Puffs (profiteroles)

I made choux pastry again but in puff form today!  They are called profiteroles.  I love these! I am so addicted to them!  This time I covered the top of the buns with chocolate!  I <3 french desserts.   I love it with custard cream filling.  Mmmmmm

Choux Pastry with Custard Cream Filling

Choux pastry is so easy to make than puff pastry!  A million times easier!   Choux pastry is a basic French bun that is used to make with eclairs, profiteroles or croquembouche.  The pastry rises three times its size in the oven which creates this airy, light and crisp texture.    All you need is some basic ingredients that you can find in your pantry and fridge and its just beating the mixture up and then filling it into a piping bag and piping it out onto trays into whatever shapes you like.   Then see it rise from a small ball to 3 times the size!

I had a hard time piping the pastry dough onto the tray because I did not have a proper piping bag!  I instead used a sheet of baking paper and made it into a piping bag and cut the tip to about 1cm.   It worked but then I had to use too much baking paper so I just dropped teaspoons of balls.   This recipe makes about 10 -15 eclair shapes or balls.  Depending how much you put into the shapes.  I attempted to do eclair shapes but I instead did big buns.

Filling the pastry was the best part.  Every single bun was gone in 15 minutes!

You will need:

CHOUX PASTRY


75g of butter
180mls of water
3/4 of plain flour sifted
pinch of salt
4 eggs


CUSTARD CREAM

2tbs of custard powder
2tbs of caster sugar
1 cup of milk
300ml of thickened cream

icing sugar for dusting


Choux pastry.
Preheat over to 240C

In a saucepan, combine butter and water and cook until the butter has melted.  Don't boil.   

Immediately add the sifted flour and salt and stir vigorously until you see a smooth dough ball form.  Take off heat immediately.

Transfer into a small bowl and add 3 eggs (one at a time) and beat with mixer til smooth.  Add the last egg and this will form a nice glossy thick dough  (should be a very very very thick consistency).

Use a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle and pipe small mounds on the tray or just use 2 table spoons to shape large buns.

Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or another 5 to 10 minutes if you have bigger buns.   When cooked make a hole in each bun to release any steam.  Cause once cooled the buns will go soggy so you need steam to escape.

Cool and set aside.

Next.....

Custard Cream Filling.

Combine the custard powder and sugar into a small saucepan and add the milk on low heat.  Whisk til it goes thick.

Add the mixture into a small bowl.

Cover with plastic wrap to prevent skining.

Refrigerate for half an hour or til cool.

Then in the same bowl add the thickened cream and with a mixer, mix til it goes thick and forms peaks.

Now for the yummy part!

To serve the buns, cut in halfway and then just before serving spoon the custard cream filling and dust with icing sugar!

Choclate Cream Puffs

Hi guys! I have been away for a while!  I have been working on this huge project so I haven't had time to really cook something special until yesterday!

I love love love pastry desserts and especially these cream puffs!  They are so yummy you could finish a whole batch under 30 minutes!  You can buy these at bakeries for around $2.50 each depending on the size but I decided to make these at home.  It did take a while but the effort was pretty worth it!

I got this recipe from http://www.tasteofhome.com and it turned out great.  I did not use strawberries since I did not have any on hand but without it tastes as good too.  I am wondering if I should put custard in the puffs next time?

For the puffs I did not cut it in half and put the cream in that way.  I just inserted the cream into the puff balls instead with cream.  Turned out messy though :P.


You will need:

Chocolate Cream Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 4 eggs
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped
• 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh strawberries

 

Directions

• In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, bring water, butter and salt to a boil. Add the flour and cocoa all at once; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth and shiny.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until set and browned. Remove to wire racks. Immediately split puffs open; remove and discard soft dough from inside. Cool puffs completely.
• In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream and strawberries. Fill bottom halves of puffs; replace tops. Serve immediately. 

Yield: 15 servings.

Rice Bubble Slice

Rice Bubble Slice is my favourite childhood treat that can be made with variation.  You can add choc chips, mm's, coconut, honey and add butter or copha to hold the slice together.  Mmmm fatty goodness!

I got this recipe from Kellog's website.  You can make your own variations as mentioned.  You can make 24 little crackle cup cakes or into slices like I did.

RICE BUBBLE SLICE

To make you will need:

Ingredients

• 4 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Bubbles® (or any rice puff brand)
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons cocoa (optional)
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 250g copha^TM*

Method

1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Melt copha gently.
3. Cool slightly
4. Pour into dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Spoon into paper patty cases or line them into a square cake pan.
6. Chill until set or cut into slices.

