Niangao for celebrating Chinese New Year

Niangao is traditional cake, it is actually from glutinous flour. We only need few ingredients to make this delicious cake, with correct techniques, it can be chewy and soft.

We like serving hot with coated egg

Ingredients (8" found pan)
450g cane sugar
3 1/4cup water

600g glutinous flour
38g rice flour

Serve:
2-3 eggs

Instructions
1. In a pot, cook sugar and water, until sugar completely dissolved into water
Turn off the heat, let it cool down
Set aside

2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, add in syrup several times,  little by little, until it can form a ball
Knead the dough until the surface becomes shiny

3. Add in the rest of the syrup, mix carefully
It will become liquid

4. In a wok or a deep pot for steaming, pour water and boil it

Note 1: Pour enough water to steam the cake for 2 hours
Note 2: Use lid with curved shape, not flat shape, so that water won't drop onto the cake surface while steaming

5. Grease the pan, pour the mixture into the pan
Wrap the surface by plastic wrap

6. When water boils, put the pan to steam for 2 hours at medium high heat or until the cake is completely cook
To test the cake, insert a chopstick, if it comes out clean = ready

Note 2: Do not open the lid all the time, the cake won't cook well

7. Let the cake cool down
When it is cool, store it in the fridge overnight to let the cake fix, the next morning you can serve it!

To serve:
1. In a small bowl, beat eggs

2. Slice the cake into 0.5cm (less than 1cm) pieces, coat the cake with eggs

3. On a frying pan, fry the slices of cake until golden brown color, flip it over and fry another side until golden brown color also

Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Black sesame Tangyuan

This year my first dessert is a Chinese traditional dessert, to celebrate new year.

My grandmother was a great cook, she loved making it, it's a pity that she passed away when I was a baby :(

Anyway, it is my first time to make it, I'm surprised how easy to make them. I will make it again for Lunar new year :) 

Ingredients

Sesame filling:
25g fried black sesame powder*
25g sugar
1.5 tbsp butter

Dough:

110g glutinous flour
50g hot water
50g cold water

Sweet soup:
2.5 cup water
80g cane sugar (= 1 block)
3-4 sliced fresh ginger

*To prepare fried black sesame, click here

Instructions
1. On a pan, mix black sesame powder, sugar & butter until they blend well
Place them in a small box and cool it in the fridge

2. Mix glutinous flour and hot water, mix well and start kneading it with your hands
Add in cold water, little by little, knead the dough until the dough not sticky

3. Divide the dough into 10 portions

4. Put the dough in your palm and roll it into a ball shape
Place the dough on your palm, flatten the dough by your fingers into a bowl shape

5. Use a small spoon to scoop some black sesame mixture, place it in the middle of dough
Close the opening & roll the dough in your palm lightly to make it into the round shape

6. In a pot, boil enough water to cook the tangyuan
When it becomes boil, put all the tangyuan, turn down the heat to medium, stir the tangyuan occasionally so that they won't stick at the bottom

8. When the tangyuan floats, add 1 cup of cold water, bring to boil again, so that they become well cook
Take them out and place it in a bowl

9. In another pot put 2.5 cup water, cane sugar and ginger, bring it to boil
Add in tangyuan, let it boil and float

Serve hot!

Enjoy!

Roasted black sesame powder

Why we take a step more to prepare the black sesame? Why don't we just grind it into powder?

Sesame releases its flavor and aroma through heat, it smells stronger after roasting the black sesame.

Ingredients

A package of black sesame (I used 200g)

1/2 tsp white sesame

Instructions

1. Wash and soak the black sesame for 20mins

2. On a wok or sauce pan, pour the black sesame, DO NOT put oil in it, fry at medium fire
Add in white sesame, it is to check if the black sesame is cook enough

3. Turn it to medium low fire, fry until you smell the aroma of the black sesame, you can also see the smoke, stir it regularly

After about 9-10mins, the black sesame should be ready, you can also tell by the golden color of white sesame
Turn off the heat, let it cool down

4. When it is cool enough, you can grind it into powder by food processor

5. Store it in a air-tight container
Now you can use it for different black sesame dessert! :)

Enjoy!

Black sesame chiffon cake

I bought some black sesame from Chinese supermarket last Sunday, I wanted to try black sesame sweet soup, but I found this recipe instead... so I tried to make it and now share it with you all! 

