Almond Crisps

As Chinese New Year is approaching, there are lots of food goodies selling around. Almost everywhere I go, I will be able to see one store selling those CNY cookies. I happen to saw this almond crisps in a bakery shop near my office area and the nice lady give me a try of this crispy cookies. Oh this is really crispy and yummy, I like the crispy texture and the fragrant almond smell. But in the end I didn't purchase any from the shop, I thought of bake it myself.

It does not require a lot of ingredient to bake this cookies but it require time and is time consuming. Because to achieve the crispy texture, you have to spread the batter as thin as possible and make sure there are no overlapping of almonds.

For the first and second batch, I didn't bake well. I just bake for 8 minutes and remove from the oven when I saw the side started to brown and the center is still remain white colour. I give a try after it cool down, the side is crispy but the center is hard.

For the third batch, I bake it slightly longer for 10 to 12 minutes. This time mostly of the area are cover in brown. Again I let the crisps cool down and give a try, finally this is the correct texture it should be. Crispy crispy!

So to achieve the crispy texture, you have to make sure that the cookies is bake until brown in colour and if possible try not to have the white portion around. The white portion mean is still under bake and is hard to chew. You may turn down the oven temperature to get the cookies fully brown, high temperature might burn the cookies.

I have no idea why the cookies turn harden after a few days, not sure is it because I did not seal tight the container. Anyway you may reheat the crisps for a few minutes in a oven to make it crispy again.

*Recipe source: http://food-4tots.com/2011/05/18/almond-crisps/2/

Durian Chiffon Cake

I went goggle and realise that there are quite a few places in Singapore have Durian tree. Usually my mum will purchase the durian from the fruit store during the durian season but this time the durian we are having is grow in Singapore wild durian. 

My aunt friend gave her about half a basket of durian, where her friend picked up somewhere in Singapore (sorry I forgot the place) and my aunt can't finish all. So she gave us about 10 durian, there are a mix of small and big different size. So generous of her and her friend too. 

The first night when we received the durian, we are so excited to try out. So my parent try to open up the durian shell by chopping using a knife, pull apart the shell and using different method but still unable to open up the stubborn shell and I told them to gave up. I really scare they might hurt their finger and hand, the way I see them chop and pull the sharp shell make me sweat and panic for them. I rather forgo the durain than seeing them injure themselves.

The next day when I reach home, I saw durian flesh is inside the plastic container than my mum told me the next day when she try again and surprising all the durian is so easy to open.    

There are left over durian flesh and immediately I told myself I shall bake something using the durian flesh. So I decided to bake some mini durian chiffon cake, using the mini chiffon tin. This time the chiffon appearance has been improve compare to my previous attempt on the black sesame chiffon cake. But I still need to improve better, there are still some small flaky fall from the side. The chiffon has the strong durian fragrant taste and is soft and moist. Even my parent also like it. ;)

*This recipe yield 4 mini chiffon cake.

 Ingredient A:

• 3 egg yolk
• 20gm castor sugar
• 50ml vegetable oil
• 50ml water
• 80gm cake flour (Sift)
• 125gm durian flesh

Ingredient B:

• 3 egg white
• 50gm castor sugar

Method:

1. Separate the egg yolk and egg white into different bowl (make sure the egg white bowl do not contain any water or oil on it) 
2. In a clean bowl, using the hand whisk, whisk the egg yolk with the sugar till the batter colour turn slightly pale yellow. 
3. Add in the durian flesh and mix, follow by the oil (add in bit by bit) and mix well, follow by the water (add in bit by bit) and mix well.  
4. Add in the sift flour and mix until incorporated. Set aside.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites till stiff peaks form. With a spatula, fold in 1/3 of the meringue into (step 4) and mix. Continue mix the remaining meringue and make sure there are no trace of meringue can be seen in the batter.
6. Pour batters into chiffon tin, rap tins on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles.
7. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 170°C for 30 minutes. Invert the tins immediately and leave to cool completely before unmold. 

Chocolate Madeleines

After hesitation for a period of time, I decided to make up my mind and buy a better quality madeleines mould from Phoon Huat. Before that the mould I used is bought from Daiso, it produced the same seashell shape out but the mould will turn rusty easily. So I thought of buying a better mould which can last longer. Although is much pricey compare the one at Daiso but I still prefer the better one. =p

During the Christmas week, I have been receiving lots of chocolate and sweet blessing from my lovely colleagues. I'm a chocolate lover but I didn't eat much and I gave some of the chocolate to one of my friend who have a sweet tooth, she love eating chocolate, sweets, potatoes chips etc...

Although after receiving lots of chocolate but I still craving some dessert that are require chocolate. The madeleines mould has been sitting in my kitchen waiting for me to use as I bought it nearly one month and yet even unwrap the packaging. So I decided to make some chocolate chip madeleines.

I like the combination of the mini crunch chocolate chip with the fluffy sponge. Taste and texture is good but I didn't manage to get a big hump on the back of the madeleines. I follow the step like refrigerate the batter for 1 hour and bake at 200°C. But Saaaad! I want to give it a try again on other flavour.

