Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

I'm gonna WoW myself. It's 2 back to back post in a day! 

Being a mother of 2 can be challenging when my terrible 2 year old girl  is so interested in what I'm baking and my 5 month old requires my attention all the time he's awake. Just sitting next to him is good. Hmph! And so being like this now, it does not give me enough time to make complicated, fussy and fancy recipes, unless both of them can sleep for a 3 hour nap time in the day TOGETHER! - rather impossible.

But being me, I still needed to bake as Eid Adha is coming. It is a must to celebrate and in order to do that we need sweet home made treats.

So if any of you mothers out there are like me, here is a good go-to recipe. Easy, simple and fast. With a longer baking time, in between rest are possible with  your kids are possible.

I'm sorry if I did not take much photos as you now know, I was either busy tending to the kids or I was rushing to finish these cookies.

But after all that, once the cookies are ready, sit back and enjoy these light and airy cookies with the kids. It will make all that rush worth it! Kids love these cookies for it's light and chocolaty sweet. Great for my Eid Adha gatherings.

Chocolate Chips Meringue Cookies

Recipe adapted from RasaMalaysia (makes about 80 cookies depending on size)

Ingredients:

3 egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
¾ cup sugar
½ cup chocolate chip ( I divided my batter into 3 bowls and add 3 tbsp of chocolate chips each bowl )

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 150 degree C. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. This is important as you do not want these meringues to stick on the sheet.

In a large clean bowl, add the egg whites along with cream of tartar and vanilla essence. Using your hand mixer, beat the eggs on high speed until they are fluffed and form soft peaks.

Now add the sugar and beat it again on high speed until the meringue is glossy and has stiff peaks. Like this!

At this stage, I divided the batter into 3 bowls so that I could color the batter without damaging the chocolate chips. Color your meringue batter. I used Lemon yellow, sky blue and rose pink to obtain the pastel colors. Just a tinge of them. You can gently fold all evenly or you can create a marble effect.

Then using a spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips in the meringue. Do this gently; you don’t want to deflate the meringue.

With the help a piping bag which makes it so much easier and mess free, place the meringue batter in the bag, cut about 2 cm off the tip. I did not use any moulded tip as the chocolate chip will get stuck in it. Pipe out the meringue in circular form leaving a pointed tip in the center on your prepared baking sheet.  (If you do not have a piping bag, just take 2 tea spoon and spoon out on the baking sheet. It does create a nice rustic look)

Let the cookies bake for 35-45 minutes or until the cookies have a crisp outside and release from the parchment paper easily. Once done remove them from the oven and cool them on wire rack. I did 3 batches of baking. 

These cookies can be stored covered at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Adults loves it, kids loves it, try it! Sweet Yummylicious!

Salam Aidil Adha,

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SriKaya & Steamed Pandan Bread Pudding

Since I moved in to my own place, I have not get myself a new oven as my kitchen is not fully done yet. 

Have been begging hubby for a new oven and a KitchenAid but it does seems like I'm not getting 1 any sooner as we've spent most of the our cash on the entire house already. I need to redo my open kitchen to fit in the oven and make it into a baker friendly space. I need a year, probably. Can you believe it, A YEAR?? I still have to go to my mum in law place to bake. It's a hassle. My passion was put to test.

So I moved myself to concentrate more on steaming methods. Since I always wanted to master the art or traditional Malay dessert, this was the time.

Every month of Ramadhan, my mum in law will make this steamed dessert. It was a dessert I would not missed. I would create a space for it even when I'm full or I would even start with dessert first. I was a no.1 fan of that.

I watched her make it. The ingredients was simple and the steps was idiot-proof. But my challenge was, she never go with measurements. She goes with estimation of all indgredients. All!!!

So i braced myself and follow each and every step, writing down every single details. And when it was done, it tasted the same. I got her estimation right. Yay! So here is my share of the recipe. You might be just on time to prepare this for Eid Ad'ha.

There is 1 recipe for 2 types of items. You would need 2 x 6 inch pan.or a heatproof bowl

Sri Kaya Recipe

500ml of coconut milk. ( m.i.l advised to used the packet and not the box ones )
10 pandan ( screwpine ) leaves - to blend
1/2 cup of water
6 eggs
1 cup of white sugar
1/2 tsp Pandan paste ( optional ) - I recommend to add for nicer color
2 pandan leaves - to tie knot a place in the steamer for fragrance.

Directions

1. Put your steamer to boil. I have a 2 tier steamer and for this, I'm using both tiers.
2. Blend 10 pandan leaves with 1/2 cup of water. Sieve and take the juice.
3. Mix all coconut milk, add in the pandan juice.6 eggs and sugar. Mix well.
4. Add in the pandan paste for an absolute pandan flavor.
5. Pour 2/3 of the mixture to the 6 inch round pan ( 2 inch high ) or till 3/4 full - You can use any heat proof glass bowl if you do not have any of the cake pans.Remember that you need to leave some mixture for the bread pudding.
6. Steam this for 30 - 40 mins and you will get something like this.I steamed both Custard and Bread pudding together.

