Raisin, Cranberry & Banana Muffin

Usually Muffin we bought from the store make contain lots of butter, milk which is quite a unhealthy snack/dessert. Suddenly I have a urge of making a batch of healthy muffin since is not easy to find healthy muffin from store make.

I source recipe from my books and change the ingredient myself to make some healthy muffin. On hands I have raisin, cranberry and banana. So I decided to combine the fruits and give it a try of the taste.

The texture and taste of this muffin is acceptable for me but I believe is not for those who are looking for a moist and fluffy muffin. The muffin is quite dry and coarse but a little bit chewy. At least I don't feel guilty after munch down this healthy muffin. ;)

Ingredient:

• 200gm wholemeal flour
• 75gm oatmeal 
• 1 tsp baking power
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 50gm brown sugar
• 2 tbsp of honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 70ml olive oil (Canola or Grape seed Oil can be used too)
• 150ml yogurt
• 1 large egg
• 1 medium banana
• 80gm cranberry
• 80gm raisin

Method:

1. Preheat the oven at 170°C. Line a 12-hole or 6-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases.
2. Using the wire whisks (Hand whisks) and combine the flour, oatmeal, baking power, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar in a bowl. Add in the dry cranberry and raisin, mix to combine.
3. Whisk the honey, vanilla extract, oil, yogurt, egg and banana together. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until all the ingredients are just incorporated.
4. Using the ice-cream scoops, scoops the mixture equally into the paper cases.
5. Bake for about 25 minutes or until insert a toothpick come out clean.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  

Durian Puff Choux

Now is in the mood of durian season, u can get to see durian nearly everywhere is selling. I bought mine at a soy drink store, weird right? The soy drink store not just selling soy milk, they sell durian, pudding and even fruits. I always like to purchase from this store is because of the boss, he is a very friendly, good manner and always carry with a smile on the face. He even treat the customer bread (he bought from the bakery store) and store pudding. Such a nice boss! *I wish my boss can be half like him.. Hehehe.. ^^

Usually I will bought mine durian from a fruit store because my house area their store is a monopoly and the boss always carry a unfriendly and fierce face. I don't like to purchase from their store unless I have really no choice.

At least now I have another option to buy durian from the soy drink store. The price of the durian is quite steep, they sell 1kg for $8. I bought 2 durian at $22. My mum give me a shock face when I told her but is all worth it. The durian seed is small and most importantly the durian is fabulous yummy.

Choux had been in my baking list for quite long but I always end up baking or making something else and since is durian season, why not take the opportunity to make some durian choux. The durian choux is just so delicious with the strong durian puree and the light airy puff. Let it chill in the fridge for a few hour, the taste and texture will be yummylious and make u feel like continue without stop. My niece is not a durian lover, since I had some extra choux so I spread the filling with kaya and she finish it all.

Perhaps I will make Custard cream choux the next time.

Ingredient:

*For the Puff

• 75gm Plain flour 
• 100gm Egg
• 60gm Butter (Cut into square cube)
• 150ml Water
• 2gm Salt

*For the Durian Puree

• 300gm fresh durian (remove the seed from the fresh)
• 2 tbsp of milk (I did not use whipping cream because to stay away from the fat)

Method:

1. For the Durian Puree, mix both ingredient together and place in the refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven at 200°C. Beat the egg on a bowl and use the double boil mothod to keep the egg warm. The temperature of the water at 40°C to 50°C.
3. Place the butter, water and salt in a pot over a stove on medium fire. Do not stir it, let it melt completely.
4. Switch off the stove when it come to a boil, remove away from the stove and add in the sieve flour.
5. Use a wooden spatula and mix it until it form a dough, place it back to the stove on a low medium fire. Continue to mix, using the wooden spatula by stirring the dough up from the bottom of the pan. Mix until the bottom of the pan form a thin layer of dough skin and it's time to remove the pan away from the stove.
6. Transfer the dough in a mixing bowl, pour half of the beaten egg into the bowl. Use the wooden spatula by using the cutting method to mix the dough. Mix until the dough form into one but is still smooth.
7. Pour another half of the egg, repeat the same method from step 5.
8. Pour a little bit of the egg in and mix. Keep repeat this method until the dough become smooth.
9. Pour the batter into a pastry bag and pipe the batter on a tray with baking paper.
10. Bake at 200°C for 8 minute than lower down the oven tempeature to 180°C and continue to bake for another 20 minute.
11. Let the puff cool on rack completely, using the knife and halve the puff than pipe the durian puree into the puff.   

Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)

I came across this interesting recipe when I trying to use up my topical flour, it has been sitting in my kitchen cabinet for months and it going to expire soon. So I went google and search for recipe that would required topical flour. Tadah I really found a recipe that is using topical flour as the main lead and this is a super easy task and less time consuming to do it.

This cute little small ball are brazilian cheese bread. The texture is chewy which is similar with our local snack, Muah Chee (麻糍). Mine batch of brazilian cheese bread is quite salty, I think I should have reduce the salt because cheese has a hint of saltiness too.

Remember to grease the paper to prevent it stick to the tin or paper, I used the mini muffin tin and mini muffin paper to bake but I didn't gease the paper and it stick to the paper. Oh yeah, & remember stand by and watch your Pão rise up and it really does. I transfer my batter into the oven for about 10 minute later, all the Pão rise rise up and high. Isn't so cute ^^

Recipe source from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/easy_brazilian_cheese_bread/

Ingredient:

• 1 Egg
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 192 gm tapioca flour
• 76gm cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Put all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender so that everything gets blended well. At this point you can store the batter in the refrigerator for up to a week.
2. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until all puffy and just lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for a few minutes.

