Aspiring Bakers #34: Green Tea cookie topped Profiteroles

I haven't joined in Aspiring Baker's challenge in a while. Partly because I was busy/holidaying and partly because last month's theme was DURIAN >____<" But this month's theme is CHOUX PARTY!!! And I thought, I can do that ^^" So gave it a go! The recipe is based on Adriano Zumbo's choux pastry and I just gave it a bit of an asian twist with the green tea =) I burnt a few of the cookie tops >.<" but still tastes yummy ^^ 

There are 3 parts to this recipe: 
1) Green Tea pâte sablé a choux (the crunchy cookie topping); 
2) Choux Pastry (the profiteroles); 
3) Green Tea creme patissiere (the custard filling).

Green Tea Cookie Topped Profiteroles
Recipe adapted from Zumbo by Adriano Zumbo 

Green Tea pâte sablé a choux

Ingredients
60g dark brown sugar
60g unsalted butter
60g plain flour
10g green tea powder

1. Place all ingredients in small bowl. Beat together until paste formed.
2. Roll dough into a cylinder shape (2cm in diameter) using cling wrap and place in fridge for 1 hour or until firm.

Choux pastry 
(I divided the original recipe by 3)

Ingredients
100g butter
106g water
5g caster sugar
133g milk
5g salt
133g plain flour, sifted
204g, lightly beaten egg (around 4 eggs)

1. Preheat oven to 210oC and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Place butter, water, sugar, milk and salt in saucepan and bring to boil. Remove from heat and quickly beat in flour. Return pan to heat and beat until mixture comes together and dough leaves the side of the pan. (Usually takes 1-2 minutes over low heat).
3. Transfer to stand mixer and gradually add in egg. Beat until thick and glossy.
4. Pipe pastry onto trays (around 2.5cm in diameter and 2cm high), allowing room for them to puff up.
5. Slice the green Tea pâte sablé a choux into small discs (2mm thickness) and place on top of pastry.
6. Bake or 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, puffy and firm. Allow to cool before poking small holes in each profiterole for custard filling.

Choux pastry ready to be baked!

Green Tea creme patissiere
(Original recipe divided by 6)

Mmmm.. nice and green!

Ingredients 
210ml milk
1 vanilla beans, split (or just use 1 tsp vanilla essence)
3 egg yolks (now u know why we divided by 6 xP)
55g caster sugar
55g corn flour
55g butter
1 tbs green tea powder

1. Stir the milk and vanilla beans in saucepan over medium heat until almost boiling.
2. Whisk yolks, sugar, cornflour and green tea powder in bowl until thick and pale. 
3. Gradually whisk in hot milk into egg mixture. Return to saucepan and whisk over medium heat will custard boils and thickens.
4. Spread over tray to cool rapidly. Cover with cling wrap to prevent skin forming. When the mixture has cooled transfer to bowl and stir through butter.
5. Transfer mixture into piping bag and pipe into profiteroles.

A little burnt, but still delicious~

These are best eaten on the day you make them. I am submitting this to Aspiring Bakers #34: Choux Party (August 2013) hosted by Jasline of Foodie Baker.

Light as a feather?

BakingTray is back! Had a great holiday in Malaysia and Singapore! Visited lots of relatives, ate heaps of delicious food and shopped a lot too =) Good to be back home though! Unfortunately, down with a virus this week so pretty much confined to the home~ good time to blog though!

Here's one of my last bakes before my holiday: Featherlight Cheesecake. It is essentially a Japanese cheesecake which I have made before. I'm not sure this cake worked 100%, as it wasn't as "featherlight" as I would have liked. I think it shall go on "to repeat" list =p However the flavours were there!! Quite light and cheesecakey =D

Featherlight Cheesecake
Recipe adapted from Peng's Kitchen

Ingredients
200ml milk
20g butter
125g cream cheese
50g plain flour
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
pinch of salt
90g caster sugar
1/2 tbs cocoa powder
1 tbs boiling water

1. Grease and line 20cm square tin with baking paper.
2. Combine milk, butter and cream cheese in bowl over double-boiler and mix until smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Sift over the flour and mix well.
4. Stir in egg yolks and vanilla essence.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold 1/3 of meringue into cheese mixture. Then pour the cheese mixture into meringue and fold until combined.
7. Mix cocoa powder and water until paste formed. Spoon in some cheese batter and mix until smooth.
8. Pour cheese batter into tin. Drizzle chocolate paste using a knife to create a marbled effect.
9. Place tin in deep baking tray and fill tray with water to create a waterbath. Bake at 160oC for 1 hour.
10. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool before slicing.

not very "fluffy" =/ but still tasty! :D

Korean cooking: Ddeokbokki 떡볶이

I'm not much of a cook... more a baker. I love my sweets over my savouries. HOWEVER there is one cuisine that I absolutely lovvveee and really want to learn more about cooking ^^.. that's KOREAN =D =D

One of my favourite Korean dishes I always order at restaurants is DDEOKBOKKI - Korean spicy rice cakes! It's more of a street food in Korea but I just love the chewiness of the rice cake tubes and the flavour of it. Little did I know how easy it was! Don't think I need to order it from restaurants anymore xD

DDEOKBOKKI (떡볶이)
Recipe adapted from Maangchi and Seoul Taste

This is what you need :) The basic ingredients.

