Milo Double Chocolate Chips Muffin

Happened to see this muffin at SSB's site - one look and..bookmarked :)
Milo and chocolate chips - both my kids' fave, of course I will not miss! :)
The great comments I read are all nothing but true - this is one muffin everybody has to try - easy and yummy!

Look at the texture! Soft and moist *slurp*

Original recipe is from Happy Home Baking
(makes 12 muffins)

What you need:

270g self raising flour
30g Milo
1 tsp baking powder
55g butter
80g sugar
150g milk + semi sweet chocolate chips
2 eggs, lightly beaten
225 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 200degC. Arrange paper muffin cups on muffin pan
Mix flour, Milo and baking powder in a large bowl
Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Stir in sugar and chocolate chips
In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture all at once into the dry ingredients. Mix quickly until just blended. Do not overmix
Spoon bater evenly into the prepared muffin pan and bake for 15mins or until golden brown and skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean
Cool in the pan for 10mins then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

I'm submitting these muffins to Aspiring Bakers #7 – Chocolate Delight (May 2011) hosted by DG from Tested & Tasted at this LINK

($20 Budget Meal) Deep Fried Stuffed Tofu, Stir Fry Salted Vegetables w/Tofu, Steamed Fish w/Tomato

I've been following this event since it first started in March this year, but I never participated - even though I do cook for my family
Found many great ideas from the past two events - thank you Ellena for the creative move - it's such a great help, knowing it's a big headache to think about what to cook for the whole family in daily basis :)
This month, the third theme - tofu...I have the urge to participate - I guess not fair to just get all the ideas without me contributing too hihihi....

We had these 3 dishes using almost the same ingredients just to finish the balance :P

First, deep fried stuffed tofu

What you need:

(adapted from Ricke's site with a little modification to suit my taste)

For the filling:

3 firm tofu - fried til golden brown - halved

75g beansprouts, wash clean

1 medium carrot, peel and grate

1/8 from medium beijing cabbage - thinly sliced

100ml water

salt, pepper, sugar, cornflour (mixed with a little water)

Blend smooth:

-2 shallots

-3 cloves of garlic

For coating: (mix well all ingredients)

150g cake flour

100g rice flour

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 egg - lightly beaten

enough water to form paste

How to make the filling:

Heat oil in a pan, stir fry blended shallots and garlic til fragrant

Add in all vegetables - stir well til soften

Add in salt, sugar, pepper - mix well

Add in water, bring to boil

Add in cornflour mixture - stir til thicken, off heat - set aside

How to do the fried tofu:

Scrap the center part of each half to make a dent, stuff it up with the stir fry veggies (approx.1 tbsp)

How to deep fry:

Dip the stuffed tofu into the coating, deep fry in a heated oil on frying pan til golden brown and crisp

(make sure the whole thing submerged, otherwise you need to flip to the other side halfway of frying)

Best to eat with sweet soya sauce (kecap manis) mixed with cut bird's eye chillis

(Indonesians eat the tofu and literally bite the bird's eye chilli and munch them together :P)

Second, stir fry salted vegetables with  fried tofu

I cooked this dish before, recipe can be viewed HERE

The last dish, steamed fish with tomato

Recipe adapted from Fong's Kitchen Journal 

(with slight modification to suit my family's preference)

What you need:

1 toman fillet

1 tomato, cut into 8 parts

some cut salted vegetables

some shitake mushroom, soaked and cut

1 tbsp shredded ginger

salt, soya sauce, pepper, a little water

1 tbsp shallot oil (the oil that has been used for frying shallots)

1 stalk spring onion - cut (for garnish)

Sprinkle a pinch of salt/pepper on the fish.  Place the tomato/salted veg/mushroom/shredded ginger and fish on a plate for steaming.  Add soy sauce, shallot oil and 1 to 2 tbsp water

Steam the fish for 10 minutes over high heat (need longer time for bigger chunk of fish)

Garnish with spring onion and serve immediately

Calculation: (approximate)

1) Deep fried tofu:

firm tofu $1.40, carrot/beansprout/cabbage $1.50, egg $0.20, bird's eye chillis $0.20

others from my existing stock approx total = $2

Total => $5.30

2) Stir fry salted vegetables with fried tofu

salted vegetables $1.10, large chilli $0.10

others from the balance used to make deep fried tofu as well as my existing stock approx total = $0.50

Total => $1.70

3) Steamed fish with tomato

toman fish fillet $4.90, shitake mushroom $$0.50, tomato $0.30

others from my existing stock approx total = $1

Total => $6.70

Grand total ===>  $13.70

(for family of 4)

I'm sharing this post to “May $20 Budget Meal - Specific Ingredient is "Tofu/Beancurd"” at this LINK

I am submitting this post to [June $20 Budget Meal - Noodle] host by Ellena of Cuisine Paradise at this Link HERE.

