My First Traditional 小发糕

So happy when I open my wok! Should have stick to the 12 hour fermentation.  But impatience me, I steam it at the 11th hour. But看起来挺不错！

                       开花小发糕

 

My first 发糕 using an old fashion/traditional method - making starter dough from scratch instead of using baking powder. 

Basically one need to some cold white rice + wine yeast + some sugar; mixed them in a container; cover and let it ferment for 3 days.(You need patience...)

As I used some leftover rice which had been in the fridge for a few days (which was drier),my starter took a longer time to ferment. (though I could smell the distinctive 酒味). Therefore, I sprayed some water over the rice starter, gave it a quick stir and let it continued to ferment.

                         This was how the starter looked like:

You need patience again! 

Once the starter is ready, mix it with rice flour + sugar syrup; strain and cover. Let it ferment for 12 hour.

The end result:

Half smiling half refuse to smile...  Think should have steam all at once...

My first time also to use "Eno fruit salt" in this recipe.  My the other half comments: Not bad! :)

Next round should use the correct paper cups and use the right mould...Then may be it would bloom much prettier.

Homemade Burger Bun (Water-roux)

I think I get addicted to this "water-roux" method of making buns for now. :)

I made a batch of Sweet bun dough yesterday by doubling the quantity of the recipe. First, I prepare a bigger quantity of "water-roux": 50g bread flour + 250g water (yield about 265g water-roux). So, I took half of the "sweet bun" to make this burger bun. I put the rest of the dough (after first proofing)in the fridge for my next day use. :) There is some balance of the "water-roux" enough for another sweet bun, if I remember correctly. Hmm... what fillings should I use next?

Somehow, I find making sweet buns using "water-roux" is a breeze, what I mean is the proofing time. Slightly longer than "straight dough" method, about 40 minutes or more during the final proofing.


This was how the texture of the bun looks like: very soft and fluffy! 软绵绵的，好吃极了! :D

The basic sweet bun recipe as follows:

(This recipe yields: 9 pieces at 60g each)

Ingredients A:
Bread flour 210g
Cake flour 56g
Milk powder 20g
Caster Sugar 42g
Salt 1/2 tsp
Instant yeast 6g

Ingredients B:
Egg 30g
Water 85g
Water-roux 84g

Ingredient C:
Unsalted butter 22g

Method:

1. Knead dough till smooth and elastic.
2. Basic fermentation: about 40 minutes
3. Divide dough into 9 equal parts. Each weigh 60g.
4. Form each dough into a ball. Rest for 10 minutes. (Room temperature)
5. Final proofing: about 40 minutes (temperature: 38 deg C, humidity 85%) **
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for about 15 minutes.

** Unlike my bread loaf, I let it rise naturally in a warm place, without the use of hot water.

I couldn't tell you how's the texture looks like tomorrow as these two buns were my lunch today! :D


Recipe adapted from: 65 度C汤种面包 by 陈郁芬Homemade Burger Buns (Water -Roux)

Maple Syrup Loaf (water-roux)

When I saw Grace of Kitchen Corner made a water-roux bun, I realised that I hadn't used water-roux for quite sometimes. I decided to bake a loaf since the weather was "good".

However, I find that "bread loaf" using water-roux is intriguing. The initial fermentation is very similar to the straight dough method. It's the final proofing that is a big headache.

Initially, I thought with such 'good" weather, the final proofing would be rather smooth sailing. Gosh! It took me 1hr 45 minutes just to have the final proofing, and that was on top of having place a hot boiling water jug to speed the final process. I wonder how long would it take to rise if I didn't speed up. Sigh!

Nonetheless, the loaf was very soft. :) However, the bread didn't survive till the third day as they were finished the very next day! :)

My water-roux: I used 25g bread flour + 125g water (yield 120g for me). I think you may add a little 5g each to the flour and water to achieve slightly more water-roux. I was rather "heng" or lucky to achieve the exact quantity for this loaf! :D You may refer SeaDragon of Corner Cafe for more details on water-roux.

This is how my water-roux looks like when it was cooked:

Recipe:

Ingredients (A)
Bread flour 420g
Caster Sugar 70g
Salt 5g
Instant Yeast 7g

Ingredients (B)
Egg 45g
Milk 98g
Maple syrup 45g
Water-roux 120g

Ingredient (C)
Unsalted butter 45g

Method:
1. Kneading: Knead the dough till it reach window-pane stage.
2. Fermentation: about 40 minutes
3. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Roll to form a round ball. Rest for 10 minutes.
4. Flatten and roll each into a longish shape, Swiss-roll style. Place into a loaf tin.
5. Final proofing: let the dough rise till 80% of the tin (temperature: 38 deg C, humidity 85%)
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for 35 minutes.


Recipe adapted from: 65 度C汤种面包 by 陈郁芬

Cookie & Cream Ice cream

I first tasted this ice cream during Mother's Day celebration at my mum's place. My younger brother bought a few tubs of expensive ice cream from a local store. This small tub of "cookie & cream ice cream" was quickly snapped up within minutes!! Though very creamy and tasted heavenly, my husband and I found it way too rich to our liking. Age is catching up..... can't take food that are too rich, too sweet, too salty, too oily.....sigh!!!!

I made this specially for my two kids and husband who are Oreo and ice cream fans! This was my second attempt. During my first attempt, my husband suggested that I should add more cookie crumbs for the next round! So this time round, I added more biscuits crumbs and sprinkled more crumbs on top. I also made some adjustments by adding more Oreo fillings and reduce the amount of caster sugar.

