Daring Bakers Challenge --- Orange Tian

I am late, I am late, I am so-so-so, very, very LATE!!! :( It's been a busy month with 2 cake orders --- oh ya, it's a BIG deal to me...we'll talk about that later. Also, March has always been the month where we take a turn on getting SICK in the family!! *sigh* Anyhow, I am so glad to have gotten this month's challenge down!!! :)

The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.

I've never had or heard of Orange Tian before this...but there's always the first time...and it was a GOOD one!!! I LOVE marmalade for one... if I can only have ONE jelly/jam for the rest of my life, it will be marmalade. So, it was exciting to know we HAVE to make homemade marmalade for the challenge...however, I'm not into canning(YET --- cos' I'm a sucker...easily persuaded)...otherwise I might just get hooked on!

In the recipe, it says to weigh the oranges of you have blanched, then weight the same amount of sugar to cook the marmalade. I cut the sugar in half...and it was already too sweet for me!! I'm glad I changed that part of the recipe.

1st time making homemade marmalade --- yum!

Lucas sniffing at it... trying hard to be patience before the whole dessert comes together! :P

We also had to make a pate sablee. I'm used to making pate sucree, and have never made a sablee...and apparently there's a difference. So, I tried the Pate Sablee recipe provided! LOVED IT!! :) Yesmin could just eat the baked sablees by itself!! I didn't want to go out and buy a dozen of medium size eggs...so I used the large egg yolks I had in hand.

Pate Sablee

Initially I had plan to make it family style --- in one big pan...then I decided to make them bite size...so I used some 2" muffin cups I bought back in Malaysia. I think it was just the right size. I serve mine with the caramel and a chocolate sauce/glaze I have from left over. It was DELICIOUS!!! :)

So, if you are interested in the recipe, just click here for details. And stop by our blogroll to check out what other DB-ers' version of Orange Tian.

THANKS JENNIFER FOR THE CHALLENGE!!! :)

Not Participating in Daring Baker's Feburary Challenge --- Tiramisu.

In case you stopped by for the February challenge, I'm sorry that I haven't been able to participate this month. There's just too many things going on this month. The hostess, Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking chose Tiramisu as the challenge. Drop by The Daring Kitchen website for more post/info.

Have a great weekend!!!

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

I haven't been blogging much these days... however, I am NOT late in wishing everyone celebrating Chinese New Year, a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!!! As Chinese New Year goes on for 15 days --- yes, 15 days of celebrations!!! ;)

Ever since we left home to come here (Kentucky to be exact) for college in '96, we have only celebrated Chinese New Year back home once. All these years, we did whatever we could to make ourselves feels festive, wearing new clothes, decorating the house with red packets, having dinner with friends...but it's never the same, of course. So, when we went back to Malaysia during Chinese New Year in '07, I picked up some decorations so we could use them at home.

Last year when we were back, I asked my mom for the Kuih Kapek molds. Kuih Kapek is one of the snacks/cookies sort of thing we make only during Chinese New Year (cos' it's VERY time consuming). It's also called "love letters" for some reason...maybe because of its intricate motives on the mold?? I'm really not sure at all. Nonetheless, it's yummy. Very similar to the Western waffle --- but very thin...and it's mix with coconut milk. Usually the molds are handed down from one generation to another, plus it's easier to make them with a "seasoned" mold than to buy a brand new one. The older molds tend to have more intricate motives and the grooves are deeper. So guess what? One day when my mom cleaned out her stuff, she had given hers away to someone else!!! What??? She didn't keep it for me?? I don't want her diamond rings, or jewelry, my sister can have them. I just want her kitchen gadgets, and she gave it away *smacking my forehead* :P She must have done that before I discover that I like baking, I hope!

Kuih Kapek (Kapit) --- Love letter cookies

With that, I had planned to go buy new ones from the store. Then she said she'd ask among her friends if any of them still have some molds left to share. You see, not many people my generation, or younger, would make them at home like our moms use to. It's a very time consuming job, and usually requires at least 2 people working together --- one grilling, one folding, and if you make a big batch (usually to give away as gifts to friends and family) you'd need another person or two for rotation), and sitting in front of the charcoal grill for hours in a 90 degrees Fahrenheit plus weather? No wonder no one wants to make them anymore. You could buy them in tubs these days...much easier. However, that's not the case here in U.S., or at least not in Oregon! Lucky for me, one of her best friend, aunty Jecy, remembers she still have a couple left from her mom, and she didn't think any of her kids would be interested in inheriting the molds. So, I managed to inherit 5 of the Ang Family's Kuih Kapek molds!!! :D

