Mooncakes - A Celebration of Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節), also known as the Moon Festival or Zhongqiu Festival is a popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people, dating back over 3,000 years to moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty. It was first called Zhongqiu Jie (literally "Mid-Autumn Festival") in the Zhou Dynasty.[1] In Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival.

It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese calendar. In the Gregorian calendar this translate to September or early October. This year Mid-Autumn Festival will fall on 12 September. This is the time when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. To celebrate the festival, mooncakes symbolizing the moon, is eaten and enjoyed by many Chinese around the world. Other than eating mooncakes, carrying brightly lit lanterns, lighting lanterns on tower or floating sky lanterns is also practised.



As a child, I remembered enjoying this period as we get to pester our parents to buy us paper lanterns. The lanterns would come in various shapes and myriad of colours representing animals such as rabbits, birds, butterflies and dragons. The lantern will have a wire to hold a lighted candle and we would parade with our lanterns around the neighbourhood after dinner. All the kids would congregate together playing and the adults would be sitting on the front porch munching on mooncakes and sipping tea. Such delightful times!





Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake with Yolk

Ingredients for the Mooncake Pastry:

200g Lyle's golden syrup
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/2 Tbsp alkaline ater
50g peanut oil
270g all purpose flour

Ingredients for Lotus Seed Paste:

300g lotus seed
1 Tbsp alkaline water
250g sugar
1 Tbsp maltose
200g oil
1 Tbsp potato starch
A few salted egg yolk (cooked in oven at 100C for 8 mins)

Method:

1) Lotus Seed Paste: Rinse lotus seeds and drain. Mix it with alkaline water. Pour adequate hote water over lotus seeds and cover it for 15 mins. Remove hot water and rub off the skin and rinse. Cook the seeds with enough water to cover the seeds until soft. Once soft, cool slightly and blend until smooth. Cook 30g sugar and 1 Tbsp oil in a pot until golden brown over low flame. Add blended lotus seeds, remaining sugar, maltose and oil and mix gradually until incorporated. Then add potato starch and mix well. Remove from heat to cool and leave outside overnight.

2) Mooncake Pastry: Mix golden syrup, baking soda and alkaline water with oil. Stir until well blended. Sift flour and add in 2 batches to the liquid. Mix well after each addition of flour. Set aside for half hour.

3) To Assemble: Weigh lotus paste into 140g each. Flatten into a round and place the egg yolk in the center. Wrap the lotus paste around the yolk and shape into a ball. Weigh mooncake dough into 40g each. Flatten into a round and place the lotus paste in the center. Shape into a ball. Dust the ball lightly with some flour to prevent it from sticking to the mold. Then press into the mooncake mold. Tape lightly to de-mold.

4) Arrange mooncakes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake in pre-heated oven of 180C for 15 mins. Remove from oven and brush all over with egg wash. Leave aside for 15 mins and then continue baking for another 8 - 10 mins until golden brown. Remove and set to cool.

5) Once cooled completed, place mooncakes in a container and leave for three days before consuming. The oil from the mooncake will slowly seep out resulting in a softer and shiny pastry.



Strawberry Mini Snowskin Mooncake
Snowskin Recipe Adapted from Man Fu Yuen, Inter-Continental Hotel
Makes 4 Minis

Snowskin Ingredients:

37.5g dry fried rice flour (or glutinous rice flour), sifted
75g sifted icing sugar
30g strawberry puree (puree has been sieved through a fine siever)
30g warm water
10g olive oil

Filing:
Red bean paste, store bought
4 whole strawberries, stem removed

Method:

1) Add the flour and icing sugar into a clean bowl. Stir to mix.

2) Combine the puree, water and oil in another bowl.

3) Pour the liquids into the flour and mix well in one direction only. Do this quickly otherwise the snowskin will not be smooth enough. Knead for 20 seconds and form into a ball. Roll into a sausage shape.

4) Divide the snowskin into four equal pieces and set aside.

5) Divide the red bean paste into 45g each. Flatten each ball and place a strawberry in the center. Wrap the red bean paste around the strawberry and shape into a tight ball.

6) Flatten the snowskin and then place the red bean ball in the center. Wrap the snowskin around the red bean ball and roll into a smooth ball.

