Proscuitto and fruit cocktails

Inspired by this starter that I once had during a farewell lunch held for me by an ex-colleague, I decided to make this as a starter. I was served proscuitto with melon. Not a bad idea, combining the saltiness of the Italian ham with fruit, and really easy to make too. Other than the ham and fruit, what type of fruit is up to you. I used canned because I intended to transport it and didn't want liquid seeping from fresh fruit, but you can use fresh fruit too if serving at home. It's pretty flexible, you can skewer on hard cheese, vegetables, etc.

Ingredients

Ham/Italian proscuitto

Cocktail sausages

Canned fruit (I used lychees and pineapple)

Toothpicks

Cut to size e.g. I snipped the proscuito into smaller pieces, otherwise, the salt overwhelms the sweet. Taste testing is important here and a great excuse to eat!

Skewer away. Present prettily and serve.

Quick Sausage rolls and hamburger bread

Same 40 minute recipe as the last, but I decided to let it rest after incorporatiom for 30 minutes, and rise it again for 30 minutes after shaping. For some reason, the dough was a dream. I followed the instructions and used oil rather than flour for dusting.

I made 12 bread rolls: 6 hamburger buns and 6 sausage rolls.

The sausage roll recipe said 15 to 17 sausages but that must be the canned sausages. I used hotdogs or franks, and 12 would have been just nice. Note to roll out the coil to the length of a big cutting board, otherwise it's too short to coil around the sausage!

Again, pure egg was too brown after 11 minutes. I must remember to add a splash of milk amd bake for 10 minutes at 220 deg C next time.

Mini sausage rolls
http://nasilemaklover.blogspot.com.au/2014/07/mini-sausage-bread-rolls.html

Cheese buns

From a 40 minute bun recipe http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/2014/10/40-minute-cheese-buns/

Altho hers are all nice and individual, mine melded into each other. Maybe it's because she had minimum rise times but I was feeling generous so I let it rise as it should.

Ingredients (makes 12 buns)

3.5 cups flour

280 ml warm water

⅓ cup neutral tasting oil

2 tbsp yeast

¼ cup sugar

1.5 tsp salt

1 egg

1 egg for egg wash

1 cup cheese

Cheese for sprinkling (I ran out, hence the sesame seeds)

Method

1) In a big bowl, add flour, yeast, sugar. Mix then add salt. Be careful not to let the salt touch in direct contact with the yeast or it gets deactivated. The blogger proofs the yeast in the warm water but I didn't bother.

2) Create a well and pour in the oil, egg, and finally the warm water. Mix well with a wooden spoon. It will be very tacky. Beat till it leaves the bowl, about 5 minutes. Cover in cling wrap and leave to proof for 30 minutes.

3) Punch down and knead for 5 minutes. It should be smooth, shiny and leave the bowl. Add 1 tbsp of flour at a time if it's still too tacky.

4) Divide into 12 balls. Put half in the fridge or it starts to rise. To save washing, I used my oiled hands to pulled and tugged each ball into a disc. Leave the centre thicker than the sides. Spoon in 2 tbsp of cheese. Gather the edges and place seam side down into a prepared, well oiled muffin tin. When working on the second tin, place the first in the fridge, covered, so they all rise together.

5) Preheat the oven to 220 deg C. Let both tins rise, covered, on a counter top for 30 to 40 minutes.

6) Brush beaten egg wash and sprinkle on cheese or sesame seeds.

7) Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown, turning at the 7 minute mark.

8) Cool in tin before eating or the filling will be scaldingly hot.

Recipe feedback: 

1) I didn't like the muffin shape of the bun, probably because mine rose so much. The egg wash also made it too golden brown. This recipe looks promising, no need to roll out, and glaze with melted butter. Might try it next time. http://heatherchristo.com/cooks/2012/11/11/cheese-buns/

2) The bun is crusty when first baked, but if kept overnight in an airtight box but out of the fridge, it's soft and fluffy next morning. Next time I'll have a soft cheese inside and hard cheese on the outside which will char in the oven. Charred cheese tastes great but the cheese inside is no longer flowy, which kinda defeats the point of cheese to begin with.

Meat bao

I read up on how to make bao because I wanted to use up my last packet of yeast. That's when i discovered that many Asian cultures have their own version: pau in Cantonese, baozi in Mandarin, bahn bao in Vietnamese, nikuman in Japanese and jjinpang mandu in Korean.

I've wanted to make bao for the longest time but never bothered to buy the HK flour. Now I found out that all it is, is bleached flour. The only difference is that the baos come out yellowish rather than white. But if there's less processing involved, that's a good thing.

Hence, I chose different recipes to follow, because I wanted the right filling as each cuisine tastes different, and enough flour to match my yeast. This recipe is wonderful because the dough is a joy to work with, not sticky and hardly needs proofing time.

Adapted from:

Dough: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/steamed-pork-buns-char-siu-bao

Pork filling: http://en.christinesrecipes.com/2011/01/steamed-pork-buns.html

So here's my adaptation. 

Ingredients (makes 10 man sized buns)

Dough

1 pkt yeast (about 2.5 tsp or 7g)

1 cup warm water

3 tbsp sugar

3 ¼ cup flour

3 tbsp oil

¼ tsp salt

1 ¼ tsp baking powder

Filling

250g minced pork

250g minced beef

3 chopped spring onions (I omitted)

3 hard boiled eggs, sliced into quarters

2 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp chicken powder

1 tsp salt

5 tbsp water

Dash of pepper

Method

1) Put the yeast into the water with the sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes to activate.

2) In a big bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon and create a well in the centre. Pour in the yeasty mixture and the oil. Stir to combine using the spoon. U get a shaggy mixture. With your hands, knead till it is all combined and leaves the bowl. Remove the dough, oil the bowl and put back the dough. Cover with cling film and tea towel and proof in a warm place for 15 minutes.

3) Prepare the meat filling. Put in all the ingredients and using your hand or a chopstick, stir in 1 direction only until gluey. Form into 10 or 12 balls, and put in the fridge to rest.