Making the kuih kapit cookies brings back memory of the time when my sister and I were still little. We would help my mom to fold the cookies, and you HAVE to fold it while it's hot. But our assistance usually didn't last long :P This is my first time making them. Boy, did I have a lot of trouble....cos' my mom have left out some crucial instruction!! For example, mixing the flour with water to form a medium wet dough and let it rest for a while before adding other ingredients; make sure the mold is REALLY hot before pouring the batter over. *smack my forehead* So, instead of tossing away my batch of batter away, I let the batter rest in the fridge for couple of hours. I made sure the molds were HOT, and when I pour the batter over, it'd sizzle, and when you close the mold up, it makes the sound like someone is farting!!! :P The kids thought it was funny!! So from then on, it went smoothly and they all turned out BEAUTIFULLY!!!

Unfolded

Originally, Kuih Kapit is made on a special charcoal grill, check out this site for more info and pictures. I, had to make them on my stove top, and only 2 at a time....since I needed to place a tray to balance the molds!! So, you can imagine how long it took me to make the whole recipe??!! The only good thing from using the stove is that, I was able to turn it off, keep the remaining batter in the fridge for the next day.

My make shift "grill"

This mold has the motive of a Phoenix
This, a Dragon motive

Gong Xi Fa Chai - Wishing you a Happy & Prosperous New Year

It's as thought the Chinese New Year Cookie fairy has sprinkle some pixie dust on me, I craved to make Pineapple tarts or we sometimes called it Jam tarts. This is also one of the cookies I remember helping my mom...rolling these tiny strands of dough, which we pretended as WORMS, for the lattice look. So, I called my mom for the recipe (I'll post the recipes as soon as I have some extra time). We also talked about the little tiny sauce plates (the Chinese use for soy sauce/chili sauce) and the "crimper" I remember my mom used. I didn't have the little plates and I didn't have any pineapple tart molds, instead, I found a 1-1/2" fluted cookie cutter that was the perfect size. Then I used the back of my mini rolling pin to make the well, it was just perfect!

According to my mom's recipe, she uses 3 whole pineapples. I had to use 5. Apparently the pineapples we get here are smaller and rounder, while back home, the pineapples are oval and bigger. If you're lazy/or no time to cut the fresh pineapples, crushed canned pineapple can be substitute...however, it is NEVER the same as using FRESH ones.


When I was done with all the pineapple jam, I had some dough left, so I rolled them out to make the lattice for these 3 tarts.


I don't really care for the lattice, cos' I like my pineapple tart loaded with the pineapple jam. Sometimes they are also rolled into oval shapes or wrap up like a "pillow" then using a scissors, snip multiple "V" shapes to make the form to resemble a pineapple, then insert a clove on the top --- check out Angie from Sea salt with Food Blog here. I find that too much work, while these have too much dough and too little fillings! :P However, these type of open face tarts are "sticky" when it comes to storing.

Cooking down the Pineapple

To celebrate Chinese New Year, our Chinese school Yo-yo team performed in Uwajimaya. Yesmin has been in the yo-yo team for the 2nd year. And lucky for us, the lion dance performance were there too. We all enjoyed watching the 3 lions dance around, doing tricks. It was great for the kids to be able to see this here in U.S. The lions also stopped to posed with audience who wanted photos taken.

This year, she did two tricks for her yo-yo performance. She did the toss and catch and the other one, which I have forgotten the name for it, where she toss the yo-yo on to one of the sticks and lets it roll and balance on it. We're so proud of her :D

Gong Hei Fatt Choy !!!

Daring Bakers Challenge - Graham Crackers, Nanaimo Bars and Chocolate Scramble Eggs!!!

It's end of January, can you believe that?? And I'm a day late in posting my Daring Bakers challenge....so, nothing new here.

January has been especially challenging for me. It's the month after ALL the busy baking and celebrating (holidays AND birthdays in our family). Kinda feel BLAH - don't want to do anything, you know what I mean?! And having a untrustworthy oven doesn't help at all ( my oven problem still isn't fixed, if you're interested to know what's the problem, just click HERE). I was contemplating if I wanted to go on with this challenge for a longest time. I was interested to try a gluten free recipe, cos' it wasn't long ago that I have come to realized that there are many people who are allergic to wheat! Anyway, I obviously made my last minute decision.

