Almond Cookies (CNY)

You will find this easy-to-make cookie in every chinese household during the Lunar New Year festivities.  This cookie is a must-bake cookie!  Besides its crunchy texture, they can be very addictive.  You will never stop after eating one piece!  Don't say that I didn't warn you!  Instead of butter, I added corn oil in my recipe.  The dough mixture may seem crumbly in the beginning but don't worry.  Just try to lump a little dough in your hand.  If it is still crumbly, add a little more oil and knead again.

Ingredients (yields about 66 pieces):
160 g ground almonds
130 g fine sugar
200 g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
150 ml oil (sunflower or corn)

2 egg yolks (to be beaten) for glazing

Method:
Sieve flour, bicarbonate of soda, and baking powder into a mixing bowl.  Add ground almonds, salt and fine sugar.  By using the kneading hook, knead mixture while at the same time, add the oil slowly.  Knead to a cohesive dough i.e. the mixture can be lumped together instead of crumbling apart.

Take a portion (about 9 g) of dough and form into a ball.  Arrange on a baking tray which is lined with baking powder.  Repeat until dough is used up.

Glaze the dough balls with beaten egg yolks.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at a temperature of 180° C for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Once done, remove from oven and leave to cool down completely before storing in an airtight container.

Happy Baking!

Egg Tarts

Today, I am taking a one day break from baking Chinese New Year goodies to bake these delicious tarts. Actually, these tarts are my hubby's favourite and I would like to give him a surprise when he comes home from his business trip.  I hope that he will be delighted to see them.  Furthermore, I baked enough egg tarts for him to bring to the office the next day.  For the dough, I used my pineapple tart dough recipe instead of my Hongkong Style Egg Tarts recipe and the filling is simple to prepare.

Dough Ingredients (yields 24 pieces):
250 g soft butter
2 egg yolks
about 400 g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Filling Ingredients:
200 g sugar
410 ml water
6 eggs
150 ml evaporated milk

Method:
In a saucepan, cook sugar and water over medium heat.  Leave to simmer without stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool down completely.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, egg yolks and water together.  Then, add in vanilla essence, salt and flour.  Continue kneading until a pliable dough is formed.  Line tart moulds with dough as shown below.

Preheat oven (do not use the fan) to a temperature of 200° C.  In a large bowl, add sugar water, evaporated milk and eggs.  Whisk lightly and strain mixture into a jug.

Pour filling into mould until 3/4 full and bake in hot oven for about 20 minutes.  To check whether the egg custard is cooked or set, poke with a toothpick.  The toothpick should stand on its own.  If not, return to oven and bake for another 5 minutes.

Leave to cool down completely before serving.

Happy Baking!

Kueh Bangket (Bangkit Sagu)

This cookie is known to be the most "leceh" (troublesome) of all cookies but the taste is delicious. It also has the melt-in-the-mouth texture.  During my younger days, I helped my mum bake & sell various cookies for both Chinese New Year and Eid Mubarak.  This time, I used my mum's recipe and I made some amendments.  In her recipe, my mum cooked the coconut milk until thick and oily. Whereas, in the following recipe, I added coconut cream - image of packet is shown below and how to prepare it.  The tapioca flour and cornflour need to be "fried" with pieces of pandan leaves in a wok over low heat for at least half an hour or until light and fragrant.  I suggest that this is done a few days before using.

Ingredients:
300 g tapioca flour or tapioca starch
30 g cornflour
3 pandan leaves, to be washed, dried & cut into 5 cm pieces
1/4 tsp vanilla powder

120 g icing sugar
2 egg yolks (medium-size)
140 g coconut cream

Method:
In a wok, fry tapioca flour and cornflour with pandan leaves over low heat until light and fragrant. The frying process will take about 30 minutes.  Once done, set aside and leave to cool down completely.  It is better to leave overnight or a few days before using.  Before using, it is best to sieve the flour mixture twice.

Alternatively, you can bake in a preheated oven (do NOT use the fan) at a temperature of 120° C for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Before baking, don't forget to line your baking tray with baking paper.

In this recipe, I added coconut cream from the packet as shown below.  According to packet instructions, 140 ml hot water to be added to 200 g coconut cream.  Stir thoroughly and set aside to cool down.  Measure the required amount (140 g) to be used in this recipe and refrigerate the balance for not more than a week.

In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and icing sugar together until creamy and pale. Then, add measured quantity of coconut cream and whisk well.  Note:  Sorry for the bad lighting!

Lastly, fold in the flour mixture a little at a time, not forgetting to add the vanilla powder in the process.  From my experience, I do NOT add all the flour mixture because the quantity of flour required depends on the egg mixture.  Here, you have to use your own "agaration" (estimation).  You will know yourself when the dough has become pliable to be rolled.  Use the balance of flour mixture for dusting your worktop and moulds.

