Recipe: Durian tarts

Have you eaten durian tarts before? Nope, I haven't either. Hahaha! I happened to come across this recipe and I thought it was interesting!  

Ingredients (make 12 tarts):

Crust - 125g margarine (or softened butter)

½ egg (keep the ½ for filling)

1 tablespoon caster sugar

200g all purpose flour 

Durian Custard Filling - (A) 250g durian flesh

                                           250g water

                                                         (B) 3 ½ eggs (weight 55g with shell)

                                                           125g evaporated milk(or milk)

                                             1 very small pinch salt

Method:

Crust

1. With a mixing spoon, mix butter with sugar and egg until it comes together and turns creamy. Try not to incorporate air by whisking. Add in the flour mix until a dough forms.

2. Bring the dough together to form a lump (do not knead!). Cover and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

 3. Divide dough into 2 equal parts. Roll out dough into rectangle (big enough for 6 tart moulds). Cut dough disk with tart mould. Place dough disk into egg tart pan. Divide the balance dough among the 6 tarts. Shape the dough by pressing the center towards the side. Repeat the same for the other portion. 

4. Chill the formed tart crust dough until they are very firm (I make a day before).

Durian custard filling

1. In a saucepan, put water and durian flesh and bring it to a boil on medium heat, stirring all the time. The flesh will melt away, leaving behind the fibres. Strain it. Leave to cool. 

2. Mix eggs with salt and sugar (try not to incorporate air). Add in milk. Combine with cooled strained durian paste. Strain the whole custard mixture. 

3. Remove crusts from the fridge and place them on a baking tray. Pour the custard filling until it's almost to the rim.

4. Bake in preheat oven 180C for 18 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 160C and bake further 5-7 minutes until the surface of the tart sets. (If you made smaller tarts, it will need a shorter time)

5. Leave it to cool down to warm and remove from the tart pan.

*The reason I lower the temperature is to avoid custard filling puff up which will end up wrinkled. 

The crust of this durian tart is much more crunchy as compared to the one I used for my egg tart. It was definitely very flavourful because of the durian! 

I actually couldn't decide if I like it more when it was fresh out the oven or when it has cooled. Both were equally good to me! Haha. So tell me which you prefer if you've tried? ;) 

Anyways, if you're a fan of durain you might be interested in my durian puff and flourless durain cake. :)

I'm submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #33 (July 2013) - Tropical Spiky Month hosted by Charmaine of MiMi Bakery House. 

Love, 

Lirong. 

Recipe: Hainanese Chicken Rice

I was studying for my mid term but my mind just couldn't concentrate so I started planning my dinner menu. Wells, I would so rather by cracking my brain over what's for dinner than those alien notes. :/ 

Anyhow, Hainanese chicken rice somehow jumped into my mind so let's do it! 

I made a quick google and sent the maid out to get me the ingredients. Yes, talk about efficiency. 

A) STEAMED CHICKEN RECIPE

Ingredients: 

1 chicken - neck, head and feet discarded.  

1.5 bulbs garlic, separated to cloves and slightly bruised with mortar and pestle to release flavour. 

10 slices ginger. 

3 stalks spring onions, cut to 5 cm lengths

salt

Directions

1. Wash and clean the chicken before rubbing salt all over. Stuff chicken cavity with garlic cloves (about 1 bulb worth) , 5 slices ginger and half of the spring onions.

2. In a deep and wide steaming dish (chicken broth will be collected at the end of cooking), line the bottom of dish with the remaining garlic, ginger and spring onions. Place the chicken on top.

3. Steam in a covered steamer over high heat for about an hour. Watch the water inside the steamer, and add more water in the steamer dish if the water evaporates. To test if the chicken is cooked, insert a fork in the thigh area: If clear liquid (no blood) runs out, the chicken is cooked.

4. Reserve the chicken broth collected in the steaming dish for cooking chicken rice and the sauces.

5. Remove cooked chicken and plunge it into prepared cold water at once for 10 minutes.

6. Drain the chicken, discard ginger, garlic cloves and spring onions from the cavity. Set it aside to cool before chopping it neatly into desired serving size.