Ingredients

500g cylinder shaped rice cake (ddeok)
1 fish cake sliced
2 hard boiled eggs
1 medium onion, sliced
4 cups of water
3 tbsp hot pepper paste (gochujang)
1 tbsp hot pepper flakes (gochugaroo)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp caster sugar
1 packet instead noodles

So you are supposed to have anchovies and dried sea kelp which I didn't have... so I just skipped that part ><"

1. Place water into shallow pot or pan and bring to boil. 
2. Combine hot pepper paste, hot pepper flakes, sugar, soy sauce and honey in a small bowl.
3. Add onions and hot pepper paste mixture to water and gently stir with wooden spoon when it starts to boil. Boil over medium heat for around 5 minutes.
4. Add in rice cakes, fish cake and boiled eggs and continue to boil until rice cake turns soft and sauce thickens and looks shiny (~10-15 minutes).
5. Add noodles and cook until desired texture. Remove from heat and serve.

simmering away~~

My yummy lunch =D

The other day I received a gift from a friend! It was instant Jjajangmyun :D (짜장면) Korean Black bean noodles! I think it's my second favourite dish =p It was PALDO brand! SO GOOOOD!!!! you just boil the noodles and then add the sauce~ I also fried some onions and potatoes :) Made some Hoddeok on the side ^^ for a KOREAN LUNCH FEAST!

Hoddeok with instant Jjajangmyun! what more could u ask for? :)

mix it up all together and sllluurrrpp! just like in the drama XD

OK! last blog entry before my holiday!!! Keep baking =D!!!! 

Work Catering #24: Pretty pannacotta~

Pannacotta - deceivingly simple!!!

BakingTray work catering is going to take a break for the next couple of weeks... because I'm going to Malaysia/Singapore! so excited to taste all the exotic food =D 

Anyways this week made some "non-bake" recipes for work. First up is a recipe I stole from DK who made these lovely pannacottas for his sister's wedding! They looked so professional but when I found out they were super easy.... I thought I'd give them a go! The recipe is for a basic pannacotta so you can really make up your own flavour by changing the topping! 

Blueberry Coconut Pannacotta
Recipe adapted from DK

Ingredients
1 cup cream
1 cup coconut milk/milk
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 tsp gelatin

Topping
1 cup blueberries
2 tbs caster sugar
1 tbs corn starch

1. Place cream, milk and sugar in saucepan over medium heat. Stir till sugar dissolved.
2. Add some boiling water to gelatin in small bowl and mix to form a gel. Add gelatin mix into cream mixture and stir till gelatin dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
4. Pour into measuring jug and pour into plastic shot glasses (~2/3 full). Refrigerate for around 1 hour or until set.
5. For topping, place blueberries, caster sugar and ~1/2 water in small pot over medium heat. Allow blueberries to soften and smash with back of spoon. 
6. Strain blueberry juice to remove pulp. Return juice back into pot and stir in corn starch till dissolved. Heat until slightly thickened. Allow to cool slightly.
7. Place tablespoon full of blueberry syrup on top of pannacotta. Place blueberry in centre. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lil shotglass of pannacotta ^^

Trio of pannacotta

I also made Mango Jelly Slice - same recipe as Strawberry Jelly slice but with mango flavoured jelly =) The base was a little bit crumbly... should not be stingy on the butter next time =p

Bright yellow!!

crumbly base ><

Well see you all soon!! Maybe I'll get some inspiration from Malaysian/Singaporean desserts for when I come back =) HAPPY (non)-BAKING!!!

Winter warmer: Apple pie

Went to a BBQ last month and was in charge of bringing a dessert! It was in Autumn but you could DEFINITELY feel the winter cold in Melbourne!! I decided to bake an APPLE PIE! It's been a while since I made my last pie!! Here's what it looked like...

my first apple pie... awww.. haha

My presentation and pastry work wasn't too good bad then.... I hope I have improved ^^

Apple Pie
Recipe adapted from taste.com.au

Pastry
1 3/4 cups (260g) plain flour
1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour
185g unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tbs milk

Filling
4 large Granny Smith apples
Juice of 1 lemon
45g unsalted butter
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 180oC.Sift flours and pinch of salt into large mixing bowl. Add butter and rub into flour with fingertips till resembles fine breadcrumbs.

