Milk Chiffon Cup (Hokkaido Chiffon Cake) 牛奶戚风杯 (北海道戚风蛋糕)

I am submitting this post to the first baking event hosted by Small Small Baker - Aspiring Bakers #1: Chiffon Cakes (Nov 2010).

SSB, as promised, here is my post. It comes a bit late but better late than never right? I hope I can submit another chiffon post before the deadline but no promise. Haha.

This chiffon cake is unique in such a way that more yolks (in terms of number of egg) are used than whites. This explain why my cake turns out so yellowish. The crumb is very tight and fine. Unlike most chiffon, there isn’t any visible hole at all! And note, no rising agent is used in this cake.

The only complain is that the cake is not as cottony soft as I expected probably because I replaced low protein flour with normal plain flour. However, all receivers commented that this cake was very soft and it tasted very nice. May be my expectation is too high. :P

The custard fresh cream is a bonus. It is very smooth and silky, a keeper for sure.

I tried to pipe in as much custard fresh cream as I could. I only realized the custard fresh cream filling was indeed very little when I cut the cake. No wonder I still left one-third of the cream I prepared.

Ingredients: (yield 12pcs of 6.5x6.5x5cm square paper cups)
110g low protein flour
80g fresh milk
60g vegetable oil
80g egg yolk (about 6 medium egg yolk or 5 large egg yolk)
1 tsp rum (I replaced with Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla extract)
160g egg white
80g caster sugar
Filling - custard fresh cream (recipe refer to here)

Method:
1) In a mixing bowl, add flour, milk and oil, mix well. Then add egg yolk and rum/vanilla extract, mix well.
2) In another mixing bowl, whisk egg white till foamy and then add in sugar in 3 sessions. Whisk till firm peak (中性发泡/九分发) (when turning the meringue upside down, the peaks will hold and the ridges are more distinct but the tips fold back on themselves).
3) Fold in 1/3 of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture, mix gently.
4) Add the mixture to the remaining meringue. Fold with a rubber spatula till just incorporated.
5) Scoop batter into paper cups till 80% full.
6) Bake in preheated oven at 180C upper heat/150C lower heat for 10 mins (my oven does not have such control, thus I baked at 165C upper lower heat), change to 150C upper lower heat for about 15 mins. Pipe custard fresh cream into cool cake. Dust with icing sugar (optional).

Note:
As mentioned in the recipe, it’s normal for the cake to shrink down after cooling down.

(Recipe reference: 薛纪娟《美味糕点新主张》)

Custard Fresh Cream 卡士达鲜奶油

Ingredients:
30g egg yolk (2 medium egg yolk)
30g caster sugar
10g low protein flour
140g fresh milk
¼ vanilla pod (I replaced with ½ tsp Madagascar Bourbon pure vanilla extract)
5g unsalted butter
40g dairy whipping cream

Method:
1) Whisk egg yolk and sugar with an eggbeater (balloon whisk).
2) Sieve in flour, mix well.
3) Gradually add in milk and mix well before each addition. Add vanilla.
4) Cook the mixture over medium low heat and whisk constantly with an eggbeater till it thickens, remove from heat and mix well (this is very important to prevent burn bottom), continue to cook till it firms up and reaches soft boil.
5) Remove from heat, add butter and mix well. Custard is done.
6) Whisk custard over ice cubes to lower the temperature. Cover surface tightly with cling wrap if not using immediately. Whisk custard again till smooth before using.
7) Whisk whipping cream, then add into the cool custard and mix well to form custard fresh cream.

