财神到

今晚要回家吃团圆饭了。做了这个芋头蛋糕代表‘鸿运（芋）当头’的意思。

财神拿着元宝到我家，可爱吧？

Walnut Cookie Squares 核桃酥

Walnut Cookie Squares 核桃酥  

(Recipe adapted from Lena) 

Ingredients:

(A)

150g vegetable oil
80g icing sugar
1/4 tsp salt

(B)

180g plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
100g walnuts, roasted & milled 

Method:
1. Combine oil, sugar & salt together using a hand whisk.
2. Sieve flour, baking soda & powder & add into the oil sugar mixture. Add in the milled walnuts & mix to a soft dough.
3. Spread the dough into a thin layer onto silpat mat.
4. Bake in a preheated oven at 170C for 20mins.

Gula Melaka Buns with Coconut Fillings

Gula Melaka Buns with Coconut Fillings

Ingredients  
200g bread flour  
1/2 tsp yeast  
1/4 tsp salt  
20g gula melaka syrup
11g milk
10g shortening 

*Direct method 

Fillings
100g grated coconut
60g gula melaka
7 Tbsp water

Meowy Macarons

 

Macarons Recipe here

Yam Okara Mantou

Yam Okara Mantou  

(Recipe adapted & modify slightly from Vivian Pang Kitchen) 

Ingredients:

(A)

100g okara

40g sugar

100g dairy cream

30g soy milk (using Joyoung Maker)

(B)

290g plain flour

10g yam powder

½ teaspoon instant yeast

Method:

1. Add ingredients (A) into a kneading bowl. Mix to combine. Then add in flour, yam powder & yeast from (B) & knead to form dough. Covered & proof for 1 hr.

2. Turn dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Roll out into rectangle shape. Brush the surface dough with some water. Gently roll the dough into log.

3. Divide the log into 4 big pieces & place on lined paper. Leave the mantou inside steamer (without turning the heat) to rest for 20 mins.

4. Turn on the heat & steam the mantou for 12mins. Once the steaming time is over, off the heat. Leave the buns inside the steamer about 3 mins before open the lid.

 

Sofia the first Cake

I am a Starfish

Portuguese Egg Tarts

Portuguese Egg Tarts

(Recipe adapted & modify slightly from Passionate About Baking) 

Ingredients : 

1 packet store bought puff pastry 

Egg Fillings

250g heavy cream

50g Fine sugar 
3 Whole eggs

1/4 Vanilla extract

Method:

1. Cook heavy cream & sugar over medium heat till sugar dissolves.
2. Add it to into the beaten egg yolks. Mix until well blended.
3. Strain the mixture & add in the vanilla extract. 
4. Divide the puff pastry into 12 portions. Flatten the pastry and roll it into about 3-mm thick. Press onto the tart moulds.
5. Pour the fillings into the pastry tarts.
6. Bake in a pre heated oven @ 200C for 20 mins on the centre rack.

又要过新年咯

我一向来都不喜欢新年。 不，应该说是讨厌新年。

还记得我在小学时期时，家里就开始不去拜年，红包也不拿了。家里只省下在初夕夜吃团圆饭的习惯。

长大后，出社会工作，所谓的公共期对我而言更是毫无意义。在医院都是轮班制，一个星期工作六天，假日也是要工作。曾经就被安排和一个华籍同士一起从初夕夜至初二做晚班。我们问了上司为何其它种族都休息反而华人却得做夜班？她好’妙’的说了一句，‘You are not married wud, why need reunion dinner?’ 难到说没结婚就连吃团圆饭的权利也没有吗？也罢，跟这种人是有理说不清的。之后，我和华籍同士就一起在漫长的夜晚吃泡面，欣赏高空的烟花，一起看守者四十个病人。

我的学生也曾经问过我，'Why you dun celebrate CNY? You not chinese meh’？啥麽逻辑？难到是华人就得庆祝新年吗？有宗教信仰拜佛的也不见得要去庙呀?! 非基督徒也庆祝圣诞节交换礼物呀?!

对我而言，新年是一个很’虚假‘的节日。大家‘被迫’聚集在一起，到各家各户‘卖笑’，高谈阔论‘炫耀’自家的儿女。吃一堆不健康的零食，大吃大喝之外，长辈和已婚的还要给红包。拆了红包，取了钱，那红包封套就被遗弃了，真的是不环保。结婚后就会被问到几时要生孩子来陪XX的孩子玩？我听了好想应她们一句，‘生孩子是要养的，不是生出来做谁的玩伴。要玩伴就自己再生’！

总而言之，人各有志，你可以不认同我，但别尝试改变我的想法。还是那句话，我讨厌新年。 :P

鲜肉酥饼

鲜肉酥饼  

(Pastry recipe adapted from Carol） 

Fillings:
300g minced meat
6 prawns, minced
spring onions, sliced 
carrots, sliced into cubes
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
black pepper
*mix all ingredients together in a bowl & clingwrap. Put in fridge.  

Minion Craze..

Minion Rolls

 

Candy Crush Brownies

This post is sponsored by LIV butter. Try a Liv butter today!

 

I do not play Candy Crush. In fact I hated this game. My hubby, on the other hand is mad & addicted to this game, playing all day & night. He asked me to bake a Candy Crush Saga theme cake to enter a competition to celebrate 1 year anniversary of Candy Crush Saga on mobile. Top 10 prizes include an iPad Mini's, with an exclusive limited edition Candy Crush Saga case! Haha, I know I will not be that lucky winner since it is a worldwide competition. What's more, there are far too many outstanding bakers out there with excellent baking & decorating skills.

Anyway, I still bake a Candy Crush Brownie just for fun! Bakers love challenges, don't we? Yeah, I do! I love to try out new cake designs :)

Brownies 

(Recipe adapted & modify slightly from Tested & Tasted)

Ingredients: 
120g Liv salted butter
225g semisweet chocolate, chopped
100g brown sugar  + 50g sugar
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp rum
130g plain flour
30g cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder 
white chocolate converture droplet & roasted peanuts bits 

*I spread ganache on top of brownies  

Method:
1. Using double boil method, melt the butter & chocolate, stir together until melted & mixed. Add sugar, stir awhile & switch off fire, mix to combine. Set aside.
 
2. Add eggs & rum into (1). Add in the sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, chocolate droplet & peanuts. Mix just until moistened.

3. Pour batter into a 12x9" pan, smooth top. 

4. Bake in a preheated oven @ 160C for 30mins.

 I must admit I had lotsa fun piping these *^_^*