Kuih Dadar/ Ketanyap

Ingredients for the filling

brown sugar 150g

desiccated coconut 200-250g (i used dried ones cos I can't get fresh ones here)

water 200-250ml( use less if your using fresh coconut)

pinch of salt

Method

mix all the above in a pot over a medium heat till the sugar has melted. don't forget to keep mixing the mixture to avoid burning at the bottom. then set a side to cool.

Ingredients

plain flour 250g

coconut milk 750ml

5 pandan leaves

Method

blend the pandan leaves in a blender to get the juices. then mix the pandan juice with the flour and the coconut milk in a bowl. the batter will be a runny consistancy like a crepe batter. mix well to get all the lumps out and strain the batter.

Heat a pan and pour a thin layer of batter. (this batter/pancake is very delicate) Wait for one side to crisp up but not brown then flip it over for 3-4 sec just to make sure its cooked thru and set a side.

then continue to cook till all the batter is all finished.

now once that is done lay the crepe as per the picture above and put roughly a table spoon of the filling per crepe. fold the sides in and roll it up.

And there you have your first kuih dadar.

the finish product should look like this :

its up to you how much filling you like to put in the kuih.

Happy trying!!

Indonesian Kueh Lapis/ Spekkoek/ Kue Lapis Legit/ Dobosch torte/ Baumkuchen

As you can see this Cake/ kuih, has many names. its because it has a looooooonnnnngggggg history behind it. where did all start? well it all started when the the Dutch East India Company and Dutch Colonization of South East Asia. Spekkoek- in dutch Speck= lard or bacon(as in the layers or it could have been one of the ingredients in the Cake), Koek= Cake. hmmmm could this been an Indonesian local sweet treat whish the Dutch gave a fancy name or was it the dutch that brought it in??

This cake is similar to the German Baumkuchen(Tree Cake) (according to my German friend its actually a Jewish Cake). Its traditionally done on a roasting spit. they serve this with a vanilla or chocolate Glaze. oh did I mention that It does not have spices put in to it.

WARNING!!: this Cake Is Highly Unhealthly. But lovely to Eat!!!

Ingredients

500g Butter (soft)

1 tbsp rempah spice

20 egg yolks

150g Caster sugar

120g Flour

5 egg white

100g Caster sugar

Method

Beat the egg whites to a soft peak. Add in the 100g sugar slowly while mixing and beat the egg white mixture to a stiff peak, set a side. Beat the egg yolks and sugar till a ribbon stage( that is when you lift the batter up with the whisk and you are able to draw a number 8 on the batter and it stays for at least 3-5 sec. as the picture above)

Beat butter till fluffy then beat in the egg yolk mixture. and mix well

Add in the flour and spice(rempah) to the butter and egg yolk mixture and fold it in. when almost well mixed add in the egg whites and fold in some more. At this stage do not over mix it.

Line the base of a 10" by 8" by 3" tray. (must be only the bottom and not the sides) turn on the Grill (pending on your oven if it has a grill and oven together or separate) I put my tray on the 2nd highest rack. Pre heat the baking tray. For the first layer weigh the batter 120g and spread it evenly. (the batter will be watery when placed in the tray) and grill it till light brown. the following layers will be 100g per layer. so the process continues till all the batter is used up. I think I did about 12 or 13 layers

If there are Bubbles appearing just use a tooth pick to prick it and before adding each layer use something flat to press the cake down just to make sure you don't have air pockets in your kueh lapis.

You might have to give the tray half turns when grilling just to give it an even browning.

After grilling the last layer I baked it for another 10 minutes on 150C.

when thats all done take it out of oven and let it cool for 5 minutes and then turn it out on the cooling rack

once cooled you can then cut it and it should look like this :)

All the best, and happy trying

Nyonya Kuih / kuih lapis

Kuih Lapis if some of you are wondering what is it, its um how shell I put it. Kuih is a Malay term for cakes, cookies and puddings (An asian term for pastries). but it is more often Steamed then baked, and Lapis is layers or layered.

I read some where that this dessert is normally done by the elderly grandmothers or the older folk. hmmm does that mean I am getting old or considered an old folk? :)

Well getting back to the Kuih, the kuih's are normally made from starches which are rice flour, glutinous rice flour, glutinous rice, tapioca flour and mung (green) bean flour. other ingredients which are common in Kuih making are coconut milk or cream , pandan leaves ( screw pine leaves), grated coconut and palm sugar.

okok... enough of the jiber jabering and lets get on with the kuih.

