Pineapple Chicken

Just finished cooking Pineapple Chicken for dinner tonight. This is the first time I've tried this dish. I happened to find this recipe on a food blog and since the ingredients and steps are simple for a novice cook like me, I decided to try this out. Simple homecooked dish with a nice aroma of tanginess and sweetness. Will definitely cook again!

Durian Puffs

I've actually given my family 3 choices to choose what they would like me to make this weekend.

Choice 1 : Durian Cake

Choice 2 : Durian Puff

Choice 3 : Mango Puff

And they had chosen Durian Puff. So Dad went to buy some durians with sis today and I've just completed my puff making and sitting down to relax before another run at making Pineapple Chicken for dinner tonight. Wheeze.... wat a busy day!

I've great difficulties in whipping up the cream and failed in my first attempt. The water and oil content separated. Maybe I've whipped the cream for too long. So 2nd attempt tried to be a bit kiasi and once it thickened, I took it out and mix in the gelatine and durian pulp. Should have also blended the durian pulp before mixing with the whipped cream as the pulp go stuck to the piping tip and I couldn't pipe the cream out. So in then end, I used a spoon and fed the cream into the puffs. So that says all for the ugly stuffing!

Banana Cake

I've done this Banana Cake last month and due to problems with editing and uploading pictures onto blogger, I've put it aside until now. This cake is really soft and nice!

Pineapple Tart Pies

Recently I've tried to experiment with making my own pineapple jam in preparation for CNY 2010. The result of my first try wasn't good enough as the consistency was a bit wetter than normal. I should have fried the jam for a longer period of time though I've already been standing in front of the stove and stirring for a whole 2 hours (shouldn't complain cos I've known someone who stands 5 hrs in front of the stove stirring for a whole lot of 8 pineapples!)!! This cause the jam to be soft even after putting in the fridge for a whole week thus causing great difficulties whilst encasing the pineapple jam into the tart dough. So in order not to waste the tart dough, I've come up with a new version of Pineapple Tart Pie! Of course, taste-wise, it's the same as the normal pineapple tarts but this comes in a bigger version of a PIE! The soft and moist pineapple jam was a complete addiction!

Oreo Milky Bars

Accidentally came across a new recipe which calls for the use of white chocolate. Since I've some white chocolate which are expiring soon, so just great fro trying out this recipe. This very simple no-bake recipe can be twit any which way you like and you can add more or less or other ingredients according to your taste. Great for munching!

Cucumber Enzymes

Dragon Fruit Enzyme

This is the first time that I tried making Fruit Enzyme. For my first try, I've used Dragon Fruit and I'm rather excited about the outcome after 2 weeks tastewise!

Day 1Day 3

Chocolate Chips Cream Cheese Muffins

Durian Muffins

Japanese Cheesecake

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 112.5g Butter (softened)
• 82.5g Sugar
• 112g Philadeplhia Cream Cheese (softened)
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 125g Plain Flour
• 1/2 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 175C
2. Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for 1 min.
3. Gradually add in sugar, beating well after each addition until very light and fluffy
4. Add cream cheese and beat for 2 min
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
6. Add vanilla essence and beat well
7. Combine flour, baking powder and salt together and add to butter mixture. Beat for 1 min or until well combined.
8. Pour batter into 8.5 x 3.5 loaf pan and bake for approx.35min.
   

Double Chocolate Chiffon Cake

Overly-excited over my successful chiffon cake yesterday, I decided to bake another variation of the chiffon cake for practice. This time, I chose the most commonly available ingredients and made some changes to the original recipe. The texture is still baby-soft and this time, the cake rose higher than the Orange Chiffon Cake yesterday! However, the chocolate droplets were not evenly mixed thus resulting in it concentrating in one area as you can see from the picture above.

Ingredients:
Part (A)

• 70g Chocolate
• 150ml Milk
• 60ml Cooking Oil
• 6 Egg Yolks
• 110g Cake Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 20g Cocoa Powder
• 100g Chocolate Chips/Droplets

Part (B)

• 6 egg Whites
• 1/2 tsp Cream of tartar
• 180g Caster Sugar

Method:

1. Melt chocolate and milk over low heat, stirring till chocolate totally melted. Leave aside to cool
2. Combine oil, egg yolks and melted chocolate mixture in a mixing bowl and mix well.
3. Fold in flour, cocoa powder and chocolate chips into egg yolk mixture (step 2) and mix till batter is formed.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed for approximately 1 min. Gradually add in sugar and beat till medium peak is formed.
5. Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture in 2-3 batches till even. Do not overmix.
6. Pour batter into a 23cm chiffon tube pan and bake in preheated oven at 170C for approximately 45min or till cooked.
7. Overturn pan together with cake immediately after removing from oven.
8. Wait till completely cooled before using a sharp knife to run round the edge of the pan and remove the cake.

