Bitter Sweet Chocolate Ice Cream

My favorite bitter sweet chocolate ice cream

Ingredients

1 oz  bitter sweet cooking chocolate (chopped)
1/4 cup Hershey cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup whip cream
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
1/  Mix the milk, cooking chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar cook in medium flame until sugar and cooking chocolate melt. Whisk till smooth.
2/  Cook  until  you see small bubbles at the side, turn fire to low but don't let it boil.
3/  Use a hand whisk to beat the eggs lightly.  Take 1 cup of the hot milk mixture and add it to the eggs, whisking all the time to prevent the eggs curdle.
4/ Then pour the entire egg mixture to the milk mixture. Continue cooking until the mixture thicken and coats the back of the ladle.
5/ Remove from stove and let it cool. Add vanilla extract and whip cream, stir till well blend.
6/  Cover with cling wrap and leave in the fridge overnight or at least 4 hours.
7/  Put in ice cream maker and start churning.  Can add condiments of your choice.

For those who does not own an ice  maker. Used the following method.
I don't have one either, still in deep thought to buy or not to buy. I'm chanting everyday to buy or not to buy the ice cream maker. Am eying on the Kenwood  brand ice cream maker. I'm also eying on Happy Calls double pan. So I think I should close two eyes and buy both the gadgets. LOL

To make ice cream without ice cream maker

1/  Making ice cream can be done without the use of ice cream maker. An electric mixer or food processor  can be used to break up the ice crystals during the freezing process.
2/  Place ice cream mixture in the freezer and allow the mixture to freeze for 2 hours.
3/  Remove from freezer and beat mixture to break up the ice crystals that are beginning to form.
Repeat step 2 & 3 = 4 times for a smooth and creamy ice cream.
4/  The ice cream  should be thick but soft to scoop. If not thick enough return to freezer for additional freezing time and beat the mixture again.
5/  Once ice cream thickened properly, stir in any condiment of your choice and mix well.
Suggestion of condiments @ toasted chopped almonds, hazelnuts, chocolate chips, peanuts butter chips, chopped oreos.
6/  Pour in air tight container to freeze till set. Enjoy!!

Global warming, yours truly eating ice cream at 12 midnight. LOL

Weekend Hi-Tea in my comfort nest

Egg tarts  recipe was previously posted  HERE
 

Tea for two.

Chocolate Moist Cupcake  recipe posted last year under cupcake.

To all my friends, enjoy my sinful treats. Have a wonderful week ahead. 

Coconut Bun

To all my dear friends, sorry for my lack of posting due to I'm busy with home chores and office work. Let me share with you a delicious coconut bun for the time being. I'll be back in action soon and start my blog walking, please bear with me.

Coconut bun

400gm bread flour
200 mls milk
1 egg ( reserved 1 tbsp for egg wash)
60gm sugar
2 tsp yeast
2 tsp bread improver or lecithin granules
60gm butter

1/  Sift the flour, add sugar, yeast,bread improver and mix well.
2/  Add the egg, milk, knead into a dough and add butter.
3/  Knead until the dough is smooth.
4/  Take small amount of dough and do a windowpane test.
Hold it between your thumbs and first two fingers, gently spread your fingers and thumbs apart. Stretching the dough into a thin translucent membrane i.e a. windowpane.
If you can stretch the dough without it breaking, that mean the gluten is well developed and your dough is ready to rise. Put the small batch of dough back to the larger batch.
If the dough tear before you've fulling extended your finger, the gluten isn't quite ready yet. Knead the dough for another 2 mins and do the windowpane test again.
5/   Cover and prove for 45 mins
6/   Punch out gas, rest 5 mins. Divide the dough into 14 portion, rest 5 mins.
7/   Roll into round ball add filling or any desire shape .
8/   Put in a grease pan,cover and prove 30 mins.
9/   Brush with egg wash, sprinkles some grated coconut.
10/ Bake at 190 deg c for 15 mins.
11/ Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
 

If using breadmaker

1. Add the ingredients to the bread pan in the order as suggested by the manufacturer of your breadmaker brand.
2. Press dough function, when ready remove from bread pan.
3. Divide the dough into 14 portion, rest 5 mins. Roll into round ball add filling or any desire shape, cover and prove 30 mins.
4. Brush with egg wash.
5. Bake at 190 deg c for 15 mins.
6. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
 

 Coconut filling

Ingredients
300gm grated coconut ( Reserve 1 tbsp for topping )
2 tbsp castor sugar (If use brown sugar omit the castor sugar)
150gm gula melaka (palm sugar) or brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp tapioca flour mix with 1 tbsp water

1/  Chopped gula melaka into small pieces.
2/  Boil the gula melaka or brown, sugar, salt and water till both the sugar melt.
3/  Add grated coconut and lower the heat. Cook till almost dry.
4/  Add the tapioca flour mixture, stir thoroughly. Cook for another 5 mins. Remove to tray and cool.


