Bento #2

Prepared a simple bento lunch for myself... Really simple and tasty... Heheh, maybe I was really hungry then..


Used the newly brought bento box (and bento strap) from daiso, its really spacious, can put alot of foodie in it.

Top tier: Stir fry cabbage with belachan chilli (courtesy of B's mom), fry egg cut out with flower and star shape.

Bottom tier (L-R): Organic brown rice in heart shape, pan fry garlic fish and prawn-y potatoe croquette (did I spell it correctly?)

I sprinkle Japanese chilli flakes onto almost every thing! I totally adore spicy food! The belachan chilli given by B's mom is really good! Very very spicy and flavor-full... Haha!

If I do cook for myself to eat, I tend to fill up my bento box with all of my favourite food, cooked in my favourite way! I guess its a way to make myself feel satisfied.. Hehe

Happy Chinese New Year!

First and forth most, let me wish all the chinese (and of course non-chinese) a HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!



I spent my 2 days of holidays wisely and did not waste any seconds, hehe! Went to visit lots of relatives, and some of them I only meet them once a year, catch up with my cousins and chat with them through out the night.. Just like how we use to play together, so fun!



Well anyway, the day before the eve of CNY, I baked a orange chiffon cake for my mum, as she needs it for prayers.



I use to make lousy chiffon cakes, sometimes they shrinks, some are soggy and wet, some are dense and some are really tough and dry. I always thought that it might be due to overbaking, underbaked or incorrect folding technique.. but it never occurs to me that it's due to the usage of wrong chiffon pan..



I usually use those mini chiffon pans (from Daiso), so this time round, I use a chiffon tin pan (23cm), and boy, the outcome of the cake turns out to be fabulous! Absolutely soft, fluffy, spongy and not dry at all..



The distribution of the air bubbles are very even and no lumps of egg whites could be seen! Previously, I was afraid that I might over-fold it, so I just fold for a short while so after baking, I could see lumps of eggs.



This time round I uses Florence's orange chiffon recipe, should give it a try as its really fragrant! Hehe!


Presenting to you my ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE!










ORANGE CHIFFON CAKE


Ingredients


115g cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
85ml warm orange juice
zest of an orange
60ml cornoil
1/2 tsp vanilla essence


5 egg yolks + 30g castor sugar + 1/4 tsp salt
5 egg whites + 50g castor sugar + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar


Methods

1. Sieve cake flour and baking powder.
2. Whisk egg yolk, sugar and salt till light and creamy, add in orange juice and oil, stir to mix.
3. Add in flour mixture and zest and mix lightly.
4. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar till frothy (big bubbles), and add in castor sugar in 2 batches. Beat till stiff peak (approx 8-10mins).
5. Gently fold in egg whites in 2 batches and bake in preheated 175C oven for 45mins.

Verdict from my family members is that the cake is very fragrant, and even better than those that sell from the cake shop! Hehee! (Hope they are not lying..)

This recipe is definitely a keeper! I've alr printed it out nice and slide into my recipe folder! Hehehe! I know for sure I'll bake this again real soon!

Finally done with CNY bakes!

Hello Peepss... I know I MIA-ed for the longest time ever.. Neglecting this little corner of mine.. But no worries, I'm back for good! In fact, back with more pictures and experiences to share! Yippee!

Year of OX is definitely a fruitful one for me.. Not that I start the year with a terrible flu + sore throat + all sorts of rubbish illness... BUT, it's the first time I attempted to bake my own Chinese New Year (CNY) goodies..

I did not bake a large variety like some bloggers/bakers did.. I just bake a suitable amount of goodies and of course at the same time, trying hard to shorten down my "To-Bake-List"..
So CNY is definitely a good reason to indulge myself in baking!


So after my last lesson on friday (ends at 3pm), I rushed down the Phoon Huat and NTUC (AmK) to get all the ingredients.. and sigh, B offered to help me.. But I insisted that I could manage it on my own.. and in the end, I lugged back a total of 10kg loots..

Upon reaching home, I called up B and complained to him that sometimes I really hated myself that I always like to "gek kiang" (Act smart)! Gosh, 10kg was really heavy, and I nearly die from carrying them! Hahha..!

