Moist Steamed Haw Flakes Layered cake- "cake style"- A sneak peek

Moist steamed haw flakes layered cake.. mmmm (Second time experiment)





Hmm... I just couldn't wait to share the pictures of my moist steamed haw flakes layered cake. Just giving you a sneak peak or preview on the beauty of this cake, until I get the time to write the recipe.  I had managed to get the right taste and moisture of this cake after my second experiment. Till then, have a feast of the eye for this beauty.



The " apam"-styled layered cake.... (Note the difference on the first picture and this one)



I just love steamed layered cake...

 Life is beautiful, indeed...... ;) with your own homemade cakes. Happy days ahead.....



Steamed Haw Flakes Layered Cake - Apam Style



Steamed Haw Flakes Layered Cake -"Apam style"



 I had this craving for this Steamed Haw Flakes Layered Cake a few days ago. Thus, I went through many recipes from books and the net and eventually came out with my own version of steamed layered cake. I did not want to go through many tedious process of layering and steaming this cake, so I made my own experiment and sailed through. Huh... This was my first time of doing a layered cake, so forgive me of the not-so-neat visual effects of this cake. The result was marvellous. Son took many pieces of this cake and gave two thumbs up. Eventually, by day two, it was all gone. This cake is like an "apam style" cake, as it is not that really moist, but it stays soft even the day after. Keep this in your fridge and have it with a cup of black coffee or not- so- sweet black tea and you will definitely fly to heaven. All right, let me share the recipe with you ;

Ingredients

5 eggs (large or medium)

1 cup of unsalted butter ( I used SCS) -room temperature

1 cup of caster sugar ( you could reduce it to 3/4 cup)

2 cups of superfine flour ( you could use cake flour)
** (You could also use plain flour, but please make sure you sift it for three times)

2 tbsp of sweetened condensed milk ( I used F&N brand milk- and not the creamer)

**( You could add in 3 tbsp of sweetened condensed milk- but remember to reduce the caster sugar

by 1-2 tbsp)

1 packet of haw flakes ( containing 10 small tubes)- ( you could use two packets as well...)

1 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of vanilla essence

1 tsp of apple green colour essence (I used Star brand) ( you could add in 2 tsp )

How

##Heat your steamer. (Moderate heat).

1) Separate the egg whites and yolks.

2) In a separate bowl, using the hand mixer, mix the white eggs and caster sugar until stiff.

3) In another bowl, mix well the egg yolks with butter. Add in the sweetened condensed milk.

4)Then, add in the vanilla essence. Mix well again.

5) Pour in the stiff egg whites into the butter mixture. Mix well.
6) Sift through superfine flour and baking powder into the mixture. Mix well again.
7) Grease your baking pan with butter. ( I used a round baking pan). Put a  round-sized baking paper on the base of the pan.

8) Divide the batter into two bowls. Put the green colour essence into one bowl. Leave the other one on its own. (original colour).

9) Using a spatula, spread the green batter evenly into the baking pan. Then, arrange the haw flakes on top of the batter. Steam it for 5 mins. (Remember to cover your baking pan with a plastic sheet, aluminum foil or kitchen cloth, so that the water from the cover of the steamer will not drop down onto your cake).

10) Then, after 5 mins, (or when the cake is ready), take out the baking pan from the steamer. Put another spatula of the original- coloured batter into baking pan. Arrange haw flakes on the original- coloured batter. Steam it for another 5 mins.

11) Do this process again, alternating the green and original batter. You will have the original batter as the last layer.

12) Check if your cake is ready by inserting a skewer into the cake. If it comes out clean, your cake is ready.

Notes:

1) Eventually it will only take 5 mins to steam each layer.

2) The overall process will take you more or less two hours. (I started the mixing of batter from 7 p.m. and finished my steaming process by 9.30 p.m. It was worth the wait as the cake was soft and fluffy).

3) Cut your cake when it is already cool.

4) The heat from the steamer, could be very hot and dangerous. Use appropriate kitchen mittens when transferring the baking pan from the steamer.

5) Cover your steamed cake with a cling film and keep it in the refrigerator. (this is to keep the moisture of the cake).When ever you want to serve the cake, you could steam it again. However,  remember to take out the cling film from the pan before steaming it.



You would not stop at one slice.



