Gingerbread Cookies

Recipe from a blogger

Gingerbread Cookies (30 cookies) For this recipe , i used the handheld mixer

Ingredients
65g butter
80g light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg (I used 65g egg)
180g Molasses ( I used 160g, can get it from phoon huat)
445g Plain Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp ground ginger

Method
1) Sieve flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon & ground ginger together and set aside.
2) Cream the butter, sugar & salt together till it is light and fluffy.
3) Add in the egg slowly into the butter mixture and mix well.
4) Add in flour and molassed alternately until well combined .(add in some flour if dough is too wet. Dough must be soft not stickly)
5) Divide the dough into 3 portions and wrap it with cling wrap and put the dough in the fridge for 20 mins
6) Pre heat oven for 10 mins at 180
7) Put baking sheet on baking tray. Get ready 2 baking sheets and place the dough in between the sheet and roll . (Take one dough at a time)
8) Use a cookie cutter and cut out the dough and then put them on the baking tray.
9) Then put the baking tray in the fridge for 5 mins before baking them.
10) For soft texture cookies , bake for 8 mins. For hard texture cookies, bake for 12mins.

 I baked mine for 8 mins.


Royal Icing

4 tsp meringue powder
4 tbsp water
300g icing sugar (sieve)
1-2 tsp lemon juice

1) Whisk meringue powder and water until soft peak stage
2) Add icing sugar gradually and whisk until stiff and fluffy . Scrape down the bowl occasionally.
3) Add lemon jucie and whisk for another 1 -2 mins until very stiff.
4) Ready to use now.
5) Divide them into different colour and add in lemon juice accordingly.
6) Add 2-3 tsp of lemon juice to get writing consistency,
7) Put the royal icing in the piping bag and get ready to draw the pattern.

Cupcakes with fondant

Prepared these cupcake with fondant for church events.

Mangoes Swiss Roll Again

I am so happy with this time result compared with the last one baking with my friend.
The top did not stick on the greased paper and the rolling was perfect.
You can get your recipe here http://nankitchen.blogspot.com/2008/10/swiss-roll.html

Mangoes swiss rolls

I was busy for the last past weeks because I visited the gym 3 times a week after sending my daughter to school. So today, I decided to bake this swiss roll. Swiss roll baking time is only 10 mins and that was why I chose to bake this when I was lazy.

You may obtain the recipe from my 1st swiss roll.

Banana Chiffon Cake

I love this chiffon cake , it is light and not too sweet.

The recipe is shared by a friend.

Ingredients

5 egg yolk (65g each) + 30g sugar

150g banana (about 5 small banana)

50ml oil

30ml fresh milk

130g cake flour + 1 tsp of baking powder (sift together)

5 egg whites

70g sugar

1/2 tsp banana essence

Method

1. Preheat oven @ 180
2. Get ready 2 mixing bowls . Seperate the egg yolk and egg whites in different mixing bowl.
3. Use a electric mixer, whisk the egg yolk and 30g sugar till light and thick in colour (about 10 mins)
4. Add milk. banana essence and mashed banana . Use a balloon whisk to mix well , then add 50ml oil .
5. Add the flour mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Mix well and put aside.
6. Use a clean and dry mixer, to whisk your egg white and sugar into peak stiff. It takes about 15 mins. After whisk, the egg white mixture will be double its size.
7. Scoope 1/3 of the egg white mixture into the egg yolk's bowl, gently mix well with a balloon whisk .
8. Then pour the egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg white and mix well in slow motion.
9. Put the mixture into the 21cm tube pan. Do not grease the pan.
10. Bake the cake @ 170 for 45 mins.
11. When the cake is ready, invert the pan for cooling.

Chicken Pie

Pastry:

150 gm butter

250 gm plain flour

1 tsp sugar

1 egg yolk

A pinch of salt1 tsp of herbs ( mixed / rosemary)

100 gm yoghurt

1.Put all the ingredients, except yoghurt, in a mixing bowl.

2.Rub butter into flour mixture until like breadcrumbs.

3.Add in yoghurt and mix to a dough.

4.Dough will be very soft so need to keep it refrigerated for at least 30 mins.

Filling:

1 big onion diced

2 cooked potatoes, diced

1 cup mixed vegetable

1 can button mushrooms, sliced

2 chicken breast, dice

½ cup water

Seasonings

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp oyster saucesalt n pepper to taste

1.Heat abt 2 tbsp of oil and fry potatoes until golden. Set aside.

2.In a clean wok, heat 2 tbsp oil. Fry the onion until transparent. Add mixed vegetable, mushroom, chicken. Add in potatoes.

