Roast Figs with Honey, Cinnamon and Thyme

Figs in season right now. Before I came over here, honestly I don't know how fresh figs look like and taste like. All I know figs are dried, sweet with thousands of seeds that make the textures so unique, you either hate or love it.


Few years ago, I did try fresh figs but I'm not bowed over, I thought dried figs tasted better or perhaps I didn't choose the "Finest" fresh range. So this season, I thought I will give it a try by roasting them instead, so just to start with, I only bought 2 figs.....
So I found this simple recipes and thought would give it a go.....

Roast Figs with Honey, Cinnamon and Thyme
Ingredients

• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 1/2 tbsp butter
  
• 1 tbsp brandy
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 12 figs
• few sprigs of thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan assisted oven).
2. Pour the honey butter, brandy and cinnamon in small saucepan. On low heat, continue stirring until a liquid formed.
3. Using a sharp knife , make a cross cut from top to almost at the base.
4. Place them on roasting tin, add thyme and drizlle with the liquid from(2)
5. Roast for 15minutes and leave them in oven for additional 5inutes or so.
   
6. Serve with yoghurt, ice cream, cream or even on it's own with the tasty roasting juice.

It's a nice and simple desserts..... healthy as well.

Apple Pie

I saw my colleague brought in a bagful of cooking apple - to be precise it's Bramley apple. Apparently it's from her garden. She told me to bring back some and make lovely apple tart. Oh, I told her honestly I have never cook with apple before let alone Bramley apple. Alright I told her, I'll give a try, so I picked out 4 large apples, thanked her with a smile.

Apple Pie
Ingredients

For the short crust pastry
225 gm plain flour
120 gm unsalted butter
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp of cold water

For the filling
3 large Bramley apples
75-100g soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon of mixed spice/cinnamon/nutmeg
1tbsp plain white flour
25g butter

1. Preheat the oven to 190C, 15minutes before baking the pie.
   
2. Peel and core the apple and cut into thick slices, set aside. Mixed in sugar, cinnamon powder and flour.
   
3. Make the short crust pastry using rub in method. Divide the dough into 2 portions. Roll 1 portion to form 8 inches diameter circle of 2-3 mm thick. Then lay the circular dough onto 7 inches pie tin. Prick the pastry with fork on the bottom. This will allow the pastry to breath while it's baking.
4. Roll out the other dough to 8 inches diameter of 2-3mm thick as well. Then place the apple into the pie tin. Cut the 25gm butter and dotted them over the apple.
5. Cover the pie with the dough. Firm the edges by pressing with your thumb and index finger. Remove excess trimming. You can use the trimmings to decorate the top of the pie. As for me I use Christmas cookie cutter to form the pine tree decoration.
6. Bake for 15minutes, then quickly brush with egg wash on the surface and continue to bake for additional 15minutes till the pastry turn golden brown.
7. Remove from oven and let it cool.

I always find the pie tasted better the next day :-)
In my picture...even the wasp is attracted to the lovely pie.

Lemon tart

Today it felt like summer, one could easily fire up a BBQ. It's a wonderful feeling when sun is up, weather is warm, spring flowers in bloom, birds chirping away making their own melody and bumblebees buzzing happily searching for nectar. All this happening in April, the extreme cold we had back in December and January felt so distance and all could only hope for many basking in the sun summer days.

Today I make lemon tart, a nice dessert for a warm day. This recipes I learnt from watching Rachel Allen Bake over at UKTV Good Food Channel. I must say she is a talented cook and I like her down to earth attitude. Am also liking her lemon tart recipes.

Lemon Tart
Ingredients (adapted from UKTV Good Food)

For the sweet shortcrust pastry

• 200g plain flour, sifted
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 100g butter , chilled and cubed
• 1 egg, beaten

For the filling

• 3 eggs
• 1 lemon, grated zest
• 125g caster sugar (I use 100gm)
  
• 150ml double cream
• 3 lemons, juice only
• 1 orange, juice only
• icing sugar, for dusting

1. For the pastry: Put the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and process briefly.

2. Add half the beaten egg and continue to process. (You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together.) If making the pastry by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together.

3. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 2cm thick, then wrap it in cling film or place it in a plastic bag and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10–15 minutes, before using.

4. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

5. Line a 23cm tart tin with the shortcrust pastry and cover the base with baking parchment. Fill the tin with baking beans and bake blind for 10-15 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment for the last five minutes of baking for a golden crust.

