Yr 2009 CNY

This year CNY, princess wanted a lion head. Good reasons she gave was, she wanted to do lion dance "dong chang, dong chang" and peel orange to make a 8. Daddy was very pleased and gave a nod and off we went down to Chinatown a day b4 New Year Eve to get the lion head. We went round checking the price and finally the deal is sealed and we got princess & prince one lion head each. Not only that, a cymbal & drum were also bought, to create the atmosphere.

Princess & Prince are each holding a drum & Chinese cymbal

Big project - Lions getting ready their way to their grand parents house, as for daddy & mummy busy with the drum & cymbal.

Keeping to their words, the kids try hard peeling oranges to make an "8". Guess what Prince made an "Egg" instead. hahahhah ... 8 & egg sounded the same. Importantly, both Grans were very happy, with this special CNY greeting.

Orange Chiffon Cake

The tool on the cake is a lemon scrapper, i used this to get the orange zest.

Ingredients

(A)

4 egg yolks

45g castor sugar

1/4 tsp salt

35g corn oil

140g orange juice

Zest of 1 orange

(B)

120g cake flour } sift 2 x together

1/2 tsp baking powder }

(C)

5 egg whites

45g castor sugar

1/2 tsp cream of Tartar

Method

1. Using hand whisk mix (A) until well blended. Add (B) and mix well


2. On a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks from using high speed until foamy. Add sugar & cream of tartar, continue whipping until stiff (like snow) * Don't overbeat and this process are done in a very quick manner.


3. Quickly use a spatula take 1/4 of the meringue and slowly fold into the egg yolk mixture in the earlier bowl. Mix until well combine. Finally add in the remaining meringue and mix well


4. Pour mixture into an ungreased chiffon tin and bake for about 40-45 mins @ 170c. * Bake at the lower rack (i used 4 mini chiffon tins fm Daiso and 1 smaller PH mini chiffon tin)


5. Immediately turn tin over on a cake rack to cool before loosening cake

Popiah

On the 1st day of CNY, i've made popiah, gado gado for my hubby sibling visiting in the evening. Hereby sharing the making of popiah.

Ingredients (A)
600g Popiah wrapper
100g minced meat (stir fry)
2 med size turnips (shredded)
1 carrot (shredded)
1 yellow tau kua (diced & fry)
300g french beans (sliced) (桂豆)
8 shallots
soya sauce

Ingredients (B)
Some Crispy prawn chilli
Some sweet sauce
1 cucumber (shredded)
Some fresh lettuces
crushed peanuts
crushed sweet candied peanuts (花生糖)
small cooked prawn (halve)
some fried chinese sausage (sliced)
some bean sprout
Eggs

Method

1. Slice shallots, deep fry in hot oil till fragrant.
2. Add in turnips to stir fry, follow by french beans. Finally add the rest of the ingredient like minced meat, tau kua. Add appropriate amount of soya sauce to taste.

To Serve

1. Put some sweet sauce & chilli (optional), peanuts on the popiah wrapper. Add in your choice ingredient B & spoon in cooked filling. Top with shredded cucumber
2. Roll up the popiah wrapper, fold up the sides and roll tightly. Serve at once

Cashew Nuts Cookies

Buying ready made cashew nuts from stores seems so expensive. I like cashew nuts but not willing to pay for higher price for ready one. Last Friday i went to the market to get some raw one, just in case i'm in the mood to bake. So now it came in handy and I use my microwave to cook them - oil free.

Here's the recipe :-

Ingredient
105g butter
50g icing sugar
1/2 egg yolk
1/4tsp vanilla essence
125g plain flour
30g corn flour
1/4tsp baking powder
100g ground cashew nuts

* extra cashew nuts for decorate & egg wash to brush over

Method

1. Sift plain, corn flour & baking powder together and set aside
2. Cream butter with icing sugar till light
3. Add in egg yolk & vanilla essence. Mix well
4. Stir in dry ingredients and ground cashew nuts. Mix well. Chill dough in fridge for 40 mins
5. Shape dough into a small ball and place half cashew nut on top of cookes and brush over with the egg wash
6. Bake at 180c for 15mins

Corn Flake Cookies

Last minutes baking for me on CNY eve. I didn't expect myself to be so hard working baking more cookies. I thought just concentrate with my pineapple cake for today. Well, since I missed my nap time, so make good use of it by baking cookies. (what an excuse) Guess what i did 2 different type instead of cookies but in small quantity.

Cookie spooning in Progress, with the help of my princess.

All ready to pack and store away into the container and kids stomach

Here's the recipe :-

Ingredient
42g butter
42g sugar
15g honey
70g corn flakes

Method
1) Melt butter, sugar and honey till mixutre becomes frothy
2) Add in corn flakes all at once and stir to mix well
3) Spoon mixture into small paper cups
4) Bake at 150c for 10-12 mins

旺梨cake

Sound so typical chinese, on this Pineapple cake. Because of the 好意头, i've made this a give away for this year Chinese New Year to my friends & relatives. Therefore has been baking this cake since Friday and even on CNY day for my in-law


Ingredients
160g sugar
165g butter
3 eggs
175g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
4-5 ring of pineapple from canned
1/4 cup of pineapple juice from canned

Method
1) Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside
2) Cream butter with sugar until mixture is light and fluffy
3) Add eggs one at a time and finally stir in vanilla
4) Add in flour alternate with pineapple juice
5) Bake at 180c for 45 - 55 mins

新年快乐, 万事如意

Happy 牛 Year !