STAINED GLASS CANDY COOKIES

As Christmas is approaching, I'm having a mood for baking some cookies and decorating my house. Nothing feel much better than Christmas time.....as we starting to buy gifts for our loves one and to the anyone that need our help on this special day.

This cookies is so pretty and is an idea from my very special friend from Singapore. She's very creative in a way and her recipe as an added almond flour and mixed without any baking powder. The cookies comes out very pretty and very tasty too. So here's the recipe I would like to share;



INGREDIENTS :

150 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
130 g powdered sugar
290 g cake flour
30 g almond flour
60 g eggs
2 g fine salt
14 hard candies, such as Jolly Rancher or Life Savers


METHODS :

1. Sift the cake flour and almond flour. Set aside.

2. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture in 2 batches and beat until just incorporated. Divide the dough in half; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

3. Meanwhile, separate the candy by color and place each color in a separate resealable plastic bag. Crush into small pieces using a rolling pin; do not pulverize.

4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, lightly dust the dough with flour and roll out between 2 pieces of parchment paper until about 1/8-inch thick. Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 15 minutes. Cut into shapes using 2 to 4 inch cookie cutters and transfer to the prepared baking sheets. Cut out shapes from the centers of the cookies using smaller cutters; fill the cut-out areas about two-third full with crush candy. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
NOTES: Gather the dough scraps and refrigerate until firm; re-roll once to cut out more cookies.

5. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degree Fahrenheit. Bake the cookies, until the candy melts and the cookies are just golden, about 12-15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then slowly peel off the cookies from the parchment paper, then transfer to racks to cool completely before storing.

JAPANESE SPINACH TAMAGOYAKI & POTATO SALAD

I have been making bento / lunch for my youngest son for quite a long time. It really take times to learn to make a beautiful, cute and yummy bento / lunch for kids. So far, my son love it and still sometimes asking me to make more for him.

I love this recipe that really suit the kids and adults as well. The potato salad you can make it day ahead and cool it in the refrigerator for for flavor. You could find all ideas of making a cute bento for kids at my page at this link BENTO

Japanese Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS :

3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
1/2 English cucumber
1/2 large carrot, peeled and cut into small bite-sized
4 cherry tomatoes, cut into small bite-sized
1/4 cup sweet corns, boiled and drained
3/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper to taste


METHODS :

1. Boil the potatoes for 10-15 minutes until tender in lightly salted water. Drain and lightly mashed them. Let it cool on aside.

2. Sliced the cucumber thinly and lightly seasoned with salt.

3. Sliced the carrot thinly and boil for a minute until medium soft. Drained, let it cool and set aside.

4. In a large bowl, mix the mashed potato, cucumber, carrot, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

5. Refrigerate the potato salad at least 3 hours or overnight for the best results.

Japanese Spinach Tamagoyaki

INGREDIENTS :

4 large eggs
1/4 cup luke warm water
1/4 tsp dried dashi powder (picture as shown below, u can get it from Asian or Japanese Store)
1/2 tsp shoyu (light soy sauce)
1 tsp mirin (sweet cooking wine)
1/4 tsp sugar
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained (squeeze excess water from spinach)

Hon-Dashi (Dried Dashi Powder)

METHODS :

1. Mix luke warm water and dried dashi powder in a medium bowl. Add soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Mix well. Then add eggs and gently mix using chopsticks. Try not to create too many bubbles. Stir in the spinach into the egg mixture.

2. Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour a layer of egg mixture into the pan and lower the heat to medium-low. Lay a this layer of spinach onto the egg mixture. Allow the bottom of the egg to cook and become firm enough to fold over, about 3 minutes.

3. Gently fold over the egg from one end and keep going until you reach the end of the pan. With each fold, allow the egg to cook a little bit.

4. Remove tamagoyaki from the pan and rest it on a cutting board and let it cool. Repeat with the rest of egg mixture and spinach. Once the tamagoyaki is cool, sliced to desired thickness and serve.

SHRIMP FRITTERS

This dish is always my family favorite especially the kids. Here's the recipe I would like share...ENJOY!!!


INGREDIENTS :

100 g self-raising flour
25 g cornflour / cornstarch
150 ml cold ice water
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

250 g large shrimp, shelled (leave the tail on) and deveined
250 ml cooking oil for deep frying



METHODS :

1. Combine batter ingredients in a mixing bowl, make a quick stir and let it stand for 5 minutes. Blend the batter into smooth batter with whisk. Add in the shrimp and stir through.

