X'mas Gift- Bake A Difference

Host by Penny 

Organise by CSR

All donations goes to Mission Australia

After all the baking, slicing and dipping, it's time to pack and share it with all the lovely friends around us. I popped into the local $2 shop and manage to grab a roll of cellophane and few rolls of beautiful, Xmas theme ribbons. I would love to pop into the op shops and try find some jars/container/plates/bowls but due to my poor time management, I just got to make do with what I have on hand. Hopefully next year I will get my head around it earlier.

1st, I make cellophane bag using the cellophane sheet and some sticky tapes.
Pop in some biscotti and seal it with ribbon.


Next, I cut the big sheet of cellophane into big square shape. Layer the cookies into a cone shape and place in the the middle of the square shaped cellophane. Gather and secure all the edges using ribbon.


All the biscuits are all ready to be deliver.


I would have got around baking more if I got more time and also manage to figure out how to get them deliver fast. I always believe it taste the best when it's fresh.

Almond and Pistachio Bread

Decided to try a Margaret Fulton's recipe while I'm having trays of Chocolate Mocha Cookies lining up waiting for their turn into the oven.

I heard about Margaret Fulton but didn't own any of her cookbooks. When I came upon her X'mas Iphone application, I decided to download. It's not expensive and it's a good guide for me what her recipes are like. I find them really easy, simple with very minimum ingredients required.

Although there aren't a lot of recipes on the application but there's quite a few I would love to try. Just the X'mas treats category, I'm already having hard time which to chose.

6 ingredients are required for this recipe.

3 egg whites
1tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup whole almond
1 cup plain flour (sifted)
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup pistachios (shelled)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Grease a small non-stick loaf bin
Beat egg whites until stiff without being dry, then gradually beat in the caster sugar
Continue beating until mixture is thick and glossy
Fold in the rest of ingredients, mixing well
Turn the mixture into prepared tin
Bake for about 30mins until pale golden and firm to touch



Leave to cool in the tin then turn out wrap in foil
Place in refrigerator and leave overnight. This helps to cut thin, even slices
Cut into thin slices and place on an ungreased baking tray



Bake in a preheated 180 degrees oven, until pale golden and crisp



These are very addictive! Super crispy/crunchy because I sliced it very thinly. Over baked the 1st batch therefore a bit too brown. But the subsequence trays were a lot better.

This is my 2nd entry for Bake A Difference event. More information can be found from blog Jeroxie.

Chocolate Mocha Cookies

My very lovely minister bought me 2 toys for the past 2 months. 1st was a Iphone4. I being using company provided mobile even since I stepped into Melbourne. The pro is I don't have to worry about mobile bills. Cons is I can't really sms oversea especially when it cost $0.50 for each sms on telstra. Getting my own mobile line means I can contact with my oversea family members, friends without needing to think 3 times! I started to play with my Iphone quite a bit and had a page with all the food related application. This is where I came upon this recipe.

The 2nd toy was my birthday present. It's a KitchenAid Standing Mixer!!! I have being eyeing it for ages!!!! But as all the housewives know, it's a pretty expensive tools to have in the kitchen. I'm always itchy to play with my toy. Constantly thinking what can I bake with the limited time I time which I will be free at night.

Came upon this event "Bake a Difference" few weeks ago while surfing Penny Jeroxie blog and signed up. I almost forgot about due date till other bloggers started submitting their entries and mention it on twitter.

After work 1 evening, alone at home and craving to bake. I decided on Chocolate Mocha Cookies to give it a try. It was already 10pm when I switched on my KA and started putting the ingredients together.

Creaming 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar

While KA is doing it job, I was busy mixing 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules (I used a bit more and pounded into powder), 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt together.

Add in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 egg once mixture is light and fluffy.


Add in the flour mixture after egg is well blended into the mixture.


Divide the dough into 2, wrapped with waxed paper and chill until firm. I chilled mine till the next day as it was getting too late to bake.


The next evening once I got home from work, I took the dough out from the fridge. Found it a bit too hard to roll therefore left it on the bench top for it to soften before rolling it and cut with my X'mas theme cookies cutter.


Popped them into the pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for 10mins and it's all done. The whole house was filled with nice coffee fragrance during the time.


As you can see on the 2 previous photos. The recipe dough actually holds it's shape really well. There isn't much different comparing the unbaked and baked cookies.