Rich Beef Casserole

Rich Beef Casserole

It is getting cooler and I thought "well time to make a yummy casserole dish!"  I love how this rich beef casserole is full of flavour and it makes a nice winter dish and the best comfort food.   Slow simmering the beef makes it nice and tender and you can use cheaper cuts of meats.    I like this with rice (yeah Asian styles lol) but traditionally you eat this on mashed potatoes, greens on the side and bread.  It is easy to make and if you are on a budget try this!


RICH BEEF CASSEROLE 

To serve 2 to 3 people you will need:

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 500 diced beef
• 2tsp of corn flour
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 cloves garlic crushed or silvered 
• 2 cups mushrooms cut in halves
• 2 carrots sliced
• 4 TBS of tomato paste
• 500 ml of beef stock
• 1 TBS red wine vinegar or red wine (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• sprinkle of herbs (thyme or oregano whichever you prefer)

METHOD

In a jug, mix together corn flour, tomato paste, red wine vinegar/wine, herbs and stock.  Set aside.

In a casserole dish (crock pot/ heavy based sauce pan),  add in beef, onion, garlic, mushrooms, oil, carrots and herbs.

Add the stock mix into the casserole dish (1st step).

Add all the ingredients together and stock. 

Put the casserole dish on high heat then bring to medium low.   Simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the beef is tender making sure in between times stirring occasionally.  Add salt and pepper to taste (if you think its not salty enough for you).

When the sauce has thickened it will be done!  Serve over rice or mash potatoes and green beans.

Mmm too easy!  One pot!

Green Tea Jelly

A few days ago I made konnyaku jelly consisting of papaya and coconut milk and this time I wanted to make green tea jelly with the same konnyaku powder I have left.   This is a very good, well to me anyway since I drink green tea almost religiously.    Now for this recipe I didn't add too much sugar like all my desserts otherwise the sweetness will take over the focused flavour.

Green Tea Jelly

- 1 PKT of Konnyaku Jelly Powder (10grams).  You can get this at the Asian Market in a packets.
- 950MLS of water
- 2 green tea bags
- 100G of caster sugar

Method:

1. in a saucepan boil water and add green tea bags
2. turn off heat and leave to brew for about half an hour
3. take out the tea bags and squeeze to get the excess tea out 
4. mix sugar and konnyaku jelly powder
5. turn on heat again and add the sugar and konnyaku mix
6. mix til the consistency of the mixture goes thick
7. pour the konnyaku mix carefully into the molds and let cool
   set the jelly in the fridge
   

It is a simple jelly dessert and quite bland if you didn't use much sugar like me.  add more to make it more sweet for your taste.

Important!: If elderly or children are consuming konnyaku jelly please make sure you chop it up into little pieces.  This is because konnyaku jelly does not melt into the mouth like other jellies.   It will cause little ones and elderly to choke!   And can result in death.  Elderly and children have choked and died on konnyaki litchi jellies so be careful.

Steamed Ginger Egg Custard

Steamed ginger egg custard is a smooth tasty dessert eaten just alone or after a nice big dinner.   It's pretty good warm and very tasty when chilled.

It is simple to make and the secret to a smooth custard is to strain all the lumps out and the steaming process.  You do not want to over or under steam it otherwise it will go all bumpy or not softly solid in the middle.

You will need for:

STEAMED GINGER EGG CUSTARD 
 (makes 2)

• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp of ginger juice
• 1/2 tsp of corn flour or starch
• 1/2 C of water and water for steaming
• 1/3 C of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Method

1.  Squeeze ginger juice by chopping ginger and squeezing it with your hands.  Catch the juice with a small bowl and set aside.

2.  Boil water for steaming

3.  Next step is to whip the eggs in a small bowl with a beater for only a couple of seconds til you see no more egg white.  Do not over beat!   The texture of the finished egg custard might turn out rough.

4.  In another bowl, add cornstarch with 250ml of water and mix very well.

5. On low heat saucepan, mix milk and sugar.  Do not let it boil.  Mix til the sugar dissolves and take off heat immediately.  If it is too hot you would cook the egg mixture.  Add less sugar if you don't like the dessert to be sweet.

6.  In a new bowl,  mix together the milk and sugar mixture (CHECK! need to be cool)  and egg mixture together.  Then add in the lemon juice, salt and ginger juice.  Then add the cornstarch mixture - make sure the cornflour hasn't settled....shake it well again before adding to the bowl.