B) CHICKEN RICE RECIPE

Ingredients

- 2 cups rice, washed and rinsed

- broth from cooking the chicken 

- 5 cloves garlic, slightly bruised

- 5 slices ginger

- 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot

Directions

1. Cook rice in rice cooker using the above ingredients.

* For the quantity of broth to add, use the usual amount of water as you would to cook plain rice. 

 

And dinner is ready for serving! 

It really isn't so difficult right? :) 

Brother digging happily into his dinner. :)

So verdict? The family was full of praises for the attempt and nothing beats the acknowledgement from the ones you love.  

**recipe adapted from noobcook with some modification. 

I'm submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #28: Chicken Feast (February 2013) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.

Recipe: Samgyetang, Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup

Sorry to keep you waiting if you have requested for this recipe! My bad, I'm sorry! So here you go. :)

Samgyetang (삼계탕/参鸡汤), is a  Korean style chicken soup which consists of a whole chicken and Korean ginseng. In Korea,  this soup is believed to prevent illness and it is traditionally served in the summer for its supposed nutrients, which replaces those lost through excessive sweating and physical exertion during the hot summer in Korea. 

Ingredients (source):
1 Whole Chicken
3 - 4 Pieces Finger-thick Fresh or Dried Ginseng Roots, washed
4 Red Dates
2 Thin Slices of Ginger
2 Cloves Garlic, washed and lightly pound
2 Stalks Spring Onion, washed 
Extra Chestnut and Gingko Nut, 4 each(optional)

Stuffing:
1/2 Cup(100g) Glutinous Rice, rinse and soaked for 30 minutes
4 Red Dates
4 Fresh Chestnuts, shell and skin removed
4 Fresh Ginkgo Nuts, shell and skin removed
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

Method:

1. Clean and rinse the chicken thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Meanwhile drain the soaked glutinous rice and combine with the rest of the stuffing ingredients.  

2. First using one or two red dates to block the opening from the chicken neck area in order to prevent the stuffing from oozing out during simmering. Next stuff the rice mixture into the chicken.(remember not to pack the mixture too tightly as it will swell during cooking) 

3. When done, close the cavity of the chicken by threading a skewer/toothpick or using portion of the ginseng root/red dates to block the opening. 

4. Place chicken in a soup pot/claypot large enough to hold the chicken, add in enough water to cover the chicken then scatter in remaining ingredients (ginseng roots, garlic, ginger, red dates, extra ginkgo nuts and chestnut) and bring it to boil.

5. Skim off the white foam, cover and low the heat and simmer gently for about 50 - 60 minutes(turning the chicken once/twice).

Dinner is serve. Enjoy!:)

I'm submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #28: Chicken Feast (February 2013) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.

Aspiring Bakers #20: Steamed milk, 炖奶

If you were to ask me what is the most unforgettable food that I had in Hong Kong I would say 炖奶! 

Yes I love it so so so much! :D I even when to search for the recipe the moment I came back to Singapore. Haha! and Yes, finally I have some time on hand to make it! :D 

炖奶

Found a really simple recipe online, in Chinese though, so I'll try to translate. 

Ingredients:

2 eggs

250ml milk

30g sugar (may adjust to personal preference)

Methods:

1. Warm the milk slightly (don't like it boil!)

2. Beat the eggs separately before pouring into the warmed milk

3. Add sugar into the mixture

4. Remove bubbles from the surface so that it will appear smooth

5. Cover the bowl with aluminium foil and place it on a ready steamer 

6. Steam under high heat for 12mins, occasionally lift the lid to let the steam escape

7. Serve warm. 

I know right! The ingredients are so simple and idiot-prove methods too! :D

Before steaming. 

Covered with aluminium foil.

Done! With damaged surface though. Because my bowl was too full and it touches the aluminium foil. 

=.=

But this is so yummy!!!! O.M.G! I still can't believe I actually can make 炖奶 at home!!!

