Mandelzopf (Yeast Bread with Almond-Marzipan Filling)

Another variation of the classical Hefezopf (Yeast Bread).  This time, I added an Almond-Marzipan filling for a change.  The dough recipe belongs to my dear sister-in-law, Maria.  Normally, milk is used to make this kind of yeast bread but I added warm water taken directly from the tap. Furthermore, I added flour type 550 instead of the normal plain flour type 405 and I found the texture much softer and better.  One may halve the recipe if one wishes.

Ingredients:
600 g flour (type 550) or plain flour (type 405)
80 g fine sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp salt
40 g butter, to be gently melted
250 ml warm water (straight from the tap)
1 cube à 42 g fresh yeast, to be crumbled

Filling Ingredients:
100 g marzipan
100 g apricot jam
100 g chopped almonds
100 g raisins

Glaze Ingredients:
1 egg yolk, to be mixed with 1 tbsp fresh cream
100 g apricot jam, to be heated over low heat
100 g icing sugar
about 3 tbsp water
2 tbsp roasted almond slices

Method:
In a small bowl, mix marzipan and apricot jam until well blended.  Then, add chopped almonds and raisins.  Mix thoroughly.  If the mixture is too dry, add a little egg white in order that the mixture blends well.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, egg white, salt, melted butter, water and crumbled yeast.  Knead dough until it leaves the sides of bowl.  Cover bowl with a damp cloth and leave aside to let dough rise to double its volume.

Remove dough from bowl and knead on a floured worktop.  Roll out to a rectangular shape of 35 cm x 45 cm.  Add filling in the middle, about 8 cm in width.  By using a pizza cutter, cut as shown maintaining a width of 2 cm i.e. from top & bottom, towards filling and the dough strips.

Bring the top portion of dough over filling.  Carefully, bring the left strip over the filling and then, the right strip.  Repeat procedure until the end, then tuck the end part underneath as shown.

Leave to rise for about 30 minutes.  Then, brush with a mixture of egg yolk & milk all over.  Bake in a preheated fan oven at 160° C for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Once done, brush immediately with hot apricot jam and leave aside to cool down completely.

In a small bowl, mix icing sugar and water together.  Brush all over and sprinkle with the roasted almonds.

Bon Appetit!

Onion-Bacon-Pizza

A simple dinner on a windy and lazy Sunday evening.  This is another one of my quick pizza dough recipe topped with onion slices, turkey bacon and creamy sauce. A pleasant change from the normal pizza and it is definitely a hit with the kids.

Ingredients (serves 2 - 4 persons):
1/2 cube (21 g) fresh yeast
250 ml warm water from tap
400 g plain flour
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp cooking oil

80 g turkey bacon, to be cut into cubes
500 g onions, to be peeled and thinly sliced into rings
1 tbsp cooking oil

200 g Schmand (sour cream) - one may use crème fraîche instead
2 medium-size eggs
salt & ground pepper to taste

Method:
In a big pan, add 1 tbsp cooking oil and add bacon cubes.  Stir-fry until almost crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.  Add onion slices to pan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, keep stirring.  Then, return bacon cubes to pan and mix well.  Remove from heat and cool down completely.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt, sugar and cooking oil.  In a small jug, crumble fresh yeast into warm water.  Then, pour into flour mixture.  By using the kneading hook, knead until the dough leaves the sides of bowl.  Cover bowl and leave aside for 30 minutes.

Remove dough from bowl and knead on a floured worktop.  Roll out dough to a rectangular size of 35 x 30 cm on a large baking paper.  Place paper on baking tray and leave to rise for about 20 minutes.

In a bowl, mix Schmand (sour cream) and eggs together by using a hand whisk. Season with salt and ground pepper to taste.

Spread onion mixture on top of dough.  Then, add cream mixture on top by the spoonful.  Bake in a preheated oven (fan:  175° C/conventional:  200° C) for 20 minutes.  Then, increase oven temperature to fan:  195° C/conventional:  210° C and bake for another 10 minutes.

Bon Appetit!