I start the massive baking session on friday evening time, all the way from 7pm-2.30am! I took such a long time because I've have to painfully shape 500pc of peanut cookie by hand! After the first batch of peanut cookie, I really exhausted, so my kind helper Tila came to rescue me! Heheh! Million of thanks!

Kick start the whole session by baking PEANUT COOKIES

Although it is quite tedious to do most of the work by myself, but when I pop one of these self-made goodie into my mouth, I can only feel satisfaction!

These peanut cookies are really lovely, holds it's shape well, melt in the mouth and have a slight crunch.. Lovely is the word to describe! Hehe!

Next up on the list, COFFEE FLOWERS

Another buttery creation! Original recipe calls for instant coffee, but absent minded me, forgot to buy coffee when I'm shopping for ingredients.. Haha.. So I replaced it with milo.. it doesn't affect the taste much.. still as fragrant!

DAY 2

Woke up early in the morning at 9am to fry the pineapple paste.. after frying the first batch, I realised that 5 pineapples yields too little paste, so I rushed off to the market to grab another 5 pineapples... So a total of 10 pineapples.. But I still find that 10 is not enough.. Too little..

Look at the amount of pineapple juice! But my family member didn't drink those.. And I just throw them away.. I find that its quite wasteful so I drank a cup... Any ideas on what to do with these? so next time make pineapple tarts I can utilise this well..

Packed pineapple tarts.. Ready to give it away to B's family!

I'm really really very happy that my pineapple tart turns out to be such a success! Even my really fussy eldest sis said that it's really nice! All of them love the tarts! My dad said that I should make them and sell it out since its so nice.. Hmm.. Should I??

Frying 2 batches of pineapple took my 5 hours in total.. But like I've said, I've a lovely helper to help me with the 2nd batch. Meanwhile I went off to bake other type of goodies..

Made the ever popular CRUNCHY CORNFLAKE COOKIE:

Before sending them into the sauna.. hee..

All a personalised touch to the cornflake cookie for my helper T.I.L.A.. She was really amused when she saw this! Haha.. But I gobble up the L and I as she claims that that's my initials, so I ought to eat them up.. Which I did! hehe!

These cornflake cookies are crunchy on the outside, slightly melt-in-the mouth on the inside.. and the crushed cornflake adds on good amount of texture and crunch when this tiny cookie melts in your mouth.. I was totally amazed by it's texture and mouth-feel (Kou3 gan3).. And so, I pop 6 into my mouth at a go! It's really addictive!

Last but definitely not the very least... ALMOND COOKIES

I made these cookies slightly bigger than the peanut cookie.. I find that this is really nice as well! Almonds in it makes the cookie crunchy and I added lots of barang barang (not indicated in recipes) into the making of these cookies.. Maybe its my luck that all those "any-o-how" addition of ingredients can make these cookie crunchy, yet at the same time "melty"! Hehe! Nice Nice!

Seems like I hit the jackpot this time, cos out of so many recipes that I wanted to make for CNY, I choose some to make, and it turns out to be popular within my family! Hehe!

Of all these bakes, I kept some for my family, gave away some to my granny, and B's family.. Hope they like the cookies.. As they are all BAKE-WITH-LOVE!

Heheh!

S.I.C.K

Hey Peeps..

I will not be able to bake this week, thus no sharing of my bakes.. Down with cough and a really bad throat, even drinking water hurts..

Will try to get well soon by next week, so I can start my pineapple Jam making.. no more procastination!


Cheerios!

Nice and Fluffy Butter Cake

Woo Hoo.. Its been a long time since I update this little baking blog of mine.. Reason mainly due to overloaded school work.. Lots of projects lining up await me to complete them..

I did some baking here and there whenever I got released from school early.. Or sometimes crazily did my baking in the night, and wake up for school at 7am. But nevertheless, I really enjoy baking sessions, even tho its a 3 step recipe, I still enjoy the session trememdously! Cos it's the baking process that I enjoy!

I received a comment from Anonymous, requesting for a buttercake recipe, I've this recipe on hand, waiting for it's turn for me to try out.. I intend to bake this cake for B's mum, cos I remember her saying that she likes buttercakes!

I got this recipe from Aunty Yochana, and even though I haven't try it out yet, but I have faith in her recipe, always so good, and always yield good results!