Ingredients (7" mould or 6" mould + 4" mould)
4 egg yolks
22g caster sugar

1/8 tsp salt
19g black sesame powder*

60g flour

1 tsp baking powder**

38g vegetable oil
60 ml milk

4 egg whites
45g caster sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar OR few drops of lemon juice

*Highly recommend = roast black sesame & grind into powder, click here to see how to do it

**It is in the original recipe, it puffs a lot if you add it. However it is not necessary

Instructions
1. Preheat oven at 170°c

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar
Add in salt, baking powder, black sesame powder and flour, mix well

3. Ad in oil and milk, mix well

4. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites, sugar & cream of tartar, until the egg white mixture forms firm peak

5. Fold 1/3 egg whites in the egg yolk mixture, with the help of spetula, with fast and light motion
Fold in the rest of the egg whites

6. Pour the batter into the mould, drop the mould to the working surface several times, to remove excessive big air bubbles

Note: DO NOT grease the mould, or the cake will shrink while baking

7. Put the mould in the oven, then reduce heat to 150°c. Bake for 35-40mins 
Note: check if well cook => a needle comes out clean when inserted in the middle

8. Remove the cake from the oven. Invert the mould immediately on a wire rack

Let it cool completely

9. Use a knife to scrap the outer edges of the mould, remove the mould carefully

Then scrap the inner edges and the bottom of the mould, remove the mould carefully

Enjoy!

Green tea chiffon cake

I am so glad that I am on vacation hoho, so that I have more time to bake :D 
I can't stop making green tea dessert... here is another recipe of green tea which I think is good.

Ingredients - 6" round mould
10g Green tea powder (original recipe = 7g)
50g Hot water

3 egg yolks
30g sugar
30g vegetable oil (except olive oil)
40g flour

3 egg whites
30g sugar
few drops of lemon juice


Instructions
1. Preheat the oven at 180°c
In a small bowl, dissolve green tea powder by hot water
Set aside

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix egg yolks and sugar
Add in vegetable oil, mix well
Add in flour, mix well

3. In another bowl, beat egg whites with sugar and lemon juice, until the egg whites form firm peak = the egg white won't bent downward

4. Use a spetula to scrap 1/3 egg white to the green tea mixture, with quick & light motion, cut and fold the mixture
Add in the 2/3 egg white to the green tea mixture, cut and fold the mixture

5. Pour the mixture to a mould carefully
Drop the mould on the working surface several times, to remove big bubbles

6. Bake it in the oven at 150°c for 40mins or until the top becomes golden

7. Do not remove the cake from the mould while it is hot, but turn it upside down and let it completely cool down = to prevent the cake collapses

Enjoy!

Green tea swiss roll with green tea filling

Recently I ran out of green tea powder, I have been waiting for weeks to get some in the Asian supermarket :( Finally I bought it yay! I can't wait to make this green tea swiss roll, I am green tea lover.

I tried several green tea recipes, but I am very satisfied with this one - the color of the cake is so nice. The taste is good too!

Ingredients of cake (28-30cm)
6g green tea powder
25g warm water

3 egg yolks
20g sugar
30ml vegetable oil (except olive oil)
40ml water
60g flour

3 egg whites
40g sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven at 190°c

In a small bowl, mix green tea powder and 25g warm water, set aside

2. Mix egg yolks with sugar, mix well

Add in oil, 40ml water and the green tea water, mix well

3. Add in flour, little by little, mix well

4. In another large mixing bowl, beat egg white and sugar, it is ok to add sugar in the beginning, it works

Beat the egg white until it is firm enough - when you turn the bowl upside down, the egg white stick the bowl

5. Fold in 1/3 egg white into the egg yolk mixture, with fast and light motion, not to break the egg white

Add the rest of the egg white

6. Line the swiss roll mould with baking sheet

Pour the mixture onto the mould, scrap the mixture to flat & even surface

Hold the mould and slightly tape it towards the table, to remove the excess air bubble

7. Put in the oven 190°c and bake for 12mins or until it is golden color

Let it completely cool down on a rack

8. Cut off the edges and set aside

Filling of cream
250g mascarpone
5cl whole milk
50g icing sugar
6g green tea powder

Beat the mascarpone and whole milk, mix well
Add in icing sugar and green tea powder, mix well

Store the cream in the fridge for an hour or until it becomes firm

Combination

1. Lay the filling onto the cake (the golden part face upward)
Use a spetula to spread evenly the filling

2. Roll the cake delicately upward, from one end to another end

3. Put the cake into the fridge for few hours before serving

Enjoy!

