French Macarons with Raspberry Buttercream

Ingredients:

·         100 grams ground blanched almonds or almond meal/flour

·         180 grams confectioner (powdered or icing) sugar

·         100 grams "aged" egg whites, at room temperature

·         1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)

·         35 grams superfine or castor white sugar

 

Raspberry Buttercream:

·         2/3 cup raspberries

·         3/4 cup butter, softened

·         1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

·         French Macarons:

 

 Macarons

1.      Ready three baking sheets (make sure they have flat bottoms) lined with parchment paper. To make all the Macarons the same size, I like to make a template. Take a piece of parchment paper and draw 20 - 1 1/2 inch (3-4 cm) circles, spacing the circles about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Place the template under your parchment paper so you can use it as a guide.

 

2.      Place the ground almonds and confectioners sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground (about 1 - 2 minutes). Sift the mixture to remove any lumps.

 

3.      In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (can use a hand mixer), beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, if using, on medium speed until foamy.

 

4.      Gradually add the sugar, and continue to beat, on medium-high speed, until the meringue just holds stiff peaks (when you slowly raise the whisk the meringue is straight up, no drooping, called a 'beak') (but do not over mix the meringue or it will 'break').

 

5.      In three additions, sift the ground almond/sugar mixture over the meringue. When folding, cut through the meringue and then fold up and over, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Once the almond mixture is completely folded (called macaronage) into the meringue (the batter will fall back into the bowl in a thick ribbon) it is time to pipe the Macarons.

 

6.      Fill a pastry bag, fitted with 1/2 inch (1 cm) tip, with about half the batter. Pipe about 1 - 1 1/2 inch (3 - 4 cm) rounds onto the parchment paper, using the template as a guide. Then gently tap the baking sheet on the counter to break any air bubbles (can also break air bubbles with the end of a toothpick). Let the Macarons sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes (depending on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen) or until the tops of the Macarons are no longer tacky.

 

7.       Meanwhile preheat your oven to 325 degree F (160 degree C) with the oven racks in the top and bottom third of the oven. Bake the cookies (two sheets at a time) for about 14 - 16 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom, front to back, about halfway through baking. The Macarons are done when you can just barely separate the cookies from the parchment paper (there will be some browning of the cookies). (If you find that the bottoms of the cookies brown too much, double sheet your baking pans.)

 

8.       Remove from oven and let the Macarons cool completely on the baking sheet placed on a wire rack. To assemble the Macarons, take two cookies and sandwich them together with your filling (place filling on flat side of cookie).

 

Raspberry Buttercream

1.      In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk the butter on medium high until soft and fluffy.

2.      Put the raspberries in a small saucepan, add a splash of water, and heat on low for about 10 minutes.

3.      Drain the raspberries and push through a strainer to remove the seeds.

4.      Let the raspberries cool completely before adding the the butter. Mix until incorporated.

5.      Add the powdered sugar a third at a time. You may need to add additional powdered sugar to thicken your buttercream.

 

Baked Seafood Rice with Cheese

Ingredients:
Mixed Seafood
Shredded cheese – Mozarella / Cheddar

Rice ingredients:
1 cup rice, washed, drained
5 cloves garlic
Minced 8 button mushroom – white / brown
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white pepper (I omit this cos i dun like pepper..)
Seafood Marinate:
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
6 tbsp chopped fresh sweet basil leaves
Dash of sugar

Prep and Cooking Instructions
1. Marinate seafood with Seafood Marinate. Set aside for 1 hour (keep it in fridge, take out when you need it later)
2. Heat wok with butter, garlic & mushroom till fragrant.
3. Add rice, stir & mix for 5 mins. Pour into rice cooker, add water to cook accordingly.
4. Add salt & white pepper. Stir well. Let in cook.
5. Prepare any baking dish by coating it with some olive oil.
6. Scoop rice into the baking dish. Arrange ingredients on the rice.
7. Sprinkle some olive oil. Top up with shredded cheese.
8. Preheat oven at 180º for 10 mins. Put in baking dish. Bake for 15-20mins or till cheese melted and turn bit golden brownish.
9. Serve immediately.

馬豆糕

 馬豆糕

材料：

• 馬豆 (Split Peas)                 1/2杯
• 粟粉（ cornflour）            1杯
• 花奶 (evaporated milk)      1/2杯
• 椰漿（ coconut cream）    2/3杯
• 水                                         4杯
• 糖                                         1 1/2杯

做法：

1. 洗凈馬豆，隨冷水放入煲內煮軟稔後，放在篩中瀝乾水份， 然後待用。
2. 用 1杯水把粟粉調勻。
3. 將糖放入3杯水中煮到大滾，隨即加入花奶和椰漿。滾時倒進拌勻的粟粉水，徐徐不停地搞拌，用中慢火煮至再滾後，煮多2分鐘。
4. 把煲撤離火，加入馬豆輕輕拌勻。
5. 倒糕糊入已濕水的糕盤模型或食物盒中，放涼後，置入雪櫃中冷藏。

Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

• 1 1/4 cups (125 grams) sifted cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons (10 grams) regular or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cups (150 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon liquid red food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) cold heavy whipping cream (double cream) (35-40% butterfat)

Red Velvet Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line 12 muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until soft (about 1-2 minutes). Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the egg and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
4. In a measuring cup whisk the buttermilk with the red food coloring. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
5. In a small cup combine the vinegar and baking soda. Allow the mixture to fizz and then quickly fold into the cake batter.
6. Working quickly, divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 18 - 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcakes comes out clean.
7. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes and them remove from pan. Let cool completely before frosting. Either spread the frosting with a knife or offset spatula, or use a large 1M Wilton open star decorating tip to pipe the frosting.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla and confectioners sugar and beat until smooth.
3. Using the whisk attachment, gradually add the heavy cream and whip until the frosting is thick enough to pipe.

日式蛋包飯 (Omurice)

 日式蛋包飯 (Omurice)  

材料及份量: （3人份量）

洋蔥         1個
蒜蓉        1粒
雞胸肉     250克
蘑菇         10粒
白飯         3碗
香葉          1片
罐頭蕃茄  1罐


蛋皮材料：
雞蛋        6隻
鮮忌廉    6茶匙
鹽            少許


醃料:

糖
鹽
生抽
粟粉
胡椒粉 


製作方法:

1. 洋蔥切碎，鷄肉切粒
2. 鑊燒熱後加一湯匙油，炒香洋蔥及蒜蓉。
3. 洋蔥炒至呈透明後，將洋蔥及蒜蓉撥在鑊邊，再在鑊中央加一湯匙油，放入雞肉和蘑菇煎香, 加上白酒和香葉。
4. 炒勻洋蔥和雞肉，放入茄汁和糖，炒至茄汁的水份揮發了一半以上後，再加白飯。
5. 當飯粒全部沾上茄汁後，試味，放適量的鹽，炒勻熄火備用。
6. 雞蛋打散加鹽, 胡椒和忌廉。 
7. 燒熱鑊後放半湯匙油。倒入雞蛋，手持平底鑊輕搖，讓蛋液平均流滿全鑊 。
8. 當蛋液稍熟不再流動時，改用小火，在蛋中心放一半分量的茄汁炒飯，熄火。
9. 右手持平底鑊，向左稍傾，讓煎蛋部份滑到平底鑊的邊緣，將煎蛋覆蓋茄汁飯。
10. 左手拿碟子，右手拿平底鑊，將煎蛋部分就到碟子的右邊，一氣將蛋傾倒在碟子上。此時蛋包飯形狀可能不太理想，可用吸油紙覆蓋，用手輕輕整理形狀。
11. 添上茄汁即成。