Cream Puffs In A Jiffy

Why In A Jiffy?  Yes, it did not take long to cook the dough as it was done in the microwave.  The longest time is the baking time.  Prep time is less than 5 minutes.  Hurray!! No washing of saucepan and wiping the stove top..........

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Flaky Pastry Egg Tarts

When my friend, Peng, linked me a video about a hong kong grandpa retiring and teaching his grand daughter to make his famous flaky pastry egg tart, i remembered that i have also made the flaky pastry this way but have not posted cos i have been neglecting my blog, but this recipe will be lost if not shared...........

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Puff Pastry Topping Pork Floss Roll

I have tried so many sweet bread recipes for rolls and buns and non has failed. When i want to make sweet bread but am lazy to look for the complicated recipes, meaning recipes using different methods..............


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Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Revisited

Thanksgiving is about being thankful for everything—but i am extra-thankful for all my family and friends who will be enjoying Thanksgiving Dinner with us.  I know they love the High Roast Turkey which has never failed to please and traditionally the Sweet Potato Pecan Pie..................

Continue to read and for recipe on how to, click  HERE Read More......

Mini Shanghai Mooncakes

The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar,  and it falls on September 30th this year (2012).  Although it is still about 1 1/2 months away, preparation for the making the mooncakes has to begin now .................... Continue to read and for recipe and how to, click HERE

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Seaweed Crispies

GONG XI FA CAI

This is a spin-off from Nori Crisps. These seaweed /nori crispies are so addictive and flavorful that they have to be fried and served for The Chinese New Year. They are so easy, just 3 ingredients and oil for deep frying. This year, instead of rolling them up or plain flat, i have twisted them into ribbons following Sesame Ribbon Crisp but do not double up the prepared pastry. For this recipe i have tweaked and used egg whites instead of the whole egg and found that the crispies remained crispier.

HERE is the recipe for Seaweed Crispies Read More......

Sesame Ribbon Crisp

When i was making the Crispy Crackers for Yee Sang, i decided to make this Sesame Ribbon Crisp as it is the same recipe only it is formed into ribbons. These ribbons do not need any introduction, one bit into one and before you can chew on it, your hand will be reaching out for another. That's how good they are.

For recipe click HERE Read More......

Eclairs

I have made eclairs and i have made eclairs, also i have made cream puffs but what is the difference between a cream puff and an eclair? Both are made with choux pastry, so, shape is only essential difference. Every time i make a batch of choux pastry, i will pipe some round and some long. To my grand kids, don't ask if they want cream puffs or eclairs. Renee will say she wants the round ones and Alexander prefers the long ones - no name calling. To me, somehow the round ones - cream puffs are more photogenic but eclair is the ugly duckling...............

To continue reading and the recipe with how-to is HERE

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Coconut Milk Egg White Tarts

Julie, a reader of my blog, requested if i have a recipe for this egg tart. She said that she does not know how to call this tart, so do I !!!. I have not heard of it, she said she ate them in Hong Kong and I regreted that she did not ask me a year ago cos i was in Hong Kong last year and would have gone to get some. Julie, thank you for introducing me to this tart and have the confidence in me to try and build up a recipe from looking at a picture.

To read further and the recipe is HERE

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Flaky Egg Tarts

If you are a Dim Sum lover, you will recognise these delectable tarts and if you frequent the Dim Sum restaurants, you will know that these tarts disappear fast. If you do not ask the waitress to reserve some when they are out of the oven, you will not have any...........

To read further and the recipe on how to is HERE Read More......

Homemade Strudel - Viennese Apple Strudel

According to Wiki - "traditional Austrian Strudel pastry is different from strudels served in other parts of the world that are often made from filo or puff pastry. The traditional Strudel pastry dough is very elastic. It is made from flour with a high gluten content, egg, water, and butter with no sugar added. The dough is worked vigorously, rested, and then rolled out and stretched by hand very thinly. Pertaining to anecdotes, purists say, it should be so thin that a newspaper can be read through it. A legend has it that the Austrian Emperor's perfectionist cook decreed that it should be possible to read a love letter through it. The thin dough is laid out on a tea towel, and the filling is spread on it. The dough with the filling on top is rolled up carefully with the help of the towel and baked in the oven."