So here you go!

Butter Cake

Ingredients
125g butter
125g cake magarine
100g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
90g egg yolk
1 tbsp evaporated milk
200g cake flour
5g baking powder
pinch of salt

160g egg whites
100g sugar

Method

1. Beat butter, magarine, sugar and salt and vanilla essence till light and creamy.
2. Add in egg yolks one at a time and beat till creamy. Add in evaporated milk.
3. Fold in sieved flour and baking powder.
4. Whisk egg whites with sugar till soft peaks and gently fold into butter mixture.
5. Pour into 20cm round tin and bake at 175C for 45 minutes or till a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Note:

Buttercake taste nicer the 2nd day and this cake can stay soft and fluffy up to 3 days. Store well in air tight containers to retain the moistures of the cake.

Oh, I expressed my interest to learn chicken rice and belachan chilli sauce from B's mum! She's a fantastic cook! Went over to B's house for lunch/dinner on several occasions, and his mum always serves up great tasting food! 2 of which I cannot resist eating more will be the chicken rice and belachan chilli!

I'm really determined to learn these from her!! So happy, really look forward to it!

Recently, I'm quite interested to learn cooking, not that I can't cook, but I wish to learn special food recipes, and impart their skills.. hehe!

I also pester my grandma to teach me her famous pumpkin rice, and yam kueh, so till then, I will master all these skills and share share it up here! Hehe!

Chicken Pie

After reading some info on chicken pies, the craving for it starts to kicks in.. And for the whole week I was craving for some pies.. Hmm.. not really craving to eat it, but rather to try my hands on it!

I'm even silly enough to think of making chicken pie on a friday night, but then, I realised that I don't have chicken.. =(

So the next day I went to market early to get some really fresh chicken breast meat and other ingredients.. And with those stuffs on hand, I kick start my saturday with CHICKEN PIE!

See the chicken pie full of fillings.. Hee.. the way I like mine to be. I find that the commercial ones are thick in skin and very little fillings. So, nothing can beat homemake, you can alter the recipe to suit your family's preferences.

The pastry tart filled up to the brim with chicken.

Frying the potatoes.. Regret didn't add in more potatoe, and I should have mash 1/3 of it, my dad like slightly mashy potatoe.

Left the chicken to cool down before spooning in.

Seal up the tarts and brush with eggs.. Ready to go into the oven!

These chicken pies really taste yummy, I like the tart especially. The additon of yoghurt makes the tart more fragrant. However do note that the dough is quite soft to handle, thus it requires some chilling before handling.

I did play cheat as well, instead of rolling out the dough, I just pinch some and press it into the pan, that explains why my chicken pie looks a abit on the ugly side..

I use the recipe from My Culinary Journal.

Chicken Pie

Filling: (adjust to own preference)

1 big onion diced
diced cooked potatoes

mixed vegetable

Sliced button mushrooms

2 chicken breast, diced
oil
½ cup water

Seasonings :

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water

1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce

salt n pepper to taste

Method

1. Filling: Heat 2 tbsp of oil and fry potatos till golden, set aside.
2. In a clean wok, heat 2 tbsp of oil, fry onions till transparent, add in mixed vege, mushrooms, chicken, potatos.
3. Add in water and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in seasoning.
4. Add in cornstarch, stir to thicken mixture. Cool and set aside.
5. Dough: Put all the ingredients, except yoghurt, in a mixing bowl.
6. Rub butter into flour mixture until like breadcrumbs., Add in yoghurt and mix to a dough.
   Dough will be very soft so need to keep it refrigerated for at least 30 mins.
7. Assemble: Roll out dough to place in a pie dish, scoop 2 - 3 tbsp ingredients, cut another layer of dough to cover. Make holes on the surface of dough to allow hot air to escape during baking.
8. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 180 celcius.

This recipe yields 4 6-holes muffin pan size. Which is just nice from my family of 6. We have this for lunch. My dad actually commented that the filling is even nicer than those POLAR and other shop sells. It's quite rewarding to receive compliments from family members you love, because at least you know that they are enjoying what you prepared for them!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

To all out there:

Happy New Year! May year 2009 be a joyous one for you!!!


Cheerios,
Carrie