21th Birthday Celebration

I made these mini chocolate cakes specially for my student's 21th birthday party tonight

Hope the birthday boy likes them*^_^*

Mrs NgSK Vanilla Butter Cake

Mrs NgSK's Vanilla Butter Cake (Recipe adapted from Table for 2)

Ingredients:

230g salted butter, softened

4 eggs

50g + 140g sugar 

200g plain flour

66mls milk

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped 

Method 

1. Separate the eggs. Beat egg whites until soft peak & add in 50g sugar gradually. Beat till stiff peak & set aside. 

2. Cream butter & 150g sugar till pale & fluffy. Put in vanilla seeds & beat for a while. Add in egg yolks one by one till well mixed.

3. Sift in flour & mix on low speed until incorporated. Add in milk in 2 additions & mix until well incorporated. Mix in balance of flour.

4. Put 1/2 the egg whites in & mix on low speed. Pour the balance egg whites in & fold.

5. Pour batter into pan & bake in a preheated oven @ 160 degrees for 45mins.

 

Verdict: Just like what Wendy had mentioned, it is a non cracked butter cake, soft & fluffy! 

                Hard to resist & I ate 4 pieces after slicing. Thumbs up! ;) 

Totoro Buns

I am not sure if you have watched 'My Neighbour Totoro', a Japanese animated fantasy film. But, if you do, you will definitely love the cute & fluffy Totoro!

Totoro Buns (Recipe here)

My friend said they look like cute racoons instead. What do you think? hehehe ;)

Poppy Seed Baguette

Baguette (Recipe adapted from Carol)

Baguette

Baguette (Recipe adapted from Carol)

 

A Day To Celebrate

White Loaf bread

I simply heart this bread. It is extremely soft & fluffy! The dough itself is very white (since there are no egg yolk & butter used) & easy to knead. 

Ingredients:
250g bread flour

15g sugar
1 tsp salt

50g egg whites

4g dry yeast ('Angel brand')
140g non dairy whipping cream

20g shortening

Method:
1. Using the mixer hook, mix all ingredients (except shortening) together. Beat until a dough is formed.

2. Add in shortening & beat again until the dough is smooth. Proof for 1hr.
3. Punch out air from the dough.     

4. Roll out the dough into a large rectangle with the shorter end to be the same length as the length of the loaf pan. Starting with the shorter end, roll up the dough swiss roll style & place it into the loaf pan to proof for 1hr.
5. Bake in a preheated oven @ 170°C for 45mins.

KS Swiss Roll 'courier' from NY

Recipe here

Cranberry Cream Scones

Cranberry Cream Scones (Recipe adapted & modify from Honey bee Sweets)

Ingredients:

240g plain flour
30g caster sugar 
1 tbsp baking powder
70g salted butter, cubed & chilled
1/2 cup cranberries
240ml non dairy cream

Method 

1. Sift the flour & baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add in sugar.

2. Use hands to rub the chilled butter into the dry ingredients till it resembles bread crumbs.
 

3. Pour in the cream into the flour-coated butter crumbs. Gently fold in until the dough comes together. Add in cranberries.

4. Placed the dough on a plastic sheet & flatten it into 1 inch thick. Wrap it up & chill in fridge until it is very firm. 

5. Once chilled, cut out rounds using a round cookie cutter dusted with flour. Arrange the cut out rounds 1 inch apart on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Repeat till the dough has been cut out.

6. Bake in a preheated oven @ 190 degrees for 12-15mins.

I heart Abercrombie!

I simply heart Abercrombie & bought lots of their stuffs when I was in US. I am so glad that we now have a Abercrombie store in Spore, but sad to say that the prices here are really steep compared to US. 

Recipe here

Aren't they cute? These are my niece's fresh 'bakes' for my family during tea break. She will even slice the cakes & serve us on plates with a cup of tea! 

 

Look at her purr..fect 'swiss roll' *^_^*

Trying out 'new toy'

My friend went to Food & Hotel Asia 2012 recently & got some samples from Angel company. Knowing that I love to bake bread, she passed me 2 packets of yeasts to try. I use a direct method for bread making this time. 

Ingredients:
200g bread flour

50g wholemeal flour
30g Shortening

8g milk powder
45g Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Egg 

7g dry yeast
120g water

Oats for toppings (optional)

Method:
1. Using the mixer hook, mix all ingredients (except shortening) together. Beat until a dough is formed.

2. Add in shortening & beat again until the dough is smooth. Proof for 1hr.
3. Punch out air from the dough.   

4. Divide dough into 50g each. Proof for 1hr. 

5. Bake in a preheated oven @ 190°C for 10mins.
 

 

 Verdict: Very soft & fluffy bread.

 This photo is taken by my friend. I'm glad she love the buns =)