 :')

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #20: Asian dessert buffet! (June 2012) hosted by Moon of Food Playground

Aspiring Bakers #20: konnyaku jelly

It has been quite a while since I last take part in Aspiring Bakers, so I was pretty excited when this month's theme is Asian Desserts! :D 

Despite investing in a new oven and mixer, I find myself too caught up with work to bake. :(

 But I'll always have a box of jellies stored in my fridge! It is the easiest and simplest thing I can afford to make now. Most importantly, the whole family loves jellies! Now instead of eating fresh fruits, we have been eating these fruit jellies. :P 

Konnyaku jelly is what I have been swearing on and there are just so many flavors to try on! My current  favorite is lychee and mango though I'm still exploring other flavours. :) 

Simply follow the steps provided on the packet and I usually like to add in a can of fruits after the jelly is cooked to enhance the taste. :D Finally pour the jelly into a mold and let it cool before putting into the fridge and tadah~

You can have your fix of jelly easily! :D 

Usually one packet of jelly can last me at least 2 weeks? But I can finish them in 4 days now. Blame the hot and humid weather! :<

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #20: Asian dessert buffet! (June 2012) hosted by Moon of Food Playground


***

Anyways how is GSS for everyone? Personally I don't think GSS is any attractive at all, but I did buy a lot still. Haha! Bought 2 more pairs of shoes today from Rubi and I had to clear out some old ones to make room for them. :/ So I curiously went to count the numbers of shoes I have and....38 pairs. :O I was kinda shocked too. :/ The thing is I have so many shoes/flats/heels, but I'm always wearing my slippers. Quoting my mum, I buy shoes for display. LOL! 

Damage for the day:

2 pairs of shoes

2 pairs of shorts

2 pairs of skinny jeans

3 tops

1 maxi dress

cosmetics from Wastons. 

Gonna eat like a beggar. 

lol! 

Auspicious Dishes for CNY: 什锦炒伊面

Dinner was on me tonight. Headache on what to cook! Haha! Wanted to do stew chicken and potato at first. 

But.. the moment my eyes caught Ee fu noodles! 

*dangzzzz* 

I knew it's you for tonight. 

LOL!

I LOVE EE FU NOODLES! But I've never cooked it at home before! 

So I use my way of cooking hokkien mee to make this, won't hurt to just substitute the mee right?

Ingredients:

1. 500g Ee fu noodles 

2. 200g pork belly (sliced)

3. 1 box Tau pok (sliced)

4. 1 packet dried bean sticks (pre-soaked)

5. 10 chinese mushrooms (pre-soaked and sliced)

6. 1 packet Hotdogs and Ngo Hiang (sliced)

7. Half a cauliflower (chopped into small pieces)

8. 1 whole stalk of celery (chopped)

9. 2 packets of beansprouts

10. Chopped onions and garlic

11. 500g water

12. 2 tbsp dark soya sauce

Methods:

1. Blanched noodles and drained. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in wok. Add garlic, onion and fried till golden brown.

3. Toss in pork belly and mushroom.

4. Add taupok, beansticks, hotdogs and ngo hiang. Stir fry a while and close lid.

5. Add all vegetables except beansprouts. Give a quick stir and close lid.

6. Add noodles, sauce and water. Bring it to boil.

7. Toss in the beansprouts. Mix well.

8. Plate and dish. 

I know this is not really the usual Ee fu noodles that you see and this is really my style of cooking. :P Truly one very 什锦炒伊面! Haha! But I think this is also the fun of cooking! Always experimenting with new ingredients! Also the reason why the same dish cooked will always taste differently each time. Because I have no real recipe and doesn't follow one. I follow my heart. LOL!  

Warning: Though this is cooked for my family of 4, the amount is actually enough to feed 6-8. 


I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen’s Delight.

Auspicious Dishes for CNY: 烧肉炒包菜

Hello!:) Been too busy to blog lately. :P

 Really caught up with quite a few things on hands. :/ 

1. CA once per week. this is really killing me.

2. Assignments and report. T.T

3. Helping my mummy with her business 

4. Summer programme application

4. LAZINESS

lol!