4) Pour out the dough onto a very lightly floured surface. Be sparing with the flour. Knead for 10 minutes.

5) Cut into 10 (for man sized) or 12 (palm sized) buns. 

6) Put half in the fridge, covered, or else it starts proofing before you're done! Roll out into circles of 4" (small bao) to 5" (big bao) inches in diameter. 

7) Place the ball of meat in the centre and 1 quarter of egg on top. Seal by pleating, turning the top, and crimping. 

8) Leave to proof for 10 minutes. Prepare the parchment squares and bring a pot of water for the steamer to a boil. Wrap the cover in a towel because u don't want the condensation dripping on the surface and causing a pock mark. Then start on the next batch.

9) I could only fit 5 into my steamer without touching, because they still expand in the streamer. Leave enough space, about 3 finger widths, between them.

10) Ensure you have enough water in the pot. Steam the buns once the water is on a rolling boil. Steam on high for 5 minutes, then turn down to medium high for another 10 (big) or 5 (small) minutes.

11) Turn off the fire and rest for another 5 minutes. This helps the shape stabilize. 

12) Serve hot. Cool uneaten ones on a wire rack to avoid condensation forming at the bottom and causing soggy bottoms. Reheat in a microwave, on top of a wet kitchen towel.

Other variations

Dousha bao http://www.chinasichuanfood.com/homemade-red-bean-buns/

Yeast dough pizza

Recipe adapted from http://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/recipes/easy-pizza-dough-1472

Not a bad recipe for pizza dough but while it came out the oven crispy, it wasn't the thin crispy crust I was looking for. But thankfully it wasn't thick bread crust either. But this recipe sure has a lot of proofing.

Ingredients (makes 4 individual sized pizzas, approx 8 to 10 inches in diameter)

3½ cups flour, + ¼ cup for dusting

Pinch of sugar

1 satchet instant yeast 

2 tsp salt

500 ml lukewarm water

3 tbsp polenta

Desired pizza toppings and pizza sauce/tomato paste

Method

1) In a very large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar with a wooden. Once mixed, add the salt and mix.

2) Create a well in the centre and add the water. Combine till no more patches of dry flour.

3) Use the wooden spoon to beat for 2 minutes then turn out on a well floured board.

4) Knead by using well floured hands and periodically lifting the dough to flour the board. Knead till no longer sticky, but still a bit moist, about 5 to 10 minutes. The dough will be soft. Form a ball.

5) Oil the original mixing bowl and put the dough in. Oil the top of the ball and cover with plastic wrap. Cover with a tea towel and let it proof in a warm place for 1.5 to 2 hours till doubled in size.

6) Punch out the air and turn out onto a well floured surface. Knead for 2 or 3 minutes till smooth, elastic and doesn't stick. Cut into 4, four balls and replace in the oiled mixing bowl. Cover and allow to rest for approx 20 minutes while u prepare the pizza toppings.

7) Once ready, preheat oven to 220 deg C. Prepare the pizza pan, or I used a large cooking sheet. Sprinkle generously with polenta.

8) Fold a large non stick baking sheet of at least 20 inches length into half. Open the sheet and place one ball of dough on one half, then cover. Roll out as thin as you want.

9) Transfer onto baking tray with dusted with polenta. Shift the pizza dough so that it doesn't stick to the pan. I continued to stretch the dough as thin as I could get it without tearing. Spread on the toppings. This time, I used pasta sauce as the base, olives, tomatoes salami, bacon, roasted chicken, roasted peppers, mozarella cheese, and bocconcini. Topped with egg.

10) Put in the oven and turn down to bake at 200 deg C for 15 minutes still golden brown and cheese melted. I turned halfway. Serve immediately.

With pineapple

Other useful links

Pepperoni pizza http://joythebaker.com/2015/08/pepperoni-pineapple-and-hatch-chili-pizza/

Thin crust pizza http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-homemade-thin-crust-pizza-recipes-from-the-kitchn-45499

Thick crust yeast pizza http://www.centercutcook.com/fast-easy-pizza-dough/

Basic pizza dough http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/basic-pizza-dough-by-hand-method-recipe.html

Updated: Pizza dough using bread flour

Almond jello

Since making my almond jelly (or more accurately, almond agar agar which sounds less cool), I've moved continents and discovered that agar agar is more difficult to locate here.

My experiments showed that full cream milk and agar agar are a no no, it becomes too firm. The best is half cream milk or equal parts full cream milk and water. To activate the agar agar, the liquid must come to a boil to dissolve the agar agar. However on cooling, it starts to harden. The texture is well, a bit firmer.

Gelatine produces a softer jelly but requires about 2 tbsp for 1 litre of liquid, bearing in mind that milk actually requires more gelatine. But gelatine powder has a strong aftertaste. I have tried gelatine leaves and even though there is no aftertaste, it just doesn't set the milk. Again, half fat or equal parts full cream milk and water seem to work best. The liquid cannot be boiled, so the best is to rehydrate the gelatine in water, then add to warmed liquid before turning off the fire. The liquid needs to be chilled for 8 hours otherwise it will not harden fully. Texture is jello.

Finally, almond milk works the best with gelatine, about 2 tbsp to 1 litre liquid. This produces the best texture, like tofu.

I've heard of using evaporated milk but have not tried.

Evaporated milk and gelatine:

https://bcdairy.ca/milk/recipes/judys-almond-jelly (1 packet = 7g or 2tsp gelatine powder)

Evaporated milk and gelatine sheets:

https://gourmettraveller.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/almond-jelly/

Evaporated milk and agar agar:

http://chiaangela.blogspot.com/2016/07/almond-jelly-with-longans.html

Updated: Tried with evaporated milk

Dinner rolls

I finally made bread! Ok, more accurately it's my second time but there was no kneading the first time. The process was easier than I expected but the waiting time was indeed long and surprise surprise, my arm muscles got a workout and I was tired!

