Sweet Heart Cake @ Wife Biscuit 老婆饼

This wife biscuit is a very popular Chinese pastry in China and Hong Kong. Its a traditional Cantonese flaky pastry filled with soft candied winter melon. And there is actually a story behind this cake, please refer here if interested.. My schedule is quite tight actually. However, glad that I still be able to bake something for her. She's heading back to Uni tonight by taking a 12 hours bus ride. Hope she enjoyed all the home cooked food during her one week stay. Anyway, she'll be back again for her 3rd semester break in another month.

This is the winter melon filling that I prepared.

Ingredients for winter melon filling :
100gm  candied winter melon, chopped
20gm   roasted sesame seeds
100gm  sugar
140gm  cooked glutinous rice flour (koh fun)
40gm    shortening
230ml   boiling water

Method :  
Combine cooked glutinous rice flour, sugar & shortening and rub till well cooperated. Now, add in winter melon & sesame seeds then stir in boiling water till soft dough is form. Leave to cool. Finally, divide into 6 portions. Set aside.

Ingredients for pastry dough :
Dough (A)
150gm  all purpose flour
50gm  black sesame seeds, toasted & slightly pound
20gm   icing sugar
50gm   cold butter, chopped
70ml  water

Dough (B)
110gm  all purpose flour
70gm   shortening

Method :
(1) For dough A, combine flour & sugar into a big bowl then rub int butter till everything well cooperated.
(2) stir in water to form a soft dough and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.



(3) for dough B, combine everything till well cooperated then divide into 6 portions.
(4) for dough A, divide into 6 portions as well then wrap in dough B to form a ball.
(5) further rolling process please refer as here., & for the pressing part please refer here.
(6) now, flatten dough by pressing both end inward then roll it out into round shape where it is big enough to wrap the winter melon fillings.
(7) next, seal the wrapped dough and again slightly flatten it with the rolling pin. Place pastry to baking tray lined with parchment paper.
(8) brush with egg glazing then bake at preheated oven 190'C for about 20-25 minutes or till brown.

Note : **6 portions is large biscuit size, 12 potions is small biscuit size (do whatever size as desired)  

I really love how it turns out. Flaky crust and soft & gluey kind of fillings ! super yummmm.... .And not forgetting.... MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY READERS ! 

Kolaczki @ The Eastern European X'mas Cookies

Oh dear... oh dear.... Christmas is just 3 days away !!! Are you getting excited ??? Guess, still most of you out there looking for Christmas presents for your love ones. Don't worry, you'll find what you're looking for soon. Just take a break and take a kolaczki ! >o<  haha.... No KitKat here, so you have no choice. Take the kolaczki instead. LOL. Kolaczki is one of the famous Eastern European X'mas cookies and often made during special occasion especially around new year. However, you can now easily seen them selling all year round. Kolaczki is actually made with a very special European pastry dough, which no milk is added in. The most common ingredients used in the pastry is either cream cheese or sour cream in mixing the dough. But I used yogurt ! Well, it works, isn't it ??? hehe.... Somehow pastry preparation can make easy in some way but in the opposite, it could be a disaster at the same time. You know what I mean ! I'm glad I made it.

Ingredients for pastry dough :
(A)
3 cups  all purpose flour
220gm  cold butter, chopped

(B)
2 TB  sugar
1 cup  sour cream (I used yogurt)

* for fillings ~ 1 cup  homemade pineapple paste or pineapple butter spread or Taiwan pineapple jam
* extra flour for dusting
* icing sugar for dusting

Method :
(1)  combine flour and butter together then mix till crumbly. form.
(2)  beat together sugar and yogurt till well cooperated then stir into flour mixture till soft dough is formed.
(3)  keep dough refrigerated for an hour or so, or till set.
(4)  divide into 2 portions, keep one portion refrigerated till it is used. Place the other portion to a floured working table then roll it flat.
(5) cut dough into 1.5" square each then fill the center with a teaspoon of jam as desired. I used pineapple paste.
(6) now, fold both sharp edge of the filled dough to meet at the center, as shown in the above picture. Then pressed to seal nicely.
(7) once everything is completed, bake at preheated oven around 185'C for about 14-15 minutes or till golden brown.