Nonetheless, still in the mood for CNY! Sort of. :P

烧肉炒包菜

This dish is quite popular on the reunion dinner table but we only had this on day 9 of CNY, because all the other days we were having steamboats instead. 

HAHA! 

Ingredients:

1 whole cabbage (thinly sliced)

300g roasted pork (sliced)

1 tbsp of oyster sauce

1 small piece onion (chopped)

2 small pieces garlic (chopped)

1/4 cup water

Methods:

1. Heat oil in wok.

2. Add in the chopped onion and fried till golden brown.

3. Add roasted pork, give a quick stir. Close lid and cook for about 2 mins

4. Add cabbages, give a quick stir before adding oyster sauce.

5. Add water and toss in the chopped garlic, close lid and let it cook for about 5 minutes.

6. Give it another quick stir and let it simmer for a further few minutes. 

7. Plate and dish. :)

A very simple dish right? So simple that you actually don't need a recipe. lol! I wrote the 'methods' purely based on my memory of the steps. I think cooking is really very dependent on 'feeling' unlike baking, every measurements count. :/ 

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #15: Auspicious Dishes for CNY (January 2012) hosted by Wen’s Delight.

Christmas tree, dried fruits bread

Just a week away from Christmas! So exciting! Haha! Bought most of the gifts already, left mostly for the guys. I have no idea what to get for guys! :( 

Anyways, I still baking bread and decided to do something different! 

Christmas tree, dried fruits bread! 

Am I creative? LOL! 

Recipe: 

Ingredients

40g warm water

1tsp instant yeast

1/2tsp caster sugar

1tsp plain flour

250g plain flour

40g caster sugar

1/4tsp salt

4 tbsp milk (add slowly, you may not need this much)

1 egg 

25g butter

1/2 tsp pandan paste 

Some dried fruits

Methods

1. Mix warm water, yeast, 1tsp plain flour and 1/2tsp caster sugar together, cover and set aside to prove for 10-15mins. 

2. Combine plain flour, sugar and salt in a bowl and mix well.

3. Add yeast dough from step no.1, milk and egg, pandan paste into the dry ingredients.

4. Knead until it form a dough. 

5. Add in butter, continue to beat until it form a smooth and elastic dough.

6. Cover dough and let it proof for 1hr until double in size.

7. Punch out the air and cover dough and rest for another 10mins

8. Cover dough and rest for another 10mins.

9. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangular. Spread dried fruits all over and roll up like a swiss roll.

10. Cut the roll into slices and arrange on a greased tray. 

11. Cover and leave it to proof for 1hr until it doubled in size.

12.Preheat oven to 190C.

13. Lightly brush all over with egg. 

14.Bake in a preheated oven for 10mins until bread is brown.

15.Remove bread from tray and cool on a wire rack.

Before proving.

After proving, doubled in size! 

glazed with egg. 

Fresh out from the toaster! :)

Yum yum! 

I love the smell and taste of pandan! (Y) Anyways this is the bread interior, it is softer using this plain flour compared to bread flour baked bread! :D

Ho Ho Ho~ Merry Christmas! 

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #14: Creative Christmas Bakes (December 2011) hosted by Hankerie. 

Christmas fruit cake, another healthy one!

Having a sore body now because I'm back to work with momentum! We did a GVW event yesterday at Plaza Singapura, 11am-6pm. I kinda enjoyed myself though work was really tiring! It was the people! I think we cliqued very well! Thanks to my email @! Rarhs! haha! Hopefully we'll be able to meet and work again! :D   

Despite waking up with sore shoulders, I baked. hahaha! I just love baking so much! :D Despite to work on a Christmas theme again and did this. 

Christmas Fruit Cake

Red and green are the colours of Christmas aren't they? :) I used cherry red and pandan paste for the colours to get the marble effect. Very messy. :X 

Top with lots of fruits! This time round I use fruit cocktail instead of the dried ones. 

We are done after an hour in the oven  toaster. 

