Taiyaki

Most of the time if I hit down to Takashimaya, I will buy some Taiyaki from Mr. Obanyaki located at basement 2. So far I think is the best taiyaki I have try among other store having selling too but not as tasty as their. The filling is generous and the price is definitely reasonable and affordable.

I'm so curious to make my own Taiyaki too after I saw some blogger post some home make using the Taiyaki mold but sadly I can't find any in Singapore so I went to taobao and bought one. After I received my new toys, I went google and search for recipe. The only recipe I found is from this popular youtube video name cookingwithdog.
Recipe with video guide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD7JjeupVt0&feature=c4-overview-vl&list=PLAA05E501B9175B11

I try the recipe given and follow exactly the ingredients stated, the Taiyaki taste slightly crisp and nice when it is fresh and hot when it's done but it will turn hard and masticate when is cool off. I throw the rest into the bin because I doubt nobody in my family will help to clear.

I try the second time again and modify the recipe myself and yet I get the same result again, a tough and hard Taiyaki. After that I gave up and keep the mold for months without using it because I can't find any good Taiyaki recipe. For what I know, pancake recipe can be use for this Taiyaki too.

I happen to found a book name called 街头热卖甜点完整配方 at the Clementi National Library. In the book contain the top 5 famous street dessert - Imagawayaki (車輪餅), Eggy cake (雞蛋糕), Eggy shape waffle(雞蛋仔), Dorayaki (銅鑼燒) and Taiyaki (鯛魚燒). Without hesitate I borrow this book back home happily.

I try the taiyaki recipe and finally I manage to dish up a decent of Taiyaki. The taiyaki is so spongy, fragrant and most importantly it does not turn hard when it is cold. It still taste soft and delicious the next day. I'm so surprise with the result of this recipe. Now I have no excuse to keep the mold quietly. =p

I haven't try the other recipe as I don't have the mold. The next one I would like to try will be 雞蛋仔 after I manage to get the mold on hand first.

Is not easy to get a nice and good taiyaki shape because the mold I bought is not the electric type, is a portable mold that need to cook under the stove and controlling the fire is quite a challenging task. I was sweating away while standing in front of the stove to make sure taiyaki is not burn. I try and did my best to make the appearance look like the commercial made. Hahaha!

Recipe source from a book: 街头热卖甜点完整配方 
Can be bought online at: http://www.books.com.tw/exep/prod/booksfile.php?item=0010437041

Ingredients A:
- 200gm eggs
- 100gm sugar

Ingredients B:
- 100gm cake flour
- 40gm potato starch
- 4gm baking powder

Ingredients C:
- 50gm vegetable oil

Ingredients D (Filling of your choice):
- Red bean paste / Azuki bean paste
- Chocolate / Nutella
- Kaya / Jam

Method:

1. Sift all the ingredients B in a bowl.
2. Using a electric hand mixer and whisk the egg in a bowl, add the sugar gradually and whisk till batter turn pale and light colour.
3. Add in the flour mixture into step 2 and mix with a spatula. Follow by the oil.
4. Let the batter rest for 30 minute.
5. After 30 min, heat up the mold under the stove in low-medium heat. Brush a thin layer of oil and clean away the excess oil from the mold using kitchen towel paper (this is to prevent the surface of the cake will have a patch of uneven colour tone look). *It's okay to leave the oil without wipping away if you don't mind of the uneven taiyaki colour tone look.  
6. Pour the batter on the mold, put the desired filling on the batter and let it cook until small bubbles start to appear, pour another layer of batter on top of the fillings and cover the mold.
7. Flip the mold over the other side and let it cook for about 3 min. Open up the handlers and have a peek of the taiyaki to check if is cook. Cook until taiyaki turn slightly brown.
8. Remove from the mold and serve it while is still hot / warm.

麵包鬆餅 / 比利時鬆餅 - Beigian Waffles

Mostly the waffles I have eaten is pandan flavour and it is easily reach in every or almost Singapore bakery shop. But not all the shop make a decent waffles and is not easy to look for a good one.

