STRAWBERRIES MUFFIN WITH CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING

Here's my another recipe for strawberry season.....the strawberries muffin top with some cinnamon sugar. It's so fluffy and with the fresh strawberries.........mmm....yummy, yummy, yummy!!!

INGREDIENTS :

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 extra-large egg
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh strawberries

For cinnamon sugar:
3 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon


METHOD :

1. Preheat oven at 400 F. In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then add egg and mix it well.

2. In separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Then add the flour mixture and milk alternately to the butter mixture.

3. Finally, add the vanilla extract and gently fold in the strawberries.

4. Divide evenly the batter in the muffin pan layer with liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

5. Let the muffins sit in the muffin pan for 5 minutes before removing it to the rack to cool.

SPINACH & TOFU SOUP

This is a very healthy and easy to make soup. My kids don't like to eat spinach much when I stir-fry it but they seem to like it with this soup. It is so simple to make and I would like to share this recipe with all of you.

All you need are :

1 box soft tofu, mashed
4 large eggs
2 box (64oz) low-sodium chicken broth
1 bag (9oz) spinach
3 tbsp fried shallots
some salt and pepper


Method :

• In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Then add in the mashed tofu, salt and pepper. Mix it well.
• In a low heat with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in the wok, add in the tofu mixture and let cook like an omelet. Then in the wok with your spatula, cut the omelet into wedges.
  

• Then add the chicken broth and fried shallots. Let it boil and turn off the heat. Add the spinach into individual bowl.

• Then add the tofu on top of the spinach with some soup and served hot
  

CRISPY GARLIC FLAKES WITH PLUM SAUCE CHICKEN

I would like this recipe with all my blogger friends and hope you'll love it. This entree is taste so delicious with the crispy garlic.....you'll got to try it!!!

INGREDIENTS :

2 chicken whole legs, cut into pieces
10 pips garlic, peeled and sliced thinly

Marinate:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing hua tiau wine

Sauce (mixed well)
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp plum sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste


METHOD :

1. Mix the chicken with the marinate ingredients and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.

2. In a wok, add 3 tbsp of cooking oil and deep fry the garlic in low heat until golden brown and crispy. Dish and drain.

3. Deep fry the chicken in hot oil until golden brown and cooked. Dish and drain.

4. In a clean wok, cook the sauce until thick and sticky. Add in the chicken and mix it well. Dish up and sprinkle the fried garlic flakes on top and served hot.

CLAYPOT CHICKEN RICE

INGREDIENTS :

2 chicken whole legs, cut into pieces
1 pair preserved Chinese sausage/Lap Cheong, sliced thinly
50 g salted fish, cubed
2 tbsp shredded ginger
2 tbsp shredded spring onion

Seasoning:
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp Shaoxing Hua Tiau wine
dash of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp corn starch
3 tbsp water


METHOD :

1. Mix the chicken leg pieces, spring onion and ginger with the seasoning and marinate for at least 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a hot wok, stir fry salted fish until fragrant and set aside.

3. In a steamer, steam the marinate chicken in high heat for 20 minutes or until cooked.

4. Then add the washed rice in a claypot to cook in low heat. Once it cook, add in the preserved chinese sausage and cook another 15 minutes.

5. Lastly turn of the fire and add in the steamed chicken on top of the claypot rice with the salted fish and some dark soy sauce. Mix it well and served hot.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

So this week on March 18 is my birthday......and I decided to make myself some butter cupcakes and top it with some fondant and homemade butter cream. Although is my first time, I still manage to make it right and the color just perfect for me.


These are the cupcakes with homemade butter cream and some sugar pearls


And here are the cupcakes with butter cream and fondant leaves topping


These are my favorite creation of flower fondants

CRISPY ROAST DUCK

Last week I saw one of my blogger friend, Beachlover's Kitchen was roasting this delicious duck and I told her that I'm going to give it a try this weekend. So yesterday I went the Asian market and brought this Long Island's duckling that is frozen.


I followed her direction to put the duck thawed for 24 hours in the refrigerator and soaked in a pot of cold water for 2-3 hours with oranges. Then I patted it dry and rubbed the whole duck with sea salt and five spice powder. Then I roasted for almost 2 hours at 350 F.


