Raspberries Clafoutis 覆盆子布丁蛋糕

Clafoutis, is a baked French dessert of fruit, traditionally using black cherries, arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan (like batter), and once baked, dusted with powdered sugar. I baked this few weeks ago but i used some very fresh raspberries.

The texture is cross between pudding (similar to crème caramel) and cake ..

 

This dessert is easy to make, perfect to serve during a busy Christmas dinner..



I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!

Raspberries Clafoutis 覆盆子布丁蛋糕

335g milk

70g caster sugar

2 eggs (large) , lightly whisk

35g cake flour

1tsp Kirsch (cherry wine) , or replace with vanilla extract

A pinch of salt

1tbsp butter

100g fresh Raspberries

Icing sugar 

Method

1.     Mix milk and sugar in a saucepan, bring to warm till sugar dissolved.

2.     In another clean mixing bowl, add in cake flour, salt and pour in egg, stir to mix well.

3.     Pour the warm milk into egg mixture, add in Kirsch, stir to mix well.

4.     Sift the batter into a ramekin or baking dish that have buttered, then distribute raspberries evenly over the top.

5.     Bake at a pre-heated oven at 200C until a skewer inserted into batter comes out clean and a golden brown crust has formed on top and bottom of clafoutis, about 30 minutes. Dust with icing sugar before serving. 

Reference to here, by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

I am submitting this to the "Baby Sumo's Christmas Recipes Collection 2013" event which is hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out
.

Pink steamed glutinous rice buns, soda method (Ki Ka Ku) 喜粄 (苏打汽水), Dongzhi giveaway result



Before I used 福  "Fu" stamp to stamping on the smiling old fashioned steamed sponge cake, actually I used Xi 喜 to stamping on this pink steamed glutinous rice buns. This is not my first time made this pink KiKaKu (this is how Hokkien called this kueh) but this version is with additional of soda drink.

 

I feel the additional of soda drink made this kueh tasted soft and slight chewy..

 



 

I feel so blessing and happy when see this lovely 喜 stamp on this kueh..

Pink steamed glutinous buns, soda method (Ki Ka Ku) 喜粄 (苏打汽水)

*makes 19 pcs

250g all purpose flour

250g glutinous rice flour
140g sugar
1 and 1/2tsp instant yeast
100ml water
225ml soda drink
30g corn oil
red food colouring
banana leaves

Method

1. Mix yeast, water, soda drink, and red food colouring in a mixing bowl.
2. Add all purpose flour, glutinous rice flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3. Slowly add in the liquid mixture No 1, and mix till combine.
4. Add in corn oil, continue to mix till smooth.
5. Divide into small dough weight 50g, grease your hand with oil, roll small dough into ball then place on top of banana leaf, then slightly flatten it. Set aside to let it proof for 30-45mins or until it bound back when you touch it with your finger.
6. Once water is boiling, then steam the kueh for 12mins.
7. Enjoy it while hot or cool.

Recipe adapted from Crystal

Dongzhi Festival Giveaway result!!
Thank you for your participation, here are the four winners that select by random number generator. Congratulations to them !! Please drop me an email to let me know your mailing address and I will send out the gift soonest possible. And I noticed that the winner Jeannie Tay is the 2nd times won my giveaway (if I could remembered correctly), she is such a lucky girl !!

1)

Jeannie Tay

Malaysia

tayjeannie@hotmail.com

2)

0620 / Ipoh，Perak / keng_tang@yahoo.com

 





 3)

Dedy Okcavianus

Mr.DyOw(at)gmail.com

Location: Palembang, Indonesia....

 4)

Name: Celina

Location: Muar, Johor

E-mail: copf179@gmail.com

Peach Tangyuan 仙桃汤圆 Glutinous rice balls (steamed method)

I just like to make something difference from the usual Tang yuan (glutinous rice balls) , this Tang Yuan shape it to look like a peach, filling is red bean paste, and using steaming method instead of cooking in the sweet soup. Anyway, it still tasted like normal Tang Yuan or I would say it close to muachi..Chinese people like Peach or 仙桃 as it means Longevity长寿 and Prosperity幸福.

 

 

 

 

My son said I shaped them look more like a Hong Pi Ku (red butt) than look like a peach, LOL !!

 

Peach Tangyuan 仙桃汤圆 Glutinous rice balls (steamed method)

*makes about 10pcs 

150g glutinous rice flour

1tsp caster sugar

100g hot boiling water

 

100g red bean paste

Red food colouring

Matcha powder

 

Toothpicks

Butter knife 

 

Method

1. Add glutinous rice flour and sugar in a mixing bowl.

2. Slowly pour in hot boiling water, use a wood spatula to mix well, then knead till a smooth dough.

3. Take two small dough, one add in red colour and another add in matcha powder.

4. Weight red bean paste 10g each, roll into ball. Take plain dough, weight 15g, roll into ball. Pinch a small pink dough, roll into ball.

5. Brush water on the plain dough, then place the small pink dough at the centre, flatten to become a disc, wrap in red bean ball, shape into ball.

