Japanese Sweet Bun

Bread dough
140 bread flour
60g cake flour
20g butter
20g sugar
8g non-fat dry milk powder
3g salt
3g instant yeast
25g egg yolk
100ml water
Beaten egg for glazing

Instruction:

1. In the BM (Bread Maker), add milk & egg yolks.  Then sprinkle the flour on top, put sugar, salt, butter on every corner.  Make a well in the middle of the flour, add the instant yeast.  Select the program "DOUGH" or #10, press start & let the machine do the work.
2. After the machine stop, take the dough out & divide the dough into 8 equal (47g each) pieces.  Shape the dough into a small ball & cover with cling wrap; set for 15-20 mins in a warm area.
3. Coat a baking sheet/tray with oil; take a dough piece onto the kneading board, lightly dust the surface with flour.  Flatten the dough to remove any air inside.  Then using a rolling pin to roll into a flat oval shape.
4. Lift the oval shape dough onto the weight machine & measure 35-40g of cream filling on the dough & fold the dough in half & close the edges by pinch the dough all the edges so to prevent the cream from coming out.
5. Then make 3 incisions along the closed edges for aesthetic appeal.  Place the piece on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap; preventing the dough from drying.
6. Repeat the process & arrange 8 pieces in total. (Note: To keep the dough from sticking; place strips of parchment paper in between)
7. Mist the dough with water for 2nd fermentation.  Place the baking sheet into the oven @ 40 deg C for 50-60 mins for 2nd rise.
8. Remove the tray & preheat the oven to 220 deg C.  Coat the dough with a beaten egg for the glaze on top with a pastry brush.  Gently brush the surface.
9. Place the dough into the preheated oven & bake for 12 mins till golden brown.
10. Remove & place freshly baked cream buns onto a cooling rack.

Cream Filling

3 egg yolk

55g granulated sugar

8g cake flour

8g cornflour

250ml fresh milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

Instruction:

1. Whisk the yolks, sugar in a bowl until the mixture turns pale in color.
2. Sieve the flours over the mixture & combine the mixture thoroughly till smooth texture.
3. Bring the milk & vanilla to simmering point slowly over low heat.
4. Pour half hot milk onto the egg mixture, whisking all the time with a balloon whisk to fully combine.
5. Return to the pot, place a strainer over the pot & pour the egg mixture.  Turn the heat to medium-low heat & gently continue stir with a balloon whisk until thickened.  When it begins to thicken, reduce the heat to low.& whip the cream at full speed.  The pastry cream begins to turn glossy.
6. Pour the custard into a float bowl with ice water & cover the top with cling film to prevent skin forming.  Put in the fridge for 3 hours or so.

Japanese Cheese Cake aka Cotton Cheese Cake

Ingredients:
60g full cream milk
140g cream cheese (Philadelphia brand)
40g butter
50g plain/All purpose flour
15g corn flour
5 egg (58-60g w/shell) Note: Weight the egg as this is very important!
100g granulate sugar

Instruction:

1. In the oven, fill a tray with room temperature water until 1cm high & preheat the oven to 120 deg C (Note: Use top & bottom element without fan)
2. In a medium non-stick pot, add in the milk, cream cheese, butter.  Heat it on low fire and stir till the cream cheese and butter melted.
3. Once the ingredients are melted and combined, turned off the fire before it reaches to boiling point. Remove from the stove.
4. Add the plain flour and cornflour while the mixture still hot.  Keep stirring until mixture smooth, thick & well combined.
5. Then add 5 egg yolks, continue stirring until the mixture is smooth & well combined.
6. In another bowl, use the hand electric mixture; beat 5 egg whites till frosty then add 1/3 of sugar and beat till soft peak.
7. Take 1/3 of the meringue into the cheese batter, use the hand whisk & swirl/stir from top to bottom gently till the meringue dissolve into the batter.  Continue this method till the meringue finish.
8. Lined 18cm round pan with parchment paper.  Pour the batter into the pan.  Take a bamboo skewer/tooth pick to swirl the batter & bang on the counter couple times to release any air bubble.
9. Put the round pan in the tray filled with water & bake at 120 deg C for 20 mins.  After 20 mins, increase the temperature to 150 deg & continue to bake for 15 mins.  After 15 mins, open the oven door for 10 second (Note:  If the top turn darker brown, take an aluminum foil to cover the top to prevent over burnt) and close back and lower the temperature to 100 deg C. and continue to bake for 40mins.
10. After 40 mins, turn off the oven & open the oven door for 10 second and close back & let the cake cool down in the oven for 10 mins.

Important

Oven setting: Top and bottom heat without fan!