(Recipe reference: 薛纪娟《美味糕点新主张》)

天都光晒

看港剧常常会听到“天都光晒”，这正是此时此刻我的心情。

过去的几天过得好漫长，恍如隔世，又好比重生。

陪着妈妈做内窥镜扫描时我好紧张，我觉得我全身无力，要扶着身边的爸爸才能站稳。在身旁陪伴着我的Lice说我脸都变白了。

随着医生的镜头和讲解心情像做过山车般，惊险非常。

完成后，如释重负，但看着还在沉睡中妈妈苍白的脸，我感到好心疼。从来都没看过妈妈这么虚弱过。虽然这次可以说是虚惊一场，但是这件事让我察觉到从小到大我们心目中的铁人也有脆弱的时候。

虽然报告要下星期才出来，但已经排除最坏的。还是那句话，天都光晒！

妈妈，你为我们付出的已太多太多，在你健康还好时，请你宠一宠自己吧！不要什么都为我们着想，什么都为我们打算。问你喜欢什么从来就没有意见，就只怕为我们添麻烦。你可以专制，你可以霸道一次吗？！妈妈，请给我们机会来孝敬你，保护你好吗？

Banana Butter Sponge Cupcake 香蕉牛油海绵杯子蛋糕

This is very similar to the SP Banana Cake which I shared much earlier in this blog as both cakes use SP (aka ovalette or sponge cake emulsifier).

If you do not have access to SP or against using it, you can still make this cake by changing the method. You can either use whole egg sponge cake method or separated egg sponge cake method (refer here for detail).

I added extra mashed bananas as I was trying to finish my frozen bananas.

Overripe banana is best for this cake or any banana cake. So if you have overripe bananas that you can’t finish on time, do not throw away like what I did in the past. Just freeze them and use them anytime.

Banana is very easy to thaw. In our weather, you just need to take it out from the freezer at the beginning of preparation; it should be thawed by the time you need to use it.

As expected, this cake is very soft and moist.

Ingredients:
(A)

120g sugar (I used 90g and the sweetness is just nice for me)

½ tbsp SP (aka ovalette or sponge cake emulsifier)
(B)

4 eggs

120g cake flour

½ tsp baking powder

(C)
120g mashed bananas (I used 220g)

¼ tsp baking soda

(D)
85g melted butter

Method:

1) Mix (A) till well blended. Add (B) and whip at high speed till light & fluffy (ribbon stage).

2) Add (C) and mix till well combined.

3) Fold in (D) until well blended.

4) Scoop the batter to fill ¾ of paper cups and bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 20 mins.

Note:
I made 8 medium muffin paper cups and 4 large silicone cups. If you are using all medium paper cups you should be able to get about 14 cups.

(Recipe reference: Fruity Cakes by Alex Goh)

我不是蛋黄酥 Butter Cup Bread

照片的效果乍看之下很像蛋黄酥。中秋节已经过了这么久了，我当然没有搞蛋黄酥，这是特地妈妈而做的奶油面包杯。用muffin tray烘的面包，圆鼓鼓的，外形很讨喜。

妈妈想吃的是其实是这款非常好吃的奶油面包，但我想尝试别的配方，面团改用了孟老师的食谱。我把部分高粉换成普通面粉，这是我一向来做面包的习惯，有时也会换成低粉，我觉得这样做出来的面包比较软。另外，我也加入了两汤匙的奶粉。

这个面团非常好操作，一点也不粘手，很适合用来做造型面包，但是我做来做去不是滚圆，就是做成长形。

面包软中带韧性 (chewy)，不知道是因为配方，还是因为换了高粉的牌子。以前我都是用Prima牌的，这回用的是Bake King的，第一次买来试试看。

室温保存面包到隔天，甚至是第三天还是软的，口感当然会比较干一点，但放到烤箱里150度（烤箱不需预热）烤个两三分钟，又是像刚出炉般好吃了。

Butter Cup Bread 奶油面包杯

Ingredients:
250g bread flour
50g plain four
¼ tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp instant yeast
180ml cold water
2 tbsp milk powder
20g butter (soften at room temperature)
Glazing: 1 tbsp whole egg (lightly beaten)
Topping: some black and white sesame
Fillings: 12 small cubes cold butter and some icing sugar

Method:
1) Mix all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre, pour the cold water in the well. Mix the ingredients to form soft dough.
2) Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead and mix in the butter into the dough. Continue to knead until the dough becomes smooth, elastic and non-sticky.
3) Form the dough into round ball, place it into a lightly greased big mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap, let it rise in room temperature till double in size (about 1 hour in our weather).
4) Punch out the gas in the dough, let it rest for 15 mins.
5) Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, roll into round ball, wrap each dough with one small cube of butter coated with icing sugar, pinch the dough to seal the seam tightly.