The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and www.nanaimo.ca.

It wasn't a smooth sailing challenge for me this time around. Maybe it's the bad karma for being lazy! :P The graham cracker challenge was fine. I didn't have Sorghum Flour but was able to substitute it with rice flour. To my surprise, the gluten free graham cracker tasted really good...so much better than the store bought ones. They are a little too sweet though. I'd cut down the sugar in the future.


However, when it came to making the Nanaimo Bar, it was a nightmare! First, when I added the egg to the bottom layer mixture, the whole thing curdle up. I figured I must have done something wrong. Was it because I whisked it, instead of stirred it, as mentioned in the recipe? I dump the whole thing out, and start all over again. Second time around, I used a wooden spoon to stir it, still, it curdle, and worst of all, stirring wasn't enough to prevent the egg from cooking, so I end up having bits and pieces of CHOCOLATE SCRAMBLE EGGS! Yikkkeeesss!!! I didn't want to start over again, so, I did my best to scoop out whatever I can. Still the mixture didn't look right at all...there was a layer of oil (from the butter) that just would NOT bind...nothing like Lauren's. So, I dump the grind up graham crackers, finely chopped almonds and coconut flakes (I used fresh coconut cos' I have THIS cool gadget! ;) ). I pressed some into a ring mold, and the rest to a 8x8 pan. Again, there was oil sitting on top of the chocolate/graham cracker mixture. I had to use some paper towel to soak 'em up. The second layer IS indeed THICK. It was kinda difficult to spread, and tasted to me like eating a stick of butter.

So, instead of finishing the top layer, I made only a small amount of the chocolate ganache layer, just enough to cover the Nanaimo bar I had in the small ring. I knew it was something too rich...and I DO MEAN RICH! ...that we won't eat. I did take a small wedge to try. It was ok, better than I thought it would be, but NOT something I'd make again. I had my doubts about the coconut...it's really funny that I haven't been a fan of coconut in Western desserts...maybe because the ones I've tasted are all made with sweeten coconut flakes we get from the stores. There are a lot of coconut in Asian, especially Southeast Asian desserts, but we usually use freshly grated coconut. Anyway, if not for the greasy taste, I might just like it more.

Now, doesn't mean I didn't like it, it means we should toss this recipe out. I have to say that, many of the devoted DB members, have created stunning and interesting "modified"Nanaimo bars. The come up with all sorts of variations in flavors, I wished I could try theirs instead of mine! :P So, do stop by to check them out here.

Here's the recipe and some tips:

Notes for gluten-free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars:

• Glutinous rice flour does not contain any gluten, as it is made from a type of rice called glutinous (or sweet) rice.
• The graham wafer dough is very sticky. Make sure you are flouring (with sweet rice flour) well, or the dough will be difficult to remove from the surface you roll it out on. Also be sure to keep it cold. You do not want the butter to melt.
• I chose these flours because of their availability. Tapioca starch/flour and sweet rice flour can often be found in Asian grocery stores, or in the Asian section of you grocery store. Sorghum can be slightly more difficult to find, but it can be replaced with brown rice flour, millet flour or other alternatives.
• In the Nanaimo Bars, it is very important that the chocolate be cool but still a liquid, otherwise the custard layer will melt, and it will mix with the chocolate, being difficult to spread. Allow the chocolate mixture to come to room temperature but not solidify before spreading the top layer on.

Preparation time:

• Graham Wafers: 30 to 45 minutes total active prep, 2 ½ hours to overnight and 45 minutes inactive prep.
• Nanaimo Bars: 30 minutes.

For Gluten-Free Graham Wafers

Ingredients

1 cup (138 g) (4.9 ounces) Sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous rice flour)
3/4 cup (100 g) (3.5 ounces) Tapioca Starch/Flour
1/2 cup (65 g) (2.3 ounces) Sorghum Flour (I substitute with rice flour)
1 cup (200 g) (7.1 ounces) Dark Brown Sugar, Lightly packed (I'd cut down the sugar, though I'm not sure it'd alter the sturture)
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Baking soda
3/4 teaspoon (4 mL ) Kosher Salt
7 tablespoons (100 g) (3 ½ ounces) Unsalted Butter (Cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen)
1/3 cup (80 mL) Honey, Mild-flavoured such as clover.
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Whole Milk
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the flours, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pulse on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal. If making by hand, combine aforementioned dry ingredients with a whisk, then cut in butter until you have a coarse meal. No chunks of butter should be visible.
2. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.
3. Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured with sweet rice flour and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm, about 2 hours, or overnight.
4. Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of sweet rice flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into 4 by 4 inch squares. Gather the scraps together and set aside. Place wafers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes. Repeat with the second batch of dough.
5. Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
6. Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more sweet rice flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.
7. Prick the wafers with toothpick or fork, not all the way through, in two or more rows.
8. Bake for 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. Might take less, and the starting location of each sheet may determine its required time. The ones that started on the bottom browned faster.
9. When cooled completely, place enough wafers in food processor to make 1 ¼ cups (300 mL) of crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large ziplock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.