Did find the cookies a bit too plain looking. Plus don't think Chocolate Mocha Cookies are really X'mas treats. I was lazy and sucks at decorating using icing. Therefore decided to try dipping them into white chocolate. I always have the tendency to link white colour with X'mas. Guess that's because of snow :)

Toblerone Chocolate Cheesecake

What we are cooking today on Nigella Lawson's twitter is chocolate cheesecake. That reminds me of the Toblerone Chocolate Cheesecake which I made few weeks ago.

Minister handed me a piece of A4 white paper when he got home from work 1 day. Written on was a recipe for cheesecake. A very motherly colleague of his knew that he loves cheesecake so wrote her favourite recipe and gave it to him. I'm guessing she knows I bake and cook?

I promised him that I will make it and bought the ingredients. But I didn't get around to try it and off we went away for 6 weeks with the cream cheese sitting in the fridge.I finally got around making it after being back for 2 weeks.

I did alter the recipe a bit. 1st was the base, Digestive biscuit was used instead of Chocolate biscuit. Don't ask me why but when it comes to cheesecake base, I will definitely use Digestive biscuits. 2nd, I didn't really bother measuring the butter. I just used what's needed to bring all the crumbs together. 3rd, I only had 1 Philadelphia cream cheese in the fridge so I halved the recipe. Even better since there's only 2 of us and we won't end up stuffing ourselves with cheesecake. 4th, I melted the whole bar of Toblerance chocolate and reduce the sugar instead.

Maybe because it's not my 1st time making a no-bake cheesecake. Therefore I know what to expect thus dare to change the recipe. The cheesecake turn out perfect! Not too sweet, very smooth and just the right size for us!

Recipe : Toblerone Chocolate Cheesecake
1 cup plain chocolate biscuit crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 x 250gm Philadelphia cream cheese (@ room temperature)
3 teaspoons gelatine dissolved in 1/3 cup boiling water
3/4 cup caster sugar
100gm Toblerone - swiss or dark chocolate (melted)
1/2 cup cream

Mix biscuits crumbs and butter. Press into 20cm base springform tin and chill.
Beat cream cheese until soft.
Add gelatine mixture, caster sugar, melted chocolate and cream. Blend till smooth.
Pour mixture into crumb base and chill (2-3 hours / overnight)

Wedding Banquet

The purpose of popping into Singapore during our recent vacation was not only to visit the family, it's also to attend my BIL's wedding.  It's the "1st" wedding event for Minister's family. Although we got married way before my BIL, we had a totally opposite wedding.  I  We wanted something totally different. Without family members, without customary, without grand wedding banquet, just a small wedding ceremony with 10 friends at Treasury Garden follow by a lunch at Windsor Hotel. 

I haven't attend a Grand Chinese Wedding for ages! I almost forgot what it's like. After the day ceremony, the night dinner banquet was held at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. As expected(the usual), the dinner didn't manage to start on time. While every family member were busy being a host, Minister and me decided to start the night with Pre-Dinner drink at the bar downstair. I know it seem very rude but we need a break from all the happening. Plus there's no alcohol being served during cocktail session! So just got to dig into our pockets and get some ourself.

Minister had the usual Lemon, Lime Bitter and I went for my favourite Lychee Martini. I ended sharing mine with Daddy that totally changed his initial thought of Lychee Martini. He tried creating t the comfort of his own home few days later.

Including my parents, we were assigned to be seated at the VIP table. As VIP table, the setting was different from the rest. We also had the luxury of having all dishes being divided and served instead of a whole. Actually Minister and me preferred to help ourselves to the dish but guess coz of the centre piece, they can't actually do that. 

In the past, the banquet consist of 10 dishes! These days it's only 8. After spending half the night waiting for all the guests to turn up, the dinner finally started at 2045!

Dinner started with Appetiser as the 1st Dish. Deluxe Chinese and Japanese Combination Platter which made up of Roast Duck, Water Chestnut Shrimp Roll, Salmon Toast, Squid and California Maki.

Next was a Soup : Braised Shark's Fin with Assorted Seafood

Sorry I didn't manage to capture a photo of this dish. Not because I'm too hungry or it's too delicious. It's because I didn't try this dish. I had stopped eating shark's fin for more than 5 years now. Ever since I started diving and learned live finless sharks being dump back to sea to die slowly, I swear not to touch shark's fin ever again! Plus it's tasteless!!! Still no idea why it's considered a chinese delicacy???