6. Use the butter knife, imprint a line to look like peach shape. Roll two small pieces of green dough then flatten it to look like leaf. Brush water on the dough, stick green leaf on the centre of plain dough, use a toothpick to make the few lines to look like leaf pattern.

7. Place them on a steaming plate that wrapped with cling film. Steam for 10mins.

8. Remove from steamer, immediately brush with some oil to prevent it stick to each other. 

Recipe inspired from here, by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all a Happy Dongzhi Festival 冬至快乐 !!

Chinese Style Prawn Fritters 炸虾饼

This is one of the snack that I like to buy from those Chinese auntie who selling deep fried stuffs like fried banana, fried sweet potato & etc. It is similar to Malay's cucur udang. A thin batter swirl on a Chinese ladle, place few fresh prawns on top then deep fry it. It is best to enjoy by dipping into chili sauce.

Try to use this type of soft shell prawns called White prawns 白虾

I also recorded a video to show you how to fry this Chinese prawns fritter..

 

 

This prawn fritter is crispy while hot, if you prefer more crispy prawn fritter, then you have to make batter crepe thinner as possible..

Chinese Style Prawn Fritters 炸虾饼

Ingredients

500g plain flour or all-purpose flour
20g Self-raising flour

10g corn flour
550ml water
 

250g bean sprouts

40g Chinese chives, chopped finely
1 large red onion, chopped finely

2tsp salt or to taste
White pepper powder
1/4tsp MSG or chicken stock powder, optional

300g fresh white prawns or soft shell prawns 白虾, remove the head but retain the tail

Method

1. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl except prawns, mix well till no lumps.
2. Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium low heat, put in a Chinese ladle into hot oil for several minutes.
3. Remove ladle from the hot oil, scoop 1tbsp of batter, swirl the batter to make into thin crepe.
4. Place 3 prawns on the batter, lower the ladle into hot oil, wait for 1-2mins, gently remove the fritter with a pair of chopstick, continue to fry until golden brown. Repeat the same steps until batter finished up.
5. Drain on paper towel , serve hot with chili sauce.

Recipe by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Braised Stewed Pork Ribs Meehoon (rice vermicelli) 红焼排骨米粉

My mom used to cook this version of traditional Hokkien braised stewed pork ribs meehoon (rice vermicelli)  when we were young. I love this simple and great taste of braised meehoon, by simply pour a canned of stewed pork ribs 红焼排骨 or pork belly (much oily than use pork ribs) into meehoon, don't need to add much seasonings.

 

Just realized that this type of canned pork ribs not cheap anymore...

 

Separate out the gravy and meat..don't need much seasonings since the gravy itself already very flavourful..

 

I like to enjoy this meehoon with a bowl of sweet soup, like this time we enjoyed with a bowl of boiled tapioca sweet soup.

The other day, I saw my bro Chef and Sommelier also" Hokkien lang" did cook a similar braised mee hoon but he used pork trotters.

Braised Stewed Pork Ribs Meehoon (rice vermicelli) 红焼排骨米粉

*serves 5

1 can of stewed pork ribs or pork belly

400g meehoon (rice vermicelli), soak till soften

150g mustard green, sliced
150g cabbage, sliced
50g carrot, shredded
3 shallots, sliced
3 garlic, chopped

Seasonings

1tbsp light soy sauce
1tsp sugar
1tsp salt or to taste
2tbsp dark caramel soy sauce

1 cup water

Method

1. Separate the liquid and pork ribs from the can of stewed pork ribs.
2. Heat 3tbsp cooking oil in a wok, sauté shallots and garlic till aroma.
3. Add in liquid (from the can ) and water, add in mustard green, cabbage and carrot, bring to boil.
4. Add in soaked meehoon and all seasonings, keep frying and stir well. Cover the wok with a lid and braised the meehoon for several minutes, toss the meehoon in between, do not let the gravy dry up (add hot water if necessary). Add in stewed pork ribs and mix well with meehoon, continue cook till slightly wet. Dish out and serve hot with porridge or sweet dessert soup (like sweet potato soup, red bean soup or etc).

Recipe by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

Fraisier Eclairs (Eclairs with Pistachio White Chocolate Ganache and Strawberry) 闪电泡芙

An éclair is an oblong French's pastry made with choux dough filled with cream.The word comes from French éclair 'flash of lightning', that's why Chinese also named as 闪电泡芙. And a traditional Fraisier is crème mousseline (pastry cream with extra butter) and strawberries sandwiched between two sheets of heavily imbibed sponge (genoise) cake, you can read more here. When Fraisier and Éclair combine together, it became an awesome pastry !!
When I read this post talking about Christophe Adam (a French patissier who specialises in eclairs) creation of Fraisier Eclairs, I immediately decided to create this pastry at home.

 

Eclairs with Pistachio white chocolate ganache that topped with roasted pistachio, strawberry jelly and fresh strawberry, they are simply awesome!

 

I especially love this pistachio white chocolte ganache, yum!

 

I still use back the choux recipe which I learnt from Academy Pastry Arts Malaysia..and don't forgot to also make the crunchy Craquelin that put on top of choux.

This Fraisier Eclairs is perfect to serve during Christmas time, but I have to warn you that it take quite some time to make this..