My note: The dough IS very sticky, and the trick is to make sure the surface you roll out onto, your hands and the rolling pin is well floured.

Nanaimo Bars

Ingredients:

For Nanaimo Bars — Bottom Layer

1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter (I'd cut down to maybe 1/3 C instead?)
1/4 cup (50 g) (1.8 ounces) Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons (75 mL) Unsweetened Cocoa
1 Large Egg, Beaten
1 1/4 cups (300 mL) (160 g) (5.6 ounces) Gluten Free Graham Wafer Crumbs (See previous recipe)
1/2 cup (55 g) (1.9 ounces) Almonds (Any type, Finely chopped)
1 cup (130 g) (4.5 ounces) Coconut (Shredded, sweetened or unsweetened)

For Nanaimo Bars — Middle Layer (I'm not crazy over this layer, like I mentioned before, it tasted like licking a stick of butter. However, there are some DB members who made with a mascapone layer, marshmallow layer or adding/flavored with fruits..etc. which I think it's a great idea...having something light for this layer might balance out the richness of this dessert)

1/2 cup (115 g) (4 ounces) Unsalted Butter
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons (40 mL) Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Vanilla Custard Powder (Such as Bird’s. Vanilla pudding mix may be substituted.)
2 cups (254 g) (8.9 ounces) Icing Sugar

For Nanaimo Bars — Top Layer

4 ounces (115 g) Semi-sweet chocolate
2 tablespoons (28 g) (1 ounce) Unsalted Butter

Directions:

1. For bottom Layer: Melt unsalted butter, sugar and cocoa in top of a double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, nuts and coconut. Press firmly into an ungreased 8 by 8 inch pan.
2. For Middle Layer: Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light in colour. Spread over bottom layer.
3. For Top Layer: Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, pour over middle layer and chill.

-------------------------------
Additional Information:

These bars freeze very well, so don’t be afraid to pop some into the freezer.

The graham wafers may be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Mine lasted about that long.

If making the graham crackers with wheat, replace the gluten-free flours (tapioca starch, sweet rice flour, and sorghum flour) with 2 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp of all-purpose wheat flour, or wheat pastry flour. Watch the wheat-based graham wafers very closely in the oven, as they bake faster than the gluten-free ones, sometimes only 12 minutes.

For the Nanaimo Bars, if making with wheat, replace the gluten-free graham wafer crumbs with equal parts wheat graham wafer crumbs!



Nevertheless, a BIG thank you to Lauren for this challenge. I am glad to have completed this challenge!

UPDATE: Hubby and kiddos tried the bars today. I cut a small section of the one in the small ring mold for each of them. Hubby said it's the best challenge I've made by far - and ask if that was it. I told him I was gonna toss the one in the 8x8 pan out, and he says NNNNOOOO!! So, I've just finish up the last layer on the 8x8, so that he can have more and will bring some to his co-workers.

As for the kiddos, they too thought that there was just the little serving they were gonna get. Lucas told me to go "make MORE"!!! :)

Mohawk!!

Last weekend, it was time again to give the kids a haircut. Out of a sudden, I told Nd(Lee) that I'm gonna leave a Mohawk for Lucas' hair. I remembered when he was around 2 years old, I didn't cut his hair as often, for a couple of reasons...(1) it was more difficult to make him sit still than Yesmin and the same age.(2) I don't have the energy to cut his hair every 6 weeks, and too stingy to bring him to the hair salon, and pay $10 cut his hair cut! And most of all (3) we get attention no matter where we go! People always stop and comment about his crazy hair :D (cos' mommy craves for the attention! hahhahaa). My mom would go crazy when she saw his hair...always complaining how long and messy and ugly!!! The one good thing about living thousand and thousands of miles away is that, all those are through phone calls and photos sent home...so, being the rebellious child that I am (I know, I know, there WILL be pay back in the future!!! :P), I ignore her comments! :P