FAILED CHEESECAKE AGAIN?

My mood today is the same as moody and cloudy as the weather. Due to my second time failure making cheesecake. Seriously I feel so sad, sad because I wasting the ingredient and the money.

The first time I make a "Bake" Cheesecake and it is unsuccessful because is under cook, the cookies crust base is wet and the cheese is so soft and runny. I use water bath method to bake the cheesecake and I didn't wrap the tin! I just have to blame my lazyiness for not doing homework / studies on how to bake a cheesecake. After the failure, I went to read on a few baker blogger and realise that firstly the tin of the base must placed a piece of aluminium foil over it. The tin ring then placed over the foil and secured onto the base. The bottom and sides are then wrapped with two layers of foil. This is to prevent water from the water bath leaking into the cheesecake base. Water bath method take a slightly longer time to bake than a normal cake.

The second time which is yesterday, I try the "Non-Bake" method and again it failed. The instruction given that the cheesecake must be refrigerate until firm (about 12 hours), I follow and waited till the next day (about 12 hours later) and unmold the tin, ohh god!! Again my cheesecake is so soft and runny after slicing piece by piece, I keep staring on the cheesecake and wondering whether should I keep or throw? Slowly the cheesecake seem like collapse and melting away. So I decided to throw into the bin.. I'm feel sorry for wasting the food resources.

Another unlucky thing happen on my compact camera, when I switch on the botton and I saw a few black line on the screen.. Oh god, the camera is something wrong so I have to hurry and change to make a trip down to the customer service center as their operate hour for Saturday till 12.30pm only. As usual take the Q number and wait for my turn to be call. Luckily is not that crowded and I show the customer service lady what went wrong with my camera and she went in to shown her technician the problem, shortly she came out and she told me the repair fee cost $180. I got a shock, in the end I turn down the offer. I would rather buy a brand new camera than repair it as this is not the first time my camera have the same problem. This camera I bought around 500++ buck and it only stay with me for about 2-3 years only, I hardly even used it. Nowadays electronic life span is really short unlike last time a TV can last for about 10 years or even longer.

Brownies

Honestly I'm not a fans of Brownies, but I definitely a fans of chocolate. I "think" I have never try brownies before but definitely have seen and heard before. The first sight I look at brownies, my brain is telling me that this black block must be a very sweet and hard dessert.

But it proven me wrong after I bake this very own brownies and give it a taste & I in love with brownies now. I read tips of baking a brownies from other blogger - do not over bake a brownies if not it will become a chocolate cake. Brownies should be soft and fudgy in the inside and firm texture on the outside.

This is my first attempt baking the brownies and I'm quite satisfied with the result. The brownies has a nice firm texture on the surface, inside is moist, soft and fudgy. I can't help but took a second piece in one day and continue another piece on the next day is still taste as good.

The instruction given baking time is from 30 to 35 min, I bake mine for 30 min as I halve the original recipe.

*Recipe shown below have already halve.

Ingredient:

• 80gm dark chocolate
• 87.5gm butter
• 130 brown sugar
• 65gm flour
• 30gm cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.
2. Line the baking tray/tin with baking paper on the base and side.
3. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water) Leave until melted and smooth.
4. Remove from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until well incorporated.
5. Sift flour, cocoa powder and add into the mixture and stir until well incorporated. Finally, stir in the eggs and mix until thick and smooth.
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tray/tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until flaky on the top but still soft in the center. *Be careful not to over bake otherwise the edges will become hard and crunchy.
7. Leave to cool completely and cut desired size into pieces.  

Mushroom Feast Spaghetti

Mushroom remind me of my childhood hair style. When I was a kid, I don't get my freedom to choose the hair style I want because my mum always insist my hair to be cut short on the back and front. When I flash back my photo album, the first sight into my mind is "mushroom head".

Anyhow I really an mushroom fans after all. U can offer me any kind of mushroom and I will not hesitate to reject it. I know I know, even if u feed me a poison mushroom, I might not aware of it.. Hahaha..

Those mushroom can be easily found in the wet market or supermarket. I bought the button mushroon, Shiitake, Bunashimeji (Brown Beech) & Bunapi (White Beech) and prepare to cook a mushroom feast with tomatoes gravy spaghetti. I can't think of other healthier sauce for the spaghetti.

I know there are other choice like Creamy mushroom but it is just so sinful. Any recommendation of delicious and healthy sauce to share? ;)

Bon appetit!
Portion: 1 person

Ingredient:

• Spaghetti
• 1 tbsp Cooking Oil
• ½ tsp garlic
• 1 tsp shaoxing wine
• Button, Shiitake, Bunashimeji & Bunapi Mushroom

Sauce:

• Some salt and pepper to taste 
• ½ cup tomatoes sauce (I bought the pre-make Can from the supermarket)
• 2 tbsp tomatoes ketchup (I used Maggie brand)

Method:

1. Fill a pot with water and sprinkler some salt in, let it come to a boil and place the spaghetti in. Cook until the spaghetti is soft enough to chew (I prefer the soft texture, up to your own preference)
2. Combine the tomatoes sauce with the ketchup and set aside.
3. Heat up a pan, pour 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Put the garlic in, fry till garlic turn slightly brown, add in all the mushroom and shaoxing wine, stir fry a few minutes. Pour in the tomatoes and ketcup sauce and give a good stir. Add in the cook spaghetti and combine with the sauce. Remove it from the pan and serve in a plate.