I adapted from this recipe: http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/bread-rolls. Watch her video for how to knead and shape the dough. I mostly changed the method based on my own experiences as a novice (Maangchi is obviously an expert so may have taken some techniques for granted) and also updated with measurements and timings that suit me. Note that it's late winter for me, so that affects proofing times.

Ingredients (makes 8 rolls or 6 hamberger sized rolls)

3 tbsp (45g) butter

2 tbsp sugar

½ cup cold milk

¼ tsp salt

2 eggs, divided use

2 tsp yeast (I used a 7g packet which is more accurately 2.22 tsp yeast)

1 ½ cup flour + flour for dusting (approx ¼ cup)

Method

1) Melt butter gently in a large pot. Switch off the flame. Using a wooden spoon, combine sugar and salt till slightly melted. Add cold milk and combine. Finally, beat in 1 egg till well combined.

2) Add the yeast. The mixture should be blood temperature, ie not hot nor cold when you stick a finger in. Stir and leave for a minute to activate.

3) Add the flour and mix well till there are no dry flour spots. Beat for a minute, the mixture will be very sticky.

4) Cover with the pot with its lid and leave to proof for 1 hour. I switched on the heat for a few minutes just to warm up the pot.

5) When the dough has doubled in size, punch and using 1 hand, work the dough for a minute. It should still be sticky but starting to come away from the pot.

6) Cover the pot with the lid and proof another 30 minutes.

7) Punch the air out and flour your hands and a big wooden board. Using both floured hands, knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes. If the dough is still sticky, flour your hands and continue to work the dough. This prevents you from adding too much flour and making it too dry. Continue adding flour and kneading till the dough becomes smooth and easily leaves the pot.

8) Turn out the dough onto the floured surface and roll into a log. Pinch into 2 equal logs, and subdivide each log into whatever you need (eg 1 log into 3 for total 6 rolls, or into 4 for total 8 rolls). Using both hands, roll each log into about 8 inches long, then form the roll.

9) Place in a baking dish lined with parchment. Leave around 2 finger widths between each to allow for proofing. My mistake was putting them too far apart so they became very spread out as they could 'grip' onto their neighbours to grow taller. Also I learnt if the pan is too deep, it hinders those at the side from browning.

10) Cover dish with plastic wrap then a tea towel. Proof for 45 mins to 1 hour. I turned on the over and heated at 200 deg C for 3 minutes and turned off, then put the pan in to proof.

11) In the last 15 minutes, remove the dish and preheat to 190 deg C. Meanwhile, egg wash each roll but be careful to wash only the tops.

12) Put back the dish and bake (no grill) for 15 minutes, turning dish halfway. Without opening the oven door, turn on the grill and bake for a further 4 minutes.

13) Remove and brush with egg and bake for 1 final minute. Serve hot immediately with butter.

Recipe feedback: I'm not if it's timing or because I used egg instead of the egg white only as the recipe read, but the top came out crunchy. I'm not sure if that was the intended texture but that's ok because it will probably not be cruncht tomorrow.

Useful bread links:

How ingredients change the bread http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/bread-making-ingredients/

Bread woes http://www.virtuousbread.com/bread-and-conversation/sticky-bread-dough/

Cinnamon buns

I really miss cinnamon buns. I haven't had them in 5 years. I still recall the bakery near our home which served it. It was a treat if you get it because it always runs out. Usually we'll try to go there in the morning or early afternoon on a weekend and if we're lucky, we'll get it. The rest of the meal that goes with it is immaterial. The coffee sucks but what are cinnamon buns without coffee? The decor is also nothing to shout about, it's probably 'industrial' - cement floors, wooden benches and harsh spotlights. But it is a bakery after all, so you can't expect too much. What I loved so much about the buns was not only that it was your lucky day if you got them, but it was also a refuge away from the drain of daily life.

To recreate that feeling, I've been hunting the Internet for recipes. They're usually complicated e.g. involve machines and dough hooks, or don't have yeast (which I like) but which also means that it will never be as fluffy as bread.

Then I came across this receipe. I really love this recipe. http://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/cinnamon-rolls/
Other than the fact that it takes a lot of time (and being in winter coming out of the coldest week) doesn't help! It did take me along time to make it, probably because it's also my first experience with bread dough, but I think it's a good recipe that can be started on a week day (the prep took me 10 mins) and continuing with the rolling and baking on a weekend or evening. As usual, I omit the glaze cos I've never had it anyway, so I don't miss it!

Anyway, this writeup is an adaptation, as tips from other websites are included. It's amazing that if you do a Google search for 'cinnamon bun', 'cinnamon scrolls', or 'cinnamon rolls', there are thousands of hits. It's really a well-loved food!

Ingredients (makes 9 man sized buns or 17 woman sized buns)
3.5 cups of plain flour
1 packet (7g) yeast
1/2 tbsp salt
1/4 cup (60g) melted butter
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs

Filling
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (120g) softened butter
2 1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon powder
1/2 cup raisins or nuts (optional)

Method
1) In a very large bowl (the largest that you have), add the flour, yeast and salt. Take care to keep the salt on separate ends from the yeast because salt can deactivate the yeast. Use a whisk or spatula to mix up the dry ingredients.
2) In a microwavable jug, add the butter to the milk and warm very gently (in 10 second increments) till the butter just melts. Don't overheat (Gemma calls this 'blood temp' ie feels just warm to the touch but Sally says 46 deg C) because you don't want to cook the eggs or kill your yeast.
3) Break up all the lumps of butter and roughly beat in 2 eggs.
4) Create a well in the flour and pour in the wet ingredients a bit at at time, using the spatula to mix in the flour a bit at a time. The dough will be really sticky. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5) Cover the bowl with cling film and a tea towel. Allow to proof at room temp for 2 hours. I read elsewhere that optimal proofing temp is between 27 to 35 deg C. Since it was winter, I turned on the oven (Sally says 34 deg C then quickly turn off) and placed my bowl inside.
6) Once it's expanded to 3x its size, place the covered bowl in the fridge. It must refrigerate for at least 8 hours, best if its overnight, and up to max of 3 days. The dough continues to proof in the fridge. I read elsewhere that this is 'cold proofing'.
7) Take out the dough to return to room temp while preparing the filling and baking pan.
8) Prepare a medium tin by lining with baking parchment.
9) In a big bowl, add the sugar and cinnamon powder and brown sugar to the softened butter. Mix till well incorporated with a serrated butter knife (tip: you can use the same knife to spread on the filling, and later on, to cut the dough. Saves washing up!)
10) On a VERY well-floured surface (wood preferable, seems to stick less), turn the dough out onto the surface. Flouring your hands, slowly knead until it isn't sticky. (To make man sized buns, roll into 1 log. I cut the dough into half and rolled 2 logs, making woman sized buns) Then with a well-floured rolling pin, roll out to a 1/4 inch thick dough. As you roll, periodically dust flour under the surface. (I didn't do that and I had a hell of a time later on, rolling up the dough. Little did I know that as I enthusiastically rolled the dough out, it stretched and 'grabbed' whatever flour there was, and if there wasn't flour, the it grabbed my surface!) If the dough springs back after rolling, that's the gluten. Let it sit for about 3 minutes and try again.

