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?

Mac and cheese

Adapted from this recipe, I didn't really follow the recipe very closely but just the gist of it. I think my measurements are really and agar-ration but here goes. My contribution is hiding the vegetables inside.

Ingredients (serves 4 as a side dish)
1.5 cups cooked macaroni pasta (I don't know, about 1 cup dried pasta?)
5 sliced mushrooms
1 thinly sliced and quartered tomato
½ cup milk
4 tbsp panko
Salt and pepper to taste
Knob of butter
1 cup grated cheese

Method
1) Spray a casserole pot with oil and coat evenly. A see through casserole definitely helps, note pt 3.
2) Layer on half the pasta, and top with sliced vegs in a thin layer. Sprinkle on a thick coat of cheese, about half a cup.
3) Spread on remaining pasta. Pour in the milk slowly till it reaches ⅓ up the side. This way, it keeps the pasta moist without over flowing.
4) Cover with the remaining cheese and finally panko. Dot with butter.
5) Bake uncovered, at 200 (30 minutes) or 220 (20 minutes) deg c. I usually put it in with whatever else I'm baking, so temperature is variable.
6) At the end, it should be blipping away. If the top isn't brown enough, use the broiler function on the over, about 5 minutes on 230 deg c but watch like a hawk. It can burn all too easily.

Baked prawn paste chicken

Air fried food is all the rage and quite a few bloggers have come up with a recipe for har jeong gai that is air fried. Not having an air fryer, I decided to go back to what I knew best - baking chicken. Here's a recipe that was tailored for air frying by Domestic Goddess Wannabe but has instructions for baking. I've adapted the recipe after my taste test.

Several commonalities from other recipes
1) Although she used flour, I noticed that other bloggers used tapioca flour or rice flour. I wonder what the difference is.  When coating it, I tried both, aka tapoica flour then ran out of that and used flour, and I felt that flour was a lot 'heavier'. This might impact the crunch factor.
2) She left it to 'air dry' in the fridge on a rack, but used a normal baking sheet when baking. Hmm. Other bloggers didn't bother air drying and used a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment for baking. One blogger didn't air dry and even used just a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment, which is my preferred method for clean up. However, from past experience, the oil sits on the skin and that makes it soggy so this time I tried the air dry and baking on a rack method.
3) The magic ingredient is baking powder and baking soda, but I didn't have baking soda so omitted that, which I noticed another blogger did too.
4) She spritzed the surface with oil and then halfway over, turned over and sprayed with oil again. Since I'm putting every thing on a baking, it's a bit harder to turn, so I won't bother with turning over but I will spray the surface with oil.

Ingredients
Marinade
1kg chicken wings, dejointed
2 tbsp prawn paste
2 tsbp cooking Shaoxing wine (some bloggers discourage this)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp white pepper

Coating
1 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (I omitted this because I didn't have it)

Method
1) Combine the marinade and marinade the wings for between 2 hours to overnight in the fridge.
2) Prepare the coating, and dredge the chicken in it. Place on a wire rack and refrigerate to dry out for an hour.
3) After removing from the fridge, recoat any 'wet' bits with left over flour.
4) Spritz the skin with oil. Bake on a flat baking rack (sitting in a baking tin to catch the oil) in a preheated oven 200 deg C for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn half way and spritz the other surface with oil.
5) Serve immediately.

Feedback on recipe
I was right about two things. Spritzing oil is important in avoiding the raw flour look. I was somewhat haphazard and u can see the raw flour look. Second, the parts that were coated in tapioca flour came out less gluggy floury tasting than those dredged in flour.

And a third point surprised me, that wings baked more evenly than the drumlettes. A fourth thing: the recipe was a bit strong, too sweet and perhaps too much oyster. I think halving both might be useful.

So perhaps the lesson is 1) use mid wings 2) no need to use a wire rack if mid wings are used but then turning is essential 3) spritzing oil on both sides is essential.

Update: New recipe http://simmetra.blogspot.com/2018/02/oven-fried-har-cheong-gai.html

Oksusuppang (Corn bread)

Been wanting to try corn bread for the longest time and then Maangchi came out with this receipe. The only problem is that we don't have corn meal here in Australia, and she used ground corn meal which looks very fine. I searched the Internet and found that polenta is the equivalent in Australia but it is not as finely ground as what I saw Maangchi used. But no matter, first attempt, I'll try 'as is' and see how things turn out. If it's wrong, then next time I might have to finely grind the polenta myself using a coffee grinder!

After trialling the recipe with polenta, I found that I needed to add more liquid and steep longer and increasing the baking time, so the recipe has been updated to reflect this.

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 ¾ cup milk
2 cups corn meal/polenta
2 tbsp white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Method
1) In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients (except for the baking powder), then the wet.
2) Let everything sit for 30 minutes.
3) After sitting, the mixture has separated. Stir to recombine, then add the baking powder.
4) Pour into a baking tin, either lined with parchment or Maangchi buttered it. She used a 8*8 inch square pan but my pan was 10*6 inch so technically, the volume should be the same :P
5) Bake immediately after adding the baking powder, otherwise it loses its efficacy. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C for between 35 to 45 minutes. You guessed right, I started pre-heating my oven during the 20 minute waiting time.
6) Check for doneness with a skewer, it should come out clean. Let it cool slightly before turning it out on a cutting board and cutting into squares or rectangles or whatever takes your fancy.

Feedback on recipe: perhaps because I used polenta, it didn't turn out as fluffy as Maangchi's.