Chinese white fungus sweet soup for dry weather

It was so hot last week, the temperature drops very fast, it's cool this week, I feel drier too!

There is good Chinese sweet soup which can hydrate your body & skin effectively. The main ingredient of this soup is Chinese white fungus/ snow fungus - it is great to hydrate your skin!

It's mild too, so you can try to make it if you never make any Chinese sweet soup.

There are several versions that you can choose the one you want.

Ingredients
Recipe 1
1 big* Chinese white fungus (or several small)
10 dried red dates
2tsp apricot seeds (mix of bitter apricot seeds and Prunus armeniaca L. seeds)
1 apple, peeled and diced into small pieces
2 pears, peeled and diced into small pieces
6 cups water
1 rock sugar (you can add more if you want sweeter)

*After soaking into the water, it is big as your palm

You can see in the photo, left = dried white fungus, right = soaked white fungus (Thanks tastehongkong.com for the photo!)

Apricot seed/kernel 
Left: bitter apricot seeds
Right: Prunus armeniaca L. seeds (sweet)















Recipe 2
1 big Chinese white fungus (or several small)
10 dried red dates
2tsp dried goji
6 cups water
1 rock sugar (you can add more if you want sweeter)
Optional: 2 dried fig

Recipe 3
1 big Chinese white fungus (or several small)
50g dried longan meat
10 dried lotus seeds
10 dried red dates
6 cups water
1 rock sugar (you can add more if you want sweeter)

Instructions
1. Soak the fungus for 15mins or until it is soft, cut it into small pieces, remove the hard part in the middle by a scissor

2. Put all ingredients EXCEPT sugar in a pot, heat it until it boils, reduce the heat to small and cook for 1.5 - 2 hours

3. Turn off the heat and add sugar

Serve hot :)

Enjoy!

Siraitia grosvenorii cool tea replaces iced tea

It's hot now in Belgium :( and we had barbecue, plus eating fried food, spicy food last week... I feel like I'm having sore throat...it's time to cool down my body a bit!

It's great that I still have some Siraitia grosvenorii at home hoho :) it's a great Chinese ingredient to "cool down" your body when you eat too much spicy food, deep fried food... or not having enough sleep...

Instead of drinking iced tea, you can make it, which is sweet, drink it for 2-3 times per day.

This is Siraitia grosvenorii, you can buy it in the Chinese supermarket

It's very simple to make - 

1. In a pot, put 1 Siraitia grosvenorii (crack it before boil) & 2 liters of water

2. Bring to boil and leave it cook at medium heat for 20mins

3. Turn off the heat, leave it covered for 10mins

Serve hot or cold, enjoy!

Lychee, dried lily petal & job's tear sweet soup

I bought a can of lychee from Chinese supermarket last week, at first I just want to eat some lychee as fruit, I miss its taste :) I didn't plan to make something specifically,  yesterday I saw a recipe of Chinese sweet soup with lychee and job's tear... haha I know I should try it out since I have a can of lychee.

As I posted a recipe to cook job's tear before, I explained that job's tear is for humid weather. You can see more info about job's tear, click here.

Important: Do not consume it while you are pregnant!

Ingredients

20g dried job's tear (either raw or cooked)

20g dried lily petal (you can buy them in Chinese supermarket)

20g rock/crystal sugar*

130g lychee**

honey (in the original recipe, it is 30g) 

*If you use the can lychee, you can use the syrup water, in this case you won't need to add any sugar

**It is net weight - If you buy can lichi, you will see the net weight of lichi and the weight of lichi with syrup water written on the can

Instructions

1. Soak dried job's tear and lily petal in water for 2hours

2. After 2hours, drain the water out, pour them into a pot, pour in water - at least cover the ingredients, if you want more soup, then add more water

Add sugar

3. Turn on the heat and boil it, after it is boiled, lower the heat to low/medium heat for 30mins

4. After 30mins, add in lychee, turn off the heat and let it cook for another 10mins

5. When you serve, add honey according to your taste

Serve either hot or cold

Enjoy!