3.Add in water and cook for abt 5 mins. Add in seasonings.

4.Add in the cornstarch and stir to thicken mixture. Cool and set aside.

Roll out the dough, cut the size required and place in a pie dish.

Poke holes at the base using a fork.Put 2 tablespoons fillings in. Cut another piece of dough to cover the top.

Poke a few more times using fork on the cover of the pie. Brush with 1 beaten egg.Baked in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 mins

Victoria Sandwich

Big Mistake: I should cool the cake for a few hours before cutting .


I get this recipe from a baking book by Agnes Chang. The book is easy to follow.
The book wrote that this classic Victoria Sandwich is a popular tea tim fare in England. The British love to spread a layer of their home-made jam over the cake and sandwich them up before serving.


Ingredients:

4 eggs
80g castor sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
100g plain flour , sifted
strawberry jam, stirred until smooth

Method:

1. Use a electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add vanilla and mix well.
3. Sift 1/3 portion of flour over the egg mixture and fold in lightly. Repeat until all the flour has been used.
4. Pour cake mixture into a lined and greased 20cm / '8' square baking tin ( I use 9 inch square tin)
5. Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 for 25mins to 30 mins.
6. Remove from the oven, leave to cool before slicing into 2 layers ( I cut into halve)
7. Apply jam on one layer and sandwich with the other layer.
8. Cut into pieces and serve.

Orange Chiffon Cake

115g Cake flour
3/4 tsp baking powder

85ml warm orange juice
finely grated zest of 1.5 large orange

5 egg yolks + 30g castor sugar + 1/4 tsp salt
5 egg whites + 50g castor sugar + 1/2 tsp cream of tarter

60ml sunflower oil
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Sieve flour & baking powder.

2. Whisk the egg yolk until creamy & light in colour. Add in oil, then warm orange juice & vanilla essence.

3. Add in flour mixture into yolk mixture lightly. Add in orange zest.

4. Beat egg white with electric beater until big bubbles formed & sprinkle in cream of tartar & beat until it is white in colour. Add in 50g sugar a little at a time , continue beat until stiff perks formed.
5. Pour 1/2 egg white into flour mixture in No.3 & blend well.

6. Pour flour mixture into the rest of the egg white & blend well.

7. Bake at 170 for 40 - 45 mins

8. Remove from oven, turn pan unside down to cool.

Traditional sponge cakes

I get this recipe from fen ying's blog.

http://fenyingrecipe.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html

Ingredients A: Egg : 200g, Sugar : 230g

Ingredients B: Hong Kong flour : 230g

Ingredients C: 7-up : 75g

Method:

1) Use high speed beat eggs till fluffy

2) Add in sugar gradually and continue beating till well- blended, turn off the power

3) Fold in the flour in 3 portions

4) Add in Ingredients C and mix well

5) Pour mixture paper cups

6) Sprinkle a handful of sugar such that it forms a cross on the surface of mixture

7) Steam over high heat for 15 to 20 mins

Chicken Pie

I found this recipe in the internet and decided to try it. I made the pastry the night before and prepared the filling in the morning. I used egg tart foil to make the above chicken pie.


Chicken Pie (make 8 cups egg tart size chicken pies)

Pastry:
150 gm butter
250 gm plain flour
1 tsp sugar
1 egg yolk
A pinch of salt
1 tsp of herbs ( mixed / rosemary)
100 gm yoghurt

1.Put all the ingredients, except yoghurt, in a mixing bowl.
2.Rub butter into flour mixture until like breadcrumbs.
3.Add in yoghurt and mix to a dough.
4.Dough will be very soft so need to keep it refrigerated for at least 30 mins.

Filling:
1 big onion diced
2 cooked potatoes, diced
1 cup mixed vegetable
1 can button mushrooms, sliced
2 chicken breast, diced
oil
½ cup water

Seasonings
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
salt n pepper to taste

1.Heat abt 2 tbsp of oil and fry potatoes until golden. Set aside.
2.In a clean wok, heat 2 tbsp oil. Fry the onion until transparent. Add mixed vegetable, mushroom, chicken. Add in potatoes.
3.Add in water and cook for abt 5 mins. Add in seasonings.
4.Add in the cornstarch and stir to thicken mixture. Cool and set aside.


Roll out the dough, cut the size required and place in a pie dish. Poke holes at the base using a fork.
Put 2 tablespoons fillings in. Cut another piece of dough to cover the top.
Poke a few more times using fork on the cover of the pie. Brush with 1 beaten egg.

Baked in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30 mins.