ORANGE CRANBERRY CAKE TOPPED WITH SLICED ALMONDS

After a month not posting any recipes, I think all my friends must be curious what am I doing. Anyway...I'm back with lots of recipes to share within this month of May. I've been experiencing and searching for new recipes to share with my loyal followers.

So today I would like to share this recipe with all of you which is very yummy and tasty. This is Orange Cranberry Cake topped with Sliced Almonds. Isn't it sound interesting......tell you what.....it even taste delicious with the hint of orange zest, orange juice, cranberries and the crunchiest of the almonds.

To further no more.....hereby is the recipe and happy baking =)

INGREDIENTS :

185g unsalted butter

1/4 tsp fine salt

150g fine granulated sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp grated orange zest

190g unbleached cake flour

4 tbsp freshly squeeze orange juice

1/4 cup dried cranberries, tossed with some cake flour

1/4 cup sliced almonds

METHODS :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Grease the cake pan with some non-stick cooking spray and some flour.

2. Sieve the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Using an electric stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until very pale and creamy for about 20 minutes.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a few minutes after each addition. Do not rush the addition of the eggs as mixture will be more likely to separate and develop a curdled appearance. Add the orange zest with the last egg. The batter mixture should be pale and creamy.

4. Add half the flour mixture and blend it until just combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture. Mix in the orange juice and dried cranberries .

5. Spoon the cake batter into prepared cake pan and spread evenly. Topped the batter with sliced almonds.

6. Bake for about 50-55 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should spring back when lightly pressed in the center.

7. Slowly remove the cake from the cake pan and let it cool on a wire rack.

This cake is so delicious and moist. It's best served with some coffee or tea.....ENJOY!!!!!

LEMON GLAZED CHICKEN WINGS

This Lemon Glazed Chicken Wings is really the best recipe I ever created. These wings have the taste of sweet and tangy and my kids are the big fans. Hereby....let me share this special recipe with all of you =)

INGREDIENTS :

2 lb whole chicken wings, cleaned and cut in 2 pieces with the tips removed

2 tsp freshly grated ginger

6 slices of fresh lemon, or more for ganishing

For Marinate Seasoning :

2 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp cornstarch

4 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine

Some freshly ground black pepper

For Seasoning Sauce :

3 tbsp honey

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 tbsp water

2 tsp cornstarch

METHODS :

1. In a bowl, mix all the marinade seasoning and add the cleaned and patted dry chicken wings. Covered the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

2. Heat the saute pan with some vegetable oil over medium heat. Pan fried the chicken wings both sides until golden brown. Stir in the grated ginger, covered and cook for at least 5 minutes or until the chicken wings are throughly cooked.

3. Open the cover and poured in the seasoning sauce with the lemon slices and stir until well combined. Cook the sauce until thickened and dish up on a platter.

Serve hot with some steamed white rice

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

An upside-down cake is a cake usually made in a pan with a curved bottom. Once cooked, turned over and allowed to set, the cake eaten upside-down. Usually, chopped fruits such as apples, pineapples and cherries are placed at the bottom of the pan before the batter is poured in, so that they form a decorative topping once the cake is inverted.

I adapted this recipe from Emeril Lagasse at Food Network. After trying with so many recipes, I love Emeril recipe the most. His cake comes out so fluffy and the taste was delicous :P

INGREDIENTS :

1/2 ripe medium pineapple, peeled, cored, eyes removed and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds

( about 4 or 5 slices )

3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks ) unsalted butter

3/4 cup light brown sugar

14 pecan halves

1 cup cake flour ( not self-rising)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup granulated sugar ( I only used 1/2 cup if you like it less sweet )

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp dark rum

4 fresh, halved and pits removed ( I used can cherries with juices )

METHODS :

1. Melt 4 tbsp of the butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet, over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir to combine. Increased the heat to medium high and cook until the sugar mixture is bubbly, about 2 minutes. Arrange pineapple slices in the skillet in a pleasing pattern and continue to cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar mixture turns an amber color. Turn the pineapple slices over and remove the pan from the heat. The mixture will continue to cook even though the heat is off. Arrange the pecan halves in the spaces between the rings. Set aside to cool slightly.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

3. Stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the remaining 1/2 cup butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in 3 batches, mixing at low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in the vanilla and rum.

5. Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple slices in the skillet. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, about 35 to 45 minutes.

6. Cool the cake in the skillet on a wire rack for 4 minutes only. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake and, wearing oven mitts and working quickly, invert the cake onto a cake place, keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together. Carefully lift the skillet off the cake and replace any fruit stuck to the bottom of the skillet, if necessary. Arrange the fresh cherry halves, cut side down, into the top of the cake, in the center of the pineapple rings.

Serve cake warm or at room temperature

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE / 海南雞飯

Although Hainanese Chicken Rice is a mainstay in food food courts and restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia, its origins lie with the Chinese living on the island of Hainan off the coast of China.

I would like to share this recipe which I found from my favorite blogger friends, Jaden at Steamy Kitchen. After attempting with so many recipes, I found this is the best I ever found. The Hainanese Chicken tastes so good and delicious with the combinations of the Ginger Scallion Sauce, Garlic Chili Sauce and some ABC brand sweet dark soy sauce. Hereby I would like to share this recipe with friends.

