Tri-color German Cookies

The striking colors of this cookies and the aroma of the Cranberry German Cookies before this, is what gets me to bake this Tri-color German Cookies.  Since I have Matcha Powder in my pantry, it's no harm trying it out.

Ingredients:
125g unsalted butter (room temperature)
50g icing sugar
125g potato starch (sifted)
90g plain flour (sifted)
10g milk powder (sifted)
1.5g matcha powder (sifted)
2g cocoa powder (sifted)
1 tbsp. milk powder (sifted)

Methods:

1. In a mixer bowl add unsalted butter and icing sugar.  Beat using medium speed until light and fluffy.  In between beating scrap the sides down with a rubber spatula.
2. Add in potato starch, plain flour and milk powder.  Mix using a rubber spatula until well combined.  
3. Divide the dough into three parts and put them in separate bowls.
4. Add sifted matcha powder into one part and mix using a rubber spatula until well combine and set aside.
5. In another part add in sifted cocoa powder and mix until well combine and set aside.
6. Add 1 tbsp. sifted milk powder into the last part of the dough, mix well and set aside.
7. Cover the bowls with cling wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
8. To make the tri-color balls: pinch a bit of dough from each color, roll it into small balls and place them next to each other on a plate.  Pick up the 3 balls with the right fingers,  place them on the right palm and softly roll using both palms to make a tri-color balls.  Place them on a lined prepared baking sheet and use the back of a fork to press on the balls.  Repeat until all is done.
9. Bake in a preheated oven of 160 degree Celsius for 15 minutes.
10. Cool on a wire rack and store in airtight cookie jars. 

This recipe is adapted from 'Little Duck's Kitchen' with slight amendment to suit my taste bud.

Cranberries German Cookies

I baked this yummylicious Cranberries German Cookies to savor as we welcome The  Year of The Rat.  

Ingredients:
125g unsalted butter (room temperature)
50g icing sugar
125g potato starch (sifted)
90g plain flour (sifted)
25g dried cranberry

Methods:

1. Chop dried cranberry into smaller pieces and set aside for later use.
2. In the bowl of a mixer add butter and icing sugar.  Whisk until light and fluffy.  In between whisking scrap the side using a rubber spatula.
3. Add in the sifted potato starch and plain flour. Mix with a rubber spatula.  Add in the chopped dried cranberry and mix until well combined.
4. Wrap the bowl using cling wrap and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. After 20 minutes roll the dough into round balls (size depends on your preference), press using the back of a fork and place on a prepared lined baking sheet.  Repeat until all is done.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 160 degree Celsius for 20 minutes.
7. Cool on a wire rack and store in air tight cookie jar.

I adapted this recipe from 'Little Duck's Kitchen.'

These cookies are so yummy and I can't help baking the next recipe from this same source.  If you are interested, do go to my next post ☺

Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake

I am sharing my first bake for Year 2020 with everyone who loves baking.  If you are still thinking of what to serve for your morning or afternoon tea, well, think no more as this is one yummylicious cake to bake and enjoy with either a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Ingredients:
2 cups plain flour (sifted)
1/2 tsp baking soda (sifted)
1 tsp baking powder (sifted)
1 cup unsalted butter (8 oz.) - room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp Orange Zest
1/2 cup Orange Juice
1 cup dried cranberries

Methods:

1. In the bowl of your mixer, add butter and sugar, and whisk until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, one at a time and whisk well after each addition.
3. Add orange zest, orange juice and mix until combined.
4. Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder and mix using a rubber spatula.  Mix in the cranberries until well combined.
5. Transfer the batter into the prepared lined pan.
6. Bake in a preheated oven of 180 degree Celsius for 55-60 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
7. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
8. Transfer the cake on a cooling rack to cool completely.
9. Cut the cake into slices and enjoy with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

This recipe is adapted from 'Whiskaffair.com' with amendments to suit my liking.

Note: This recipe comes with a glaze, but I leave it out as I prefer it less sweet.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Apart from being quick and easy, slow cookers make cooking healthy meal simple.  I even replace double-boiling of soups with slow cooker.  This American one pot chicken recipe is so tasty and I can't help cooking it again and again.  The picture is captured direct from the slow cooker.

