Oatmeal Coconut Cookies June 14, 2009

It has been quite sometime that I did not bake anything. Firstly I was busy with my sons exam and secondly I am lazy too. Hehehe……. I ever told my friends that I need to have the mood to bake otherwise it will not taste nice.

Ingredients :

225g butter or margarine

125g soft light brown sugar

125g caster sugar

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

225g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

125g rolled oats

75g desiccated coconut

 

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg C for 10 mins before baking. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. Cream together the butter or margarine and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Cradually stir in the egg and vanilla essence and beat until well blended.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in another bowl.
5. Add to the butter and sugar mixture and beat together until smooth. Fold in the rolled oats and coconut with a metal spoon or rubber spatula.
6. Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture into balls and place on the baking sheet about 5 cm apart and flatten each ball slightly with the heel of the hand.
7. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 12-15 mins until just golden.
8. Remove from the oven and transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to completely cool and serve.

 

Taken from Biscuits, Baking & Cakes – The Essential Recipe Cookbook by Gina Steer

Cranberry Muffins April 26, 2009

I have this recipe from a book borrowed from the library. Forgot to write down the author and title. I didn’t really follow the steps and use my own method. I follow the 1st time and throw away as it sticks together and the butter cannot melt.

 

 

Ingredients : -

1 egg

100ml milk

75g unsalted butter, softened

150g plain flour, sifted

3 tsp baking powder

100g caster sugar

75g frozen cranberries, partially defrosted (use dried cranberries)

 

Method : -

• Beat sugar and butter together.
• Whisk egg and milk in another bowl.
• Combine the batter (egg & milk) to the sugar & butter and whisk and beat.
• Sift plain flour and baking powder together.
• Add the flour into the batter.
• Add in the cranberries.
• Spoon the mixture into the muffins cups.
• Preheat the oven at 180 deg C.
• Bake the muffins for 20 mins and leave it in the tray to cool for 2-3 mins before take out.

Cranberry & Vanilla Loaf April 5, 2009

 

Ingredients :

125g unsalted butter

125g caster sugar

2 eggs

150g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

125g ground almonds

2 tsp vanilla extract (use vanilla essence)

 

Methods :

1. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, ground almonds & vanilla essence in a bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Fold in 2/3 of the cranberry.
2. Grease & line the base and sides of a 500g loaf tin with a double thickness of greaseproof paper, maing sure that the paper comes 2.5 cm above the rim. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan, level the top and sprinkle with the remaining cranberry.
3. Bake in a preheated oven, 180 deg C for 40-45 mins or until the cake is well risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins.
4. Turn out the cake on to a wire rack.

 

Extract from Cakes and Bakes by Hamlyn.

 

Citrus Clean March 28, 2009

Extraact from The Sunday Times on 22nd Mar 09.

Q : After baking, what is the best way to remove the smell from the oven so that it does not carry over to the next item?

A : First, clean your oven as thoroughly as you can, scrubbing off the baked on stains or spots from which off-smells can emanate. Next, cut an orange and a lemon into thin slices and place them in a wide cake pan or roasting dish.

     Place the cake pan on the middle oven shelf, then fill it iwth boiling water. Shut the door, turn the oven to 180 deg C, and leave it for 20 to 30 mins. Switch off the oven and let it cool down a little, with the door closed.

     Remove the pan and shelf. Soak a clean cloth in hot water and wring out, then give the oven a final wipe. The citrusy steam should have displaced any lingering smells.

  

Sweet Buns March 22, 2009

 

I use the recipe from Happy Home Baking for the Sweet Buns. Instead of using almond flakes, I replace it with garlic and cheese. Only one bun with cheese only. You may get the recipe from here. There is something wrong with my oven again. The bottom light bulb is not lighted up. As a result, all the stuff I bake are not really cooked at the bottom. I can’t get a bigger oven as my kitchen space is limited.

Old Fashioned Cupcakes March 22, 2009

Ingredients :

175ml full-cream milk

60g plain chocolate, finely chopped

125g caster sugar

60g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 large egg, beaten

150g self-raising flour

 

Fudge topping (I didn’t use this)

100g plain chocolate, finely chopped

1 tbsp golden syrup

25g unsalted butter, at room temperature

 

Method :

• Put the milk in a saucepan and heat until scalding hot but not boiling.
• Put the chocolate into a bowl, add about one-third of the sugar, then pour over the hot milk and stir until smooth and melted. Let cool.
• Put the butter in a bowl, add vanilla and remaing sugar. Using an electric mixer or wooden spoon, beat until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in the egg.
• Working in batches, stir in the chocolate mixture alternately with the flour.
• Mix well to make a smooth, thick batter.
• Pour or spoon into the paper cake cases until half full.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for 15-18 mins or until well risen and the cakes spring back when gently pressed with your finger.
• Remove from the oven and let cool on the wire rack.

