Apple Braided-Pastry Pie

I baked this easy and delicious Apple Braided-Pastry Pie for my family's afternoon tea today. The Husband said "It is as good as pastry from the bakery". The younger girl corrected him immediately and replied that "It is better than those from the bakery!" LOL, but their words made my day!

 

  

I am sending this to Aspiring Bakers #10 – Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink.

Apple Braided-Pastry Pie

(Recipe taken from here)

•  1 sheet stored bought puff pastry
• 2 large apples (I used FUJI apples)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (Original recipe called for another 1/3 cup of Castor Sugar which I omitted)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

1. Peel apple skin, core apples, quarter each apple then cut each quarter into 3 pieces.
2. Mix the apples with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook in a saucepan over medium heat until just tender (about 10 minutes).
3. Defrost the puff pastry and lay it over a sheet of baking paper. Visually divide the sheet into 3 rectangular sections. Spread the apples in the centre rectangular of the pastry and spoon some of the syrup over the apples.
4. On the two remaining rectangular sections, use sharp knife to cut diagonal stripes of around 45 degree angle. You should get about 6 stripes on each side.
5. Cross pastry stripes over one-another to form criss-cross pattern. (This youtube video clip  provides a good tutorial on how to do it).
6. Lightly brush the beaten egg over the pastry. Bake in the pre-heated oven at 190 degree C for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Hakka Abacus Beads (客家算盘子）

I made Abacus Beads this afternoon together with my 2 girls. The two pairs of hands are of great help to me in the preparation of this time-consuming traditional snack of their dialect group - Hakka.

Among the traditional Hakka cuisines which my mother-in-law used to cooked, I like the Abacus Beads and Lei Cha Rice (擂茶饭) the most.

For the Abacus Beads, they are yam-and-tapioca flour dough which are kneaded into bead-like little balls and stir-fried with minced meats, mushrooms, or other vegetables. For more write-ups relating to Hakka Cuisine, you can click on this link.

I am sharing the recipe of this traditional cuisine of the Hakka-nese through Edith's Heritage Food Trail.

Hakka Abacus Beads Recipe

Dough:

• 600g yam (steamed and mashed)
• 300g Tapioca Flour (茨粉)
• 120ml boiling water

(Rules of thumb: 1 part yam + 1/2 part flour + 1/5 part water)

For Stir-frying:

• minced pork / chicken (I used one whole pack bought from supermarket's meat section)
• A handful of dried shrimp, soaked and chopped finely
• Some Chinese mushrooms, soaked and cut into thin slices
• Some Chinese black fungus, soaked and cut into thin slices
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic / shallot

Seasonings:

• pinch of  white pepper
• Light soya sauce, fish sauce, according to your taste
• A few drops of dark soya sauce to add color to the dish 

Cooking Steps:

1. Mixed mashed yam, tapioca flour and water together. Knead into a dough that holds together.
2. With cleaned hands, pinch small amount of the dough and roll into small balls, each about the size of a marble.
3. Use your thumb and index finger; gently press the centre of each bead ball to make indented holes on the top and bottom sides of the ball that assemble abacus beads. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.
4. Bring a pan of water to boil, gently drop the balls into the boiling water to cook over several batches. Stir to prevent sticking together.
5. When the balls float up to the surface, they are cooked. Scoop them out from the pan and place them in a big pot filled with cold tap water. Set aside until you are ready to stir-fry them.
6. Heat up a wok and saute the garlic/shallot, dried shrimp, Chinese mushroom, black fungus and the minced meat. Stir fry until they are cooked.
7. Drain the cooked abacus beads from the cold water and add the balls into the wok, stir to combine with all other ingredients.
8. Add in seasoning. Continue to stir fry for one or two minutes. Off the fire and dish up.

Finnish Apple Tart

I love making tarts. I guess this is not difficult to tell from the numbers of posts I have tagged under Pies and Tarts category in this blog . In fact, my maiden post in this blog was a beautiful tart - Pasta Frolla with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries which I had baked for my own birthday last December.

Even though it takes more efforts than cakes and muffins baking, there is always a greater sense of satisfaction in assembling tarts. They are beautiful creations in my eye.

Last night, I baked a Finnish Apple Tart. Unlike the usual kind of tart that requires a tart shell, this Finnish tart is fairly easy to assemble, as easy as baking a cake! I’m not kidding. I simply mixed all the ingredients together (except the apples) and poured them into a pie dish before arranging the apples on top and sprinkle cinnamon sugar over it.

We ate it in the morning over breakfast. It is light and moist and all of us love it. My younger girl even asked for a slice to be packed in her lunch box as her snack during school recess J

 

Finnish Apple Tart

Adapted from the Scandifoodie with slight adjustments

Make 1 26-cm tart

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs
• 80 golden caster sugar
• 120g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 75ml milk
• 50ml canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 apples, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon golden caster sugar

Baking Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degree C and grease a round 26 cm pie dish.
2. Beat the eggs and the sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and mix lightly to combine. Add the sifted flour and baking powder into the egg mixture and fold to combine.
3. Fold in the milk and the oil and pour the batter into the pie dish.
4. Mixed the ground cinnamon and sugar together.
5. Arrange the apple slices on top of the batter and sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. (I did not use up all the cinnamon sugar).
6. Baked at 200 degree C for 10 minutes and reduced down to 180 degree C and continues for another 15 minutes. The tart is done when a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Baking Notes:

1. I reduced the sugar used from 100g to 80g but still find it a bit sweet. Will probably reduced further to 60g next time.
2. I added vanilla extract for extra flavor.
3. The recipe calls for the tart to be baked at 225 degree C. I was worried that the unusually high temperature may burn the top of the tart before the bottom is cooked. Hence, I preheated it at 200 degree C and baked the tart for 10 minutes before lowering the temperature to 180 degree C. The tart was well-baked with a nice golden brown top with total 25 minutes of baking time.