Recipe as follows:

Ingredients A:
4 egg yolk
25g caster sugar (I use 15g)
7 pieces Oreo biscuit filling (I use 10 pieces fillings which was about 12g)

Ingredient B:
200g diary whipping cream

Ingredients C:
250g non diary whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
Some crushed oreo biscuits (I use more biscuits, i.e. 10 pieces)

Method:
1. Beat A until well mixed and slightly pale. Bring B to boil at low heat. Remove from heat, add in A and mix well.
2. Double-boil A and B mixture until slightly thick. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
3. Whisk non diary whipping cream until stiff. Add in no. (2) mixture, vanilla essence, some crushed Oreo biscuit and stir well.
4. Pour mixture into a prepared container and sprinkle crushed Oreo biscuit on top. Freeze overnight or until set.

Enjoy!

Note:
The ice cream was not overly rich and sweet. It suits us very well. It will be an ice cream that I can make often and give away! Bye Bye to those expensive brand! :)


Recipe adapted from: "冷冻甜品" by Kelly Tang

My Otah Bun

This was our breakfast yesterday. Unlike store-bought otah buns with thin slice of otah, I use a bigger portion and thicker otah! :) Bought a few of otah pack at the Expo last weekend. The otah was quite spicy and tasted very good. Yummy! My kids like it very much. This is the otah I bought:


I use a Sweet bun dough from "Bread Magic" by Alan Ooi. The sweet bun is very 扎实 and fit the otah very well. 咬劲十足！一极棒！:D

Steam Lemon Sponge Cake （清蒸柠檬蛋糕）

Today is my birthday. I made a simple cake in the late morning, a "Steam Lemon Sponge Cake". The texture did not turn out like a real sponge cake, rather like a "鸡蛋糕" texture to me? Or was it suppose to be like that? One bite, my hubby went, "hmmm... very nice"! My little one kept coming back for more... ! Rather encouraging, right?

I suppose a few more rounds of making I'll be able to get the right texture. Anyway, this is a very refreshing & yummy cake, with lemony smell, not overpowering. It's a cake you'll only get at home, i.e home make specially! :)

I want to thank a fellow "friend" who leaves somewhere in Singapore, who sent a special gift to me a few days ago. Though you had no idea, your gift arrived just in time! What a coincident! Thank you for your "special" present! I really appreciate it very much. :)

My "long-time" lens (which has been buried more than ten years) has been able to reunite the world once again "重见天日“ with a new body (a thought I would never ever have dreamed of)! :) And a jumbo cooker, which is very versatile to use. Now, my kitchen is less oily less smoky "少油少烟"! Ha! I don't have to mob the kitchen floor that often! :) Thank you, CS, for your presents and your thoughtfulness, 谢谢你的体贴! :)

Here is the recipe for the Steam Lemon Sponge Cake:

Ingredients:
Lemon zest 1 tsp
Lemon juice 3 tbsp
Salad oil 3 tbsp
Eggs 250g
Caster Sugar 180g
Cake flour 190g
Double-acting baking powder 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp

Method:
1. Line a 20 cm x 20cm square pan (all around) with parchment paper.
2. Put lemon zest, lemon juice and salad oil in the same bowl. Stir to mix well.
3. Using an electric mixer, start with low speed and gradually increasing to high speed, beat eggs and sugar together till colour change to pale.
4. Beat at high speed till egg mixtures turn milky white. Beat till it reaches "ribbon stage", i.e when you lift out the beater, the mixture will stay on the surface for a while. Lastly, using low speed, beat for about one minute to stabilize the mixture.
5. Sift in cake flour and the DA baking powder.**
6. Pour in no. 2 (lemon & oil mixture).
7. Using a hand-whisk, fold up the mixture carefully until there are no lumps.
8. Use a spatula to scrap the sides of the bowl till well mix.
9. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and let it rest for ten minutes.
10. Heat up a wok with boiling water. Steam with "medium fire" for 20-25 minutes.


Important tip from the author:
** If your egg mixtures is beaten properly (till ribbon stage), your cake flour and baking powder will not sink immediately when you are sifting in. It will stay a while before sinking. (I think I fail a little here! It stayed a while and curve in later! Will have to take note next round.)

Recipe source: 孟老师的一百道小蛋糕

Dried Shrimp Sambal

I made a batch of sambal last week. Nothing special, just that I pound everything "manually" instead of using a chopper this time. I've heard that pounding will release the full flavours of ingredients. All along I've been thinking that pounding take times. But I realise that if the dried chillies and shrimps are soaked till soft (which I didn't previously, silly!), it is very easy to pound! I'd adjusted the spiciness as I was afraid my kids may not take it! However, my husband complained that it was not spicy enough for him.... :(

While frying, my two kids came running to the kitchen, covering their nose, "Mummy, what's that smell? It's very stinky!!" My house smelt belachan after frying (including me)!!! Anyone has any good ideas to get rid of that smell?

Recipe as follows:

Sambal A (Pound finely)
10 small onions
3 pip garlic
15 dried chillies, soak till soft
5 chilli padi
1 tbsp toasted belachan
100g dried shrimps, soaked
6 tbsp oil

Sambal B
1 tbsp asam paste, mixed with 3 tbsp water, squeeze out thick assam juice
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt to taste

Method:
1. Heat up oil, saute Sambal A until fragrant.
2. Add Sambal B and stir-fry until dry.
3. Taste and dish up. Leave to cool before storing in the fridge.

This Sambal is good for stir-fry (with sweet potato leaves and kangkong), topping for fried rice and sandwich.

Recipe source: Delightful Snacks & Dim sum by Agnes Chang
(开开心心做点心 - 蓝赛珍)