French Apple Tart (tarte aux pommes)

I took the kids to catch a movie yesterday. Before the movie started, we visited the library to kill some time. Found this nice French Desserts recipe book in the shelf and was immediately attracted by this no-frill, simple looking French Apple Tart. Without hesitation, I borrowed the book and baked the tart in the late night. I brought the whole tart to office for a farewell lunch today. Yes, another farewell in the office. :(

  

The 3-hour effort taken to bake the tart was well-paid off. I especially love the natural sweetness of the tart filling which is actually apple puree. This is a tasty and healthy dessert to enjoy over a cup of tea.

 

Recipe for French Apple Tart (tarte aux pommes)

Source: French Desserts by Laura Washburn

Sweet Pastry (pate brisee) For the Tart Shell:

• 200g plain flour
• 1 ½ tsp caster sugar
• 100g cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• A pinch of salt
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten for egg wash
• A loose-based tart tin, 27 cm diameter

1. Place flour, sugar, butter and salt in a mixing bowl, use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until the dough become coarse crumbs; add 3 tablespoons cold water and mix the dough with the pastry cutter to combine.
2. Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap, pat into a ball and flatten to a disc. Wrap in the plastic wrap and chill for 30-60 minutes.
3. Place the dough ball in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and roll it flat until slightly larger than the tart tin. Carefully transfer the pastry into the tart tin. Pressing gently into the sides. To trim the excess pastry, roll a rolling pin over the top, using the edge of the tart tin as a cutting surface. Tidy up the edges and refrigerate until firm, 30-60 minutes.
4. Prick the pastry all over with a fork, line with aluminium foil and baking beans. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, discard the foil and baking beans, brush the surface of the half-baked tart shell with egg white to form a protective coating to prevent the tart shell from being soggy after the fillings are added.
5. Bake the uncovered tart shell for another 10-15 minutes at 180 degree C until golden. Let the tart shell cool slightly before filling.

For the Tart Filling:

• 3 apples, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 10g unsalted butter
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 egg white

1. Place all ingredients except the egg white in a saucepan. Cook over small fire, stirring often until soften, about 10-15 minutes. Blend the mixture with the beaten egg white to form apple puree.
2. Spread the puree evenly in the tart shell.

For the Tart Topping:

• 3 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 15g unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

1. Arrange the apple slices in a circle, slightly overlapping each other, around the edge of the tart.
2. Repeat for an inner circle, trimming the slices slightly so they fit. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the brown sugar.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree C until just  browned and tender, about 25 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steamed Dual-Color Buns (双色馒头)

My love for all things matcha has led me to make this white and green steamed bun last night when I needed to whip up something for our Saturday’s stay-at-home breakfast.  This is an easy Chinese steam bun that I have made several times. The recipe is adapted from “三杯面粉“  by  连爱卿.

The buns are very soft with nice green-tea flavour and appearance.

Steamed Dual-Color Buns Recipe

Ingredients

• 300g flour (I used all purpose flour though I think Hong Kong flour would yield better looking buns)
• 3g baking powder
• 3g instant yeast
• 30g caster sugar
• 160cc milk
• 15g cooking oil
• 2g match powder

Methods

1. Mix all dry ingredients (except matcha powder) together and make a well.
2. Pour in the milk and mix.
3. Knead the mixture into a dough and add in cooking oil. Continue to knead by hands until the dough become smooth and non-sticky.
4. Form the dough into a ball, place in a big mixing bowl, smooth side up and cover with a cloth. Let rest for 15 minutes before use.
5. Divide the dough into 2 parts. Sprinkle the matcha powder on 1 of them and knead the ball until the matcha powder completely blended into the dough. Let rest for 20 minutes.
6. Working on each dough ball separately, roll the ball into a flat long stretch about 20 cm long.
7. Sprinkle some water on the surface of one of them, place the other one on top. Roll with rolling pin to make the 2-colored pieces of dough stick together into one single piece.
8. Using your hands, roll up the dough lengthwise to form a cylinder roll
9. Cut the roll into 8 equal parts and place each of them on a piece of baking paper. Let rest for 20 minutes until each bun doubled in size
10. Place the buns into a bamboo steamer and steam over medium heat for 12 minutes.

 This is my submission for Aspiring Bakers #8 - Bread Seduction, hosted by thesweetylicious.

Hakka Abacus Beads (客家算盘子)

Hakka Abacus Beads (客家算盘子) is one of the well-known traditional cuisines of the Hakka people. Although the preparation of this dish using a dough formed of tapioca flour and yam is rather time-consuming, I made this once every few months as the dish is my family's favorite. It also allows me and my daughters to work together in kneading the little bead-shaded balls.