5. For the filling: Place the eggs, lemon zest and sugar in a bowl and whisk for a couple of minutes until the egg is all broken up.

6. Add the cream, orange and lemon juice. Mix well, skimming off any froth from the top of the mixture. Carefully pour the filling into the cooked pastry case.

7. Reduce the oven temperature to 160C/gas 3 and bake the tart for 30-35 minutes or until the filling has just set in the centre – it should only wobble very slightly when you take it out of the oven.

8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before removing the tart from the tin and transferring to a plate or cake stand. When it is cool, dredge a little icing sugar over the top and cut into slices to serve.

Cook's tip: Rachel suggests rolling out the pastry between two sheets of clingfilm to help keep it together, then removing the top layer of film and flipping it into the tin. She also keeps the top layer of clingfilm in whilst the pastry shell is baking blind.

Enjoy the tart.

I also did make some photo shoots from garden this afternoon..... to my readers, enjoy the bloom

Melon sago

This is a refreshing dessert that one can easily associated with good dim sum restaurant. I remembered back then, one of my favorite Chinese restaurant is non other than Crystal Jade.
Having bought, buy one get one free canteloupe melon from Tesco, I thought why not prepare this easy desserts for lovely spring day...ideally this desserts is superb for summer.

Melon Sago
Ingredients (good for 4 persons)

• 1 canteloupe melon/ honeydew melon
• 120 gm sago soaked
• 1/2 cup coconut milk + 1 cup of water
  
• pinch of salt
  
• sugar syrup to taste (this depend on how sweet your melon is)

1. Half the melon and scoop out the seeds.
   
2. Use a melon scoop to scoop out the flesh and form into melon balls from half a melon.
   
3. The other half, remove flesh and liquidize in a food processor. Chilled.
4. In a pot pour in some water to boil. When it is boiling, pour in the sago and let it cook. Continue to stir until all the sago white beads turned transparent(this will take approximately 15-20mins) . Drained under running tap water.
   
5. Add melon ball, sago, coconut milk, salt, sugar syrup into the melon puree and mixed. For those healthy option you can opt out coconut milk, can be replaced with millk, still taste as good.
   
6. Served chill.

I also make sago ball coated with desicated coconut to go with my melon desserts since I have leftover sago, nostalgic, as my mom used to make this sago ball for us to bring to our primary school party.

Glutinous Rice Ball in Sweet Peanut Soup

This dessert is meant for the 15thday(the end of CNY), or better known as Yuan Xiao . It is delightful, after having this desserts, one(especially children) can add a year onto their age after the 15th day of CNY :-).

Peanut filled glutinous rice ball in sweet peanut soup
Ingredients



For glutinous rice ball

• 150 g glutinous rice flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 130 ml water
  

Filling:

• 100 g roasted peanuts
• 75 g sugar
• 25 g sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp warm water

Peanut soup

• 150gm peanut soaked overnite in water to soften
• 1 pandan leaf
  
• 3 - 4 tbsp caster sugar (to taste)
• 750ml water
• one slow cooker
  

1. Prepare the peanut soup by slowly simmering in slow cooker for at least 6-7hrs until the peanut melts in the mouth. Once you have reach this consistency, add in the sugar and stir. Ready.
2. Mixed all the ingredients for filling and use a food processor and blend into a rough paste. Then knead it and divide it and roll into small ball. Leave aside.
   
3. Add water sowly to glutinous rice flour and salt. Knead with hand, until a dough like consistency is achieve.
   
4. Roll the dough lengthwise of 2cm in diameter. Divide the dough into small pieces. Take one pieces and press with finger on the plam to form a flat circular pieces. Take one filling and put it in the middle of the dough, then seal up and roll the ball. Repeat until you finish the dough/filling.
   
5. In a pot boil some water, when it is boiling, throw in the glutinous rice ball and let it cook, once it's cooked, the ball will float on the surface.
6. Scoop up and place in bowl and fill up with the sweet peanut soup.

Enjoy the warming dessert :-), I'm one year older now .

What's for desserts tonight?

What about matcha ( green tea ) ice-cream I prepared over the weekend? Many Japanese restaurants do serve this little gem, not too sweet but with the lightness of green tea after taste. My first attempt in making ice-cream, you be the judge.

