Orange Sweet Potato Chiffon Cake

This chiffon cake almost became a flourless cake! I had forgotten to add in the flour into the egg mixture. After I had put the chiffon cake tin in the oven for few minute then I saw a bowl of flour on the table. Oh No! What a careless me! I quickly took out the chiffon cake tin from the hot oven and immediately poured the mixture into the mixing bowl and fold in the flour as fast as i could, then quickly poured the mixture back into the chiffon cake tin . and baked in the oven again. I was quite frustrated because I thought the cake would be a disaster and would end up in the rubbish bin. But outside of my expectations, the cake turned out to be soft and moist, and still in good shape. What a relief!

The recipe is adapted from my purple sweet potato chiffon cake. Recipe please click here.

Pumpkin buns/bread (1)

These are my lovely pumpkin buns. After 25 minutes kneading, sweating, huffing and puffing is worth all the effort.


















I experimented with nutella, red bean paste as fillings to give different tastes.



Recipe:

Ingredients A:

1) 130 g pumpkin puree (cut into small pieces, steamed and mashed)
2) 200 g bread flour
3) 80 g plain flour
4) 40 g caster sugar
5) 1 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
6) 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Ingredients B:
80g - 90 g milk

Ingredients C:
40 g soft butter

Method:
~1) Mix all the ingredients A in a mixing bowl, add milk to mix into dough.

~2) Add butter, knead until the dough becomes smooth and stretchable.( Use hand about 20 - 25 minutes)

~3) Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with clingfilm or wet towel, let it ferment for 60 minutes or double in size.

~4) Take out the dough and punch out the gas. Divide the dough into 45 g each (about 13 portions)and roll into balls. Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

~5)Wrap filling (any filling you like, about 25 g each ) and seal up edges, seams side down. Place them in a 12 holes lightly greased muffin tray, and leave for final proofing for 45 minutes.

~6) Brush the top with egg wash (1 egg + 2 tbsp water). And design with flour paste as you like. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degree C for 15 minutes.

Flour paste:( mix )
plain flour 40 g
lemon juice 40 ml
water 10 ml

Verdict: The bun tastes good but unfortunately, it does not have the pumpkin taste. However, the bun is soft and light and it is delicious.

Butter Cheese Buns and Sausage Buns

yummy yummy! I really fall in love with making bread now . I found that my bread making is improving. I believe practice makes perfect. The texture of the bread is so soft, and it tastes buttery.

Recipe

Ingredients: (Basic Sweet Bun Dough)

(A)
300 g bread flour
30 g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoon milk powder
60 g sugar -lightly beaten
1 egg - A grade
120 c.c. water
10g instant yeast (mix in water before add into flour)

(B) 40 g butter

(C) Filling:
100 g butter -diced in small cubes
6 pieces cheddar cheese - each piece cut into 4 pieces

Method:
~ 1) Combine Ingredients A in a mixing bowl. Beat for 5 minutes to form a dough. Add in butter (Ingredient B) beat until form a smooth surface and stretch the dough into a thin layer without tearing, it is ready. But if it does not stretch well, beat dough further till it passes the next stretch test.

~2) Keep dough covered and leave in a warm place for for 30 -40 minutes or until double in size.

~3) Divide dough into 60 g portion. Flatten dough, wrap in some filling. Seal edges and place them on a greased baking tray. Cover tray with a damp cloth and proof for 45 minutes in a warm place till double in size.

~4) Brush the surface with beaten egg wash and place a piece of cheddar cheese on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degree C for 12 – 15 minutes till golden and cheese has melted. Remove and cool on wire rack.

Important Hints:

1. Dough must be well kneaded till fully developed whether it is a process done manually or by a machine.

2. Do not pour in all the water at once as different brand of flour has different absorbing strength.

3. Cover the bowl with cling wrap or a damp cloth or wrap the whole bowl with a plastic bag can help to seal in moisture.

4. Bread dough can be left to proof in an electric bread proofing unit with instructed temperature maintained. But if dough is left to proof at room temperature, it must be fully developed before working on the intended recipe. Do not hasten the proofing time as a slow proof gives better results. Sometimes a place may not be warm enough, hence an extended proofing time is needed before it can double its size.

