Apple Puff 苹果酥

Apple Puff 苹果酥

Recipe source :  Adapted from Y3K Magazine, Issue No. 53, 3/4-2010

I love recipes from Y3K magazines. The recipes normally show step-by-step instructions which are easy to follow and the end results are almost always assured.

This apple puffs taste great even though I had reduced the amount of brown sugar and cinnamon powder by half.

Ingredients

1 packet puff pastry ( there are 10 pieces of neatly cut puff pastry )
2 apples, peeled and sliced into thin pieces

Mixed together :

50g brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

For glazing

Some melted butter

Apples, puff pastry and cinnamon powder

Method 

1.  The puff pastry comes neatly cut into squares. I just took it out from the freezer to thaw. 
2.  Place puff pastries onto greased baking tray.
3.  Glaze puff pastries with melted butter. Arrange apple slices on top. Glaze again with melted butter and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top. 
4.  Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degree C for about 15 to 20 minutes.
5.  Remove from oven and glaze with melted butter while still hot.

I am linking this to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for September 2014 is Apple

Hosted by Kit @ I-Lost In Austen

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

I am also linking this Cook-your-Book # 16 @ Kitchen Flavours

Gordon Ramsay Blondies Recipe

Gordon Ramsay Blondies Recipe

Recipe source :  Gordon Ramsay

Blondies are white chocolate version of brownies. Personally, I find blondies less intense in taste and flavour compared to regular brownies. The cranberries were tasty and chewy. In fact, the next time I bake it, I would definitely add more cranberries than the suggested amount in this recipe.

My blondies turned out uneven. The edges were slightly higher then the middle portion which had sunken slightly but then I was comforted by the fact that the original photo had shown Gordon's blondies to be slightly uneven too.

Ingredients

• 230g butter, plus extra for greasing
• 340g dark brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 280g plain flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 240g white chocolate, chopped into small chunks
• 4 tbsp dried cranberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Lightly butter a 23cm square cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the sugar and salt. (A good whisk now will make the mixture slightly lighter and fluffier.) Add the vanilla extract and whisk again. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the eggs to the butter mixture and stir well. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl, then whisk in the egg and butter mixture a little at a time. (It’s important to do this in stages so that you don’t get any lumps.)
4. Leave the mixture to cool slightly, then fold in the chocolate chunks and the cranberries. (If the mixture is too hot, the chocolate will melt.)
5. Spoon into the prepared cake tin and spread out evenly. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the outer edges are firm and the middle still a little soft.
6. Leave to cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, then cut into squares before serving. Once cooled, the blondies will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

This post is linked to Cook like a Star (Gordon Ramsay) organised by me, Bake for Happy Kids, Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake - See more at: http://www.bakeforhappykids.com/#sthash.sdGpsh7p.dpuf

I am submitting this post to Cook Like A Star ( Gordon Ramsay ) 

Organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids

Yen from Eat Your Heart Out  and Mich from Piece Of Cake

 

This post is linked to Cook like a Star (Gordon Ramsay) organised by me, Bake for Happy Kids, Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake

- See more at: http://www.bakeforhappykids.com/#sthash.sdGpsh7p.dpuf

This post is linked to Cook like a Star (Gordon Ramsay) organised by me, Bake for Happy Kids, Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake

- See more at: http://www.bakeforhappykids.com/#sthash.sdGpsh7p.dpuf

This post is linked to Cook like a Star (Gordon Ramsay) organised by me, Bake for Happy Kids, Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake - See more at: http://www.bakeforhappykids.com/#sthash.sdGpsh7p.dpuf

I am also linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

The theme for August 2014 is Flour

Hosted by  Domestic Goddess Wannabe

This event is organised by Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids 
and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY

Food For The Gods (A Filipino Date & Walnut Bar)

Food For The Gods (A Filipino Date & Walnut Bar)

Recipe source : Adapted from here

I was searching for Filipino recipes when I came across this cake. I find the name, " Food for the Gods" most unusual for a cake! Having said that, I remember having eaten this before. I searched my memory and it clicked back to a party many moons ago. The hostess was very proud to serve " Food for the Gods" which she had specially ordered for the occasion. She went round ensuring that her guests tasted this cake and she loved the look of surprise on her guests' faces as she mentioned the name of this cake!

I love the walnuts and chopped dates which made this cake chewy. 
This is truly sweet and decadent!

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup dried dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

 Sugar, chopped walnuts and brown sugar

Dried dates. 

Chopped these and use only one cupful

Preparation

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degree C. I used a 9 inch square tin lined with parchment paper.
2.  Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a small bowl. Transfer half of this mixture to another bowl and dredge the chopped dates in it.
3.  Combined melted butter, brown sugar, sugar eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Mix until batter is uniform. Add honey and mix again.
4.  Fold flour into the batter. Lastly fold in chopped walnuts and the dates which have been dredged in flour. 
5.  Pour batter into the prepared tin and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until done.
6.  Cool completely before slicing into bars.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest  : Philippines

Hosted by Swee San of The Sweet Spot

Cranberry Bread

Cranberry Bread

Recipe source :  Martha Stewart

The other day I bought a packet of fresh cranberries from the supermarket and it is not everyday that you can find fresh cranberries for sale, not even frozen ones. What's available in the supermarkets near my house are only dried and processed cranberries which I have been using to make cakes and cookies.