Ingredients:
5 pieces chicken thighs and drumsticks (bone-in and skin on)
1 1/2 tbsp. Barbecue Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. Honey
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 tbsp. Ketchup
1 1/2 tbsp. Low Sodium Soy Sauce
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp. granulated sugar (to taste)
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Methods:

1. Blanch chicken thighs and drumsticks with boiling water. Dish and place the chicken, skin side up, in a single layer of your slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl add Barbecue Sauce, Honey, minced garlic, ketchup, low sodium soy sauce, water, granulated sugar, salt and pepper.  Stir with a spoon to mix and taste for correct seasoning. Add more sugar, salt and pepper according to your preferences.
3. Pour the mixture over the chicken pieces, making sure that it covers the chicken.
4. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
5. Dish onto a serving plate, and dinner is ready to be served.  I serve this chicken dish with freshly cooked warm rice.

I adapted this recipe from 'Plattertalk.com' with slight amendments to suit my family's taste bud.

Dragon Fruit Agar-Agar

Recently I tried a hand on this Dragon Fruit Agar-Agar recipe which I adapted from Marvellina of 'What To Cook Today'.  Her recipe makes use of white dragon fruit, but I can only get hold of the red one.  So, I end up using the red dragon fruit to make this agar-agar recipe.  The outcome is superb!  Indeed its a good thirst quencher and less sweet as compared to buying the ready made ones.

Still feel unsatisfied, the following week I manage to buy the white dragon fruit and without much thought I get hold of them and make another batch of the White Dragon Fruit Agar-Agar and this is the outcome...

Let me show you the comparison between the two, white and red dragon fruit...

For the recipe click here

Best Ever Banana Muffins

Ingredients:
3 large bananas
3/4 cup caster sugar (I minus 2 tbsp. as I prefer less sweet)
1 egg
1/3 cup oil (vegetable is best)
1 1/2 cup plain flour (sifted)
1 tsp. baking soda (sifted)
1 tsp. baking powder (sifted)
1/2 tsp. salt (sifted)

Methods:

1. In a large mixing bowl mash bananas with a fork until no large pieces remain.
2. Add sugar, egg and oil and mix with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated.
3. In another bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and mix them together with a spoon.
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and using a wooden spoon carefully mix the wet and dry ingredients together.  The danger here is over-mixing which will result in dense, flat and dry muffins.  The best technique for mixing is to scoop underneath the mixture and pull up gently instead of stirring around in a circle (for example, like you are stirring your coffee).  Continue mixing this way just until the dry ingredients have been incorporated.  It's fine if there are a few small streaks of flour in the batter.  It's the large pockets of flour you want to make sure are incorporated.
5. Spoon the batter into 12 lined muffin cups.  Try our best to ensure you fill the cups evenly to ensure all the muffins finished baking at the same time.
6. Bake muffins in a preheated oven of 170 degree Celsius for about 30 minutes (time depending on your oven) or until golden brown.
7. Let them cool in the muffin tins for about 5 minutes and then turn them out of tins to let them cool completely on a cooling rack.

This yummy banana muffin's recipe is adapted from Chrissie Baker of 'The Busy Baker.'

Easy Fried Udon

This easy fried udon recipe with a Chinese twist only requires few simple ingredients.  There is no hassle in preparing it, even on a week night. 

Here's what you need:

Ingredients:

2 packets udon noodles (I use precooked udon noodles)

200g. minced pork

1 carrot (shredded)

3 Chinese leeks (trimmed, washed and sliced diagonally)

2 tsp. ginger (minced)

1 1/2 tbsp. cooking oil (for cooking the udon noodles)

Sauce:

2 tbsp. Shaoxing wine (or Japanese Sake)

2 tbsp. light soy sauce (to taste and add more if necessary)

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. water

Garnish:

1/2 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

4 eggs (fried for topping)

Sliced dried nori sheets (Optional, I did not use)

Methods:

1. In a bowl take out the udon noddles from the package and loosen them out.
2. Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Heat a wok with cooking oil until hot.  Add minced pork, cook and break it apart using your spatula.  Cook until the meat is lightly browned.
4. Add the carrot and Chinese leeks.  Stir fry for 1 minute, scrap the ingredients to the side of the wok, add in the minced ginger and stir until fragrant and mix all the ingredients together.
5. Add in the noodles and pour in the sauce.  Stir and mix until the sauce is absorbed. Off the heat and transfer the cooked noodles into individual plates.
6. Top with cooked egg and garnish with sesame seeds and nori sheets (if used).

Notes:

• For the fried eggs, they are cooked base on individual desired doneness.  As you can see that some are cooked with egg yolk still runny, while one is well cooked.
• Another ingredient which I did not use is cabbage, as my grandson do not like cabbage.

This recipe is adapted from Maggie Zhu of Omnivore's Cookbook with some amendments.