Well, nothing beats the taste of a homemade apam-styled steamed layer cake. If time permits, I will do the moist-styled steamed layered cake post in another entry. Till then, have a marvellous Sunday. Happy days ahead...

Love is red velvet ......




Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

  



Red lovelies



Hi, it's already February... Times does fly, I guess. I was busy during the month of January, so I kind of postponing all my posts. But today, I have made some ammendments. I am going to post a few entries to make up for the lost time.  In the month of January, I was sick with viral fever and on top of that, I had an appointment with my ENT consultant, nothing serious though... and I am recovering now ;). Well, back to this entry, I had done a baking project for my friend, S. She had requested me to bake for her sister's wedding since last year. So, true to my promise, even if I was extremely busy and not feeling quite well, I  had managed to fulfill her request. So, there went 65 red velvet cupcakes on a good Thursday morning of 24th of January, 2013. I started baking from five in the morning and finished frosting and packing those cupcakes by two in the afternoon. Fuh, it was really a mammoth project for a novice baker like me.

    The truth was, it had been three years since I last baked red velvet cakes. I kind of got bored with red velvet, until my friend persuaded me to bake these red lovelies.. On top of that, this was my first time doing red velvet cupcakes. Before this, I have only baked red velvet cakes. Well, there will always be the first time moments right...



 


Pinkish red velvet batter ...

 

I have used my usual recipe from the Joy of Baking website. Please  click -  red velvet cupcakes. I have replaced the use of double cream in the cream cheese frosting recipe with  2 tbsp of  SCS unsalted butter and 3 tbsp of Farmcows Fat spread (Blended Edible Vegetable Fats and Milk Fat). I have also added  1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice.





Red velvet cupcakes baking in the oven









 Eventually, you could always find your own favourite cream cheese frosting recipe and make some adjustments here and there. Well, you just have to find the recipe which suits you best.





Red velvet cupcakes to die for....



Back to these red lovelies, I went shabby chic  this time, as I was totally exhausted the day before. I topped the cream cheese frosting with ready made sugar flowers from Queen and pink- coloured sugar sprinkles from CK products. All done with such enthusiasm and quality decorations for the bride-to-be. Since I was rushing, I had only managed to take these cupcakes' pictures after they had been packed in boxes. There was not even time to have a better setting for photography session.





I went shabby chic this time...

  Well, it was nice to do wedding projects at times, as I was really satisfied at the end of the day. Never mind for me feeling extremely lethargic a day after as I got to make others happy too. I wish all the best for the newly -weds and may happy moments sail through the ocean of their new life. Congratulations....





Love is red velvet... ; )

 

Brownie "muffins"






Brownies in cups

 



These are definitely meant for kids or those young at heart....

  


Yummy treats



 

I love brownies. I really do. That is why when I came across these delectable treats in m recipe book, I just couldn't say no to baking them. Well, I am saying hello to 2013. Pardon me for my missing posts, I had had some issues to be solved. And now, I am back to my first love- they are blogging, writing, baking and sharing recipes. I am not going to be taken aback of brickbats by undeserving parties.  The truth is blogsphere has been rather kind of me all these years. I met some wonderful people through blogs and I intend to remain friends with them. Well, back to these delectable treats- I actually bake them way back in December 2012, but I did not have the time to post the recipe.  I brought them for my students and they finished them in a blink. These muffins are not overly sweet due to the existence of brown sugar and it suited my taste bud. Do try baking them as you will definitely keep this recipe for the future generation. Trust me ;).  From the recipe book, Brownie Bliss by Linda Collister, I am here to share this recipe. Here goes ;

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

125g light brown sugar

125g unsalted butter, melted

230 ml full-fat milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

225g plain flour

50g unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

50g milk choc chips, plus extra to decorate

*a 12-cup muffin or cupcake tray, lined with 12 paper cases

How

1)Preheat the oven to 150C

2) Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar . Use a hand mixer to beat thoroughly. Combine them together. Beat in the melted butter. Then, add in milk and vanilla.

3) Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder directly onto the mixture and mix in. Then, stir in the choc chips.

4) Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases and sprinkle a few extra choc chips on the top of each muffin to decorate.

5) Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 mins until just firm to the touch.

   (These muffins will not rise that high, they will not look like normal muffins)

6) Remove from the oven and let them sit for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.



I "heart" brownie muffins

 

Happy baking, every one. Happy days ahead.....

