Homemade Dessert #5: Mango Yogurt Muffin

This yogurt muffin adopts the all-in method in the mixing of the ingredients. Simply whip up some sugar, butter, self-raising flour, milk, mango yogurt and some dried mango (optional), the outcome is extremely soft and fluffy muffin which is so light in weight and big on taste. 

Pam's Fruitilicious Trifle

There's hardly any secret in this fruit trifle. Vanilla sponge at the bottom, followed by the fluffy meringue spread, sprinkled with lots of chopped fruits and topped with a layer of plain agar-agar. This simple yet healthy cake is something I call my own. When the idea of turning the above odd combinations into an edible product popped in my head, I tried to get a second opinion from some experts (not the certified professional but those Tom , Dick and Harry out there who love eating cakes). As expected, they shook their heads and frowned. This, however, had stimulated my creativity to develop better courage to try it out. The cake somehow turned out to be truly a surprise to those who expressed their serious disagreement over my daring creation. 

Dried Meat (Bakkwa) and Onion Quiche

Have you eaten Bakkwa (Chinese dried meat) quiche before? I suppose you have neither heard of nor tasted this quiche through your life. You've probably tasted bacon quiche or mushroom quiche but I am pretty sure you have yet to come across a bakkwa-filled quiche. So, are you curious to find out where you can get this extraordinary quiche from? I am afraid it's unlikely that you can find this variant in any bakeries in town cause this is another creation of Pam the baker - inspired by her colleague who chopped the leftover bakkwa from the recent new year celebration and used it as a substitute to chicken meat or pork in dishes. 

I brought the quiche to school ans shared it with my colleagues. They had a good laugh upon learning that they were eating a fusion quiche with an 'east-meets-west' concept. Some actually asked if I had added Chinese sausage into the quiche as they found some resemblance in the taste of both bakkwa and wax meat.

Dried Meat (Bakkwa) and Onion Quiche @ priceless (effort + creativity + sweat)

Valentine's Baking!

Since Chinese New Year, he has been telling me how much weight he has put on over the weeks as a result of forcing him to finish all the New Year cookies and he asked me not to bring cakes and pies to his house until he gives me the green light. Why do men always think that they are guinea pigs? We did not feed them for the sake of getting feedback on our products but to see the contentment of eating in their face! Alright, since I am the one to blame, he is not going to get cakes from me anymore, not any bit of it!

I got up pretty early this morning. I rolled out the dough and shaped them into petite sizes. Stuffed the little buns with the mixture of salted egg yolk, butter and milk, I created my very first batch of Lau Sa Pau (流沙包) for breakfast. From one recipe, I managed to make 22 little buns. I did not steam all of them as these buns must be eaten hot from the steamer or the filling will harden when the buns are cold. I ate two this morning and brought the remaining two to school for my best friend. True enough, when she tore the buns apart, the custard was no longer in liquid form. 

Guess what I will do with those buns in the fridge when I go home later? Hmm... 6 pieces will be reserved for Dad and Mum while I will eat 2 more for afternoon tea and 6 will go to Aunty Khoo. As for the remaining 4 buns, I have no idea of WHOM they should go to... may end up in the rubbish bin, who knows?

Happy Valentine's Day!

Yippee! The custard is flowing out...

A small gift from the birthday girl...

I got up pretty early on my birthday to bake some egg tarts as a gift for my fellow colleagues. Birthday girl delivering present instead of receiving one? Well, as long as I am happy with what I enjoy doing the most...

While they were rising in the oven...

The first two trays coming out fresh from the oven. It's very tempting to the sight, isn't it?

2 dozens of homemade egg tarts to be distributed in the office.

Homemade Hong Kong style chicken pie (港式鸡批)

Pam's latest creation of the month --- Homemade Hong Kong style Chicken Pie!

Hong Kong style chicken pie (港式鸡批)

A huge and crispy pie, filled generously with barbecued chicken meat and onions.

If t were to set up a stall and sell this chicken pie, how much do you think it worth?

Wash down the pie with a cup of black and bold UCC coffee

Last but not least, a slice of Almond biscotti (RT bakery) to round off the meal...

Steamed egg cake

I found a recipe in an old exercise book. I could recognise my own handwriting but just failed to recall when and where the recipe was taken down. A simple steamed cake recipe, with only three types of ingredients: Eggs, flour and sugar. I had no idea if it would produce a soft and fluffy cake just like the one I use to eat at Sin Yoon Loong. There's no harm of trying, belum cuba, belum tahu, sekali cuba, pasti mahu! Haha...

Before

After

Oh no!

The outcome is a steamed egg cake with dry and coarse texture...

Mission failed!

I see a Yellow November

November, a noble month, is the beginning of some exciting moments in life. Kick start this exceptionally important month with some lovely treats is a must to show how much I fancy those yellowish stimulations... I am sure you have got fed up with me by now, tarts in tarts out, eggy here eggy there.... Hold on hold on, I can't help it because that's me! Pam, the eggy monster, the tarters (plagiarised from Claire), the EGG TART QUEEN!

Unbaked tart shells

The finished products - so lovely, wobbly and smurfilicious

What do you see in those devilish tarts? Jealousy and hatred! That's what I see in everyone's eyes!!!

I am sorry if this makes your stomach growl... 

Thought I would finish all four by myself? You are kidding me, watch out for those calories...

Chicken, Mushroom and Onion Puff

Due to the hectic working life, I can hardly find time for baking on weekdays. While I am struggling in coping with my new and challenging post, I wholeheartedly wish I could have an afternoon to spare for my favourite hobby - baking. Yesterday, I arrived home earlier than usual and the workload was not as taxing as before, so I put aside my books and laptop for a couple of hours, preparing the ingredients I need for 3 humble puffs.

Homemade Chicken, Mushroom and Onion Puffs

The pastry puffs up like a pouch, making it look even more tempting.

The puff is diagonally cut, showing the flakiness of the pastry but at the same time unveiling its weakness as a big hollow is seen within the cavity. The stingy Pam made too little filling for the puff. lol

Espresso in Moka pot and homemade Char Siew puff

Today, I am sharing with you all my homemade Char Siew puff and Illy Espresso brewed in the Moka pot.

Moka pot from Italy

Illy Espresso

Concentrated coffee made using the Moka pot

My homemade Char Siew puff

Puff pastry stuffed with juicy Char Siew filling.

Plump and succulent, these puffs are best eaten hot and fresh.

Pairing with a cup of thick brew, these dainty treats are perfect for afternoon tea.

Another Perfect Baking Day

School is going to reopen soon. I'm physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually UNprepared to go back to school. Clothes not ironed, test papers not marked, grades not keyed in, teaching materials not prepared... Oh God! Where on earth did I get the impulse to rise so darn early to bake egg tarts for breakfast? Didn't I feel guilty for not doing something more appropriate at this eleventh hour?

Colombian Supremo Roast and Ground Coffee

Those naughty eggy tarts relaxing, baking in the oven...

Hot and fresh from the oven

I need to improve on my skill of pinching the edges of the pastry

The feeling of guilt begins to set in

Pair the tarts with the freshly brewed Colombian beans

The longer you stare, the guiltier you are...

Please pardon me, my sins have cast me so far from consciousness...