Tasty Query

Here's another cupcake recipe adapted from the delightfully sweet Primrose Bakery's 'Cupcakes' cookbook. This time I chose Pumpkin Cupcakes. I just love to incorporate veggies in my bakes. It makes me feel less guilty and a little wee bit 'healthier'.

These cupcakes were nicely moist and soft. I left them unfrosted as I didn't want to add in extra calories. I bet they would've been even better with a creamy velvety cream cheese frosting. Ah, if only my ever expanding thighs permit!



So far  the Primrose Bakery 'Cupcakes' cookbook have yet to dissappoint. I've tried 2 recipes, the Malted Cupcakes (Milo Cupcakes) and this Pumpkin Cupcakes. Both turned out satisfactorily moist and tender. But they may be a tad too sweet and you may need to adjust the sugar to suit your tastebud. I've reduced  the sugar for the pumpkin recipe below.


Pumpkin Cupcakes

(makes 12 regular cupcakes)

• 110g butter  
• 200g soft light brown sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 100g pureed pumpkin 
• 125g self-raising flour
• 120g plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 125ml buttermilk (or 120ml water mixed with 2 tbs buttermilk powder)

Method:

1. Cream butter and brown sugar with an electric hand whisk until pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, add vanilla extract, beating well after each addition.  Then add pumpkin and beat until just combined.
2. Combine and sift  self-raising flour, plain flour and mixed spice in a bowl.  Add 1/3 of the flours to the butter mixture and beat until just combined.  Add 1/2 the buttermilk and beat again, then repeat these steps until all the ingredients have been added.
3. Spoon the mixture into 12  cupcake cases, filling them to about 2/3 full.  Bake at 180 C for about 25 mins until slightly raised and golden brown.  Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave the cupcakes in their tins for about 10 mins before cooling on a wire rack.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Baker's #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) hosted by Min of Min's Blog.

We, especially Malaysians & Singaporeans grew up drinking Milo. It is a staple breakfast drink in most households and is served  in all coffee shops. If you're reading and wondering what Milo is, it is actually a brand name of a chocolate malted drink. Heard of Ovaltine? But Ovaltine somehow is not as popular as Milo. 

Instead of drinking that mug of Milo, how about eating one for a change ... a Milo cupcake? I made these Milo cupcakes the other day just for this month's  Aspiring Baker's cupcake theme. I used a recipe adapted from the Primrose Bakery Cupcakes cookbook and frosted them with Swiss Meringue Buttercream.  These Milo cupcakes were soft and moist and very Milo-y. Yummy!  One little issue though, the crumb stuck to my teeth everytime I took a bite! I'm wondering whether this is because I've added too much Milo? The original recipe ask for half the amount I used. Hmmm .... anybody knows why?      




Milo Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from Primrose Bakery Cupcakes cookbook

Ingredients:
110g butter, softened
120g soft brown sugar 
100g caster sugar
2 large eggs
125g self raising flour
60g cake flour
100g Milo powder
125ml milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs heavy cream


Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160C and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases. 
2. In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and the sugars until pale and smooth. 
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing into the mixture between additions. 
4. In a separate bowl, sift and combine together the flours and Milo powder.
5. Mix the milk together with vanilla extract and heavy cream.
6.  Add 1/3 of the flour to the creamed butter/sugar mixture.  Beat well until combined. Then, add 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat again.  Repeat this step until the last of the flour and then the last of the milk, beating well between additions. 
7. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.  Fill about 2/3 full. 
8. Bake for about 25 mins until golden brown or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes. 
10. Then turn out to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Note:
I bake the cupcakes in small size muffin tins and yielded 28 cupcakes which took 20 minutes to bake.



Swiss Meringue Buttercream
(Recipe adapted from Table for 2 or more)

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
100gm sugar
170gm unsalted butter, lightly softened

Method:

1. Put the sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and temperature has reached 65C. The mixture will look like marshmallow cream. Remove from stove.
2. Pour meringue into a mixing bowl. Beat the meringue on medium speed until it cools and forms a thick shiny meringue, about 5 minutes.
3. Now add in add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, beating until smooth. Mixture will be soupy and maybe curdled. Do not worry. It will come together nicely in the end. Carry on beating on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, approximately  6-10 minutes. 

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Baker's #13: Enjoy Cupcakes! (November 2011) hosted by Min of Min's Blog.

Besides being steamed, kuehs also come in baked form. Like this Bingka Keladi I made the other day. It was very dense, a little sticky, a little chewy just like any steamed kueh except it had drier outer crust. It looked plain & boring and rather unattractive compared to other colourful kuehs, but really looks can be deceiving.  It was very fragrant and had a prominent coconut and yam taste. It almost felt like I was eating mashed yam in compacted form! This kueh was quite addictive too. Before I knew it, I had eaten almost half the cake!

