Rich Chocolate Cake

If cleaning up is always the chore that puts off the idea of whipping up your your cake, then the following recipe will entice you as it is relatively easy.

Ingredients:

60g grounded almonds

180g caster sugar

125g corn oil

2 tbsp strong brew coffee (diluted with 1 tbsp hot water)

4 eggs, separated (size AA)

125ml plain yogurt

185g self raising flour

4 tbsp cocoa powder

pinch of salt

Method:

1. Mix evenly caster sugar, oil, coffee, egg yolks, yogurt and almond.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt into the mixture and fold.
3. Whisk egg whites until soft peak forms. Fold into cake mixture.
4. Pour into an 8 in round cake tin, greased and lined.
5. Bake at 180 Deg celcious for 40 min or until cooked.

Serving Suggestions:

To indulge into this simple rich chocolate cake, drizzle chocolate ganache or ready to use chocolate sauce available in supermarkets accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice-cream. Serve cake warm.
 

Crisp Oat Cookies

This is an easy to make cookie that is healthy as well. My recommendation is to make them in XL size. It makes a great snack for your office tea breaks.

Ingredients

160g Oats

120g butter

100g icing sugar

25g corn flour

50g plain flour

25g milk powder

1 large egg

1 tsp soda bicarbonate

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Beat butter and icing sugar with mixer on medium speed until very smooth

2. Add in egg, milk powder and vanilla

3. Fold in corn flour, plain flour, soda and salt

4. Add oats and fold in with a wooden spoon

5. Drop one tsp mixture on a greased baking tray. Spread out thin with the back of a fork (if mixture sticks, dip fork in water)

6. Bake at 150 degree C for about 20 mins.

Banana Apple Butter Cake

This is a lovely tea-time treat for your friends and family. This cake is moist and rich.

Ingredients

250g butter

170g castor sugar

5 large eggs

200g superfine flour                 )

1 tablespoon baking powder     )

40g custard powder                 ) sift together

50g evaporated milk

100g mashed bananas

1 1/2 Granny Smith apples (cored, skinned and sliced)

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy

2. Add eggs gradually, beating well in between for about 1 minute

3. Fold-in sifted flour, alternatively with milk in 2 batches

4. Add mashed bananas and mix well

5. Pour 1/2 mixture into a 9 inch cake tin which is greased and lined

6. Arrange apple slices on the top. Add remaining mixture and bake at 175 degree C for about 50 minutes.

Spiced Pumpkin Loaf

This is a special cake recipe by a very dear friend, from Australia. I have tried it and must say that it is very delicious and makes a nice breakfast treat.

Ingredients

180g plain flour

1 tsp soda bicarbonate

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp all spice powder

3/4 cup mashed pumpkin

3/4 cup chinese brown sugar (purchase from medical shop)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup walnut, chopped coarsely

2 large eggs

A pinch of salt

Directions

Mix everything together. Combine well and bake in a greased loaf pan at 175 degree C for 45 mins or until cooked.

Note: Chinese brown sugar is less sweet and gives a nice colour to the batter. You may replace it with brown or castor sugar.

Party Foods

Here are some simple ways to keep children (and adults) happy at the next birthday party. You can create a variety of finger foods with puff pastries, which are readily sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets. It's convenient.

A. Mini Sausage Rolls

* Roll out and cut puff pastry as per instructions on the wrapper

* Cut into 4 inch squares. Put one sausage on each square

* Fold puff pastry over and seal using the teeth of a fork

* Cut into 2, egg wash and bake at 220 degree C until pastry is puffed and golden brown

Note: Make sure oven is really hot to help pastry puff nicely during baking

B. Tuna Puffs

* Just replace the sausages with canned tuna mayonnaise

C. Sardine Puffs

* Replace the sausages with sardine (drain off sauce) mixed with some chopped bombay onions and 1 tablespoon tomato sauce

D. Ice Cream Puffs

Baked puff pastry in muffin moulds making sure the edges come up from the moulds. Cool after baking. Fill with ice cream and top with cut fresh fruits.

Rock Buns

A classic recipe, if you ask me. This recipe never fails to whet one's appetite -  for kids and adults alike. It is best to keep this in air-tight jar, ready to serve the unexpected guests.

Ingredients

125 g flour

1 level teaspoon baking powder (sieve together)

45 g butter

45 g raisins/ currants

45 g castor sugar

1 small egg (beaten slightly)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence (mixed together with egg)

Method

Prepare baking tray and oven

1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degree C (400 degree F).
   
2. Grease the baking tray.
   

Prepare the dough

1. Sieve the flour and baking powder together.
   
2. Add the butter to the flour. Cut the butter into small pieces in the flour.
   
3. Rub the fat into the flour using your fingertips.
4. Add sugar and dried fruit to mixture. Mix well.

Prepare the rock buns

1. Mix in the egg and vanilla essence.
   
2. Divide into 8 equal portions and heap unevenly on the greased baking sheet.
   

Bake the buns

1. Bake the buns for 15-20 mins until golden brown 
   
2. Cool on a cake rake.

Serves: 8

Try it! We hope that you, your family and friends finds it delicious. Bookmark this site for more about bakers blog, from the oven.