I used to buy waffles from a bakery shop at Henderson and I think is the best waffles I have even ate but the boss sold the bakery shop to another owner. The waffles taste really awful after the new owner took over. I misssssss the fluffy, chewy, rich eggy and pandan waffles that the uncle made.

I wonder the waffles usually I bought contain any yeast in it because the texture is chewy. I like the chewy texture waffles, it taste like eating a bread.

Anyway I made some Belgian waffles. The method is the same like making bread. you will need to knead the dough and let it proof. The different is you do not need to bake but cook under the stove using the waffles mold.

It will be better if you have the electronic waffles maker. At least you do not need to worry your waffles might burn and using electronic waffles maker give a evenly brown on both side after it done.

The waffles is so delicious, chewy and it not so sweet. You can spread some desired jam on it or make it savoury and sandwich with some egg and bacon. The waffles taste better when it is still hot / warm. You can warm the waffles in the oven if the waffles turn cold.



The next day breakfast, a cup of hot green tea with waffles and a sunny egg. 

Recipe Source: http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/carol-jay/article?mid=272661&prev=272709&next=272612

Ingredients:
- 120gm bread flour
- 100gm cake flour
- 1/2 tsp yeast
- 50gm castor sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 60gm of 35°C warm milk
- 1/2 tsp rum (I omitted)
- 50gm unsalted butter (room temperature and cut into cubes)

Method:

1. Sift together the bread flour and cake flour in a bowl.
2. In another small bowl, mix the warm milk and the yeast together.
3. Put the salt and sugar into the flour mixture bowl.
4. Pour the step (2), egg and rum into step (3).
5. Mix all the ingredients together until it form a dough.
6. Add in the butter and knead the dough till smooth or using a electric hand mixer to do the job.  
7. Place in a greased bowl, cover and leave to rise in a warm place until double in bulk or about 1 & 1/2 hours). 
8. Sprinkle some cake flour on the counter top and place the dough on it and also sprinkle some flour on the surface of the dough to prevent it stick onto your hands.
9. Divide the dough into 50gm each (about 8 small dough).
10. Roll each dough into a ball shape and cover with cling wrap. Let it proof another 20 min.
11. After the second proof, warm the waffles maker. For mine I using stove (medium heat) and a waffles mold.
12. Spread some oil on the waffles mold and place the dough on it. Close the lid. Cook each side for 3 to 4 minutes. Open the lid and check. Keep observe the waffles well as it might burn if is too hot. 

Vanilla Waffles

Finally, I bought the waffles maker. I have been wanted to own a waffles maker but I couldn't find any wireless one which can be cook under the stove in S'pore retail shop.

I went to search online and found this from taobao.com and ship over through sgshop. The thing are really cheap if without the shipping and middleman cost. I bought a few other baking mould as well since I buying from the same seller in taobao and I only need to paid one time shipping fee.

There are almost anything you can find the one for baking mould, culinary or utensil stuff in that website. The more I scroll and browse the baking ware, the more I feel like buying everything, so attempting! I wonder if I have a chance to visit China, I might focus on buying the baking stuff back to S'pore. Wahaha!

The quality of the waffles mould is good, easy to use and the waffles doesn't stick to the pan. I preheated the waffles iron and apply a thin layer of oil before I pour the patter into the mould. Remember to cook under medium heat and have a peak if the waffles are ready.

The actual recipe is a pandan waffles but I lazy to buy the pandan and extract out the pandan juice, so  I replace with vanilla extract. Anyway the result are pretty good too, the waffles are soft and sweetness are just right which you can eat straight away. If you does not own a waffles mould, you can use this recipe and make into a pancake as well. It doesn't matter about the shape as long as it taste great!

I looking for a yeast waffles recipe. Most of the time I bought the waffles from the bakery shop are contain with yeast. I like the chewy texture and it make me feel full after having one. I will share after I found a good one.

Have a great weekend and enjoy a piece of yummy waffles with a cup of hot drink as your morning breakfast.