Job's Tear lemon water

I saw somebody posted on facebook about Job's Tear water, that makes me want to make some too :)
Job's Tear is healthy food in Asia, during humid period, we consume Job's Tear to "remove" humidity in the body. Also it can be used to "remove" heat in the body.


However, it is not suitable for women during their period or their pregnancy!

I usually cook Job's Tear with red bean to make sweet soup or just "water" :) this time I'll try to make with lemon, to have fresh drink :)

Another important information is that there are 2types of Job's Tear - raw and cooked. Cooked means it is fried, they look bigger than the raw ones.

You can buy Job's tear in the Chinese supermarket, be careful do not mix it up with Pearl Barley.

Ingredients
50g cooked Job's tear
50g raw Job's tear (you can use 100g raw ones if you couldn't find the cooked one)
2L water (including the soaked water)
1 lemon, sliced

optional: honey/sugar

Instructions
1. Wash Job's Tear several times, drain the water away, pour fresh water and soak it for 1 hour
Note: raw Job's Tear = soak for 1hour, cooked Job's Tear = soak for 0.5hour

2. Place the Job's Tear in a pot, pour water and boil them until the boiling point, then you can reduce the heat to low heat, cook for 1hour

3. Turn off the heat, add in sliced lemon
Serve hot or cool down to serve cold

You can keep it in the fridge for 2-3days

Enjoy!

Chinese traditional sticky rice cake - Niangao

Sorry Chinese New Year is already finished but I still want to share this recipe with you all, because it is so delicious!

Last time I shared the sticky rice cake/niangao recipe by the baking method, this time is by steaming method!

I really prefer the steaming method, I feel home when I taste it! I miss home :( highly recommend this recipe!

Brown/Cane sugar - you can find it in Chinese supermarket

Ingredients
1cup water

250g brown/cane sugar (you can buy them in Chinese supermarket)

80ml coconut cream
30g vegetable oil

200g glutinous flour
70g wheat flour

When you fry the cake on the pan:
1 whisked egg

Instructions
1. Bring 1cup water to boil in a pot, add brown sugar, let it dissolved 
Note: to prevent water from evaporating, use a lid to cover the pot

2. Add coconut cream and oil, let the mixture cool down
Prepare the steam tool

3. Add in flours and stir well, use a spetula to press the lumps until the mixture becomes smooth

4. Pour the mixture into a round mold (about 5-6 inches)
Steam under medium - high heat for 75mins, if you use a wok or pot to steam the cake, ensure the water won't be all evaporated and become dried!!
Note: It is a bit sticky even the cake is well cooked, so better steam longer time if you are not sure

5. Let the cake cool down, then put it in the fridge for at least several hours - the cake will become hardened and not/less sticky

6. To serve: slice the cake into pieces, coat the pieces with whisked egg, fry at medium or low heat, fry both sides until golden yellow color, the cake should be now hot, soft and chewy!

Enjoy!

Chinese coconut milk pudding

I saw another recipe to make the coconut milk cake another day, no bake cake!!
Also, I know my husband loves coconut... so I give it a try :)

It is very very very easy, all you need is nice mould to make it look beautiful!!

It is very tasty that I will make another again this week for my friend!

Ingredients
200ml Coconut milk
375ml milk*
85g sugar
20g gelatin powder
1 egg white

*I used soya milk since I have no milk at home :(

Instructions
1. Beat the egg white

2. In a pot, mix coconut milk, milk and sugar, heat the mixture until sugar are all dissolved

3. When the mixture becomes hot with steam, add in egg white, stir it quickly
Turn off the heat, add in gelatin powder

4. Remove the bubble or foam or crumbs in the mixture through the sieve
Note: This step is important to remove any crumbs - undissolved gelatin powder, egg white...

5. Pour the mixture into the mould(s) and put them in the fridge for at least 3 hours to let it set
Note: I used silicon mould because the cake can be removed easily, if you use tin mould, grease it before you pour the mixture

Enjoy!

Glutinous rice cake/ nian gao to celebrate Chinese new year

Happy Chinese new year of goat! I decide to make some Chinese traditional cake for the celebration, it is the first time I make nian gao :)

Actually I got this recipe from a sister at church few years ago, I haven't tried it yet. I have had some glutinous rice flour in the kitchen for several months, now it is the good opportunity to use them up!