7.  Stir slightly.

8.  In a strainer (very important), strain into another bowl.  Straining helps to prevent the lumps and gooey stuff from the egg.  It helps to smooth the texture of the custard.

9.  Then in 2 good sized dessert bowls add the strained mixture into each carefully.  Maybe you have enough for a 3rd bowl....or ramekin.

10.  Cover with foil and steam (in the boiled water) for 12 to 13 minutes.  This depends on what steamer you are using.  I use my Breville Electronic steamer.  Try not to over steam!

11.  When done, remove with tongs carefully and let cool and serve.  Chill if you like it cold :).

Steamed Meatloaf / Chả Trứng Hấp

Chả Trứng Hấp

Steamed meatloaf or in Vietnamese, Chả Trứng Hấp is a simple and cheap Vietnamese dish to make when on a tight budget.  I used this recipe before in my previous post on Combination Rice but this time I put a whole boiled egg in the middle of the steamed pork.  Traditionally,  the steamed egg yolk should be on top of the dish (see below).

Traditionally with steamed egg yolk on top.

It is pretty easy to make and you eat this with a bowl of rice with a side of vegetables.  It is very good dipped into a ginger chilli soy sauce.  Or you can use the filling and add the mince into soups or filling for spring rolls.  I like to make a bit more filling so I can freeze and use for another day.

The recipe as follows to make 4.....

- need 4 ramekins or just steam it the way you would like

Steamed Meatloaf with egg in the middle

- 150 grams of pork mince
- bit of dried mushroom soaked, drained and chopped
- a cup of bean thread vermicelli noodles soaked, drained and chopped
- 1 small onion minced
- 3 stalks shallots chopped roughly
- dash of pepper
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp of cornflour
- 2 TBS fish sauce  (I did not use this cause at the end you are going to dip it into sauce anyway but sometimes I use 3 TBS of oyster sauce instead of the fish sauce.....)

- you can add additional vegetables for instance - grated carrots, grated sweet potatoes, grated chest nuts............traditionally its just the previous ingredients only but I like to have other things in it.  You can add crab meat too and also you can spread scallion oil on top after when the steamed loaf has finished cooking. 

- 4 hard boiled eggs.

Method

Mix all of the ingredients together EXCEPT for the hard boiled eggs

Lightly oil all 4 ramekins

 
Add a bit of mince on the bottom of the ramekins and make a dint in the middle so your boiled egg will snugly fit into each ramekin. 

 Then fill the whole ramekin with the mince and smooth the top with the bottom of the spoon.  Repeat with 3 other ramekins.

Then place it into your steamer.   Use any steamer...I just use my Breville Electronic Steamer.  I love it!
Steam your loaf for around 25 to 30 minutes.

When finished steaming let cool and it should easily slide out with a knife.

Cut in half and serve with jasmine rice, vegetables and your favourite dipping sauce!

Papaya Coconut Milk Jelly

 Papaya Coconut Milk Jelly Dessert

Papaya fruit is in season so I made a JELLY!!   Papaya these days costs about $3.99 to $6.00 a kg depending where you get it from.  Instead of buying them I get for free!  My grandma grows a big papaya tree in her backyard and pick them whenever it is in season.  We already picked about 10 from the tree and it is already ripe.   I love it chilled and eaten off the skin, I love it cooked as soup with pork mince but most of all I like it as a refreshing dessert -  Papaya Coconut Milk Jelly.

Fresh Picked Papaya 

Instead of using agar agar jelly powder (asian jelly made from the seaweed from gelatin) I used konnyaku jelly powder (jelly derived from konjac corms for its starchy substance) to make the papaya coconut milk jelly.   I find it when using agar agar the consistency of the jelly is a bit more harder than konnyaku jelly.  Konnyaku jelly has a more softer and western jelly consistency if you know what I mean.

I did not follow the konnyaku jelly packet's instruction because I thought it was too much sugar and water.  At the end you are going to add the sweet papaya into the jelly.   

