Pandan Buns With Coconut Filling

One of my favourite buns. I love pandan and anything with coconut :)

 

 

I love pull apart buns. Easy to shape and I love tearing them apart LOL

 

 

 

Recipe is from Mimi Bakery House with some modification

 

What you need:

 

The buns:

240g bread flour

20g sugar

3g yeast

3g salt

30g egg

mix water and 2 tbsp homemade concentrated pandan juice to make 120g

25g unsalted butter

 

beaten egg & fresh milk mixture for egg wash

a little extra butter to brush the buns

 

The coconut filling:

125g fresh grated coconut

5 tbsp coconut sugar

40g water

1 pandan leaves, knotted

1/2 tsp glutinous rice powder mixed with 1 tbsp water

 

Method:

 

For the filling:

1. In a small pot, boil water and sugar til sugar dissolved completely, strain the liquid
2. Transfer the liquid into a pan, add in coconut and pandan leaves. Stir until mixed well and continue cooking until the desired texture achieved
3. Stir in glutinous rice mixture, mix well. Set aside for later use

For the buns:

1. Into the breadmaker pan, add egg and pandan mixture. Followed by bread flour, sugar, and salt at one corner. Add in yeast at another corner. Set to dough function and let the machine do the kneading
2. After 5mins, add in butter. After 1hour 30mins, dough is ready to shape
3. Remove from bread pan and divide into 10 equal portions. Round into balls and leave it for 15mins covered with damp towel
4. Flatten each ball and add coconut filling at the centre (about 2 heaped tsp) and wrap it up, pinch to seal and shape like a ball, place on a lined baking sheet pinched side down
5. Proof them for another 45mins or til doubled in size
6. Meantime, preheat oven to 175dec. Brush the dough with beaten egg & milk mixture and bake for 15mins approximately or til it's browned on top and sound hollow when tapped
7. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack. Brush the top with a little butter

I think I can add more filling in the future. I want more coconut! :)

 

 

 

These are fragrant and yummy, full of coconut flavour buns. Love the taste

Texture wise, not the softest buns I ever baked. It turned a little harder the next day, but warming it up in a microwave for 15secs is enough to bring back the softness :)

 

 

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (October 2015 : Coconut) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Jess from Bakericious

 

Ghost Meringue Cookies

My one and only Halloween treat I made this year
It's delicious and sweet, but I guess I piped too much I had big fat ghosts and it took forever to bake, it's like more than 2 hours and I still got quite sticky cookies after it's cooled (I forgot that I should have transferred them straight to an airtight container)
I transferred them into the refrigerator and it did help, the stickiness was gone
Shape wise, still need more improvement, my ghosts are all cute and chubby haha...

I like these two smiley ghosts the most LOL

 

 

 

Recipe is from Sonia from Nasi Lemak Lover

 

What you need:

 

60g egg whites

40g icing sugar, sifted

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp corn flour

some chocolate chips

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 100degC. Line baking sheet
2. In a clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar til foamy
3. Add in sugar gradually and beat til soft peak
4. Add in vanilla extract and corn flour and continue beating til very stiff peak
5. Scoop in the batter into piping bag, snip the tip of the bag or you may use round piping tip
6. Pipe to form a ghost shape and add in two chocolate chips on each cookie for the eyes
7. Bake for 90mins or til the cookies are dry and crisp to the touch, easy to separate from the baking paper (the timing is subject to the size of the cookies)
8. Once done with the baking, immediately transfer them into an airtight container, otherwise they can turn sticky and gooey

 

 

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! :)

Thai Style Prawn Avocado Rice Vermicelli Soup

This unique dish is surprisingly so good!
Inspired by Thai dish, tasty coconut base soup with a hint of sourness eaten with crunchy prawns and the green vegetables, added with the creamy avocado, slurping the noodles too at the same time
Not convinced? Give it a try :)

Recipe is from Café Delites

What you need:

500g prawns, deshelled and deveined
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 cups chicken / vegetable stock
2 cups light coconut milk
some baby bok choy, cut
2 stalks of spring onion, sliced
4 kaffir lime leaves
1 lemongrass, peel the outer layer and halve
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tbsp soya sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
a pack of rice vermicelli, prepare as instructed (I used brown rice vermicelli)
1 avocado, chopped
lime wedges, to serve
1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes (optional, I didn't use)

Method:

1. In a large deep pan, heat coconut oil and pan fry prawns til changed color and just cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside
2. Using the same pan, pour both chicken stock and coconut milk, bring to boil and let it simmer. Add in garlic, lemongrass, spring onion and lime leaves. Followed by soya sauce, fish sauce and half of the cilantro. Lastly, add in bok choy
3. Arrange cooked rice vermicelli in serving bowls. Scatter avocado and pour the soup over it and then sprinkle the remaining cilantro. Season with lime and serve immediately

Yummy hearty meal. Adding chopped red bird's eye chilies would be even better. Regretted for not doing that haha..