2. Heat the oil in a wok over medium heat. When the oil is hot, hold the tail of the shrimp and dip in the batter. Drop the shrimp into the hot oil and repeat to fill the wok but not over fill because it will make the oil temperature comes down.

3. Deep-fry the fritters until puffy and golden brown. Dish out and drain on paper towel and display on a serving platter. Serve immediately.

CRISPY FRESH CUTTLEFISH / SQUID IN SWEET & SOUR SAUCE

This is one of the best dish I ever tried. This dish can be an appetizer or snack and also gets along with some beers and wines :)

The cuttlefish is very crispy and it also had some hint of the spiciness...very yummy !!!!

INGREDIENTS :

1 kg (1/2 lb) fresh cuttlefish / squid, cut into pieces and make patterns

1 tbsp shredded fresh ginger

6 dried chilies

For The Sauce:

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

3 tbsp tomato sauce/ketchup

2 tbsp chili sauce

1 tbsp Chinese black vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1/2 tbsp oyster sauce

5 tbsp water

METHODS :

1. Blanch cuttlefish in boiling water for half minutes. Dish and drain.

2. Heat up oil for deep-frying, put in fresh cuttlefish / squid and deep-fry until dry and crispy**. Dish and drain.

3. Pour the sauce ingredients into the wok and cook

NOTES :
** When frying fresh squid/cuttlefish, lots of heats up oil are needed. First round of frying may not be crunchy. Dish up the cuttlefish / squid and drain, add more oil and heat up. Pour in the drained cuttlefish / squid again to deep fry until crunchy. The stove at home with lower flame may need another round of deep frying and this particular dish of cuttlefish / squid is only tasty when is crunchy.

PORTUGUESE EGG TARTS

Portuguese-style egg tarts were evolved from "Pastel de Nata", a traditional Portuguese custard pastry that consists of custard in a creme brulee-like consistency caramelized fashion in a puff pastry case. It was created more than 200 years ago by Catholic Sisters at Jeronimos Monastery (Portuguese: Mosteiro dos Jerónimos) at Belem in Lisbon. Casa Pastéis de Belém was the first pastry shop outside of the convent to sell this pastry in 1837, and it is now a popular pastry in every pastry shop around the world owned by Portuguese descendants.

The Portuguese-style egg tarts known in Macau originated from Lord Stow's Café in Coloane, owned by a Briton named Andrew Stow. Stow modified the recipe of pastel de nata using techniques of making English custard tarts. It has since become available at numerous bakeries, as well as Macau-style restaurants and KFC restaurant chains in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. There was an egg tart craze in Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan in the late 1990s.

My family and I really love this egg tarts especially with coffee or tea. I hope you'll will love this recipe that I found from Rasa Malaysia website.

This is the egg tart that I used with puff pastry. The crust is more flakier than pie tart.

INGREDIENTS :
( To make 12 pie crusts or 16 puff pastry crusts with 4" cookie cutter )

1 box Pillsbury ready pie crust / 1 box thawed ready Puff Pastry
8 egg yolks
2/3 cup of sugar
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract


METHODS :

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Spray the muffin cups with non-stick butter flavor spray. On a floured cutting board, place the ready pie crust/ready thawed puff pastry and used a 4" cookie cutter to cut out each tart shape. Press down the cut tart into the muffin pan and set aside.

2. With a electric hand mixer, beat all the remaining ingredients for about 4 minutes in a mixing bowl. Strain the mixture through a strainer.

3. Pour the egg mixture into each crust dough about 80-90% full.

4. Bake for about 25-30 minutes then turn the broiler to Hi. Put the muffin pan on the very top of the oven and broil until a little brown crust appear on top of the egg custard.

5. Let it cool completely on a wire rack and serve!!!

This is the egg tart that I use with ready pie crust from Pillsbury. This crust taste more tartness.

PANDAN CREPE WITH COCONUT FILLING (KUIH DADAR/TAYAP)

This is one of my hubby favorite snack back from Malaysia. I was so happy to received this special cookbook from my cousin at Malaysia. I had been trying to get this cookbook from all websites and stores and most of them are sold out.

Now I can try all this cookbook recipe and share it with all my blogger friends who are interested in Nonya cuisine.