Batter

300g Rice flour

60g Green Pea Flour

400ml coconut cream

750ml Pandan Water

350ml Caster Sugar

300ml Water

pinch of Salt

Red Coloring

Green Coloring

Method

Pandan water, cut the pandan leaves in to smaller or shorter to fit in to a blender add some water and blend away. using a muslin cloth or tea towel squeeze the juice out and you have your own pandan water (if you can't find pandan leaves you can always buy pandan paste, and the pandan water just change it to water).

Next put rice flour and green pea flour in to a bowl and add in the coconut cream and the pandan water mix all the lumps out and soak for 45min- 1hr. Put sugar and water in to a pot and bring it to boil over the stove and then cool. when the sugar has cooled and the flour mixture has soaked for the required time, add the sugar to the flour mixture add in the salt and mix well.Half the mixture in to 2 bowls. At this stage the mixture will have a slight green in colour. In one bowl add in red food colouring and in the other depending on how green it is or how green you want it you can add the pandan paste to get the right green colour:)

Now we come to The Fun part the steaming to the Kuih! um If I am not wrong I used a 20 inch silicone mold. Preheat steamer and I use one ladle per layer alternating the colours till the batter is all gone. You can start with any colour you like. Steam each layer on High for 5 minutes and a further 12 minutes after the last layer.

My steamer

After all the Hard work now its time to wait for it to cool. um I think it also can be cut when its warm (not hot) but I prefer to cut it when its cold.

Oops!! a little mistake while taking it out.

I am very happy with this result. Its traditionally cut in to diamond shapes.

** note When pouring the layers try and not pour on one spot or too high this will split the layers

Oh I think It would be nicer if palm sugar is used rather then Caster sugar it will give it more flavour :)

Close up!!

Happy trying people! all the best!

Stay tune for more!!

New Years Eve- Cream Puffs

Well It was new year's eve and as I said I have challenged my self to start Blogging in 2010. So I thought why should I wait for the new year to start, what better way to welcome the new year and Start my blog.

It so happens that I was invited for a NYE party and I was wondering what to bring, it was ether English trifle or Cream puff. As you can see I ended up making Cream Puffs.

Puff dough(Choux Pastry)

250g Butter

625mls water

375g flour

10nos Eggs (50g each)

Method

Bring water and butter to the boil. Pour in flour and mix over heat till it forms a dough and comes off the sides of the pot. Take the pot off the heat and let it cool for 5-10 mins or you could put in to a mixing machine on low for 5 mins just to let it cool. (This is to make sure the eggs are not scrambled when added into the mixture.) Add the eggs one at the time and mix well and continue adding the eggs one at the time and mixing till all the eggs are incorporated.

As you can see in the first picture I made and mixed the pastry by hand.

After that fill the mix in to a Piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or parchment paper and pipe as the picture above, remembering that the pastry will expand, so leave some room for it to expand and this also allows it to cook evenly. with an oven pre-set on 170C, bake it for 15-20 minutes or till golden brown. (things to look for if its done, its light in weight, not to moist in side and holds its shape when taken out of the oven oh yes also it is hollow in the middle)

Custard Filling

1 lit Milk

110g Caster Sugar

85g Cooking Custard

Method

Bring 800mls of milk and sugar to boil. Mix remainder milk in a bowl with the cooking custard till there is no more lumps left. when the milk and sugar has come to a boil pour in the custard mixture and using a whisk mix both mixtures till it thickens and is even in consistency. (*note make sure it doesn't burn at the bottom.) take it off the heat and pour in to a container to cool slightly before putting in to the fridge to chill completely. To make sure no skin forms on top of the custard place plastic wrap or a piece of paper sitting on the mixture when cooling. ( this custard mixture can be made the night before or before the Choux pastry is made)

when completely chilled pour the custard in to a bowl and whisk the custard so that it would be easier to pipe in to the puffs. Fit a Piping bag with a small nozzle and fill the piping bag with the custard mix, pipe the custard in to the puff from the bottom of the puff. then there you have it your first Cream puff!!!!

Other things you can make from cream puffs

Croquembouche( picture at the bottom)

I wanted to assemble all the cream puffs but I remembered that some people at the party are diabetics so I did only a small version just to show here on the blog how easy it is.

A close up

Profiteroles

*Note for coffee flavored custard is desired one shot of coffee per liter of milk should do the trick. coffee shot to be added only after the custard is chilled.

Oh my!! I am done with my first blog!!! well see you around soon!!