chocolate fudge cake

Finally, after the durian cream puffs and napkin roll, it is the ---chocolate fudge cake!
Require 2x rounded 7" tin, glazed with oil before lining with wax paper.
Ingredients:
egg, 4
sugar, 80g
flour, 80g
baking powder, 1/2 tsp
soda powder, 1/2 tsp
butter, melted and must be warm, 40g
chocolate paste, 1 tsp

Method:
1. Sieve flour, baking powder and soda powder together. Separate egg whites from the yolks. Melt the butter
2. Whisk egg whites and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 1 1/2 minutes. Add in egg yolks and beat well for 1 1/2 minutes.
3. Remove from beater. Using hands, fold in the flour, stirring in one direction. (Never use mixer to add flour. Always use spatula). Add in chocolate paste. Finally add in the warm butter. Pour into the baking tray and bake for 10 minutes at 200C. Leave it to cool. (trim the edges)
Chocolate fudge topping Ingredients 1 :
corn flour, 10g
hoon kueh flour, 15g
water, 40g
Ingredients 2:
Cocoa powder, 10g
sugar, 70g
chocolate paste, 1 tsp
instant jelly, 20g
fresh milk, 500g

Method:

1. Mix ingredients 1 together and keep aside

2. Mix ingredients 2 together and bring to a boil. When mixture boils, stir in ingredient 1 and bring to boil again.

3. Spread the mixture (must be HOT fudge!) over the sponge cake and sandwich it with another layer of sponge. Spread the rest of the mixture over it. Refrigerate for about 4 hours before decorating it.

durian cream puff + choco variation

Continuation of the previous post:

.....these durian puffs are absolutely heavenly! *lick lips***

Ingredients (filling: durian custard)

custard powder, 30g

sugar, 120g

durian flesh, 240g

hoon kueh powder, 45g

fresh milk, 530g

Direction:

Add all the ingredients and 1/4 of the milk. Mix well until smooth. Add the rest of the milk. Finally bring to a boil. Constant attention and stirring is important!

Ingredients (choux pastry)

eggs, 4

water, 235g

shortening, 125g ( use half butter and half shortening for best results)

baking powder, 1/2 tsp

plain flour, 125g

Directions:

1. Sieve flour and baking powder together

2. Bring shortening and water to a boil. After it comes to a boil, quickly add in flour and stir the mixture until it comes together. Do not off the fire at this point. Only when water has been evaporated, off the fire.

3. Pour the mixture into a flat beater mixer and mix well, about 1 minute on max speed to release the hot air. Add in egg and mix evenly. Add essence.

4. Put the choux pastry into a large pastry bag, with a star tip and pipe them out on a greased baking tray.

5. Bake at 200C for 20 minutes.

6. Allow to cool.

7. Pipe in the custard or use a scissor to cut the puff and fill it in with custard filling.

Another variaiton would be to use the same choux pastry and pipe an l to give it an eclair look. Add in whipped cream +chocolate paste for the filling. Top with chopped almonds.