INGREDIENTS :

For Pandan Juice:
5 pandan leaves, chopped
3-4 tbsp water

For Crepe Batter:
120 g all-purpose flour
1 large egg
300 ml coconut milk mixed with
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp pandan juice / 1 tsp pandan paste
For Filling:
90 g Gula Melaka / Palm sugar, finely chopped
1 tbsp sugar
1 pandan leaf, knotted
50 ml water
1/2 coconut grated (white part only)
1 tsp cornstarch/cornflour

For Coconut Sauce:
150 ml coconut milk
50 g sugar
2 tsp cornstarch/cornflour



METHODS :

1. Combine the pandan leaf and water in an electric blender and blitz for a minute. Wrap the pulverised pandan in a muslin/cheese cloth and squeeze to extract juice, or strain through a fine sieve. Set aside. (P/S: I omit this method and I used pandan paste)

2. Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre and crack in the egg. Slowly stir in the salted coconut milk and 3 tbsp thick pandan juice / 1 tsp pandan paste. Leave batter to stand while cooking the filling.

3. To cook the filling, combine the palm sugar with the sugar, pandan leaf and water in a pot. Cook cover in a medium flame until sugar dissolves. Strain the syrup and return it to the pot. Add in the grated coconut and cornflour/cornstarch and continue to cook for a few more minutes, about 15-20 minutes. Dish out into a bowl.

4. Heat up a shallow frying pan over a low flame and greased lightly with oil. Pour 2 tbsp of the crepe batter in the centre and swirl the panto coat it to form a thin crepe of about 13-cm / 5-inches diameter.

5. When the crepe is cooked, turn out onto a board (coarse surface facing down).

6. Place 2 heaped tsp of filling on the crepe abd roll up like spring roll style.

7. To cook the coconut sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small pot and mix well. Cook over a slow fire until mixture thickens and boils.

8. Serve the Kuih Dadar with the Coconut Sauce.....yummy!!!!

STEAMED DUMPLINGS

These dumplings are really delicious and I adapted this recipe from watching the Bobby Flays Throwdown at Foodnetwork. He was challenging with this Korean lady and she's a Dumpling Queen. Now...I get to know that to make a good dumplings, you need to add some soft tofu!!!


Now I would like to share this recipe with all of you and hope you'll like it!!!

INGREDIENTS :

1 pound ground pork
1 pound shrimp, chopped
1 box extra soft tofu, drained and smashed
2 bunches chinese chives ( ku chai ), chopped
2 tbsp chopped ginger
5 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
3-4 bags dumpling wrapper for mandoo
salt and pepper to taste


METHOD :

1. In a wok, fry the ginger until fragrant and then add chinese chives and stir fry for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine ground pork, shrimp, tofu, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, salt and pepper. Then stir in the cooked chinese chives and mix it well.

3. Wrap the dumpling mixture into a dumpling wrapper and seal it with an egg wash.

4. Steam the dumplings in high heat for 5-6 minutes on a greased steamer.

5. Served it hot or let it cool and pan fry with some oil.

DEEP FRIED NIAN GAO WITH YAMS

After CNY I have some nian gao left in my refrigerator. This afternoon I cut the nian gao to small pieces and also some taro yams and sweet potatoes into small pieces too.


I assembled each nian gao with a piece of taro yam and a sweet potato.


With my prepared flour ( just add self rising flour, salt and cold water), I dipped the assembled nian gao to the flour mixture.


Prepared a pot of vegetable oil and deep fried until golden brown.


Served with a pot of chinese tea.

BAKED CURRY PUFF

This recipe was inspired by Daphne from The Duck Quacking's blogspot. Although the taste of the pastry is different from the original one, but it is really healthy to have it this way (baking instead of frying).


I followed her recipe and add more ingredients in the filings. I had add a can of Ayam Brands sardine with tomato sauce and some chili and cummin powder.


I am not good in pleating the curry puff so I did it with a fork instead. Let the puffs to be cool and served.

BLUEBERRY & MASCARPONE TURNOVERS

INGREDIENTS :

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 tbsp sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries
2 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crusts
1 egg, beaten
vegetable oil, for frying

Special equipment : a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter


METHOD :

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. Stir in the blueberries.

3. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut the pie dough into 12 circles. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of the dough with the beaten egg. Place about 1 1/2 tsp of the cheese mixture in the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half to enclose the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Using the tines of fork, gently crimp the sealed edges. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

4. While pastry is chilling: In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 375 degrees F.

5. Fry the turnovers for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sugar while still hot.

6. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.