Matcha/ Green tea madeleine

My first recipe of madeleine is French chef Pierre Hermé Madeleine Ispahan.

But I love green tea, and I want to try Matcha madeleine... so I found green tea madeleine :) yay!
It is the best to serve with green tea as your tea time dessert!
This matcha madeleine from a Japanese cook :D

Ingredients
113g butter

1/3 cup sugar (original recipe = 2/3 cup)
1 cup flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp matcha (green tea powder)

2 large eggs
1 tbsp milk

Optional: 
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp icing sugar

Instructions
1. Melt butter in either a small saucepan at low heat or microwave
If it is too hot, leave it cool down 

2. In a mixing bowl, mix sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and matcha, mix well until they blend together

3. In another mixing bowl, combine eggs & milk

Add the egg mixture into flour mixture, use a spatula to stir until combined

4. Add in melted butter, blend the butter into the flour egg mixture

Be careful not to over mix, mix it until it is well blended together

5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight

6. Preheat the oven to 190°c

7. If you mould sticks the madeleine, use some melted butter to grease it, then sprinkle icing sugar before you pour the batter

My mould doesn't stick so I skip this step

8. Take the batter from the fridge, use a tablespoon to scoop the batter, then use a spatula to scrap the batter & fill each mould

You need not smooth out the batter in the mould as it will melt & spread out evenly in the oven

9. Bake for 12 mins or until golden

10. When it is done, remove from the oven and let them sit in the mould for 5 mins

Serve warm!

Enjoy!

Banana & chocolate chips muffins

Since I found that muffin is healthier than cup cake, I look for new recipes, and I got this one ;)

Ingredients (12)
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk*
2 tsp vanilla extract

1.5 mashed banana
0.5 sliced banana
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips

* Substitue
i/ 1 cup milk & 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar, mix well and leave it for 10mins
ii/ 3/4 plain yoghurt & 1/4 water, mix well
iii/ 3/4 sour cream & 1/4 water, mix well

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 180°c

2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract, stir until combined

3. Fold in mashed banana
Pour the mixture to 12 muffin moulds, 80% filled
Place chocolate chips & then sliced banana on the top

4. Bake the muffins for 25mins or until it is golden
When it is done, place them on a wire rack and let it cool down

Enjoy!

Raspberry oat & yoghurt muffins

This recipe is healthy, definitely for breakfast :) oh or even tea time!

Love raspberry, oat and yoghurt so much, my favorite element of breakfast indeed :)

Ingredients (about 12)
2 cups All purpose flour
2tsp baking powder
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Greek-style plain yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup oats
1 cup / 150g frozen raspberries 

Optional: Oats for sprinkle

Instructions

1. Preheat oven at 180°c

Place paper cases in the muffin tray

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder

Add in eggs, oil, yoghurt, mix until combined

3. Fold in oats & raspberries, blend well

4. Pour the batter to each muffin case till the top

Sprinkle extra oats on the top if you want

5. Bake for 30mins or until golden

Note: if you do not use paper cases, do not remove the muffins from the muffin tray immediately, wait for 10mins so that the muffins become fixed, then run a toothpick around the tray to remove each muffin carefully

Enjoy!

Lemon Earl Grey chiffon cake

Earlier I have made chiffon cake in different flavors, green tea, black sesame, earl grey. This time I tried lemon earl grey flavor in my kitchenaid cookbook.

The cake is really moist, the lemon flavor makes the cake refreshing, it matches well with earl grey :)
Also, it is nice to serve with mascarpone cream!

This 2 layer cake is from 2 6" round mould (3" depth each) 

Ingredients 
(25cm ring mould OR 2 X 6" round mould + 1 X 6" chiffon cake mould)

Chiffon cake
250g flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
200g sugar
2 tbsp finely ground Earl Grey tea leaves

125ml vegetable oil
5 egg yolks
grated zest of 1 lemon
grated zest of 2 limes
100ml lemon juice

8 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
100g sugar

Mascarpone frosting
500g mascarpone
4 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp finely ground Earl Grey tea
grated zest of 1 lemon
50g crushed pistachio nuts (optional)

Instructions - Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 180°c

2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, Earl Grey tea, blend them together

3. Add in oil, egg yolks, lemon & lime zest. Mix well

4. Add in lemon juice, stir the batch quickly until the ingredients blend well

5. In another mixing bowl*, whisk egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar, until it becomes stiff

6. With a spetula, fold in 1/3 egg white mixture into flour mixture, with quick and light motion
Fold in the rest of the egg white mixture into flour mixture, until egg white mixture is well blended