Konnyaku Jelly Powder.  Softer consistency than agar agar jelly when set

To make Papaya Coconut Milk Jelly you will need:

- 1 PKT of Konnyaku Jelly Powder (10grams).  You can get this at the Asian Market in a packets.
- 250MLS of coconut cream
- 700MLS of boiling water
- 100G of caster sugar
- half of papaya fruit chopped in small pieces

Method:

- mix sugar and konnyaku jelly powder
- add to saucepan with boiling water
- stir mixture til dissolved and then add the coconut milk
- mix til the consistency of the mixture goes thick
- turn off heat
- assemble chopped papaya into your molds
- pour the konnyaku mix carefully into the molds and let cool
- set the jelly in the fridge

You can add other fruits into the jelly as well like mango, passionfruit or anything that is in season

Cơm tấm (broken rice): Combination Rice Plate Perfection!

Cơm tấm

Cơm tấm in Vietnamese is broken rice or fractured rice grains.  It is usually served with pork meat - caramelized grilled pork chops and bì (which is thinly shredded pork mixed with thinly shredded pork skin).  On the side it is served with sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, pickled carrots, fried egg, steamed meat loaf with egg custard on top/ fish cake and Vietnamese dipping sauce.  When you go to restaurants the rice plate is also usually served with a bowl of hot flavorsome broth.   I like ending this meal with a nice avocado milk shake!  

To make this delicious combination rice plate you will need the following (to serve 4):

- broken rice (I just used 1 cup - 2 cups jasmine rice ......since I could not access this.  You can use whatever rice is on hand)
- caramelised pork chops
- bì :  shredded pork and shredded pork skin.  I purchased this at one of the Inala butchers for about $5 for a takeaway container .  It is already cooked and all you have to do is microwave until slightly warm (not hot otherwise the fat will shrink).
- steamed meat loaf
- sliced cucumber, tomatoes and pickles
- you can also fry an egg to finish off your plate :)

this is bì - shredded pork and shredded pork skin

The following are recipes of:

• Grilled Pork Chops
• Steamed Meat Loaf

Grilled Pork Chops

To make these delicious grilled pork chops you will need:

- 4 pork chops
- 2 TBS of olive oil or just any oil
- 2 TBS of brown suger
- 2 TBS of fish sauce
- 2 TBS of soy sauce
- 3 TBS of lemon grass smashed / mortar and pestled or chopped up very finely.

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together and then cover the pork chops with the marinade.  Cover and marinade in the fridge for 2 hours.  More hours will deepen the flavour.

 Marinating the pork

When it is ready, fry on a large non stick pan and cook until you see the pork caramelizing.  Don't over cook otherwise the meat will become hard.  I like it tender and a tinge of pink.

Steamed Meat Loaf (with egg on top)

These ingredients are much the same as making filling for spring rolls!  If you have left overs of the mix....wrap it in spring roll pastry and freeze for another occasion.

For the steamed meat loaf you will need:

- 150 grams of pork mince
- bit of dried mushroom soaked, drained and chopped
- a cup of bean thread vermicelli noodles soaked, drained and chopped
- 1 small onion minced
- dash of pepper
- pinch of salt
- i added in other vegetables (i added chopped water chest nuts, chives and this other vegetable I don't know the term in English lol).
- 4 egg yolks
- 4 egg whites
 

Mix up all the ingredients EXCEPT for EGG YOLKS

Place the pork mixture into oiled ramekins and smooth top with the bottom of a spoon

 In a bowl mix egg yolks and top each ramekin mixture with the yolk

I steamed 2 ramekins here.  It took about 30 to 40 minutes depending on the type of steamer (e.g bamboo steamer or electronic steamer)

Okay done.  Let the ramekins cool before you take it out.  It is easy to slide a knife around the side of the ramekin to take it out easier.  It is not the best looking but this is steamed meat loaf!

To make the Cơm tấm Platter - place rice, grilled pork, warm bi, steamed meat loaf, cucumber, tomatoes and pickles on the plate with a fried egg on top and serve with nuoc cham

This plate is huge so maybe you can share with a friend?

Of course I got the recipe by these guys!!!!!!:

• Ravenous Couple http://ravenouscouple.blogspot.com/2009/05/com-tam-suon-bi-cha.html

Vietnamese Beef Curry (Cari Bo)

 

Cari Bo

Hi guys!  It seemed so long ago since I last posted (only last week lol)!  I have been busy with a project and I haven't had time to post anything up.   I have been using my old point and shoot camera so some photos don't do any justice lol.  