I am trying to stop using eggs on this recipe and glad it turns out great even without the egg glazing. And the best thing was I can even serve these to my vegetarian friends. Double happiness !

The pastry crust looks amazing, isn't it ! I wonder what if I try it with cream cheese dough mixing....  The pastry should be really tempting. Still trying to imagine.... LOL. Enjoy guys !

And herewith, wishing all my readers a berry MERRY CHRISTMAS ! Have a fabulous festive season. Enjoy !

Hamantaschen @ Jewish Filled Pocket Cookies

I know this is not something new to most blogger. However, its my first attempt and I'm glad I'm learning more & more Jewish baking this year. Its fun to join the year end baking storm. I'm really in the mood right now cause the Chinese New Year is just about one month away. I'm not sure I'm going to prepare anything for the coming celebration. Somehow, its a coincidence that my girl came home for her one week Uni break, so I'm planning to spend more time in baking this week. Hamantaschen is a very popular triangular shape pastry or cookies in the middle east and its the tradition to have it during festive season. Hamantaschen is usually filled with fruit paste or jam or ground seed paste and cheese filling which is getting much popular this days. However, I've chosen the jam.

Ingredients for pastry dough :
(A)
3 cups  all purpose flour
220gm  cold butter, chopped

(B)
2 TB  sugar
1 cup  sour cream (I used yogurt)

Method :
(1)  combine flour and butter together then mix till crumbly. form.
(2)  beat together sugar and yogurt till well cooperated then stir into flour mixture till soft dough is formed.
(3)  keep dough refrigerated for an hour or so, or till set.
(4)  divide into 2 portions, keep one portion refrigerated till it is used. Place the other portion to a floured working table then roll it flat.


(5) shape dough with a round cookie cutter then fill the center with a teaspoon of jam as desired.
(6) now, fold the filled dough into 3 corners, as shown in pictures. And then pressed to seal nicely.

Note :  for fillings ~ 3/4 cup blueberry jam & some icing sugar for dusting.

(7) finally, bake at preheated oven 185'C for about 14-15 minutes at upper level or till brown. Or you may bake at medium level for about 20-25 minutes or till brown. No egg glazing is needed.

The pastry turns out as gorgeous, crispy & aromatic.

This is a delicious pastry cookies. I love how the combination turns out to be crispy soft doughly pastry filled with sweet jam. I can wallop a few in one take. Slurpppp..... Hope you guys will love it too ! Have fun.

Mini Festive Challah Bread

The braided Challah bread is also one of the famous Jewish festive bread which is eaten during special occasions. I always thought that Challah bread is too big for the family, so I delayed the project again & again untill finally after making the miniature panettone, I think I should have done the mini challah bread too. And I did ! Somehow, I like it really sweet and festive. So, added in some raisins and vanilla for double flavouring.

And here's what I did.
Ingredients :
(A)
2-1/2 tspn  instant yeast
1/2 cup  warm milk
2 TB  sugar

(B)
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup  bread flour / high protein flour
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tspn  salt
115gm  cold butter, chopped
1 tspn  vanilla essence
1/2 cup  raisins

Method :
(1) combine ingredients (A) then set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
(2) add ingredients (B) into mixing bowl and stir in mixture (A) till a soft dough is form.
(3) leave dough to rest for an hour or till double in size.
(4) punch and knead dough till smooth to release excess air then place dough to working table.
(5) roll dough into a ball then cut into 4 portions, next, divide each portions into another 4 portions.

(6) roll them into rope shape, arrange into tic-tac-toe board shape as shown the above.

(7) next, grab a piece of dough that is under then cross it on top of the over piece.
(8) repeat the same process but in the opposite direction.

(9) now, repeat the one last time in the original direction.