Bingka Keladi (Baked Yam Kuih)
(Recipe adapted from here)

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 3 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups plain flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 cups yam (steamed or boiled, drained, then mashed)
• 1 tsp purple colouring  (optional)
• sesame seeds for sprinkling on top

Method: 

1. Preheat oven at 200C. Grease a 9 inch square pan  with butter and preheat in the oven for a while.
2. Using a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients together till smooth and combined. Do this in batches if  you can't fit everything all at once. Batter will be quite thin & runny. 
3. Add purple colouring and mix til coloring is well combined.
4. Pour batter into preheated pan. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly on top.
5. Bake for about 1 hour, using both top and bottom heat. If you like crusty top, bake further for 10 minutes using top heat only.
6. Onced baked, remove from oven and leave to cool completely before cutting.

I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.
Made any kuehs lately? Do join in the fun too.

HUATT ARR!!!
(meaning PROSPER in Chinese)

This was what I was greeted with when I lifted the lid from my steamer.....


Puffy, Voluptuous, Wide Smiling Huat Kuehs.

This made me grinning from ear to ear. The Huat Kuehs had 'prospered' .... this mean I'm going to have good fortune in the coming days.  Hehehe.


HUATT ARR!!!

Pumpkin Huat Kueh
(Recipe adapted from Cherry's Kitchen here )


50g Plain flour
1 tsp Yeast

1. Mix together plain flour, water and yeast. Leave aside for ½ hr until the dough has proofed.
2. In a blender, combine pumpkin, coconut milk, water, gula melaka and egg together.
3. Pour pumpkin mixture into a large mixing bowl. Sift in plain flour and double acting baking powder. Then add in the proofed starter dough and mix evenly. You'll get thick wet gooey mixture. 
4. Pour mixture over cups until almost to the top. Dip a knife in oil and make a deep “X” across the batter in each cup. Leave aside to proof for 10 minutes.
5. Steam over high heat for 15 minutes. Do not peak/remove lid while steaming.

Note:

• I made half the recipe and got  6 Huat Kuehs using medium sized muffin cups.
• You may use Hong Kong flour or cake flour for a softer finer textured Huat Kuehs.

 


I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker

Ondeh Ondeh is one of my favourite kuehs. I love the oozy syrupy  palm sugar filling encased in the soft yet slightly chewy glutinous ball accompanied by the salty sweet taste of grated coconut. But what I love most is the experience of eating it. You see, eating Ondeh Ondeh is a messy affair.  You cannot be demure and take dainty bites. Unless if you don't mind sticky syrup sputtering all over  your clothes and whatever that is near you. 
Forget about being lady like. To eat one, you have to open your mouth wide, pop the whole ball into your mouth and close your mouth tightly. Bite into it and savour the the sweet filling bursting out!  This is the best part and I must say, an absolute joy! I'm sure you all agree with me too. :)




Here's my first ever batch of Ondeh Ondeh. Have always wanted to make my own but just never did as I've always thought it involves a lot of work. And it does! ... at least to me. What I find hard is filling the glutinous balls neatly. My hands and fingers are just not deft or nimble enough. It took me more than 1 hour just filling the balls alone. I'd suggest making these when you have someone to help you.  The more the merrier. Anyway, for all the hard work I've put in, I was well rewarded in the end when I pop one Ondeh into my mouth, then another and another .... and another. Yup, I had a gorge fest. Haha!  
  
As for the recipe, I adapted from the cookbook 'Delicious Kueh & Desserts' by Patricia Lee. I have made a little substitution by using yam in place of the sweet potatoes called for and omitted the coloring.  The green tint you see came from the pandan juice. And if you're wondering, the yam taste was not prominent at all. I couldn't taste any yam flavour under all that fragrant pandan and coconut. I've also found the amount of palm sugar called for was not enough to fill the dough balls. To get that oozy filling that'll sputter when you bite, you have to be very generous with the filling!



I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker


Yam/Taro Ondeh Ondeh
(Recipe adapted from 'Delicious Nyonya Kueh & Desserts' cookbook by Patricia Lee)

Ingredients:

300 g Glutinous rice flour
200 ml Water
a pinch of salt
100 g Palm sugar (grated and mixed with 1 tbsp castor sugar)
a pinch of salt
additional water, if dough is dry

1. Mix grated white coconut with a pinch of salt, then steam on 2 pieces of pandan leaves for 10 minutes. Leave to cool.
2. Cut the remaining 8 pandan leaves into smaller pieces, put into a blender together with the water. Blend, then strain. Add salt. Mix well. 
3. In a large bowl mix together glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour.  Add in mashed yam. Pour in pandan juice and knead till dough is smooth and pliable like playdoh. If dough is too dry, slowly add more water into it, a tablespoon at a time.
4. Pinch a small lump of dough, roll into a ball and flatten slightly. Put a little palm sugar at the centre. Seal well and roll into smooth ball again.  
5. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Gently drop the filled dough balls into it. When the balls  float to the surface, keep boiling for another 2 minutes. Scoop up with a strainer and coat in  grated coconut. Serve.