7) Dust the snowskin with a bit of the rice flour before placing into the mould. Press into mould. Tap lightly to remove. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. Snowskin can be kept in the fridge for about 3 - 4 days. You can freeze for up to 2 weeks. Remove from freezer a day before serving and place in the fridge to defrost.

Sencha Flavoured Macarons with White Chocolate

I had extra egg whites remaining from another baking session but honestly I cannot remember what that was. So I decided to make some macarons which I have not done so for a long while now. As I went about measuring my ingredients, I had this phobia at the back of my mind. What happens if the macarons "bomb" out? It has happened in the past before! For such an uncomplicated recipe it really does test one's patience. Luckily this time round it was a success .. yeehah! I made Sencha flavoured macarons. Sencha is actually the other fancy name for Green Tea.



Sencha tea is a popular green tea from Japan made from the top parts of the tea leaf and tea buds. The tea leaves and buds are processed whole.
Japanese plantations produce the sencha leaves, with each region producing a distinct flavor of tea leaves. The leaves are harvested during April and May, and the first new tea leaves are especially sweet.

The leaves are steamed for less than a minute to stop oxidation. The whole leaves are then rolled into long cylinders and dried. The last step is to fire the leaves to preserve them and ensure that its flavour is locked in. Steaming makes Japanese teas quite distinct from Chinese green teas, and it gives the Japanese teas a grassier, vegetable flavor. (Guess you either love it or hate it!) Steamed tea leaves make a greener tea than leaves that are roasted, as with teas. The steaming process also helps to prevent oxidation and gives the tea a longer shelf life. Sencha tea accounts for about 80% of the tea consumed in Japan. It is usually served hot in the winter and chilled in warmer weather.



Sencha Flavoured Macarons with White Chocolate
Makes about 15 macarons
Recipe adapted from The Sweet Life in Paris (Broadway) by David Lebovitz

Ingredients for Macaron Batter:

110g icing sugar
1/2 cup powdered almonds (about 2 ounces, 50 gr, sliced almonds, pulverized)
1 tsp sencha dried tea leaves (you can use any other tea leaves)
2 large egg whites (about 60g), aged for 24 hours at room temperature
4 Tbsp granulated sugar

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 160C.

2) Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and have a pastry bag with a plain tip (about 1/2-inch, 2 cm) ready.

3) Grind together the icing sugar with the almond powder and sench tea leaves in a food processor for about 10 - 15 seconds. Remove and sieve through a fine siever and set aside.

4) Place egg whites into a clean dry mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until almost soft peaks, about 2 minutes or so. Then slowly add in the granulated sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks. Do not overbeat.

5) Carefully fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the beaten egg whites with a flexible rubber spatula. When the mixture is just smooth and there are no streaks of egg white, stop folding and scrape the batter into the pastry bag (standing the bag in a tall glass helps if you’re alone).

6) Pipe the batter on the parchment-lined baking sheets in 1-inch (3 cm) circles (about 1 tablespoon each of batter), evenly spaced one-inch (3 cm) apart.

7) Rap the baking sheet a few times firmly on the counter top to flatten the macarons. Leave the macarons aside for about 40 minutes. After that bake them for 15-18 minutes. Let cool completely then remove from baking sheet.

White Chocolate Buttercream
(Makes about 6 cups)

Ingredients:

10oz good quality white Chocolate
4 Egg whites
1 cup granulated Sugar
1 lb Butter, at room temperature

Method:

1) Place the chocolate and into a bowl and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Be careful not to let any water get into the chocolate or it will bind up. You may also place the chocolate into a microwave safe bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 seconds at a time in order not to burn the chocolate. Removing it after each 10 seconds and stir.

2) Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Now start to gradually add the sugar a little at a time. When all the sugar has been incorporated beat on high till stiff peaks form.

3) Add the butter a little at a time.

4) Now add the melted white chocolate while beating slowly and then beat till smooth. The buttercream can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. To use, let it thaw and then rewhip it again to smooth consistency. Left over buttercream can be frozen for up to a month.

Bacon and Cheese Bread

Ever so often I would have an urge to bake bread. However as there is only myself at home, I would usually make a small loaf or at most two loaves and distribute one amongst my office colleagues. Some of my friends would say that I was mad to go through so much effort when one could easily get similar in a bakery, sometimes even cheaper. But then again it is the pure enjoyment of having to make it yourself and having first whiffs of loaves of bread baking in the oven. If you have ever made bread, you would probably agree with me that the first cut and taste of a fresh loaf is so, so good. Nothing beats this!





