May 2, 2020

Oreo mochi

Serving Size

15 oreo mochi

Ingredients

For the mochi :

100g mochiko/glutinous rice flour
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
40g sugar
180ml water

For the filling :

50ml heavy cream/whipping cream
80g cream cheese (like Philadelphia)
3 oreo cookies
30g sugar

Instructions

*1.*_Start with the filling cream:_ beat whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Add cream cheese and mix well. Set aside.
2. Remove the cream layer inside the oreo cookies. Crush the cookies. Then add the oreo crumbs into the cream mixture from #1. Mix.
3. Prepare the "silicone mould" (here I used a 4cm diameter * 15-hole mould). Place the oreo filling cream in each hole.
4. Flatten the surface, using a spoon or anything else you like. Place in the freezer until it is frozen. I usually make it one day before I want to eat mochi.
5. Mochi time! Once the cream is frozen, start preparing the mochi mixture : In a microwave-safe glass bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Stir to combine. Add the water slowly and mix with an egg beater until smooth. Cover lightly the bowl with cling wrap.
6. Microwave the mixture for 1 minute. Then stir the dough with a spatula. put it back in the microwave again for another minute and stir lightly. Put it back in the microwave for 30 seconds now (*not* 1 min!) and stir. And then once more for microwave it 30 seconds and then stir. The mixture should now be very thick and translucent.
7. Transfer the mochi dough on your working surface floured with katakuriko/potato starch. Be careful, it is very hot so you should use a spatula. Cut the mochi into 15 equal pieces. Don't forget to coat your hand with katakuriko/potato starch.
8. With your hands, take one of these pieces and flatten it into a circle. Then take a frozen oreo cream filling from the freezer and put it in the middle of the mochi disc. Pull out the cream fillings one at a time from the freezer as they will melt and soften quickly. Pull the edges of the dough disc together to cover the cream ball. Press together the edges to seal well. Smoothen the mochi by rolling it on the dusted board.
9. Keep in the fridge before you serve :)

March 20, 2020

Vanilla panna cotta

Persons

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 hours

Total Time

15 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients

300ml whole milk
200ml heavy cream/whipping cream
70g white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla beans
5.5g gelatin - dissolve with 1.5 tbsp water

For the sauce

170g strawberry - cut into chunks
40g white sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

0. Dissolve the gelatine into 1.5 tbsp water.
1. Add the milk, heavy cream and sugar into a cooking pan and cook over medium heat until just before it starts boiling (about 60℃). Remove from the heat and add the gelatine from #0. Stir until it has dissolved completely. Add vanilla and mix.
2. Divide the mixture among 5 ramekins (or glass cups) and leave them to cool down. Place into the fridge for 5 to 6 hours, or until fully set (even overnight).
3. In the meantime, make the coulis In a small sauce pan, combine strawberries, sugar and lemon. Bring to a low boil and cook 5 to 6 min or until syrupy.
4. Remove from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
5. Pour the strawberry mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. You could skip this step if you like it.
6. Pour the strawberry sauce on top of the panna cotta and then serve.

March 19, 2020

Strawberry mille crepe cake

Serving Size

18cm round cake

Prep Time

1 hour

Cook Time

1 hour

Total Time

2 hours

Ingredients

100g plain flour/cake flour ( T45) - sifted
20g wheat starch - (If you don't have any, then increase plain flour to 120g)
2 eggs
10g sugar
dash of salt
420ml whole milk
30g unsalted butter
dash of food coloring (red) - optional

For the strawberry puree

80g strawberries - cut into chunks
20g white sugar

For the filling

80g strawberry - thinly sliced
400ml heavy cream/whipping cream (more than 35% fat is preferable)
70g white sugar
10g cremfix (whipped cream stabilizer) - better use this if your cream is less than 35% fat

Instructions

1. making strawberry puree In a small sauce pan, combine strawberries (80g) and sugar (20g). Bring to a low boil and cook until syrupy. Remove from the heat and let it cool down to room temperature.
2. Once it has cooled, pour the strawberry mixture into a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside.
3. making crepe dough In a bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and salt, using an egg whisk. Pour the milk into the egg mixture slowly, gradually and mix well.
4. Add the sifted flour and wheat starch and mix well until the batter is integrated.
5. Strain the crepe mixture through a fine sieve. Add the strawberry puree and mix. Add also food coloring if you want the dough to have a more red color (optional). Then add the melted butter and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for about 30min~1h or even overnight.
Cooking the crepes :
6. Set a non-stick frying pan (about 20cm) on medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, brush with oil and remove excess with a paper towel (a thin application, only the first time is fine). Pour enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan and swirl it to coat evenly.
7. Once the batter is dry and the edges start to brown, flip the crepe with your hand. Let it cook on the other side for a few seconds. Then transfer to a plate to cool down. Set aside. Repeat until you finish all the batter.
8. Once cooled completely, use an about 18cm round plate or a cake bottom as a guide and cut off the crepe in excess.
Putting it all together :
9. Whip chilled Whipping Cream (400ml) for a few seconds, add granulated sugar (60g), and beat until stiff peaks form.
NOTE : if your cream is less than 35% fat, I recommend you to add whipped cream stabilizer (I used "cremfix" here). In that case, mix the cream stabilizer to the sugar ahead of this step. Add when your cream is getting a soft peak.
10. Now spread a good amount of cream evenly over one crepe. Cover with another crepe and repeat until all have been used. Place "thinly sliced strawberries" within a few layers, not all the layers.
11. Let it chill in the fridge for a few hours until it has set. Dust with some powdered sugar over the cake to decorate.
_NOTE : _ I recommend non-melting powdered sugar if you can get it!