INGREDIENTS :

FOR POACHING THE CHICKEN

1 whole chicken ( about 3.5 to 4 lbs ), preferably Organic

Kosher salt

4" section of fresh ginger, sliced in 1/4" thickness

2 stalks green onions, cut into 1" sections ( both the green and white parts )

1 tsp sesame oil

FOR THE RICE:

2 tbsp chicken fat or 2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1" section of ginger, finely minced

2 cups long-grain uncooked rice, washed and soaked in cool water for 10 min or longer

( I soaked for 2 hours )

2 cups reserved chicken poaching broth

1" fresh ginger

a generous pinch of salt, to taste

FOR THE GARLIC CHILI SAUCE

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp reserved chicken poaching broth

2 tsp sugar

4 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce

4 cloves garlic

1" fresh ginger

a generous pinch of salt, to taste

FOR THE GINGER SCALLION SAUCE

(recipe courtesy of My Kitchen Snippets)

1/4 cup finely grated ginger

1/2 cup finely chopped green onion

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

3 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE TABLE

1/4 cup dark soy sauce ( I used ABC brand sweet dark soy sauce )

Few sprigs cilantro leaves

1 cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into bite-sized chunks

METHODS:

1. To clean the chicken, with a small handful of kosher salt, rub the chicken all over, getting rid of any loose skin and dirt. Wash and pat the chicken very dry inside and outside. Season the chicken generously with some salt inside and outside. Stuff the chicken with the ginger slices and green onion. Place the chicken in a large stockpot and fill with cold water to cover the chicken by 1-inch. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then immediately turn the heat to low to keep a simmer. Cook about 30 minutes more ( less if you're using smaller chicken ). Check for doneness by sticking a chopstick into the flesh under the leg and see if the juices run clear or insert a thermometer into the thickness part of the tight not touching the bone and it should be read 170F.

2. When the chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Immediately lift and transfer the chicken into a bath of ice water to cool and discard the ginger and green onions. Don't forget to reserve the poaching broth for your rice, chili garlic sauce and accompanying soup. The quick cooling will stop the cooking process, keeping the meat soft and tender, and giving the skin a lovely firm texture.

3. To cook the rice: Drain the rice. In a wok or saucepan ( use a medium saucepan if you plan on cooking the rice on the stove top ), heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ginger and the garlic and fry until your kitchen smells like heaven. But be careful not to burn the aromatic!!! Add in your drained rice and stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil, mix well.

To cook rice on the stove: In the same saucepan, add 2 cups of your reserved poaching broth, add salt and bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Removed from heat and let it sit with the lid on for about 5-10 minutes or more.

To cook rice in rice cooker: Pour aromatics and rice ( after frying ) into your rice cooker, add 2 1/2 cups of your reserved poaching broth and salt. And turn on the rice cooker switch.

4. While your rice is cooking, removed the chicken from the ice bath and rub the outside of the chicken with the sesame oil. Carved the chicken into serving size to served.

5. To make the garlic chili sauce: Blend your garlic chili sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth and bright red.

6. To make the soup: You should have 6 to 7 cups of reserved poaching broth leftover to serve as soup. Just before serving, heat up the soup, taste and season with salt as necessary.

7. To make the ginger scallion sauce: Put the ginger, green onion and garlic in a bowl. Add in sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir well and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat up the oil until smoking hot. Pour the hot oil carefully and slowly into the ginger mixture. Using a chopstick and mix it well.

NOTE: Please be careful when you pour the oil into the ginger mixture as the oil will splatter and bubble over the herbs.

Serve the chicken rice with garlic chili sauce, dark soy sauce, cucumber slices, and a bowl of hot broth garnished with cilantro leaves or green onions.

STEAMED HAKKA HEE PAN / XIN BAN ( 喜板 )

Hakka Hee Pan is a traditional Hakka people kuih which right now being enjoyed by many people in a region. This kuih usually served in Hakka wedding and Chinese traditional ceremonies.

That's the look of the Hakka Hee Pan being mould and waiting for it to proof for another 20 minutes at a warm place.

Hereby is the recipe I would like to share and it can makes about 15 pieces of Hakka Hee Pan.

INGREDIENTS:

(A)

1 tsp instant yeast

150 g all-purpose flour

125 ml water

(B)

150 g all-purpose flour

150 g glutinous rice flour

(C)

150 g fine granulated sugar

150 g water

2 pandan leaves, knotted

a few drop of pink coloring

Some banana leaves - greased with some oil

DIRECTIONS :

1. Mix all the ingredients (A) for the sponge dough, covered it with plastic wrap and keep it overnight at a warm place so it can proof/rise the next day.

2. The next day, bring the ingredients (B) to a boil. Removed the pandan leaves and set it aside to cool.

3. Mix all the ingredients (A), (B) and (C) together into soft dough by kneading it for 20 minutes. Cover the dough and let it proof/rise for another 4 hours in a warm place.

4. Put enough water in the steamer and bring to a boil. Apply enough oil on your fingers and palms, slowly pull out enough dough (about 50g each) to form a small ball and gently drop them onto greased banana leaves. Let it proof/rise again for another 15 minutes at a warm place.

5. Steamed the hee pan in a moderate heat for at least 15 minutes.

6. Trim the excess banana leaves around the random shape of these steamed buns with a scissor.

This Hakka Hee Pan is good when eat it freshly right after steaming or in the same day. Enjoy!!!