11) Spread on the filing nice and thick and leave a 3 cm edge around the top edge. Scatter on raisins or nuts if using.
12) Using a scraper (e.g. knife, spatula) to assist you, gently roll the run starting from one side. If it sticks, flour under the roll and use the scraper to gently pry it off the counter. (this took me the better part of 1/2 hour because of pt 9 above). Roll tightly but not too tight or the centre pops up during baking. Pinch the ends of the log and seam to seal.
13) Once it's all rolled up, move it over the flour so that it easily moved on the surface. Using a serrated knife, saw off 2 inch rolls and place them filling side up, onto the lined baking tin. Allow 1 finger width between each roll to allow for expansion. (If freezing, freeze now. When ready to bake, thaw, proof and bake)
14) Cover with cling film (oil the underside to avoid sticking to the dough) and tea towel and proof for 30 mins to an hour (depending your kitchen temp) until the rolls have grown into each other.
15) Towards the end of the proofing time, preheat the oven to 190 deg C. Glaze with a bit of milk using a pastry brush.

16) Bake at 190 deg C for 30 mins for small and 40 mins for big buns (no grill: I started out with grill and it looks slightly burnt after only 30 minutes. The upside is that it was crunchy on top but the filling was no longer flowly), turning several times mid way to get even browning. If it browns too fast, place foil over it after 15 mins. A skewer thru the centre avoiding the filling comes out clean; or tapping on the top produces a hollow sound.

17) Remove from tin and let cool for 10 minutes so that the scorching hot filling down't scald your tongue but otherwise, best eaten hot. These can also be frozen now then thawed and rebaked next time.

Tips from http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/05/08/easy-cinnamon-rolls-from-scratch/

Updated 10 Sep: changed the second two photos, less burnt looking. Made some changes to method, amd they turned out better. Updated above.

Other variations

Quick rise: http://www.errenskitchen.com/quick-rise-cinnamon-rolls/

Cinnamon apple http://littlespicejar.com/caramel-apple-cinnamon-rolls/

Updated with a really saucy version: http://simmetra.blogspot.com.au/2016/11/sticky-cinnamon-buns.html

Red bean tang yuan

Simple recipe, Chinese tang yuan is even easier to make than mochi. Adapted from this red bean recipe by Rice and Roti and this black sesame seed recipe by Gumdrop button, this recipe is really more intuitive and instructive. Everyone has a recipe that works for them. I am starting to understand why such recipes are passed on from grandmothers to mothers to daughters. Unfortunately, neither gran nor mom cooked this while they were alive. We pretty much just had store bought.

However, this week being the coldest winter week of the year (and previous decade apparently), it seemed fitting to cook this, and also to use up my leftover Anko. Note btw, 1 can of Anko goes a really long way. So far I've done dorayaki (4 dorayaki ie 8 hotcakes sandwiched), 15 tang yuan, and I still have 1/4 can left!

Ingredients (makes 15 ping pong sized tang yuan)
1 cup glutinous rice flour
1/2 cup warm (but not hot or boiling water)
1/4 can anko
2 cm piece of ginger
rock sugar to taste
2 to 3 pandan leaves, tied in a knot
4 - 5 Chinese rice bowls of water

Method
1) Prepare the syrup first as it will take some time. In a pot, add the water, ginger, pandan leaves, and rock sugar. Bring to a boil then turn down and simmer for 10 minutes. Switch off the fire and leave it to steep.
2) In a mixing bowl, pour in the glutinous rice flour. Slowly add water a bit at a time, using a spatula to mix it till well combined. It should just come together, so you may not need to use all the water. After it has come together, knead it into a smooth dough with your hand, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes. The dough should leave the sides of the bowl. If it's too sticky, add flour. Alternatively, if it's too dry, add just a touch more water.
3) Pinch off around 1 tbsp of dough and flatten it on a well-floured palm. Put about 1/2 tsp of the anko in the centre, and bring the sides of the dough around the ball of anko to cover it. Ensure that it is well sealed and that no bean paste is visible, otherwise cover with a bit more dough. Roll the dough in your hand to reform the ball. Roll each ball in flour and place on a well-floured plate, with plastic wrap. Ensure that the balls don't touch each other.
(I'm not very precise about this but if you really wanted to form similar sized balls, you could roll out the dough into a log on a well-floured surface, then chop off similar sized nuggets and even weigh them if you want)
4) In a separate pot of bring water to a rolling boil. You should have at least 3 inches of water otherwise the balls will sink to the bottom and stick. Drop in the balls and keep stirring to ensure that the balls don't stick to each other and don't stick to the bottom of the pot. When they float to the surface, they're cooked. (Hence I'm not really precise about the balls since equal cooking time isn't important because it's pretty clear which are cooked and which aren't). Lift them out with a sieve and drain them, then place them straight into the syrup.
5) Serve immediately. The extra unused balls can be frozen on their plate. Next time, cook from frozen.

