Melted Butter Cookies-CNY Cookies#5

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Butter cookies are my last cookies of the year, which happen to be popular in food blog sphere. These butter cookies have the texture of melt-in-mouth. You hardly stop eating after the first bite. I choose to shape it with Nastar mould as I found it is easy to handle compare piping. 

High protein flour is being used in this recipe. With the present of high protein flour the cookies pattern will not change much even after bake. However it can be replaced with all-purpose flour. 

Melted Butter Cookies 
Adapted from Bernice's kitchen
Yield about 25 pieces 
Ingredients:
(A)
100g butter, softened at room temperature
25g icing sugar

(B)
75g high protein flour
25g rice flour(粘米粉)

Methods:
1. Beat the butter and icing sugar until fluffy and pale. 
2. Add in sifted flour mixture. Fold till well combine.
3. Put dough into a Nastar mould and press out into strips about 3-4cm long.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 170c for about 15 minutes or till golden brown.
5. Remove from oven and let them sit for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack until completely cool down.

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover

All my cookies are being packed and ready to be given to friends as gift. This year I choose to give variety of my bakes instead of jars of cookies. 

Along with cookies there are butter cake, cheese yeasted scones together with homemade roselle jam. Hoping my friends will like it ^^

Chinese Peanut Cookies(Gluten Free)-CNY Cookies#4

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Peanut cookies are my old-time favourite cookies. Every year I will bake some to satisfy my craving. This year I found this gluten free version which use rice flour instead. It tastes kind of melt-in-the-mouth texture compare with the usual one.

Reference from Roti and Rice

Yield about 70 pieces

Ingredients:
(A)

335g toasted peanut

* I used shelled peanut and pan fry till slightly dark brown (make sure not too dark as it will taste bitter)

180g rice flour

90g icing sugar (sift)

½ teaspoon salt

(B)

90ml peanut oil

(C)

1 egg yolk (for glazing)

Methods:

1. Grind the toasted peanut with some of the rice flour in batches. This will help and ease to achieve superfine ground peanut. 

2. Mix (A) till well combined. Add in (B) slowly, mix till form dough.

3. Roll the dough into a small ball and place on a lined baking tray. 

4. Brush the surface with egg yolk. Bake in preheated oven at 180C for 13-15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack for cooling. Keep in airtight container after cool down completely.

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover

Brown Butter Chocolate Cookies-CNY Cookies#3

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You might wonder what is brown butter? How and where to get it? It is actually make from unsalted butter. The butter is melted over low heat and allowed to separate into butterfat and milk solids. The milk solids naturally sink to the bottom of the pan. If left over gentle heat it will begin to brown. As the milk solids reach a toasty hazelnut colour, the pan is removed from the heat. It may be used in its liquid state, or cooled to a solid form. It has a nutty flavour.

I saw brown butter chocolate cookies at Rima house and it is very tempting. Since my kids like chocolate cookies this one is good to try. These cookies are with soft chewy texture. With the present of cashew nuts it provides some crunch bites. I added some cocoa powder to make it more presentable to kids too.  

Adapted and modified from Rima 

Ingredients:

(A)
115 g unsalted butter 
100 g sugar
30g brown sugar

(B)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(C)
300g all-purpose flour
20g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
100g chocolate chips 
100g toasted cashew 

Instructions:
1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, continue to cook until it turns golden brown. Swirl the pan occasionally if needed so that it browns evenly. Watch it fairly closely, as it can go from brown to burn quickly. When the colour has turned golden, small flecks speckle the butter, and it has a nutty aroma, remove from heat and poor into a shallow dish. Chill in the fridge until it becomes solid. You want it to be soft, but not melted. If it cools too hard, let it come back to room temperature before using.

2. Beat the brown butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium high speed with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add the vanilla extract.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and nuts. Mix until incorporated.

4. Measure about a tablespoon and shape into ball. Place on lined baking pan, leaving 2 inches in between each cookie. Slightly press with spoon to flatten the balls. Bake in preheated oven 170C for about 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes on the pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely before store in an airtight container. 