napkin roll

I have to admit that although I do love baking, I am not a pro and have a lot more to learn. Hence, I'm taking this opportunity to learn as much as I can from various pros in Singapore! :) Most people think that dietitians know everything about food, how to cook and bake but what they don't know is that the things we learn in school is more disease-orientated or how foods can be used to heal diseases. There are tons of biochemistry and organic chemistry classes to learn how our body works biochemically. The three domains include clinical ( seeing patients in the hospitals -people who can't eat) to administrative ( management of hospital kitchens or food services) to community nutrition which involves group lectures and consults with clients who need help with their diabetes or renal condition, even clients who need help with obesity or anorexia, etc. In a small nutshell, that is what we can do.
Although the recipes I have posted or will be posting up do not reflect the absolute healthiest foods, I have to concur that I use this place as a melting pot of ideas. Anything is possible once techniques are mastered...for example, sugar can be omitted / substituted if someone is a diabetic. I hope that you'll find these recipes useful and feel free to modify it to suit your health and taste buds!

~~~ ^___^~~~~
Today, I went to the Jia lei confectionery & training center to learn how to make: napkin roll, durian cream puff and chocolate fudge cake. Here's the brief recipe for the napkin roll: Ingredients:

Egg, 5

Egg yolk, 3

Optima flour (or sponge cake mix flour) 140g

Hong kong flour, 50g ( to decrease sweetness)

water, 60g

S.P (or ovalette), 15g

corn oil, 40g

honeydew essence, a little

jam, optional

Use 2 trays, 11x14"

Directions:

1. Beat egg, egg yolks, hong kong flour, optima flour and S.P at maximum speed for approximately 5 minutes. Add in water and essence and mix well, about 10 seconds only.

2. Pour in corn oil. Use hands to mix well. (Never use a mixer to add oil). Pour it into the tin. For the multi-colored look, use a paper cone and pipe the alternating colored batters into the baking tin. Start with a little before batter before adding more. Shake pan to remove air bubbles. Bake in a Baine-Marie for about 15 minutes at 170C. Hot water must be used.

3. When the cake is cooled, spread some jam and fresh cream, and roll it up like a napkin.

a piece of cake (video)

I would like to share with you this beautiful inspirational sharing that aunt Rosy sent me. I modified and converted it into a video so as to post it up here. Enjoy!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMECQz7OZdA

graduation cup caps

Congratulations Clay & Ryan! ^__^

~These cup- caps resemble hats with tassels.~

I made these cupcakes for their party @ the park and guess what happened when I brought the cupcakes there? The hats started to slip off because the whipped cream couldn't stand the heat! =( If I do make them again, it'd have to be in a house-setting.

~Up-side down devil's fudge chocolate and almond flavored yellow cupcakes topped with freshly whipped cream and chocolate coated graham crackers to make a "cap". Attach fruit snacks and M&M to complete the look~Finally, these words were written with white chocolate on the caps~

CLAY

2007

RYAN

Clay was a strong anchor and unwavering co-leader for me when I was the Y&YA director. I'll always remember the long discussions and brain-storming sessions we had. He compliments me with his melancholic personality. ;p Thanks Clay and it's nice to have a lil' brother with whom I can 'punch' and still laugh about it! lol. ^___*

Food for thought:" Real friendship involves loyalty. "A true friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need." Proverbs 17:17.

It was Persis birthday and to kill two birds with one stone, I made extra cupcakes whilst making Clay & Ryans'. However, I added caramel and mint chocolate in the middle of the batter for hers. For decoration, I topped it with fresh berries or multi-colored mint white chocolate chips. Hope she had a good surprised!! ^__^

Bread making tips

If you have never made breads before, you're missing out on many life lessons breads will teach you- or so I found out. Years ago, a guy friend quoted EG WHITE's writings saying that the first thing a girl should learn to master in culinary skills is bread making. Stunned, I shrugged my shoulders and smiled.
I have never baked my own breads because they require a lot of work and techniques. However, I decided to conquer the breads world by going to a professional class to learn bread making. And I have to say that making bread is deeply satisfying. There's the tactile thrill of putting your hands into whisper-weight flour, the invigorating exercise of kneading a mixture until it's smooth, and the enjoyable charge that comes with punching down a pillow of dough! However, I think an investment of a stand mixer with a hook is highly advisable~ to save excessive hand-work. *grin*

Here are some tips and lessons that I learnt~
1. Don't try to rush rising times: Flavor develops during the fermentation process, so slower and longer is always the best way to proceed. In fact, for the Pain de Menage (country bread), bakers would add a tiny bit of 3-month old refrigerated dough to new doughs to add flavor!
~~Sometimes we try to rush through life without processing our feelings or enjoying the moment. Good things come to those who wait. ^___^

2. It is important to let the dough rest, covered, before shaping bagels. This gives it a change to relax and makes shaping easier.

~~Rest and Relax, it makes life and stress easier to handle!

3. Creating steam in the oven will give bread a crisp crust. The humidity will keep the crust from setting and thus prevent the bread from expanding too quickly. To do this in a home oven, place water or ice cubes in a pan on the bottom rack.

~~The friends and environment we choose play an important role in our life. It might be negligible but it makes a difference. Birds of a feather flock together.

4. Never add all of the flour in a recipe to the dough until you're sure it is needed. It is usually better for the dough to be slightly wet and sticky, which encourages fermentation better than if the dough were too dry. Furthermore, the amount of flour and water varies according to the day's temperature humidity. If it is humid, decrease the amount of water.

~~Things happen and life changes but we have to adapt and make the best of the situation. Whatever life gives us, handle it with flexibility and adaptability.

5. Checking the internal temperature of bread is a foolproof way to tell if it is fully baked. Insert an instant-read thermometer through the side of the loaf and the internal temperature should be 190 to 200 degrees. OR, you can tap it and when you hear a hollow sound, the bread is done. A bread which looks cooked might not actually have a hollow sound or internal temperature of 190-200F.

~~Even though we look alright on the outside, we might not actually be really "cooked" or doing well. Be true to yourself and God. Only U are accountable to yourself and God.

6. Working with yeast: it is a hard worker. it feasts on sugar, water and oxygen; rapidly multiplies; and, given time, triggers the chemical reaction that transforms flour and other ingredients into a lush cushion of dough. In doing so, yeast also adds texture, structure, and flavor. It is what elevates flour and water to such gratifying sustenance. So get to know yeast, its properties and reactions. One cake compressed fresh yeast (.6ounces) equals (1/4 ounce or 2 tsp active dry or instant yeast).
~~Be familiar with what you're working with~ and never look down on the small things. It matters.

7. Salt kills yeast when in direct contact, so when adding salt to dough, do so as the bulk of the flour is added, then immediately mix well to disperse. Never add salt to a starter, even small amounts.

~~OH, it emphasizes the point that tiny actions and words sometimes do matter! We might not realize it but whatever we do have ripple effects and consequences.

8. Did you know that the Type of water affects the bread product? Do you know why New York is famous for their pizzas? Their dough is special because of the water used to make them. (It has been rumoured that xx LA pizza store has the best pizza because they import water from NY.) The chef-instructor recounted an experiment she did years ago. She made breads from the water sent from 4 states in the US. The results were strikingly different, showing that the minerals in the water content affect how the final product comes out.
~~ Each of us are different. Although we might look similar outwardly ( just like water in CA and NY), our composition varies and we are special in God's eyes.

~~
SO, Forget the low-carb craze and eat the oldest food known to mankind- breads! It is good for you~ eat more whole grains and do everything in moderation!

~~

Some of the menu items included:

• Pretzels using "easy white bread"
• Hamburger Buns
• Pita Bread
• Na an Bread + tons of garlic +cilantro = absolute delicious
• Focaccia Bread using fresh rosemary + thyme herb
• Baguettes using Pain de Menage (country bread) recipe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ALL WHITE PARTY~~~~~~~~~

Darl, as promised in the earlier post, I wore the blouse that you sent
~ it was just what I needed for the all white party. :)