Seogogi yachae juk (Beef and veg porridge)

From http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/soegogi-yachaejuk

Rosemary cheese drop biscuits

I did my once a year harvest of rosemary and ended up with a lot a lot of rosemary. Since google said that cheese and rosemary are good friends, I decided to do a cheese and rosemary drop scone, or Americans call them biscuits.

Recipe from here: http://www.cookingandbeer.com/2013/10/rosemary-and-cheddar-drop-biscuits/

Notes: baked at 220 deg C, and I substituted 1 tbsp + 1 tsp vinegar + 1 ⅓ cup milk for the buttermilk.

Recipe

2 ¼ C flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

½ C cold butter, cubed

1 ¼ C cheese, shredded

1 tbsp rosemary, chopped

1 tsp black pepper

1 ⅓ C buttermilk

Method

1) Line baking tray and preheat oven to 220 deg C

2) Whisk together dry ingredients. 

3) Add cubed butter and incorporate till it resembles breadcrumbs.

4) Dollop onto baking tray in ⅓ cup. Leave some space for expansion.

5) Bake for approx 14 to 15 minutes until golden brown. 

6) Remove from tray and let cool on wire rack so as not to overcook. Best served warm.

Flourless Peanut chocolate chip cookies

Taken from http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2014/06/06/flourless-peanut-butter-brownie-cookies/

This recipe is da bomb. The best cookie recipe I've tried and I especially like it because it's not overly sweet, has no flour nor butter (which I hope makes it less caloric), yet still tastes amazingly moist. Most importantly, no chilling required! What's not to love? 

Only mistake with my picture was that I forgot that these cookies do not spread so I had to press remove them from oven ans press them down with the back of fork. The chocolate chips were melting by then and u can see the messy end result. Don't be a ditz like me and do it before they go in.

I practically followed the recipe to a T (so I won't be reposting the ingredients or method).

Only alterations made were: 

1) I used ½ cup of choc chips instead of 3/4 cup peanut butter chips as recommended since a) i felt that there's enough butter going in and 2) i dont have them. But it turned put better this way. I fully intended to squidge the remaining 1/4 cup on top of the soft cookies when they first come out from the oven for that professional look but trust me, ½ cup of chips is a lot, so much so that there was hardly enough batter to hold them together!

2) I used a slightly heaped Chinese soup spoon (equivalent to 1 tbsp + 1 tsp or 4 tsp volume) worth of batter to equate to 1.5 tbsp. I got 15 cookies.

3) I baked at 175 deg C for 10 minutes.

Alternative recipes

1) half and half: http://thebigmansworld.com/2015/08/14/3-ingredient-flourless-peanut-butter-nutella-cookies/

2) 4 ingredients http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/four_ingredient_nutella_peanut_butter_cookies.htm

3) Swirled with peanut butter chips http://freshaprilflours.com/2015/06/24/nutella-swirled-peanut-butter-chip-cookies/

Espresso chocolate chip muffins

Original recipe from http://prettysimplesweet.com/chocolate-espresso-muffins/

I've adapted a few techniques after trying out this recipe. For some reason, my butter seized up after adding it to the other wet ingredients. I was petrified I would have scrambled eggs but luckily my espresso seemed to 'melt' everything and it didn't taste any worse for it. Also, adding thr brown sugar to the dry didn't seem like a good idea because brown sugar is lumpy. So I'm going to add the sugar to the wet and beat it in instead. Lastly, timing was different to my oven, even though this time. My fan was on so it should have taken less time than what eventuated. So I've tweaked the temperature and timing.

Bought new muffin cases and hooray, they fit the tin perfectly! 

Ingredients (makes 10)

1 ½ cup flour (210g)

½ cup cocoa powder (50g)

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp cinnamon powder

¼ tsp salt

½ cup sugar (100g)

½ cup light brown sugar (100g)

1 large egg at room temp, beaten

¾ cup milk (180ml)

¼ cup espresso (60ml) (note: milk and coffee should make 1 cup volume, so u can use instant coffee too with the appropriate amount of water), slightly cooled

½ cup melted butter (113g), slightly cooled

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup chopped nuts of choice (I omitted)

Original recipe has an additional nut, chip and sugar topping which i forgot.

Method

1) Preheat oven to 190 deg C. Prepare the muffin tin eg butter or line with muffin papers.

2) Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together, You might need to sift at least twice to ensure the cocoa powder is well mixed.

3) In another bowl, whisk the egg, sugars, vanilla until well combined. Drizzle in the butter and incorporate.

4) Add the wet to the dry and mix till just mixed. Lumpy is ok. I prefer to silft in the dry and use a whisk to rotate everything in. 

5) Fold in the chips and nuts.

6) Distribute 2 heaped tbsp to each muffin case. This should bring it to about ⅔ full. Fill empty muffin slots with water for even cooking.

7) Top off with a few chocolate chips on each for a 'professional' look.

8) Bake at 190 deg C for 15 minutes. My oven has hot spots so here, I rotated the tins. Turn down to 180 deg C for another 10 to 15 minutes. Watch carefully because it's dark so u can't tell if it's burnt. A skewer should come out clean.

9) Store in air tight box for up to 2 days outside the fridge.

Slow cooker Dakdoritang

Recipe from http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dakbokkeumtang

I prefer to call this dakdoritang altho it's more commonly known now as dakbokkeumtang apparently. The recipe is so simple and added to the slow cooker is a real hoot to cook. The slow cooker, as u know, is my best friend because it allows me to do other things like housework or watch tv or shower while it toils, then hey presto! Dinner is served. I particularly like Korean stews in slow cookers because unlike most Chinese and Western recipes, there's no need to saute things, which I hate because it means lots of cleanup thereafter. Anyway, I digress. Here's the recipe, or rather my interpretation.

Ingredients

1 kg chicken (i used drumsticks)

4 tbsp gochugaru

4 tbsp gochujang

4 tbsp garlic, minced

½ medium onion, chopped

4 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp sugar

2.5 cups water

3 to 4 potatoes, peeled and chunked (depending on how much u like potatoes, I really do!)