Roll out dough to a thickness of 0.5 cm and cut out your desired shapes.  Dip cookie moulds in flour mixture to ensure that the dough does not stick and use the pincer to create a design if you wish. Arrange on a baking tray which is lined with baking paper.

Bake in a preheated oven (do NOT use the fan) at a temperature of 160° C for about 15 minutes. Kindly note that your oven's temperature might differ from mine.  Please adjust baking time accordingly.  Once done, remove from oven and leave aside to cool down completely before storing in an airtight container.  The second photo shows the undersides are nicely browned although the tops are light in colour.

Happy Baking!

Pineapple Tarts (CNY)

With Chinese New Year approaching, some of my blog readers requested that I post some cookies and simple snacks recipes.  I have already posted the recipe for Beef Bak Kwa and more recipes will come very soon ..... the next one will be Kuih Bangket or Bangkit Sagu!

This Pineapple Tarts recipe belongs to my mum and this time, I made them slightly different.

Dough Ingredients (yields 80 pieces - 3.5 cm dia):
250 g soft butter
2 egg yolks (medium-size)
about 400 g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water

Filling Ingredients:
3 ripe Del Monte pineapples
2 cups sugar or according to one's taste
1 cinnamon stick
2 pieces cardamon
3 pcs of tiny rock sugar

Method:
Skin and remove pineapple trunk.  Grate pineapples and transfer to a fine sieve over a bowl. Leave aside for about half an hour.  Save the juice in a jug and set aside.  In a medium-size pot, add grated pineapples, cinnamon stick, cardamon, sugar and rock sugar. Cook over low/medium heat until dry and dark in colour.  If the filling looks dry before it turns dark, add a little bit of pineapple juice.  This cooking of filling will take at least 3 to 4 hours depending on the heat used or it can be cooked by spreading over a few days.

In a mixing bowl, beat butter, egg yolks and water together.  Then, add in vanilla essence, salt and flour.  Continue kneading until a pliable dough is formed.

Roll out pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of 0.5 cm and cut the dough by using a pineapple cutter (3.5 cm diameter) below.  This time, I used the plain mould and pinched the design on them. Arrange on a baking tray which is lined with baking paper.

Divide filling into 5 g portions and form them into tiny balls.

Add filling to the centre of tart dough. Then, decorate tarts with a star using the balance dough:  roll out dough to a thickness of 0.2 cm.  I use my fondant cutter for this purpose.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (140° C) for about 40 minutes.  You may bake them for about 10 to 15 minutes at a temperature of 180° C.  Kindly note that your oven's temperature might be different from mine.  Please observe the baking time carefully. Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin - place a pergament paper between each layer.

Another option is to form the dough into little fruits with cloves as stalks.  Divide dough into 12 g portions and form them into balls.

Divide filling into 9 g portions and form them into balls.  You need to wet your hands when it gets sticky.

Take a portion of dough and flatten it on your palm to about 5 cm in diameter.  Place a portion of filling in the middle.  Flatten the outer circumference of dough in order that the filling can be contained.  Smooth all seams and form into a ball.  Arrange on a baking tray which is lined with baking paper.

Brush with egg yolk and position a clove on top as shown below.

Bake in a preheated fan oven (140° C) for about 40 minutes.  Leave to cool down completely before storing in tin - place a pergament paper between each layer.

Happy Baking!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Prepared a simple and healthy dish for dinner on this cold Sunday evening. Hollowed bell peppers are stuffed with minced beef mixture and then, simmered in basil-flavoured tomato sauce.  Both hubby and son had second helpings and gave their "thumbs up".

Ingredients (serves 4):
4 medium-sized bell peppers
1 big onion, to be peeled and finely cubed
1 tbsp cooking oil
750 g minced beef
2 eggs
1 tsp italian herbs
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 pip garlic, to be peeled and minced
salt & pepper to taste

1 can (400 ml) skinned tomatoes, to be chopped and juice saved
125 ml vegetable stock or white wine
1 tsp dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

Method:
Cut of tops of bell peppers and remove the seeds as shown.

In a small pan, heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil and sauté cubed onions until translucent. Leave aside to cool down completely.  In a large bowl, add minced beef, cubed onions, eggs, italian herbs, dried rosemary, minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

In a large pan, add tomatoes, juice, vegetable stock, dried basil, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well. Then, fill bell peppers with minced beef mixture and place them in pan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Cover pan and simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes.

Once done, check seasoning again.  If the taste is sour (due to the canned tomatoes), add 2 tsp of sugar.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Bon Appetit!