6) Place the dough (seam side down) in a greased 12-hole muffin tray. Cover with cling wrap and let it proof for 40-60 mins (size of the dough after second proofing as shown in picture below).

7) Apply egg wash and sprinkle sesames on top.
8) Bake in preheated oven at 180C for about 12 mins. Remove bread from pan immediately and cool on wire rack.

Happy baking!

零油烟之完全电饭锅“砂煲”鸡饭加青菜（附步骤图）Rice Cooker “Claypot” Chicken Rice and Vegetables (Step-by-Step Photos)

这就是结婚三周年纪念日的“零油烟”晚餐 – 完全电饭锅“砂煲”鸡饭加青菜。

煮这道一锅熟饭，通常Angel妈会先炒香材料，等饭煮熟后再把材料加入一起搅拌。为了节省工序和清洗工作，Angel的版本是一个电饭锅煮到底的，而且还顺带一起煮青菜，那么就是有菜有肉，营养均衡的一餐了。

以下和大家分享我的做法和简单的步骤图。

两人份
去骨鸡全腿切块（+/-150克），6朵香菇泡软一切成二，用一汤匙蚝油，半汤匙甜酱油，半汤匙酱油，一汤匙花雕酒，半茶匙麻油，少许胡椒粉和姜末腌至少一个小时。
一条腊肠用滚水川烫两次，去除外膜，切片备用。

For serving of two
Boneless chicken leg/drumstick (+/-150g) cut into pieces, 6 dried shiitake mushroom (soak till soft) cut into half, marinate with 1 tbsp oyster sauce, ½ tbsp sweet soy sauce, ½ tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine, ½ tsp sesame oil, pinch of white pepper and little grated ginger for at least an hour.
One Chinese sausage, blanches with boiling water for 2 times, remove skin, slice and set aside.

米两小杯，和平时煮饭一样，但水份减少百分之十到二十（D喜欢较软绵的口感，所以我的水份只减了10%，意即煮饭的量杯只注入九分满），加入半茶匙无添加味精鸡精粉（也可以用鸡高汤或清水加1/4茶匙盐）一起煮。饭煮到水份快干时（应该比照片还要干一些），加入腌制好的鸡肉和香菇。

2 small cups of rice, cook rice as usual but reduce 10-20% of water amount (D prefers slightly soggy rice, so I only reduce 10% of water, i.e. fill up 90% of the measuring cup) and add ½ tsp no added MSG chicken stock granules (may replace with chicken stock or water plus ¼ tsp salt). When the water is almost dried up (should be drier than the picture shown), add marinated chicken and mushroom.

铺上腊肠。

Arrange sliced Chinese sausage on top.

饭锅跳到“Keep Warm”后，加入青菜（要用盘垫底，不然水份会流到饭里头）。继续“Keep Warm”，约10-15分钟或是青菜熟后，把菜拿出来。

Once rice cooker turns to “Keep Warm”, add vegetables with a plate, continue to “Keep Warm” for about 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables is cooked, remove vegetables from rice cooker.

这是煮好的饭。这时鸡肉应该是熟透的。

This is cooked rice. Chicken should be cooked now.

关电, 加入几滴黑酱油拌均。盖上锅盖，继续焖十五分钟或更久以减少湿气。

Switch off power, add a few drops of dark soy sauce and mix well. Cover with lid for about 15 minutes or longer time to reduce the moisture.

上桌享用。我喜欢配着妈妈做的sambal belacan吃，如果家里没有，我就切点小辣椒加点酱油和酸柑汁来配着吃，很开胃。

Dish up and enjoy. I like to eat with mum’s home-made sambal belacan. If it is not available, I will serve with chili padi mixed with light soy sauce and lime juice, very appetizing.