It's 2013!!



Wish to see Bluebells again ( google)



Wish to spend time doing nothing here-
A park near Kelana Jaya

My first cupcake posting in this blog way back in 2008

My favourite banana bread picture in 2012

It's 2013 now. Time does really fly... I didn't have any clue on how 2012 went by. Time was just not on my side. For the first time, I barely had time to do a special entry on saying goodbye to 2012 and welcoming aboard 2013. On a personal note, 2012 was full of colours. There were heartaches and joy along the way. And again, time constraint played a full factor in the lack of of recipe entries and other postings in this blog. I am not a full-time stay- at -home mother. I wish to have that coveted profession. Oh, I wish. Unfortunately or fortunately (maybe) I have a day job outside the comfortable home environment. Not that I enjoy that much, though. It brings quite a big pay cheque, but again when we win some, we lose some. It's just that I don't have much time to spend with my family. Mum said frequently that I hardly went back to my hometown in 2012, so   in the last two weeks in 2012 - I went back to my hometown and spent time with my mum. Driving her around to the places where she would like to go.

  I do not know whether I should do a promise this year. People say that promises are meant to be broken. Perhaps I shall say this to myself- I should do less work and enjoy life more. Spend more time with loved ones. Indulge in my passion- that is, baking. Stop thinking on what others say. Do more postings in my blog. Bake and bake again. Reflecting on the years, I personally have come a long way. Each year, I become more aware of circumstances. I learn to be more accomodating to myself and my child and not really on others.

     I will definitely continue blogging, as this blog is just a channel to write about my passion - that is, baking. I write because I have always liked to write. With this coming year, I hope for good things to come, and be positive along the way. I wish for all the good things too for my fellow friends and readers.

I am  ending this posting with a picture of my friends and I during our last reunion in 2012. We have been friends for 18 years  and it is definitely a beautiful friendship. Lastly, thank you for being with me along this journey. It has been a good one minus the heart breaks. Well, life is short, might as well cherish it to the last moment. Bonjour 2013......

Friends for life.....

Marble Cream Cheese Brownies-The Recipe



Cream cheese mixture is swirled on top of the chocolate batter

In the previous post  (here), I have done an entry on Marble Cream Cheese Brownies. Apparently, at that time, I did not have the time to write the actual recipe. So, as promised, today I am going to share the recipe. I have bookmarked the recipe for quite sometime, and only managed to bake these brownies last two weeks. The recipe is taken from the Love Food mini recipe book "Heavenly Brownies" published by Parragon, United Kingdom. It does not use chocolate at all, but relies solely on cocoa powder. Good quality cocoa powder would easily suit these brownies. I have replaced ricotta cheese in the original recipe with cream cheese.

The Recipe;

175g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing (  I used SCS and Emborg)

3 tbsp of cocoa powder ( I used Cardbury's Bournville Cocoa)

185g soft brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

125g plain flour

Cheesecake mix

250g cream cheese (I used Philly's) - leave it for a while at the kitchen counter, for room temperature

40g soft brown sugar

1 egg beaten

How

1) Preheat oven to 150 C. Grease a 28X18cm/11X7 inch rectangular baking tin. ( Any square baking tin would do)

 -  I used Conventional electric oven.

2) Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa and sugar.

3) Beat in the eggs, then add in the flour and stir to mix evenly. Pour into prepared tin.

For the cheesecake mix

1) Beat together cream cheese, sugar and egg, then drop teaspoonsfuls of the mixture over the chocolate batter.

2) Use a palette knife to swirl the mixtures together lightly.

##Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 mins. Check if your brownies are ready, by inserting a skewer. If the skewer comes out clean, your brownies are baked. Cool your brownies in the tin, cut into squares.



These brownies are best served with vanilla ice-cream or they can be eaten plain square.  Happy baking, everyone.



It tasted like cheese cake





Nothing beats the taste of home-baked brownies

Southern Holidays






The scenery which greeted me in the morning



A full breakfast in the morning- orange juice, rice porridge wilth all the usual condiments,
a bowl of muesli with  fresh milk and waffle drizzled with chocolate syrup.