* ensure it is clean and dry

7. Pour the batch into ungreased mould(s) carefully

8. Put it into oven, then reduce the heat to 150°c
Bake for 1hour 5mins (25cm mould) or 45mins (6" mould), or until it is golden

9. When it is ready, take it out from the oven, turn it upside down on a wire rack, let it cool
Do not remove the cake from the mould until it is completely cool down

10. When it is cool, run a knife around the edges of the mould and remove it carefully

Instructions - Mascarpone frosting
1. In a mixing bowl, beat mascarpone until it becomes soft
Add in icing sugar & Earl Grey tea, beat until blend well

2. Fold in lemon zest and pistachio nuts, mix briefly

Serve the cake with mascarpone cream
Enjoy!

Earl Grey/poppy seeds shortbread

I ran out of eggs at home. What a disaster for someone who love baking!! Can't make cake, scone, cookies.... :( but I found this shortbread recipe and it is quite easy to make! I can still bake something without egg lol

Oh by the way, shortbread is from Scotland :)

The butter smells so good all over the house and the taste is really great if you love butter. 

I found that the earl grey flavor is not strong at all... so I rather use poppy seeds to replace earl grey tea... but if you make earl grey flavor, then serve with Earl Grey tea - that will be perfect!

Another recipe of shortbread in lemon & poppy seed. Click here to get the recipe.

Ingredients (2" round cookie cutter for about 34)
1 cup/ 225g butter
1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp poppy seeds*

* original recipe = 2 bags Earl Grey tea bag OR 1 tsp finely grounded Earl Grey tea


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 175°c
Line 2 baking sheets on 2 baking trays

2. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until it blends well
Add in flour, salt and tea. Mix until it becomes a soft dough, it takes time to become a dough

3. Roll out the dough on a slightly floured surface - 1/4" thickness
Cut out the shortbread with a 2" round cookie cutter

4. Bake the shortbread in oven for 18-20mins or until golden brown
Cool the shortbread on a wire rack before serving

Enjoy!

Simpliest hard crust bread

I wonder how I can bake French bread with a hard crust, I tried different methods, at the end I found the answer, it is so simple - very very hot oven. 

However, it is impossible to have 300°c-400°c environment in domestic oven... so... you can either buy a stone board or an iron-cast Dutch oven!

This recipe requires a 6-8quarts iron-cast Dutch oven. I only have one which is close to 6 quarts, it works too.

Ingredients
6 cups bread flour - I used multi-cereal flour
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant or active-dry yeast*
2 2/3 cups water at room temperature

*1/4 tsp yeast needs 16hours rise, 1/2 tsp yeast needs 12hours rise

Instructions
Previous evening prepare your dough

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour & salt, mix well.

a/ If you use active-dry yeast-
mix it with 1/3 cup warm water (maximum 37°c), set aside for 10mins to activate the yeast

Then pour the yeast mixture to flour mixture, mix with water until it is well combined

b/ If you use instant yeast
Add it in flour & salt mixture and add in water, mix well until combined

2. After forming a dough, it is wet and sticky, cover plastic wrap and leave it rise during the night
When it rises double the size, it is ready

The next day
1. Prepare for the 2nd rise: place a towel, sprinkle some flour. Then place 2 baking sheets (long enough to cover the whole dough) forming a cross, sprinkle some flour

2. Flour the working surface, fold the dough - from right to left, left to right, top to bottom, top to bottom

3. Place the dough on the baking sheet with the seam faces the bottom, cover the dough with baking sheets and then the towel
If the towel can't wrap completely the dough, place one more towel on the top

Leave it rise for 1-2hours or until the size is doubled

4. 30mins before you put the dough to the oven to bake, place a cast-iron Dutch oven with lid into the oven, then turn on the oven to preheat at 250°c

5. After 30mins, take out the Dutch oven, open the lid, slide the dough in it
If the dough stick on the baking sheet, then flip the dough in the Dutch oven, remove the baking sheet

Do not worry if the shape doesn't look good. It will be nicely formed in the oven

6. Cover the Dutch oven with the lid, put it back to the oven
Turn down the temperature to 230°c and bake for 40mins

7. After 40mins, remove the lid and bake for another 10mins
The crust should be harden during this time

8. Remove the bread and cool it on a wire rack before serving

Enjoy!