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Chips Cookies

I always prefer chewy chocolate chips cookies than the crunchy ones
Subway is the winner compared to Amos - to me :)
As for the kids, chewy or crispy, they'll still gobble the whole thing in no time *grin*

So many recipes around for chocolate chips cookies, I haven't found the perfect one for either chewy or crunchy - not to say that the rest I've tried before weren't good, they're just...not there yet - for my liking
Whenever time is right, I always try different recipes (I can't do too often for the sake of my family's throat health as well as my waistline haha...)

Now is the good time - one, cos the theme for Aspiring Baker's this month is relevant...two, the last time I baked chocolate chips cookies was close to 2months ago - quite awhile ago

Found this recipe at Foodbuzz sometime back, gave this a try and...Eureka! This is IT!
This is the recipe for chewy chocolate chips I've been looking for!

Yummy, soft, chewy, gooey with slightly crisp edges...well, yeah...they're sweet, but that's how it should be, isn't it?
Not for weight watchers definitely, eerrr... I am, but I do indulge sometime (this sometime is getting more often lately ooppsss...)

Recipe is from Smells Like Home

What you need: (adjusted to my preference)
(I converted those using cup measurement to grams)
(makes 40 large cookies)

2 cups (256g) plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup (220g) brown sugar, packed (I used fine texture)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup (228g) bitter sweet chocolate chips ===> original recipe used semi sweet, but I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of sugars used so I changed to bitter sweet, another option is chopped dark chocolate... this is recommended for those do not prefer sweet stuff

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 165degC
Whisk flour, baking soda and salt together - set aside
With mixer, beat butter and sugars til thoroughly combined
Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla til combined. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed just til combined.
Stir in chocolate chips

Roll 1/4 cup dough into a ball (original recipe is 1/2 cup - I halved it cos I only wanted to bake large cookies, not giant ones hehe...)
Hold the dough ball in fingertips of your both hands, pull apart into 2 equal halves, rotate halves 90degrees and with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheets, leaving ample room between each ball (around 3-4cm distance)
Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, til cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (mine was 14 minutes)
Note: do not overbake!

Abby loves this cookies so much she can eat 2pcs at one go (remember, these are large cookies we're talking about...thickness about 3/4cm  and diameter around 8cm each!)... I've got to remind her all the time to drink plenty of water everytime she's chewing on these cookies
Abby is more into chocolate than Ian, so I'm not too worry about my boy - the most each time is 1/4 cookie :)

This recipe is a keeper for those who love chewy chocolate chips cookies like me
But it doesn't mean I stop trying on other recipes in the future :P

I'm submitting these large cookies to Aspiring Bakers #7 – Chocolate Delight (May 2011) hosted by DG from Tested & Tasted at this LINK

Wonton Soup

Having  a few different recipes for both dumpling and wonton, I did this recipe first from Lidia's site since it has step by step guide on the shaping part (she showed 3 different kinds) but I ended up doing my own way - taught by my mum :P

What you need:

200g chicken breast - diced
200g prawn - deveined
chopped spring onion
3cm ginger - cut small
4 shallots - cut small
6 garlic - cut small
oyster sauce, fish sauce, pepper, sesame oil,
1 tbsp corn starch
ready to use wonton skin

Blend together chicken, prawn, ginger, shallots, garlic, oyster sauce, fish sauce, pepper, sesame oil til smooth - set aside...filing is done

Put 1 tsp of the filling at the centre of the wonton skin, fold to form triangle shape
Using a little water, glue the left and right corner together upright (going above the filling), push the bottom part (below the filling) upwards a little to make the shape looks better (be gentle to avoid the sking from tearing)
===> I know it's not easy to imagine what I wrote above, I'll try to take a snap of how to do step by step the next time I make this again ya :)
For steps from Lidia, you may hop to her blog I mentioned above

For the soup, stir fry 3 cloves of garlic with a little oil, throw in a pot of chicken stock (I boiled a pot of water with chicken bone), add in the wonton - they'll float when cooked
Throw in some cut xiao ba chai and chopped spring onion, season with salt, pepper and a little chicken stock powder

I did deep fry some of the wonton too but didn't take a picture of them :)

Overall, this recipe is not too bad - shall try the others next time :)

Brioche Bread (Bread maker)

PHEWWWWW!!! Finally blogger is working...
Even though all the comments in my latest two postings are gone, at least they put back the content after gone missing!!!