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover

Crunchy Almond Cookies杏仁脆饼-CNY Cookies#2

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This almond cookies are indeed very crunchy and fragrant. My cookies are a bit out of shape due to expand after baked. I should follow Sonia recipe, roll out the dough with 1 cm thickness and not lesser than that. Besides the not pretty looks the taste wise is great!

Adapted from Sonia, Nasi Lemak Lover
Ingredients:

(A)

160g butter

100g sugar

(B)

120g almond meal
170g corn flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt

Methods:

1. Sift corn flour and baking powder. Set aside.

2. Cream the butter and sugar till light and creamy.

3. Add in almond meal. Mix well.

4. Add in salt, sifted corn flour and baking powder. Combine till form soft dough.

5. Flatten the dough to about 1 cm thickness. Use a cutter to cut to desired shape.

6. Bake in preheated oven at 170C at lower rack for 20-25 minutes.

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover

Lime & Raisins Rolls (Nastar) 桔子葡萄酥-CNY Cookies#1

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I want to try making Nastar rolls from Nasi Lemak Lover. Her pineapple Nastar rolls look so pretty and cute. However I don't feel like making pineapple filling. Not keen to buy pineapple paste too. Initially I plan to buy red sweet dates (ready to eat type) as filing. The shop that I used to buy told me they not selling anymore. After knowing my intention, the shop owner suggests quite few items available at her shop as tart filling. At last I came out this pickled lime and raisins combo. Lime itself is more on sour while golden raisins are more on sweet. Sweet and sour just like pineapple paste :D Hope you like it!

~Lime and raisins filling 

Yields about 45 pieces

Recipe from Vivian Pang Kitchen

Ingredients:

150g pickled lime (one box)

150g golden raisins

Methods:

1. Cut pickled lime with scissors into small pieces to ease the blending process. Remove big seeds as you cut.

2. Put the pieces of pickled lime into blender. 'Pulse' till form rough paste. Add in raisins and 'Pulse' again to get both slightly mixed. * it is alright if some are still in whole.

3. Keep the filling in fridge till easy to handle. Chilled one is much easy to shape without much sticking. 

4. With ½ teaspoon measurement spoon, measure amount of filling for each roll. Keep the filling in fridge while preparing the pastry.

~Pastry Recipe from Sonia, Nasi Lemak Lover, Pineapple rolls (Nastar) 凤梨酥

Ingredients:yields about 55 pieces

(A)
175g butter(unsalted)

50g condensed milk (I use F&N Sweetened creamer)

1 egg yolk

(B)

255g all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg for egg wash

above lime and raisins filling

Methods:

1. Cream butter and condensed milk till light.

2. Add in egg yolk and beat until combine.

3. Mix in sifted flour and salt. Fold till combine. The dough should be soft and not sticky.

4. Put dough into a Nastar mould and press out into strips about 5-6cm long.

5. Place jam filling on the edge of a strip and make a small elongated roll.

6. Cut off excess dough, brush with egg glaze.

7. Bake in preheated oven at 170c for about 15 minutes or till golden brown.

8. Cool on wire rack before store.

I'm out of lime and raisins filling for few rolls. How about using prunes as filling? The taste is quite match. Prunes are definitely a lot easier to get and handle. Well another options of filling for this buttery rolls ^^

I am submitting this post to

~ Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover

~ Tea Time Treats hosted by Lavender and Lovage and What Kate Baked

Crispy Skin Roasted Chicken

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I used this recipe before for roasting duck. The result turns out great! As the named stated crispy skin! This time I'm using chicken. My kids love it! 

The preparation is not much. As long as is sunny day you shall have no problem to get crispy skin roasted chicken. Why not prepare this oven roasted chicken together with other dishes for coming Chinese New Year reunion dinner?

