Originally uploaded by anniezh2002
This is a Shanghainese dish called 八宝辣酱拌面.
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Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
1:49 AM
RED VELVET CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
yield: 12 cupcakes
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 20 minutes
total time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
For the Cupcakes:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons red food coloring
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin/cupcake pan with liners.
2. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.
3. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth.
5. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of minutes until completely combined and smooth.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted into the center of the largest cupcake comes out clean.
7. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cupcakes from the pan and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
8. To make the frosting: Using the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl down as necessary. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and whip for a few minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.
*Note: This recipe can be doubled to make an 8 or 9-inch layer cake.
)www.helenmaffini.com
Csiga is the hungarian word for 'snail'. This pastry resembles the shape of snails and that's why its name. It is a very popular breakfast or snack, be it served for tea or your afternoon refreshment :)
Ingredients:-
20g fresh yeast
500g flour
50g soft butter
300 ml lukewarm milk
1 egg yolk
4 tsp sugar plus a pinch
1 pinch of salt
4 tsp unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate filling:
4 tsp cocoa powder
8 tsp powdered sugar
Steps:
1. In small bowl, dissolve yeast in slightly warm milk with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Let stand 5-8 minutes.
2. Combine the flour, sugar and salt.
3. Mix yeast mixture, oil (from 4 teaspoons of unsalted butter, melted) and egg yolks together lightly.
4. Knead it until smooth.
5. Cover with a cloth and let the dough rise. This takes about 40minutes.
6. When it has risen to double its original size, put it on a tabletop and roll it out.
7. Spread some butter on the dough and sprinkle with sugar and instant cocoa powder.
8. Roll the dough with the filling inside so that you get a long roll.
9. Cut in to slices. And put the slices on to a well-greased baking tin, leave it to rise again for about 15 minutes.
10. Bake the snails in preheated 200 degree C oven for about 15-20 minutes until snails get a nice golden brown colour.
Here's a site that is ALL about the different forms of the csiga that is so loved by the Hungarians, it is called 'We love Kakaos Csiga' :)
www.emotional-intelligence-education.com
Originally uploaded by zannnielim
Yusheng, 鱼生 yúshēng or lo hei 捞起 is a Teochew-style raw fish salad. It consists of strips of raw fish (eg salmon), mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish (鱼)" is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance (余)", Yúshēng (鱼生) is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng (余升) meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor.
The contemporary version is created and popularised in Singapore in the 1960s amongst the ethnic Chinese community and its consumption has been associated with Chinese New Year festivities in Singapore.
Originally uploaded by zannnielim
This is my version of the pineapple tarts for Chinese New Year. I have cravings for pineapple tarts for long and I asked my friend Sharon Tay for the tart pastry recipe. Some patience is definitely the essence for the success of the tart pastry. I like it very much.and here are the ingredients:
1 small pineapple, cut it into smaller pieces and minced it in a mixer. Heat it up until all the juices are evaporated, keep stirring and add about 3 tablespoons of sugar. Continue heating until texture of pineapple becomes like a jam and deeper amber in colour.
150g butter, 220g flour, 30g cornflour, 1egg yolk, 2. Tbsp milk powder (I did not have this so it was opted out), 2 tbsp icing sugar.
Mix flour, corn flour & icing sugar. Cut butter into cubes & mix into flour mixture. Use rubbing - in method. When mixture looks like breadcrumbs, add in yolk to combine as a dough.
I chilled it in the refrigerator, then mold it into this piggy shape. Pineapple mixture is in the round mold, then add 'nose' and using a toothpick to add the nostrils and eyes. Extra pastry to form the ears.
Baked at about 180 degrees Celsius for about ten minutes and viola!
Thank you Sharon for sharing the pastry skin recipe :) miss the pineapple tarts you made still...