Orange Poppy Seed Cake

Show off your baking skills. Your mother-in-law will be impressed. Note: This recipe can be made two days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. 

Ingredients

4 large oranges (est 1.2kg)

1/2 cup (70g) black poppy seeds

500g butter, softened

3 cups (660g) caster sugar

8 eggs (each about 70g)

3 cups (450g) self-raising flour

1 cup (150g) plain flour

Glaze Icing

2 1/4 cups (360g) icing sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons butter, softened

1/4 cup (60ml) orange juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to moderately slow (160 degree C). Grease and line with 2 layers of baking paper base and sides of a deep 30cm round cake pan, extending paper 5cm above edge.
2. Grate the rind finely from the oranges. Squeeze the juice from the oranges - you will need 1 1/2 cups (375ml) for this recipe. Combine the orange juice and poppy seeds in a small jug.
3. Beat the butter, rind and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time (about 1 min apart), beating until just combined between additions.
4. Fold in the shifted flours and orange juice alternatively in two batches. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan.
5. Bake in a moderate slow oven for about 1 hour 30 mins, or until cooked when tested. Stand the cake in the pan for 20 mins before turning onto a wire rack.

Glaze Icing: 

1. Sift the icing sugar into a medium heatproof bowl; stir in the butter and juice to form a firm paste. 
   
2. Place the bowl over a small pan of simmering water; stir until the icing is a pouring consistency, but do not overheat.
3. Spread the Glaze Icing immediately over the cold cake.

Serves: about 20

Try it! We hope that you, your family and friends finds it delicious. Bookmark this site for more about bakers blog, from the oven.

Sausage Rolls

This is best for Birthday parties or school recess packs. For school, do remember to add a few slices of fruits for a balanced meal. ... from the oven.

Ingredients

8 to 10 sausages (chicken)

1 packet frozen short crust pastry, thawed.

Flour

Milk

Method

1. Dust the surface with a little flour, then roll the pastry out into a thin oblong. Put the sausage on the pastry.
2. Brush the pastry edge with a bit of milk, fold one side of the psatry over acrsoo the sausage, then press the edges together.
3. Using a fork, seal the edges leaving a nice indentations.
4. Brush the rolls with milk then cut into one and half inch slices.
5. Place them on a greased and lightly floured baking tray. Bake in the oven (190 degrees C) for about 20 mins or so. 

Makes 40 to 50 rolls.

kids love these.

Try it! We hope that you, your family and friends finds it delicious. Bookmark this site for more about bakers blog, from the oven.

My Children's Favourite - "Mi Ku"

"Miku" was introduced by their grandmother at a Taiping market.  Today, my children loves this as snacks. They even pack them to school for recess. 

"Miku" is a pink coloured "pau" bun. It is delicious eaten plain or fried in slices "french toast" style or eaten with dishes as "man-tau".

Ingredients:

1kg plain floor

11g instant yeast

200g sugar

100g corn oil (1/2 cup)

460g water (2 1/2 cups)

4 pandan leaves (screwpine)

Method

1. Boil pandan leaves with sugar in water. Leave to cool.

2. Mix flour and yeast together. 

3. Knead flour mixture, water and corn oil together for 15 mins. Use dough hook of cake mixer.

3. Scale dough to 100g each and leave to rest for 10 mins.

4. Roll dough with rolling pin and fold in both ends. Roll again and fold in the other 2 ends. Place each dough on a piece of greaseproof paper.

5. Allow dough to rise for 35 min.

6. Brush surface with (diluted) pink colouring.

7. Steam over high heat for 15 mins.

Presentation

The above quantity makes 18 pieces of "Miku". 

Try it. I would love to hear of your experiment with "Miku"

Easy Orange Mousse

I often rely on this is a simple, quick fix recipe when there's time constraint. The beauty is that it is sure to tantalise everyone's tastebuds too. Yummy!!    ...from the oven.

Ingredients

1 cup orang juice

2 tablespoons Lemon juice

2/3 cup caster sugar

1 tablespoon gelatine powder

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon orange liqueur

3 egg whites, whipped until stiff

Method

1. Combine orange and lemon in a bowl: add sugar. Leave for 10 mins for the sugar to soften.
2. Sprinkle gelatine over the water, stirring until gelatine has dissolved.
3. Then add to juices, with orange liqueur. Mix well. Refrigerate until it is the consistency of unbeaten egg white.
4. Beat orange and lemon mixture until fluffy and light.
5. Beat egg white until stiff peaks form, using electric beaters.
6. Using a metal spoon, fold the cream and egg whites together.
7. Fold gelatine mixture into egg white mixture.

Presentation

Spoon into eight individual dessert dishes or wine glasses. The top may be decorated with an orange segment, orange rind and a little whipped cream.

Serves: 8

Try it! We hope that you, your family and friends finds it delicious. Bookmark this site for more about bakers blog, from the oven.