Kuih Dadar/Kuih Ketayap

A traditional malay or nonya delicacy.  Pancake rolls filled with coconut filling which is known as inti kelapa. This sweet kuih is one of our family favourites.  This time, I purposely made them in pastel colours instead of making them dark as my two boys prefer them that way.

Ingredients (yields 20 pcs):
350 g plain flour
2 medium-size eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cooking oil
a few drops of green & yellow colouring (according to one's preference)

700 ml water
6 pandan leaves, cut into pieces

Filling Ingredients:
150 g sugar
200 g gula melaka (palm sugar)
1 grated coconut (skinned) - one can use 200 g dessicated coconut (Kokoraspel)
150 - 200 ml water
1 tsp glutinous rice flour
1 tsp salt
2 pandan leaves, to be tied in a knot

Method:

In a pot, add sugar, gula melaka, pandan leaves and water.  Cook until both sugar and gula melaka are dissolved.  Drain through a sieve into another pot and return to stove.

Bring mixture to a slight simmer.  Then, add grated coconut, glutinous rice flour and salt.  Cook for a few minutes and mix thoroughly.  Remove from heat and leave aside to cool down completely.

Blend pandan leaves and water coarsely.  Then, drain through a sieve into a jug.

In a mixing bowl, add flour, oil, eggs and salt.  Pour in sieved pandan liquid and mix thoroughly. Pass through a sieve into another bowl.  Divide into two portions and colour each portion with green and yellow colour respectively.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and brush with a little oil.  Then, wipe surface of skillet with kitchen paper.  Pour a ladle of batter onto skillet.  Move skillet around in order that the batter is well spread into the shape of a big pancake.  Cook until cooked.  Remove to a big plate.

Add 2 tbsp of filling on one end and roll as shown:

Repeat procedure until the batter is used up.  Arrange kuih dadar on a large plate and serve.

Bon Appetit!

Pizza Margherita

A classic & simple pizza of all pizzas which consists of three simple ingredients i.e. tomatoes, mozarella and basil.  According to history, this pizza was named after Queen Margherita in the nineteenth centuries in Naples.  The following dough recipe yields two thick pizzas of 30 cm in diameter or 3 thin pizzas of 26 cm in diameter.

Ingredients:
400 g plain flour
7 g dried yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
about 200 ml warm water

5 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp dried oregano
4 - 5 tbsp water
salt and ground black pepper to taste

2 large tomatoes, to be washed, dried and sliced
2 pkts mozarella cheese (à 125 g), to be drained and sliced
a bunch of fresh basil, to be plucked (note:  I omitted this as our son hates it)

2 tsp olive oil

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add flour, yeast and salt.  Mix together and then, add olive oil and warm water. Knead until the dough leave the sides of bowl.  Cover with a cloth and leave aside to rise.  It will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

In a small bowl, mix tomato puree, dried oregano, water, salt & pepper to taste. Leave aside.

Knead dough for a minute or two and then divide into two portions.  Roll out each portion to a diameter of 30 cm.

Spread half of tomato puree mixture onto dough.  Arrange tomato and cheese slices on top.  Sprinkle 1 tsp olive oil all over.

Bake in a preheated oven at 225° C (fan oven:  215° C) for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Once done, sprinkle with basil leaves before serving.

Bon Appetit!

Hefezöpfe (Yeast Braid) - Almond Hefezopf & Nutella-Almond Hefezopf

Our family's favourite and the following recipe belongs to my dear sister-in-law, Maria. Normally, milk is used to make this kind of yeast bread but this time, I added warm water taken directly from the tap. Furthermore, I added flour type 550 instead of the normal plain flour type 405 and I found the texture much softer and better.  Kindly note that I divided the dough into two in order to get two different types of bread.  Of course, you can bake one or the other according to your preference.