A Poultry dish was next : Steamed Chicken with Whole Garlic, Quail Egg, Button Mushroom in Brown Sauce. 

4th was seafood : Deep Fried Crispy Filo Prawn Roll served with Passion Fruit Sauce. This dish left the most impression on me. Initial though the crispy strip was vermicelli but coz it's not in white so I ruled that out. Only realised it's filo after I checked the menu. As this is a deep-fried dish, the sauce really helped to remove the greasy feeling.

Vegetable was 5th : Braised Duet Mushroom and Conpoy with Seasonal Vegetables. Opps just realised I forgotten to take a shot of this dish as well. Oh well, I don't even remember how it looks like now. Must be a very ordinary dish.

Fish was 6th : Steamed Fresh Seabass in Preserved Yellow Bean.

7th was Rice : Fried Glutinous Rice wrapped in Beancurd Skin served with Mixed Salad. Felt this dish was pretty special coz it was individually wrapped. Bit strange to be served with salad but I still eat it though. I need my fibre.

To complete the dinner was definitely dessert : Sweetened Yam Paste with Gingko Nuts and Pumpkin Syrup. This is my favourite banquet dessert! It's not a easy dessert to make. Heard the old traditional way of preparing was to cook whole peeled yam (taro) in the pot. Constant stirring till the whole yam cooked and melted in the pot. How long will that take??? Don't asked me! Not sure which restaurant still cooks it that way.

By the time we finished dinner, it was closed to 2300. It was end of night for us. Daddy, Mummy, Minister and me cabbed to The Fullerton Hotel to have a post dinner drink at Post Bar. They have a huge variety of sling to chose from. 

I went for the Peach Sling. Daddy chosen Singapore Sling. Minister from memory is Pineapple Sling. Mummy went for cocktail instead. It's great ending the night with a drink, rest and relax catching up with my parents and de-briefing for the night.

Scones 2nd Try

Minister got 10 bottles of jam from Miss Maple 2 weeks ago. You will be wondering how can we possibly finish them??? It's actually for my family :) Dad bought some back after his trip few years ago and everyone in the family loves it and were fighting for the last bits. We are travelling very soon and decided to pack some back with us. 


Yes!!!! Finally we are going for our 2010 vacation!!!! It will be our longest vacation and packing being a big headache!!!! Too much to bring and too little baggage allowance. Really need to learn how to travel light. Hopefully I can really document down the journey + most important the food and try blog some entry about it. 


Back to the scones, I tried baking some again :) This time round, I tried a recipe posted here. Instead of ending up with 30 scones for 2 of us, I only use one-third of the ingredients and ended with 10 scones. 


It's a really easy, simple recipe and I loves it! As i don't usually stock buttermilk in my fridge, I uses milk and add a bit of vinegar to make into buttermilk. I also try not to handle the dough too much as I'm afraid that will make the scone hard. 




Minister really got hooked onto scone and kept having craving. I baked another batch of scones again on Thursday and this time round, I bought some buttermilk from Coles. It definitely makes a different. It smell really nice. As for resulting had scone because of handling too much, I think I'm wrong. I definitely "played" with the dough quite a lot more this time and I still end up with really soft scones. Plus it raises quite a bit too. 

Scones

"I'm craving for scones. Should we drive to Miss Marple tomorrow morning?" Minister asked this morning.
"I can try bake some scones if you don't mind being my guinea pig. I have never tried baking scone before. But can't expect me to produce ones which are the same as Miss Marple." I warned.

 Scones served with Miss Marple Jam without Cream

Few hours later at 3p.m. "I'm really craving for scones. Do you want to bake some and we have it for afternoon tea?? We can have it with Miss Marple Jam" Minister asked.
"OK" I answered. Entered the kitchen with my How To Be A Domestic Goddness bake book in hand. Pre-heated the oven while I measured the ingredients. Mix everything together to form a dough, keeping in mind not to over work it and be gentle unless I want to feed my Minister with rock hard scone instead. Rolled the dough flat and cut into round shape using a cutter. Pop into the oven for 10mins and hot, delicious scone is really for tea.



