Traditional Steamed Cake - 鸡蛋糕

This recipe has been with me for many years.  I do not know for what reason i have kept it for so  long until today .

This steamed sponge cake reminds me of my younger days when I was in my home town.  There was a Hainanese coffee shop that sold very fragrant and very  fluffy  traditional jidangao (鸡蛋糕 i.e. steamed  sponge cake).  Almost every day in the afternoon, I could hear the sound tok tok... from outside when I passed by the coffee shop.  The coffee shop owner' eldest son  was beating the sponge cake batter with a heavy spiral whisk in a big metal bucket , This was really a tortuously and tiring work.  In those good old days,  a slice (in triangle shape ) went  for 15 cents only.

After trying out this sponge cake, I am happy and satisfied with the end product. The cake tastes good,  and the texture is fluffy.  However, I find  the cake is a  bit too dry, I suggest add 1 to 2 tablespoon of corn oil into the batter would make it more moist.  If I have added in a drop of banana essence, it would be  very similar to  the jidangao of yesterday.

Recipe: Adapted from Sunday Times -"Ask the Foodie" by Chris Tan.

Ingredients:
130 g Hong Kong flour
10 g potato starch      
1 teaspoon baking powder
220 g eggs  (weighed without shells)
140 g sugar
3/4 teaspoon vinegar
45 g condensed milk

Method:
1)  Line and grease a deep 18 cm or 19 cm round cake tin. 

2)  Mix Hong Kong Flour, potato starch and baking powder together and  then sift the mixture twice.

3)   Beat eggs, sugar and condensed milk on medium speed  until you see the volume at least quadruples.  When lifted out the bowl, the whisk should trail a thick ribbon of foam that stays on the surface for at least 10 seconds. It may take 5 - 6 minutes of beating to reach this stage.

4)  Beat in 3/4 tsp pf vinegar.  Sprinkle 1/2 the flour over the egg mixture.  Gently but thoroughly, fold it in with a large whisk - make the same over--and-under  folding motion as yo wold with a spatula.  When it is nearly mixed , sprinkle over the remaining flour and fold just until the batter is smooth.  Scrape it into the tin, and steam over high heat for 22 - 25 minutes.

Note:  Do not overcook or the cake will  be tough.

Lemon and Pistachio Cupcakes

Recipe:

Ingredients: (makes 16)

3 large eggs (about 64 -65 g each with shell)
225 g butter , room temperature
220 g  caster sugar
1/2 cup milk
230 g self-raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
juice of 1/4 a lemon
zest of  half lemon

Topping:
155 g icing sugar, sifted
225 g  butter, room temperature
1/2 cup pistachio

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170 deg C. Line cupcake pan with cupcake papers.
2.  In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter till light and fluffy.  Add in eggs one at a time. Beat well  before each addition.
3. Add milk, flour and vanilla, and stir  to combine.  Add pistachio nuts, lemon juice and zest, and combine.
4.  Divide the mixture evenly between the cake papers  Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.  Allow to cool for few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.  Allow to cool fully before icing.

Topping:
1.  Meanwhile, combine icing sugar and butter,  beat till light and fluffy.  Add lemon zest and pistachio nuts and mix through.  Spoon onto cupcakes in large, loose dollops.

Milk Toast Bread

This is my favourite toast bread.  The bread is fragrant,  it tastes so good and even can eat it by itself without spreading any jam or butter on it.

Recipe: Adapted from Carol's "The Second Book of Baking for Beginners"

You will need a 20cm x 10cm x 10cm baking mould.

Ingredients:

320g high protein flour
1 egg ( about 50 g)
3/4  teaspoon instant dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
20g fine sugar
100c.c. milk
50 g unsalted butter

Method:

1)  Knead the ingredients  except butter to a smooth dough. Add in butter knead till an elastic and smooth dough is formed.  Put in a lightly greased bowl, cover and rest for 60 minutes and double in size.

2)  After the resting time, punch out the air, divide dough into 2 equal portions (about 300g each). Shape to round. Rest for 15 minutes.

3)  Flatten and and roll like Swiss Roll. Rest again for 15 minutes.

4)  After resting, flatten the dough and roll again. Shape the loaves and place them in the greased loaf mould. Proof for 60 minutes.

5) Once the dough rises up to 80% of the height of the baking mould, preheat oven to 210 deg C.

6)  Once the fermented dough has reached 90% of the height of the baking mould, cover the lid (need to grease the lid also), bake in the oven for 38 - 40 minutes.

7)  Remove from oven, demould the loaf on the rack immediately.

Tangzhong Milk Buns -牛奶汤种面包

Recipe：Adapted from " The second Book of  Baking for Beginners by Carol"

Ingredients: Water-roux Starter (tangzhong in Chinese)
250 g milk
50 g high protein flour

Method:
1)  Combine milk and high protein flour together, mix well.
2)  Cook and stir over low heat  till mixture has thickened , remove from heat.
3)  Cover with cling wrap . Make sure it is cool prior to use.  The balance can keep in the fridge  for 3 - 4 days.