I made this last month for Mother’s Day pot luck at my mother-in-law’s place. She is a true blue Hakka. Hence, a home-made Hakka Abacus Beads dish is the best dish for her. J

Recipe for Hakka Abacus Beads (客家算盘子)

Ingredients:

• 450g yam
• 225g Tapioca Flour (茨粉)
• 90g boiling water (adjust the amount of water accordingly to the texture of the dough)
• 150g minced pork
• Some Chinese mushrooms, soaked and cut into thin slices
• A handful of dried shrimp, soaked and chopped finely
• Some Chinese black fungus, soaked and cut into thin slices
• 2 tbsp chopped garlic

Seasonings:

• Appropriate quantities 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. Remove the skin of yam and cut into little cubes.
2. Steam over high heat for 30 minutes or until soften to mash.
3. Mash the soften yam cubes into yam paste.
4. While the paste is still hot but cooled down enough to handle by hands, add in tapioca flour and boiling water and knead into dough. The dough should be towards the dry side but moist enough to hold together to form a big dough ball.
5. With clean hands, pinch small amount of the dough and roll into small balls, about the size of a marble.
6. Use your thumb and index finger; gently press the centre of each bead ball to make an indented hole on two sides of the ball. Now, you can see that the marble has turned into little grey abacus beadJ. Repeat the process for the rest of the dough.
7. To cook the balls, bring a pan of water to boil, gently drop in the balls over several batches (do not place too many balls inside at one go. Otherwise, they will stick together). Stir to prevent sticking together. When the balls float up the surface of the boiling water, they are done. Scoop them up and place them in a big pot of cold tap water until they are ready for stir-frying.
8. To stir fry the balls, heat up a wok and sauté the garlic, dried shrimp, Chinese mushroom, black fungus and the minced pork. Stir fry until they are cooked and lightly brown.
9. Scoop the cooked abacus beads from the cold water and add them into the wok, give them a good stir to combine all ingredients, add in seasonings and some water if necessary so that the content are sticky but not too dry. Continue to stir fry for one or two minutes. Off the fire and dish up.

Tuck in while warm and enjoy!

Fruit and White Chocolate Mousse Tart

The coming Tuesday will be my husband’s 40th birthday but he will be away for business trip to Vietnam from tomorrow. Hence, we gave him a surprised celebration at home today with this Fruit and White Chocolate Mousse Tart. He was delighted and surprised when the girls presented this tart to him, completed with their hand-made birthday cards.

I am glad that the birthday boy and the 2 girls like it very much. Here is the recipe of this pretty tart for a wonderful 40th birthday!

 

Fruit and White Chocolate Mousse Tart

Adapted from Strawberry and White Chocolate Mousse recipe here wth some adjustments

Note:  Start preparation a day before serving to allow the mousse filling to set

  

Ingredients

For the tart shell

• 1½ cups flour (I used 1¼ cups of AP flour and ¼ cup of whole meal flour)
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 4½ ounces unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 extra large egg

 

For the White Chocolate Mousse (for 7½ inch tart pan)

• 4.8 ounces white baking chocolate chips
• 200ml chilled whipping cream, divided
• ¾ tsp powdered gelatin
• 1 tbsp water
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 extra large egg whites
• 1/8 tsp cream of tartar
• Fresh strawberries and golden kiwi, sliced

 

Baking Steps

To prepare the tart dough

1. In the mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine well
2. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour. Use a pastry cutter to combine the mixture until they become like bread crumb like
3. Add the egg and continue to mix the mixture using the pastry cutter to combine them until the dough has started to clump.
4. Wrap the dough with a cling wrap and flatten it to a disk. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

To prepare the tart shell

1. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minute to bring it to room temperature.
2. With the dough placed in between 2 pieces of cling wrap, use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 12-inch circle.
3. Roll up the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it over a tart pan (mine is a 7 ½ inch pan) with a removable bottom. Using the fingers, press the dough to fit into the edge of the pan. Roll the rolling pin over the top of the pan to remove the excess dough.
4. Refrigerate the tart shell for at least 30 minutes or place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 180 degree C.
6. Line the tart pan with aluminum foil and fill with dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 25 minutes.
7. Remove the weights and foil and brush the surface of the tart with slightly beaten egg white (to form a protective layer to prepare the tart shell from becoming soggy after it is filled with the tart filling. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a rack to cool completely.

To prepare the White Chocolate Mousse

1. Combine the white chocolate chips and 50ml whipping cream in a large heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water) and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl and allow the mixture to cool until lukewarm, about 15 minutes.
2. In small bowl, combine the gelatin and water. Allow the mixture to bloom for 5 minutes. Place bowl containing the gelatin mixture over the same pan of simmering water for the gelatin to melt.
3. In a large bowl, beat the remaining 150ml of whipping cream and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Add the gelatin mixture and beat until combined.
4. Using clean dry hand mixer beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff (but not dry) peaks form.
5. Gently fold the whites into the chocolate mixture, and then fold in the whipped cream. Scoop the creamy mixture into the cooled tart shell and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Chill overnight to allow it to set.