*Recipe source: http://www.houseofannie.com/pandan-waffles/
*I reduce the portion into halve.

Ingredient:

• ½ cup plain flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ + ¼ tsp cornstarce
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp baking powder 
• 1 egg, whites separated from the yolk
• ½ cup fresh milk
• ½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted (14gm)
• ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. 
2. In another separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently stir it in. Switch to a folding motion towards the end to incorporate all the flour. The batter will be a little lumpy and thick, but the important thing is not to overmix it.
3. Whisk the egg white until it forms stiff peaks. With a spatula, fold in 1/3 of the meringue into the batter and mix. Continue mix in the remaining meringue. 
4. I preheat my waffles iron in medium heat under the stove for a few minutes. 
5. Apply a thin layer of oil or butter on the mould and pour the batter in. Cover the lid and cook under medium heat for a few minutes on each side. 
6. Open the lid and check if the waffles are ready, waffles are ready when it turn into golden brown. 
7. Serve it while is still hot and fresh out from the kitchen. 

Little Pancake

My first tasted, prepared and cook pancake experience from McDonald. During my secondary schooling day, I work part time in McDonald as a crew. I get to learn from basic like sweeping, cleaning, mopping the floor and table. Slowly proceed to cashier and learn to take order. Finally I get the chance to enter the kitchen and learn to cook, this is the part where I enjoy the most. I get to learn both the breakfast and lunch cum dinner menu. But eventually I only manage to cook breakfast menu because lunch cum dinner menu are too complex for me. The variety ingredient are too many to memorise compare to breakfast which is much easier.

Althought I only worked for 1 year but I get to learn alot from there and this is one of my flavour and enjoyable job in my life. My passion for F&B dream job is always in my wish list but yet to fulfill.

 The glass panel so adorable

 

Queue no 7 & Interesting menu name

 

 

We went on a Saturday dinner time and we are lucky that the restaurant is not crowded at all, perhaps there are plenty of empty seat. Most of the diner leave after finish their food but we seat back and relax after the meal in a cosy ambience.

 

 Orange Juice (S$2.30) & AppleYakult Love (S$3.70)

 

I order a cup of Orange Juice (left) and my bgf order a cup of AppleYakult Love (right).

 

Gimme S'more Oreos! (S$8.20)

 

Ham & Cheesy (S$8.50)

 

We order 2 different set and share, this two are the quite popular vote I got the information from the net. I ask my bfg if she like this two set and she fine with it.

 

Both are good, the Oreo set come with marshmallow and the friendly staff told us to eat the marshmallow while is still hot. The moment I serve the marshmallow into my mouth it melted & bit of crispy on the external. I couldn't talk to my bfg because the marshmallow is floating + melting in my mouth = power! It comes with a scoop of chocolate ice cream and a miniature glass of maple syrup with each set which I think is tooooo little.  

 

Didn't know that ham & cheese can be such a good combination with the moist and fluffy mini hotcakes. Yum yum!! It served with mash potatoes and a spoonful of butter. We hardly touch the butter given. The ham & cheese taste wonderful delicious on itself already.

 

 

I realise there are plenty of restaurant and cafe going on around that stretch of area. I will make a point to visit the other food store on my next visit to upper thomson road.

 

Little Pancake

200 Upper Thomson Road

Thomson Imperial Court, #01-04

Singapore 574424

 

Operating Hours:

Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays from 12.00pm till 11.00pm

Fridays & Saturdays from 12.00pm till 1.00am
(Closed on Tuesdays)

 

Seafood Okonomiyaki

This is a healthy, simple and quick recipe. *Healthy without the mayonnaise*
You can always change the ingredient according to your own preference to make okonomiyaki. For me I choose the seafood, prawns and salmon fish.

To me I think the sauce play an important role as well. If without the Okonomiyaki Sauce and mayonnaise, the whole okononiyaki taste quite plain. I looking for a bottle of teriyaki sauce but it seem hard to find it. The sauce I make taste wierd. I didn't follow the original recipe to make the teriyaki sauce because it required the mirin and sake which I know I won't be able to finish the whole bottle before the expiry date and that why I didn't buy it.