Removed from oven and brushed the whole duck with maltose and let it sit for 15 minutes before craving.


This recipe really taste good and my whole family just love it. It actually tastes better than store brought and I would like to say thanks so much to my friend, Beachlover's Kitchen for her recipe.


We love to served the roast duck with some plum sauce.

STEAMED MUI CHOY WITH PORK BELLY (MUI CHOY KAU YOKE)

Mui Choy Kau Yoke is a traditional dish in chinese families tables. If you like pork, you will definitely love this dish because the pork is so tender and soft.

INGREDIENTS :

500 g pork belly
200 g sweet mui choy, washed, soaked and diced
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp chopped garlic

Seasoning A
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce (depends to how dark you like)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Shoaxing Hua Tiau wine

Seasoning B
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Shoaxing Hua Tiau wine
1/2 tbsp sugar
a dash of five spice powder


METHOD :

1. Rub pork belly with 1 tbsp light soy sauce. In a heated pot of oil, deep-fry until golden brown and then cut into thick slices.

2. In a wok, heat up 1 tbsp oil and add the sliced pork belly with seasoning A and stir until well mix for 15 minutes. Dish up and set aside.

3. With the same wok, heat up another 1 tbsp oil and saute the garlic until fragrant. Add in diced mui choy with seasoning B and stir fry until dry and aromatic. Dish up and set aside.

4. Arrange sliced pork belly into a steaming bowl with skin facing down and add the remaining liqiud to the pork. Then cover the pork with mui choy on the top.

5. Steam it at high heat for about 1 1/2 or 2 hours.

6. Remove and put in upside-down on a platter with some fresh lettuce.

7. Served it hot with rice.

STRAWBERRIES CAKE WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Well...I should said that this is my first time doing a cake with decorations without any experience. I just do it with my heart and my brain.


Although the decoration is not so neat but I will keep up my good work.


Recently, I was thinking of launching my cooking business because most of my friends and family who had tried my food, said that I should do a catering and bakery business.

The cake is made of butter, cake flour, milk, eggs and sugar. The cake is so soft and light and I decorated it with some fresh strawberries ( now is the season for fresh strawberries and they are so sweet ) and heavy whipped cream.


Look at that cake!!! My kids just love it and they had almost half of the 9" cake.

Below is the recipe for this cake.

INGREDIENTS :

For the cake:
50 g butter
67 g cake flour

75 ml fresh milk
5 egg yolks
5 egg whites
67 g sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
a pinch of salt

For Whipped Cream
320 ml heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tbsp strawberry liquor

For Decoration
1 lb fresh strawberries
some simple syrup


METHOD :

1. Melt butter over low heat, remove from heat when melt. Then in a medium bowl, add in the egg yolks, milk, salt and cake flour. Stir in constantly until well combined and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, add in the egg whites and cream of tartar. In a high speed, beat until foamy. Then add in the sugar and beat until soft peak formed.

3. Fold the white white mixture into the egg yolk mixture until well combined. Then pour the cake mixture into greased 9" cake pan.

4. Bake the cake at preheated oven 320 F for 30 minutes. Place the cake upside-down on the rack when removed from the oven. Let it cool completely.

5. Meanwhile, whipped the cream with sugar until soft peak and set aside.

6. Place the cake on the flat surface, cut the top off and slice the cake into 2 layers. Place a layer of the cake on the cake board with some buttercream in the middle to prevent the cake from moving. Then brush the syrup on the top layer. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream on the 1st layer and add some halves strawberries. Fill the gap with some more whipped cream and cover it with the last layer of cake.

7. Brush the top layer with some syrup and spread the whipped cream all over the cake. Decorate it as you wish and keep in the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

FLOWER CHIVES WITH TOFU & MINCED PORK

This is my another favorite recipe that I would like to share. Actually I didn't measure my ingredients in this dish. I only used agak-agak.


All you need is some minced garlic, fried soft tofu (cut into small pieces), a bunch of flower chives, some minced pork, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, a dash of dark soy sauce, some Shaoxing Hua Tiau wine and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir fry the garlic till fragrant then add pork and the sauce ingredients. Then add the tofu and flower chives. Lastly add in the wine and pepper.