January 5, 2020

Mille Crepe Cake

Persons

Prep Time

40 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients

100g plain flour/cake flour (T45)
20g wheat starch (If you don't have any, then increase plain flour to 120g)
2 eggs
24g white sugar
1/8 tsp salt
400g milk
30g unsalted butter - melted
320g heavy cream/whipping cream (more than 35% fat is preferable)
60g white sugar
10g cremfix (whipped cream stabilizer) - better use this if your cream is less than 35% fat

Instructions

1. In a bowl whisk together eggs, sugar and salt using a hand mixer.
2. Pour the milk into the egg mixture slowly, gradually and mix well.
3. Add the sifted flour and mix well until the batter is integrated.
4. Strain the crepe mixture through a fine sieve. Add the melted butter and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for about 30min to 1h or even overnight.

Cooking the crepes :

5. Set a big size non-stick frying pan on medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, brush oil and remove excess with a paper towel (a thin application, only the first time is fine). Pour enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan and swirl it to coat evenly.
6. Once the batter is dry and the edges start to brown, flip the crepe with your hand. Let it cook on the other side for a few seconds. Then transfer to a plate to cool down. Set aside. This is the "big" size crepe. You need only one.
7. Now heat a 16~17cm non-stick pan on medium heat (a different size of pan will yield different number of crepes and need different amount of batter per crepe). Once the pan is hot, reduce the heat to low, brush with oil and remove the excess with a paper towel (a thin application, only the first time is fine).
8. Make small sizes crepes with the batter.
9. Once cooled completely, use a 15cm round plate or cake bottom as a guide and cut off crepe in excess. Note: This is just for the small crepes! Don't cut the big size one.

Putting it all together :

10. Whip chilled Whipping Cream (320g) for a few second, add granulated sugar (60g), and beat until stiff peaks form.
NOTE : if your cream is less than 35% fat, then I recommend you to add whipped cream stabilizer (I used "cremfix" here). In that case, mix cream stabilizer to the sugar ahead of this step. Add when your cream is getting a soft peak.
11. Now spread a good amount of cream evenly over one "small" crepe. Cover with another "small" crepe and repeat until all have been used. Finally cover with the "big" size crepe.
12. Let it chill in the fridge for a few hours until it has set. Dust with some powdered sugar over the cake to decorate.
_NOTE : _ I recommend non-melting powdered sugar if you can get it!

December 22, 2019

Chewy chocolate chip cookies

Serving Size

12 cookies (30g)

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

Ingredients

60g unsalted butter - softened
60g brown sugar
50g white sugar
25g egg - beaten
dash of salt
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
100g plain flour (or 97g of T45 and 3g gluten powder)
1/4 tsp baking soda
80g chocolate - cut into chunks

Instructions

1. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. Pre-heat the oven 175℃ degree.
2. In a separate bowl, using electric hand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until combined.
3. Add egg and vanilla and mix until fluffy.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients from #1 until combined with a spatula.
5. Add chocolate chunks and mix.
6. Make balls of dough (about 30g each / or your own preference) and place on a cooking sheet.
7. Bake for about 9~10min until the cookies look puffy but the centers still look soft. Do not overbake.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the trays for about 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool down completely.

November 24, 2019

Quick and easy Tiramisu

Serving Size

25 x 18 cm

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

50 minutes

Ingredients

For the base cake

2 eggs
40g plain flour/cake flour (T45)
45g white sugar
10g unsalted butter
20g milk
You can replace to "lady fingers", if its busy day!
220g to 250g coffee - mix with sugar (about 35g)
280g heavy cream/whipping cream - soft peak
250g mascarpone cream
60g cream cheese
90g white sugar
1 tsp vanilla paste (optional)

For over the base cake

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (mix with 1 tsp instant coffee powder if you like.)

For the cake top

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of parchment paper to cover the bottom and sides of a jelly-roll pan.
2. Sift flour into a medium bowl and set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 190C degree.
3. Beat eggs with sugar in a medium bowl until creamy (about 3~5min) with an electric hand mixer.
4. Gradually add the flour and mix the batter until all the lumps are gone, using spatula.
5. In a small cup, add butter and milk and microwave for 10 to 15 sec at 600w. Mix to melt. Then add into the mixture (#4). Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients have been incorporated evenly.
6. Pour the batter onto the prepared sheet pan and spread into an even layer. Flatten the surface with the spatula.
7. Bake for about 10~12min or until light golden in color.
8. Remove from the oven, immediately loosen the edges of the cake from the pan gently. Flip the cake upside down. Peel off the parchment paper you just used for baking (you could even use printing paper sheets). Let the cake cool completely.
9. Place the sponge cake onto the plate you are going to use. Then spread coffee onto the cake evenly. Let it cool down to room temperature. Using a sieve, dust the cocoa powder (mix with 1 tsp coffee powder) over the cake.
10. In a bowl, add mascarpone, cream cheese and sugar. Beat until just combined and smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream (soft-peak) into the cream mixture and mix well.
11. Spread the cream mixture over the sponge cake. Dust the top with cocoa powder.
12. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight before serving.