Cannot do without icing sugar for some Christmas feeling~ 

Ingredients:
 2 eggs

100g raw brown sugar

pinch of salt

400g all-purpose flour

3tsp baking powder

Fruit cocktails

1tsp pandan paste

1tsp cherry red colouring

Clear honey, to glaze

Method:

1. Drain and leave fruits to dry. 

2. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking pan with baking parchment. 

3. Put eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl and beat together until foamy. Sift in the flour, baking powder and fold into the mixture.

4. Separate the batter into 2 portion. To one portion add and mix well with pandan paste. To the other batter  add and mix well with cherry red colouring. 

5. Spoon alternate portion of the red and green batters into the pan until done. Cover the top with the fruits. 

6. Bake in  the oven for about 1hour. Cover with foil to prevent the top from burning. Leave to rest in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack. 

7. Brush with clear honey while still hot and leave to cool completely. 

Serves about 12

Notice that I only have half the amount of cake I baked? Because the other half is currently swimming in my stomach. :/ I only wanted to try the taste and the next thing I know, I have eaten half of the cake and I just had lunch! What stomach do I have?! I was telling Juyin I probably die young from over-eating. D: 

Oh yes! This is another oil-less cake! Pretty healthy ya? No problem with having a dry cake as you see it's actually very moist! I take lousy photos I know. :( 

Hope you like it! :) 

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #14: Creative Christmas Bakes (December 2011) hosted by Hankerie. 

Black tea fruit cake, super healthy!

I'm feeling super accomplished today!

1. Made 'special' pancakes for the family as breakfast. Shall blog about it at a later date.  

2. Washed my car like finally! It was 2 good hours of workout with my brother. Should thank Girl Guides for teaching me how to wash a car! haha! We used to do car-washing for fun raising! Really missed the time with my dear girls. :) 

3. Baked after lunch! Like really bake! If you notice, I haven't been baking for quite some time. The things I made were all like steamed. Ya, so finally time to turn on the toaster. lol! Nope, still no oven. Mummy disapprove. :( 

Black tea fruit cake 

I have no idea till recently that fruit cake is eaten during Christmas besides the famous log cakes! I have no idea why. :/ Since I have a box of  dried fruit in my fridge and found a good recipe, then lets bake fruit cake! :D 

Recipe book: FOOD LOVERS: Cakes & Bakes

Ingredients

200g dried fruit

1cup black tea

2 eggs

60g raw brown sugar

pinch of salt

400g all-purpose flour

3tsp baking powder

Clear honey, to glaze

Method (prep and cook time: 2hours + 12hours soaking)

1. Put dried fruit in a bowl, add black tea and soak overnight. Dried well the next day. 

2. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 30cm loaf pan with baking parchment. 

3. Put eggs, sugar and salt in a large bowl and beat together until foamy. Sift in the flour, baking powder and fold into the mixture. Fold in the drained fruit and spread the batter smoothly into the pan.

4. Bake in  the oven for about 1hour. Cover with foil to prevent the top from burning and bake for a further 30minutes. Leave to rest in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack. 

5. Brush with clear honey while still hot and leave to cool completely. 

Serves about 12

The batter before baking

We are done! :)

Icing sugar to give some Christmas feeling~ 

I swear this is one of the best cake I've ever baked!!! You should try it too! Damn easy as you see I could even bake it with a toaster! 

If you notice, this cake is totally oil-less and the amount of sugar to flour is like so little! Like a healthy cake eh? I was quite doubtful of the recipe at first. I mean like no oil? Won't the cake turn out to be too dry? :/

But look what we have here! I swear the cake is super moist! :D I not a professional baker so I don't know why it's so moist. haha! But oh well! It's really good! :D The sugar level was good too! I guess the dried fruit itself were sweet enough plus the additional honey glaze too! 

Add 4 pieces with brother and mummy. They love it too!! Especially my brother! Such a happy day! haha! Reserving the rest for breakfast tml! :) 

Love this guiltless cake and my new recipe book! (Y)

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #14: Creative Christmas Bakes (December 2011) hosted by Hankerie.