Dish up and served.

ABC SOUP

For this soup, I don't know why is called ABC. Maybe it's because it's easy to make like ABC!!! Well...that's the name that being called by my family for decade. This soup is a very nutrition and have alot of vitamins too. My kids really love the soup with rice.

INGREDIENTS :

2 big carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
4 pcs small potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 pcs big tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 pc (about 300g) pickled mustard in red chili, washed and cut into small pieces
1.5 liters water
some pork neck bone or chicken bone for soup base.


METHOD :

1. Wash the bone and add some water to the pot. Let it boil and pour out the dirty water and wash the bones again.

2. In a clean pot, add in the bones and all other ingredients. Let it boil.

3. Then turn to low heat and simmer for at least 4 hours and serve.

STEAMED CAKE / BOLU KUKUS

This is another favorite of mine....Bolu Kukus of Pondan brand and it's from Indonesia. You can find this package in any Asian store. I saw alot of this recipe online but because I don't have ovalatte and it's not selling in the States too.


This is very easy recipe and all you need is eggs, milk, salt and some chocolate powder for swirl effect. It only steamed for 25-30 minutes in a high heat.


This is the result after steamed and it's so soft and spongy.

SOFT HONEY BUNS

After I had tried almost 3 kinds of recipe, this recipe really comes out really soft and fluffy without any bread improver or bread softener. The most important things are you need to knead it very well and the liquid temperature has to just 65C / 150F. This recipe is making this buns with bread machine but I don't have one. So I used my electric mixer with the dough attachment. This recipe is actually from Happy Homebaker.


This is the dough that been double size and I rolled it to small buns. Let it sit for at 60 minutes or more (depends to the house temperature) to final prove in double size.


This is what it look like after the final proving double in size and it's ready to go in the oven to bake.



After tasting the bun, I decided to make some serikaya for it.


You can see how soft and fluffy it looks. It even stayed soft after the next day.

INGREDIENTS :

300 g bread flour
2/3 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
1 egg lightly beaten plus enough fresh milk to make 200g***
50 g honey
30 g unsalted butter, melted


METHOD :

1. ***For this one weight the beaten egg first and minus with 200g. Add the remaining grams for the fresh milk.

2. In a mixing bowl, add the bread flour, egg, salt, instant yeast and honey. Beat in medium with a flat beater attachment till well mix.

3. Meanwhile, heat the milk until the thermometer stated 65C / 150F.

4. Then add the heated milk to the flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes.

5. Change the mixer attachment to dough hook and add melted butter to the mixture. In a medium speed beat the mixture for at least 30 minutes.

6. On the table, take the dough out and knead for at least 10 minutes and let it rest in the bowl for at least 60 minutes or more until it become double in size.

7. Once it already double in size, divide into 9 equal portions. Then flatten each dough into a round disc and press out the trapped air. Shape and roll into a smooth round balls.

8. Place doughs seams side down on a 20cm by 20cm square baking tray (lightly greased with oil or butter or line it with parchment paper). Loosely cover with a damp cloth or cling wrap and let doughs proof for 45 ~ 60 mins or until double in size.

9. When ready to bake, brush the surface of the dough with milk.

10. Bake at preheated oven at 390F / 200C for about 15 ~ 20 mins until the bread is golden brown all over. Cover the surface with a sheet of aluminum foil if the surface browns too quickly.

10. Remove from oven, unmold immediately from the pan and let cool completely on wire rack.

11. Then put the buns on a platter and wrap it with a plastic wrap.

CHILLED PEACH CHEESECAKE II

This my other new design for my Chilled Peach Cheesecake


Although is not very neat for this time but I'll will keep up my good work next time




That's my rose decoration with peach slices in the middle of the cake

CHILLED PEACH CHEESECAKE

This is my second attempt to make chilled cheesecake. This time I really make it right and it also taste so creamy.

For the cake, I used 2(8oz) cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice, 3 pack of gelatin powder, water, milk, non-dairy whipping cream and cut peaches.


For the topping, I used jelly powder, sugar and water.


For the base, I only used graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes and let it cool completely in the freezer.


After staying in the refrigerator for overnight, I loosen the spring-form pan and the cake just look fabulous.