive biscuits

Method:

1. Crush digestive biscuits till fine. Spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of biscuits crumbs onto paper cups & smooth out with a tablespoon, lightly press the crumbs to flatten.

2. With a mixer, beat egg whites until frothy, add sugar & continue to beat until soft peaks.

3. Cream cream cheese on low speed until smooth,add in mango puree, milk & egg yolks. Continue to beat on low speed until well combined. Fold in egg whites.

4. Spoon (3) into prepared paper cups. Bake in a preheated oven @ 100degrees for 20 minutes in a waterbath.

5. Cool completely before chilling.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Honey Walnut Cupcakes

This post is sponsored by LIV butter. Try a Liv butter today!
 
 

Honey Walnut Cupcakes
(Recipe adapted & modify from Anncoo Journal)

Ingredients

125g Liv salted butter, softened
110g sugar
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1 tbsp Honey
2 Eggs
185g Plain flour + 1 tsp Baking powder , sifted
125ml Milk

50g choppped walnuts

 Method:
1. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla & honey until light & creamy. 

2. Gradually add the eggs & beat until well combined. 

3. Add flour & milk alternately & beat until just combined. Add in walnuts.

4. Spoon the mixture into muffin tins lined with paper cases. Bake in a preheated oven @ 160 degrees for 25mins.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

SNAPWARE® Cupcake and Cookie Keeper

I was recently contacted by World Kitchen via email regarding their new launch of products. 

Never heard of World Kitchen?

World Kitchen is a world leader in the kitchenware industry. Their headquarter is in Rosemont, Illinois where the company manufactures & markets kitchenware products worldwide. It has an Asian entity World Kitchen (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, which is headquartered in Singapore. They also have other sales & distribution offices in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines & Vietnam. There is also a decorating plant & distribution centre in Malaysia.

World Kitchen (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd markets a wide variety of well-known & trusted kitchenware brands that includes Corelle, Corningware, Pyrex, Visions, Ekco, Baker's Secret, Revere & Chicago Cutlery. Sounds familiar now? Yup, I’m sure most households possess at least one or more of their products!

Lately, World Kitchen has launched Corelle® Frost, Playful Panda ranges & the multi-purpose SNAPWARE® Cupcake and Cookie Keeper.

 Corelle® Frost
 Corelle® Playful Panda 
SNAPWARE® Cupcake and Cookie Keeper

I am honored to be given an opportunity to do a review on SNAPWARE® Cupcake and Cookie Keeper.  Thank you World Kitchen!

With the specially designed lock-tight stacking tabs & durable handles, it allows me to store & carry my cupcakes around easily. At the same time, I do not have to worry that my cupcakes will get "disfigured" during transportation to parties or gatherings.  


What's more? I really love the removable internal tray. Why? Well, it is really handy as it allows me to arrange & frost all my cupcakes on the tray. Thereafter, I can simply hook it back onto the edge of the carrier using the 2 handles. From now onwards, I do not have to worry about getting the frosting on my hands if I were to transfer the cupcakes individually into the box.


No cake stands at home to put your cupcakes during gathering or parties? No worries, this removable internal tray can be displayed on a table for easy serving as well. Isn't that convenient? Brilliant creation indeed! It is a must have for home-bakers.
 

SNAPWARE® Cupcake and Cookie Keeper is now retailing for only $39 (U.P. $60) till 6th January 2013. Interested? Then quickly head down to major departmental stores, Courts, Fairprice Finest or Xtra to grab them to avoid disappointment.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Almond Cheese Tart


Almond Cheese Tart 
(Recipe adapted & modify from Kitchen Corner) 

Ingredients
Tart base:
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp cold water 
110g plain flour 
55g salted cold butter
10g icing sugar 

Cheese filling:
160g cream cheese
30g sugar
30g butter
2 egg yolks
1 lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
40g egg whites
2 tsp sugar
40g almond flakes

Method
  1. Tart: place the flour, icing sugar & butter into the food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add in egg yolk & water mixture & pulse again.
  2. Turn the pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface & with floured hands, bring together to make a dough. Shape into a flattened ball, wrap in cling film & refrigerate for about 30 mins before pressing into a tart pan & bake at 200C for 20mins.
  3. Fillings: Beat the cream cheese with sugar until well combine. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well. Gradually mix in the lemon juice & zest. 
  4. In other the clean bowl, beat the egg whites & sugar until peak forms. Fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture & fold in half of the toasted almond flakes.
  5. Pour the mixture into the tart & sprinkle over some almond flakes on top. Bake at 180C for 30 mins.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Peach Meringue Baskets

 Meringue basket top with lemon custard & peach, drizzle with mango puree 

Meringue Baskets
(Recipe adapted & modify from Table for 2 or more)

Ingredients

70g egg whites
70g sugar
70g icing sugar 

Method 
1. Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff. Add in tablespoons of icing sugar & beat until stiff.

2. Fill piping bag with meringue & pipe a round base, then create the sides of the basket by swirling meringue.

3. Baked in an preheated oven @ 100 degrees for 90mins. Let them cool down completely in oven. Keep in air tight container.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Mango Bars


This is my 3rd time doing these bars but using different fruit purees. These are so addictive that you simply can't stop at one bar! =)

Mango Bars 
(Recipe adapted & modify from Sugar & Everything Nice)

Ingredients
150g plain flour
35g icing sugar
125g salted butter, cut into cubes
 

Ingredients for the Filling:  

3 eggs
160g sugar
30g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
200g mango puree

Confectioner’s sugar (for dusting)

Method:


Base:
1) Mix the flour & icing sugar in a medium large bowl. Add in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2) Press the dough into the base of a baking pan. Bake at 180 degrees for 20mins until just golden. 

Filling :
1) Whisk the eggs until slightly frothy. Gradually whisk in the sugar. Then beat in the flour & baking powder until well-mixed.

 
2) Add in the fruit purée & whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the filling over the crust in the baking pan. Bake at 160 degrees for 30mins until the top of the bars are golden brown & the center is firm.

3) Cool completely & refrigerate for a few hours before slicing into squares. 

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Coconut Tarts

This post is sponsored by LIV butter. Try a Liv butter today!
 

Coconut Tarts
(Recipe adapted & modify from My Kitchen Snippnets)

Ingredients
Pastry:

280g flour
50g sugar
1 egg
150g salted butter, chilled & cut into cubes
2 tbsp cornstarch    


Filling:
200g dessicated coconut
80g melted butter
90g sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp cornstarch


1 tsp pandan paste

Method
1. Sift flour & cornstarch together into a mixing bowl. Add in the sugar. Mix well. Rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  Add in egg. Mix to form large dough. Chill pastry dough for about 30mins.

2. In a bowl, mix all ingredients of filling. Set aside.
 

3. Press pastry evenly into tart mould. Fill tarts with fillings.
 

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180degree for 30mins until lightly brown.