Recipe: 白糖糕, Quick & Easy Pak Tong Ko

steam: 22 minutes, ferment: 2 hours (White sugar flavour)

steam: 22 minutes, ferment: 2.5 hours (Pandan flavour)

Chinese Steamed White Cake

• (A) 115 g rice flour + 20 g wheat starch + 150 ml water
• (B) 2 pandan leaves (knotted) + 1/4 tsp salt (or less) + 95 g sugar + 150 ml water
• (C) 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• (D) 1/2 tsp oil + (dilute a pinch of baking soda with 1/2 tbsp water)

*Replace sugar with brown sugar for Brown Pak Tong Ko
*Add 10 ml pure pandan juice for Pandan/Green Pak Tong Ko (adjust water accordingly)

1. Mix (A).
2. Boil (B) and simmer with low heat until fragrant (about 2 minutes). Remove pandan leaves. Pour to (A),stir well.
3. Add (C) into the lukewarm (not hot) mixture, stir well. Keep it cover and set aside to ferment until tiny air bubbles appeared on the surface of the mixture (about 2-3 hours).
4. Bring water to boil in a wok/steamer together with a 4" x 8” greased baking pan.
5. Add in (D) to the mixture, stir well and pour into the pan. Steam at medium-high heat for 20-23 minutes (when skewer comes out clean).
6. Cut the perfect slice of cake when it is cooled. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Yeast die instantly at 60 Celsius. Safe at 48 Celsius. Optimal between 30-37 Celsius.

• Lukewarm = slightly warmer than body temperature, between 36-42 Celsius...not burning with finger test.

(A) batter

                                  (A) + (B) mixture

(A) + (B) + (C)

Yeast dissolved completely

Cover and ferment for 2 hours or more

Tiny air bubbles appeared on the surface

 4" x 8" greased baking pan, preheated in the steamer

Recipe: Chewy Oatmeal Snack

Awesome! 

Spread a layer of peanut butter or nutella on them... yum yum yummy....and so so healthy!

Perfect for breakfast and snacks.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (used pistachios)
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (used dates)
• 1/4 cup seeds (used 1/2 cup white  and black sesame)
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg powder (optional)
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt (used rock salt)
• 1 cup milk (or 2 ripe bananas)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tbsp honey (optional)
• 1 tsp olive oil (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 176 Celsius
2. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Mix wet ingredients.
4. Pour wet into dry. Stir to combine.
5. Pour into a 9×9 or 2 smaller dishes, either coated in cooking spray or lined with parchment.
6. Bake for 40 minutes.
7. Cut into 9 squares or more.

Recipe: 清水蛋糕, Clear Water Sponge Cake

I have been avoiding cakes that require folding. This is simply because 'folding' is a real challenge for a beginner like me.

Yesterday, I decided to move on and take the challenge., well prepared by watching a folding process through YouTube video. 

Ingredients:
(A) 3 egg whites
(B) 50g caster sugar + a pinch of salt
(C) 3 egg yolks + 1 whole egg + 50g corn oil (used EVOO)
(D) 50g cake flour (shifted)

1. Whisk (A) until frothy, add (B) and beat to stiff peaks. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, beat (C) to create a smooth mixture. Add (D) and beat/mix until well incorporated.
3. Fold egg whites (1/3 at a time) into yolk mixture.
4. Fill cups 3/4 full, bake for 18-23 minutes at 150 Celsius. (Different texture achieved at 170 Celsius).

Texture: Light yet moist, soft and spongy

Notes for beginner (like me):

Stiff Peaks:

• You can see this clearly by lifting up your whip and holding it horizontally. The egg whites should not drop or fall off the whip. It is important not to over-beat at this stage. If you whip until the egg whites are dry, the mixture will break down as you fold it into the batter, creating a heavier end product.

Folding:

• Total and complete incorporation of egg whites is not necessary. You may see some thin, fine stripes of egg white. This is okay.

Recipe: 喜板, Xi Pan Pink Kuih

I am over joy to realise all of them (the kuih) has gone missing in just seconds!

Due to popular demand, we had it a second go on Saturday afternoon. See how much fun they had:

Album https://photos.app.goo.gl/xSCgV8jGfUBc6py2A

Ingredients (updated 17 July 19):

1. 150g all purpose flour (shifted)
2. 120g glutinous flour (shifted)
3. 90g castor sugar
4. 1/2 tsp instant yeast
5. 1 tbsp vegetable oil
6. 140ml water
7. 2 drops red food colouring (optional)
8. banana leaf (cut into 10cm round shape)

• Mix and knead ingredients 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 till smooth (no lumps).
• Lightly coat palm with oil, roll 40g dough into ball, place on banana leaf.
• Slightly press down, adjusting to round shape of 1 cm thick.
• Place them on steamer preset at  +/- 40C. Proof for 30 minutes. 
• Steam at medium-high heat for 15 minutes. 
• Open the lid 2 minutes after turn off the heat.

Notes:

for slightly better texture, substitute 30g all purpose flour with rice flour

Substitute ingredients 6 (water) and (7) coloring for other flavours:

• Pandan Xi Pan:  Blend 20g of pandan leaves with 150ml water, extract 140ml pandan juice (or use 1 tbsp of pure pandan juice or 1 tsp of pandan essence) 
• Pumpkin/Sweet potato Xi Pan:  steam 250g, cubes of pumpkin/sweet potato with high heat for 10 mins, mash while it is still hot. *depending on the water content of pumpkin/sweet potato, adjusting water, enough just to form dough.

Recipe: 鸡蛋糕, Steamed Pandan Sponge Cake

I have had many failures steaming sponge cake in my college years...back then I can only afford to beat the eggs using hand whisk...and I guess I wasn't that serious in baking too.

I do prefer oven baking cakes than steamed cakes over the years. 

My heart was beating fast when I was about to open up the lid...

...tadda... I am happy with what I am seeing : )

though there were a few drops of water (formed from condensation) dripped on the cake, overall it is a success!!!

Ingredients: updated Dec 17
1) 250g eggs (2 extra large eggs + 3 large eggs)

2) 170g caster sugar

3) 165g self raising flour or (155g all purpose flour + 2 tsp baking powder)
4) 25g corn starch

5) 3 tbsp pure pandan juice (or orange/lemon juice) or (2 tsp vanilla extract+35g water)
6) 3 tbsp vegetable oil

*mix 5 and 6 and set aside

Tips: 

1. You may replace ingredients 4,5,6 with 6 tbsp of cream soda/7 up/Sprite (vanilla/orange/lemon flavoured carbonated soft drink)
2. add 2 tsp of vanilla extract (if you do not like the eggy smell)

• Beat eggs and sugar till bright yellow at medium speed (about 5 minutes).
• Turn the speed to max and beat till pale white (about 5 minutes). Do the ribbon test (visible lines appeared as shown).
• Turn the speed to medium and continue to beat for 1 minute. This is to achieve smooth and light whisked eggs.
• Add in the sifted flour, alternate with pandan mixture in 3 batches. Hand whisk till incorporated.
• Pour the batter into lined 8" round bamboo/woven or rice cooker steaming basket. Leave aside to rest for 10 minutes.
• While waiting, bring the water to boil. Wrap the lid with cloth if needed to prevent condensation during the steaming process. (stubborn me, skipped the wrapping)
• Steam at medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes.
• Open the lid slowly with the heat still on. Off it and remove the pan...enjoy!