Palmiers

Palmiers are one of my daughter's favourite snacks and I remember when she was little, we used to buy this brand of Japanese palmiers for her which was quite expensive for a small pack. So I was thrilled to find out how easy it is to make them yourself at home and all you need is just 3 ingredients!

Bon Appetit!

Palmiers
(makes 20)

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry
1/4 cup castor sugar 
3 Tbsp melted butter

Method

1) Sprinkle almost half of the sugar over your workstation. Lay out the puff pastry sheet over the sugar and gently press on it to let the sugar stick on to the bottom.

2) Lightly brush melted butter on the pastry and sprinkle the other half of the sugar over it.

3) Fold one edge of the pastry towards the centre (about 1/4 of the sheet), and repeat for the opposite end. Fold over both ends again so that they meet in the middle. Lastly, fold the two sides together and press gently. Chill the pastry in the fridge for about half an hour.

 

 

4) Remove the pastry from the fridge and using a sharp knife, cut it into strips of about 1.25cm wide. Lightly brush melted butter on both sides and sprinkle a little sugar over them. 

5) Pinch and press the closed end of the pastry roll together and place on a lined baking tray. Leave about 3 cm apart (as they will spread in the oven).

6) Bake at 200C for 12-15 mins or until the pastry has puffed up and turn golden brown, then flip them over with a spatula and bake for another 3-5 minutes (keep a watchful eye so that they don't get burnt!). Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

Enjoy!

Note:
Just be careful to keep an eye while they are in the oven as the caramelized pastries have a tendency to get burnt if left too long in the oven. The baking time is just a guide as all oven temperature differ.

Chicken Mince Sausage Roll

These sausage rolls make great lunch or afternoon tea snacks. I used to buy frozen ones from the supermarket and baked them at home but now I can make them fresh on my own. I can even freeze up the rolled up pastry and bake them as and when I need them. Plus, they taste amazing!

Chicken Mince Sausage Roll

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small brown onion, peeled and finely sliced
500g chicken mince
1 courgette, grated
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp cold water
3 sheets puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 Tbsp black and white sesame seeds

Method

1) Preheat oven to 170C. Heat oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and saute until caramelised.

2) In a large bowl, combine onion with chicken , courgette, salt, breadcrumbs and cold water. Mix well, and divide mince into 3 portions.

3) Lay out pastry sheets and spread chicken mixture across the centre of each. Fold sheets in half away from you, then roll in half again so there is a double layer of pastry at the base of the sausage roll. Using a sharp knife, cut into 4 small rolls. Brush top of rolls with egg, then sprinkle white and black sesame seeds over each roll. 

4) Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden.

Ham and Broccoli Quiche

Quiche is one of my family's favourite dish and whenever we patronize a cafe it's one of our regular orders.  So what's better than to make your own quiche at home (with your favourite choice ingredients)  and have it fresh straight out of the oven! 

The crisp of the pastry and the richness of the filling is definitely something to look forward to.

One word .... Divine !

Ham and Broccoli Quiche

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry
125g butter
240g plain flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Filling
50g butter
1 small white onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small florets broccoli, chopped into small pieces
150g ham, cut into small pieces
 300ml cream (whipping/cooking cream)
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated Parmesan/Cheddar cheese

Method

1) For pastry, place butter, flour and salt in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg and lemon juice and process until mixture forms a ball. Turn onto a floured bench and gently knead to bring dough together. Do not over work. Wrap in plastic wrap and rest in refrigerator for 10-15 mins.

2) For filling, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 mins until fragrant. Add in the broccoli and stirfry it for about 3 mins until it softens. Dish out and set aside.

3) Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly grease a 9-inch loose-bottomed fluted tart tin.

4) Remove dough from the fridge and roll the pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper to a 10-inch circle and 3mm thick.  Gently ease into prepared tart tin, pressing pastry into the edges of the tin. Trim with a small knife and prick the base. Lay a sheet of baking paper over the base and fill with baking beans or rice and blind bake pastry for 15-20 mins or until golden. Remove from oven, take out paper and baking beans and return to the oven for 5 mins to crisp.

4) Whisk cream, eggs and yolks in a bowl until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

5) Fill the base of the cooked pastry shell with onion & broccoli mixture and scatter over half the cheese and half the ham. Pour over egg mixture and sprinkle with the rest of the ham and cheese.  Bake for 15 mins, reduce temperature to 160C and bake until set. Allow to cool before cutting.


Bon Appetit!
 

Valentine Cookies

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and these delicious "shortbready" custard cookies are just the perfect gift for your loved ones.  And what's more they are homemade with love!

Decorated with pretty ribbons and strings, I'm sure they will bring a smile of delight to the ones who receive them ....

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

 

 

Valentine Cookies

Ingredients

100g butter
80g icing sugar
1 egg
220g plain flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
30g custard powder


Method

1) Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2) Beat butter and icing sugar till creamy.  Add in the egg and continue to beat until light and fluffy.