Steamed Pandan Bread Pudding

150 grams 1-2 days old bread. I used french loaf leftovers. Spread some butter if you love like i did.
1/3 cup of water
1/3 mixture of the Sri Kaya mixture

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the 1/3 SriKaya mixture with 1/3 cup of water.
Pour in the cut/ pulled bread. Let the bread soak for about 3-5mins.
Pour the bread mixture into the prepared pan.
Steam for 30 - 40 minutes.
And you will get this. Do not worry when you open up the steamer and see your bread as if it wants to burst, it's normal. It will go back to its shape once it's out from the steamer.

Easy peasy isn't it?

And once all is done, I love eating them warm while hubby love it cold. You may keep leftover for the next 2 -  3 days in a tight container.

Take spoonfuls of both and enjoy them together and you'll be in Pandan heaven. One of my most comforting dessert.

Well I hope that there is enough time for you to make this Eid Ad'ha. 

Salam Eidul Adha everyone.

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Tiramisu ( Pick Me Up! )

Tiramisu ([tiɾamiˈsu], Italian spelling: tiramisù; meaning "pick me up" or "lift me up") is an Italian dessert. It is made of ladyfingers  (Italian: Savoiardi) dipped in coffee, layered with a whipped mixture of egg yolks and mascarpone cheese, and flavoured with cocoa.

I love any coffee dessert and this is certainly one of them. Coffee in dessert is like my most wanted drugs. lol! Desserts with coffee is SO sexy! What more with chocolate in it.

If you were to look for recipes, there are like a thousand and one of them. I did tried a few and since alcohol content is not an option, I went for the origin.

I found the recipe from Chubby Hubby. And without fail of more than 10 times making these, what more deed can I do him than credit and share the recipe.

Tiramisu ( Pick Me up! )
This recipe is initially from The Silver Spoon but Chubby Hubby had done a good deal removing marsala wine.

2 egg whites
4 egg yolks
1.25 cups confectioner’s sugar ( I moved it down to 1 cup of powdered sugar instead )
1.75 cups mascarpone cheese ( I used 1 ½ cup of mascarpone just to make it slightly creamy and not stiff )
7 ounces ladyfingers ( 2 packets which I bought from Phoon Huat )
3/4 cup freshly brewed strong coffee, cooled ( I used Nescafe classic, 5 teaspoon + 1 cup of hot water, add more if needed )
7 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated ( I made with and without, but sprinkled a little bit more of the cocoa powder, so this is really up to you )
good quality unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Stiffly whisk the egg whites in a grease-free bowl. You can easily use an electric hand mixer. Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in another bowl until pale and fluffy. Gently beat in the mascarpone till well incorporated. Then fold in the egg whites.

Make a layer of ladyfingers on the base of a deep, rectangular serving dish or any pretty container you have. You may cut up the fingers if your containers are small.

Then dip in half of the fingers ( lengthwise ) evenly with the coffee. Cover with a layer of the mascarpone cream and sprinkle with a little of the grated chocolate/ lots of good cocoa powder.

Continue making layers until all the ingredients are used, ending with a layer of the mascarpone cream. Dust with cocoa and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

The super easy assembling dessert. Easy Peasy!

Try it! Your partner would adore you.

Lotsa love,

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Kuih Tako ( Water Chestnut dessert )

I taught being 6 months pregnant would stop me from baking. I was right initially at the early stage but then the itch came back and I was back in the kitchen baking for the Christmas Holidays and Chinese New Year.

Then I was craving for that 1 dessert which does not require any baking or steaming. Just cooking and folding.

That was Kuih Tako.Kuih Tako is a coconut dessert , made with green been flour or what we called here (Hoon Kwee flour) and water chestnuts. Another alternative for water chestnuts can be pears or turnips or even freshly cut corns, cut in small dices; whichever you prefer. I will always like the original one, the water chestnuts.

But firstly you can spend your time the night before to form the casings for this dessert. It's made of fresh pandan leaves. Always find the fatter ones so that it's easier and more sturdy to fold. It might take 1 hr for you to make these but ince you get the hang of it.. just minutes.. :)

For the casing tutorial in English, you may refer to this link Pandan Casing Tutorial or in malay Kotak Daun Pandan . These ladies have done such a great job in their tutorials.For my own preference though, I would use a toothpick instead of a stapler, just as to avoid accidents in eating them. 

And here is the recipe for many had requested for. Tested and tried!