Matcha Ice-cream
Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons green tea powder (matcha)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup thick double cream

1. In a small bow, mix the green tea powder with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.
2. n a separate bowl, mix together the egg yolks and remaining sugar and whisk.
   
3. Pour the milk into a small pan and gently heat taking care not to let it boil. Remove them from the heat and mix a few spoonfuls of the warm milk with the green tea powder and sugar in a small bowl. When you have a smooth paste, add it to the remaining milk in the pan, then gradually combine with the egg yolk mixture
4. Return mixture to the stove and heat slowly over low heat (taking care to not let the mixture boil), until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine sieve, and allow to cool completely.
5. Lightly whip the cream and then add it to the cold green tea-milk mixture.
6. Transfer the mixture to a large container and [chill for an hour or two in the refrigerator] and then put it in the freezer. As ice crystals start to form, remove, and mix well with a spoon (use a wooden spoon and stir very vigorously) to break them up and return the mixture to the freezer. Repeat this a few times as it freezes to ensure that the ice cream is smooth.
   
7. Alternatively can use ice-cream maker :-)

Ice cream for cold winter nites ;-)

Doraemon's Dorayaki

I used to watch this Japanese cartoon on TV, always find it amusing what Doraemon can do with his magical pouch. I also learnt that one of his favorite food is Dorayaki . I decided to make Ann Dorayaki as dessert since she made me pancakes with nutella spread for breakfast.

Dorayaki with homemade green tea ice-cream

Dorayaki
Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 60gm caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 Tbsp water
• 100gm flour, sifted
• 1 can of adzuki bean ( red bean ) drained+ 3 tbsp sugar and steamed then mashed
  
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
• some oil for greasing the pan
  

1. Put eggs and sugar in a bowl and whisk until fluffy.
   
2. Dissolve baking soda in water. Add the water in the egg mixture. Add honey, vanilla essence, cooking oil as well.
   
3. Add sifted flour in the egg mixture gradually.
   
4. Heat a non stick pan and lightly oil it. Pour a scoop of the batter into the skillet and make a small pancake. (*about 4 inches in diameter).
   
5. Turn over when bubbles appear on the surface. Repeat this process to make 8-10 pancakes. Cool the pancakes. Make pairs of pancakes and put a scoop of mashed adzuki bean.
6. Can serve this dorayaki with a dollop of green tea ice-cream .
   

What says Ann? She has turned into Doraemon after having 3 pairs of the pancakes at one go. Hmnnn ...

Attached is a photo of Ann's pancake.....lovely isn't it?

Calling chocoholics

For once I can identified with my chocoholics cousin, back then I could hardly understood why she could indulged in a chunky bar of chocolate at one go. She likes everything chocolates. I would easily called her a chocoholics.
Having some 70% cocoa bars at hand, I thought of making one of my favorite French chocolate desserts, none other than Chocolat Fondant. I had this with a French colleague back in one of top notch French restaurant in Singapore. I have no idea what fondant was all about back then. I did order one out of my friend's recommendation, voila I'm melting under the oozing hot chocolat once I digged in. Oo la la.....

I never did discover that chocolat fondant is quite easy to prepare. Having said that I followed one of Gordon Ramsay recipes and it did turn out quite well.....


Chocolat Fondant

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 50g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
• 2 tsp cocoa powder, to dust
• 50g good quality bitter chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), in pieces
• 1 free range egg
• 1 free range egg yolk
• 60g caster sugar ( I reduced this to 40g as I don't want it too sweet)
  
• 50g plain flour
• Icing sugar to dust (optional)
  
• Vanilla ice cream to serve

1. Preheat oven to 160˚C.

2. Butter two large ramekins, about 7.5cm in diameter, then dust liberally with cocoa, shaking out any excess.

3. Slowly melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water, then take off the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

4. Using an electric whisk, whisk the whole egg, egg yolk and sugar together until pale and thick, then incorporate the chocolate mixture. Sift the flour over the mixture and gently fold in, using a large metal spoon. Divide between the ramekins and bake for 12 minutes.

5. Turn the chocolate fondants out on to warmed plates. Serve with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

Nice desserts but quite heavy :-)

Enjoy the indulgence.