This takes a little bit of time but it's worth all the love and care :)

2. Add 1 of the eggs, lightly beaten, with 1 tbs chilled water and drizzle over flour mixture. Bring dough together by cutting liquid into dough with blunt knife and then using hands to make a smooth ball. (Add more water if needed). 
3. Divide dough into 2 pieces, one slightly larger than the other.Wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
4. For the filling, peel and core apples. Cut each into 8 pieces. Immediately toss with lemon juice.
5. Place butter and sugar in large frypan over medium-low heat. Add apples and cinnamon when butter has melted. Stir occasionally for 10 minutes or until apples have softened. Set aside to cool.
6. Roll pastry on a lightly floured work bench to a 30cm circle. Roll pastry around rolling pin, then unroll over pie dish. Gently press into dish allowing excess to overhang.
7. Place cooled filling in base. Roll small pastry out and cut into strips (~2cm width). Weave into pattern (over and under... over and under....). Cut excess pastry from edges and crimp edges with your fingers. Beat remaining egg with milk, brush over pastry. Refrigerate for 30 minutes - I'm pretty sure this is to prevent shrinkage of pastry.. I skipped this step and that's probably why mine shrunk a bit...>.<
8. Place pie dish on baking tray and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
Best eaten warm with a scoop of vanilla icecream ;p..

Work catering #23: Nutella + Cream Cheese = HEAVENLY NUTELLA CHEESECAKE!

Last week I was asked to cater for two sessions (yay! so happy they asked me ^_^) so did a lot of baking! One was for a morning tea so I made Orange and Poppy Seed cake and Blackforest cheesecake, both recipes that I have tried before.

Fanned out~~~

Close up of cake - u can see the poppy seed and orange rind

So now to the next exciting recipe!!! As promised, it is another Nutella recipe =D Remember last week how I made Apple crumble cheesecake and Nutella cookies? Well a colleague at work misheard and thought I made Nutella cheesecake! XD and I thought what a great idea~ so after some blog research I found this recipe for NUTELLA CHEESECAKE! It's super easy (as the original recipe title stated xP)

Nutella Cheesecake

Recipe adapted from ChocolateSuze

Ingredients

250g Nice biscuits

100g butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 x 250g cream cheese

100g icing sugar

1/2 cup thickened cream

400g Nutella

1. Process/Crush biscuits until fine. Add melted butter and combine. Press into base of lined baking tray (20 x 30cm) and chill in fridge for ~ 30 minutes.

2. Beat cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla essence with electric mixer until smooth mixture formed. 

3. Beat in Nutella until smooth. Beat in cream until mixture looks shiny and mousse-like.

4. Dollop mixture onto biscuit base and smooth the surface. Place in fridge for a couple of hours or best overnight.

Bite size squares of Nutella Cheesecake

As there was no gelatin added I thought they might turn to mush but they actually held their shape after being in the fridge overnight. It was quite rich so you can't eat too much... but oh so good ;p....

Next up is something a little fun! Colour M&M cookies ^_^

M&M Cookies
Recipe adapted from Mad cooking fusions

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
225g butter, softened at room temp
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
a pinch of salt
1 cup M&Ms

1. Preheat oven to 180oC and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugars with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.
3. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix with wooden spoon until combined. 
4. Roll teaspoons of cookie dough into small balls and place on lined baking tray. Gently press to flatten with the palm on your hand. Decorate with M&Ms and bake for approx. 15-20 minutes or until edges turn light brown.

so many COOKIES :D :D :D

Colourful~~~~

Sometimes if it's too hot the M&M's will crack >.<"

These cookies are a lovely snack! and not just for kids =p Big kids too!!! ^______^

Work catering #22: Crumble in my tummy

This week's catering has got to be one of my favourites!!! =D =D =D!!! I could just sit and scoff down the whole lot of the apple crumble cheesecake and a jarful nutella cookies, but of course I can't because then I wouldn't have anything to bring to work ><"

Anyways this cheesecake is a baked one, unlike my other no-bake cheesecakes and I'm really happy with how it turned out!

Apple Crumble Cheesecake

Recipe adapted from taste.com.au

Ingredients
250g Nice biscuits
125g butter, melted

Filling

500g cream cheese, chopped, softened at room temperature

2/3 cup caster sugar

3 eggs
400g canned apple slices, chopped

1 tsp cinnamon
Crumble

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

50g butter, chilled, chopped

1. Grease and line 20x30cm baking pan. Preheat oven to 160oC/140oC fan-forced. 
2. Process biscuits until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add melted butter and process until combined. Press mixture over base of baking pan. Refrigerate.
3. Make filling by beating cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer until smooth. 
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold apple and cinnamon through mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Make crumble topping by placing oats, flour and sugar in a bowl. Rub in butter until combined and sprinkle over filling.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until just set (will wobble slightly in centre). Turn off oven. Cool cheesecake in oven for 3 hours with door ajar. Refrigerate overnight.

Delicious crumble on top!

Ready to be served!

Nutella Cookies
Recipe adapted from taste.com.au

Ingredients
125g butter, softened at room temp
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup Nutella spread
1 3/4 cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 180oC/160oC fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and Nutella and beat until just combined.
3. Sift flour and baking powder over butter mixture. Add chocolate chips and stir until combined. 
4. Roll teaspoons of mixture into balls. Place on prepared tray ~3cm apart to allow room for spreading. Flatten slightly with fork. 
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until light golden in colour. Cool on trays before tranferring to wire rack to cool completely.

Trayful of cookies! yum yum!

Ready to be served!

Can't really go wrong with this recipe hey? I mean who doesn't love Nutella and cookies!? Stay tuned for another delicious recipe using NUTELLA! :D