Banana Bread

Melt in your mouth cookies

The time is passing so slow today so I decide to bake some cookies. My family members don't really like to eat cookies so I halve the recipe and viola this cookies is so damn good. I ate this type of cookies before when we're suppose to cook in school. My friend bake this and it was so awesome but then she refuse to share the recipe. But is okay, because now I found the recipe. Hers is slightly nicer and more flavorful. This cookies do not brown that much so don't bake until the cookies is golden brown. By the time the cookies turn golden brown it will be over bake.The recipe posted below is change following my own preference. For original just click on the website.

Adapted from: Allrecipes

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (1/2 tsp for good vanilla essence)
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Sifted all dry ingredients and set aside
3. Cream butter until fluffy about 5-7 minutes. The longer you cream the better.
4. Add in all dry ingredients and beat about 4-5 minutes.
5. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the cookies dough into a ungreased cookies sheeat leaving 2 inches apart.
6. Bake till you think is done. The edge should just brown a little and on top should be white

Baked Penne with Meatballs

These baked penne with meatballs is so easy to do and it taste wonderful. The sauce is flavour full and the meatballs is oh-so-good! Of course I change the recipe a bit to make it a little better for our taste. Few months ago I use this recipe but I forget the recipe when I want to make it again. And after high and long search I found it. Yay! I scaled the recipe down to 2 person and I still have balance in the fridge. You can just simply put everything into a pot that you want to bake it and grated generous amount of cheese and there is your lunh. Quick and easy.

Adapted from : For The Love Of Cooking
Recipes posted are different from original.

Mushroom Marinara

Generous amount of olive oil *see note below
1/2 yellow onion
3oz
3 clove of garlic, finely chop
1/2 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (if can use Hunt's brand)
1/2 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp white sugar
1 tsp red pepper flakes.
Generous amount of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

1. Saute the onion and mushroom till soften. Add in garlic and continue to saute until fragrant.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring it to a boil just for few minutes.

Meatball

300g ground pork
4 mushroom, diced finely
1/4 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 egg *see note below*
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp dried parsley flakes
Generous amount of black pepper and salt

1. Diced the mushroom and onion.

2. Mixed all the ingredients into a bowl and mix everything.

3. Shape to meatballs shapes.

Notes : i) Just pour the amount according to your preference.
ii) If you think measuring half a egg is troublesome just get the smallest egg you have.

Sweet and Sour Fish Sauce

Sweet and sour dish is a very common dish now a days. Beside sweet and sour fish fish, sweet and sour pork are also available. In chinese the call it as "ku lu yoke" I not so sure whether I spell correct or not ya. :)

Recipe by me (This sauce is more suitable for fish)

4 tablespoon tomato sauce
4 tablespoon chili sauce
3 tablespoon thai chili sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon black vinegar
Few dash of worchestire sauce
1 medium size red onion (cut into slices)
Water depend on the type of consistency you want.


1. Heat up your wok. Add a little vegetable oil and fry the onion till fragrant.
2. Add all the seasoning and add water. Season with salt and pepper if required.
3. When the saue slighty cool down add to your fried fish. Garnish with coriander and spring
onion.

Chilled Oreo Marble Cheesecake

Chilled oreo marble cheesecake. I am sure once you hear this you will be drooling. This cheesecake is rich and velvety. The texture for this cheesecake was just nice for my family taste bud. This cheesecake is a must try recipe!


Adapted from : Aunty Yochana
I
ngredients for crust:
220 gm. chocolate biscuits - blended 120 to 150 gm. melted butter
Cream Cheese fillings:
100 gm sugar
8 egg yolks
500 gm cream cheese
22 gm gelatine powder soaked with 100 ml. water then microwave for 25 secs.
300 gm Dairy whip cream (35% fat whipping cream)
50 gm. cooking chocolate
1 packet of Oreo cookies
Method:
1) Mix blended chocolate with butter evenly and press into a 9" round springform tin. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 mins. till biscuits are firm.
2) Whisk egg yolks and sugar lightly over a pot of simmering water with the base not touching the water. Whisk till lemoney in colour.
3) Beat cream cheese with a paddle till creamy. Pour in the melted gelatine mixture and mix evenly.
4) Pour in the whisked egg yolks into the cream cheese gradually and mix till evenly combined.
5) Fold in whipped cream and mix gently.
6) Pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the prepared tin , lay oreo cookies on top of cream cheese filling and then pour balance cream cheese filling on top.
7) Mix 1 tbsp of cream cheese filling with melted chocolate and spoon it on top of the cheese cake. Use a skewer to swirl into a marble effect.
8) Chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours or until firm before slicing.