Spring onion to garnish (i omitted this because i don't like it)

2 green chillis, chopped (my chilli plant is sleeping because it's winter, too bad!)

1 tbsp sesame oil

Sprinkle of sesame seeds

Method

1) Place onions and chicken in slow cooker. In a bowl, mix all the sauces, gochugaru, sugar, with the garlic. Add a bit of water to make an emulsion.

2) Coat the chicken with the emulsion, then turn on the slow cooker and add the water. Bring to a boil and skim the scum and fat. Let it cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

3) Add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes or till softened.

4) Before serving, pour on the sesame oil, scatter sesame seeds, green chilli and spring onions. Serve hot with rice.

Buttermilk scones

I did a count of the number of scone recipes I have. That's about 5 posts worth, dating back to 2007 when my ex-boss gave me the ultimate and still best loved recipe. Unfortunately, that recipe is fiddly, with rolling pins, cookie cutters, etc etc. I've since read up and this looks like a good recipe. From Fast Ed in BHG. Here's the video. https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/better-homes-gardens/tv-and-video/video/watch/28277195/fast-ed-english-scones-ep-17-29-05-15/

Here's the dictated form. Although the recipe never explicitly said 'buttermilk', that's what the addition of an acid to milk does, although Fast Ed didn't directly add the lemon juice to the milk and let it sit, he did add them separately and then let it sit altogether. Whatever works, right?

Ingredients
500g self-raising flour
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
85g butter, softened to room temperature
265ml milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg whole
Juice of half a lemon (1 tbsp)
1 egg, beaten

Method
1) Combined dry ingredients (except butter) in a bowl, stir before sifting. Sift at least 3 times to get it light.
2) Rub the butter into the flour gently with fingers.
3) Push the dry ingredients to the side to create a well in the centre. Pour in the egg, vanilla and egg. Pour in the lemon juice.
4) Beat the egg with a butter knife then use the knife and use criss-cross cutting motions to 'cut' the dough together. A very wet dough results. Stop once combined, don't over-work the dough.
5) Pour the dough on a floured surface and lightly pat with hands into about 5 cm thick dough.
6) Use cookie cutter (5cm diameter) and cut out scones, and drop directly only a lined (parchment or oiled) baking sheet.
7) Let it rest for 10 minutes for baking powder to activate and reduce the time in the oven for a fluffier and moister crumb.
8) Brush the tops with beaten egg.
9) Bake at 200 deg C for 10 to 15 minutes till pale golden on top and risen.
10) Let them cool on a baking rack for about 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with jam and clotted cream.

Cocoa brownies

Adapted from this recipe http://prettysimplesweet.com/cocoa-brownies/

I've been looking for a cocoa power based recipe for a long time. In the past, I've tried melting chocolate but although the brownie is great fresh, after a few days, it gets rock hard. I still recall my brownies of childhood came off a Hershey Chocolate box. That recipe was perfect, and the brownies came out cake like and stayed that way for days (as long as no one consumed it up of course!) Sadly, I no longer have that recipe and couldn't locate it on the Hershey website either.

This seems to be the best recipe, all it requires is melted butter. I've avoided recipes that require a stove top because it's one more pot to watch, but since I don't have a big enough microwavable bowl and would need to transfer here and there (washing!), I decided to use the stove top instead. I also substituted some butter for oil ostensibly because it's healthier (but in reality, it's because I ran out of butter!)

Ingredients
10 tbsp butter (140 g, I used 100g butter and 40g veg oil, anything neutral tasting, NOT olive oil!)
1 1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup regular flour
2/3 cup chopped cooking chocolate or chocolate chips (or nuts as the original recipe asked for, but I'm not a fan of nuts! Raisins would probably work well too)

Method
1) In a large pot, melt the butter and the oil.
2) Once melted, add the sugar and cocoa power and stir till well combined. You'll get a gritty mixture. Leave it aside to cool as you don't want scrambled eggs.
3) When warm, add the vanilla, then beat in one egg at a time. I had to beat rather vigorously otherwise the oil would separate.
4) Sift in the flour and here, the original recipe called for beating 40 strokes. I settled for half beating, half folding. Here, a thick batter is produced. Add the chocolate chips or whatever additions and fold in gently.
5) Pour into a parchment lined pan, mine is 9*7". Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes (check after 25 mins) at 160 deg C. The top should have tiny bit of wobble and a inserted skewer should come out with a few crumbs. The sides have pulled away from the pan. It's tricky getting it cooked and still fudgey yet not over cooked that it becomes a cake.
6) Let it cool complete in the pan. I tried removing it and it nearly fell apart despite baking for 45 minutes, so I think it is meant to be like a lava cake and has to 'set' after it gets cool! The recipe even suggests letting it cool in the fridge. If you want clean lines when cutting, it has to be completely cool.
7) Original recipe says it should be out out of the fridge for up to 3 days outside in an airtight box.

Recipe feedback: I probably won't be substituting oil again, the taste is quite strong. It is too sweet for my liking but oh oh oh so unbelievably fudgey! See the picture, so fudgey they can't hold their shape and are falling down!

Cinnamon Nutella muffins

From http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/05/05/nutella-stuffed-cinnamon-sugar-muffins-2/

This seems like a simple recipe but not really, because I used waay too many kitchen tools and bowls despite what the recipe touted. Hmm I could economise but then my OCD would kill me for not scraping the bowls/plates/measuring cups/etc clean enough. But taste wise it's great. I found the muffin not sweet enough so u really cant skimp on the cinnamon sugar topping.

Ingredients

75g or 5 tbsp butter, softened

½ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

½ cup milk

1½ cup flour

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon powder

¼ tsp nutmeg powder

½ tsp salt

8 tsp Nutella

Topping

45g or 3 tbsp butter, melted

2 tsp cinnamon powder

¼ cup sugar

Method

1) Preheat oven to 220 deg C. Prepare muffin tin with papers, liners, or just oil/butter. 

2) Cream butter and sugar till pale on high.