 

Fudge Topping : -

• To make the fudge topping, which can be used for large sponge cakes as well as small cupcakes and fairy cakes, put the chocolae in the top of a double boiler, or in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of streaming but not boiling water and melt gently.
• Remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the syrup and butter.
• When smooth, let cool, stirring occasionally.
• When very thick and on the point of setting, dip the top of each little cake into the fudge topping (or spread it on) until thicky coated.
• Let set until firm.
• Beat eaten within 3 days.

Recipe from Heavenly Chocolate by Linda Collister.

Basic Vanilla Cupcakes March 15, 2009

This is nice cupcakes. Just a bit sweet even though I have cut by 20g. I didn’t follow the method as I don’t have mixer. I mix sugar and butter then put in the eggs and vanilla eseence, follow by the flour.

Recipe from 500 Muffins and Cupcakes by Fergal Connolly

 

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter, softened

110g caster sugar (I use 90g)

110g self raising flour, sifted

1/2 tsp baking powder, sifted

2 egggs

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

 

Method

• Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric whisk until smooth and pale (almost as light & fluffy like whipped cream), about 2-3 min.
• Place baking cases in muffin tins. Spoon the mixture into the cases (about half filled).
• Remove the tins from the oven and cool for 5 min, then remove the cupcakes and cool on the rack.

Sweet Buns November 30, 2008

This is my 2nd time making bread using the oven. I like Happy Home Baking’s blog. She has a lot of bread and cakes. However, my bread is different from hers. Not so soft and the crust is hard. I didn’t really make the dough using hand but with my breadmaker.

 

 

 

Ingredients : -

150g bread flour

150g cake flour

5g active dry yeast

3g salt

125g milk

1 egg

60g caster sugar

50g butter

(1 egg, beaten, for glazing)

 

Method : -

• Put all ingredients into the pan of the breadmaker except butter.
• Set to “Dough” function and stop it after 10 mins.
• Add in the butter and set the function to “Dough” again (1-1/2 hrs).
• Take out the dough. Test it whether the dough has been fully proofed, press a finger into the dough and withdraw quickly. It should leave a deep impression and spring back very slowly.
• Punch out the gas produced. Let the dough rest for 15 mins.
• Divide the dough into 60g portions. Arrange dough in a greased pan. Rest for another 15 mins.
• Brush the top with whole egg mixture.
• Bake for about 15 mins in a preheated oven at 190 deg C. Remove from the pan and cool on the wire rack.

Garlic Bun December 28, 2008

It seems like a month I have used my bread maker. All along I hope to try out the garlic bun and today I have the mood. Funny, right? I need to have the mood inorder to bake cookies or bread. Otherwise, the output is very terrible. The recipe is from Happy Home Baking Blog. I like to read her blog as it is easy to follow and she has done a lot baking in cakes, cookies and bread too. Look at my garlic bun, I didn’t use egg wash as I didn’t want to waste the egg white. No chance to eat my garlic bun. Both my boys eat 4 buns, my hubby and my mom. They say nice to eat. However, it seems not soft as what is sold in the bakery shop.

 

 

Ingredients :-

150g bread flour

50g cake flour

15g caster sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp instant yeast

130g milk

15g unsalted butter

 

Filling :-

30g butter, soften room temperature

2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

1 tsp dried parsely

 

Method :-

1. Place all ingredients except the butter in the pan of the bread machine. Select the Dough function of the bread machine and press start. After about 8 min of kneading, add in the 15g of butter. Let the machine continue to knead the dough. After the kneading cycle has stopped (20 mins), Stop and Restart the machine. Continue to let the machine knead for another 10 mins. My machine unable to continue so I use hand to knead for 10 min.
2. Stop the machine and remove the dough from the bread pan. Shape the dough into a smooth round and place in a mixing bowl, cover with cling wrap and let it rise till double in volume for abouth 80 mins.
3. Remove the dough and give a few light kneading on a lightly floured work surface. Press out the trapped air as you knead. Divide into 6 equal portions and shape into balls. Cover with cling wrap, let the doughs rest for 15 mins.
4. Flatten each dough into a round disc. Roll up Swiss roll style and pinch the seams in place. Roll the dough on work surface to shape it into a longish oval shape.
5. Place doughs seams side down on a baking tray, lined with parchment paper. Loosely cover with damp cloth or cling wrap and let dough proof for 30 mins.
6. Prepare the filling by mixing butter, garlic and parsley to form a smooth paste.
7. Brush each dough with egg wash. With a sharp knife, make a slit lengthwise on each dough. Pipe fillings on each slit.
8. Bake at preheated oven at 175 deg C for about 15 mins. Remove from the oven and let cool on wire rack.