I like this recipe because I am too lazy to steam the cake haha... I can bake this cake in the oven :)

Ingredients
3 eggs
1-1.5cups sugar - I used 1cup
125g magarine or 3/4cup vegetable oil - I used vegetable oil
1tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla extract 
450g glutinous rice flour
2.5-3cups milk*

Red bean paste about 500g (according to your need)
Optional: 2tbsp black or white sesame

*The bigger the egg, the more the milk you use

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven at 180°c
Whisk the egg, add in sugar, magarine/oil, baking powder & vanilla extract. Mix well

2. Add in flour & milk little by little, to avoid forming the lumps. Mix well

3. Grease the shallow mold (either rectangular or round), pour the mixture into the pan
Note: Why shallow? Because it cooks well more evenly everywhere and especially in the middle 
If you use a deep pan, you will need to add extra 10mins for the 1st bake or until the cake looks solid

4. Bake for 25mins until the cake look a bit solid

5. Take it out from the oven, scrap the red bean paste on the top
Then sprinkle sesame
Put the cake back to the oven to bake for another 25mins

Coconut version:
If you don't have any red bean paste at home, don't worry, you can replace it by using 1 cup coconut powder, sprinkle the powder on the top after the 1st bake

Enjoy!

Ice skin mooncake to celebrate mid-autumn festival

It will be Chinese mid-autumn festival soon (in September), I see tons of photos on facebook this few weeks. That makes me want to make some also :)

The ingredients of ice skin mooncake is very similar to those of Mochi. Thanks to Christine's recipe I can enjoy the mooncake!

Ingredients
Ice skin dough:
40g glutinous flour
35g rice flour
18g all purpose flour
55g sugar
200ml milk
20ml vegetable oil

corn starch

Filling:
250 - 300g red bean paste or custard

Instructions
To prepare the mooncake dough
1. Mix sugar, milk & oil

2. Add in all kinds of flour, mix well until without lumps, you can use spetula to press the lumps, let it rest for 35mins

3. Prepare the steamer when the mixture is nearly ready to steam. Steam the mixture under high fire for 20mins until the dough is completely cooked.
Then use a spoon to stir the dough (it takes some time to stir until smooth). Let cool

To wrap the filling into the mooncake dough

1. Place the dough on a lighlty floured surface - use corn starch.

Divide the dough into about 12 portions (it depends on the size of the mooncake mould or cookie cutter you use, you can use any shape that you like)

2. Use your hands to shape the dough into ball shape. Sprinkle some corn starch on the rolling pin, then roll out the dough. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle some corn starch on the dough as well

3. Put some red bean paste on the center of the dough, do not put too much otherwise you can't close the dough
wrap & close the dough by squeezing the edge toward center

4. Make sure the dough is not sticky before you place it in the cookie cutter or mooncake mould, press the dough with your fingers to fit the size of the mould and flatten the dough. Remove the mould/ cookie cutter
Freeze it for 6 hours before serving

Enjoy!

Custard recipe for bread/ bun/ mooncake

The brioche that I made is finished :( this time I want to make the bun with filling inside. 

I found a recipe of custard, note that it is different from pastry cream. It is because we use corn flour only in pastry cream, we don't use all-purpose flour. Also, we don't have custard powder inside this custard.





In general, we use this kind of custard for Chinese bun filling, mooncake filling...

The picture at right - the custard served as filling for bun of Hong Kong style










Thanks to Winnie for the recipe :) It works well for the 1st time!

Ingredients:
2 eggs 
4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp custard powder*
120ml whole milk
50g flour 
40g butter

*Substitue of custard powder, click here.
Note: I used 2 tbsp corn flour & 1 tsp vanilla extract to replace custard powder

Instructions:
1. In a mixing bowl, mix egg and sugar until the color is lighter with foam on the top

2. Add in custard powder, mix well, then add in milk, mix well

3. Add in flour, use a spetula to press the lumps on the side & mix well

4. Add in butter

5. Put the mixture on a bigger saucepan, cook the mixture with medium high heat, stir the mixture for 2-3 times within about 10-15mins, or more time, remove from heat when the mixture is thick enough - which means when the mixture doesn't stick much on the spetula

6. Let the mixture cool down. Set aside - ready to use!

Note: in the recipe, it is written to sieve the flour/ custard powder, I didn't do that, I found that the result is good. So it's up to you

Enjoy!