I feel so bloated after finish the whole okonomiyaki. Remember to buy fresh prawn and salmon, fresh prawn give a crunchy bite texture to it. Hope u like it too.

*Serving portion 1

Ingredient:

• 50gm flour
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 70ml water
• 1/2 tsp Dashi (I use chicken stock powder)
• Salmon (Cut into small pieces after cook)
• Prawn (Cut into small pieces after cook)
• 1/2 cup of cabbage (Cut into strip)
• 1/4 cup of Carrot (Cut into strip)
• Some spring onion (save some for garnish)
• 1 eggs
• Okonomiyaki or teriyaki sauce
• Mayonnaise

Method:

1. Cook the salmon and prawn in a pot of hot water or steam it. *I suggest not to full cook but medium rare*
2. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
3. In another bowl combine the dashi & water together and stir until dissolve.
4. Add the liquid (Step 2) into the dry ingredient (Step 1) and mix until all the lump dissolve.
5. Add the cabbage into the batter, follow by the carrot, spring onion, salmon, prawn and the egg.
6. Toss all the ingredient until combine and do not over mix it.
7. On a stove in medium heat, add some oil on a flat pan, pour all the mixture onto the pan.
8. After 3~4 minutes, turn the batter around and cook another side for about 3~4 minutes.
9. Spread the teriyaki sauce on the okonomiyaki and squeeze some mayonnaise and top some spring onion.

Dorayaki / Azuki Pancake

I love eating azuki (Japanese sweet red bean paste). It is totally different from the chinese version which usually the paste is without the bean skin. As for azuki it remain with the skin, the texture is just so nice and yummy. Since i still left a big bag of cake flour, so thought of making Dorayaki and i found this recipe from cookingwithdog.

My dorayaki version is totally different from the video that i watch.

I print screen the step by step from the video. As u can see from the picture the pancake surface is perfectly even & dark brown without any small patch. The red bean is abit watery and smooth.

Mine is quite a disguise but it's alright. As i always believe that practice make perfect and there are no such thing as 一步腾天。
Mine dorayaki pancake is dry, uneven size, and the surface is not smooth and even.
For the red bean is too sweet and dry.

The rest i give it away to WT, as nobody at home will eat my end product. (I feel sorry as i should'nt have give the untasteful dorayaki to my friend.) 

Tip to note:

• Do not over mix the red bean with the sugar for too long in the pot if not it will become too dry without any moisture.
• Adjust the sweetness of the paste by putting some sugar first and taste instead of pouring all the sugar into the pot. (As the bean paste is horrible sweet) 
• When baking pancakes, set the griddle at about 340 degrees F (170 C). Higher temperature would cause the pancakes to burn easily and lower temperature would make them hard and dry.
• Pour the batter in by using a soup spoon so that all the pancake will be at the same size.    

Ingredients for the Azuki (Red Bean):
100g red bean
350ml water
100g brown sugar (Adjust at your own preference)
A little bit of salt

Method:

1. Rinse and soak the red bean overnight
2. After soaking the bean for one night, prepare to cook the red bean
3. Put the red bean into a pot, add water that are enough to cover the bean and bring to a boil in high heat. Slimmer for 5 minute at low heat.
4. Drain the red bean and discut the water
5. Place the red bean back to the pot and add water again to cover the bean and bring to a boil in high heat. Slimmer for 5 minute at low heat.
6. Drain the red bean and discut the water
7. Place the red bean back to the pot and add 350ml of water and bring to a boil in high heat. Slimmer for 30 minute at low heat.
8. Drain the red bean and discut the water
9. Place the red bean back to the pot and add in the sugar, mix the red bean and the sugar at medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spatula.
10. Add the salt in, drop the red bean to check the thickness. (Do not cook for too long) It will become firm when it turn cold.