  

Deep down in my heart, I always have a soft spot for Johor. It is a charming state in the south of peninsular Malaysia as it is blessed with its own specialities, rich in culture with good food and friendly people. Having spent four years of my life in one of the districts in Johor, I have discovered that the state of Johor as a place where you would feel warmly welcomed. I could not figure out on why I have this kind of feeling, it seemed that when I moved to Selangor back in 2004, it took me years to feel that I really belonged there. But it was different in Johor, within a few months, I could adapt to its way of life. Ever since my brother moved to Johor in 2010, I have been making a few trips to Johor. The southerners would always refer Johor Bahru (the capital of the Johor state) as Johor. Therefore, when ever we say Johor it would mean that we are going to Johor Bahru.

   Well, back to my holidays, some time in early November ( on Deepavali), my family and I went for a trip to Johor. We spent three days and two nights in Thistle, Johor Bahru and had a fabulous time over there. Eventually, we had a pleasant surprise as upon reaching Thistle late in the afternoon, the rooms  which my sister had booked online earlier on, were occupied.  Apparently,  the hotel decided to upgrade us to rooms facing the Straits of Malacca without any extra charge at all. Yes, that was indeed a nice surprise, an unexpected gesture from the hotel management, as it made the trip even memorable. And of course it's another way to attract loyal guests as well. And for that thoughtful gesture, it made Thistle a favourite hotel for all of us.

     I could say that being in Johor has its own perks. Finding good, delicious food is easy  and it is way cheaper than eating out in KL or Selangor. People are not pretentious, they are down right friendly and we would never ever think that we are outsiders, it's just like coming back to your own hometown. Likewise, I have 1001 reasons of liking Johor, not because I have spent a good four years in this wonderful state- but simply because, it is a distinctive place, it has that rich Malay culture mixed with Arab influences, it is probably an unforgettable "home". I personally think that my fascination with Johor is something that I could not really explain. Well, if you ever made a trip to Johor, you will know what I really meant actually. Never mind if there are  so many bad vibes surrounding Johor, on the rumours of escalating crime rates - well, in any place that you go, crimes are definitely bound to happen. I remember having encountered gypsies pick pocketting in Paris, many years ago. And that was supposedly to be Paris. Who ever thought gypsies and Paris should come together. As for me, it is a matter of safe guarding your own belongings and pray to God that worse incidents  should never happen to you.



Johor Clock Tower- night time



  As you could see - we had a good dinner in the Malay Village Restaurant in Johor Bahru. The food was up to the mark and the price was affordable as well. It costed a fraction of what I should pay back in Shah Alam for a dinner of four adults and a child. We had the normal diet of tomyam, fried vegetables, "pari bakar" (grilled sting ray), buttered prawns , dimsum, omellete and the usual drinks. Definitely, worth every single penny.



Dinner at Malay Village

From the picture- tomyam soup, fried kailan, omelette and dimsum/

  

And came morning, this lovely scenery greeted me as I said "hello" to the Southern sun, when the skies were charmingly blue and the clouds were as white as cotton. I saw that life moved pleasantly slow, here in the south, and people  embraced every day's tasks as something that they loved and looked forward. It could be seen from the food that the Johoreans served and prepared, the honest testaments of what should be presented to  customers and clients Well, I have so many things to say about my trip to Johor, that I think that I should do a great justice to a wonderful and charming place in my heart. I will definitely continue my posting on Johor, in another entry, as there are so many great things to share about Johor. In truth, as I started my initial career here, I learnt to be a young working adult in this state, and met many good and trusting friends in Johor. That is why, to me it is a special place, where I learn about honesty and sacrifices, or rather aptly described-- I learn to grow up as well. In fact, I learn on the finer things of working life, of being sefless and ever ready to give my best shot.

    And looking back, I am glad that I have the life- time opportunity of working in Johor. It may only be four years of my whole life, but those memorable years were definitely an experience that I shall treasure forever.

This marvellous kasui that I ate on my last morning in JB, at one of the food stalls at  Sungai Chat.

And who could resist this delicious plate of fried noodles and meehon,
 (mee and bee hoon goreng) with home made "sambal".

The pool side and the view of the sea seemed to be mesmerizing to me

From afar we could see the beautiful coast line ....



A room with a view- Johor Clock Tower seen from my room



On a final note, as any wiser man should say, "Welcome to Johor---the southern state of peninsular Malaysia with exceptional hospitality and fascinating culture, guaranteed to charm you to bits......" . And it is definitely true.