Today I like to share you with something my mum cooks about once a month whenever I come over for dinner.  She likes this as much as I do.   It is called Vietnamese Beef Curry or Cari Bo.  It is simply slowly cooked beef brisket in a nice mouth watering spicy coconut soup with cooked carrots and potatoes.   I usually eat this in a large bowl, served with 3 small potatoes, not so much carrots and chunks of beef brisket ladled over with the spicy coconut soup.  Usually it is eaten with rice noodles, french bread or even rice.   I personally like Cari Bo served with toasted french bread dipped into the curry soup.  I think it is a South Vietnamese thing.   Sometimes I sandwich the beef brisket, potato and carrots in the bread and dunk it into the sauce and eat like that.  I get so full .....and I am so satisfied!!

I hadn't had time to ask mum for the recipe but I found a recipe from 101rcookingrecipes. 

Vietnamese Beef Curry (Cari Bo) 

http://www.101cookingrecipes.com/vietnamese-cooking-recipes/beef-curry-cari-bo.php

Ingredients

900g / 2 lb stewing beef, cut into 5cm / 2 inch cubes

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 large onion, finely chopped

6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 fresh red chilies, finely chopped

3 tbsp curry powder, preferably Madras

2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp salt

3 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil

4 tbsp fish sauce

4 carrots, cut into 2.5cm / 1 inch chunks

2 tbsp cornflour

500ml / 16 fl oz canned unsweetened coconut milk, well stirred

Method :
 

Combine the beef, ginger, onion, garlic, chilies, curry powder, turmeric, sugar, pepper, and 1 tsp of the salt. Cover and leave to marinate for 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and high heat. Add the marinated beef and stir quickly to seal, about 3 minutes. Add 750ml / 1.25 pints hot water, the fish sauce, and the remaining 1 tsp salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the beef is almost tender, about 1 hour.

Add the carrots and simmer, stirring occasionally, for a further 15 minutes. Dissolve the cornflour in the coconut milk and stir the mixture into the stew. Continue simmering, uncovered, stirring to prevent sticking, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Ladle the curry into a soup tureen and serve immediately.

Banh Xeo or Vietnamese Stuffed Pancakes

Ban Xeo is also called Vietnamese Stuffed Pancakes/ Crepes or Sizzling Crepes cause they sizzle when made.  This is one of my favourite Vietnamese dishes mum makes me when I am over for dinner.  It is made out of rice flour, turmeric and coconut milk then fried.  Then layered lightly with shrimp, fatty pork mince and bean sprouts and folded to make a crescent moon shape and served immediately.   This is usually eaten with fresh herbs, lettuce and vermicilli noodles on the side or even wrapped with lettuce.  I prefer it made into a yummy soft rice paper roll.  This also is dipped into  nuoc cham. 

I am sure when you try this you will enjoy this very much when eaten with friends and family at the dinner table.  Make this crepe batter in advance so you have it ready for the next day to whip up immediately.  You should have a workstation space so you have the stuffing and crepe batter by the stove.  Have two pans ready.  My mum does this because its quicker and faster this way to serve up.  The table should be ready with garnishes or herbs and lettuce and individual small bowls of nuoc cham.


When the banh xeo is served at the table just dig in and eat any way you as I mentioned previously.  Then its followed by a beer or two :) or usually strong Vietnamese iced coffee and fresh fruit.

BANH XEO

To make this you will need:

• 3 cups of water
• 1 pack of bot banh xeo mix which is just rice flour with tumeric (find it in all asian stalls)
• 1 tsp of sugar
• 2 cans of coconut milk
• 500g of large prawns
• 250g of lean pork mince
• handful of fresh bean sprouts
• nuoc cham
• some fresh herbs (coriander, mint, lettuce)
• optional: vermicelli  noodles, cooked and well drained

Instructions 

1. To make the crepe batter place 1 cup of water in a small pan on high heat
2. blend flour with remaining 2 cups of water until completely moistened and then add the coconut milk.  put this in fridge overnight or leave for about half the day.
3. To prepare the filling, clean the prawns and cut length wise and cook til it changes colour
4. For the pork mince, cook til the pink colour is gone.  Add a dash of fish sauce and dash of white pepper to taste.
5. Then in a large fry pan, add some oil and on high heat.
6. Pour half cup of batter and quickly tilt the pan to form a large circle.  Then lay one half of the circle with prawns, pork and bean sprouts.
7. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the batter til it looks nice and crispy or solid.
8. Flip the crepe (this may be tricky!) using a spatula and cook for a further minute.
9. Serve immediately with fresh herbs and lettuce and vermicelli noodles (or make into a rice roll).
10. You can also tear off a piece of banh xeo and wrap it in a lettuce leave and dip it into nuoc cham!
11. ENJOY!