Ingredients for the Batter:

2 Eggs (At room temperature)
80g white sugar
1 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp baking soda
50ml water
130gm cake flour
1~3 tsp water to adjust the thickness of the batter

Method:

1. Crack both of the egg in a bowl and whisk it
2. Add the white sugar and the honey into the egg
3. Beat the mixture for about 3 minute, the mixture will slightly become thicker
4. Dissolve the baking soda with the water together
5. Add into the egg mixture and mix
6. Add in the cake flour
7. Mix the batter with the whisk and do not over mix
8. Cover the bowl of batter with the wrap and let the batter rest for 30 minute at room temperature
9. After 30 minute, adjust the thickness of the batter using the whisk. Let the batter flow in the bowl to check the thickness, add in one tablespoon of the water and mix to check the batter thickness
10. Lightly oil the surface of the pan with a paper towel and wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel so that the pancake will come out evenly
11. Using a small soup spoon and pour the batter into the pan.
12. When small bubble form on the pancake surface, flip them over, cook about 20 sec and remove the pancake from the pan
13. Place the pancake on a cooling rack and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep the pancake moist 
14. Spread the azuki paste onto the pancake and is ready for serve.

Traditional Pancake

Today bought a new software through online call Picnik and it cost USD $24.95 for one year. Quite worth it and is much cheaper and friendly user than photoshop to me. 

Lucky me, didn't buy the photoshop software anyway i did looking for one however Singapore retail doesn't sell & i really don't know how to use it at all. =(

Anyway I bought Picnik is for me to edit the food picture that i took as i always like the kind of picture where the background is blur and it focus on the front point of a item. As i do not own a DSLR camera but hopefully one day i will be able to buy one. 

 

One of my flavour breakfast which i usually will buy from McDonald and it is quite costly to buy their set meal. So last Saturday morning i decided to try out a new pancake recipe which is not instant premix and the result is delicious. My little devil niece and nephew who is very picky about food even like it! I feel so content even my sister also said the pancake is a success and the taste is just right.

The taste is so nice that u don't even need to put the maple syrup and just eat the pancake. However i would prefer with the maple syrup on my pancake but not for my niece, nephew and my sister as they find it too sweet to add the syrup. 

It is not easy to control the fire when cooking the pancake as the pancake will get burn as it can seen from the picture that the pancake is a little bit burn however is still eatable. 

Tip to note, LY told me not to use butter to ladled on the pan instead use cooking oil as butter burn easily. 

I will try the pancake batter again and hopefully my skill will improve and make it better ;)

Traditional Pancakes

  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (125 grams) plain or all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt         
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
• Some cooking oil
• Maple Syrup (optional)

Method: 

• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Break up any lumps.
• Separate the eggs into two bowls. Whip the whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks and set aside.
• Mix the milk to the egg yolks and beat them together with the hand mixer until they are bubbly. Melt the butter then mix in together. 
• Add the step 1 to the step 3 and whisk them together very gently until they are just incorporated. The batter should have some small lumps, make sure do not over mix the batter or else the pancakes will be tough and dense. Fold in the egg whites with the batter and let the batter rest  for 15 ~ 20 minutes. 
• Heat a frying pan over medium high heat and lightly coat the surface with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Test the temperature by sprinkling a droplet of water onto the surface; if it's hot enough, the water will skitter and evaporate.

 Tip: Don't use butter to grease your pan, unless it's clarified butter. Regular butter will burn.

• Use 1/3-cup measure to gather a scoop of batter & pour it onto the pan. When the edges have browned & bubbles start to appear on the top surface of the pancakes, flip the pancake, & cook the other side until it's golden brown. Don't press down on the pancake; it won't help it cook faster, and it'll crush the light texture.
• Pancakes should be served as soon as they are cooked through, cold pancakes doesn't taste good. If whipping up a big batch, don't let cooked cakes get cold while the new ones are just hitting the griddle. Instead, lay the pancakes on a cookie sheet. Make sure not to overlap or stack them, and place them in a just-warm oven until is ready to serve.
• Serve pancakes with butter and maple syrup or just plain pancake taste as good too. 

Reference Video: