Bite-size crunchy chocolate chips cookies

I love cookies especially crunchy ones. Last sat, I made chocolate chip cookies and finally, I found the right texture of cookies which I wanted. Bite size, crunchy and the  dough will not run when baked. In addition, the cookies are not very sweet. I am so delighted!

Recipe:

- 250gm unsalted butter, soften (I use lurpak)
-290gm plain flour, sift
-130gm self-raising flour, sift
-3 tablespoons corn flour,sift
-3 teaspoon baking powder,sift
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-2 eggs at room temperature
-1/2 cup granulated/fine sugar, sift
-3/4 cup brown sugar, sift
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup chocolate chips (add more if desire)

1. Preheat oven to 150 degree celsius and prepare 2 ungreased baking sheets.
2. Sift all flour, baking powder, corn flour and salt onto a sheet of baking paper, set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter till fluffy and pale yellow.
4. Add the sugars and continue beating till mixture is no longer gritty.
5. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on low speed until blended.
6. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon until just blended.
7. Add the chocolate chips, if using, mixing or stirring until just blended.
8. With half teaspoon scoop, scoop the dough into small balls, remove using a toothpick and place on the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
9. Bake the cookies until golden brown around the edges, about 12 minutes. Note: I rotate my baking tray after 5 mins. During the last 4 mins, I switched from top and bottom heating to just top heating.
10 Let the cookies cool briefly on the sheets before transferring them to the racks to cool completely
Note: it is impt to sift all flours and the sugars to avoid clumps. If you keep your eggs in the fridge, do take them out n leave to cool at room temperature before using.

Have fun baking!!
 

Pineapple Tarts

Baking pineapple tarts (PT) is a yearly affair, usually for Chinese Lunar New Year. And to kick-start the new year, I finally changed to a new oven. Bigger and with better functions. Bought a 42-litres TEO 3400 from Technogas. Got it at a sale price of S$129 (retail price: S$243) from Harvey Norman. It is alot alot bigger than my old oven. I took alot lesser time to bake compared to the past. I heard good reviews about this oven from my friends who're using this model, hence been waiting for my older oven to 'retire' before a new purchase can be made. J'adore ma nouvelle fours! C'est superbe et magnifique!

For this coming CNY, I decided to bake more PT for some relatives (as per mum's instructions), colleagues and my close friends. Thankfully, I have my mum to help me roll the pineapple jam fillings while I prepare the dough and wrap it with the jam balls.

 My number one favourite butter: Lurpak unsalted butter.

 

For the size of the pineapple jam balls below, I use half tablespoon to measure the dough before wrapping with it. 

Glaze the tarts with egg yolk. I used a silicon pastry brush bought from IKEA. More hygienic too

Recipe:

(A)

- 250gm unsalted butter ( I use lurpak), soften at room temperature

- 3 tbs icing sugar/confectionary sugar, sift

 

(B)

-400gm of all purpose flour/plain flour, sift

-3 tbs of corn flour, sift

-1/4 teaspoon salt, sift 

(C)

- 2 egg yolk

(D)

- 1 egg yolk (to glaze the tarts)

(E)

- 1 kg of pineapple jam fillings (I use Red Man brand, from Phoon Huat), roll into balls.

1. Pre-heat the oven at 150deg c. Cut the soften butter into cubes (for ease of mixing) and add to the mixing bowl. If you take the butter out from the fridge, the butter should be softened in 30-35 mins. Add the icing sugar to the butter and mix it until just incorporated.

2. Add (B) to (A) until it is incorporated. They will resemble like breadcrumbs. Next, add (C) and mix to form a dough. 

3. For the dough, I based on my own estimation to gauge the amount of dough to wrap every single ball of PJ. I measured the dough using a measuring spoon, roll it into a ball, flatten it with my thumb. Then I placed a ball of PJ on the dough and wrap the former with the latter. After that, you glazed the top part of pineapple tart with egg yolk.

4. Bake the tarts at 150deg c. for 20mins.  Leave to cool completely. Bon appetit!

Au revoir 2012. Bonjour 2013!

Hi, been missing in action for awhile. 2012 is going to end soon and I wish to post an article before the end of 31 December 2012. Just a brief update for the past few months:

1)  I went some cities in Europe for a holiday avec ma bonne amie, KJL. It was fun! I had an opportunity to practise speaking french during a day trip in Florence with a french family and during my week long stay in Paris. I was soooo happy even my french ain't fantastic. Good news was, the french family and the ppl I met in Paris understood my poor french, and responded back accordingly. J'aime français!   And my friend said that I am 'best' in asking for the directions to the toilet!!!!! 'Il y a des toilettes? Tourner premiere gauche or droite?' Isn't this the most important thing one need to know? hahaha... I was given the golden advice from a french librarian back in the school I am taking french lessons from. Always remember: 'Bonjour, excusez-moi, pardon, merci, désolé, s'il vous plaît...' You bet these are really useful. Below are some of the pics I took during my trip.

 

Paris, macarons de Laduree, foie gras (ma favorite)  et CBO burger

 Who can refuse them even if you are on diet? Missing lobster risotto from Florence, only 20 euros. There is no need to share too. We didn't. Hahaha... Had it twice during our three days in Florence. Amazingly delicious, c'est magnifique! 

2) I passed my DELF A2 exam!! Hooray!!! Need to work hard on my oral presentation.  But good thing is, my understanding of French improved based on the results. I am more motivated to continue learning french. Parler français pour moi, s'il vous plaît.

3) I made osmanthus flower jello. 

Just buy any pre-mix konnyaku jelly powder and dried osmanthus flower. You can get them from Phoon Huat. Follow the instructions on the pre-mix box. As I am required to add 500ml of water to the jelly powder, I add only 1 tablespoon of dried osmanthus flower. 

4) I made shortbread butter cookies again. This time round I bought dogbone cookie cutter. I'm loving my cookies cutters. Recipe can be found under cookies category, look out for christmas shortbread cookies (or click here).

5) I baked carrot cake again and tried my hands on leveling the cake. I think I improved abit. I think only.  This CC is meant for another good friend of mine who requested for it. I will continue to work hard on beautifying the cake especially on spreading the frosting on the sides of the cake. Gonna get a cake turntable soon. Maybe it will help. For recipe, please click here.

Happy New Year! I wish everyone great health, live life to the fullest and may 2013 be a even better year for all of us. :) A bientôt!! 

Garlic Bread Toast

Garlic bread. My favourite garlic bread is by Pizza Hut. I still think they serve the best GB in town. For the food or desserts I enjoy eating, I will attempt to prepare them myself. Not everything, depending on the level of difficulty. I surfed and read GB recipes, everyone (at least 99%, if not 100% - 1% belongs to the garlic haters...hehehe) says it is easy. And yes, I'm convinced. So, I got down to prepare the garlic butter spread. I adapted the recipe from simply recipes. In fact, most of the recipes similar. It is hard to go wrong on this one!! Imagine the cost savings when you prepare them on your own. :P

Spread the bread with garlic butter.

Toast them in the oven for 8mins in 175 deg celsius. Voila! It's that easy and very 'garlicky'. Bon Appetit!!! :)

Bacon wrapped scallops et enoki

Lately, I am a little 'obssessed' with bacon wrapped food. I started with bacon wrapped enoki. They looked unappetizing but they tasted good. So I tried again with enoki plus teriyaki scallops. Quick and easy, it is hard to fail with these bacon wrapped finger-food.

I used the recipe from Rachael Ray but I omitted the water chestnuts and pickled ginger. So, if you are having a little party and needs a quick fix, try this. :)

Tatsuya: C'est très bon restaurant

Ma deuxième fois visite pour Tatsuya restaurant de Japonaise. Les sashimi sont très frais et très très délicieux. Mon amie, M et moi les a aimés. Chaque bouchée est délicieux! Magnifique et superbe! C'est vrai. Mon préféré étais Otoro sushi!!! Si vous voulez avoir diner dans ce restaurant, telephoner pour une réservation avant vous visitez, s'il vous plaît. Parce que il est très populaire à Singapour. Je vais certainement y retourner.