Melting Moments January 11, 2009

 

Ingredients :

225g softened unsalted butter

50g icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

225g plain flour

3 tbsp cornflour

 

For the filling : -

50g unsalted butter

125g  icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

3 tbsp fruit jam, any flavour

 

Method :

• Pre-heat the oven to 175 deg C.
• Beat the butter, icing sugar & vanilla essence together until light and fluffy.
• Sift the flour and cornflour and stir into the creamed mixture.
• Using a 1 cm fluted nozzle and piping bag, pipe the mixture into 2-1/2 cm rosettes 4 cm apart on a non-stick baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 mins until golden.
• Allow the cookies to firm up slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
• Beat the butter and icing sugar together with the vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
• Spread fruit jam onto the bottom of half the cookies and then spread or pipe the filling onto the other halves.
• Sandwich together.
• Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

 

from 500 cookies by philippa vanstone

 

 

Garlic Bread January 11, 2009

Thanks to CY for giving me the recipe to have soft garlic bread. Indeed the garlic bread is soft and nice to eat. It really proof till very big. I put all the 10 bread in a tray.

 

 

Ingredients :

200ml milk

75g sugar

1-1/4 tsp salt (use 1/2 tsp)

1 egg

80g tang zhong (3 tbsp full)

480g bread flour

100g plain flour

2 tsp yeast

75g butter

 

As for the method, I use the previous method for my 1st time garlic bread.

To make tang zhong, use 40g bread flour and 200ml water under low fire and keep on stirring till like glue. It can be used for 2 times. I use 25g bread flour and 125ml water. Just remember that always 1/5 braed flour of the water.

Mini Chocolate Marylands January 18, 2009

 

Ingredients :

125g butter, at room temperature

90g caster sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla essence

175g self-raising flour

90g milk

90g chocolate chips

 

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 deg C. Grease 2 baking trays.
• In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla essence, flour, milk and half the chocolate chips and stir well until thoroughly combined.
• Using 2 teaspoons, place small mounds of the mixture on the baking sheets, spcaing them slightly apart to allow room for spreading.
• Press the remaining chocolate chips on to the mounds of cookie dough and press down gently.
• Bake for 10-15 mins until pale golden. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 2 mins to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

 

I have reduced the sugar to 70g. After I have put in chocolate chips in the dough, I forget to add milk. Instead of 90g of milk, I add 90ml milk. Not wonder my dough is so liquid and my cookies are not mini…….

Cheese Soft Rolls January 18, 2009

I get this recipe from Business Times a few months back. I did change some of the recipe. Overlook that the water need 320g instead of ml. No wonder my dough is so sticky and have to add a lot of flour.

 

Ingredients :-

500g bread flour

10g sugar

10g salt

18g yeast

320g water (use 220g water & tang zhong)

20g butter (use 40g)

2 eggs (one for brushing onto the rolls)

Emmental, chedder or parmesan cheese to taste

 

Method :-

• Put all ingredients except the butter in the pan of the bread maker machine.
• Select to “Dough” function. After 5 mins, add in the butter and let it kneading for another 15 mins.
• Kneading another round for 20 min.
• Remove the dough from the bread pan and transfer to a mixing bowl and cover with cling warp. Let it rise till double for about 80 min.
• Remove the dough and give a few light kneading on a lightly floured work surface.
• Press out the trapped air as you knead.
• Divide into 10 equal portions and shape into balls. Cover with cling wrap and let the dough rest for 15 min.
• Flatten each dough into a round disc. Roll up Swiss roll style and pinch the seams in place.
• Place doughs seams side down on a baking tray. Loosely cover with a damp cloth or cling wrap and let the dough proof for 45 min.
• Bursh each dough with egg wash.
• Sprinkle the cheese on top.
• Bake at 180 deg C for 15 min. Cool for 15-20 min on the wire rack.

Dark Chocolate Crunchies February 7, 2009

 

It looks similar to chocolate cornflake I did it but with some additional stuff. This recipe is taken from 500 Cookies by Phiplippa Vanstone (borrow from the library).

