Yule Log

Actually was making a swiss roll but after rolling up, decided to just frost with chocolate ganache (melted chocolate + whipping cream). Filling: Whipping cream + raspberry jam.

Sweet potato Huat Kueh

Very soft and light, pau-like. My father liked this.

Sweet potato huat kueh

made this and 'flower' very nicely. i used milk instead of coconut milk because i dont like coconut smell. i halved the recipe and had four of them in a 'chee kueh' mould. (something like muffin cups) The original recipe used orange sugar but i find them having a weird taste, so use normal white sugar if you dont want to a funny taste.

recipe from:
http://sakurambokitchen.blogspot.com/2007/07/huat-kueh-pumpkin-durian-sweet-potato.html

Ingredients:

A)
50g Plain flour
50g Water
1 tsp Yeast

B)
200g Sweet potato (steamed/boil)
120g Coconut milk
40g Water
140g sugar
1 Egg
200g Plain flour
1 tsp Double acting baking powder

1)Mix yeast dough (A) ingredient together. Leave aside for ½ hr until it has proofed.
2)Combine sweet potato, sugar, egg, coconut milk, water together and blend it.
3)Add in flour, double acting baking powder, yeast dough and mix evenly.
4)Pour mixture over cups. Dip a spatula in oil and make an “X” across the batter and proof for 10 minutes. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes.

Pineapple tarts

baked pineapple tarts as cny is coming. was trying out the recipe, i did not add the spices as my mum doesnt want it. she was afraid of it tasting funny. Note, if you prefer a softer pineapple 'jam', do not cook too the jam too dry as they would dry further in the oven.

Recipe from:
http://wlteef.blogspot.com/2006/01/pineapple-tarts.html

Ingredients: (85 pieces)
Pastry
Plain Flour 340g
2 tbsp Icing sugar
1/2 tsp salt
Cold butter 200g
1 Egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla essence or brandy
5 tsp ice cold water
1/2 tsp baking powder

Egg glace: Lightly beat1 yolk with 1 tsp water

Method:
1. Lightly beat egg yolk with vanilla essence.
2. Sieve flour, baking powder and icing sugar into mixing bowl. Stir in salt and blend well.
3. Put all butter into flour mixture and cut up butter into small pieces with a knife in the flour.
4. Use rubbing-in method to rub in butter into the flour until it is bread crumbs like.
5. Add egg yolk and ice water into flour and use a fork to blend well to form a dough.
6. Put dough into freezer bag and refrigerate for 1 hour. (Not in the ice-box)
7. Remove dough from fridge and use a rolling pin to roll out dough into 7 mm thick and use tart cutter to cut out the dough. Place tart onto baking tray lined with baking sheet.
8. Bake at 200C for 10 minutes, remove from oven, apply egg wash and lightly press the pineapple filling onto the indentations of the tarts. Bake again at 180C for 10 – 15 minutes or until the golden colour that you desired.


Pineapple Filling
2 kg pineapple
500g white sugar (or adjust to suit your taste)
1 tbsp lemon/lime juice
1 tbsp butter
1 piece 6cm cinnamon
8 cloves
1 - 2 star anise
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

Method:
1. Remove skin off the pineapple and gouge out the black eyes with a sharp knife.
2. Shred pineeapple into a large bowl.
3. Strain off half of the juice.
4. Put the shredded pineapple, sugar, butter and lemon/lime juice into a saucepan and cook till jam is thick and on the dry side, this takes about 45 - 60 minutes.
5. Adjust the sugar to taste, if the jam is too dry, you can add in some of the pineapple juice you save up in step (3) until you get the right consistency.
6. Cool the filling before storing.

Kuih Bangkit

Quite nice with the melt in the mouth texture but i didnt like coconut flavour. was looking for a milk one but couldnt find any. Note: when still hot out of the oven , do not panick if the cookies are soft as they will harden when cool.
Recipe from:
http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/02/kuih-bangkit.html

Ingredients:

225g tapioca flour
3 pandan leaves cut into small pieces
30g margarine
65g icing sugar
1 egg yolk
75ml – 90ml coconut milk
a pinch of salt

1. Line a large pyrex bowl with greaseproof paper, microwave the flour and pandan leaves on high 1 min at a time for 5 times, stirring every minute.

2. Set aside, cool completely before using.

3. Cream margarine with sugar and yolk till sugar dissolves.

4. Add in 75ml coconut milk and mix well.

5. Add flour to mix till a non-sticky dough is formed. If dough is too dry, add more coconut milk but add 1 tsp at a time, otherwise, dough may be too sticky. Leave dough to rest covered with a damp cloth.

6. Take a quarter of the dough and roll dough on a floured table to 3/8 inch(this thickness is necessary to obtain a nice size cookie)and use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Using a pincher to pinch desired designs. Alternatively wooden moulds can also be used and that omits rolling the dough.

7. Baked on lined tray in preheated oven at 300 f convection for 15 mins. Cookie should not brown.

8. Remove to cool completely before storing .

huat kueh

Made this today. doesnt look very nice as it shrink a little, maybe because of steaming it for too long. I steamed it for 25 minutes instead of 15 minutes cause the batter look quite thick to me. The recipe was from a cookbook belong to my mum. Will not post the recipe unless someone request for it. :)

ang ku kueh (红龟粿)

made this for fun, not for festival or anything. didnt add the red colouor since it was not for festival, i like the natural colour of sweet potato more :). literally translated as 'red tortoise cake' as tortoise is suppose to be an auspicious animal. shall not talk more about this. this time round i think it was abit soft, would reduce the sweet potato next time.
skin recipe from:
http://roseskitchen.wordpress.com/2007/05/23/ang-ku-kueh-ii/

Ingredients for skin:
300g glutinous rice flour
150g sweet potatoes
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cooking oil
250-300ml water (i used the whole 300ml, i would suggest 290ml)
1/8 tsp red colouring or some red powder

Banana leaves in squares or circles about the size of your mould.

1) steam the sweet potato until soft (whole or cubes)for about 10-15 minutes, mash and leave to cool.
2) mix the glutinous rice flour, mashes sweet potato, sugar and cooking oil.
3) add the colouring to the water and pour into the flour mixture.
4) knead or stir until not sticky (add more water if too dry, flour if too wet.)
5) rest for 20-30 minutes.

Peanut Filling:
300g ground, roasted peanuts
150g caster sugar
some water

1) mix peanuts and sugar together and add water until it form a paste. (not wet)
2) form into small round balls for filling.
3) divide the skin dough to fit your mould. (you can take a piece of dough to see whether it is enough.)
4) wrap the peanut filling with the dough.
5) grease the mould with oil and shape the dough. knock over a hard surface to dismould the kueh and stick onto a banana leaf.(need to be very oily to prevent sticking)
6) steam on high heat for 5 minutes, open the lid to release the steam and then steam for another 5 minutes.
7) remove from steamer and brush with oil to prevent sticking together.

note:
- you can use other filling if you want such as red bean paste (adzuki paste) or kaya etc.