 

Salmon sashimi (S$25), Otoro sushi (S$30) et Amaebi sushi (S$20)

Kani karaage (S$18)

Tenzaru soba (S$18)

Macha et black sesame ice cream (S$6)

 Address: 22 Scotts Road 228221, Goodwood Park Hotel
 Tel: 6887 4598, 6737 1160

Opening hours: Daily

12pm-3pm , 6.30pm -11pm

Roasted Bacon wrapped enoki

I attended a gathering at a friend's house some time back and I was treated to a finger-food snack prepared by my friend's mother. Bacon wrapped enoki. I fell in love since. I always say this dish that dish is fairly easy to prepare. I was and am serious when I indicated 'fairly easy'. I got down to prepare this finger-food snacks on a warm sunday.

Key ingredients: Streaky bacons, golden mmushroom/enoki.

Look at these odd shaped bacon wraps. Ugly-looking but they are yummylicious.

Ingredients:
- 1 pack of enoki
- 4 slices of streaky bacon, cut into half

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425°F/ 218°C. Cut the ends of enoki, and wash them, drain the water away.
2. Place the enoki on the bacon and roll it. Pierce through the wooden skewer or toothpick.
3. Bake the enoki bundles for 15mins or until the bacon is browned and crisp. Drain the bundles on paper towels and remove  from the skewers. You can drizzle abit of terriyaki sauce on the enoki bundle. Next, eat them. :)

Ddeokbokki

Korean cuisine is one of my favourite cuisines. Visited South Korean twice in the last two yrs always leave me wanting for more. The food, the skincare, clothes and accessories... I like the korean rice cakes (ddeokbokki) and I know it can be prepared at home without having to pay for more in restaurants. I bought a pack of rice cakes, a pack of instant ddeokbokki sauce from a neighbourhood supermarket.

Ingredients:
350g of rice cakes
200cc of water
5 fresh prawns, shelled (optional)
1 pack of instant ddeokbokki sauce
1 small yellow onion, sliced
cooking oil

** you can add other fillings like fish cakes, instant noodles, cabbage etc... it's your choice, really. :)

1) Saute the onion until softened, add the water
2) Add the rice cakes to the water to soften them,
3) Add the instant sauce and stir into the rice cakes. Let it boil for another 3 mins. Ready to serve.

I find that the longer you 'soaked' the rice cakes into the gravy, the better they taste. Bon Appetit!

Baked terriyaki salmon with angel hair pasta in garlic sauce

Need to fix my own dinner again...so went surfing the internet for interesting recipes after checking out what ingredients I have on hand. My dinner must be healthy and not too difficult to prepare. Most importantly, I don't wish to mess up my mum's kitchen. Key ingredients: angel hair pasta, terriyaki sauce. Thanks to internet/goggle, I decided on angel hair pasta in garlic sauce and baked terriyaki salmon. Simple, healthy and appetising looking ( in my eyes)... hehehe... Click here for preparation of angel hair pasta in garlic sauce. The garlic sauce is awesome! Before I prepared it, the reviews have already given me alot of reassurance. Definitely a keeper. For the baked salmon, i first removed the skin because I found it rather yucky. For proper guide on preparing baked terriyaki salmon, please click here. Am gonna try pan-fried terriyaki fish the next time round, terriyaki chicken too when I am well. Moral of the story: Don't be sick, you will miss all the good food. *cough cough*

Bon Appetit!

Japanese Curry

Made japanese curry again. This time round, I used lean pork because I was coughing quite badly, hence omitted chicken. Everyone says (at least for my family and friends) when you are having a cough, you must avoid eating chicken as it will aggravate your cough. An easy dish ( difficult to fail) to prepare and can be filling to the stomach with a bowl of rice or maybe, two. I wanted my jap curry to look more appetizing, so used my cookie cutters on my pickled radish. Tadaaa!!!! Cute right? Bon appetit!