Adapted and slightly modified from My Little Space

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (I used 1.5kg)

3 cups water

2 tablespoons maltose

1 tablespoons vinegar

~Seasoning

2 gloves grated garlic

1 tablespoon grated ginger 

½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

1 teaspoon salt

Methods:

1. Combine water, maltose and vinegar in a wok/a large pot and bring it to boil.

2. Clean the chicken and pat dry. Bath the chicken with the boiling mixture for several times.

3. Tide the neck of the chicken with a string and sun dried for an hour.

*since I had remove the chicken neck I place the chicken upright with a mineral bottle (filled with water so it can stand) inside the cavity.

4. Again bath the chicken for the 2^nd time, sun dried again for another 1 ½ hours or till dried & hard skin is formed.

5. Combine all the seasonings and mix well, stuff mixture into the chicken and spread around the inner part. Do not rub mixture over the outer skin!

6. With string tie the chicken feet for easy handling. Wrap the wing tips with foil to prevent burnt. Bake in preheated oven 190'C for about an hour or until the skin is brown and crispy. 

I am submitting this post to Chinese New Year Delights 2013 hosted by Sonia of Nasi Lemak Lover

Cold Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake

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This pound cake has great ranking among blogger friends. Without much hesitating I decide to bake mine. The steps are simple just ordinary cake creaming method. The only different is baking without preheat the oven (as recipe). Some said the cake still turn out great although baking in preheated oven :D 

The cake looks quite pale after done. Texture is great as a pound cake, creamy with soft and fine texture. I might bake this as one of my Chinese New Year giveaway for friends ^^

Recipe from Cake Keeper by Lauren Chattman

Reference from Lena, Frozen Wings

I used half of the recipe and bake in small bundt pans and cupcakes

Ingredients:

(A)

113g butter, slightly softened

113g cream cheese, room temperature

90g sugar

3 eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest

(B)
187g cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
*sift and set aside

Methods:

1. Position the oven rack to the lower middle position, grease and line the pan and flour the sides of the pan. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.

2. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium high speed until fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.

3. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla, ginger and lemon zest.

4. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture in batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix of 30 seconds on medium speed.

* I mix by folding with spatula

5. Place the cake in the cold oven. Turn the oven to 160C and bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. My mini bundt pans and cupcakes take about 25 minutes.

6. Cool the cake in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto rack to cool completely.

Thanks to Sabrina of kingdom of tasty life for her lovely mini bundt pans!

I am submitting this to :

~ Tea Time Treats hosted by Lavender and Lovage and What Kate Baked

~Bake-Along #38 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours, Lena of Frozen Wings and Bake for Happy Kids

Hakka Noodles (Hakka Mee)

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Now I have spinach noodles and is time to prepare dish with it. I made Hakka noodles! The ingredients for making a bowl of Hakka noodles are very simple. The main seasoning is mainly from minced pork and soya sauce. Since my kids prefer soupy noodles. I add more water when preparing the minced pork. I added chicken stock too for more flavour. 

Adapted and slightly from Eat your heart out

Yield about 4 persons

Ingredients:

Homemade spinach noodles (used any noodles you like)

400g minced pork 

2 stalks spring onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2-3 tablespoons soy sauce, to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

150-200g water (optional)

1/2 cube chicken stock (optional)

Methods:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Add the minced pork and allow to simmer for 5 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked. Add in soy sauce. Follow by water and chicken stock if using. Bring to boil again. Remove from heat.

2. Place the cooked spinach noodles into 4 bowls. Top the noodles with minced pork and drizzle with some of the sauce. Garnish with some spring onions. 

3. Mix well and enjoy! 

Homemade Spinach Noodles

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What to do with the spinach purée? Adding into noodles making is one of it. This is my 2^nd attempt making spinach noodles. The 1^st time I used all-purpose flour . Since no eggs are used the noodles turn out soft and easily break after cooked. Therefore I used udon recipe which is make of high protein flour. Since spinach purée is used the noodle texture not chewy as udon. However it is still slurpy when eaten. 

