告别 2013

Macarons ..... My most favourite sweets of the year. Goodbye 2013!

抹茶马卡龙

Ingredients : 60g aged egg whites, 25g caster sugar, 50g almond meal, 90g icing sugar and 3g green tea powder

Filling: thickened cream, spreadable cream cheese and green tea powder

美好的结束, 美好的开始.

Christmas Fruitcake

Merry Christmas 2013

These Fruitcakes are packed with dried fruit, nuts, spices and brandy

Ingredients : 

250g butter, 200g dark brown sugar, 1kg dried mix fruit, 1cup chopped nuts, 150ml brandy for soaking the dried fruit and some extra for splashing the cake when cooked, 125ml fresh orange juice, 1 teaspoon lemon rind, 2 teaspoons orange rind, 1 tablespoon golden syrup, 5 medium eggs, 250g plain flour, 70g self raising flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon mixed spice

喜怒哀乐之芝麻汤圆

喜怒哀乐, 如人饮水冷暖自知. 冬至快乐咯.

芝麻汤圆

二人份汤圆 :  A) 100克 糯米粉, 80克 沸水, 1茶匙 幼糖

B) 黑芝麻粉, 牛油, 幼糖 ( 2 : 1 : 2 )

C) 水, 香兰叶, 姜片, 黄糖

Bake and Give, Marbled Chiffon Cake

Unbelievable, 2013 is gone !!!

Marbled Chiffon Cake

Ingredients : A) 100g egg yolks, 50g caster sugar, 80g vegetable oil, 80g fresh milk, a few drops of vanilla essence, 15g rum, 110g self raising flour

B) 250g egg whites, 90g caster sugar and a good pinch of salt

C) 10g cocoa powder and 40g hot water

Simply Pleasure - Tahini Macarons

Feeling wonderful with my Tahini Macarons

Tahini Macarons

Ingredients : 30g almond meal, 10g ground black sesame,  40g icing sugar,  1 egg white and 30g caster sugar

Filling : Spreadable cream cheese, thickened cream and pure natural sesame spread

Bake and Give, Almond Bread

时光荏苒, 岁月如歌.

Almond Bread

Ingredients : 150g whole almonds, 3 egg whites, 125g caster sugar and 90g plain flour

1.  Preheat oven to 180 deg C.  Lightly grease a loaf pan and line with baking paper.

2.  Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat until stiff peak form. 

3.  Gradually add sugar, beating until the mixture is thick and glossy.

4.  Add the sifted flour and almonds, gently fold the ingredients together.

5.  Spread mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.

6.  Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the tin.

7 . Preheat oven to 160 deg C. 

8. Using a serrated knife cut the loaf into thin slices and place on baking trays. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.

朴实无华的轻乳酪咖啡蛋糕

此蛋糕的好处是不油不腻, 简单且无需装饰, 淡淡的乳酪香参杂着咖啡的幽香..... 在盛夏的午后忙里偷闲.....呵呵! 我也在扮演着优雅过生活.

轻乳酪咖啡蛋糕

Ingredients : A) 250g cream cheese, 35g unsalted butter, 180ml fresh milk, 60g plain flour, 45g corn flour, 6 egg yolks, 2 teaspoons instant coffee and pinch of salt

B) 6 egg whites, 110g caster sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

150 deg C 的水浴蒸烤法令此蛋糕湿润且轻软, 冰过之后令其味道更上一层楼.

爱上Couscous

Couscous originates from North Africa, it is a dish made from tiny granules of durum wheat, the same type of wheat that is most commonly used for making pasta. Today, couscous is found in many cuisines, including much of the Middle East and various Mediterranean.

It is very easy and quick to prepare instant couscous. The dried couscous is added to a pot of boiling water or stock ( one part of dried couscous : one part of liquid ), cover with a lid and let it sit covered for five minutes, then fluff couscous with a fork and season to taste.

Serve couscous as a main meal or side dish with your favourite meat, seafood or vegetables.

Couscous with moroccan seasonings

Moroccan Chicken with Assorted Vegetables and Couscous Salad

Quick and delicious for a summer weeknight meal and good for next day pack lunch.

香蕉可丽饼

Pancake Parlour at home - 记忆犹新的香蕉可丽饼

Pancakes, hotcakes, flapjacks, pikelets, or crepes ..... 我喜欢称它为可丽饼. 