3) Sift in the flour, baking powder and custard powder.

4) Mix together and knead lightly into a dough. 

5) Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper until about 8mm thickness.

6) Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Using a straw, poke two holes in the centre of the cookies. Place them onto the baking tray.

7) Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool on a rack.

8) Stack a few cookies on top of each other. Run a ribbon or string through one of the holes of the top cookie all the way down to the bottom cookie and then through the other hole of the bottom cookie and string it all the way up again. Tie the two loose ends of the ribbon/string into a pretty bow on top of the cookies.


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If you would like to decorate your heart cookies with icing, you can try this runny icing:-

Royal Icing

Ingredients
1 egg white
1 tsp lemon juice
8-10 heaped Tbsp icing sugar
food colouring

1) Place the egg white in a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and one heaped Tbsp of icing sugar. Stir with a spoon (do not use an electric beater. You are mixing, not whipping the egg white). Continue adding the icing sugar spoon by spoon until you get a white icing, which should be runny, but not watery.
   
2) You will need 8-10 Tbsp of sugar, depending on the size of your egg white. Always have some icing sugar on the side in case you need more, and if the icing becomes too thick, add a teaspoon of water to thin it down. You can mix in food colouring of your choice.

3) Spoon the icing directly onto your cookies and use the back of the spoon to smoothen it around. Leave aside to harden.

 Homemade with love ...

Kuih Bangkit (Tapioca Cookies)

Kuih Bangkit is another one of our all time favourite Chinese New Year cookies. I got a couple of new sea shell moulds from my sister this year and they are just perfect for these cookies as they are white in colour and look just like the real sea shells!



Kuih bangkit shells on a bed of sandy brown sugar!

 

 



Love these sea shell moulds!

Kuih Bangkit
(Recipe by Kevin Chai)

Ingredients
3 egg yolks
120g castor sugar
150ml thick coconut milk
400g fried tapioca flour *

* Fry the tapioca flour with 3 pandan leaves (cut into 4cm pcs) in a wok or pan on low heat till light and dry (about 40 mins). Leave to cool overnight.

Method
1) Beat egg yolks and castor sugar in the mixer with a whisk. Beat until light and fluffy, then add in coconut milk slowly and mix until well combined.

2) Sift the tapioca flour in a mixing bowl, add in coconut milk mixture slowly and mix until resemble crumbs. Cover with a wet kitchen towel.

3) Prepare a wooden mould, dust some tapioca flour in the mould, fill the mixture in the mould, press firmly. Knock out the cookies and arrange and arrange on a lined baking tray with baking paper. Decorate with red spot.

4) Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 15-20 minutes. Dish out, leave to cool and store in airtight containers.

Potato Salmon Cakes

Creamy mashed potatoes and salmon covered in crispy breadcrumbs makes this fishcakes simply delicious!

Potato Salmon Cakes
(makes 8)

Ingredients

250g potatoes, peeled
350g tinned pink salmon, drained (or freshly cooked salmon)
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
40g flour
80g dried breadcrumbs (I use panko)
1 egg
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp oil

Method

1) Cut the potatoes into 5cm pieces. Half fill a saucepan with water. Add the potatoes and a pinch of salt. Bring it to the boil and cook for 12-15 minutes.

2) Drain off the water and mash the potatoes until smooth. Leave to cool enough to handle.

3) Break the salmon into small pieces in a bowl, removing the skin and bones. Stir in the potatoes, spring onions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

4) Lightly dust your hands with a little flour and shape the mixture into 8 cakes. Place on a plate.

5) Beat the egg lightly. Put the flour and breadcrumbs on separate plates. Coat each fishcake in flour, then egg and then the breadcrumbs.

6) Heat 3 Tbsp oil in a large pan on medium heat. Shallow fry 4 of the cakes for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

7) Serve with tonkatsu sauce or lemon wedges and mayonnaise.

Dragon Cookies

I love these dragon cookies as they have such a buttery and milky taste that simply melt in the mouth.  Another must have for Chinese New Year!

Dragon Cookies
(makes about 30 pcs)

Ingredients

60g butter
60g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
5g custard powder
10g milk powder
135g cornflour
red colouring

Method

1)  Beat the butter and icing sugar until creamy and fluffy. 

2) Add in the egg yolks and beat until combined.

3) Fold in custard powder, milk powder and cornflour and mix to form a soft and pliable dough. (If dough is too wet, add a bit more cornflour)

4) Put a star nozzle into a thick piping bag.  Fill it with some of the dough (do not fill in too much for easier piping) and pipe out "S" shaped patterns on a baking tray lined with baking paper.  Dot eyes with red colouring.

5) Bake in a preheated oven at 160C for about 15 min or till light yellow.


Please note:

1) Cover the batter in the bowl with a wet cloth while you are piping out the patterns as the batter tends to harden up due to the cornflour.

2) If the batter does harden up, add a little bit of water to soften so that it's easier to pipe out.

