Steamed moist chocolate cake_simply good !!

Before I started blogging, I only know how to bake butter cake, but now I have learned to bake so many type of cakes from other bloggers. I like this kind of truly sharing and exchange opinions via blogging, I learn from you and you learn from me..never ending learning..

This is a cake that I learnt from other blogger, do not need a mixer and oven, very moist and soft chocolate cake, simply good !!

Recipe adapted from Jane's corner, original recipe from Cooking Crave, Thanks so much to these two talented ladies !!

Steamed moist chocolate cake
(printable recipe)
(A) 180 g butter, 160g caster sugar, 200 g full cream evaporated milk, 1/2tsp vanilla extract & 2tbsp of rum (optional)

(B) 2 eggs, slightly beaten with fork.

(C) 100 g plain flour, 50 g cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda.


1. Combine (A) in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, turn off the fire and keep warm.
2. Add (B) into (1) and stir till well mix.
3. Sift (C) into a large mixing bowl, then pour the eggs mixture (2) over the flour and stir till well mix (cake batter should be runny).
4. Heat up the steamer.
5. Lined 8 inch round baking pan.
6. Pour the batter into the lined pan and place the pan into the steamer.
7. Cover the top of the pan loosely with a piece of aluminium foil.
8. Steam over medium heat for 45 mins.
9. Cool the cake in pan before turning out for further decoration.

Happy Baking !!

Happy Weekend and Happy Labour day !!

Savoury steamed glutinous rice_Encore!!

Today I again cook this one dish meal because my hubby is away for business trip from home, he doesn't appreciate much of this kind of rice, but me and kids just love it.

I took these pictures at the same spot which I took the old pictures with old camera last time, but this time look better with new camera right? hehehe..

Savoury steamed glutinous rice
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
500g glutinous rice (wash and soak at least 4 hours or more)
200g belly pork, cut cubed
15 shallots, peeled & sliced thinly
40g dried prawns, wash & soaked
15 dried oyster, wash & soaked & cut into cubed, (optional)
10 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and cut into cubed
200ml water

Seasoning:
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tsp salt, or to taste
1tbsp light soy sauce
1tbsp sugar

Garnishing:
Toasted/fried peanuts
Spring onions, chopped

1. Heat the oil in a wok and fry the shallot over medium-low heat, fry till crispy and golden brown. Dish out and set aside to cool.
2. Use the remaining shallot oil in the wok. Over medium heat, stir-fry the meat, dried prawns and mushroom until aromatic.
3. Add in the drained glutinous rice, and add in the seasoning. Stirring and mix well for 1 -2 mins.
4. Transfer the rice into a steaming tray, sprinkle water on top of the rice.
5. Steam for 60mins ( stir rice for every 30mins, sprinkle some water when necessary).
6. Serve rice topped with shallot crisps, peanuts and spring onion.

-i think I will slowly replace those old pictures (very blur and blur) from old posts with new pictures later and re-post it...

Happy Cooking!!

Yogurt sponge cup cake with Mango mousse

I have so long did not bake this yogurt sponge cake, see my old post here. This is one of the cake that I learn to bake when I start interest on baking.

-I like cake with fresh fruit, this cake tasted very refreshing, full of fruity flavours..the sponge cake is not too sweet and not oily at all, furthermore this cake can be store in the freezer, you can serve this as a dessert too.

-The mango mousse was adapted from Happy Home Baking, but made little changes on it because I run out of yogurt, so i replaced it with yogurt drink.

Yogurt sponge cup cake with Mango mousse
(printable recipe)

Yogurt sponge cup cake
4 egg yolks (medium)
10g Castor sugar

4 egg whites (medium)
60g Castor sugar
1tsp corn flour

120g Natural yogurt (or other flavours)
60g Cake flour/Superfine flour
10g Corn flour
40g Corn oil

1) Beat egg yolks and sugar till thick and pale in color, add in yogurt and mix well, set aside.
2) Beat egg white until foamy, gradually add in sugar and continue beat till fluffy. Add in corn flour and beat till soft peaks.
3) Stir a big spoonful of egg whites mixture into the egg yolk batter and gently stir with hand whisk to lighten the batter.
4) Then with a spatula, scoop gradually the remaining egg whites mixture and fold well with egg yolk batter.
5) Sift cake flour and corn flour, and gradually fold into batter.
6) Last add in corn oil and fold gently into batter.
7) Bake in pre-heat oven at 160c for 25mins if using paper cups(40mins if using baking pan).