Ingredients : 80g plain flour, 45g wholemeal flour, 1tbs caster sugar, 1 egg, 200g milk, 100g thickened cream, 1 banana, 1 tsp lemon zest and vegetable oil for greasing the pan

Fresh banana, ground cinnamon, honey and lemon to serve.

They are easy to cook,  fast to get on a table and come in a wide variety of styles and flavours.

亲爱的戚风卷

佛曰: 

一花一世界, 一草一天堂, 一叶一如来, 一砂一极乐, 一方一净土, 一笑一尘缘, 一念一清静.

Coffee Chiffon Roll With Walnut Chatilly Cream

Chiffon Roll:

A) 6 egg yolks, 40g caster sugar, 50g vegetable oil, 30g hot water, 25g fresh milk, 10g instant coffee powder, 80g self raising flour and 10g corn flour

B) 6 egg whites, 70g caster sugar and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Chantilly Cream : 

thickened cream, sour cream, vanilla essence and crushed walnuts

Among all cakes ...... Chiffon is my all time favourite.

Full Cream Milk Vs Low Fat Milk

I attended Knox Cooks Network last Thursday. The main objective of this networking session is to allow professional early learning centre cooks to share healthy recipes and tips for making meals healthier for children. In order to ensure the long day care centres are providing children aged 0 to 5 with the essential foods they need ..... we, as a centre cook, have to submit our menus in a very detail manner to Healthy Eating Advisory Service for assessment. Having a menu assessment also assists long day care centres in working towards meeting the requirements of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care.

Two issues that make me think twice during this meeting were :

1. Kids who are three year old and above are recommended to have low fat milk instead of full cream milk.    

    

2. Frozen vegetables are as equally good as fresh vegetables.

Is a "very healthy meal" a "happy meal"? I am not so sure.

Anyway I still love to use "original" ingredients in my daily diet although low in fat, sugar and salt and high in fibre are the guidelines I use in my professional and home cooking.

Banana and Walnut Bread with A Twist

I used Curtis Stone's Recipe 

2 cups walnuts, 1 2/3 cup self raising flour, 1 tsp soda bicarbonate, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup caster sugar, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 tbs vanilla yoghurt, 3 large bananas and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Use freshly-whipped cream to serve.

The Centre owner Tamika Hicks and the kinder four year old kids

The Number One Horse Racing Event

Melbourne Cup Day is Australia's best known horse racing event held on the first Tuesday of November every year. It is an annual public holiday in the state of Victoria since 1877. This year I took a day off on Monday in order to enjoy a long, four days off weekend.

I kick off my Tuesday by making an orange chiffon cake. Wow..... love it.

I used Kevin Chai's recipe ( Bake with Kevin Chai )

Ingredients : A) 7 egg yolks, 50g caster sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, 

2 tablespoons orange zest, 60ml orange juice, and 110g self raising flour

B) 7 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar and 130g caster sugar

Lately I bought free range eggs from a chicken farm, Tamarix, located in Dandenong, the eggs are so fresh and there are delicious in making soft boiled eggs and soldiers for the brekkies. I am not sure if the freshness of the eggs make the colour of the chiffon cake so intense like colourings being added in the mixture or the fresh orange juice. My orange chiffon cake colour has never been so beautiful.

滋润甜汤

简单易做的冰糖、雪耳、雪梨、南北杏、红枣甜汤

银耳又称作白木耳、雪耳、银耳子等，属于真菌类银耳科银耳属，有“菌中之冠”的美称。其味甘、淡、性平,  有益气清肠、滋阴润肺的作用。

不热不燥,冷热皆宜

材料洗净, 放到锅里, 加水, 大火煮开后改用文火再煮大约半个小时, 再加冰糖调味, 即可。

My Selero Kito.....

Making Crispy Fried Chicken at home ......, that's my version of Selero Kito.

crispy, juicy, tasty and succulent fried chicken drumsticks (my old man says they are better than KFC)

Ingredients : 6 skin-on chicken drumsticks, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, sweet paprika, ground ginger, curry powder, ground cumin, garlic, corn flour for dusting and vegetable oil for frying

(adjust the seasonings to suit your taste, for a better result marinate chicken drumsticks overnight and leave them in the fridge)

Or 

Cook in a hot oven at 200 deg C for about 30 minutes, of course deep frying is a little more indulgent...

Serve chicken with salad, lemon wedges, Sambal and a bowl of steamed white rice (my old man will eat with his hand)

Selero Kito http://www.salerokito.com.au/ is one of our favourite restaurants. Located in the heart of South Eastern Suburbs, near Monash University Caulfield. They cook fantastically authentic West Sumatran Padang cuisine which is very yummy. 