Enjoy another coconut treat from me, have a nice week ahead.

Nyonya Delights

I go gaga with coconut and greenly stuff again. Oh... gosh...after this I better go check my total cholesterol. LOL

Actually I enjoy baking and cooking but I don't eat much, three quarter of my goodies are distribute to volunteer eater/tester or to my in laws.

There is an array of authentic Nyonya desserts which everyone loves. Nyonya desserts are varied and extraordinary. They are made from local ingredients such as coconut milk, glutinous rice flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, gula Melaka ( palm sugar), agar agar powder, sweet potato and yam. And other ingredients such as red beans, green beans or mung beans. The local pandan leaves or pandanus ( screwpine leaves) give Nyonya dessert it's signature quintessence.

 Bubur Cha Cha  

 Ogyep my dear friend, this bubur cha cha for you. I go gaga, you do the cha cha.

Bubur Cha Cha

Ingredients

A)400gm fresh grated coconut (2 coconut)

    150mls cool boil water for no 1 coconut milk

    800mls water for no 2 coconut milk

B) 300gm diced sweet potato 

     300gm diced yam ( use China or Thai yam)

C) 100gm sago ( wash and soak for 10 mins)

D) 150 to 200 gm sugar OR TO TASTE

     500mls water

     4 pandan leaves ( omit if you don't have )

Method
1/  Add the 150 mls water to grated coconut and squeeze with a muslin cloth for no 1 coconut milk. Keep aside.
2/  After squeeze the number 1 coconut milk, add the 800 mls water  to grated coconut again and squeeze with a muslin cloth for no 2 coconut milk. Keep aside.
3/  Peel sweet potato and yam, rinse and cut into cubes.
4/  Steam the sweet potato and yam separately for 15 to 20 mins till cooked. Set aside.
5/  Boil the 500mls water with sugar, pandan leave and salt for 10 mins.
6/  Add sago and  the no 2 coconut milk to sugar sryup ( No 5 ) and bring to boil, stirring all the time. Cook till the sago turn transparent. Then add no 1 coconut milk , stir well and remove from stove. DO NOT BOIL THE NO 1 COCONUT MILK TO PREVENT CURDLING.
7/  To serve, place a tablespoon full each of cooked sweet potato, yams and sago triangles in  small bowl. Add desire amount of cook coconut milk. Serve hot or cold.

Note: For those in oversea if you can't get fresh coconut, can use canned coconut milk but the taste will not be so tasty as fresh coconut milk.
1/ If using canned coconut milk, omit the A ingredients.
Bring the 500mls water and soaked sago to boil. Boil until the sago turn transparent. Add sugar to taste.
2/ Add the canned coconut milk, stir well and boil until simmering. Remove from heat.... follow step 7 to serve.
 **** Add water and canned coconut milk to your desire consistency.

My dearest Kak Queenie, you want this...? hehehe

To all my dear friends who loves bubur cha cha, please help yourself. :)

To make Green Sago-flour triangles

1/  Sift 100gm tapioca flour  in a mixing bowl.
2/  Add 80mls boiling hot water and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
3/  Knead to form a firm dough. Dust with flour to prevent sticking and knead  till smooth.
4/  Add few drop coloring to the dough and knead till color blends in.
5/  You can divide into 3 or 4 parts and add different food color.
6/  Roll the dough into thin long strips of about 1cm in diameter. Cut the strips into small triangles.
7/ Bring a small pot of water to boil. Put in the sago triangles in the boiling water, stirring all the time to prevent sticking together. Scoop out the cooked sago triangles as soon as they float to the surface.
8/ Soak them in cold water for 10 mins to prevent sticking together.
9/ Drain and place in a bowl, add 1 tbsp sugar and mix well. Serve with cook sweet potato, yam and coconut milk.

Ondeh Ondeh

Ingredients

260gm glutinous rice flour
1 1/2 tbsp tapioca flour
80gm steamed sweet potato - mashed
1  tbsp corn oil
150gm water

Filling:  1 piece of chopped gula melaka (palm sugar)

Coating: 1 grated coconut  + 1/4 tsp of salt = steam for 5 mins.

