Pineapple Tarts (2013)

Chinese New Year is just around the corner again! My daughters are so excited over it, because their mummy is going to bake them pineapple tarts again.

I've been baking this Chinese New Year's must-have using the same recipe in the past few years. This year, I tried a different recipe and it yielded equally good result.

I used ready-made pineapple filling. The pastry recipe is from Thelittleteochew but as I only have a short window time frame in the night to do the baking, I halved the recipe as follows which yield one tray of little balls (about 40):

Pineapple Tarts

Ingredients:

• 200g plain flour
• 25g corn flour
• a pinch (original 1/4 tsp) of salt
• 140g cold, unsalted butter (cut into small cubes)
• 1.5 egg yolks, beaten (I scoop out a spoonful from the beaten 2 yolks, and reserve for egg wash)
• 1.5 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp icing sugar (reduced from 3 tbsp)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• For egg wash - the half beaten egg yolk + half tbsp water
• Pineapple fillings - rolled into small balls (slightly smaller than a marble)

Methods:

1. Sift flours, icing sugar and salt. Mix well to combine.
2. Beat the egg yolks, add in cold water and vanilla extra. Mix Well.
3. Add the butter cubes into the flour. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour until it look like fine bread crumbs.
4. Add the egg yolk mixture into the flour mixture.Using your fingers again, gently mix the liquid into the flour and gather them into a loose dough ball. Leave it in a bowl, cover and chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the dough from the fridge, pinch a teaspoonful dough and roll it into small ball with your palms. Flatten it and place a small ball of pineapple filling in the centre. Wrap and roll into a ball so that the filling is hidden inside.
6. Insert a clove into the centre to dress it up like a small mandarin orange. Repeat the same for the rest of the dough.
7. Apply some egg wash over each of the balls. Bake in pre-heated oven at 160 degree C for 18-20 minutes or until the balls turned golden yellow.
8. Remove and let them cool completely before storing them in air-tight container.

Fruity White Wine Jellies

These pretty looking and delicious Fruity White Wine Jellies were dessert I made for our 2013 Countdown Party earlier.
 

 

 

 

 

I have a "Strawberry Red Wine Jellies"  recipe from a Christmas Baking Recipe booklet that came with the New Zealand Woman's Weekly Magazine I bought while holidaying in New Zealand years ago. I have made this same dessert for several times since and they never fail to impress my guests. This time I used fruity white wine instead of red wine and they turned out equally well to compliment the festive mood.

 

Fruity White Wine Jellies

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cold water (250ml)
• 1/2 cup boiling water (125ml)
• 6 tsp gelatin powder
• 3 cups fruity white wine (750ml)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• A variety of fresh mixed berries for the topping (I used strawberries, blueberries and kiwi)

 

Methods:

1. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface of 1 cup of cold water in a shallow bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes .
2. Meanwhile, place white wine and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolve. Add in 1/2 cup of boiling water. Stir to combine.
3. Remove from heat. Continue to stir over an ice bath while slowly pour in the gelatin mixture. Stir to incorporate.
4. Pour into small serving cups, top with fruits.
5. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until firm and set. Serve cold.

Cranberries Cream Cheese Bread

I was on medical leave yesterday. Supposed to be resting at home but could not resist the chance to spend my few hours of fee time in the kitchen. So I started making bread after taking my medication.

While waiting for the dough to complete it first proofing, the after effect of the medication started to kick in, making me so drowsy and sleepy. I pulled myself to proceed with the punching and shaping and the final egg wash of the dough before popping them into the oven. I also patiently waited for 20 minutes to go by before removing them from the oven. I realised my bread rolls are so much skinnier than those I saw in Sonia’s post. But they do taste as soft and yummy as how Sonia has described. So I attributed the skinny roll to my not up to standard kneading skill. After the first bite, I leave them to cool down and went to bed (finally) in the late afternoon. It was only in the late night when I read back Sonia’s recipe again then I realised that I had missed out an important step, that is the 2nd proofing to double the size before the egg wash stage. Alamak! But considering that I baked these bread rolls under the influence of medication, I shall forgive myself. But I will attempt this again over the weekend as my girls like them so much.

Cranberries Cream Cheese Bread

 (Adapted from nasilemaklover)

Ingredients:

• 50g cream cheese (I used low fat version)
• 40g dried cranberries
• 280g bread flour flour
• 40g caster Sugar
• 2.5g salt ( I added ¼ tsp)
• 120g milk (I used low fat milk)
• 40g egg (slightly less than 1 medium egg, keep the remaining for egg wash)
• 1tsp instant yeast
• 28g unsalted butter, soften at room temperature
• Egg wash (with the balance egg + 1tsp milk)

Method:

1. Beat cream cheese with a spoon or folk till creamy.
2. Mix all ingredients (except butter & cranberries) together.
3. Start kneading the dough on a floured surface.
4. Add butter and continue knead till dough becomes smooth, glossy and elastic.
5. Add in cranberries and gently incorporate into dough.
6. Place dough in a oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let it proof till double size (about an hour).
7. Remove dough from the bowl, gently punch down the dough to remove air bubbles. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions ( about 90g each).
8. Roll each into small round dough ball, let them rest for 15mins.
9. Using a rolling pin, roll each small ball into flat oval shape, then roll it up like swiss roll by hand, press firm on the closing. Repeat for the other 5 balls.
10. Line them in a non-stick baking pan (9”x9”), with the closing side faced down. Let them rise until double in size.
11. Apply egg wash and bake at pre-heated oven at 180 degree C for 20mins until the top is golden brown.
12. Remove from pan and cool bread on a wire rack. Store in air-tight container.

I am submitting this for Yeastspotting.