Dough:
1) 100 g water-roux starter
2)  250 g high protein flour
3)  50 g low protein flour
4)  1/2 teaspoon instant dry yeast
5)  50 g egg (about 1 egg)
6)  30 g fine sugar
7)  1/8 teaspoon salt
8)  80 c.c.milk or fresh cream
9)  30 g unsalted butter

Topping:
white sesame seed and sun flower seeds

glaze:
1 beaten egg,  for brushing

Method:
1) Combine dough ingredients, except butter in a mixing bowl.  Beat  or knead it to soft, smooth dough  until texture doesn't stick to hands.  Add butter, beat or knead dough to glossy, smooth,  non-sticky dough again.  Now it is ready for fermentation if you are able to stretch it out to a thin "membrane".

2) Shape round and place in a lightly greased bowl, cover and ferment for 60 minutes and double in size.

3) After the resting time, take out dough, punch out  the air, divide dough into 8 equal portions (about 70 g each), roll into balls. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.

4)  Shape to your desired  patterns.  Arrange them in a greased baking tray.   Proof  for 50 - 60 minutes and double in size.

5)  Gently brush the top with egg glaze, sprinkle with a little of toppings.  Bake in a preheated 170 degree C oven for 15 - 18 minutes till golden brown.  Remove from the oven.

Ginger Duck - 姜芽鸭

Tasty and rich gravy reminds me of home-cooked food and when drenched on piping hot plain rice, gives the comfort and warmth of home. I love this dish. However it may not be favoured by many as the taste is quite exotic, but it is exactly this old-school taste which my taste buds love.

Recipe: (source from feminine magazine "Oriental Cuisine")

Ingredients: (My adaption in red)
1 naked duck
300 g young ginger - (sliced thinly)
5 pips garlic - (chopped)
2 pieces of fermented red bean curds
1 tablespoon fermented red bean curd sauce
2 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoon preserved soy bean paste (豆酱）
1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce 

Seasoning:
2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxin wine)

Method:
1)  Cut duck into pieces and blanch in boiling water, wash and drain.

2)  Heat up oil in a wok, saute ginger and garlic until fragrant, add fermented red bean curd, fermented red bean sauce, bean paste, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and dark soy sauce. Stir fry for few minutes, then pour in duck and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

3) Add water (about 800 ml) and simmer over medium  low heat for 45 minutes and until the duck meat is tender.

4) Add in seasoning to taste. Serve hot with rice.

Custard Buns -卡士达面包

Recipe: Adapted from Carol's  "The Second Book of Baking for Beginners"

Ingredients:

How to make custard:
A) 200 c.c fresh milk
     20g fine sugar
     1/2 tsp vanilla essence

B) 1 whole egg, lightly beaten
     20 g sugar

C) 50 c.c fresh milk
      10 g corn flour
      15 g plain flour

D) 10 g unsalted butter

Method:
1)  Bring A to a boil on low heat.
2)  Combine ingredients B and C and mix well.
3)  Gradually pour (1) into (2), stir and mix well. Strained.
4) Cook (3) on medium low heat, keep stirring till the mixture is thickened and smooth.
5) Cover with clingwrap, leave to cool for later use.

How to make the dough:
270 g high protein four
30 g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
50 g egg (without shell)
30 g fine sugar
150 c.c milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
30 g unsalted butter  (cut into small cubes)

Glazing:
egg wash
some custard filling

Method:
1)  Beat ingredients except butter till a dough is formed.  Add in butter and continue to beat till an elastic and smooth dough is formed. Cover with a damp cloth or cling wrap.  Leave to proof for 60 minutes till double in size.

2) Punch out air and scale the dough into 8 equal portions, about 65 gram each. Roll to round balls, cover and rest for 15  minutes.

3)  Use a rolling pin to flatten the ball into a 12cm-wide disc, place appropriate amount of custard filling in the middle, seal and wrap.  Seam face downwards, arrange on the lightly greased baking tray.

4)  Leave to a final proof  for 50 - 60 minutes till double in size.

5)  Brush with egg wash and pipe custard filling on the surface.

6)  Bake in the preheated oven at 170 degree C for 18 - 20 minutes.

Lemon Chicken

Tangy and sour lemon sauce on crispy, fragrant and tender chicken - children would fancy this dish because it is relishing and the sour lemon sauce whets their appetite. 

Recipe:  Source from Y3K (  Issue No. 74 , 9/10 - 213) with minor modifications of my own.

Ingredients:

2 chicken boneless whole leg

1 egg  - lightly beaten

Marinade:

1/2 teaspoon salt.

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon tapioca flour

1 teaspoon custard powder

2 tablespoon water

For coating: (mixed together)

3 tablespoon self-raising flour

3 tablespoon tapioca flour

For Lemon Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1 lemon juice (squeeze from one lemon)

some lemon  pulp

1  tablespoon sugar

1/2 cup of water

For thickening: (mixed together)

1 tsp custard powder

1/2 tbsp tapioca flour

1 tbsp water

Method:

1)  Marinate chicken with the marinade for 1/2 hour.

2)  Dip marinated chicken into beaten egg and coat with flour. Deep-fry in hot oil until crispy.

3) Remove, cool, and cut into pieces. Place on plate.

4) Heat butter on a hot pan until it melts. Pour lemon sauce and bring to boil over medium fire. Add thickening sauce. 

5) Drench or drizzle no. 4 over chicken.