Birthday Cake Lightning Mcqueen's Race Track

This cake was made for Jordan, who turned 3 and like all boys of that age, Lightning Mcqueen is one of his favorites. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDAN, i hope you liked this birthday cake.

Recipe can be found here http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2006/03/renees-birthday-cakes.html

Fu Kwai Mau Tan/Peony Pastry

I am quite happy with the result of these pastries and will attempt to make them more colorful the next time i make them. Any Chinese pastry recipe and whatever sweet filling of your choice will be fine. The pastry is very delicate and the most important key to achieve non-soggy pastries is to start frying in moderate low heat and crank up the heat to finish the frying.

Ingredients:

(A) Water dough

200 gm all purpose flour

50 gm cooking oil

100 ml water

(B) Oil Dough

150 gm all purpose flour

75 gm shortening

Filling:

600 gm red bean/lotus paste

Method:

The water dough

Rub the flour and oil, then gradually add in the water to bind into a pliable dough, knead till smooth and cover with a damp cloth to allow the dough relax while preparing the oil dough.

The oil dough

Rub the shortening into the flour, continue rubbing until the fat is well absorb into the flour and become a soft pastry dough.

The colored pastry

Divide the water and oil dough into half and color one set of water and oil dough pink with red coloring and the second set with yellow. Work each set separately.

For each set

Form the oil dough into a ball.

Knead the water dough until smooth and roll out into a circle large enough to wrap the ball of oil dough.

Wrap the water dough over the oil dough, using a pinch of water to seal the edges.

Press the double thickness ball flat with the heel of the palm of your hand, then roll out with the rolling pin into a rectangle.

Working from the shorter end, roll the dough up like you would a carpet. now roll this out into a rectangle again, roll up more carpet fashion from the short end. Repeat this rolling up and out at least once more.

Roll out the dough once more, and cut into 12 pieces and roll each piece flat from the top. Working with two sets(colored) of dough, you should have 12 pieces of pink and 12 pieces of yellow.

Pair 1 piece of pink and yellow by putting one on top of another and roll out big enough to wrap the filling.

Divide filling into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a round ball.

Wrap each ball of filling with the square of colored dough, sealing the edges with a touch of water. Roll the ball smooth between the palms of the hand.

Using a very sharp knife, cut into 8 sections, which should to clearly through the dough, but not pierce through to the filling. If it has been through to the filling like i did, the filling will fall out and dirty the oil.

Deep-fry the balls cut side up in oil deep enough to cover the whole ball. Fry over medium heat. The flowers will bloom, the cut edges peeling back in several layers of pastry petals. If you are like me, an inexperienced cook, fry one flower at a time to prevent the temperature of the oil to drop if several flowers are fried at once and they will become heavy and greasy.

Drain on a cooling rack with absorbent paper at the bottom.

Serve warm if possible.

Serves

Singapore Noodles

This is my version of Singapore Noodle which i think it was how Malaysians cook it - WITHOUT curry powder. I find the curry powder too overpowering and i like my version which is slightly sweeter and spicy.


Ingredients:

300g mei fun, soaked and well drained

6 tbsp oil

3 eggs

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

1 large onion, shredded

75g chicken meat, shredded

75g prawns, shelled

75 g char siew shredded

1 carrot, shredded

200 g beansprouts, tailed

1/2 red pepper shredded

Seasoning

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp chilly sauce

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

Salt and sugar to taste

Dash of pepper

Garnishing

Chopped spring onion and coriander leaves

Sliced red chillies Optional

Method:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok and fry meehoon for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden.

Heat another 2 tbsp oil and fry garlic until fragrant. Add chicken, prawns, char siew , carrot and onions. Stir-fry briefly.

Add mei fun and seasoning ingredients. Toss well to combine.

Push to the sides and add 2 tbsp oil in the centre of wok, add the eggs , push back the mei fun to the eggs and fry until eggs are done.

Add beansprouts to mix and continue to cook until beansprouts are heated through but still firm.

Dish out and serve with garnishings.

Serves

Rainbow Flaky Puffs

Flower Shape



Round Shape

After making the Flower Pastry from the Tau Sar Paeng recipe, the urge to make the colorful rainbow ones is getting greater. Found this recipe and thought that it might be it. No, it did not turned out as expected. The pastel colors were too light and when fried, there was no color at all, just brown fried and also the rolling is not right. The petals were too short and not so pretty. So, have to try again.

Ingredients:

A Water Dough

100 g all purpose flour
10 gm confectioner's /powdered sugar

50 g shortening

40 g water

B Oil Dough

80 g all purpose flour

40 g shortening

Filling

Lotus Paste/Red Bean Paste/Mung Bean Paste

(40 g x 8)

Method:

1. Mix A till smooth, rest for 10 minutes

2. Mix B till even. Divide into 4 portions, add in food colorings, yellow, pink, green and blue. and roll each colored dough into 4 inch roll.

3. Flatten water dough into a flat rectangle about 5 inch x 7 inch, place the colored 4 inch rolls,( starting with yellow, pink, green and blue from the left), in the middle of rectangle, in line with the 5 inch side of rectangle. Fold in the sides of rectangle, on top of the 4 colored doughs and seal all the sides.