Preheated oven: 120 deg C

Baking Step 1:

Baking Temperature: 120 deg C

Baking Time: 20 minutes

After 20 minutes, keep the oven door closed.  Increase the temp to 150 deg C and continue baking for 15 minutes.

Baking Step 2:

Baking Temperature: 150 deg C

After 15 minutes, open the oven door for 10 seconds and then close back. Lower the temperature to 100 deg C

Baking Step 3:

Baking Temperature: 100 deg C

Baking Time: 40 minutes

After 40 minutes, turn off the oven.  Open the oven door and close back.  Let the cake cool down in the oven for 10 minutes.

Note: Baking time may vary depending on the type and accuracy of your oven.  If you want to succeed baking this recipe, I suggest you buy a thermometer to place in the oven.

Avocado Cupcake

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups plain flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 ripe avocado
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup milk + 1 tbsp

Frosting
8oz cream cheese (Philadelphia) ~ room temp.
1/2 cup or 115g butter ~ room temp
1 cup powder sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Instruction

1. Preheat the oven at 180 deg & line the muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. Sift all the dry ingredients together & set aside
3. Mash the avocado very well or use a food processor & set aside.
4. In the electric "K" mixer, beat the sugar & eggs together on hid speed until light & fluffy for about 5-7 mins.
5. Lower the mixer to medium while mixer still running, drizzle in the oil & beat until well combined.
6. Add the avocado smooth paste
7. Alternating in dry ingredients & milk on low speed.  Start and ending with dry ingredients.
8. Divide the batter (55-60g ea) into the cupcake liners & bake for 18-20 mins.  Do a toothpick test to make sure they are done.
9. Cool completely before frosting.
10. Combine the ingredients for the frosting in a mixer & beat until very well combined.  Frost the cupcakes & enjoy!

Beef Steak Malay Style

Ingredients:
500g sliced Tenderlion
2 medium potato ~ cut wedges & fries
1 medium carrot ~ cut bite size, boil to cook
1 large/yellow onion ~ cut round

Marinate
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp black pepper sauce (Optional)

Spices
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
4 cardamon
6-8 cloves

Paste
6 shallot
4 garlic
2" ginger
1 tbsp black pepper seeds

Sauce
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup beef stock or water

Instructions:

1. Marinate the beef together with 1 tbsp of paste and mix well; set aside in the fridge for at least an hour or more.
2. In a big wok, heat some oil on medium heat.  Add the spices and paste; stir fry till aroma for about 3 mins.  Then add the onion rings, continue stir fry until half cook.
3. Add the sauces and continue to cook for about 5 mins.  Then add the marinated beef and beef stock.  Close the lid and let it boil for 10 mins.
4. Add the fried potato wedges and cooked carrot.  Season to taste.  Serve hot with steamed rice.

Sweet Sambal

Ingredients:
100g dried chili
100g fresh red chili
10g red bird's eye chili
250g shallot
1 large red onion
10g ginger
15g galangal
30g garlic
15g shrimp paste aka belacan
3/4 - 1 cup cooking oil
40g tamarind pulp (add 1/4 cup water for the juice)
50g sugar/palm
1 tsp salt

Method:

1. Discard dried chili head, seeds & cut 2-3 parts.  Boil in hot water for 5 mins.  Drain & discard the chili seeds.
2. Toast shrimp paste in a frying pan, break it up into powdery form & aromatic.
3. Blend all ingredients with 1/4 cup of water from the boiling chilies till a smooth paste.
4. Pour the paste into a big wok, stir fry for 5-10 mins over med-low heat until becomes a slightly dried paste.
5. Add cooking oil continue stirring over low heat over 30-50 mins. (Note: paste will turn darker & oil will be separated after stirring)
6. Add tamarind juice, salt & sugar.  Keep stirring for 5-10 mins.
7. Leave to cool before store in fridge/freeze in small container.

Note:  This is big badge.  You can half or quarter the ingredients to get small portion. 

Sweet Corn Ribs Soup

Ingredients:
2 sweet corn ~ cut into 3-4 pcs
500g spare ribs
5-6 dried shiitake mushroom ~ soak in hot water for 15mins. Don't discard the water
6 pcs red dates
1 carrot ~ peel cut into chunks
1 yellow onion ~ cut wedges
Water

Methods:

1. Boil the water in a pot, blanch the spare ribs then wash & drain.
2. In a large pot, bring water to boil.  Then add blanched spare ribs, mushroom & mushroom water.
3. Boil for half an hour, then add sweet corn, carrots & onions.
4. Continue to boil for 1-1/2 hours at medium heat.  Cover pot with the lid, leaving a small gap so the water not overflow.
5. Add in the red dates & wolf berries & boil for another 15 mins.
6. Add salts to taste & soup ready to be served.