Raspberry (chocolate chips) muffins

I just discover that muffins are relatively healthier than cupcakes haha, I thought it was the other way round before today I tried this recipe. In some fastfood restaurant or chain café, these muffins look so oily and fatty, that gave me this false impression that muffins are very fatty! :(

After looking into internet, I found something interesting to share:
1. Muffin can be breakfast from time to time because it is at the end not the healthiest option compare to oatmeal, bread... cupcake is rather served as dessert

2. Muffin doesn't have frosting or icing while cupcake does! 

3. We can use oil or butter in muffin but we rather use butter in cupcake

4. Beating/ mixing time is longer when making cupcake to achieve better batter consistency => muffin firmer than cupcake

5. You fill the batter to the top of the muffin mould, but you fill the batter to 70% of the cupcake mould

So... Now I have to bake more muffins than cakes!!

You can add some chocolate chips, it matches raspberry well :D

Ingredients (about 12-13)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar*
2tsp baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil*
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1tsp vanilla extract

300g frozen raspberries (no need to defrost it at room temperature)

optional: chocolate chips

*If you want to be healthier - use half quantity of sugar & oil, but muffin will be less moist and less sweet of course :)

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven at 180°c, put paper cases in muffin tray

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar & baking powder
Add in oil, milk, egg & vanilla extract. Mix until combined

3. Fold in frozen raspberries until the mixture become well blended
The batter should not be runny/liquid, it should be firm not fluffy

4. Fill mixture to the top of each muffin case

If you want to add chocolate chips, sprinkle some on the top

5. Bake in the oven for 30mins or until the top becomes golden color

Note: if you do not use paper cases, do not remove the muffins from the muffin tray immediately, wait for 10mins so that the muffins become fixed, then run a toothpick around the tray to remove each muffin carefully


Enjoy!

British scone

I have good memory of scone from a restaurant, it is always served warm with strawberry jam. It is only for breakfast time though...

Now I found this recipe, you can eat it for breakfast or tea time or both haha :)

Ingredients (about 45 scones)
6 1/4 cup flour*
pinch of salt
1/4 cup & 2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp baking powder

170g cold butter, diced

4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups whole milk

0.5 egg - beaten
Granulated sugar

*healthy version: 1/2 all purpose flour, 1/2 whole wheat flour

Serve with
heavy cream/ butter
strawberry/ raspberry jam


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 220°c
Line 2 baking sheets on the trays and set aside

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder. 
Make a well in the center, add in butter and rub in with your finger tips, blend the pieces as small as possible.

3. Add the egg & milk into the flour mixture

Note: You may not need 1 3/4cup milk, it depends on the flour you use. You can add 1 cup first, let it mix, then add the rest little by little

4. Place the dough on a lightly floured working surface
Knead lightly and shape the dough into a ball, roll and flatten the dough until it's 1.5" thick
Use a 2" biscuit cutter to cut out the scones, transfer to tray

5. A small bow of 0.5 egg - brush it on the top of each scone
Sprinkle each scone with granulated sugar

Note: be careful not to cover the egg mixture on the edges, which will hinder the rise of scones

6. Bake the scones for 15mins or until the scones become golden brown
When it's done, cool the scones down on a wire rack

Serve warm with heavy cream/butter and strawberry/raspberry jam!

Enjoy!

Indian lentil dish - Tadka Dal

I am so happy to find this recipe, I like lentil so much :) It is very nutritive, which is widely used in Indian cuisine.

Ingredients
250g yellow lentil* - washed & drained
1.2 litres water
1 tsp turmeric powder

3 tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch of asafoetida (replace by 1/2 diced onion)
2 green chillies slit lengthwise
1tsp cumin seeds
10-12 curry leaves
4 cloves of garlic - sliced or roughly crushed

2 tomatoes roughly chopped
Salt to taste
pinch of sugar
juice of half a lemon

Chopped coriander for garnish


*Can use red lentil


Instructions
1. In a medium sauce pan, add yellow lentil with the water and turmeric powder. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to a medium, partially cover with lid and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir a few times through the cooking process. Add a little more water if the mix is too thick. Cool slightly and roughly mash with a potato masher or a hand blender and set aside.

Note: If you use red lentil, you just need about 15mins to cook throughly the lentil

2. In a heavy bottom sauce pan heat the oil at medium heat, add the asafoetida (onion), slit green chillies and cumin seeds; fry for a few seconds. Now add the curry leaves and garlic continue to fry for 5 seconds.

3. Put in the tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes. At this stage, tip in the cooked lentil and stir well. Season to taste, add a pinch of sugar, simmer gently for 2-3 minutes on a low heat stirring halfway through. Turn the heat off and add lemon juice and garnish with coriander. 

Serve hot with your choice of bread or plain rice.

Note: If you’d like the dal to be thicker simmer for an additional 2 minutes without a lid making sure to stir well.