Tuna Buns

Today will be my last bake in 2014. A simple Tuna Buns for today's lunch! I'm not really in the mood of baking or cooking these few days as it keeps raining everyday and floods everywhere near east coast of Malaysia. So sad to hear that the numbers of victims increasing everyday and we, those who stay west can't do much for them. I'll pray hard and may god bless the victims and their families.

School holidays have been extended to another week due to the rain and floods here. That means my daughter will be resuming school only on the 12th of January 2015. Hmm....another week huh....I'll take that week to boost up my energy for baking and cooking!! So stay tune, there might be something coming up then...^^"

Tuna Buns

Recipe makes 7-8 buns
Starter dough:
230g Bread flour / High protein flour
5g instant yeast
160-170g water

~ Mix them well with a mixer then let proof for 1.5 hours

Bread dough:
20g egg (beaten)
60g castor sugar
1/4 tsp salt
25g cold water
2.5g instant yeast
100g bread flour / High protein flour

30g butter

Fillings:
1 small can of tuna mayonnaise

~ Add in the above ingredients (except butter) into the starter dough
~ Mix well till a dough form then add in butter, continue kneading to form a smooth and elastic dough
~ Divide into 60g each, knead into long strip, then fold into desire shape.
~ Place them onto prepared tin or paper cups. Let proof for another 10-15 mins or until double in size
~ Brush with egg wash and put filling on top
~ Bake at 190'C for 15 minutes.

 The texture are super soft as you can see the picture I've shown above. You can make this with other fillings for example sardines or even chicken curry. Good to serve for breakfast, lunch or tea!

Lastly, I'll like to wish everyone here a very Happy New Year and lots lots more interesting bakes to come in 2015!!

Happy New Year!

Cheers!

My Christmas Bakes

Hi! Christmas is around the corner, and this year I've baked some cookies and cakes that my family requested to celebrate with. What's more....the most delicious homemade Chocolate Bars and my not-to-miss Brandy Fruit Cakes!! These 2 recipes are the MUST in the menu. With only 2 recipes are not enough to serve my wonderful guess this year so I've added a cut-out Icing Cookies from Nigella Lawson and a simple yet yummy cooling Beer look alike Apple Juice Jelly from Anncoo Journal. Thanks Ann for sharing this simple and yummy dessert..:))

First, the cut-out Cookies (Recipe by Nigella Lawson) Here I've posted for my own reference.

 Ingredients for cookies dough:
90g butter
100g castor sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
200g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine salt

 Ingredients for icing:
150g icing sugar
food colouring
1-2 tbsps warm water

Method:
~ Cream butter and sugar together until light and pale
~ Add in egg and vanilla and beat well.
~ Add in flour, baking powder and salt and form into a soft dough.
(If dough is too sticky, may add alittle more flour but take note that too much flour may cause the dough tough)
~ Wrap with clingfilm and fridge for at least 1 hour.
~ Sprinkle some flour on surface and roll out dough to a thickness about 0.5cm
~ Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter and place them on to the prepared tin lined with parchment paper.
~ Bake at 180'C for 8-12 mins or until the edge of the cookies turn alittle brown.
~ Cool the cookies completely on a wire rack.
~ Add 1 -2 tbsps water slowly (may not need all) to the icing sugar and mix well until gets a thick paste.
~ Add in desire colour and mix well. Pipe onto cooled cookies and let it set.

I've used colour paste instead of liquid for the icing, for it has mentioned that paste colours don't dilute the icing as they tint.

Secondly, the Brandy Fruit Cake that I've always baked for the Chinese New Year. Please find the recipe here.

It has been my must-bake recipe every year. You can always ignore the brandy if you don't take alchohol.

It's such a wonderful gift for friends and relatives during any festive. And it can be kept in the fridge for few months if wrap properly with aluminium foil and store in an airtight container.

Third, the Chocolate and Nuts Bars. It has been quite some time since I made this. This is 1 of the top recipes in my list. Want it, get it here.

This bars can be kept in the fridge for many months but I'm sure they cannot stay long in your fridge..haha!

Last but not least, the bear look alike Apple Juice Jelly (recipe from Anncoo Journal)
please refer to her blog for recipes.
Thank you again, Ann, for this wonderful recipe!

They do look like beer and I've fooled my sister when she came visit just now..LOL!!
They are so tasty and my daughter has requested it again on Christmas day..:))

Cheers!

Spicy and Sour Trotter

Here comes a dish that I've longed for. Trying many times cooked by my mother but I never try it out myself. Until I saw my sister's post last week that drolled me out from the screen...haha! I've cooked mine the next day then...super yummy!! You'll never believe it...I almost walloped up the whole trotter...LOL!! Well, a tough jog the next day to burn those calories..;p

With a twist from my mom's recipe, I've done a good job I can say. Love this to bit!
Here...I'll share mine with you...:))

Ingredients:
1 medium trotter (chopped in big pieces)
2-3 Chilli Padi (bird's eye chilli)
1 small bowl dried chilli (wash and drained)
4-5 pieces old ginger (sliced thinned)
3 cloves black garlic
30g rock sugar
about 500ml assam water (I used 3 tbsps assam paste melted in 450ml water)
** can be substitute to black vinegar
a little salt to taste
a little light soy sauce to taste
some spring onions for decoration

Method:
~ Wash the trotter and bring to boil in clear water for 5 mins. Wash with running cool water, drain and set aside.
~ In a claypot or a wok, saute the garlic, ginger, dried chilli and chilli padi with a little oil till fragnant.
~ Add in the trotter and stir for a while.
~ Add in assam water and rock sugar, cover with lid and bring to boil.
~ Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 1.5 hrs or until trotter is tender.
~ Add in some light soy sauce and salt to taste.
~ Decorate with some spring onions and serve hot.

This is even tastier when serve overnight as the trotter has the flavor observed with the thick gravy.
I will definitely cook this again very soon！

Cheers!