(10) now, press dough to the center and sealing it then place braided dough to a greased baking tray. Let to rest for 30-45 minutes.
(11) brush with egg glazing and sprinkle the top with some sesame seeds, then bake at preheated oven 175'C for about 15-20 minutes or till golden brown.

Though I'm using 50% of high protein flour and 50% all purpose flour, yet these little ones look as gorgeous as the big mama. Love them so much ! Happy Holiday everyone.

Miniature Panettone ~ The Italian X'mas Cake

Oh dear, Christmas is getting near ! I can feel the mood is in the air and the weather is getting chill over here too. Last year, I made a fruit cake during this time of the year. However, I wanna tried making the panettone this year,  the Italian dessert. I remember the last time I made one, it was about 4-5 years ago but it wasn't tasted as good as this one here. I think the difference is I'm using half bread flour and half all purpose flour, which causing the texture isn't breaking apart so easily. Plus, this is the first time making sweet bread by mixing flour with butter to crumbly form before further process. The out come is overwhelming ! I found this wonderful recipe from Martha Stewart site.

Ingredients :
(A)
1 TB  instant yeast
100ml  warm milk
1/3 cup  all purpose flour

(B)
1 egg yolk
2 eggs
1 tspn  vanilla essence
1-1/2 cup dried mix fruits, soaked with 4 TB brandy overnight
(cranberries, raisins, candied citrus & cherries)

(C)
1 cups  all purpose flour
1 cup  bread flour / high protein flour
3 TB  sugar
a pinch of salt
170gm  cold butter, chopped

* Egg glazing : 1 egg yolk + 1 tspn milk
* icing for dusting

Method :
(1) combine ingredients (A), mix well then set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
(2) put ingredients (C) into mixer then blend till well cooperated to form dry crumb.
(3) now, beat together ingredients (B) into ingredients (A) till well mixed.
(4) next, add (A) & (B) mixture into ingredient (C) and let to knead till a sticky smooth dough is formed. Then leave to rest for 2 hours.
(5) once its ready, knead dough to release extra air bubbles then place it to working table.
(6) divide dough into 14 portions and place each into cupcake paper cups, then let to rest for another 30 minutes.

(7) brush on egg glazing  before baking them into a preheated oven at 200'C for the first 10 minutes then 175'C for another 10 minutes.

(8) leave to cool before dusting with icing sugar.

And finally, nom nom nom..... enjoying part of the masterpiece. Love how the texture turns out. Absolutely, soft, moist & delicious and smells really good too ! Hope you guys will love it too. Enjoy.

I'm sending this Zoe @ Bake For Happy Kids.

Sufganiyah @ Doughnut With Pumpkin Coconut Jam

First of all, I would like to wish all my Jewish friends HAPPY HANUKKAH ! Hanukkah is also known as the festive of light, something like Diwali Festival. And during the celebration, they usually served donuts filled with sweet jam & Latkes. And Dewi @ Elra's Baking has tempted me make these magnificent donuts when she posted the sweet jam filled donuts on her FB the other day. Happy Hanukkah to you & your family, Kak Dewi !  As she mentioned it, she used overnight brioche dough to make her donuts. So, I'm going to try mine with some overnight brioche dough as well. The out come is overwhelming. Love the soft eggy dough so much and it smells great too !

Ingredients :
2-1/2 cup  all purpose flour
2 tspn  instant yeast
2-1/2 TB  sugar
a pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 tspn   vanilla essence
80ml  milk
60gm   cold butter, chopped

* one jar homemade pumpkin coconut jam filling

Method :
(1) combine all ingredients into the mixer and let to blend till well cooperated then add in butter and continue blend till soft & smooth and well mixed. Then keep dough refrigerated overnight.
(2) take out dough the next morning and let to stay at room temperature for 30 minutes.
(3) now, place dough to a slightly floured working table and roll it to about 1/2" thickness.
(4) cut it with a round cutter and again rest for another 45 minutes or till double in size.
(5) finally, fry dough till golden brown and leave to cool.
(6) make a hole through the dough and piped in the pumpkin coconut jam, and dust with icing sugar before serving.