Mango mousse filling300g fresh mango (use sweet, ripped fruits)
2 tablespoons caster sugar
140g yogurt drink or fresh milk
1 tbsp and 2tsp gelatin powder
60ml water

1. Measure water in a bowl, sprinkle gelatine into water, set aside for 10mins.
2. Melt in a bowl over a pot of simmering hot water, set aside to cool.
3. Blend mangoes, sugar and yogurt until smooth.
4. Add in gelatine solution to the mixture, mix well.

To assemble the cake- trims off some sponge cake from the cup, spoon mango mousse filling to cover the cup cake. Leave to chill in the fridge for several hours or till set. Keep the cake in the fridge before serving.

My note- To bake the cup cakes first and set aside till cool to room temperature, then only start to prepare mango mousse filling.


-it is normal when sponge cake shrink a bit after baked


-trim off some cake and cover with mango mousse filling. In order not to waste, you can just mix the excess cake and balance mango mousse together, and it become a yummy mango cake pudding !! try it out.

HAPPY baKING !!

Stir fried tofu with red cherry tomatoes

Saw this dish in a travel show, tried to cook this dish at home and I have been cooked this dish for several times, love the flavours of sour, sweet and salty. I would say this is a vegetarian version of a dish that I cooked earlier- 4321 Fragrant garlic belly pork.

-firm tofu and red cherry tomatoes


-deep fry firm tofu pieces

-stir fry red cherry tomatoes


-mix well all ingredients



Stir fried tofu with red cherry tomatoes
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
4 firm tofu (beancurd), cut 1 piece tofu into 8 small square pieces.
250g red cherry tomatoes
2 stalks spring onion, cut 1” in length
3 slices of young ginger
2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Seasoning
1tbsp light brown sugar
2tbsp light soy sauce
1 and ½ tbsp rice vinegar
1tsp Chinese rice wine
A pinch of salt to taste

1. Deep fry firm tofu in hot oil till golden brown, set aside.
2. Add red cherry tomatoes in the remaining oil, stir fry for 1-2mins.
3. Add in ginger slices and chopped garlic, mix well.
4. Add in brown sugar, stir fry for 1min.
5. Pour in the fried tofu, mix well.
6. Season with light soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine and salt.
7. Cook till sauce slightly thicken, add in spring onion, dish out.
8. Serve hot.

Happy Cooking !!!

Fish cake and fish balls noodle soup

I like to order this type of fish cake noodles soup in one of the restaurant nearby my area, they serve very fresh fish balls and fish cake. Yesterday i just imitated this noodle soup at home since I bought a fresh Spanish mackerel from the market.

-Fish cake after pan fried

-Fish cake slices..

Fish cake and fish balls noodle soup
(printable recipe)

To make fish paste-
600g fish meat, Spanish mackerel, (ikan tenggiri)
60ml ice water
2tsp salt or to taste
1/2tsp white pepper powder
1/2tsp sesame oil
1tsp sugar
2tsp tapioca flour

1. Mix all ingredients except fish meat in a small bowl, mix well.
2. Place fish meat in another large mixing bowl.
3. Gradually add in liquid mixture into fish meat, stir the fish meat till all combine together.
4. Slap the fish meat against the sides of the mixing bowl several times or until mixture is well combined and sticky, takes about 5mins.

To make fish ball – Wet your hand in a small bowl of salt water, scoop up the flesh and shape like a golf ball size and cook in the broth or a pot of boiling water. The fish ball is thoroughly cooked when it floats on the water surface.

To make fish cake- Wet your hand in a small bowl of salt water, scoop up the flesh and shape long round size. Steam over hot water for 10mins and pan fry in hot oil till golden brown.

To make the bowl – Bring broth to boil (make broth by boiled dried anchovies, salted veggie and water), fill bowl with noodles, fish balls, fish cake slices and small piece of seaweed. Ladle the hot broth into bowl. Garnish with fresh veggie and garlic oil. Serve hot.

**Do try out this healthy and fresh noodle soup !!

-took a picture when Desmond concentrated doing his homework (writing Chinese letters) from Kindi, this is the moment he can sit still...

Happy cooking and Have a nice weekend ahead...

Braised Shiitake Mushrooms

Both mushroom and broccoli are my son Lucas's favourite.

After he tasted this dish, he asked me why this mushroom is so crunchy and nice !

So if you would like to find out why it tasted crunchy, do try out this recipe.

Braised Shiitake Mushrooms
(printable recipe)

Ingredients
20 Chinese dried shiitake mushrooms
2 sliced young gingers

Seasoning
2tbsp sesame oil
1tbsp oyster sauce
1tbsp light soy sauce
1tsp Chinese rice wine
¼ tsp salt or to taste
½ tsp sugar

400ml water, or adjust accordingly

Broccoli, add a pinch of salt and a few drops of oil to a pot of boiling water and blanch the broccoli for less than 1minute.

1. Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in water for several hours or until soft, wash thoroughly till water running clear.
2. Heat sesame oil in a wok over medium flame, add in ginger and stir fry till fragrant.
3. Add in water and allow to boil.
4. Add in mushrooms and season with oyster sauce and light soy sauce.
5. Cover and simmer over low flame for about an hour or until gravy is thicken.
6. Last seasoning with salt and sugar, then add in rice wine, and adjust the taste accordingly.
7. Remove mushrooms and arrange on a serving plate, pour gravy over the mushrooms.
8. Garnish with cooked broccoli.

**you may replaced broccoli with other type of vegetables .

Happy Cooking !!

Mini sausage au Lait bread

I have so long did not bake bread especially au Lait bread. Earlier I just gave this bread name as "Oleh bread", directly translated from Chinese, but now I change the name to au Lait because Jane told me au Lait meaning milk in French, correct me if I'm wrong. Today I use the the balance sausages from Lucas's party to bake this mini sausage au Lait bread.

Desmond would like to present this very milky and lovely bread to you, hope you will like it..

This time I changed cold water to cold milk, so this bread is very milky and soft, my kids just love this bread.

Mini sausage au Lait bread
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:-
A)
500g High protein flour
60g caster sugar
½ tsp salt

B)
270g cold milk
40g egg white

C)
1 and ½ tsp yeast

D)
80g butter

Some sausages, chopped

Steps:-
1. Mix A, then add in B, combine well.
2. Add in C, continue knead.
3. Then add in D, knead till elastic. (The dough is quite sticky, don't tend to add more flour !!)
4. Rest for 60mins.
5. Slightly knead the dough again and rest for another 30mins.
6. Shape the dough and wrap in chopped sausages, rest for another 15mins.
7. Bake at pre-heated oven at 180c for 25mins.

Happy Baking !!

party time ...

Just like to share with you some of the pictures took during Lucas 10 years old Birthday party. I will only organize Birthday party for my kids when they turn to perfect 10 !!

-All foods were prepared by me and my mom. Nasi Lemak Lover's party sure must have nasi lemak, hehehe, yummy!

-tuna sandwich and sausages


Hokkien style of fried meehoon

-multiple layers of jelly

-fried fish balls

-Chinese style of chicken curry

-caramel pop corns

-fried chicken wings

-strawberry and banana dip with chocolate sauce

-Lucas enjoying his favourite Nasi Lemak..

-Lucas and his friend happily playing Pinata which I ordered via online from here.

-Kids pick up the goodies inside the pinata..

-Who get to burst the ballon first, can get a small gift from me, you see all kids work hard to get their ballon burst, hahaha.. Girls also not bad wor..

-Desmond very excited when Lucas opened all his birthday presents, he hoping his brother will give him some gifts. Lucas gave him a remote control car at the end.

-Lucas happily open all his birthday presents

-Happy Birthday my son, mummy hope you stay healthy and happy!!

Coffee Walnut Cake & Kahlua Buttercream

I baked this cake because I still have some balance Kahlua from the Macarons Tiramisu cake that I made earlier.

Coffee cake adapted from Jane's corner but omitted the cocoa powder, solely added coffee powder only. Since I don't really like to eat sweet cake, I just apply a thin layer of Kahlua buttercream, you may double up the buttercream recipe if you prefer sweeter.


Coffee Walnut Cake & Kahlua Buttercream
(printable recipe)

Coffee Cake
Ingredients
125g Butter
80g sugar
2 large eggs
125g cake flour
1tsp baking powder
2tbsp milk
1tbsp coffee powder
2tbsp hot water

1. Sift baking powder and cake flour together, set aside.
2. Melt coffee powder in hot water, set aside.
3. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add in egg one at a time, beat until just combined between additions.
5. Fold in flour and milk, mix well.
6. Last add in coffee mixture, well combined.
7. Pour mixture into a 7” round cake pan.
8. Bake in pre-heated oven at 180C for 30mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Kahlua Buttercream

50g Butter
100g Icing sugar / Confectioners sugar
1tsp Kahlua (Coffee flavored liqueur)
1tbsp heavy cream

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add in sugar, heavy cream and Kahlua, beat till well combined.

To assemble the cake- split cold cake in half. Spread Kahlua buttercream on one layer of cake. Top with other cake half, spread buttercream top and side of cake with remaining cream. Arrange 20pcs of toasted walnut halves over the cake.

A bite of coffee cake, walnut and Kahlua buttercream, they are just a perfect combination!!

HaPPY bAKing !!