1/ Sift glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour together.
2/ Add steamed sweet potato, corn oil, water and knead into a smooth dough.
3/  Divide the dough into small balls. Flatten the dough slightly and wrap with chopped gula melaka. Seal it properly and keep aside.
4/  Boiled a pot of water, when boiled put in the sweet potato ball, scoop out the sweet potato balls  as soon as it float to the surface.
5/ Coat with grated coconut.

Somuffins my dear friend, this green balls for you. :)

Pandan leaves aka screwpine plant from my mini garden

Kuih Koci

Ingredients
280gm sweet potato (steam and mash)
320gm glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp tapioca flour
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp pandan paste
170mls water
Banana leaves

Method
1/ Prepare banana leaves, cut to about 4 x 6 in or any desire size, wash and scald in simmering water for till banana leaves soften.
2/ Sift both type of flour together, add sweet potato, oil, pandan paste and water to knead into a smooth dough.
3/ Cover and let it rest for 10 mins.
4/ Divide dough into small balls.
5/ Wrap with coconut filling and seal tight.
6/ Brush some oil on the banana leave, put the dough in the middle of the banana leaves and wrap into a neat parcel.
7/ Prepare steamer, when water boil steam the kuih koci  for 20 mins.

Coconut Filling

Ingredients
300gm grated coconut
2 tbsp castor sugar
150gm gula melaka (palm sugar)
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp tapioca flour mix with 1 tbsp water

1/  Chopped gula melaka into small pieces.
2/  Boil the gula melaka, sugar, salt and water till both the sugar melt.
3/  Add grated coconut and lower the heat. Cook till almost dry.
4/  Add the tapioca flour mixture, stir thoroughly. Cook for another 5 mins. Remove to tray and cool.

Happy Mother's Day 

With warm thoughts and happy wishes for a bright and special Mother's Day!
Have a beautiful Sunday to all my friends.

GOING GAGA WITH COCONUT AGAIN......

Another coconut and greenly thingy again........LOL

Uncle Lee, compliments from me your favorite Durian Coconut Tarts.

My dearest Kak Queenie,  Pandan flavor coconut tart for you, your FFC

Coconut  Tart

Pastry ( make 28 pieces)

360 gm flour
60 gm icing sugar
2 egg
2 tbsp custard powder
180 gm butter( chilled)

Method for pastry

1/  Sift flour, custard powder and icing sugar.
2/  Cut the butter into cubes. Use you fingertips to rub the butter and flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
3/  Beat egg lightly, add the egg into the flour mixture and mix lightly until pastry starts to bind together. Avoid overworking.
4/  Wrap with cling wrap and chill for 15 mins.
5/  Roll  the  pastry out thinly and evenly, cut with a ring cutter. Press the pastry lightly into tart mould. Trim the edge to remove excess dough. Prick base of each tart lightly with a fork.
6/  Bake the tart shells in pre heated oven at 150 deg c for 10 mins.
7/  Remove from oven, fill tarts with coconut filling to about 90% full.
8/  Bake in pre heated oven at 180 deg c for 20 to 25 mins until pastry is cook and top brown slightly.

Pandan Coconut Filling 

180gm fresh grated coconut
40gm melted butter
40 gm castor sugar
1 egg ( beat lightly)
2 tbsp condensed milk
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp pandan paste (optional) OR REPLACE BY 1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
Note: This quantity is for 14 pieces of tarts

Method
1/  Melt the butter, then mix  all the ingredients together and keep side for later use.

 For all my friends to love Pandan Coconut Tarts

For all my friends who love Durian Coconut Tarts

Coconut Durian Filling

140 gm salted butter
160 gm castor sugar
3 eggs
200gm durian flesh
200gm fresh grated coconut
2 tbsp thick coconut milk

Method
1/  Cream butter and sugar together, stir in egg one at a time.
2/  Add the durian flesh, coconut milk and stir well.
3/  Add the grated coconut and mix well.
4. Fill the partially cooked pastry case with the filling.

My Permanent Resident Got Bird-napped

Caught my doves in the act doing the hanky panky act... kissy-kissy

These pair of doves became permanent resident when they flew to our apartment 3 years ago. They are free to come and go as I don't cage them.