To complete assembling the tart with fresh fruit (Just before serving)

 

1. Arrange the sliced strawberries in concentric circles on top of the set mousse.
2. Do the same for the golden kiwi slices as the 2nd circles.
3. Place the biggest and brightest whole strawberry at the centre of the tart.

Serve and enjoy immediately!

I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #7 Chocolate Delights

Chinese Steamed Cake (蒸发糕）

This is a simple steamed cake that I made on Friday night when  alone at home. While on "stand-by" waiting for the girls' call to pick them up from their friend's birthday celebration, I flipped through the cookbook "糕点用蒸的更好吃”，searching for a simple recipe to make  for next morning's breakfast. Finally, I settled  on this Traditional Chinese Steamed Cake (传统粉蒸发糕）which is my younger girl's favourite.

  

Chinese Steamed Cake

Ingredients:

(Yield 4 cakes of muffin cup-size)

• 40g Fine Rice Flour （粘米粉）
• 160g Cake Flour (I used All-Purpose Flour)
• 4g Baking Powder
• 140g caster sugar (I reduced to 120g)
• 160g water
• 1-2 drops coloring

Methods:

1. Combine the sugar and water together, stir till sugar melted.
2. Sieve the flours and baking powder together. Add the liquid and coloring into the dry ingredients. Stir till well combined.
3. Spoon the mixture into muffin cups, till 80% full.
4. Place the cake in steamer and steam over high heat for 12 minutes.
5. Off the fire and  let the cakes stay in the steamer for another 8 minutes.



Chocolate Soufflés

The hot weather gives us a perfect reason to indulge in ice-cream. :)

 

Besides brownies, the next best dessert to go with ice-cream is none other than the soft and chocolaty Soufflés. And this Chocolate Soufflés was our tea-time dessert for the hot Sunday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Soufflés

(Adapted from Tablespoon)

 

Ingredients:

(Yield 5 quantities small Soufflés)

 

A. For coating the ramekins:

• ½ tbsp butter, softened
• Sugar or cocoa powder for sprinkling on inside the ramekins

B. For the Soufflés:

•  3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp butter
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar

 

 

Baking Steps:

1. Preheat over at 180 degree C.
2. Grease the ramekins generously with butter. Sprinkle sugar or cocoa powder all over the insides of the ramekins, tapping out the excess but make sure the insides of the ramekins are completely coated with sugar or cocoa powder. (I skipped this step as I used disposable Soufflés cup instead of ramekins).
3. Over medium-high heat, fill a large saucepan half-full with water and bring to a simmer. Place a medium mixing bowl inside the water bath. Add more water if the mixing bowl touches the bottom of the large saucepan. Fill the mixing bowl with the chocolate chips and butter and melt the mixture completely.
4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and egg yolks, one at a time. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, salt and cream of tartar. Using an electric hand mixer, whisk the egg white mixture until stiff peaks form, like a meringue.
6. Gently fold the egg white mixture in two batches into the chocolate mixture. Spoon into the ramekins, filling them ¾ full.
7. Bake Soufflés about 15-20 minutes or until puffed and set. Sprinkle tops with powdered sugar if desired. (As I used smaller Soufflés cup which is the size of standard muffin cups, I only baked them for 12 minutes.)

 

 

These Soufflés are best served immediately when they are warm. I and my family enjoyed them with a scoop of Mint and chocolate chips ice-cream. They are the best dessert to chase away the heat. Yummy!

 

This is my submission for Aspiring Bakers #7 Chocolate Delight.

 

 

Almond Madeleine

Ever since my first Chocolate Madeleine I baked last month, this little French cake with light airy texture and crunchy crust at the outer edge has become my elder daughter’s favorite.  This evening, I baked for her this Almond Madeleine.

A picture tells a thousand words. The Madeleines in the photo below are beautiful, agree?

Almond Madeleine Recipe

(Adapted from Desserts by Mary Berry. Pg 95 - Almond Scallop Cakes)

Yield: 20 Madeleines

Ingredients

• 75g ground almond
• 105g self-raising flour
• 70g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 75ml low fat milk
• 1 ½ tsp carona oil
• ½ tsp almond essence

 

Baking Steps

1. Preheat oven to 175 degree C. Grease Madeleine pan with carona oil.
2. Mix ground almond, flour and sugar together.
3. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs, stir in milk, oil and essence. Mix well.
4. Stir in liquid mixture into flour mixture and mix well.
5. Spoon mixture into the Madeleine moulds, about  ¾ full.
6. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Cool the cakes in moulds on wire racks for 5 minutes. Loosen and turn cakes out on to wire racks to cool completely.