Sinfully Bliss the French way

I was just flipping my TV remote control on a lazy Saturday morning having just returned from Holland the nite before. Saturday Kitchen, a cooking programme was on at BBC. One of the invited chef was famous patissier, Michel Roux. The thought of French desserts were simply sinfully bliss. I had the chance to be based in France for 3 mois before. All those nice pastries, tartlets, cream eclairs and so forth. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear ..........
So I continued watching him making the pastry, especially the puff like pastry(this is quite a skill actually). And he used simple ingredients to churn out something so beautiful and tempting. The recipes called for apple and passion fruit. However, I have hard time searching for passion fruit in supermarket, therefore I settled for apple and kiwi fruit instead. So I thought, I'm gonna make them for apron's delight Sunday Kitchen ala Francais. Apology as I didn't quite make a lot of photography,as they tasted so good once out from the oven.

Apple and passion fruit tartlets

Ingredients [good for 6, 5 inches tartlets)

For the rough puff pastry
250g/9oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
250g/9oz very cold butter, cut into small cubes
½ tsp salt
125ml/4½fl oz ice cold water
For the crème pâtissière
3 free-range egg yolks
120g/5oz caster sugar
20g/¾oz plain flour
250ml/9fl oz milk
½ vanilla pod, split lengthways
1 tbsp icing sugar
3 medium Cox apples, peeled and thinly sliced
3 passionfruit, pulp and seeds scraped out, to serve

Method

1. For the rough puff pastry, place the flour in a mound onto a clean work surface and make a deep well in the centre using your fingers.
2. Place the butter cubes and salt into the well and, using the fingertips of one hand, work the ingredients together, gradually drawing more flour into the well with the other hand and working that in until the mixture is loosely but well combined and still with lumps of butter visible.
3. Gradually add the iced water and mix until fully incorporated in the mixture. (You may not need all of the water. Take care not to overwork the mixture.)
4. Roll the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film and chill it for 20 minutes.
5. When the dough has chilled, roll it out onto a lightly floured work surface into a 40cm x 20cm/16in x 8in rectangle. Fold the rectangle into three and give it a quarter turn.
6. Repeat the process, giving the folded pastry another quarter turn.
7. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for a further 30 minutes.
8. When the dough has chilled, roll it out, as before, onto a lightly floured work surface into a 40cm x 20cm/16in x 8in rectangle. Fold the rectangle into three and give it a quarter turn.
9. Repeat the process, as before, giving the folded pastry another quarter turn (making a total of four turns).
10. Wrap the pastry in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
11. For the crème pâtissière, in a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 20g/¾oz of the caster sugar together to a ribbon consistency.
12. Gradually whisk in the flour until smooth and well combined.
13. In a saucepan, bring the milk, 40g/1½oz of the sugar and the vanilla pod to the boil. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, gradually pour the hot milk mixture onto the egg yolk mixture, stirring continuously.
14. Return the mixture to the pan and bring to the boil again, whisking continuously. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl.
15. Dust the crème pâtissière with a layer of icing sugar to prevent a skin from forming as it cools. (Once cool, the mixture can be kept in the fridge for up to three days. Remove the vanilla pod before using.)
16. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
17. Roll the rough puff pastry out onto a lightly floured surface to a 2mm/eighth of an inch thickness. Cut out six discs using a 12cm/5in pastry cutter.
18. Brush a baking sheet with a little cold water and transfer each of the pastry discs onto it using a palette knife. Chill the pastry in the fridge for 20 minutes. Prick the pastry discs several times with a fork.
19. Spread equal amounts of the crème pâtissière mixture evenly onto each of the pastry discs, leaving a narrow margin free at the edge of each pastry disc.
20. Arrange the apple slices in a fan on top of the crème pâtissière mixture, starting in the centre of each disc and working outwards to the edges.
21. Transfer the tartlets to the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the pastry has risen and is pale golden-brown. Sprinkle generously with the remaining 60g/2½oz of caster sugar, then return to the oven and cook for a further 4-5 minutes, or until the sugar has caramelised.
22. Remove the tartlets from the oven and immediately transfer them to a wire rack, using a palette knife. Set aside to cool.
23. To serve, place one of the cooled tartlets onto each of six serving plates and spoon over equal quantities of the passionfruit pulp.

Sinfully Bliss The French Way....... ooh...la..la

For those who are not keen on making the puff pastry, can always get the ready made puff pastry from the supermarket, in UK supermarket you'll find Just Roll 350gm ready rolled puff pastry.

Recipes courtesy of BBC.