It's my 1st time making scone and was really surprised how easy and fast it was! The recipe called for cream of tartar and that's the only baking ingredient which I never used nor buy. Went online and manage to search for substitute using baking powder. Felt it shouldn't really matter or make any different by substituting as it's just to make the scone light and fluffy. I also halved the recipe as I don't think we will be able to finish 12 scones as what Nigella stated. In the end, I still ended up with 12 scones. Most probably because I rolled the dough too flat. Reminder to myself: To have higher scone, don't roll the dough too flat.

"You like it?" I asked after Minister took the 1st mouth-full.
"Oh Yeah!" He answered as he went for the 2nd scone.

Success!!!

Ban Mian

One stone kill two bird, I'm actually cooking Mei Cai Kou Rou with my favourite pot and making use the time to update my blog. OMG looking thru the entry, I have being blogging lesser and lesser. I have taken so many food photos, tried a few new places but not discipline enough to sit down and write about it. Reckon it's not going to get any better. Especially with my 6 weeks vacation coming soon.....seriously overdue especially for Minister! Hmmmm maybe it's still a bit to far to start counting down.

Read Jeroxie entry on Ban Mian and realised I had never blog about this dish. Mum used to cook this dish very often when I was really young! During then it wasn't even popular and couldn't be found in the hawker/coffee shop. I always thought it's a very traditional Hakka dish like Lei Cha. In my teens, I started hating this dish same as Lei Cha. Frequency of Mum cooking it also decreases.


As I got older, I began to appreciate both dishes. Lucky for me, Minister's family is also Hakka and he loves both dishes. Both of us grew up practically eating similar Hakka dishes.


Ban Mian is a simple and nice dish which I tend to cook when I have chicken stock in my freezer. Mix some flour with water to form a dough and either by hand flatten some dough and tear into pieces or using a rolling pin roll it flat (thickness depend on individual) and cut into pieces. As for the side ingredients to go with it really depends on what I like and what's available. But 1 ingredient which is a must is Ikan Bilis (Anchovy). To us, it's not Ban Mian if there isn't it.

Muffins Or Cupcake?

Muffin or Cupcake? What is the main different and how do I know I did end up with muffin when I use a muffin recipe and cupcake when I use a cake recipe?


I baked another batch of Chocolate Chip Muffins on Queen's Birthday before I get on to prepare next day lunch box. Found another Nigella's recipe which is fast and easy from Sarah's blog link. This recipe uses oil! Hooya! I'm just too lazy to weigh the butter and melt it or take my beater out and beat butter and sugar together.


All it need is a wooden spoon, a large mixing bowl and a measuring cup. I start by preheating the oven while gathering all the ingredients. Place all the dry ingredients into the bowl and combine all the wet ingredients into a large measuring cup. Pour the wet into dry ingredient and mix everything together using the spoon. Think most important while making muffin is try not to over mixed the batter which I find it extremely hard! Lumpy batter = Good muffin. 


Minster love the muffins. Anything with chocolate chips, he will like it. Easy to please right? I took 2 muffins to work and gave 1 to my colleague. He had it for tea and send me a sms after praising it's a nice muffin. I didn't tell him it's a muffin. Does it mean I manage to achieve the correct texture of a muffin? Or cupcake is still not such a huge thing here down under?

Comfort food - Mince Chicken with 3 Eggs(salted egg, century egg and egg) Congee

 Congee with You Tiao(chinese donut)


Congee is definitely my comfort food. I love love love congee, a bit of white pepper, drizzle a little sesame oil and I can have 2 HUGE bowl at a time. Though it's my favourite food, it's definitely not for Minster. It's one of the few dishes which he dislike. I even have to force him to have congee when he's sick. But recently he's beginning to accept it and able to finish a reasonable potion by himself. c") 


There's a huge variation in congee: Teochew style, Cantonese style. Different country has their own different way of cooking congee too.


My favourite is cantonese congee. White rice is cooked till it's totally dissolved. Texture of the congee is smooth, like thick liquid. It's not easy to achieve that consistency. Long hours constant stirring standing in front of the stove is required. 

My trick to shorten the process but still able to achieve that is to

# 1 - Use broken rice

# 2 - Soak the rice as long as possible (Best is overnight)

# 3 - Use my tiger thermal pot!!! It not only save on gas bill, it also save me a lot of time from standing in front of the stove and also chances of burning my congee is zero.

I also like to cook it with chicken stock if available instead of water to make it more flavoursome. I also like to diced up carrot, potatoes and dump everything in while cooking. It makes the congee sweet and I'm having my fibre intake.