Ham and Cheese Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup scalded milk
3 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups bread flour
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 - 2 1/2 cups bread flour
150g streaky bacon, diced
1 1/4 cup mixed cheddar cheese
1 small onion, diced finely
1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (basil,
1/4 loosely packed, cup grated parmesan cheese (for topping)

Method:

1) Heat up a frying pan, add a little oil and fry the bacon until brown. Add in the diced onion and fry for another minute. Remove, set aside to cool. Once cooled, mix in the fresh herbs, set aside.

2) To start your dough, pour your milk into a heavy saucepan and scald. Do not allow the milk to come to a boil. Once it starts to simmer (small bubbles), you can take it off the fire.

3) Pour scalded milk into a large bowl and allow to cool to 105F. Add in 1 cup of bread flour and mix till smooth. Now, add in your instant yeast and another cup of bread flour. Mix with a wooden spoon. The dough will be firm. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour in a warm place.

4) Just before the dough is ready, mix your butter and sugar together in a bowl. Using your mixer beat on high speed the sugar and butter together till fluffy.

5) Add in your eggs and continue to mix till for another few minutes. Be sure to scrap the sides of the bowl a few times. Add the butter mixture to the dough and mix till smooth. Add in another cup of bread flour and mix.

6) Add a little flour to a flat surface and continue to add in the rest of the flour. Knead for 8 minutes. You may or may not need all the flour. You want to dough to be a little on the sticky side. But, not sticking to the table.

7) After kneading for 8 minutes, roll the dough into a small rectangle (like a swiss roll) to fit your loaf pan. Sprinkle the bacon mixture all over the dough leaving a 1/2" side. Then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top. Taking the longer end start rolling the dough away from you as tightly as possible. Seal the seams and tuck in the ends underneath the roll.

8) Place the roll into the loaf pan in a zigg zagg fashion. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour or till double in bulk.

9) Preheat oven to 180C.

10) Using an egg white or milk wash, brush the top and then sprinkle with grated parmesan. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes. If your pan is small, the baking time should be shorten accordingly. The loaf should sound hollow when taped on the bottom. Place onto a wire rack and cool.

Note: You can use a mixer with a dough hook to knead the dough instead of doing it by hand. You can also shape the bread into rolls or smaller loaves.

A Year Has Passed ......

A year ago, exactly today, my world was turned upside down! My dearest LT was taken away from me and I had to pick up my life and try to move on. At that time, it had seemed so difficult. Every day flashes of what could have been would come to my mind, even as I was driving. Every love song that was played on the radio would bring tears streaming down my face. At night alone in bed in an empty apartment I would stuff my face in my pillow and the tears would come again.

Time passed and I have somewhat picked up my life again. Gone back to doing some of the things I love such as baking and even started taking up oil painting. But once in a while I would swing back to my little world and be sad again.

Time does heal but it is surely a long and cobbled road! Memories of my dearest LT will always be in my heart.

Classic Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote Topping

I love cheesecake desserts especially the light ones. It is a relatively easy dessert to put together and you really do have a wide choice of flavours to be added as well as how you plan to serve it. You also have a choice of a baked or unbaked cheesecake. However I personally prefer the individual portions as it is pretty as well as easy to serve. No messy slicing and having crumbs all over the place. The next time round I would love to put together a cheesecake pots version - cheesecake desserts served in a glass. I think this is a totally cool way of wowing your guests!






Classic Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote Topping
Recipe Adapted from Martha Stewart

For Crust:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
12 graham crackers (3-by-5 inch)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

For Filling:

2 1/2 pounds bar cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

2) Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

3) Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight.

4) Add 1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries in a saucepan. Add 2/3 cup sugar, zest of one lemon and 2 Tbsp lemon juice with the berries. Put the pan on medium fire and once bubbles appear on the sides, bring the fire to low. Reduce the fruit on low heat until it becomes a thick jam consistency. You want some of the fruit to be chunky for texture. Cool and refrigerate.

5) To serve bring cheesecake out from the fridge. Set to room temperature for about 4-5 minutes. Top with blueberry compote before serving.

