TANGZHONG BUN

Tangzhong 
makes very soft buns

Butter, milk and egg contributed to its

texture and flavour

Tangzhong

50g bread flour

250ml water

1) mix flour & water and cook over medium heat, stirring

2) when you can see the bottom of pot while stirring, it is ready

3) leave to cool before using
4) can be kept in fridge for 2-3 days if not using yet

Buns

120g tangzhong

125ml milk 

1 tsp salt

1 large egg

30g butter

350g bread flour

7g milk powder

55g sugar

2 tsp yeast

1) Put all ingredients in bread machine, bread dough cycle 1:30min

2) shape, put buns on lined baking tray to rise until double

3) bake in preheated oven 175'C for 25min

Notes:

1) Tangzhong can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days

2) can replace flour in bun recipe with wholemeal flours, black rice flour,

     cooked quinnoa or  oats up to 50g

3) can brush top of buns with milk for softer top
4) I added 1 Tbsp chia seed while kneading

Note: If buns are arranged next to each other in a baking tray
           the sides of these buns when baked will be soft and tender

ONION SOURDOUGH BUNS

These buns are soft and spongy

If you like onions

these are definitely for you

The fragrant of onions fills the house

as you bake them

4 cups (560g) bread flour

3 Tbsp sugar

2.5 tsp salt

2 tsp dry yeast

1 cup milk

1 cup sourdough

30g soften butter

2 eggs (medium) or 1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped onions (pan fried)-either add during last 2 min of kneading

                                                                    or press into buns while shaping

                                                                    or sprinkle onto buns before baking

1) put all ingredients in the bread machine

2) bread dough cycle 1:30 hour

3) divide into 50g balls

4) place on greased pans to rise until double

5) bake in preheated oven @ 190'C for 20-25min until brown

With special thanks to Kenneth Foong
for this wonderfully active Sourdough

Before going into the oven

I pressed the onions into the buns as I shape them

DIM SUM PRAWN ROLLS

Dim Sum

little plates of food
prepared with the thoughts of the one eating and

cooked with lots of patience and 
overflowing love

Not so much at a time

but in such small portions

that you keep wanting more after each serving

Among the many dishes

Fried Prawn Rolls 

is definitely one that many people love

I found this recipe in herfrozenwings blog:

here 

250g large prawns (shelled, de-veined & cut into 3s)

1 tsp sugar

60g fish paste

2 water chestnut (peeled & chopped)

1/2 tsp corn flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp chicken powder

a little pepper & sesame oil

spring onions, chopped 

1 large sheet dry soya bean curd skin, cut into 9cmX12cm

oil for deep frying

1) marinate prawn pieces with sugar, leave aside for 20min

2) add the rest of the ingredients & leave for at least 30min

3) wrap fillings in bean curd skin, seal with beaten egg

4) twist both ends to lock in the filling

5) deep fry until golden

6) serve hot, very crispy

FOOCHOW JINAU PAU PILLOW BUN

Foochow people have their way of 
making paus

Jinau Pau

in Foochow dialect is Pillow Bun

This is popular in Sitiawan

they are usually sold out before the sun goes down

soft and fluffy

and it will not stick to your teeth

These jinau pau are filled with

red bean paste

or 

ground peanuts,

both are just as good

If there are more layers of the filling

then it is called

ching aik koh

Of course the bun is very much taller

350g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp yeast

200g water, adjust accordingly

40g castor sugar

10g shortening/oil

200g red bean paste

1) combine all ingredients in bread machine

2) dough cycle 15min, and leave for 30min to rise

3) roll into 2 rectangle

4) place red bean paste on the dough & roll up like swiss roll

5) leave to rise 20-30min until double

6) steam from cold water for 20min

7) leave inside steamer for 5min before opening

Note:
I have replaced part of the water with blended pumpkin
to make these yellowish pillow pau

ALMOST FAMOUS AMOS CRUNCY CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Mama, can you please buy me a packet of 

Famous Amos Cookies?

Can you tell me what is so special about Famous Amos Cookies?

Hmm... crunchy, sweet and chocolately

I just love it!