 

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (October 2015 : Coconut) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Jess from Bakericious

Nasi Liwet Solo

That's the name. I do not know how to translate it in English LOL
A very fragrant and delicious Indonesian dish particularly from a city in Central Java called Solo I can't find in Singapore so no choice I must make my own whenever the craving sets in. And it's a pretty complicated as there are several dishes in it. A lot of ingredients involved, a lot of work too. But it's worth it. Seriously! :)

A dish typically served on a layer of banana leaf over the serving plate

It consists of tasty coconut rice, white curry chicken, stir fry spicy chayote, egg stew and yellow curry thick sauce. Put together and eat. Heaven!

 

 

 

Recipe is from Diah Didi's Kitchen

 

What you need & method:

 

For the tasty rice:

250g rice

2 Indonesian bay leaves (daun salam)

1 lemongrass, take just the white part and lightly pounded

enough salt

600ml coconut milk (I mixed 300ml coconut cream with 300ml water)

 

Method:

Mix everything in rice cooker and let it cook. When the switch turned to warm, let it stand for 15mins then fluff up the rice (the amount of coconut milk varies according to the type of rice used)

 

For the stir fry spicy chayote:

2 chayote, peeled and cut into thin strips

8 shallots, sliced

4 cloves of garlic, sliced

2 Indonesian bay leaves

2cm blue ginger, lightly pounded

6 large red chilies, discard the seeds (you can keep the seeds for spicier taste.. original recipe used 4pcs only as she added bird's eye chilies too)

10 green bird's eye chilies - whole (I skipped)

1/2 tbsp dried shrimp, soak in warm water to soften and grind til fine

1 tsp chicken stock powder

enough salt

1/2 tbsp coconut sugar

800ml coconut milk (I mixed 400ml coconut cream with 400ml water)

2 tbsp cooking oil

 

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Sautee shallots, garlic and chilies til fragrant. Add in dried shrimp, bay leaves, blue ginger, mix well. Add in coconut milk, chicken stock powder, salt, coconut sugar and bring to boil. Add in chatoye, stir well and let everything cooked. Adjust the taste and you're done

 

For the white curry chicken:

1 whole free range chicken, washed and cleaned, discard unwanted fats and cut into 2parts

1L coconut milk (I mixed 500ml coconut cream with 500ml water)

2 Indonesian bay leaves

3 kaffir lime leaves

2 lemongrass, lightly pounded

3cm blue ginger, lightly pounded

1 tbsp coconut sugar

enough salt

To grind together: 8 shallots + 2 cloves of garlic + 6 roughly chopped candlenuts + 1 tsp coriander seeds + 2cm peeled yellow ginger

 

Method:

In a large wok or pot  add in the blended ingredients, chicken, coconut milk, bay & lime leaves, lemongrass, blue ginger and coconut sugar. Bring to boil and then let simmer til the chicken soft and  liquid thickened up. Add in salt, and adjust the taste. Transfer the chicken into another serving bowl and reserve the liquid to make the curry thick sauce

 

For the eggs:

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled

1.5L water

1 1/2 tsp salt

a handful of shallots skin

2 Indonesian bay leaves

 

Method:

In a pot bring to boil all ingredients and simmer til eggs turned brown. Transfer the eggs onto a serving plate

 

For the curry thick sauce (we call it "areh" in Indonesia):

2 beaten eggs

enough of the soup used to cook the chicken

 

Method:

In a heat proof bowl, mix eggs and soup and steam til cooked, about 20mins over medium heat

 

 

 

 

How to serve...

Place a layer of clean banana leaf, scoop some coconut rice over it added with the egg, spicy chayote, shredded chicken and the thick curry sauce

For those who like really spicy dish, you may eat with sambal belachan. Yum!

 

This post is linked to the event Little Thumbs Up (October 2015 : Coconut) organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY, and hosted by Jess from Bakericious

 

Crazy Chocolate Cake With Dark Chocolate Frosting

I saw this amazing cake before HERE. She called it Chocolate Depression Cake. Wah!
And then I saw Diana from The Domestic Goddess Wannabe Baked one too named it Crazy Chocolate Cake. Hoa!
Then my mind was set. I must try. Such an easy cake with unique name and great reviews?
Another highlight, no egg, no butter, no milk, and my favourite: no mixer! Can't skip!
Furthermore, my kids love chocolate cakes. And... Children's Day is here. Perfect!
And I did :)

Yummilicious very chocolaty cake for my kids. And the whole family :)

 

My kids insisted to use presents they received from their teachers to accompany the cake LOL

 

I used the recipe Diana shared as follows...

What you need:

1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup caster sugar (I used 1/2 cup caster sugar and 1/2 cup fine brown sugar)
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Valrhona)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp oil (I used rice bran)
1 cup water

For the frosting:
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (I used Hershey's)
1/4 cup evaporated milk
2 tbsp butter or oil (I used rice bran oil)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup icing sugar, sifted

Method:

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 170degC and line a square 20cm pan
2. Into a large bowl, sift together plain flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt
3. In another small bowl, mix in vinegar, vanilla, oil and water, stir
4. Pour in wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mix til well incorporated
5. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 25mins or when the skewer comes out clean
6. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack

For the frosting:

1. Using a heavy bottom sauce pan over low heat stir together oil, chocolate, evaporated milk and vanilla
2. Once the chocolate melted, whisk in icing sugar til the mixture is smooth
3. Spread over the cake when it's warm. It'll harden a bit upon cooling

Another must try for chocolate lovers out there! :)