KUIH TAKO ( TAKO dessert )
(Makes 12-15 pieces depending on the leaves sizes)

Bottom layer
30 gm Hoen Kwee Flour ( Green Bean Flour - white )  
1 1/2 cups Pandan water ( since we are cutting the edges of the pandan leaves when we are folding them, keep those unwanted ends, gather them and blend them with water. Sieve them and take the juice. You will get an aromatic green pandan water )
1/2 cup Sugar
3  Water Chestnuts - ( diced into small little squares )

Top Layer 
25 gm Hoen Kwee Flour ( Green Bean Flour - white ) 
2 cups  Coconut milk ( Mix 1/2 cup of boxed coconut cream {Kara brand or whichever you prefer} +    1 1/2 of water )
Pinch of salt

Place all your folded cases onto a tray
Divide the diced water chestnuts into each case equally. 

Step 1:
Mix all Bottom Layer ingredients into a saucepan and cook on medium heat. Continue to keep stirring till the mixture starts to performs popping bubbles and it will thicken.Then off the fire and place about a tablespoon of mixture in each case. Divide equally all the leftovers into each case. Let it cool.

After about 1/2 hour, you can start step 2.

Step 2:
Mix all Top Layer ingredients and repeat the same as Step 1.

Just ensure that the bottom layer has set before pouring the top layer ( coconut mixture )

Start scooping the top layer mixture to the side and it should spread through evenly. Let it cool down and then place it in your refrigerator.

It's best eaten cold! 

Happy Trying!

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Mini Strawberry Cheese Tarts

Anyone who love cheesecakes, would love this cheese tarts. I got this recipe from Masam Manis food blog. She's the most intricate home baker and loving mother I've ever seen. She is my inspiration in the kitchen.

Cheese Tarts was getting popular in FaceBook. I saw so many people selling them. When I was visiting relatives and friends places, during the last Hari Raya celebration, these was quite a hit.

I'm not the type of person who adores cheesecakes as I find them a little too heavy for me. I would have half a slice or even lesser and surrender it to my hubby.

But these Cheese Tarts are small, bite-size, not sweet and the filling you choose are endless. I love that the crust are crunchy even after I refrigerate them. The only additional tools you need to have are the mini tart molds. And here in Singapore, these are easily found at any bakery supplies shop selling at 50s or 100s.

I had so much fun baking these. My little girl have slighty grown and she loves "helping" me clearing the dough.

There she is! Ready for bed but too busy helping Mummy.

Honestly, now I usually bake at night after my baby's gone to bed. But some things just needed an early start so I could wrap up early too. But above all, I enjoyed her company the most. She made me feel like, I've taught her something.

So here is the recipe , I promised to share. But if you need a more detailed step by step photos, please refer to the to this link. (It's in Malay language though)

Strawberry Cheese Tart

from Masam Manis

Tart Shells

170gm margarine or butter ( I always use butter )
50gm icing sugar
1 egg Grade C
290gm plain flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Tart molds - about 50 depending on the size you have.

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Beat butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or spatula. Do not beat them for too long, just until all incorporated..
Add egg and vanilla essence. Beat with a wooden spoon.
Stir in the flour bit by bit. Once it's all lumped up.
Knead to form a soft dough.

The quantity of your tart shells depends on the softness of the dough.
To get a good dough put the dough in a plastic bag and store in the fridge overnight otherwise, refrigerate it for about at least half hour.

Once chilling is done, take some dough and press into the tart mold.

Prick them with a fork before baking them.

Bake at 170C temperature for about 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked and slightly golden.

For the shells, you are able to prepare them upto 2 weeks ahead.You have to wait till the crust to really cool down and you may store it in an airtight container.

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Start preparing fillings that you love. Commonly blueberry, strawberry, chocolate, kiwi, orange or pineapple jam can be used for this tart.

Fill the fillings in a piping bag to facilitate the process and pipe it out in the shells. The more fillings you fill, the tastier your tarts gonna be. But if you prefer more cheese than fill in moderately.

Cream Cheese Fillings

250gm cream cheese
50gm caster sugar
1 egg Size B
½ teaspoon of vanilla essence / lemon essence

Remove cream cheese 20 ~ 30 minutes before use. DO NOT let the cream cheese reach room temperature.
Beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
Add egg and vanilla essence and beat till well blended.

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Enter the cheese fillings into the tart shell.  To simplify this step we use the same method as filling the jam. Pour the cheese filling in a  piping bag and squeeze them into the shell till all jam are covered and the tarts are full.

Then we can start decorating the top of the tarts. The process required some coloring but I just pipe put some leftover jam filling at the top to create the gel like marble design.

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Bake for 5 - 7 minutes at 170C. Touch the cream cheese with your sfingertips. If it does not sticks to your finger, means that your cream cheese are cooked. Otherwise, bake further for another minute.

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For this recipe, the dough mixture can give you about 40 - 50 shells. Still it depends on the size of your molds and the thickness of your shells. 
For the cream cheese mixture, it's able to filled up about 70 to 80 shells.
To stabilize you can make 2 batches of the crust and 1 batch of Cream cheese mixture or versi versa.

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Once all the Cheese tarts are cooled, stored in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator which could last up for 2 weeks or for my case till the container is empty.

Happy trying!!



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