Agar/Jelly Coconut Pudding

There are a lot of different agar at the store. I saw this one already premixed with coconut and looking at the picture I thought I'm getting a coconut water agar. Surprise, surprise...it's coconut milk jelly instead. 😭 This agar already have sugar added so all I did was add 2 liters water and cook until mixture dissolves about 10 minutes and mixture is boiled. Agar is usually crunchy but this is chewy instead.  Taste is good, sweet and chewy.😋

Blueberry Muffins

I bought 2 lbs blueberries thinking kids love them since they always eat all the berries on fruit tarts! They ate 1/4 cup and never ask for them again. So I made blueberry muffins and they came running for some!!!😋😋😋

Recipe by➡️ bearnakedfood. I lowered sugar to 120g which can reduce another 10g or 20g. I also added more blueberries about 265g. Topped with more blueberries and then with raw cane sugar. These muffins are soft and delicious.

Temperature wise might need a higher temperature like 200C for 7 minutes then lower to 180C for 13-15 minutes for more golden muffins.

Do not over mix batter. When mixing flour and milk only beat by counting to about 10. Add more flour and milk mix count 10. Repeat. It's okay if not perfectly mixed as you still need to add blueberries.

Fresh blueberries should coat with some flour suppose to prevent sinking to bottom. However, they'll end on bottom due to scooping.  That's why best to top with more blueberries before baking.

Bitter Melon in Eggs and Shrimps

Today I ask my husband if he want bitter melon for dinner. He said yes and want it with shrimps and eggs. I was like egg?... I never cook it before but it shouldn't be hard, right?... It turns out pretty good!😋

Ingredients
1 large bitter melon
15 large shrimps
3 xl eggs
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2-1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
Dash of salt
4 glove garlic
1 tbsp oil

1. Boil a pot of water to blanch sliced bitter melon so not too bitter. Just dip in boiling water for 1 minute and drain.

2. Heat wok and oil. Sauteed garlic until golden. Add in shrimps. Stir fry half cook only.

3. Add in bitter melon. Cook for few minutes.

4. Beat eggs, add in pinch of salt. Pour egg around bitter melon.  Let egg cook half way through before stirring.

5. Add in oyster sauce, fish sauce, salt and sugar. If too dry then add in 1-2 tbsp water. Stir and dish.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Brother

Happy birthday to my brother! He is so old yet still want me to bake his favorite tiramisu cake!🤪

I baked a 5 eggs coffee sponge cake since I didn't want a very tall cake.  The cake is filled with coffee mascarpone and whipped cream. Since I didn't know how to decorate, I just placed some merginue cookies on top...lol🤣

Cake holds up pretty well since using non- dairy Rich's ready whip. Stabilize heavy whipping cream w/ gelatin.

Use a measuring cup or ice scoop to scoop filling for even layers

Batter divided into 3 or bake 1 large cake then divide use 8x3 in pan

Firm peak egg white for sponge cake

Using double boiler method to cook egg yolks for mascarpone filling.

















Coffee Sponge Cake

5 extra large yolks (egg w/ shell 63-65g)

85g Cake flour

40g canola oil

60g whole milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp coffee paste 

5 egg whites

70g sugar

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Instructions

1. Heat oil in microwave for 1 minute until hot. Add to flour and stir to mix. 

2. Heat milk for 30 seconds and stir into flour until smooth paste like.

3. Add in one yolk at a time and stir until smooth. Add in salt and coffee paste. Stir until smooth.

4. Whisk egg white until frothy. Add in cream of tarter. Continue to whisk until foamy. While whisking slowly add in sugar little at a time.

5. Whisk until firm peak where the tip of merginue bend over to the side.

6. Fold 1/3 meringue into yolk batter first. Fold in another 1/3 until all incorporated. Be gentle to not deflate merginue.

7. Pour into 3 lined 8 inch pans. Drop pan on counter to release trapped bubbles. Smooth the top batter as much as you can.

8. Bake at 355F (180c) preheated oven 2nd level for 18-20 minutes until top is golden. 

9. Cool 2-3 minutes then unmold on another parchment paper. Peel off bottom paper on cake and then flip back on cooling rack with parchment paper.