Ingredients :

200g dark chocolate

50g unsalted butter

5 tbsp golden syrup (I use 3 tbsp)

100g crisped rice cereal (I use the whole box at 130g)

 

Method :

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. Melt the chocolate & butter together in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water or in the microwave.

3. Stir in the golden syrup and crisped rice cereal. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the  baking sheets and refrigerate for about 45 mins until set.

4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to7 days.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Cookies February 8, 2009

 

This recipe is taken from 500 Cookies by Philippa Vanstone. Quote from the book : “The rumour that gave this cookie its rise to fame tells of a customer who inadvertently paid US$250 for this cookie recipe, thinking she was being charged US$2.50.”

 

Ingredients :

115g unsalted butter

200g light brown sugar (I use 150g)

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla essence

200g plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp instant coffee powder (I use cocoa powder)

225g plain chocolate chips (I use 200g)

 

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 190 deg C.  For my oven, I use 175 deg C.

2. Beat the butter and sugar together and add the egg and vanilla essence.

3. Sfit together the remaining dry ingredients, including the cocoa powder. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix in the chocolate chips.

4. Roll into balls. Use your fingers to flatten onto  non-stick baking sheets 5 cm apart. Bake for 8 to 10 mins. Cool for 5 mins. (My dough is too soft to roll into balls)

5. Store in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.

 

Chocolate Chip Muffins February 22, 2009

 

Ingredients :-

115g butter – softened

75g granulated sugar

30g brown sugar

2 eggs

175g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

120ml milk

175g semisweet chocolate chips

 

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 190 deg C. Grease ten muffins tins or use paper liners.
2. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift the flour and baking powder, twice. Fold into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk.
4. Divide half the mixture among the muffin tins. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top, dividing them equally among the muffins, then cover with the remaining mixture.
5. Bake for about 25 mins, until lightly coloured. Leave to stand for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

 

I use mini cups and bake for 15 mins. 175g chocolate chips are too much for mini muffin cups.

Chocolate Whirls March 14, 2009

It has been quite sometime I never try to bake new stuff. Moroeve the school holiday is coming and my boys will always look for cookies to eat. This recipe is taken from the 500 cookies book.

Ingredients :

225g softened unsalted butter

50g icing sugar

25g dark chocolate, melted

225g plain flour

2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder

3 tbsp cornflour

 

Method : -

• Preheat the oven to 175 deg C.
• Beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the chocolate.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder and cornflour and stir into the creamed mixture.
• Pipe the mixture using a 1-1/2 cm fluted nozzle into 5 cm rosettes spaced 5 cm apart on a non-stick baking sheet.
• Bake for 10 to 12 min until golden.
• Allow to firm up slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.

Nutty Chocolate Clusters June 28, 2009

I bought this book “Everyday Chocolate – A Collection of over 100 essential recipes” from Popular quite sometimes back. It is partiall successful because I didn’t add in the white chocolate as I bought the wrong type. It should be in bar white chocolate instead of white chocolate chips as it is very difficult to melt. Anyway, it tastes nice even though without the white chocolate. I did toast the hazenuts before chopping into pieces. My elder son said that it would taste better in put in the fridge. So I put some in the fridge and bring some for my colleagues to try it.

 

Ingredients :

175g white chocolate

100g digestive biscuits

100g chopped macadamia or brazil nuts (use hazenuts)

175g plain chocolate

 

Methods :

1. Line a baking sheet with a sheet of baking parchment. Break the white chocolate into small pieces and melt in a mixing bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water.
2. Break the disgestive biscuits into small pieces. Stir the biscuits into the melted chocolate with the chopped nuts.
3. Place heaped teaspoons of the chocolate cluster mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Chill until set, then carefully remove from the baking parchment.
4. Melt the plain chocolate and cool slightly. Dip the clusters into the chocolate, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Return to the baking sheet and chill until set.

Apple, Carrot & Celery Juices May 28, 2009

I know this is nothing related to baking. However, I want to include here as my collection. I happened to read Food & Travel issue in May 09 that apple and celery will help to slim down. I have drank it last week and my boy loves it too. He is a bit fat and can afford to drink it. Today I add carrot which is good for the eyes side too.

2 red apples

2 green applies

2 carrots

6 sticks of celery

Almond Cupcakes March 29, 2009

 

 

 I use the previous vanilla cupcakes recipe. Just add 3 tablespoon of ground almond. The recipe requires almond essence but I replace it with vanilla essence.