~~~~~~"GIRL'S NIGHT OUT" ~~~~~~
*salsa dance/exercise*good food

Tofutti Cream cheese cake

Presenting Aunt Yoly's recipe that I've been wanting to try for eons::: fruity vegan cream cheese cake that's simply irresistible!

Berries seem to be in season ~ they are reasonably priced and sold everywhere. Guess I'll be making more berries recipes. Actually I love eating all kinds of fruits~ anytime~ anywhere! One small bite into any succulent fruit produces pleasure and refreshment. Sweet to the taste, not only does fruit nourish you, it cleanses your system. It is good for you! Perhaps that is why you can never eat too much...(unless you're a diabetic)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-contorl..." Galantions 5:22

The same is true with the fruit of the Spirit. No one will get enough of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-contorl. Be liberal with your servings and dish it out to your friends and families. They will ripen in fertile ground where only good things can grow. It is hard to exercise it with our own sinful human nature but with God, it is possible! :)

Ingredients

A: 6c ground graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup melted margarine

B: 1, 6oz pack strawberry jello (may use agar agar/em es gel or lime flavor), 2 cup water, 1 cup pureed/blended strawberry/fruit

C: 2, 8oz pack tofu cream cheese (I like Tofutti Brand. Get trans-fatty acid free brand) , 1 cup sugar (may decrease to 1/2 cup), 1, 12 oz pack non dairy whipped cream

D: slices of fruit

Directions:

1. Mix melted margarine with graham cracker crumbs and press tightly with the base of measuring cup or palm of hand on 11'x13' baking pan. ( if you want to get the above look, use two round 8' spring form pans.)

2.Boil jello with water until melted, or add hot water into the powder mixture until it melts. Let cool and pour in blended fruit. Optional: you add also add in some of the liquid mixture into the blender to allow easy blending of strawberries.

3. Cream tofu cream cheese and sugar. Pour jello mixture in and stir well. Fold in whipped cream. Pour over graham cracker crust and refrigerate till hardened. Preferably overnight.

4. Decorate as desired- with fruits on top and serve!

**edit:**

Picture of another tofutti cream cheese cake I made on May 28, 2007

Picture of another version for Kar Wai's birthday

super soft cookies!

We made super soft cookies with a simple 1-1-1 formula recipe! Thanks Wing for this recipe ~ it's good + simple + fast! ^_____^

Food for thought: French Proverb: There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.