3) Add egg and beat, followed by vanilla and finally milk. Beat on medium till incorporated.

4) In a separate bowl, sift flour and baking powder. Toss with cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 3 batches, mix on low till just combined. Don't over mix.

6) Spoon in 1 heaped tbsp batter, followed by 1 tsp Nutella. Top with another heaped tbsp batter and smooth off the top. Fill empty muffin slots with water for even baking. (Recipe says it can make 8 or 9 but my liners were big, so it meant 4 tbsps in total of batter)

7) Bake for 5 mins at 220 deg C, then turn down without opening to 180 deg C for 13 to 17 minutes (mine took another 5 mins). 

8) Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then on a rack.

9) While cooling, prepare the topping. Melt the butter in a microwave in bursts of 10 seconds till u see it just melted. In anothet dish, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

10) Dip the muffin tops in butter and swirl around, then coat with cinnamon sugar.

11) Best eaten immediately or store in an airtight box.

Cheese drop scones

This has gotta be the best cheese scone recipe ever. 15 minutes to prepare, 20 minutes to bake. Beats a cheese toasty. Upon eating, all chatter at the table suddenly ceased with the first bite, and then silence for a bit to devour the first scone.

And no oil, how healthy is that! The scones freshly from the oven were puffy, and imagine fried cheese rather than stringy pizza cheese.

http://www.food.com/recipe/easy-cheese-scones-in-a-hurry-29817

My very slight adaptations like changing ml to cups, using plain flour and adding a herb. 

Ingredients (makes 8)

1 cup flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 cup shredded hard cheese (i used chedder)

½ tsp thyme (use whatever herb, spice like paprika or even powdered garlic)

Pinch salt

⅔ cup milk

Method

1) Preheat oven to 225 deg C. Sift flour and baking powder intoma bowl. Add salt. Add cheese and toss with a fork to combine.

2) Add milk a bit at a time to and mix till well combined. The batter should be moist and sticky.

3) On a greased baking tray or lined with parchment, drop on the scones. The original recipe suggest using a rounded tbsp (baked for 15mins) but I used my 50ml scoop.

4) Bake at 225 deg C for 17 to 20 minutes till golden. I turned at 13 and 17 mins cos my oven has uneven hot spots.

5) Serve immediately with butter, jam (ginger goes great) or honey. Leave the rest to cool on a cooking rack, not on the tray or the underside may scorch.

Updated recipe with rosemary: http://simmetra.blogspot.com.au/2018/04/rosemary-cheese-drop-scones.html

Dakjjim Braised oyster sauce chicken

Original recipe is http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/dakjjim but mine is more Chinese-fied, ie less sweet. The only thing more Korean is the addition of the sweet potato starch noodles which was a good choice. I love these noodles over tang hoon which tends to break down.

Ingredients
1.2kg chicken parts
2 medium potatoes, cubed
2 medium carrots, cubed
½ onion
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sesame seed oil
Sprinkle of sesame seeds
Dash of white pepper
150g sweet potato starch noodles
10 cups water

Method

1) In a little sesame seed oil, brown the chicken parts, then add onions, carrots and potatoes.

2) Add the sauces, pepper and water. The water should be enough to cover the chicken so use more or less as required. Bring to a boil and skim off the scum and oil. Turn down the heat to a simmer (I used a slow cooker)

3) Soak the noodles in hot water fresh off the boil for about 10 minutes till softened.

4) Add the noodles about 10 minutes from the end.

5) Splash on sesame oil and sprinkle on sesame seeds.

Blueberry and chocolate chip muffins

From this recipe

http://littlesweetbaker.com/2014/10/03/bakery-style-chocolate-chip-muffins-2/

Not a bad recipe that I modified by adding blueberries. Can taste the baking soda but otherwise, there wouldn't be quite so much muffin top! I found that the muffin papers were great because there is more muffin top and less 'stump', without having to scrub the muffin pan. I also added the dry to the wet, rather than the other way around as this and many other muffin recipes prescribe.

Ingredients (makes 11)

2.5 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

½ cup chocolate chips

½ cup blueberries (I used frozen but fresh will do too)

½ tsp salt

½ cup butter, melted (125g)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

Method

1) Prepare the muffin papers if using. Preheat oven to 220 deg C.

Cube the butter and melt in the microwave in 10 or 15 second bursts. Set aside to cool.

2) In a big bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Beat the eggs and sugar till pale. Add the milk, vanilla and butter.

3) In a smaller bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and soda. Add the salt, chocolate chips and blueberries. Toss the choc chips and blueberries in flour. This prevents the chips and fruit from sinking, and blueberries from bursting and turning everything blue.

4) Using a whisk, add the dry ingredients the wet gradually, and rotate the whisk to fold in eveything. Do not over beat, just combine till everything is mixed with no dry floury spots. The batter will be thick.

5) Spoon into the prepared papers (I find the ½ cup measuring cup useful). Try to push the very thick batter down into the edges of each muffin mould but be gentle. Fill to 3/4 of the muffin mould.

6) Bake at 220 deg C for 5 minutes, then turn down to 190 deg C and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes. I turned the pan in the last 5 minutes to brown the tops evenly.

7) Let it cool in the tin for 5 to 10 minutes, then cool completely on a cooling rack.

Recipe feedback
Notice how muffins lose the 'crunchy' muffin top the next day? Did a little experiment to see what happens to muffins after a night.: muffins in an airtight box in the fridge (A), muffin in airtight box left outside (B), and muffin left outside but with a breathable fly cover (ie not in saran wrap; C).

The next morning, here's the verdict. C was the most moist for some reason and cakey soft. B was drier but still cakey soft. C retained a slight bit of 'crunch' but inside was dry, so maybe the crunch was a byproduct of getting drier. In sum, sadly, none of the muffins maintained the crunchy muffin top but if these muffins weren't so prone to mould after the 3rd day since there are no preservatives within, I would probably leave them outside!

Alternative chocolate chip and almond recipe

大学芋 Candied sweet potato

Taken from : http://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/candied-sweet-potatoes/

Have been looking for a candied sweet potato recipe that does not involve deep frying and happy to have found this one! The sugar does harden crispy but that's ok.