The recipe and step by step on how to made the strudel from scratch is HERE Read More......

Palmiers Again And Again

The name Palmier means “palm leaves” in French. These cookies are also known as “Elephant Ear.” In Germany they’re called “Schweineohren”.


These French Palmiers are fantastic, traditionally, the recipe is time consuming and labor intensive, but it can be so easy-to-make, especially if you follow Quickest Puff Pastry Nick Malgieri

The Palmiers Again And Again recipe is HERE Read More......

Classic Twisted Pastry Straws

As promised, i have made these Classic Twisted Pastry Straws and they are the best Straws i have ever made.  They were all gone as soon as they came out of the oven and cool enough to eat.

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Quickest Puff Pastry Nick Malgieri

Let it snow, let it snow and it was snowing hard up in the mountains. The calling to ski at the slopes was there and up the mountains we went. The family hit the slopes before we checked in to the condo. As soon as I checked in, i started to cook lunch which was an easy one, just sprinkle the chicken legs with seasoned salt and basil,(i found these seasonings in the cabinet of the condo), and put them to broil. There was nothing to do but to wait for them to cook, so, in the meantime i had to watch tv. There was no cable and the only channel that excited me was Hallmark - Martha Stewart was making cookies. The show was interesting and i was so engrossed, especially the cookie which was made of meringue, then added roasted hazelnuts and poured the mixture into a large saucepan. The commercials came on at the same time with the smoke alarm. I was ALARMED!!!!! Lily, you are in trouble, quick, locate the smoke alarm. Good, found it, grapped a chair and stood on it, luckily i was able to reach and turn off the alarm. I came down from the chair and turned to look at the tv, Martha Stewart was eating the crunchy meringue cookie. Oh no, I missed the part of what was done with the meringue in the saucepan. Trying to find the recipe, of which i am still trying to, instead, while i was looking, i found this clip The teacher show and Nick Malgieri was teaching how to make this quickest puff pastry. After watching and seeing how easy it was, i had to make it.

The How to is HERE Read More......

Spinach, Mushroom and Ham Quiche

When i visited Seattle last year, i took the opportunity to meet up with my dear friend, TT.  Although TT can be the son that i never had(how i wish), his knowledge in the culinary arena surpass mine by many folds.  Visit his blog Playing With My Food and you will understand what i mean.  When i met up with him for dim sum, he gave me this book -The Sweeter side of Amy's Bread"  and wished me well by writing this - To Lily - May you always be on the "Sweeter" side of life".  I was quite choked up with his wishes and when i feel down, i always kept  this in mind.  So, out with this book and made this Quiche.  This recipe is a keeper, thank you TT, if not for you, making this lovely recipe will not be possible.

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Apple Strudel

So often this has found its way into my kitchen as this was amazingly easy, delicious and so hearty.

It will be great for entertaining and it was not at all time consuming with store-bought/ready made filo pastry, i can't say for making filo from scratch. It was super flaky and the apple filling  gave it an appetizing crunch!

Ingredients:

Filling:

3 big eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup orange juice
 zest from 1/2 orange
1/4 cup brown sugar
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp cornstarch plus 1/4 cup water
1 tbsp butter

Strudel:

6-8 sheets ready-made filo pastry
2 oz butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
2 tbsp dried breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to  375F.

2.  Cook apples, orange juice, orange zest, brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg with the pan covered until apples are soft and raisins are plump.

3.  Add in the cornstarch slurry and cook further for 1 minute, turn off heat and add in 1 tbsp butter. Set aside to cool.

4. .Brush each sheet of filo pastry with melted butter, then place the sheets of pastry on top of each other onto a large sheet of greaseproof paper.

5. Sprinkle the top sheet of filo with some dried breadcrumbs, then spoon the apple mixture down the middle of the filo sheet.


6. Carefully roll the pastry up around the filling like a cigar, using the greaseproof paper to help.

7. Place the filo roll onto a greased baking tray, brush with any remaining melted butter.  Cut roll into 1 1/2 slices at a diagonal. Do not cut the slices right through.

8.  Put to bake  for 30-40 minutes, until lightly browned and the filling is hot.

 Serves
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