Yoghurt Cake

I came across this wonderful website of SH Garden. I tried and adapted the recipe a little, hope everyone succeeds with this!

110g plain yoghurt

3 eggs

150g brown sugar

200g plain flour sifted

1 tsp baking powder

50g melted butter

1. Mix eggs and sugar in a bowl until sugar melt

2. Incorporate flour and baking powder in the mixture and whisk till well combined

3. Add in yoghurt and butter and stir well

4. Pour the batter into a greased pan and bake at 200deg C for 30 min

(Source Adapted from http://carnet-souvenirs.over-blog.com/article-28363485.html

My recipe books

I bought more recipe books over the past few weeks again... my room is running out of storage space! However the pictures of the baked cookies, cakes and savoury yummy food couldn't stop me from buying them. They were luring me to buy buy buy.. My collection of books has increased but I haven't quite tried every single recipe in each book yet. I guess everyone (I assume everyone's like me) would only bake, cook or successfully try about 60% of the recipes in a book. And you will get tempted at the bookstore again and you will find yourself heading straight to the cashier thinking you could try at least one recipe over the immediate weekend. And the cycle continues..

Here's my collection since late 08.. still counting....

Mushroom Pasta

Serving for 1 pax

40 g sliced Swiss Brown mushroom
20g sliced carrots
70 g spiral pasta
1 tsp garlic
3 tbsp creamy mushroom and herb sauce
Some oil (pref Olive oil)

Some pepper to taste

1. Boil pasta and place on plate.
2. Fry garlic in oil till slightly brown
3. Throw in mushrooms and carrots and stir for 3-4 min
4. Add mushroom sauce and continue stirring before adding in pasta
5. Add a dash of pepper, basil leaves or some mixed herbs. Toss for a while and remove from stove

Serve when hot.

Walk at Little India

My girlfriend and I wanted to take a little walk along Little India for our photoshoot. I had been to Little India for shoot before so I wasn't expecting much. But this time round, surprisingly there were many things to shoot. From colourful vegetables to beans in gunny sacks and flowers etc, it was definitely worth the trip.

Weighing your beans by the kg

and dried chilli....

wow so healthy! lotsa beta carotene

and more!

fresh lovely tomatoes.

and a cup of Ice Teh Tarik to cool you down..

Chwee Kueh (aka Steamed Rice Pudding)

Chwee Kueh is one of my top local favourite snacks and it is actually steamed rice pudding eaten with chopped turnips. I came across this recipe in a local kueh recipe book. It looked easy so I decided to try it but it wasn't so easy after all. My chwee kueh turned out to be hard, sticky and spongy. Maybe I suggest adding a little more water, using wheat starch and a little less rice flour. Or not to exceed 10 min of steaming. Maybe some veteran who sees my blog can give me a tip or two.

Rice pudding:

350g rice flour sifted

40g tapioca flour sifted

20g wheat starch (I didnt have wheat starch so I used corn starch)

600ml water

750ml boiling water

1tsp salt

Filling:

150g chopped salted turnip (chai por)

1 tbsp minced garlic

Seasoning:

3 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp sugar

Blend rice flour, tapioca flour, wheat starch and salt with water and mix well till smooth.

Pour boiling water into it and mix well.

Grease small baking cups with oil thoroughly.

Pour mixture into cups and steam at high heat for 10min.

Remove and let cool.

Fry garlic with 2 tbsp of hot oil.

Stir till fragrant. Add chopped turnip and add seasoning. Fry till fragrant. Keep warm on low heat.

Serve chwee kueh with turnip topping.

Mini Mocha Cakes

More sweet stuff coming your way. Forget about the weighing scale. Eat and be merry! It's all about indulgence and feeling happy! V Day follows after CNY, so there you have it! Sweet desserts to feel sweet and loved.

The combination of chocolate and coffee is known as mocha. These mini mocha cakes are dusted with icing sugar... that makes it so beautiful and yummy..

All you need are:

100g butter (softened)
80g light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp coffee mixed with 1 tsp warm water
75g self raising flour
20g cocoa powder

Steps:
1. Cream butter + sugar till light and fluffy
2. Beat egg and add in diluted coffee powder
3. Add egg mixture into butter mixture
4. Fold in sifted flour and cocoa powder
5. Pour into about 7 cups and bake at 180deg C for 20 min.
6. Sprinkle some icing sugar, or add buttercream and add a piece of the cake cut on top.

Time taken: <45min

(Source adapted: The Usborne Children's Book of Baking)

Ice Cream Puff

You see, I can't get enough of cream puffs : ) More yesterday..but a different way of placing the melted chocolate.

It was the 2nd day of Chinese New Year and we had lots to eat. Lo Hei, our lunch, and many different desserts. I baked a carrot cake and a sponge cake. On top of that. we also had Cheng Teng, all after our heavy lunch. But I had to give this Ice Cream Puff a shot, or I dont know when I would have the time again.


It was an improved version from my earlier cream puff. This time, I greased the baking paper on the tray with butter and let tap water run over it for a few seconds before placing the batter on the paper. It allowed the puff to stay intact as a whole rather than stick to the paper and cause a hole at the bottom and I can't fill anything in the puff. This time, it turned out perfectly alright, with a complete puff on top and bottom. The water also helps the puff to rise.


I stuffed a tbsp of Ben & Jerry's organic strawberry ice cream into the puff when it was cooled. I drizzled some Lindt dark chocolate over it then followed by some chopped nuts. It was awesome! You should try it too. Altogether it took me only <50 mins