Pandan Melting Moments with Coconut Cream

When I think of Melting Moment cookies, I always think of a light cookie that crumbles and dissolves in the mouth. That's why it's called "melting moments" and whoever gave this cookie it's name certainly nailed it.

When I chanced upon this recipe which used the infusion of pandan juice in the cookie dough, I was very interested to try it out. It had the addition of a coconut cream which would go really well with the pandan flavour. The cookies turned out extremely light in texture with a tinge of pandan flavour. At first I had not wanted to make the coconut cream and had thought of just having the cookie on its own. But I was glad that I did as the coconut cream icing elevated a somewhat plain cookie to a new dimension. As I had reduced the icing sugar in the frosting, it was not too sweet at all.





Pandan Melting Moments with Coconut Cream
(Makes about 20 sandwhich cookies)
Recipe Adapted from BBC Goodfood (June 2011 Asian Edition)

Ingredients for the Cookie:

200g unsalted butter, softened
85g icing sugar, sifted
4 Tbsp pandan juice (see below)
225g plain all purpose flour
4 Tbsp cornflour (or cornstarch)
1/4 tsp salt

Ingredients for the Coconut Cream:

60g unsalted butter, soften
100g icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp coconut powder (I used Kara brand)

Method:

1) Prehat oven to 160C.

2) Sift the plain flour, cornflour and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3) In another bowl, beat the butter, icing sugar and pandan juice until light and fluffy.

4) Add in the sifted ingredients into the batter and mix thoroughly until well combined. Place the cookie dough into a piping bag fixed with a star nozzle and pipe the mixture into 1.5cm rosettes onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

4) Bake for 10 - 12 mins until the cookies are firm and lightly golden. Set aside to cool completely.

5) To make the coconut cream, beat the butter, icing sugar and coconut powder until pale and fluffy. Spread the coconut cream on one cookie and sandwich with another. Continue until all the cookies are sandwich with the cream.

Note: To make the pandan juice, blend 30 leaves, roughly cut up with 45ml water. Squeeze and strain the mixture through a piece of muslin cloth or very fine sieve.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

I made this cake ever so long ago and really have no excuse for not posting it up until now. I love desserts with citrus fruit and especially more so if it is lemon.

What I like about this cake is that it uses different texture of flour. The cornmeal gives the cake crumbs a nutty taste quite akin to a semolina (sugee) cake. However if you don't have semolina or cornmeal, you can use self raising flour instead. It will end up tasting more like a citrus butter cake then. The other thing I like about this recipe is that it has a lemon curd that is baked with the cake batter. You would usually think of using lemon curd as a frosting in between layers or on top of the cake. Lastly, it has a lemon drizzle to top it off. This recipe truly is one for lemon dessert lovers. It is great for a afternoon tea and serve this with English tea, I think it goes so well with it.



Lemon Drizzle Cake

Ingredients:

200g butter, soften at room temperature
170g caster sugar
4 large eggs
100g fine cornmeal or fine polenta
140g self raising flour
1/4 tsp salt
Zest of 3 lemons

For the swirl and drizzle:

4 Tbsp lemon curd
4 Tbsp caster sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Substitue: If you do not have cornmeal/polenta, substitute with a total of 200g self raising flour for the entire recipe

Method:

1) Heat oven to 180C, middle rack. Butter a rectangular tray 20cm x 30cm, line the bottom with parchment paper.

2) Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy and smooth. Scoop the batter into the cake tin and smooth the top

3) Spoon the lemon curd over the batter in thick stripes. Use the handle of a spoon to swirl the curd into the cake. Do not over-swirl as you don't want to mix the curd into the batter, otherwise you do not see the swirls once the cake is baked.

4) Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and risen. The sides will shrink away from the pan slighly and the top will feel springy. Don't open the oven before 30 minutes of baking is up.

5) Leave cake to cook for about 15 minutes before turning out of pan. Place cake on a wire rack.

6) To make the drizzle, mix the sugar and lemon juice together. Then spoon over the cake> Toss the lemon zest with the final tablespoon of sugar and scatter over the cake. Let cool completely and then place cake onto a serving plate, peel away the parchment to serve. Cake can be kept in room temperature in airtight tin for 3 days.