Orange Chiffon Cake

This is my first successful chiffon cake, at least I can consider it "successful" as it did not have the sunken look of my first try. It has risen fairly well and texture-wise, it is baby-soft and taste just like chiffon!! Although the top layer (which is bottom of the pan) does look bald after separating from the pan. Colour-wise, it is pale in comparison and the only distinction of orange is the presence of orange zest. Maybe I should add more orange juice and reduce the water content in my next try....

Ingredients:

Part A:

• 4 Egg Yolks
• 75ml Orange Juice
• 40ml Water
• 85ml Corn oil
• 90g Sugar
• 150g Cake Flour + 1 tsp Baking Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• 2 tsp grated Orange Zest

Part B:

• 5 Egg Whites
• 1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar
• 100g Sugar

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in Part A together in a mixing bowl and stir till smooth
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed for approx. 1 min.
3. Gradually add in sugar and whisk till medium peak (the whites will droop a little but not drip when lifted)
4. Fold in the egg yolk mixture into the egg white mixture slowly and in 2-3 batches
5. Pour batter into a 23cm chiffon tube pan and bake at 180C for approx. 45min or till cooked
6. Overturn cake with pan immediately upon coming out from the oven and leave to cool completely before removing from the pan with a sharp knife.

CNY 2009 Bakes!

Finally all the hard work of my baking for CNY on display! I've made a total of 9 types of cookies and 1 big cake! This is the first time that we are featuring all homemade items for CNY!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the last bake for CNY. I've included a very generous supply of white and dark chocolate chips into the cookies. See all those little dark and white specks of chocolate!

Ingredients:

• 185g Butter (softened)
• 125g Castor Sugar
• 1 tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 220g Self Raising Flour (sieved)
• 3/4 cup of White Chocolate Chips
• 3/4 cup of Dark Chocolate Chips

Method:

1. Beat butter and sugar till creamy
2. Add egg, cocoa powder and vanilla essence and mix well
3. Stir in sieved flour and chocolate chips
4. Drop tablespoonfuls onto baking tray
5. Bake at 180C for 12min or till golden brown
   

Potato Chips & Cornflakes Cheese Balls

Continued with my last minute baking for CNY. Now presenting the savoury potato chips & cornflakes cheese balls.

(Recipe adapted from Yochana's Cake Delight)
Ingredients:

• 250g Butter
• 200g Cheddar Cheese (Grated)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 50g Castor Sugar
• 2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
• 300g Self Raising Flour
• 2 tbsp Milk Powder
• 120g Cornflakes (Crushed)
• 1 can Pringles Potato Chips (Crushed)

Method:

1. Cream butter with cheesem salt and sugar till creamy
2. Add in beaten eggs and fold in flour, cornflakes, potato chips and milk powder. Mix well till it becomes a soft dough
3. Use a "1 tsp" measuring spoon to scoop dough onto baking cups/tray
4. Bake at 160C for about 25min or till golden brown and crispy \

(Yields approx. 106pcs)

Chocolate Banana Cake

I've managed to make a whole cake with frosting and which is cream-centred! This is my first attempt and I was very happy with the outcome although, I should have melted the chocolate more carefully and strain the ganache to achieve a more smooth complexion for the cake. (See the lumps on the cake surface, those were the chocolate pieces not fully melted!)

