My Favorite Indulgence.......

Afternoon tea has become something of a phenomenon. One of my all time favorite indulgences is afternoon tea especially during the weekend or public holiday.  It combines several of my favorite things, delightful desserts and cakes, a nice pot of tea or coffee, catching up with friends and family and get away from computer to relax. There are lots of classic afternoon tea recipes you can make at home and enjoy it with your family in the comfort of your home.

My East meet West mini afternoon tea, from top right Dutch Baby pancake, green bean dessert. Bottom left Fly African Cake, cream puff, Dutch Baby pancake with cinnamon apple.

Dutch Baby Pancake aka German Pancake.
Thanks to my North American friend who introduced me this delightful pancake. Its a quick and easy recipe, idea for breakfast or light lunch too.

Dutch Baby Pancake
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 size A eggs
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp salted butter
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp  nutmeg powder

1/  Mix the flour, lightly beaten eggs, nutmeg and milk until smooth.
2/  Grease an 8 inch round cake pan and pre heat the oven at 180 deg c.
3/  Put the 4 tbsp butter in the cake pan and melt it in the oven.
4/  When butter melt pour in the batter. ( No need to stir. )
5/  Bake at 180 deg c for 20mins.

When remove from oven the pancake will shrink and collapse. Do not worry, its normal for Dutch Baby pancake.

Mix 1 tsp cinnamon power with 1.5 tsp castor sugar, mix well and sprinkle on top of the pancake white its still hot from the oven.

I used Ceylon cinnamon. This is good for making cinnamon tea with honey and lemon.

Looks can be deceiving but the aromatic flavor of the butter and cinnamon is so delightful.

You can serve the Dutch Baby pancake with cinnamon apple.
Slice the apple thinly, cook the apple with 1/4 cup water until soft. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.

Fly African Mocha Cake

A)
360 gm cold egg whites  ( 10 eggs )
2 egg yolk
250gm cake flour or superfine flour
200gm Castor sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ovelett
1 tbsp condensed milk
7 oz salted butter
100gm crushed walnuts ( optional )

B) 
15gm cocoa powder
1 tsp instant coffee powder
2 tbsp hot water
1 tsp chocolate emulco ( optional)

Ovelett is a cake emulsifier or stabilizer used predominantly for sponge cakes or steam cakes.

1/ Mix all the B ingredients and keep aside. Mix into a smooth thick paste. If too dry add a bit more hot water.
2/  Mix egg whites, egg yolks, sugar, flour, ovelett, baking powder and beat with cake mixer until double in volume.
3/ Add condensed milk and beat for 1 minute.
4/ Add the butter slowly and mix till well blend. Do not over mix.

5/  Divide the cake batter into 2 portions with white slightly more.
6/  Line the 10" x 3" cake pan with grease proof paper. I run out of grease proof paper so I used aluminium foil.
7/ Start with 3 tbsp of white batter, then follow by 3 tbsp of chocolate batter. Tap the cake pan lightly.
8/ 3rd layer 3 tbsp of white batter, 4th layer 3 tbsp of chocolate batter.
9/ 5th layer 2 tbsp of white batter, 2 tbsp of chocolate batter. In between tap the cake pan lightly to level the cake batter. Continue until finish all the batter. Sprinkle crushed walnuts on top.

10/  Last layer use a toothpick or sharp knife to make the spider web design.
11/ Bake in pre heat oven  at 180 deg c for 50 to 60 minutes. Use a cake skewer to check the cake, if skewer come out clean the cake is done.

Cool the cake for 5 mins, remove from cake pan and cool on the wire rack. 

This cake is very light and spongy. If you have extra egg whites don't waste. Store the egg whites in air tight container and keep in the freezer. Egg white can be freeze for several weeks.

Cream Puff

Ingredients for choux pastry
4 size A eggs
165 gm flour
125 mls water
125 mls milk
100 gm salted butter

1/  Mix the butter, milk and water cook until butter melt using low heat.
2/  Add the flour all at once and stir with a wooden spatula until well blend and remove from heat.
3/ Cool the dough until warm, beat in the egg one at a time until batter is smooth, shinny and thick. Rest 10 mins.
4/ Line the tray with aluminium foil or baking paper. Use a tbsp to scoop the dough onto the tray or you can use a piping bag to pipe out spiral design.
5/ Bake in preheat oven at 200 deg c for 15 mins, reduce to 180 deg.

6/ When the choux pastry puff up and slightly brown, open the oven door slightly, use a toothpick to pierce a small hole to let out the steam and baked until golden brown.
7/ Switch off the oven, leave the oven door slightly ajar, keep the puff in the oven for 10 mins.

Custard For Cream Puff
4 egg yolks
60 gm sugar
240 mls milk
1 tbsp custard flour
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
25gm butter

Making cream puff is not a disaster, this little choux pastry is rather easy to make and it taste better than store brought ones.

1/ Mix the egg yolks, custard flour and ap flour into a paste.
2/ Mix the milk and sugar and boil until simmering.
3/ Pour the hot milk slowly to temper the egg and mix well.
4/ Cook in low heat until custard thicken and boil slightly.
5/ Add the vanilla, butter and mix well. Cook until custard glossy, about 5 to 10 mins. Keep stirring to prevent burn at the bottom.
6/ Remove from heat and cover with cling wrap immediately to prevent skin forming on top of  custard.
7/ When cool, chill in the fridge until ready to use. 
8/ Cut the puff and sandwich with the custard. Sieve some icing sugar on top of the cream puff before serving.

Sweet Green Bean Dessert

Green bean dessert also known as bubur kacang hijau.
This is a Indonesia and Malaysia sweet dessert made from green bean, palm sugar and coconut milk.

200gm green bean
1 fresh grated coconut
pinch of salt
1/2 block of  Palm sugar
Castor sugar to taste
3 tbsp sago ( optional )
3 to 4 Pandan leaves

1/ Wash and soak the green bean for 30 mins.

2/ Chop the palm sugar and keep aside.

3/ Wash and soak the sago  for 20 mins.
4/  Add 1/4 cup warm water to coconut and squeeze the  first thick coconut milk. Sieve with a muslin cloth. You will get approximate 6 oz coconut milk.  Keep the first squeeze coconut  milk aside.
5/ Add approximate 1500mls water to the grated coconut and squeeze for additional coconut milk. The 2nd coconut milk will be watery but its ok.
5/ Boil the 2nd coconut milk, pandan leaves with green bean until semi soft, add the sago and cook until sago transparent. ( Keep stirring to prevent sago stick to the bottom of the pot.)
6/ Add the palm sugar and cook until sugar melt and if not sweet add castor sugar to taste. 
7/ Add pinch of salt, pour in the 1st coconut milk, stir well and remove from heat. Do not let it boil. Serve hot or old.

NOTE: Adjust the 2nd coconut milk quantity according to the consistency  you prefer.

Afternoon tea was introduced  in Britain in the early 1840's. The Duchess is best remembered as the creator of the British meal afternoon tea whist visiting the 5th Duke of Rutland at Belvoir Castle in the mid 1840's.

Then afternoon tea was spread out to other English speaking countries in different forms.
Soon after the upper class developed their own variation and also called 'High Tea".
The addition of the word 'high' to the phrase 'high tea' is believed to differentiate between the afternoon tea that is traditionally served on low, comfortable, parlor chairs or relaxing in the garden and the worker's after work high tea that is served at the table and seated on high back dining chairs.

Have a nice week ahead. Enjoy your afternoon tea or high tea.