Pulut Inti - A Nyonya Delight

Nyonya Kuih is delicious. I did not appreciate it when i was back in my hometown as you can find them every where at anytime. Since after i came to Melbourne, i start missing the Nyonya Kuih. You can't really find a decent Nyonya Kuih 10 years ago in Melbourne ( when i first came). We are getting more nyonya kuih in Melbourne now. Yay!

Pulut Inti is made by glutinous rice. It's traditionally in blue colour using a natural blue colouring called blue pea flower. Blue Pea flower is native to tropical equatorial Asia. We cannot find it in Melbourne. Therefore i use a bit of blue colouring to replace it, just to get the feel of a real Pulut Inti.

Blue Pea Flower- Reference-Picture taken from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Clitoria_ternatea_%28Mussel-shell_climber%29_I_IMG_9809.jpg

Recipe was adapted from Rasa Malaysia website, with modified ingredients that could be obtained in Melbourne.

A few drops of blue colouring
300 g glutinous rice
230 g thick coconut milk
1/2 tsp salt

1. Soak the glutinous rice in water overnight or about 6 hours.
2. Add blue colouring.
3. Steam glutinous rice in steamer for about 25 minutes or till rice is soft.
4. Mix coconut milk and salt. Add into steamed glutinous rice and continue to steam for another 10 minutes.
5. Remove and leave to cool.
6. Serve with coconut filling.

Coconut Filling
150 g palm sugar ( preferably gula melaka from Malaysia)
3 tbsp sugar
1 pandan leave (knotted)
1 grated coconut (white part only)- I used dried dessicated coconut ( approxiamtely 1 cup)
80ml water
1tbsp cornflour mix with 1tbsp water
Method:

1. Break the brown sugar/palm sugar into small pieces. Combine with the sugar, pandan leave and water. Cover over a medium flame until sugar dissolves.
2. Add in grated coconut and stir till fragrant.
3. Add cornflour mixture and stir for 2 minutes. Leave to cool.

Passionfruit Mousse layer Cake

A delicate layered mousse cake combining curds, genoise sponge, and white chocolate decoration. The layer cake consists of different texture of sponge, mousse and curd. It’s not too sweet as the sourness of the passion fruit cut through the sweetness.

This cake takes slightly longer to make as it has three different elements- curd, mousse and sponge. The mousse is best to chill overnight before pouring the passionfruit glaze onto it.

I made this cake at Homesglen Tafe and re-produce it with a different decoration technique later on.

The recipe below is adapted from the Homesglen Tafe class. 

Make a 10 inches round cake

Genoise sponge: 

Eggs                              250gm

Sugar                            120gm

Plain flour                      100gm

Cornflour                       50gm

Melted butter (40C)       50gm

1.  Set oven temperature to 180°C, grease and line cake tins and weigh all the ingredients.
2. Place whole eggs and castor sugar in a mixing bowl and turn speed to medium- high. The volume of the eggs will increase and the mix will become pale and frothy. Continue mixing. Once the volume has tripled, reduce the speed to low. Mix for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Stop the mixer and remove the bowl. Sieve over half the flour. Using a rubber spatula fold through the flour mixing around the side of the bowl and up from the bottom. Add the remaining sieved combined flour and continue mixing only until no flour particles are evident; any further mixing knocks air out of the batter.
4. Bake at 175°C for 35 minutes or for the smaller cakes 180°C for 20 minutes.

Passionfruit Curd :

Passionfruit pulp (strained)                         150ml

Castro sugar (1)                                         80gm

Unsalted butter                                          120gm

Eggs                                                          200gm

Castor sugar                                              80gm

1. Bring the passionfruit juice, sugar (1) and unsalted butter to boiling point.
2. Lightly whisk together the eggs and sugar (2).
3. Gradually add the boiled juice to the egg mixture, whisking continually, then return the whole mix to the saucepan.
4. Stir constantly over a low heat until the mixture returns to the boil. Transfer to a clean, dry bowl. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate.

Passionfruit mousse:

Gelatine leaf                                               8gm

Passionfruit pulp (strained)                         150ml

Caster sugar       (1)                                   60gm

Thickened cream                                       225 ml

Egg yolks                                                  80gm

Cater sugar         (2)                                  45gm

Semi - whipped cream                               450ml

1.       Soak gelatin in cold water.

2.       Bring passion fruit pulp, 60g sugar (1) and 225ml cream to boiling point.

3.       Combine egg yolks and remaining sugar (2), mixing lightly to combine.

4.       Slowly pour the boiled ingredients onto the yolks while stirring. Transfer the mix back in to the saucepan and cook over a low heat until the anglaise thickens (82-85°c). Do not boil.

5.       Transfer to a clean, dry, large bowl and add drained gelatin; stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

6.       When the passion fruit base is cool, fold in the cream. Do not allow the mousse to set. At this stage the gâteau must be assembled.

Passionfruit Glaze :

Passionfruit pulp strained                            250gm

Water                                                        150gm

Sugar                                                         125gm

Gelatin                                                       10gm

1.   Boil the water, sugar and passion fruit pulp.
2. Drain and squeeze the gelatin; add to the hot base and stir to dissolve.
3. Allow to cool slightly before pouring on the mousse.

To assemble the cake

1. Line the inside of the cake ring with plastic Acetate strip (5mm high).
2. Place the round vanilla sponge in the bottom and soak with sugar.
3. Spread a layer of passionfruit curd.
4. Pour in the mousse and spread evenly.
5. Allow the mousse to set in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight prior to service.
6. Top it with the passionfruit jelly, allow the jelly to set.