More Chips Butter Cheese Muffin ( Creaming method)

I always wonder how bakery shop can get nice muffin crust with a perfect dome. After reading some article I get to know that, to get a nice dome surface you batter must be thick, fill the mufifn batter until the brim of the muffin case, and preheat your oven at 210C before you started making. When you put the muffin into the oven lower back the temperature according to the orginal temperature.

When I was going through the recipe that I have, I was attracted to this recipe. The pictures of the muffin looks really good so without hesitate I went ahead and make it although I know some of the ingredients I didn't have on hand. I told myself it will work. After creaming the butter, sugar and cream cheese, I add the eggs one by one after each addition and mix well. After that I notice that the batter was so watery.

At that time I was really concern that my muffin will turn out flat. I keep telling myself it will be okay so I add the dry ingredients. After folding and all the batter turn out thick, I was so relieve. :)

Ingredients.
100g butter
80g cream cheese
150g castor sugar ( I reduce to 90g)
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp chocolate emulco ( Omit this and use cocoa powder) 2 tbsp yogurt ( Omit this and add full cream milk)
3 eggs
45g white chocolate
45g milk chocolate ( Use normal choclate chips)
20g almond nibs
180g self raising flour
1/8 tsp salt.

Method.
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Cream butter,sugar, and cream cheese till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.

3. Beat in vanilla essece, chocolate emulco and yoghurt. (If mixture curdles add in a bit of the flour)
4. Fold in sifted ingredients and choclate chips. Spoon batter in to each paper case. Sprinkle with almond nibs and extra chips on top.

5. Bake for 25 minutes until well risen or until a skewer insert in the centre and comes out clean.

Chocolate Marble Cake

Hey readers, I'm back in action. I have been MIA for quite some time because I was busy preparing for trials. Anyway this weekend, me and my mum baked chocolate marble cake. Chocolate marble cake is just normal butter cake but you divided the mixture into two and mix with cocoa. We did not use melted chocolate or either cocoa powder but we use chocolate emulco. Once I saw this recipe I knew that this would be a good recipe because of the feedback but we modified the recipe a little to get extra moist and fluffy texture.

Ingredients.
250g butter
200g sugar
6 large eggs (seprated)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoon chocolate emulco
300g self raising flour (sifted)
1/2 - 3/4 cup of evaporated milk

1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. Beat butter and sugar till light and creamy. Add in the egg yolks and beat well after each addition. Add in the vanilla essence and mix well.
3.Add in the flour alternately with the evaporated milk ending with milk.
4. Beat the egg white till soft peak and fold in gently to the flour mixture.
5. Seprated out the mixture and add in the chocolate emulco to one of the mixture.
6. Pour the white mixture alternately with the chocolate mixture in a cake tin. Before baking using a toothpick or knife create a swirl effect. Remember not to over swirl.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until done.

* For moist cake add 1/2 cup of evaporated milk and for very moist add 3/4 cup. I add 1/2 and the texture was just nice for me.
* Instead of evaporated milk I use normal milk and for the vanilla essence I added another 1/2 teaspoon.

Rendang Chicken

Rendang chicken is a famous dish among Malays and Indians. In Malaysia, rendang is usually eaten with tosai, roti canai and sometimes nasi lemak. This dish is semi-dry, spicy and the sauce is thick. An authentic rendang is usually cooked with "santan" or coconut milk. Real rendang always use "kerisik" which is toasted grated coconut.

Ground onion, garlic, lemon grass.

Toasted coconut grated coconut after pounding into a smooth and thick paste.

Frying the chili paste with cinnamon stick, curry leaves, "bunga cengkih"

Tioman Food

Vegan Chocolate Cake

From the picture above it don't look like a vegan free chocolate cake right? But then, this is really a vegan chocolate cake. This cake is different than other normal vegan cake because one of the ingredient in this cake might surprise you and it's avocado. I know some of you readers might think is weird but trust me is not. At first, I was a little hesitated too, but then I know it won't be that bad since is from Joy The Baker.
Instead of the avocado buttercream frosting, I use chocolate ganache and it come out perfectly like I expected.


Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
6 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups granulated sugar ( Use only 1 cup)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used almond oil)
1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado
2 cups water
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 175C. Grease two 8 inch round pans.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients except the sugar in a bowl.
3. Mix all wet ingredients including the mashed avocado in a large bowl. Add sugar and stir well


4. Mix all the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth.


5. Bake for 30-40 minutes until cook. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then turn out onto cooling rack till completely cool before frosting.

Chocolate ganache
250g dairy whipping cream
300g chocolate
50g butter

1. Heat dairy whipping cream till hot but not boiling.
2. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir till chocolate melt, then add in the butter
3. Stir till smooth and let it sit till spreading consistency.

Pak Li, Bukit Tinggi

Pak Li is a kopitiam subsidiary of Nyonya Kitchen. This kopitiam serve all type of Malaysian daily dishes like Nasi lemak, Mee mamak, Traditional white coffee and many more. Beside Bukit Tinggi, Pak Li is also avaible in Shah Alam Seksyen 7 and 18, Kota Damansara, and Setapak Indah. Not to forget their food is great.

On Friday, I and my sister were undecided what to eat for lunch so we just headed over to Pak Li. It has been some times since we eat there.The ambiance of the kopitiam is just like one normal typical kopitam, marble table and old stools.

Their mamak mee is serve with generous amount of chinese beancurd, vegetables and prawns. The texture of the mee was just nice, not so soft and hard.

Mee mamak = RM 4.50

The next dish was nasi lemak. The rice was so flavourful with santan smell. Moreover, the rice texture was fluffy. Not to forget their sambal because their sambal is so good. This nasi lemak is serve with rendang chicken, cucmber and fried beancurd.

Nasi Lemak = Price unavaible

For drinks we order their famous white coffee and their cendol. I will always tell them "kurang manis" because I don't like my coffee to be so sweet. I will always buy their coffee when exam is around the corner because this coffee will always make me alert :)

Okay, back to stories. We order our cendol and is serve in a small glass bowl packed with corn, red bean, green cendol and coconut. What I like about their cendol is FREE FLOW OF GULA MELAKA. You can pour as much as you want.

Cendol = RM 2.60

White coffee = Price unavaible

_______________________

Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang
42A-0 Lorong Batu Nilam 3A,
Bandar Bukit Tinggi , 41200 Klang
Tel : +603-3324 5608
Fax: +603-3324 5606

Opening hours:
Mon to Sun – 8.00 am to 12 midnite

www.paklikopitiam.com.my

Carrot Cake

Carrot cake or passion cake is a very common cake. The most important ingredient in this cake is grated carrot. While cooking the carrot will softens. This cake usually has a soft and dense texture. The carrot themselves will enhance the flavor and give a great colour to the cake.

This carrot cake is moist but not oily because this carrot cake is not oil based. Beside that, this carrot cake does not consist of pineapple and grated coconut. I know now you must be thinking will this carrot cake taste nice without all this? Trust me, this carrot cake still taste good without all those ingredient. This cake taste extra delicious when is topped with the cream cheese frosting but it still taste good without it.

Since I didn't want the cake to be so sweet because I will be eating it with the cream cheese I cut down the sugar to 1 cup. This recipe is a little different because it has freshly squeeze orange juice.

Cast of ingredients

Carrot Walnut Cake

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1/8 cup orange juice
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup raisins
4 cups grated carrots (frosting recipe follows cake recipe)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 10 inch round cake pan.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1 cup butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Stir in the eggs and add the orange juice.


4.Add the sifted dry ingredient, mix well. Finally, fold in the walnuts, raisins and carrots. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
5 .Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack.


Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cups confectioners' sugar

1. To make the frosting, in a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, vanilla, 1/2 cup butter and confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled cake. If the icing is to thick add a little milk.


* I did a little changes with the cream cheese frosting. I add a about 1/2 tbsp orange and lemon zest with their juice. I also add extra 1/2 tsp vanilla essence. The frosting turn out the way I want which is a little cirtus and tangy with a good balance of sweetness.

DELcious Restaurant

DELcious is a restaurant began a little two years ago when Abby came back from Hong Kong. Twelve weeks later, they open for business on the 17 February 2004. Their menu consist of Pasta, Sandwiches, Salads, Local Delicacies and Dessert. Today, their menu include a proper dinner menu and an-all day Breakfast menu on weekends.