Okay, let's move on from here...
I always love brioche
Soft, fluffy and taste nice with a very slight hint of sweetness - the whole family loves this brioche loaf

After torn apart *grin*

What you need:

(750g loaf)

200ml fresh milk

2 eggs

120g butter, melted

500g bread flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

60g sugar

2 tsp instant dried yeast

Using breadmaker:

Pour milk, eggs, butter to bread pan

Followed by flour, salt, sugar and lastly yeast

Choose programme for 'sweet bread' and choose light color crust

Press start
Take the loaf out from the pan as soon as it's finished baking, and leave to cool for 30 - 45mins before cutting
Keep the balance in airtight container or sealed plastic bag

This bread is the best to consume on the same day :)

Easy Nutella Chocolate Brownies Cuppies

Easy to make and taste yummy - a combination I love :)
Moist, chocolatey - what else you can ask for?



The kids love them to the bits! Thks Zoe for this wonderful recipe!

What you need:

(makes 18 cupcakes / 24 mini cupcakes)

1/2 cup butter

1 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 plain flour

1/2 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 180degC. Line up tray with cupcake papers

In a heatproof bowl, microwave 1/2 cup butter to melt. Add chocolate, stir til melted, add sugar and cocoa powder. Stir to blend with wooden spoon

Whisk in eggs, vanilla and salt. Add flour and stir til smooth. Spoon batter evenly into the cups

Using the tip of the wooden spoon, make a small depression in each portion of batter. Spoon 1/2 tsp Nutella into each hole, using a toothpick - make a swirl

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the brownie part comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 15minutes

Let cool and stored covered at room temperature

I'm submitting these brownies cuppies to Aspiring Bakers #7 – Chocolate Delight (May 2011) hosted by DG from Tested & Tasted at this LINK

Wingko Babad - Indonesian Baked Coconut Cake

In conjunction of LBT's monthly challenge - theme: Indonesian baked delicacies, I made this long time never eat, almost forgotten typical snack originally from Semarang - the city where I was born, located at Central Java
I honestly have no idea when the last time I had these yummy snack that I couldn't stop eating them!
As I am writing this post, I still taste them in my mouth *salive drop* :P

Surprisingly easy to make, I modified them into 3 different flavour - original, chocolate and pandan
The first two is available in the stores back in Indonesia, but not the latter one
For me, it's a tough choice to make - I love all three!
If thinking about originality, of course original is the first choice, but at the same time chocolate and pandan are the two can't be left behind - as you all know I love chocolate and I'm too really into snack with pandan taste :)

Each bite gives you soft,a little chewy texture, sweet and burst with coconut taste
It's heaven - especially for me, it's like a road to my hometown in imagination :)

What you need:

250g glutinuous rice flour

150g sugar

400g grated coconut

1/2 tsp vanillin powder

3/4 tsp salt

250ml hot coconut milk (not too thick - I mixed 200ml kara coconut milk + 50ml water)

For pandan taste = 1/2 tsp pandan paste

For chocolate taste = 3 tsp cocoa powder (reduce glutinuous rice flour by 3 tsp) + 1/2 tsp chocolate paste

 

Mix glutinuous rice flour with sugar, grated coconut, vanillin powder and salt in a bowl - mix well

Pour bit by bit gradually hot coconut milk while stirring continuously with wooden spoon til mixed well

Divide into 3, one for original - no need to add anything, one for pandan - add pandan paste, mix well, one for chocolate - add cocoa powder and chocolate paste, mix well

There are 2 ways of baking:

First:

Using a special mould that can be used on fire - picture below (I picked one picture from googling, too lazy to take picture on my own's)

Pour batter (half full) on each hole which already brushed with the oil+yolk mixture, cook til golden brown, turn and cook the other side til brownish

(for chocolate, it's a little more difficult to judge - just make sure it's not wet, it's an indication that it's cooked)

Second:

Using oven - preheated at 180degC, using cupcake mould (pour batter half full), bake for 15minutes, take out and brush the top with oil+yolk mixture, bake for another 5 minutes

I personally love the first way - I guess it's the closest way to the original way of cooking - on charcoal! :)

Using oven gives a drier result - not really my kind - but it's more convenient :)