Stuffed Pork Mince with Bitter Melon in Black Bean Flavour- Family Meal- 蒸苦瓜釀肉

Bitter melon is normally grown in tropical climates. Bitter melon in Australia are grown in Northern and Northern Western Australia. Surprisingly, the bitter melon in this winter looks really good. Sis bought a few bitter melon from Footscray market. The left over bitter melon has been sitting in the fridge for more than one week. I thought i had better cook it before it goes mouldy. We always have the bitter melon stir fried with egg, this time i want to try something different.

Before Steaming

After steaming

Stuffed Pork Marinade

200g Pork Mince
1 tbsp Black Bean
3 clove Garlic- finely chopped
1 Red Chili - finely chopped
1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Oyster Sauce
1/4 tsp Sesame Oil
Pinch of Pepper

1. Marianade the Pork for at least 30 minutes
2. Clean and scope out the middle part of the bitter melon.
3. Stuff the pork into the middle of  bitter melon
4. Steam the bitter melon for 10-20 minute minutes at high heat or until the bitter melon in soft and cooked
5. Take the steamed winter melon out, get the juice that comes out from the steaming. Pour into the sauce pan, add the combination of 1 tbsp of oyster sauce, 1 tbsp of cornstarch, 2 tbsp of water. Cook until the sauce thicken up and pour onto the winter melon.

Almond Biscotti

We used to buy Almond Biscotti from a friend's mum. It's very yummy and additive. You cant stop having it after the first bite. It's just crunchy and full of almond taste

Almond Biscotti

I had plenty of egg white left over from making the custard. I flipped through my recipe book, and found this recipe for Almond Biscotti. It's relatively easy and simple. There are only four ingredients. However, the drying process is a bit lengthy.

My first attempt- it's cut too thick.
The second loaf  is cut much more thinner.

Almond Biscotti- before the drying process

Recipe adapted from De Cordon Blue recipe collection

5 Egg Whites
185g Almonds Skin on
185g Castor Sugar
185g Plain Flour
Grated rinds of 3 Limes

1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Line the 1kg loaf pan
3. Whisk the egg white until soft peak then slowly add sugar and whisk until stiff
4. Add the shift flour, fold it into the egg white together with the lime rind and almonds
5. Bake for 45 minutes, then cool in the tin
6. Lower the temperature to 100C.
7. Remove the mixture from the tin. Use a very sharp knife to cut the mixture to a very thin slice.
8. Lay the biscuit on the baking tray ( only one layer), then dry in the oven at 100C for 35 min or until the biscuits are very dry and crisp.

Almond biscotti can serve with fruit, mousse, ice cream or just as a snack by itself. 

My Wedding Cake- Dec 2010

My cake decoration passion comes from the idea where i want to make my own wedding cake.
I went to a short cake decorating class and my passion of cake decorating grows from there.

This is the very first fondant cake that i make in the class. It covers all the basic techniques including layer the fondant, simple modelling and some ribbon work.

After the 4 weeks class, i had to make my wedding cake. I had no choice at that time except making the cake because i did not order any wedding cake for my wedding. Luckily, i manage to make the cake. I searched for the design i like, then started to look for the materials and ingredient.

Here is my wedding cake!! I love my wedding cake not because i made the cake myself but it matches all the decorations for my wedding.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- Classic

I've promised Carey to make her a birthday cake. She told me she likes carrot cake. I personally never really tried carrot cake, but i want to give it a try. It's a last minute job because i start making the cake the night before her birthday. Therefore, i decided to make cup cake instead of a cake.
Making cupcake requires shorter baking time and cooling time. It's perfect for the last minute job :p

 

The Carrot Cake

When i get home from work, i start to mould the Bunny & Carrot figurine. The figurine will take sometimes to harden up.

The bunny

After i have done the figurine, i start to bake the cake. Finally! haha.
While the cake in the oven, i work on the cream cheese frosting- Another classic yummy frosting.
I have managed to finish the cake by 10pm. Pretty effective and well organised night. :)

Here is the final product

The final product!

Carrot Cake- Make 12 cupcakes
175g  Brown Sugar
200g  Self Raising Flour
1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
2 eggs
150ml Sunflower/Canola Oil
200g finely grated carrot
2tsp Cinnamon powder


1. Preheat oven to 180C and preparea 12 hole muffin tray layered with paper case
2. Mix together eggs, bicabornate of soda and sugar in a mixing bowl
3. Whisk together oil and egg in another mixing bowl, then sift in the flour, cinnamon powder along with the  grated carrot
4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray evenly and bake in the oven for 20min until golden brown.
5. Cool the cupcake in the tin for 5 minutes then place on wire rack to cool completely.


Cream Cheese Frosting

110g Unsalted Butter
300g Cream Cheese
100g Icing Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1. Beat the butter until soft
2. Beat in the cream cheese until blended
3. Sift in the icing sugar and stir in the vanilla until smooth
4. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe a swirl on top of each cup cake

Simple Tuna Patties- Snacks/FingerFoods

I have some left over ready-made Puff Pastry in the fridge, so i decided to make some simple Tuna Patties for snack. it's verys simple yet very delicious and addictive. Maybe it's just because i like the Tuna Flavour:) It's also great for Party.

Before baking

Ready to serve-Yum!

1 can of 185g Tuna in Olive Oil/SpringWater
1/2 Onion -finely chopped
25g Butter
1/2 cup of grated parmeson cheese

2 ready-made Puff Pastry

1. Brown the onion, then add in Tuna.
2. Stir for 2-3 minute, then add the Butter and Cheese.
3. Stir untill well combine and remove from stove.
4. Let it cool down at room temperature before wrapping it in the Puff Pastry.
5. Egg wash the pastry before baking
6. Bake at 200C for 15 min