Adapted and slightly modified from previous post homemade chewy udon

Ingredients:

300g bread flour

30g tapioca flour

100g spinach purée 

1 teaspoon salt 

About 50ml water

Methods:

1. Add bread and tapioca flour in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. 

2. In a small pot mix spinach puree, salt and water. Slightly stir to mix. Cook the mixture till warm to touch (not boiled; temperature about 50C).

3. Pour the spinach mixture into flour mixture. Mix by running chopsticks or fork around the flour (use scraper at the same time to separate the lumps). Try to combine every bit of liquid with the flour.

4. How do you know is enough liquid? Try to grab some lumps in one hand. If can form a dough means is enough. Gather all the lumps become dough. The dough might seem a bit dry and hard to get smooth. Don't worry as it meant to be. So it won't stick on pasta maker. The texture will smooth after the folding and rolling process. 

5. Divide into manageable portions (about 5 portions, 100g each). Set the roller to the thickest setting (with lowest number). Roll the dough over the pasta maker. Fold and roll over again. Repeat till smooth and even surface has achieved. Keep aside and is ready for next step. Repeat the same for the rest of portions.

6. Adjust the pasta maker to smaller feed. Roll in the smooth pasta. Keep reducing the thickness of the feeder until get your desire thickness noodles. Repeat the same for the rest.

7. Apply tapioca flour on the sheet. Cover with dry cloth and leave to rest for an hour.

8. Once the dough has rested, cut into noodles with pasta maker. Repeat the same for the rest of the sheet.

9. The fresh noodles should be cooked right away to ensure the best texture. Bring a pot of water to rapid boil. Add in the noodles and lower the heat to boil gently (make sure use more water as too little water will cause noodles become gummy and doughy). After about 1 minute, the noodles will float to the top; let it boil for another 1 minute and take them off the heat. Immediately drain off the cooking water and rinse with cold water. The noodles is now ready to be used in your recipe.

I'm using this homemade spinach noodles for the coming post which turn out to be our family favourite!

Please let me know if you have any noodles recipes which produce chewy texture with added vegetable purée. 

I'm submitting this post for this month :

~Made with Love Mondays hosted by Javelin Warrior's Cookin w/ Luv

~Recipe Box hosted by Bizzy Bakes

How To Prepare Spinach Purée?

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Spinach has a high nutritional value and is rich in antioxidants especially when fresh. It has rich source of vitamins, iron, calcium etc. Spinach is one of my favourite vegetables used in baking when I thinking of green. One way of doing it is to turn those bright green leaves spinach into purée. Sometimes I make more as I can freeze them for future used.

You might wonder what is spinach purée? Basically spinach purée is cooked spinach being processed into paste form. You might question what so difficult? Just blend the blanched spinach then come spinach purée! I also have the same thought as you. Actually what we usually get is spinach juice instead of purée. Before this I used to add quite a lot of water to blend spinach into purée. Not until I watch a TV chef showing his way of getting spinach purée. Since for the next post I'm going to use it as main ingredient I decided to share it today. 

Ingredients:
Few stalks of spinach

Boiling water for blanching 

Cold water for soaking 

Some water to go with for blending

Basically just spinach and water !

Methods:

1. Wash and clean spinach leaves. Do not throw the root. Just shave away the dirt with knife and ready to be used.

2. Bring water to rapid boil. Add in washed spinach and blanch for 1-2 minutes. Drain and put into cold water to stop the cooking process.

3. Roughly arrange spinach stalks as you drain away the cold water. Gently squeeze to remove excess water. Place on chopping board and cut into small size.

*the stem part is very high in fibre. It is better to dice further (after cut into small size) to ease the blending process. I forgot this part and my blender can't blend it into very fine paste. Of course you can omit the dicing part if your blender works well.

4. Put the cut spinach into blender with a bit of water (just enough to get blender do its job). Blend by using 'Pulse' button till turn fine paste.

*it is better to add little water at a time. Only add water when needed. So it will end up concentrated spinach paste. 

*divide the paste into separate bags and keep in freezer for future used.