Ingredient:

• 60gm plain flour
• 8gm cocoa powder
• 2gm baking powder
• 1 egg
• 50gm castor sugar
• 20ml milk
• 65gm unsalted butter (melted)
• 30gm mini chocolate chip

Method:

1. In a clean bowl, using the hand whisk and beat the egg, sugar and milk together.
2. Add in the sift plain flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and mix. 
3. Add in the melted butter in two batch into the batter and mix well.
4. Add in all the chocolate chip and mix well. 
5. Place the batter in the fridge for 1 hours before baking. 
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
7. Prepare a madeleine mould by brushing with the melted butter. Get in there and make sure you reach all the ridges. Dust with flour and invert the pan, tapping out any excess flour.
8. Pour the batter into a piping bag and pipe each mould two-thirds to three quarters full.
9. Bake the madeleines in the preheated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes or until risen and the tops spring back when touched.
10. Leave to cool for several minutes before turning out on to a wire rack and allowing to become completely cool. 

Chocolate Eclair

I love chocolate eclair ever since from young and my mum will buy for me when she happen to saw any in the pastry shop. But it has been so long since I have bought a eclair. Anyway I just bought a book name call "Home Baking" and it's all about pastry, dessert and bread recipe.

While I was browsing the book and wondering which dessert should I bake and finally I decided to make chocolate eclair. The choux pastry making is the same with the cream puff. The different is the filing, there are cream filing, custard filing or chocolate filing. My flavour will be chocolate filing.

I found a very useful video guide in YouTube on making the choux, it show the step by step of making the puff. (will share the link below in recipe guide)

 

The ganache started to melt pretty fast while I was taking the picture due to the humid weather. The chocolate filing is mouthwatering, it match so well with the choux puff. Eat the eclair while is still cold out of the fridge. If is left too long in the room temperature, the cream will become watering and the texture will not be so good. It will be better to keep in the freezer and consume it immediately and the texture is like eating a ice-cream puff. Yum!

*Recipe source: Home Baking

*For the puff pastry video guide:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVttWF4ADA8&ytsession=nSPGunDmCmzIacuubC2zORVE3gf-qCLhSWAXHDXo7i_RqMU-fUnDsE2T1xEiEZYFFEhQD7itqxAO6qd_yXgblUuUYh6us-Ydis-OYRe6Wrc-sFL0tyun3Xv24hoixM05jgJqN6yTOkGaAMwuccFO43SfehqcASHNRDCoMC9mgb5suyx0fA9MjIwjD66LMAT6Pw4nnU-G_INXS9QbylzFZ-RzNxDlywyiPKgbQTNalqs

 (A) Chocolate Cream (Filing) Ingredients:

• 250ml milk
• ½ of a vanilla pod (I use vanilla extract) 
• 60gm castor sugar 
• 60gm egg yolk (about 3 eggs)
• 12gm plain flour
• 10gm corn flour
• 23gm unsalted butter (cut into small cubes size)
• 80gm dark chocolate (melted)  

 (B) Choux Pastry Ingredients:

• 60ml milk
• 60ml water
• a pinch of salt
• 5gm castor sugar
• 50gm unsalted butter
• 70gm plain flour
• 3 eggs

(C) Chocolate Ganache Ingredients:

• 50ml cream (I skip this)
• 2 tsp maltose syrup (I skip this)
• 150gm dark chocolate (melted)

Method: (A) Chocolate Cream (Filing)

1. Cut the vanilla pod into halve, using the back of the knife and scrape out all the seeds from the inside.
2. Pour the milk into a pot with the vanilla pod and seeds on a stove in medium heat, let it become warm but not boiling & remove the vanilla pod. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool off.
3. In a clean bowl, using the whisk beat the egg yolk with the sugar until the batter turn into pale yellow colour stage.
4. Add in the sift plain flour and corn flour into step 3 batter, mix to combine. Follow by the milk (in step 2) and mix to combine. 
5. Transfer the batter into a pot and place on the stove in low heat, using a hand whisk and keep stirring until batter become thick and turn off the heat.
6. Add the butter into the batter and stir to combine.
7. Transfer the batter into a clean bowl and add in the dark chocolate and mix well. Cover the surface with a cling wrap and keep in the fridge. (I keep it overnight)

Method: (B) Choux Pastry
Follow this video guide: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVttWF4ADA8&ytsession=nSPGunDmCmzIacuubC2zORVE3gf-qCLhSWAXHDXo7i_RqMU-fUnDsE2T1xEiEZYFFEhQD7itqxAO6qd_yXgblUuUYh6us-Ydis-OYRe6Wrc-sFL0tyun3Xv24hoixM05jgJqN6yTOkGaAMwuccFO43SfehqcASHNRDCoMC9mgb5suyx0fA9MjIwjD66LMAT6Pw4nnU-G_INXS9QbylzFZ-RzNxDlywyiPKgbQTNalqs

  
Method: (C) Chocolate Ganache

1. I omit the cream and maltose syrup because I do not have on hand. So I just double boil and melt the semi-sweet chocolate instead of using dark chocolate.

 
Method: To Assemble

1. Cut 2 small hole on the bottom of the choux and pipe with chocolate cream.  
2. Place the top choux with the melted chocolate and stored in the refrigerator until cold before serving.