Ingredients:
600 g flour (type 550) or plain flour (type 405)
80 g fine sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp salt
40 g butter, to be gently melted
250 ml warm water (straight from the tap)
1 cube à 42 g fresh yeast, to be crumbled

Extra Ingredients for Almond Hefezopf:
10 g almond slices
1 egg yolk, to be mixed with 1 tbsp fresh cream

Extra Ingredients for Nutella-Almond Hefezopf (to be mixed together):
100 g Nutella
50 g chopped almonds

Glaze Ingredients (to be mixed together):
100 g icing sugar
about 1-2 tbsp water

Method:
In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, egg white, salt and melted butter.  In a small jug, mix warm water and crumbled yeast together.  Stir until yeast is dissolved and add to mixing bowl.  Knead dough until it leaves the sides of bowl.  Cover bowl with a damp cloth and leave aside to let dough rise to double its volume.

Divide dough into two portions.  Through my experience, I will get a total of about 1040 - 1050 g which I will divide into two.

Almond Hefezopf:
Divide dough into 3 portions à 170 g.  Roll each portion into a long shape of about 35 cm long.

Arrange each portion as shown below:

Place on a greased baking tray.  Brush with water and leave aside for about 20 to 30 minutes to rise.

Then, brush with egg yolk/cream mixture and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at 160° - 170° C for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Once done, brush with glaze while still hot.

Nutella-Almond Zopf:
Roll out dough into a rectangular size of 26 cm x 33 cm.  Spread Nutella-almond mixture, making sure the edges are left free.

Start rolling from the long side.

Place rolled dough on a greased baking tray with the seams underneath.  From the middle, cut dough into two and then, braid by placing each portion over or under each other.

Repeat on the other side by cutting dough into two and repeat procedure.

Brush dough (not on filling) with egg yolk/cream mixture and leave to rise for about 20-30 minutes. Bake for about 25 minutes.  Once done, brush with glaze while still hot.

Bon Appetit!

Mapo Tofu

A popular and spicy dish which originated from the Sichuan (Szechuan) province.  A combination of silken tofu and minced meat (usually pork or beef) in a spicy chilli and bean-based sauce.  I served this dish as part of a two course meal for four persons.

Ingredients:
150 g minced beef
2 pkts à 250 g silken tofu
2 or 3 spring onions, to be sliced diagonally into lengths of 2.5 cm
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tbsp chilli oil

3 pips garlic, to be peeled and finely minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
3 tbsp hot bean sauce

Sauce Ingredients:
100 ml water
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste

Method:
Slice silken tofu to a thickness of 1 cm and drain water away.  Leave aside.

In a small bowl, mix all sauce ingredients together and leave aside.

In a wok or pan, heat cooking oil and chilli oil over high heat and add minced garlic and minced ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant before adding the minced meat.  Then, add hot bean sauce and cook until meat is cooked.

Add sauce ingredients and tofu slices.  Stir gently to combine, making sure that the tofu are not broken into pieces.  Lower heat and simmer for about 5 minutes and then, add the sliced spring onions.  Mix well.

Serve hot with jasmine rice.

Bon Appetit!

Shrimps with French Beans

A chinese stir-fry dish which is our family's favourite.  It is simple and quick to prepare and I served this dish as part of a two-course meal for 4 persons.

Ingredients:
100 g french beans (or snow peas), both ends to be removed and cut into two
1 medium-sized carrot, to be peeled and diagonally sliced
2 cm fresh ginger, to be peeled and cut into fine sticks
250 g medium-sized prawns (fresh or frozen), to be shelled and deveined
2 tbsp cooking oil

Sauce Ingredients:
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chinese wine or sherry
1 tsp sugar
a few dashes of ground white pepper
1/2 tsp cornflour
6 tbsp water
salt to taste

Method:
In a saucepan, bring water to boil and add two drops of cooking oil.  Blanch both beans and carrots for about 20 minutes.  Remove from saucepan by using a slotted spoon and immediate immerse in ice cold water.  Drain and leave aside.

In a small bowl, mix all sauce ingredients together and leave aside.

In a small wok or pan, heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil over high heat.  Stir-fry shrimps until half-cooked. Remove to a plate and leave aside.  By using kitchen paper, wipe wok or pan clean.

In the same work or pan, heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil over high heat.  Add ginger and stir-fry until fragrant.  Then, add beans, carrots, shrimps and sauce.  Cook for 2 minutes or until prawns are cooked through.

Serve hot with jasmine rice.

Bon Appetit!