Their food price is pretty reasonable. Their price would range from RM 25- RM 50 depend on what you order. Last week Tuesday was my first time eating there. The serving portion is really huge. I ordered Classic Beef Lasagna which was so delicious. The lasagna topped with generous amount of sauce and serve with simple salad serve in ramekins.

Classic Beef Lasagna = RM 19.90

My sister order their famous Carbonara Spaghetti with wild mushroom, beef bacon, oregano and cream topped with some grated cheese. The carbonara cost about RM 24+ . For dessert we order their Chocolate Brownies with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice-cream. They are also famous for their classic chocolate cakes with vanilla ice-cream. The classic chocolate cake cost about RM 11.90

Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate sauce & vanilla ice-cream = RM 11.90

Overall their food is delicious and the serving is very huge. The total bill came up to RM 67.40 which I think is pretty reasonable.

____________________
The Delicious Group Sdn Bhd
Lot G316, Ground Floor,
1 Utama Phase 2 (New Wing), Bandar Utama.
Tel : 603-77241086
Fax : 603-77263441

http://www.delicious.com.my

Cinnamon Roll

Ahh, yes sorry for the lack of post. Have been quite busy this few days.

Today I'm going to blog about cinnamon rolls:


My sister feel like baking cinnamon roll so without hesitate I start going through the bookmark and found one recipe from http://edible-moments.blogspot.com. Once I read through the insctruction and the recipe we started baking. Yes indeed this recipe is uber simple.. but is not one of the best cinnamon roll I have made and also not the best in taste.

After tasting we wasn't that satisfied, we decide to try the regular recipe that I always use. This recipe is quite easy for me as what I think. Beside that this cinnamon roll taste so delicious and not to forget is so fluffy. We cut down the recipe since we had already had quite a lot of cinnamon roll on hand before making this.

Cinnamon Roll

1 cup milk ( prefer full fat milk)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 package active dry yeast ( 1 1/8 tsp)
2 + 1/4 cup call purpose flour
1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon "scant" baking soda
1/4 heaping tablespoon of salt ( I omit this)
1 cup sugar ( I use brown sugar)
Generous amount of butter
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon powder


1) Mix the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a pan and heat on the stove until just before boiling. Leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour. When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot, sprinkle in the half a package of Active Dry Yeast.Let this sit for a minute.

2) Add 2 cups of all-purpose flour. Stir mixture together. Cover and let rise for at least an hour.

3) Add 1/4 cup of flour, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together. At this point, you can cover the dough and put it in the fridge until you need it. It can keep overnight to day or two later if necessary.

4) Sprinkle the surface where you going to roll your dough generously with flour. Take the dough and form a rough rectangle. The roll must be thin and maintaining a general rectangular shape. Spread a generous amount of butter. Now sprinkle sugar over the butter followed by a generous sprinkling of cinnamon.

5) Starting at the opposite end, begin rolling the dough in a neat line toward you. Keep the roll relatively tight as you go. Pinch the seam to the roll to seal it. Spread melted butter in round, foil cake or pie pans. Make sure the bottom and sides are covered. Begin cutting rolls approximately 3/4 to 1 inch thick and laying them in the buttered pans.

6) Let the rolls rise for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake 400 degrees until light golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes.

After proofing about 30 minutes.

Look how fluffy is the cinnamon roll.

* Best eaten with cream cheese frosting or some simple glaze.

Orange Poppy Seed Muffin

Muffin can be eaten as a breakfast, tea or just a light snack. This orange poppy seeds muffin is so moist and light with a perfect crunch from the poppy seed. The citrus flavor from the orange and lemon make this muffin so flavorful. This muffin sweetness is perfectly balance with a cup of hot coffee.

Ingredients.
175g self-raising flour, sifted
175g butter
150g castor sugar ( I cut it down to 100g since my orange juice was sweet enough)
2 eggs ( make sure the eggs are at room temperature)
100ml freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp vanilla essence ( I change it to 1 tsp)
1/4 tsp lemon essence
1 tbsp cointreau (orange liqueur), optional
1 tbsp fonely grated orange rind
30g poppy seeds

1. Place paper cup in muffin tin and preheat oven to 180C
2. Beat butter sugar and essence until light and fluffy. Add orange rind, and eggs one at a time.

3. Continue to beat until light and fluffy. Fold in sifted ingredients, poppy seeds and enough orange juice to get a soft dropping consistency.


4. Spoon the batter into muffin tins, filling three-quarters full
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until well risen and firm to touch.


* Can use all purpose flour but remember to add baking powder and salt.