Ingredients: ( one of each of these ingredients: 1-1-1)
~1, 8oz container of cool whip
~1, egg
~1, box cake mix ( choose any flavor you like: chocolate, lemon, spice..)
~some icing sugar : to coat cookies

Directions:
1. Grease the baking trays.
2. Crack an egg into a bowl. Using a fork or whip, blend in the cake mix with the egg. After it has been well-mixed, fold in the cool whip mixture thoroughly.
3. Add a spoonful of dough into confectionary sugar/icing sugar to coat. Roll it into a ball before placing it onto the prepared baking sheets.
4. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
Note: The cookies spread out wide so be sure to space the uncooked dough far apart from each other!

check out this impromptu video........haha

granny smith apple crumble bars

*burp* A bunch of us girls just gathered together for a very big lunch. Candy made delicious eggless omelette and Jayce made ondeh-ondeh! Check out their blogs- I helped them create it today! *excited smiles* Well, as usual, i had something up my sleeve. *mischievous look* I made granny smith crumble bars and steamed turnip cake. (the turnip cake was for Jayce since she didn't get to try it last time). I decided to make these bars when i stumbled upon Cream puffs in Venice recipe last night. They looked good and I had all the ingredients in my fridge. Another article that I have to shared is from Tim's blog called, "A man worth marrying." Single girls, this story puts things into perspective. Hmm..I wonder who and how my future husband will be? *_^ *big laughs*

I modified it by reducing the amount of sugar, omitting brandy and using grape seed oil instead of melted butter for the topping, Threw in some shortcuts...they are described below. It is not as much work as it looks.

my modified recipe::::
Sweet Pastry Crust
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar ( or 1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg yolk
5 tsp. cold water (the original recipe requires 2 tsp.)
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and place a rack in the centre of the oven. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan.
Mix together flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture and using a pastry cutter, knead it until the mixture resembles coarse oatmeal.
Whisk together the egg yolk, water and vanilla extract. Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture. Mix until the dough begins to come together. More water can be added if the dough is still dry.
Using your fingers or the back of a spoon, pat the dough into an even layer. Bake until the crust is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely. Prick with a fork.

Apple Filling
1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples (4 to 5 medium)
3 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. frozen apple juice concentrate
2 tsp. cornstarch
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Peel and core the apples and then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
In a bowl, mix the apples, lemon juice, concentrate, cornstarch.
In a large skillet, melt the butter and then add the brown sugar. Stir well and be sure that there are no lumps.
Add the apple mixture to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the apples are soft, but not too soft.
Transfer mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar ( can be omitted)
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
7 tbsp. grape seed oil

In a bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients. Mix well so that all the ingredients are thoroughly moistened. Set aside.

Sour Cream Mixture
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup currants /chopped raisins/ dried wild blueberry/ chocolate chips (optional)

Mix the sour cream into the cooled apple mixture. Spread this mixture evenly over the cooled pastry crust.
Sprinkle the prepared topping evenly over the apple and sour cream mixture.
Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden around the edges.
Cool the bars completely before cutting into squares.

turnip cake "luo po gao"

It can also be called "Taiwanese luo po gao" because it is plain and does not contain ingredients like mushrooms or meat, which the Cantonese version usually have.

Jesse, a Taiwanese friend told me that she would simply eat it as it is, plain or pan fry it to make it crisp. It's great dipped in a sauce. *lick lips*

Well, her mum shared this recipe over the phone and hence, we had to decipher what exactly had to be done. It sounded easy, "1 cup flour to 1 cup water. Mix everything and steam." We made this several times before I felt confident enough to post this recipe up!

LOL ^___*

Food for Thought

" Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm"

- Winston Churchill

~~~~::~~~::~~~::~~~

This "luo po gao" is siMpLy EASY and qUiCk!!!

Ingredients:

white radish, 1 ( approximately 20 cm)

rice flour, 1 cup*

(as mentioned earlier, the ratio is about 1 cup flour to 1 cup water. However, i felt that 3/4 cup would make it more firm for pan-frying. The size of the turnip might also affect the amount of water/flour used)

water, 1 or 3/4 cup*

salt, dash

white pepper, dash

sesame oil, 1/4 t

onion, garlic powder, 1 t

*note: 1 cup used is equivalent to the chinese cup used for measuring rice, which is approximately 3/4 cup of american 8 oz cup

Directions:

Using a carrot peeler, remove the skin of the radish. Chop it briefly, large enough to be easily blended by the blender.

Add 1 or 3/4 cup water into the blender to allow smooth grinding of the turnip. When it is finely grounded, pour the mixture into a bowl.

Add 1 cup rice flour into the bowl. Add seasonings. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into a greased tin and steam it for approximately 20 minutes, or until it is firmed when pressed.

Slice and eat or an extra step would be to pan-fry it.

Sauce: Any kind of thick soy sauce. What i used was ABC kecap manis mixed with the chili paste that i made for chili tempeh.