And this is how it looks ! Absolutely tempting, isn't it ??? : p

My boy is now sitting there enjoying these luscious donuts infront of his computer and he's totally speechless. haha..... Hope you guys will love it too ! Enjoy & have a wonderful day.

Pandan Cream Cheese Streusel Cake

Recently, I hardly have time to cook at home. Have been busy with some new projects ! Anyway, I finally be able to sneak out from work and made these luscious baked within an hour. The recipe is same to the one I made some days back, Mulberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake. Quick & easy to prepare. However, I was thinking to try them in Asian twist and what do you know !!!! It turns out wonderful.

Ingredients :
(A)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tspn  baking powder
1/2 tspn  baking soda
2/3 cup  sugar
230gm  cold butter, chopped

(B)
3/4 cup  heavy cream
1 tspn  pandan extract
1 egg

(C)
300gm  cream cheese, at room temperature
2-1/2 TB  sugar
1 lime, juiced

*1/2 cup  jaggery sugar

Method :
(1) combine ingredients (A) and rub till everything well cooperated, reserved one cup & keep refrigerated for later use.
(2)  next, stir mixture (B) into ingredients (A) till well combined then fill batter to cupcake pans. Set aside
(3)  beat ingredients (C) till creamy smooth then spread 2 TB over to the pandan batter.
(4)  now, top the cheese mixture with one teaspoon of jaggery sugar & the remaining crumb mixture till everything is nicely covered.
(5)  finally, bake at preheated oven 175'C for about 25 minutes or till brown.
(6) set aside to cool before consuming.

I bet my girl can't wait till she comes back to try this next week. I'm going to bake this again.

Can you imagine you're taking the whole lot of amazing ingredients at the same time and it still tasted over the moon..... Gosh, this is really good !

Khmer Krom @ Cambodian Grilled Chicken

This is the very first time I am trying the Cambodian cuisine. I actually came across this dish from Adam Liew's fb, the 2009 Australia Masterchef winner. I am so proud of this Malaysian guy. I have to admit that this is such an awesome dish, filled with all kinds of wonderful natural ingredients. And with the additional of lime juice, the flavouring became truly exotic.

I have to upload this favourite picture of mine, which taken two weeks back when driving home after a camping trip.Our mother nature is simply magnificent ! Isn't she ?

And here's what I did.
Ingredients :
5 pieces  chicken thigh, deboned
1 TB  fish sauce
2 lime, juiced
3 TB  brown sugar
1 tspn  salt
1 TB  crushed black pepper

Blended paste :
2 stalk lemongrass, sliced only the bottom
3 shallots, skinned
4 cloves garlic, skinned
5 slices  ginger
8 bird eye chilies
1/2 TB  turmeric powder
(put everything together and blend became smooth paste)

Method :
(1) mix all ingredients together except black pepper to marinade chicken, keep refrigerated overnight.
(2) place everything to a baking tray lined grease proof paper, sprinkle on the black pepper then bake at preheated oven 175'C for about 45 minutes or till nicely brown.

I normally prepare this kind of special dish when my boy is home. And he loves it so much. Hubby didn't complaint a single word. So, I guess its good ! LOL Hope you will love it too.

Mulberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

A couple of days back, I went to a friend's place to harvest some mulberries. I had so much fun ! She planted a few mulberry trees and it more than what she needed, so she allowed me to drop by at anytime whenever I need them. Looks like... I'm the VIP now ! haha..... Here's what I did with the rest of the mulberries.