Little did I know that fresh cranberries tasted so sour and slightly bitter! I did not want to throw them away so I surfed food blogs for recipes that use fresh cranberries. Martha Stewart's cranberry bread caught my attention because her recipe uses the exact amount of fresh cranberries which I bought and partly because the picture in her food blog looked so delicious. 

I was sadly disappointed! Even after baking and with the addition of brown sugar, the cranberries were still sour. But of course it was much better than cranberry in its raw form. However, I am not too accustomed to the sourish taste. But it sure looked pretty, speckled with little red dots all over the bread!

Ingredients

4 tbsp butter, melted, plus more for greasing the loaf tin
2 cups plain flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cup baking powder
1/2 baking soda
1 tsp salt                 (I omitted salt because I used salted butter )
1 large egg, beaten
3/4 cup whole milk
12 oz fresh cranberries

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Grease a 9 inch by 5 inch loaf tin.
2.  In a large bowl, whisk together the plain flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3.  In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, egg and milk. Mix wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk to mix until well combined. Fold in the fresh cranberries.
4.  Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 1 hour or until done.

Looks beautiful, speckled with red dots all over the bread. 

Note of caution though : The fresh cranberries were sour and slightly bitter.

Choc Oatmeal Cookies (Bill Granger)

Choc Oatmeal Cookies (Bill Granger)

 

 Recipe source :  Bill Granger's

Almost everyone loves chocolate chip cookies. We are no exception especially my youngest son who loves "Famous Amos" chocolate chip cookies. When he knew I was about to make chocolate chip cookies, he came into the kitchen several times. He was waiting in anticipation and asked several times whether it was done while the cookies were still baking in the oven!

Well, he likes this very much. My biscuit tin was emptied out by the next day!

Ingredients

150g unsalted butter
3/4 cup soft brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
a pinch of salt
235g rolled oats
175g choc chips

 Brown sugar and butter in the mixer

 Rolled oats

Choc chips

 Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degree C. Line baking trays with baking paper or grease the baking trays.
2.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add beaten egg and vanilla extract.
3.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl and mix lightly.
4.  Add oats and choc chips to combine.
5.  Spoon teaspoonfuls of batter onto greased baking trays. Space them apart.
6.  Flatten with a fork dipped into flour.
7.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until pale golden.
8.  Remove and cool. 
9.  Store in air-tight containers. 

 

 

   

I am linking this post to "Cook Like A Star"

 

Hosted by  Zoe from bake for Happy Kids and Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake

I am also linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

 

 

The theme for November is Oats, 

Hosted by Vivian Pang's Kitchen

Organised by Zoe from bake for happy kids and Doreen of My Little favourite DIY

White Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies (Bill Granger)

White Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies (Bill Granger)

Recipe source :  Bill Granger

Ingredients

150g butter, softened
165g brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla                 ( I did not add vanilla)
125g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
200g rolled oats
140g white chocolate chunks
85g dried cranberries
a pinch of salt            ( I did not use salt because I am using salted butter)

Rolled oats

 Butter

Cranberries

Brown sugar

Flour

White chocolate chunks

egg

Instructions

1.  Preheat oven to 180 degree /Gas mark 4 and line 3 baking trays with baking paper.
2.  Cream butter and sugar together until pale and creamy. Add egg and vanilla (if using) and beat until smooth.
3.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt (if using) together. Add oats, chocolate chunks and cranberries and stir together.
4.  Add to creamed mixture and mix well.
5.  Roll small teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on baking trays.
6. Flatten the balls with a fork dipped in flour.
7.  Bake for 12 minutes until pale golden.

I am linking this post to "Cook Like A Star"

 

Hosted by  Zoe from bake for Happy Kids and Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake

I am also linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

 

 

The theme for November is Oats, 

hosted by Vivian Pang's Kitchen

Organised by Zoe from bake for happy kids and Doreen of My Little favourite DIY

Apple, Dried Cherry & Almond Loaf (Bill Granger)

Apple, Dried Cherry & Almond Loaf (Bill Granger)

Recipe source :  Adapted from Bill Granger


This is a healthy breakfast loaf. Lots of fruits and nuts. It is easy to bake. No beating or long proofing required. And very tasty too!

Ingredients

50g rolled oats
300ml milk
240g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
80g dried cherries
45g dried mixed fruits
75g soft brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp honey
1 lightly beaten egg
30g chopped almonds

 Mixed dried fruits consisting of dried apples, cherries, raisins and cranberries

 Egg and almonds

Dried cherries

Brown sugar

Milk
 

 Rolled oats

Instructions

1.  Put oats in a bowl. Pour milk over it and leave to soak for 30 minutes.
2.  Preheat oven to 180 degree C (Gas mark 4 ).
3.  Lightly grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
4.  Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in rolled oats, together with the milk, dried fruits, sugar, cinnamon, honey, egg and almonds.
5.  Pour into the prepared loaf tin. Level with a spoon.
6.  Sprinkle some rolled oats on top.
7.  Bake loaf for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Fresh from the oven

I am linking this post to "Cook Like A Star"

 

Hosted by  Zoe from bake for Happy Kids and Yen from Eat Your Heart Out and Mich from Piece of Cake

I am also linking this post to Little Thumbs Up

 

 

The theme for November is Oats, 

Hosted by Vivian Pang's Kitchen

Organised by Zoe from bake for happy kids and Doreen of My Little favourite DIY