10. Wrap cakes with plastic food wrap once cooled to prevent drying out.

Mascarpone Filling

8 oz mascarpone cheese

3 xl large yolks

1/2 cup sugar 

1 tbsp instant coffee + 1/2 tbsp boiling water

2 tbsp kahlua coffee liqueur 

1 cup heavy whipping cream (I used Rich's ready whip topping which is already sweetened. Add 2-3 tbsp sugar for regular heavy cream)

1. Whisk yolks and sugar over a pot of boiling water (make sure water not touching bowl). Whisk until thick, pale and double in volume. Careful not to over cook the yolks. 

2. Cool for a few minutes (5 minutes) then add in mascarpone cheese.

3. Dissolve the instant coffee with boiling water. Add to mascarpone mixture.  Add in coffee liqueur and mix until combined.  Cover refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. 

4. Whip heavy cream with sugar until stiff. Fold into mascarpone mixture. (Do not need to use all)

Coffee Syrup

1 tbsp instant coffee

1/3 cup water

2-3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp kahlua coffee liqueur 

Boil water with sugar and add in instant coffee. Cool. Then brush onto cakes. Brush coffee liqueur after brushing coffee syrup. (Can use your favorite strong coffee)

Topping and Frosting 

1.5- 2 cup heavy whipping cream or (Ready Whip Topping)

Sugar to taste

Unsweetened cocoa powder for decoration 

Whip heavy cream with sugar until stiff peak.

Assemble 

1. Brush coffee syrup and liqueur onto cake. Fill with mascarpone filling. Place another layer on top and repeat.

2. Leftover filling can also place on top layer. Fill piping bag with some whipped cream and fill top layer and sides. Smooth and decorate cake.

3. Sift cocoa powder on top. Refrigerate cake for a few hours before cutting.

*Merginue cookies soften when cover in refrigerator.  So if use cookies, place on last minutes.

Merginue Cookies Sultane Nozzle 795

I have 6 egg white left in the refrigerator for over a week now. So I decided to make merginue cookies with my new sultane nozzle 795. First time using the nozzle so definitely need a lot of practice.  😆 I might buy the nozzle 796 too to see the difference between the two. These look like seashells! I love the color too.😍

Place tray on 2nd and 4th level

Divide into 5 color, line on plastic wrap and fold two end together to place into big bag. Or divide into smaller bags

Merginue at stiff peak. Smooth and no gritty feel from sugar












Ingredients

168 g egg white (used cold)
225 g granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 tsp clear vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven 200F.
2. Place sugar in food processor to blend to finer sugar.
3. In a grease free bowl, whisk egg white to frothy.  Add in cream tartar and salt. Continue to whisk until foamy and fine bubbles.
4. Add 1 tbsp sugar each time until all gone.
5. Whish until very stiff peak, shiny, and no gritty feel from sugar. Add in clear vanilla. Whisk for another minute making sugar merginue very stiff.
6. Divide into 5 and color. Place a plastic wrap on counter, and line your merginue on it. Then wrap the plastic together to place into piping bag. Pipe into silicone mats or parchment papers.
7. Place on 2nd and 4th level. Bake for 2 hours. After 2 hrs, do not open door. Keep merginue in oven with heat off for another 1-2 hours to finish drying.

My Hoyas Flowers

Other than baking, I also have interest in planting pretty flowers. A few years ago, I saw Hoyas flowers on the internet and thought they are so pretty. I searched everywhere and finally bought a few from Ebay to sastify my interest. I bought four different varieties from ebay: Royal Hawaiian Purple, Hindu Rope, Macgillivrayi, and Meliflua. I bought these since November 2015. The Royal Hawaiian Purple bloomed within a year and half but all the other are very slow growing. The Hindu Rope finally bloomed after 3 1/2 years! All hoyas like root bound in pot and water only once top soil is dry.

Royal Hawaiian Purple Hoya flowers is very fragrance

Same Royal Hawaiian Purple Hoya flowers change color as days passes. Also do not cut the dried flower spurs as it will bloom again from the same spots.

Hindu Rope Hoya

Planted were shipped in pots November 2015 from Ebay

Hoya Carnosa from Lowes

Hoya Tsangii or DS-70 from Walmart

Egg Tarts with Cookie Crust

My first time baking Hong Kong style egg tarts with cookie crust. The crust is easy to make, but it takes some time to shape it nicely into molds! Taste is delicious with silky custard and buttery crust. Family likes this type of egg tart but can only eat 1...since recipe only make 6. 😁 The sugar in the recipe is too sweet for us so I reduced to 60 gram.

Recipe used is from ➡️annieliciousfood

Cookie crust shells