His hair would just stand up by itself!!! --- see all the crazy hair days??! :P

Finally when he was around 3 years old, when he sorta out grown his baby look, I started trimming his hair more often. So, back to last weekend...I figured that since his hair is so unique, and doesn't even require any hair product to make it stand up, why not let him have a mohawk?? I mean, who knows, when he's 16 or 18, the might come back home one day with a florescent blue Mohawk?? So, I convinced him that I'll let him keep the top part of his hair longer...kinda like Hurley in G-Force ...and he bought that! I just can't wait to see how long will his hair grow, before it collapse down. So stay tune, I will post the end result then. :D

Other Baked Stuff...

A friend asked if I could make a doll cake for her 2 year old back in December. Of course I would. I'd take any chance to practice my baking and cake decorating skills! So, I told her to go get a doll...that way, N can play with it after the cake has been eaten...and not freak out if she sees that the "doll" doesn't have feet when the cake is gone! She bought a Snow White doll. We dressed her up in an evening gown in PURPLE! :P The little princess was so happy, I heard. :)


These are some baby shower cookies I made for a best friend in L.A. It's a surprise gift for her and her baby shower guests. I was supposed to attend her baby shower this past weekend. However, the cost of the airfare is way above my budget. And since we do plan on bring the kids to Disney this summer, it'd be a good chance for me to catch up with her then and I'd also get to see the baby!! I made these with Elisa Strauss' Chocolate cookie recipe. It's DELICIOUS!!! Cos' she uses melted dark chocolate instead of cocoa powder. YUM!

Baby buggy

Knowing how bz my friend is going to be, I send her an e-mail telling her to make sure to open up the package 'cos she's the type who can stand NOT opening a present/box for a couple of days!! And since I had paid over $40 for the shipping (as usual, I didn't make them until last minute, hence using the express mail instead of the priority mail service), so that the cookies get there in time for her baby shower, AND not rot in the box!!! True enough, she was in such hurry, she didn't open the box even the day after she received it...however, her hubby, who should now be awarded with the title "Cookie Hero of the Year," asked if she knows what's in there, and thought they should open it that morning (the morning after they received it)...she still insist it'd be fine!! Thank goodness for his persistence, he opened the box which was sitting by the window with the sun shining in!!! :P He had figured that I might have sent some "food stuff"!!! :) LOL ....I'm so honored he has made an equation of Jenny's parcel= Food!!! ;)

Bib - the ribbons on the bib aren't very clear in the pic

Kids' Birthdays - Belated Post

Our home was invaded by these guys!!! ( a little dice on the left was the pretend All Sparks cube)

I've been really terrible at updating my blog recently. With all the year end holidays and my addiction to some new games on Facebook!!! :P So here are some very belated posts.

The kids celebrated their birthdays with some friends. Lucas had never really have a "big party," so this year, he had requested for a birthday party in McDonald's --- I convinced him to have it else where. Man, all these party places aren't cheap anymore. We were lucky that one of his friends in school has her birthday the day before his. So we did a combine party and invited the whole preschool class, and split the bill! :) It was ALL about Transformers for him this year!

Bumble Bee theme cake - got the idea from here

The Decepticons

Yesmin on the other hand, had 5 friends over for a Hello Kitty birthday party at home. I used to see Hello Kitty cookie cutter in the stores here. Back then I didn't think I'd wanna decorate cookies, so I didn't care to buy 'em. Then, when I need it, they are only sold online on ebay! Gees! So, this is what I got.

She didn't wanna have a cake, like the previous year. So, I gave her a few choices and she picked lemon meringue tartlets. I used Meyer lemons for the curd --- YUM! Kinda burnt the meringue a little! :P

Meyer lemon meringue tartlets

I also ordered each girl a headband as a favor. I e-mailed to Erika at Tottie's Pretties, to discuss about getting the "theme" ribbons for the headbands. She advised me on not using the Hello Kitty ribbons, as they don't turn up well on headbands. In the end, we went with a bright pink polka dot with pink background on the headband,with a double bow clip. When I received the box of headbands, Erika has made one extra as a gift for Yesmin. That's the one she's wearing on the picture above. It's got 9 studs for 9 years old. So sweet of her! Thanks Erika. It's now Yesmin's favorite one! :)