Frasier Eclairs (Eclairs with Pistachio White Chocolate Ganache and Strawberry) 闪电泡芙(开心果白巧克力酱 和 草莓)

 

For the Craquelin

 75g butter
 75g brown sugar
 90g plain flour, sifted (I use cake flour this time)

 Method

 1. Beat butter and brown sugar till light and creamy.
 2. Add in sifted flour, mix to combine.
 3. Keep in fridge to harden.
 4. Place dough in between two sheets of plastic sheet, roll into thin sheet (1-2mm).
 5. Cut into small square and place on top of the pastry.

For the Éclairs pastry

*makes about 15pcs
 125g milk
 125g water
 125 salted butter (add 5g salt if you are using unsalted butter (original recipe))
 5g sugar
 250g egg ( 5 medium eggs ), lightly stir
 163g plain flour, sifted (I use cake flour this time)

Method

 1. Boil together milk, water, butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium high flame.
 2. Remove from heat, using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in sifted flour until combined and mixture comes together into a ball. Return to low heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture leave the sides of the saucepan and film forms on the bottom of the pan (3-4mins).
 3. Transfer the dough to a clean mixing bowl and stir the dough till reach room temperature(no steam).
 4. Gradually add in egg mixture and stir to incorporate (you may use wooden spatula to stir or use a mixer with paddle attachment to beat). Mix thoroughly until desired texture ( to check-scooping it up using a wooden spoon, the batter should hang down about 20sec before drop down).
 5. Spoon batter into a piping bag fitted with a 2cm star piping tip. Pipe 5” lengths on a baking tray line with non-stick baking paper, allow 2"-3" gap in between each batter. Place a small piece of Craquelin on top.
 6. Bake at preheated oven at 200c for 20mins (to cook and puff it up) at middle rack, reduce temperature to 180C and continue to bake for another 15mins or until brown ( to firm up ).
 7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For pistachio-white chocolate Ganache

*enough to decorate 10pcs Eclairs
150 ml whipping cream(dairy)
125 g white chocolate
 30g pistachio (roasted)
A drop of green food colouring, optional

Method

1. Bring whipping cream to scalding (steaming) point in a heavy base pan or in microwave. Once you start seeing small bubbles appearing along the sides, turn the heat off and add chopped chocolates into it. Leave it for couple of minutes and then stir well until combined.
2. Grind pistachio into fine powder and mix it well into the Ganache.
3. Leave it in fridge until it the mixture is really cold. Then whip it up to form stiff peaks and firms up enough to pipe or spoon. It should not be runny and should be stiff and easy to spread. White chocolate may take few hours to harden, but if it gets too stiff, place in the microwave and warm for few seconds until spreadable. you can also whip the Ganache once the mixture is really cold.

For the strawberry jelly

100g strawberries, chopped
2tbsp sugar
2tbsp water

1tsp gelatine powder

1tbsp hot water

Method

1.Place chopped strawberries, sugar and water in a small pot, let it cook for 2-3 minutes or until thick.
2.Mix gelatine and hot water and stir till it turned melt (or you may melt it over a pot of simmering water).
3. Add into strawberry compote, mix well.
4.Let it set in the refrigerate.

To assemble Frasier Eclairs – pipe pistachio white chocolate ganache on top of the éclair, then top with roast pistachio, fresh strawberry and strawberry jelly.

Reference

Eclairs – choux pastry adapted from Academy Pastry Arts Malaysia
Pistachio white chocolate ganache- adapted from here
Strawberry jelly- modified from earlier macaron recipe here
Recipe by Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover

I am submitting this to the "Baby Sumo's Christmas Recipes Collection 2013" event which is hosted by Baby Sumo of Eat Your Heart Out.

Asahiyama Zoo 旭山動物園, Hokkaido 北海道 2013

My son Desmond has been chasing me to update this post, his favourite place of Asahiyama Zoo at Hokkaido. This zoo is beautiful and fun, even my mother also really impressed with this zoo. We purchased the JR Asahiyama Zoo Pass which included return train tickets from Sapporo to Asahikawa, bus ticket transfer from Asahikawa to Asahiyama Zoo and also tickets enter to Zoo, valid for 4days, it was a kind of good deal. You may refer to more details here.

 

My son know very well all the animals in this zoo, I have to seek for his assistance on this post ^_^.

 

Pengiuns



Seal

 

Cute animal signboard for direction..

 

Polar bear

 

 

This is my son's most favourite animal , also our first time seeing this animal..

Red Panda 

 

Snow Leopard & Leopard

 

Lions

 

Black Leopard

 

Wolves

(we can get a close look at those wolves )



 

I like these little green boards..

 

a nice way to explain with pictures..

 

monkey

 

We stopped here for a light lunch..

 

 

My son highly recommend Japanese rice burger here..you may find my recipe here.

 

ice-cream

 

My happy boy !!

Capybara

(this is my first time learnt this animal )



 

Spider monkey

 

At that time, we were also able to see the nice difference colours..

 

Ya, Desmond also wants to introduce his new pet to you-guinea pigs, One named Brownie  and another named Noodles, LOL..