Thanks to Luksunshine 

for sharing this recipe in Youtube

A) 1 egg, beaten with

     1/2 tsp vanilla &

     1/2 tsp coffee extract and leave aside for 2 hours

B) 45g quick oats, ground finely & mix with

     60g ground almond

     1/8 tsp salt 

C) 275g plain flour, sifted together with

     1 tsp baking powder &

     2 Tbsp cocoa powder

     and combine with (B)

D) 226g butter 

     175g castor sugar

E) 175g chocolate chips/chopped chocolate

     175g nuts (optional)

     

Method:

1) cream butter & sugar till fluffy

2) beat in egg mixture

3) fold in dry ingredients and chips

4) spoon onto lined baking sheet

5) bake in preheated oven 170'C for 25min

GROUNDNUT BISCUITS

Do you like these traditional Groundnut Cookies?

They are delicate to handle

and

they melt in the mouth in no time!

 Groundnut Biscuits

decorated with roasted peanuts

If you like it plain

Groundnuts are well loved

by my family

This biscuit

is a must when it comes to 

Chinese New Year baking

Without fail, every Chinese New Year

our eldest daughter, Chin

will ask for a tin of this

crumbly biscuits

It is easy to make

and 
fool proof too

Making small balls and pressing down lightly

on the baking sheet may sound easy

but I find using a cookie cutter

is faster and consistent in size too

400g groundnuts, toasted & ground till fine
330g plain flour
200g icing sugar
1 tsp salt
200ml oil (adjust consistency)
egg for glazing

1) mix all ingredients (should be lumpy) may not use up the oil
2) shape & bake @ 170'C for 12-15min

ARROW HEAD CHIPS

This Arrow Head Chips

is found in almost every home

during Chinese New Year

Arrow Head are easily obtainable 

as this is the season

Moreover

it is very easy to prepare too

Let's have a look

1 kg arrow heads (choose evenly sized, no breakage at base)

salt 

oil for frying

1) peel arrow heads leaving the stem to hold, soak in salt water

2) holding on to the stem, thinly slice the root and place on muslin cloth

3) heat oil & deep fry until golden, remove

4) store in air tight container when cooled

LOW SUGAR FRUIT CAKE

My mom is diabetic

She loves everything sweet

and more so Fruit Cakes

As such,

she has sacrificed so much sweet stuff

because of her health condition

I will try to accommodate her concern

into my baking

I have come out with this recipe

300g mixed fruits, soaked in water for 24 hours, drained and add

1 lemon rind

132g plain flour sifted with

1 tsp cinnamon powder &

1&1/4 tsp double action baking powder

70g fresh milk

1&1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

96g butter 

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 AA eggs

Method:

1) cream butter with sugar until light

2) beat in eggs, one at a time

3) fold in flours, alternate with milk mixture

4) add drained fruits

5) pour into 2 lined small loaf pan

6) bake in preheated oven 175'C for 50min

SUNFLOWER SEED CRISPS

These are very delicate cookies
crunchy and buttery

one can never have enough of it

190g plain flour &

1 tsp cream of tartar &

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, sifted together & mix in
1/2 tsp salt

225g butter 
100g castor sugar
1 AA egg, beaten
sun flower seeds for rolling

Method:
1) cream butter & sugar until light, beat in egg
2) combine dry & wet ingredients to form a smooth paste
3) refrigerate 30min
4) shape into small balls of 6g each
5) roll balls in sunflower seeds
6) place balls on lined tray, 2" apart to allow spreading
7) flatten balls
8) bake in preheated oven 200'C for 10-12min

             

COCONUT CRISPS

When I was younger coconut biscuits

were my favorite

Those days

coconut biscuits

were little round disc of golden colour

When you bit into it

shreds of coconut fell from your mouth

and

that is when 

you would get scolding for the mess!

Recently

I found it in Vietnam

the same old shape and colour

Guess that was the best way they could make it

I have tried this recipe

and found it to crispy and nice too

125g butter creamed with

100g icing sugar until white

1 egg, beaten

220g all purpose flour sifted with

1.5 tsp double action baking powder

120g desiccated coconut

1) combine all 4 and roll into little balls

2) place in lined baking tray & flatten with a fork

3) bake in preheated oven 170'C for 20min until golden