Ingredients :
(A)
2 cups  all purpose flour
2/3 cup  sugar
1/2 tspn  baking powder
1/2 tspn  baking soda
a pinch of salt
230gm  cold butter, chopped

(B)
3/4 cup  heavy cream
1 egg
1 TB  lime juice & zest
1 tspn  vanilla essence

(C)
250gm   cream cheese
1/4 cup  sugar
1 egg
1 TB  lime juice & zest

Method :
(1) for ingredients (A), combine together flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar & salt and mix well. Then rub in butter till everything well cooperated and reserved one cup for topping later on. The best is to keep the remaining mixture refrigerated.
(2) for ingredients (B), beat everything till well mix then fold into ingredient (A) mixture till everything well combined. The texture should be something like muffin mixture.
(3) now, place batter into a 7" tray lined with parchment paper, set aside.
(4) next, beat ingredient (C) till well cooperated then place it on top of the cake batter.
(5) throw in the mulberry and then top with the remaining crumb like mixture of ingredient (A).
(6) finally, bake at preheated oven 175'C for about 55 minutes. The top crust should be in nice golden brown colour.

The crust is simply tempting !.

Plus the layer of cheese.... absolutely something to die for !  The texture is really moist and not very sweet. Very addictive indeed. I'm sure you will love it too. Enjoy & have a great week ahead guys.

Green Tea Cream Cheese Parfait

Yeah, I know.... its been awhile ! I hardly have time for the past couple of weeks. Hopefully, I will get something done cause my boy is complaining too. He wants to have something to enjoy badly. I need  something quick & easy and some more hassle free. And this is what I came out with.... the green tea American parfait. There actually three types of parfait, one is the French parfait which it is an iced dessert made with egg yolk, cream & liqueur. And the other one is the American parfait, which it is made with layers of cream, pastry & fruits. And lastly the British parfait, its a savory parfait made with the mixture of liver into a pate. So, which you prefer most !!! I think I prefer the American style. Quick to prepare. LOL.

So, here's what I did.

Ingredients : (4 servings)
250gm  cream cheese, softened at room temperature
200gm  icing sugar
4 TB  green tea powder
150ml  heavy cream
6 pcs  large graham crackers/digestive biscuit
1 cup  azuki /red beans, slightly pressed
extra green tea powder for garnishing
Method :
(1) beat cream cheese, sugar, green tea powder till well cooperated then set aside.
(2) now, whisk heavy cream till foamy & stiff then fold it into cream cheese mixture and blend till well mixed.
(3) crushed biscuit into fine crumbs one at a time,  place one biscuit to each cups then spread on a layer of green tea mixture.


(4) top with some red beans and 1 tspn cracker crumbs, again cover it with a spread of green tea mixture. And keep refrigerated for 3 minutes to set.
(5) finally, decorate the top with with green tea powder and red beans when serving.

LOOKS SIMPLE !!!! BUT tasted absolutely wonderful & refreshing.

The texture seems quite similar to the chilling cold ice-cream.... so creamy smooth. For green tea lover, this is something you should try out. Enjoy and hope you guys will love it too !

Vegetarian Kaya @ Pumpkin Coconut Jam

Wow.... its already autumn on the other side of the globe ! Time gone by too quickly and year 2016 is just less than two months away. Can you believe that ! A few days back I watched a movie called "THE BUCKET LIST". Have any one of you watch this movie before  ? Its a great movie. Life is just so short after all. So, since pumpkin is on season and its selling quite cheap now. I bought one the other day to try out the pumpkin coconut kaya jam recipe which I've been waiting for. Never too late to try something new. And here's what I did.

Ingredients : (4 small jars)
900gm-1 kg  pumpkin, skinned & diced
600gm   coconut milk
360gm   sugar
5 pandanuns leaves, washed & tight into knot

Method :
(1) steamed pumpkin till soft then puree together with coconut milk till silky smooth.
(2) next, add in sugar & pandanus leaves and cook till thickened, then discharged the leaves.
(3) leave to cool before canning.

Does it look like the real kaya ???? Really really smooth & creamy.

I can't wait for any longer. Then quickly spread one tablespoon of warm pumpkin kaya onto the bread and wallop. Its just as delicious as the egg coconut kaya, if extra pandanus juice is added in its even merrier. Should try it out the next time. Hope you guys will love it too ! Enjoy.