They fly back everyday for their breakfast, lunch, dinner sometimes tea break. Most times they do stay overnight sleeping on the pomegranate tree. Their favorite fooling around spot is the air cond compressor unit and pomegranate tree.

Dad & mum sleeping...zzzzz.ssshhh... don't disturb.

A couple of weeks ago, I was curious my doves stop coming back and not hearing any cooing sounds of the doves fooling around. Then my hubby found out there's a bird-napper in our neighborhood. My doves got bird-napped, we got no proof to finger point him but my hubby saw him lure the doves at the car park.

Past week I was very sad, missing my doves. Out of the blue, last Thursday afternoon one of the baby dove returned. Yeh... I was so glad and happy to see my dove again.

But poor little fellow lost his appetite and was cooing all the time looking for the parent and other sibling.

My doves doing yoga balancing, LOL

My doves best portrait of the year.

Three things you can't recover in life

THE MOMENT  after it's missed.

THE WORD after it's said.

THE TIME after it's wasted.

Have a nice week ahead to all my friends.

MINI SPONGE CAKE AKA PUTERI AYU

 I'm going gaga over green dessert  and coconut again.....LOL

Mini sponge cake with shredded coconut

Brush the mold with some oil, filled with shredded coconut.

Stack 2 mold together, press hard so that the shredded coconut will stick together.

 Steam mini sponge cake aka Puteri Ayu

Ingredients

4 eggs
200gm caster sugar
300 gm plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ovalette
8 oz thick coconut milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pandan paste


Topping
1/2 shredded fresh coconut
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp corn flour

1/ Mix the topping ingredients together and keep aside.

1. Sift flour and baking powder.
2. Beat sugar, eggs and ovalett until fluffy.
3. Add coconut milk, pandan paste and mix well.
4. Add flour and mix till well blended.
5. Brush the mold with some cooking oil, fill 1/4 of the mold with shredded coconut.
6. Stack 2 mold together and press till shredded coconut is firm.
7. Fill the sponge cake mold with batter till full.
8. Prepare steamer, when water boil put in the mini sponge cake, steam for 10 mins.
9. Cool a little, remove the cake from the mold.
10. Serve with ice coffee or tea.



 Award 

This special  baby bib award is from my lovely friend Cik Shahriah who is a Novelist cum Awarded Master Chef.

She is an excellent cook/baker  and recently launched 2 Malay books "Kerana Sebiji Epal" and her first cook book  "Sajian Istimewa".
My dear friend, thank you so much for the cute baby bib. You're so sweet and cute. 
Check out her website for bombastic recipes and excellent photos at  Cik Shahriah website.


Have a great weekend to all my friends. Cheers!

Steam rice pudding

Going green again.... But I'm not a green eyed-monster, LOL 

Kueh are bite-sized snack or dessert foods.  Kueh is a fairly broad term which may include items that would be called cake, cookies, dumplings, pudding, biscuits  or pastries in English and are usually made from rice or glutinous rice. Kuihs are not confined to a certain meal but can be eaten throughout the day. They are an integral part of Malaysian and Singapore festivities such as Hari Raya,  Chinese New Year and Deepavali. In the Northern states of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan, kuih  are usually sweet. In the Southeast Peninsular states of Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Selangor, savory kueh can be found. This is largely due to the large population of ethnic Chinese and Indian which held much cultural influence in these states.

Kuih are more often steamed than baked, and thus very different in texture, flavor and appearance from western cakes or puff pastries. Many kuehs are sweet, but some are savory.

  Steamed Rice Pudding aka Pandan Kuih Kosui

Ingredients (A)

160gm rice flour
50gm huen kwe flour
40gm tapioca flour
400 mls water
1 tsp pandan paste
1 tsp alkaline water
few drop of green coloring

Ingredients (B)

250gm sugar
550mls water
1/4 tsp salt

Ingredients (C)

1/2 fresh shredded  coconut
1/4 tsp salt


Method
1. Mix all the (A) ingredients together. Sieve and keep aside.
2.  Boil (B) till sugar melt. Mix (A) and (B) together, mix till well blend.
3. Cook over low heat till slightly thicken.
4, Grease 8inch cake pan, pour mixture into cake pan level it with a spatula.
5. Steam on medium heat for 45 mins.
6. Cool completely before cut into small pieces.
7. Steam (C) for 10 mins.
8. Coat rice cake / kuih kosui with the steamed coconut.

Hoen Kwe flour

Have a great week ahead to all my dear friends. Enjoy the steam rice pudding.