Food Processor Almond Danish Braid
(Recipe adapted from  Nigella Lawson's 'How to be a Domestic Goddess' cookbook)

Ingredients:
For the pastry dough:
60ml warm water
125ml milk, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
350g white bread flour
7g (1 package) rapid-rise yeast or 1 tbsp fresh yeast
1 tsp salt
25g caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, cold, cut into thin slices

For the filling:
150g ground almond 
80g icing sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
½ tsp almond extract (I used vanilla)
1 large egg white, beaten lightly

For the egg glaze:
1 large egg, beaten with
2 tbsp milk

For the clear glaze:
100g caster sugar
60ml water

For the sugar glaze:
100g icing sugar
1-2 tbsp warm water


Method:


To turn it into pastry, take it out of the refrigerator, let it get to room temperature, and roll it out to a 20-inch (50 cm) square. Fold the dough square into thirds, like a business letter, turning it afterward so that the closed fold is on your left, like the spine of a book. Roll out again to a 20-inch square, repeating the steps above three more times. Cut in half, wrap both pieces in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Or you can refrigerate one (up to 4 days) to use now (for the Almond Danish Braid) and put the other one in the freezer to use later.

To make the almond filling:
Beat the butter until soft. Mix in the ground almonds and powdered sugar. Then add the almond extract and 2 tbsp of the egg white. You can make this in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

To make danish braid:
(You'll need only 1/2 quantity of the pastry dough above)
Roll the pastry out to a big rectangle. Slice the left and right thirds of the dough at an angle and parallel to the other side into 1/2 inch wide slices.Spread the filling on the middle of the dough.
Fold the top and bottom flaps over to hold in the filling. Fold the slices of dough from the left and right sides of the middle, alternating and forming a braid.


Place on the baking sheet and brush with the egg glaze. Leave to rise until it doubles in size and feels spongy like marshmallow, about 1 ½ hours. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175°C. Once risen, bake for 30 minutes or until golden.

Remove to a wire rack and make the two remaining glazes.

To make the clear glaze:
Heat the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil then take off the heat.

To make the sugar glaze:
Add the water to the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time to make a runny icing. Brush the braid with the clear glaze first once it has cooled a bit; then when almost cold zigzag the sugar glaze over it.

Yummy moist almond filling which is not too sweet.

If you're like me who thinks all things pastry in general are a pain to make, this free form rustic tart may just change your mind!  This is one easy and delicious tart to make at home. I especially like the fact that I don't need to line a tart tin let alone needing one, but just roll the pastry into a rough circle and fold up the edges. And it's okay if it's uneven and knobbly, because rustic and homey is what we want.  I've got to say, I'm pretty pleased with this pear tart. It didn't get soggy like what I expected -  the filling was oozing pear juices and was bubbling away during baking. Instead,  the crust was deliciously buttery and crisp. The pears all soft and fragrant and  the juices thicken up nicely upon cooling. A delight to eat and eat..... and eat.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #10: Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink! If you would like to join, please see details here.

Rustic Pear Tart
Recipe adapted from here for the pastry and here for the filling.

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry:
250g plain flour
125g salted butter, chilled, finely chopped
80g icing sugar
2 egg yolks, chilled
1 tbs water, chilled


Filling:
3 medium pears


For the pear tart:

It's the end of the month again, just a couple more days before we enter August and here I am scrambling to post my third and final entry for this month's Aspiring Bakers Event. For this month's event, everyone is challenged to try their hand  in swiss roll making. Most home bakers are intimidated by swiss rolls. I was too. Though baking the cake itself is easy, most dread when it comes to rolling for fear of the cake tearing. From my own experience and from other bloggers too, I found recipes that use egg white separation method (ie. chiffon cakes) make cakes that are springier and more flexible for rolling.

Here I made a Purple Sweet Potato Swiss Roll, adapted from a chiffon cake recipe. Just look at that lovely soft  purplish lavender hue ... it's all natural, no artificial coloring was added.  So pretty, so sweet and so girly, don't you think. The more I look at it the more besotted I am with the colour.  The swiss roll was yummy too. Soft, moist, and light.   




I am submitting this entry to Aspiring Bakers #9 - Swiss Rolling Good Times (July 2011) hosted by Obsessedly Involved with Food.


Purple Sweet Potato Chiffon Roll
(Recipe adapted from 'Little House' here)

Note: I have slightly altered  the recipe from the original to include an extra egg yolk, and baked the cake in a swiss roll pan instead of a chiffon cake tin.

Ingredients:
- Place the pan into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cake is cooked through (test with slewer).
-  Lift cake from  pan and let cool on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, turn cake on a  clean baking paper and remove the lining. Invert it again. Carefully scrape/slice away the skin.  Spread filling of your choice.  Roll up, trim away the ends. Done!