(Recipe adapted from Yochana's Cake Delights)

Ingredients:

Chocolate Sponge Cake:(A)

• 35 gm. Cocoa powder
• 70 gm. hot water
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence

Chocolate Sponge Cake:(B)

• 125 gm. Cake flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Bicarbonate of Soda
• 75 gm. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Chocolate Sponge Cake:(C)

• 45 gm. cornoil
• 80 gm. egg yolks
• 30 gm. fresh milk

Chocolate Sponge Cake:(D)

• 150 gm. egg white
• 120 gm. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Ganache Ingredients:

• 300 gm. dairy whipping cream
• 250 gm. melted chocolate
• 50 gm. butter

Cream-centred Ingredients:

• Some Bananas - slice lengthwise
• 250 gm. non-dairy whipping cream + 20g Icing Sugar
• 35 gm. cocoa powder + 35 gm. hot water

Method for the sponge:

1. Mix cocoa powder, vanilla essence, hot water and chocolate paste together.
2. Mix all the ingredients (B) together in a mixing bowl then add in (C) and mix to form a smooth batter. Add in the cocoa powder mixture and mix well.
3. Whisk ingredients (D) until stiff peak and gradually fold into the cocoa powder batter.
4. Pour into a 9" round cake tin (I used a 8" square tin) and bake at 177C for about 40 to 45 mins. or till cooked.
5. Leave cake to cool completely and then slice into 3 layers.
6. Mix all the ingredients for Ganache and then microwave it for 20 secs. , stir till evenly combined and smooth. Microwave again if the chocolate has not melted. Leave to set before onto cake.
7. Mix the whipped fresh cream with the cocoa powder mixture, spread onto one layer of cake. Top up with sliced banana and continue process till finished.Cream the whole cake with the balance fresh cream.
8. Pour Ganache on top and leave the whole cake in the chiller to set before slicing.

Chocolate Almond Cookies Slice

This is actually the 2nd time that I baked these cookies. The first attempt was rather successful and feedbacks were that they taste crispy and delicious. However, this time, it the dough was very difficult to cut and it might be because I've put it in the fridge for too long. The end result was the very odd shape. However, it still taste delicious nevertheless!

Ingredients:

• 180g Butter
• 130g Castor Sugar
• 1/2 Egg
• 70g Almond Flakes
• 260g Plain Flour
• 15g Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Method:

1. Cream butter and sugar till creamy
2. Add in egg and mix till well combined
3. Add in balance ingredients and mix till a dough is formed
4. Wrap dough in clingwrap and Press dough into a square container (i used an ice-cream box). Chill in fridge till hardened.
5. Remove dough from fridge and slice into approx.3mm thickness and bake at 175C for about 15min or till cooked

Doggie Cookies

Here are some of the other cookies that I've baked for CNY this afternoon. On the list is the Doggie Cookies which is Milo-flavoured. Taste yummy and looks cute!

Ingredients:

• 180g butter (softened)
• 80g Milo
• 200g Cake Flour
• 25g Corn Flour
• 25g Milk Powder
• Some Chocolate Chips
• Some Chocolate Rice
• Some Koko Krunch

Method:

1. Sieve cake flour, corn flour and milk powder together
2. Cream buter and milo for about 3 min at low speed. Do not overbeat.
3. Put in cake flour, corn flour and milk powder and beat for about 1 min to form a dough
4. Using a "1 tsp" measuring spoon, roll dough into small balls and put some chocolate chips into the middle of each ball.
5. Decorate using Koko Krunch for the ears, chocolate rice for the eyes and chocolate chips for the nose.
6. Bake at 140C for about 25min.

(Yield approx. 42pcs)

Black vs White Chocolate Almond Cookies

This is another twist to the original Almond cookies. Chocolate-coated cookies with coloured sprinkles and chocolate chips! These are really yummy! Although the original almond cookies recipe can be used for these eye-candies, however, for the sake of those who don't like the scent of almond, almond essence and vanilla essence were omitted. The amount of ground almonds was also reduced.

Ingredients:

• 224g Butter
• 120g Icing Sugar
• 1 Egg Yolk
• 380g Plain Flour
• 90g Ground Almond
• 250g White Chocolate (Melted)
• 250g Milk Chocolate (Melted)
• Some chocolate and coloured rice for sprinkling

Method:

1. Cream butter and icing sugar till creamy
2. Add in egg yolk and beat until well-combined
3. Add in flour and almond and knead into a dough
4. Using a "1 tsp" measuring spoon, roll dough into small balls and place onto small baking cups.
5. Bake at 175C for 15min
6. Let cookies cooled completely before pouring 1 tsp or more of melted white or milk chocolate onto each cookie. Decorate with chocolate rice.
7. Refrigerate 10min until chocolate hardened.
8. Remove cookies from the fridge and let cooled to room temperature before storing