Recipe adapted from Bread Magic -Author Chef Alan Ooi

Crispy prawns with salted egg yolk

This is the best dish to accompany icy-cool beer. The prawns are so crispy even the shells can be eaten completely.The salted egg yolks mixed with milk give the creamy and salty bite. The curry leaves and chillies enhance the flavour and fragrance of the dish. They are really a perfect combination to the dish.

Recipe:

Ingredients:

~ 500 g big prawns (angkah )

~ 2 nos salted egg yolks (steamed)

~ 8 bird's eye chillies (flatten)

~ 2 - 3 twigs curry leaf

~ 2 tablespoon butter/margarine/cooking oil

~ 2 tablespoon Evaporated milk

~ 1 egg

~ some tapioca flour

Seasoning: 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

~ 1) Devein, wash the prawn and drained.

~ 2) Marinate with 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce; tablespoon1 teaspoon sugar; 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 light soy sauce for 10 minutes.

~3) Dip the prawns with beaten egg, then coat with tapioca flour. Deep- fry into hot oil until cooked and golden brown. Dish out.

~4) Melt the margarine to saute the curry leaves and bird's eye chillies over low heat until fragrant. Add in salted egg yolks, milk and seasoning. Stir well.

~5)Pour in prawns, stir constantly until aromatic or the gravy is thicken. Serve hot.

Banana Walnut Cake

This is one of the cakes I volunteered to demonstrate at the WEC interest group gathering's baking session I shared in my earlier post.

Here, I would like to share the recipe with you because it is so delicious most of the members gave it their thumbs up. The cake texture is soft and moist. Once you have a first bite you will taste the full fragrance of banana.

Recipe

Ingredients:

~ 300 g plain flour

~ 2 teaspoon baking powder

~ 2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

~ 1/2 teaspoon salt

~ 200 g sugar

~ 240 g unsalted butter

~ 4 big eggs - beaten

~4 very ripe bananas (about 375 g) mashed

~ 5 tablespoon milk

~ 1 teaspoon vanilla essence/1/2 teaspoon banana essence

~ chopped walnut (roasted)

Method:

~1) Sift flour , baking powder, salt and soda into a medium bowl.

~2) Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until creamy white.

~3) Add beaten eggs a little at a time, beat well after each addition.

~4) Add vanilla, milk and mashed bananas. (add in a handful of chopped walnuts as you wish).

~5) Fold in flour and blend well.

~6) Pour mixture into muffin cups (sprinkle chopped walnuts on top as you like).

~7) Bake in preheated oven 180 degree C for 25 - 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

ENJOY!

Steamed Lemon Cake 清蒸柠檬旦糕

Last night, our WEC interest group held a gathering at the Community Club. We had stocking flower making and cake baking sessions. I volunteered to demonstrate cake baking . I decided to come out with 3 recipes, 1) Steam Lemon Cake 2) Banana cake and 3) Chocolate Walnut Muffin because there are good tasting, easy to pick up for beginners and do not need much ingredients.

The response was quite good, a total of 17 participants attended the events, aged from 6 to 50 years old and above. It was just like a big family gathering. After everyone put in their own efforts, we were all smiles as we ate the cakes and admired the self-made flowers.

Here, I would like to share the Steam Lemon Cake recipe with you. Basically it is just the ordinary steam cake. All the author did was simply add in lemon juice - the citrus acid removes the eggs odour, and turns the cake into a refreshing delicious dessert. I thank her for her innovative and creative idea.

Recipe (adapted from孟老师的100道small cakes)

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoon corn oil/sunflower seed oil

250 g eggs (without shell)

180 g fine sugar

190 g plain flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

1) Grease and line with cake paper on a 20 cm square baking tin.

2) Mix lemon zest, lemon juice and oil together.

3) Beat eggs with sugar from slow speed to high speed, colour will change from dark to light.

4) Beat at high speed until the mixture turns into milky white, foamy and thick. Turn to slow speed to beat for 1 minute.

5) Add in sifted flour, baking powder, blend well. And lastly add in the remaining ingredients.

6) Mix the mixture until incorporated.

7) Pour the batter into the mould and leave it to rest for 10 minutes at room temperature. (The product texture will be finer).

8) Steam for 20 - 30 minutes over high heat.

Note: you may use orange instead of lemon to try another tinge of citric taste.