Ingredients

3 tbsp oil

5 tbsp sugar

¼ tsp light soya

¼ tsp vinegar

1 medium or large purple skinned sweet potato

1 tsp roasted black sesame seeds (I only had white so used that instead)

Method

1) Cut the sweet potato using the diagonal rotating cuts.

2) Soak sweet potatoes in water for 15 minutes to wash away the starch. Change water every 5 minutes. Dry well with paper towels. I further let it air dry for ½ hour.

3) Put all the ingredients into a pan. I used HCP. Top off with sweet potato chunks.

4) Cover and turn on to a medium flame. If using a regular pan, tie a tea towel around the cover to prevent condensation from dripping into the sugary sauce.

5) Cook for 10 to 15 minutes. It took me 13 but only because I was opening every minute to wipe away the consation. It's done when a skewer or toothpick goes through easily

6) Scatter over the sesame seeds and serve when slightly cool. It's basically molten sugar so be careful.

Braised spare ribs

I have been cooking this recipe for a year now, and only recently changed to spare ribs. I thought the flavour improved because of the bone, but this time there was no bone yet delicious because I changed a few ingredients. What a difference just putting sweet sauce instead of sugar, and adding fennel seeds and an otoshibuta make! I didn't even marinade the pork!

Updated from here: http://simmetra.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/on-my-second-attempt-success-i-adapted.html

Ingredients
1kg of belly pork
5 tbsp light soya sauce
10 tbsp dark soya sauce
3 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
1 tbsp ginger crushed
1 tbsp garlic crushed
1 tbsp 5 spice powder
5 cloves
4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick (i cheated using 1 tbsp cinnamon powder since I didn't have the stick version)

1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp sichuan peppercorns

1 fresh chilli (not for spiciness but for flavour, so I left it whole, not chopped)
3 tbsp sweet sauce (kechup manis)
1 tau kwa, cubed
1 packet tau pok
6 eggs

Water

Method

1) Put the spices in a stock bag. Set aside.

2) To a deep stock pot, add all the sauces, pork, condiments and spices.

3) Pour in enough water to submerge the meat. Bring to a boil and skim away fat and scum. Turn down to a simmer for 10 to 20 minutes till cooked. I find 10 minutes is enough, shorter than belly pork. Cover with otoshibuta.

4) In another pot, hard boil the eggs as preferred. Once cooked, plunge in cold water and peel. Set aside.

5) Lift the otoshibuta and add the eggs and tau kwa. Bring back to a boil and cover with otoshibuta. Turn off the flame. Cover and steep for at least 2 hours but the longer the better.

6) 10 minutes before serving, lift the ototshibuta and introduce the tau pok, then recover with otoshibuta. Don't steep this for too long or it gets too salty.

7) Serve with steamed rice, Jasmine preferred.

Lemon cupcake

Recipe from here http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2013/04/11/homemade-lemon-cupcakes-with-vanilla-frosting/

Problem is that since I used muffin instead of cupcake liners, I ended up with on,y 7 muffin sized cupcakes, and had to increase the cooking time by almost double.

Ingredients
½ cup softened butter (115g)
1 cup sugar (200g)
2 large eggs, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups flour (190g)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup milk (120g)
Whole juice and zest of 2 lemons

Method
1) Cream butter and sugar on med hig beater till flurry and pale. Scrape down sides.
2) Add eggs and vanila ans beat again on medium high. More scraping.
3) In another bowl, combine flour and baking powder and sift.
3) Add to mixture in 3 batches, beating on low. Do not over beat.
4) Add milk and beat on low. Add zest snd juice, beat on low. Again, don't overbeat.
5) Transfer to cupcake/muffin liners, to abt ¾ full. No need to smooth tops but knock on the bench several times to remove the air pockets. These don't rise much.
6) Bake in 175 deg C non fan-forced oven for 20 mins (cup cakes) or 30 to 35 mins for muffin liners. Test with skewer but realy, my skewer came out clean but it turned out to be undercooked. The cupcake sld pull away from the sides.
7) Once out of the oven, let them cool in their tins for a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks because they will be very soft fresh from the oven.
8) Pipe icing if desired but I'm not an icing person.

Recipe feedback: The juice made the cake very moist but it also meant that it took a lot longer for the batter a lot longer to dry out, even though my skewer came out dry. Maybe I should really have cupcake liners which has a wider surface area so it's easier for the batter to dry out.

French toast casserole

Adapted from http://ourbestbites.com/2012/12/overnight-baked-french-toast/ for proportions to fit my casserole tin, and also added cheese which I saw some other recipes add

Ingredients

5 slices of bread

6 eggs

2.5 cups milk

½ cup cheese, shredded (ideally creme cheese but i only had regular chedder in my fridge)

1 tbsp cinnamon 

1 tsp vanilla

4 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp salt

½ cup blue berries (i used frozen but fresh is ok too)

2 softened butter

Topping

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp white sugar

½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp butter, cubed

Method

1) Slice up the bread into diagonal quarters. Lay half of the bread on the bottom of the casserole, which I lined with baking paper but you can generously butter it. Butter the bread with all the softened butter. 

2) Whisk up the egg, milk, vanilla, brown sugar and salt. Set aside.

2) Scatter the blueberries and cheese. 

3) Pour on half the egg mixture.

4) Lay on the remaining bread.

5) Pour on the remaining egg mixture. Press the bread down so that it soaks up the egg mixture.

6) Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, best overnight.

7) Next morning, take it out at least 30 minutes before it's ready for the oven to come back up to room temperature. Sprinkle on the topping evenly on top and dot on the butter before it goes into oven.

8) Bake in a preheated oven at 175 deg C for 45 mins to an hour (my oven took an hour), until a skewer to the bottom comes out clean. 

9) Serve hot with whatever u like: more custard, maple syrup or more fruit.

Beautifully puffed up

Close up

Served with bacon, because who doesn't like bacon?