I use a Wilton nozzle 32 to pipe out the cookies

Strawberry Custard Tart

Strawberry Custard Tart
(serves 4)

Ingredients

2 sheets ready rolled frozen puff pastry
400g strawberries, hulled, thinly sliced

Custard filling
1 egg
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup custard powder
2 cups milk
1/2 cup thickened cream


Method

To make custard filling

1) Whisk egg, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla together in a bowl. Stir in custard powder.

2) Gradually add milk and cream, stirring constantly.

3) Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking continuously, for 8 to 10 mins
     or until mixture boils and thickens. Boil for 1 min.

4) Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover surface with plastic wrap. Set aside to cool.
     Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

To prepare pastry base

5) Lay out a sheet of puff pastry and cut into half to become 2 long rectangles. Using a knife
    (or a roller cutter if you have one), score along the inside of one of them (about 1.5cm from
    the edge) to make an inner rectangle line, pressing 3/4 of the way through the pastry,
    taking care not to press all the way through. Do the same on the other rectangle sheet.
    Repeat the procedure on the other sheet of pastry. So, you should have 4 rectangle
    scored puff pastries. Refrigerate for 20 mins or until firm.

6) Preheat the oven at 200C. Bake the pastry shells for 15 mins or until light golden.
7) Using a small, sharp knife, carefully cut around the inner rectangles and remove the top
     layer of pastry (leave the pastry bases intact). You can use the round end of your knife
     handle to flatten the puffed up bases. Leave to cool.

8) Spread custard over the base of the pastry case.

9) Arrange strawberry slices over custard.

10) Serve and enjoy!

Mini Blueberry Cheesecake

Blueberry season is here and with loads of them getting cheaper and cheaper at the supermarkets, I can't help myself stocking them up in my freezer for later use. Incidentally, I also have a block of cream cheese in my fridge which has been screaming for me (every time I open the fridge) to use it before it reaches its expiry date. Hmm.... what should I make then?

Blueberries and cream cheese ....yes! Just the perfect combination. What else to make but Blueberry Cheesecake!

These scrummy little cheesecakes are so dainty, cute and pretty ... but you know what? The great thing about it is that the size of it makes me a "little" less guilty about its richness!

 

 

Mini Blueberry Cheesecake
(12-13 cupcakes)

Ingredients

Crust
1 cup crushed digestive biscuits
55g butter, melted
1 1/2 Tbsp castor sugar

Cheesecake
225g cream cheese
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream (or thickened cream)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup  blueberry pie filling (or make your own blueberry sauce*)


Method

1) Preheat oven to 175C and line a muffin pan with paper cups.

2) To make the crust, combine the crushed digestive biscuits, sugar and melted butter together until well blended.

3) Press the crumbs onto the bottoms of the paper cups. Set aside.

4) To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese until creamy and smooth using a mixer on low speed.

5) Gradually add sugar and salt while beating, occasionally scraping the sides of the bowl.

6) Add in the egg and mix till incorporated.

7) Add in the vanilla extract and heavy cream and mix well.

8) Let the cheesecake batter rest for 10 mins to remove any air bubbles formed during the mixing process.

9) Scoop the cheesecake batter into the prepared crusts and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until firm but the centres of the cheesecakes should still be a bit jiggly.

10) Remove from the oven and let cool, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

11) Serve with chilled blueberries and sauce on top. 



Blueberry Sauce * 

75g castor sugar
1 1/2 tsp cornflour
pinch of salt
80 ml water
250g fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste

1) Place the sugar, cornflour, salt and water in a medium sized saucepan and stir until smooth.

2) Gently stir in the blueberries and place the saucepan over medium heat.

3) Cook (simmer) the sauce until the liquid thickens and becomes clear, stirring gently occasionally (about 10 mins). Some of the blueberries will break down but others will remain whole. The longer you cook the sauce the thicker it will become. (if sauce is still too thin, add a little cornflour diluted in a bit of water to it to help thicken the liquid)

4) Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice if needed. Let cool and then cover and refrigerate. It can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.

* Leftover of this sauce taste great as blueberry jam on toast or waffle too!

Cashew Nut Cookies

Chinese New Year is always an exciting time as there are so many delightful and tempting goodies that come with this festive season.

One of my favourite bites is cashew nut cookies and I must say it's on my baking list every CNY.  Rich, flavoursome and full of nutty goodness, it's definitely a must-have!

Cashew Nut Cookies

Ingredients
250g butter
180g icing sugar
400g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
180g ground cashew nuts
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g cashew nut halves, for garnishing

Egg wash
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten


Method

1) Preheat oven to 150C.

2) Sift plain flour and baking powder together.

3) Cream butter and icing sugar together. Add in egg yolk and vanilla extract.

4) Add in the flour and ground cashew nuts. Mix well until dough forms.

5) Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutter.

6) Press a cashew nut on top of each cookie and brush with egg wash.

7) Bake at 150C for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.





My stack of Golden Stars!