6. Rolled out the dough until very thin and the colors should be visible. The yellow color should be on your left.

7. Fold into thirds and give a turn, then roll out thin. The color should be horizontal now.

8. Roll up like a swiss roll beginning from the yellow color.

9. Cut into 8 pieces and roll the cut side into a circle.

10. Wrap with the filling.

11. For the round shape, just wet the top and sprinkle some sesame seeds.

12. For the flower shape, roll the wrapped dough into a flat disk. Divide into sections and cut, turn the cut sections to look like a flower.

14. Bake in preheated oven 180 C/350 F for 25 minutes.

Serves

Open Mouth Laughs/Happy Biscuits

This is one of the Chinese New Year's favorites as this snack will open and smile when it is fried. It is very inexpensive with only a few ingredients and it can be made in a jiffy and stores well for later craving. I thought that i have posted this recipe and i told my friend to look for it. I have to apologise, nowadays very kalang kabut. Must take another vacation to recuperate from the recent vacation.

Ingredients:

180g all purpose flour

2 tsp double action baking powder

80g sugar

3 tsp melted shortening

6 tbsp cold water

White sesame seeds for for coating

Oil for frying

Method:

1. Sieve flour and double action baking powder into a mixing bowl.

2. Mix sugar, melted shortening and water, add to sieved flour and mix to form a soft dough.

3. Rest dough for 30 minutes.

4. Divide dough into small pieces and shape it into round balls(size of balls is up to your fancy).

5. Wet the round dough balls with water and coat it with white sesame seeds.

6. Deep fry coated dough balls in moderately hot oil, turning the dumplings until they expand and open, then turn heat to high and fry till golden brown(oil has to be moderately hot intially as too hot oil will burn the exterior before the interior gets cooked and also the sesame seeds will be burnt. Increase the heat by turning on the flame or scoop out some of the oil. On the other hand, if the oil is not hot enough, the dough will disintergrate)

7. Remove and leave to drain on a cooling rack with kitchen towel at the bottom of rack to catch drippings. If the balls are large you would have to put in 300f oven to finish cooking and rid of excess oil.

8. Cool before storing in an air-tight container.

Serves

Tau Sar Paeng

Baked Tau Sar Paeng

Fried Tau Sar Paeng

I had a recipe which made beautiful rainbow flower but i do not have the recipe anymore. Have been itching to search for the recipe but when i was rolling and folding the dough for the baked Tau Sar Paeng, i had a recollection of how the flower was rolled and decided to try frying a few. It worked and of course it is a flower with no rainbow colors. Will try to make and post the Rainbow Flower as soon as possible.

Ingredients:

Dough A:

240 g flour

120 g shortening

Dough B:

240 g all-purpose flour

60 g confectioner's sugar

60 g shortening

120 ml water

Filling (sweet):

1 1/2 cup peeled mung beans (soak for 2-3 hrs, steamed and mashed/blended)

6 tbsp cooking oil

4 level tbsp shallot, sliced thinly

1 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

Filling (savory)

1/2 cup peeled mung beans (soak for 2-3 hrs, steamed and mashed/blended)
6 tbsp cooking oil
4 level tbsp shallot, sliced thinly
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

Method:

Filling:

Combine sugar, salt, and mashed beans in a large bowl. Mix well.

Heat oil in wok or pan. Stir-fry the shallots till fragrant and lightly browned, removed fried shallot and set aside for later use. Add bean mixture, stir-fry on low heat till it becomes dry and able to form a ball.

Remove from heat and stir in fried shallots. Cool completely, divide and shape filling into 30

equal portions.

Alternatively, mix sliced shallots with 1 tsp oil and microwave on high, 1 minute at a time until brown.

Microwave all the other ingredients on high until bean paste is dry and can be formed into a ball. (If it has gone too dry, add some water, if it is still wet, continue to microwave) Add in the shallots and leave to cool before dividing into 30 portions.

Dough:

Preparation for dough A and B is done separately and the same method applies.

Bring together all ingredients for each dough, mix well and knead to form soft dough.

Cover and let them stand for 30 minutes.

Divide and shape each dough into 30 equal portion balls.

Assemble:

Wrap dough B around dough A.

Roll it out as thin and rectangular in shape as possible. Fold the sides in making 3 layers.

Repeat the rolling and folding again.

Roll it out into 10 cm/4 inch diameter circle and wet the surface of circle.

Place the filling at the center. and ring all edges together, pinch to seal.

Egg wash and sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top if desired.

Baked Tau Sar Paeng:

Preheat oven at 180 degree C/375 degree F and bake for 20 minutes till golden brown.

Fried Flower Tau Sar Paeng:

Heat enough oil for deep frying until 300 f(Use a small saucepan, big enough for frying 1 paeng at a time and remember not to fill oil more than half way up the saucepan)

Cut the pastry of the paeng into 8 sections - do not cut too deep - cut only the pastry.

Put the paeng on a small sieve and then lower into oil. Let it fry for a while and when the petals start going apart, shake the sieve gently to loosen the petals . Stop shaking the sieve when the paeng looks like a flower. Let it fry until golden brown.

Remove from oil and let it drain on a cooling rack.

Continue to fry the rest of the paeng and remember to adjust the temperature of the oil.

Serves