春之马卡龙

马卡龙又称作杏仁小圆饼,少女的酥胸,是一种用蛋白、杏仁粉、白砂糖和糖霜所做的法国甜品，通常在两块饼干之间夹有千变万化的水果酱或奶油等内馅，其外皮酥脆，里面柔软, 虽然很甜很甜但口感丰富, 配上一杯香浓咖啡, 蓝天白云, 我想如此美好人生, 夫复何求?

I have never been so precise in baking..... Wahaha.... I am making macarons today and finally I have got them right, no cracked shells, "feet" around the base shown and they are fully cooked..... except that they are not as colourful as the macarons that are sold in stores. My principle in making home made food is try to avoid using artificial colourings, artificial flavourings and preservatives. I hate making home made cakes or bread with commercial shortenings, ovalette, bread improver and so on. Anyway thanks to my friend Soh Ching Loh who share this wonderful recipe with me.

Green Tea Macarons with Tahini filling

Chocolate Macarons with Dark Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients: 

A) 120g almond meal and 200g icing sugar

B) 3 egg whites, aged for 3 days in refrigerator, room temperature before use. 35g caster sugar, pinch of    salt and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Method : 

1. Line baking trays with baking paper, sift almond meal and icing sugar twice.

2. Place the egg whites in a large bowl and transfer 1 tablespoon egg white to a small bowl. 

3. Combine caster sugar, salt and cream of tartar, put aside.

4. Beat egg whites until soft peak form, add caster sugar mixture, 1tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until thick and glossy (about 8 minutes at low speed).

5. Add the almond mixture in 3 batches, gently fold in (about 90 times) until combined and the mixture slides down the side of the bowl when tilted.

6. Add the reserved egg white and stir to loosen mixture.

7. Pipe mixture on the prepared trays, stand at room temperature for about 45 minutes until a crust forms.

8. Bake at 150 deg C for about 20 minutes or until the macaron shells are dry to touch. Cool on the trays.

Happy platinum wedding anniversary tomorrow to my old man and I.....

In The Mood for It

Hooray, it works..... this cheese cake is not too sweet and not too cheesy. In my view it could be a better cake if I sieved the batter. I did not as I always in the rush.....

Lemony Baked Ricotta Cheese Cake with Cherry Sauce

Ingredients :

1. Base

12pcs digestive biscuits, 50g butter 

2. Filling

250g cream cheese, softened, 750g fresh ricotta cheese, 4 large eggs, 11/3 cup caster sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon rind, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence, 2 1/2 tablespoons cornflour and 2 tablespoons milk

3. Sour cream topping

1/2 part sour cream and 1/2 part thickened cream

4. Cherry sauce topping

Frozen cherry, caster sugar and vanilla essence, adjust the quantities to your liking

曹植在七步內寫成一首傳頌千古的好詩：「煮豆燃豆萁，豆在釜中泣。本是同根生，相煎何太急。」

绿意盎然

十月的墨尔本, 绿意盎然.

Green Tea Cake

Ingredients :  A) egg whites 5, caster sugar 130g, corn flour 10g, pinch of salt
                      B) egg yolks 5
                      C) low protein flour 115g
                      D) fresh milk 50ml, green tea powder 11/2 tablespoons
                      E) vegetable oil 75ml

Filling and Topping : sour cream, thickened cream, vanilla essence and green tea powder

Method :
1. Whip A till stiff
2. Add B, continue to whip till light
3. Add C, mix well
4. Add D, mix till well combined
5. Add E, mix till well incorporated
6. Bake at 190 deg C for about 30 minutes

世界其实很简单

人，小時候簡單，長大了復雜；窮的時候簡單，富有了復雜；落魄時簡單，得勢了復雜；君子簡單，小人復雜；看自己簡單，看別人復雜。世界其實很簡單，只是人心很復雜。

Strawberry and sour cream muffins

Ingredients : 4 eggs, 270g caster sugar, 160ml vegetable oil, 360g self raising flour, 1teaspoon soda bicarbonate, pinch of salt, 270ml sour cream and 250g fresh strawberries.

簡單的事，想深了，就復雜了。 復雜的事，看淡了，就簡單了。 有些事，笑笑就能過去。 有些事，過一陣就能讓你笑笑。#攝影#