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #10 – Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink.

Matcha Madeleines

I found these photos of matcha madeleines in my picture folder. They were baked months ago which I've not posted the recipe up here. As usual, I shared them with the colleagues in the office and the gitrls also packed some to share with their friends in school.

 

 

So, here you go, flavourful Matcha Madeleines, adapted from Cuisine Paradise:

Ingredients:

• 90ml melted unsalted butter
• 100g plain flour
• 1.5 tsp matcha powder
• 70g caster sugar
• 2 medium egg
• 3/4 tsp baking powder

Baking Steps:

1. Preheat over to 180 degree C and grease the madeleine pan with melted butter.
2. Sieve the flour, matcha powder and baking powder together. Set aside.
3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together for about 5 minutes on medium high speed or till mixture is pale and thicken.
4. Mix in the flour mixture in 2 batches and add in the melted butter. Sitr to combine.
5. Spoon the mixture to fill the madeleines pan to almost at the ream.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Use a toothpick to check for doneless.
7. Remove the madeleines from the pan and let cook on the wire rack.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

My younger girl turned 8 years old on 9 August 2011, as we celebrated Singapore's 46th birthday.

I organised a small and fun party for her. She invited 8 friends from her student care centre. They are the BFFs of hers as well as her elder sister who is in the same centre. The theme of the party was "Create-your-own Pizza". I prepared pizza dough as well as various kinds of toppings.  The kids had great fun creating their own personal pizza using toppings of their own choice.

I baked these Chocolate Chip Cookies and had them packed into goodies bags for all the kids who attended the party. They are tasty and full of flavour.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adapted from Breadetbutter

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1 2/3 cups bread flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 285g unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 550g chocolate chips (I used only 350g)
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Baking Steps:

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
3. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined (5 to 10 seconds).
6. Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Wrap cookie dough in cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours.
8. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 175′C.
9. Scoop mounds of dough (size of golf ball) onto baking sheet.
10. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes.
11. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool before storing.

Note: I used only half the dough to make 32 cookies and freeze the remaining dough in the freezer.

Pizzas created by the kids:

Deep Dish Apple Pie

I baked this apple pie for a colleague’s birthday in early August. It was very well received among my colleagues and some have asked for the recipe too. This is the second time I baked this apple pie. Glad that other than my family, more people get to enjoy and like it. J

A half-eaten slice of pie. See the flaky crust and juicy fillings?

The recipe which I am reproducing below, is adapted from one of my recipe book collection – Best Ever Book of Pastry. I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #10 – Easy as Pie (August 2011), hosted by Janine of Not the Kitchen Sink.

 

Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe

Ingredients for the filling:

• 115g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Finely grated rind of 1 orange
• 900g apples
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Ingredients for the pastry:

• 350g plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 175g butter, diced
• 5 tbsp chilled water

Baking Steps:

1. To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl and add in the butter cubes. Use fingers or pastry cutter to turn the mixture into crumbs-like. Sprinkle the water over the dough and mix to a firm, soft dough. Wrap in clear film (plastic wrap) and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Combine the caster sugar, flour, cinnamon and orange rind in a bowl. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Add to the sugar mixture, then toss gently.
3. Preheat to 200^oc. Roll out just over half the pastry and use to line a 23 cm pie dish that is 4cm deep. Allow to overhang the edges slightly. Spoon in the filling, doming it in the centre.
4. Roll out the remaining pastry to form the lid. Lightly brush the edges with a little water, then place the lid over the apple filling. Trim the pastry with a sharp knife. Gently press the edge together to seal, then knock up the edge.
5. Use the remaining pastry to cut out leaf or any shapes you desire as decoration for the pie. Arrange the decorations on top of the pie. Brush the top of the pie with egg white and sprinkle with brown sugar. Make two small slits in the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180^oc and bake for a further 15 minutes until the pastry is golden and the apples are soft - check by inserting a small sharp knife or skewer through one of the slits in the top of the pie.

I also baked 2 mini-size pies for my daughters, using the excess dough and fillings 

Banana Cake, Moist and Healthier Version

It has been almost 3 months since I last baked a banana cake. The ripe bananas stored in the freezer have piled up. Hence, on Monday night when I wanted to bake something for our morning breakfast, I instantly picked my favorite banana cake recipe. But this time round, I decided to modify it for a lighter and healthier breakfast cake.

And, here is my modified recipe for Low fat Yogurt-Banana Cake:


Ingredients:

> 2 ripe bananas, mashed
> 110g unsalted butter [instead of 150g]
> 140g castor sugar [instead of 230g]
> 50g ground hazelnuts
> 2 eggs, lightly beaten
> 175g plain flour
> 1/2 tsp salt [instead of 1 tsp]
> 1 tsp baking soda
> 1 tsp baking powder
> 200g low fat (99% fat-free) plain yogurt [instead of 133g, to make up for the reduced butter]


Baking Steps:

1. Grease an 18 by 7 by 8 cm deep loaf tin and line with baking paper.

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 170 degree C.
4. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
5. Add in ground almonds and followed by eggs. Mix well.
6. Add in flour mixture and mix well together.
7. Mix in the yogurt and finally add in the mashed bananas. Lightly mix to combine (I used hand-held mixer to mix at low speed after addition of each ingredient).
8. Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake for 30 minutes.

9. Cover the cake loosely with a piece of aluminum foil and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre of the cake came out clean.
10. Remove from the oven, leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes then invert it on a wire rack to cool.

The cake turned out moister than my original version though it took about 10 minutes longer to bake, probably attributed by the higher quantity of yogurt used in this modified healthier version. Thumbs up!