Sio Bak

Trying on my hands on roast pork, having problem at first, tried to grill the pork with rack 3/4 down from the grill, check for half an hour, did'nt get the skin to crackle. shift the rack a level further up, crackle but not much, getting frustrated.

For me, I will try anything, just to get the things done to the way, I want, Try again, put up the rack one more layer up, yay! finally the skin started to crackle more, I was happy :)

See this link for recipe,

http://happyhomemaker88.com/2008/05/17/homemade-yummy-crispy-roast-pork-belly-siew-yoke-or-siao-bak/

The only thing that my roast pork, I did not add fermented beancurd. I gave a piece to my neighbour to try and she say it's ok and ask me how to get the skin to be crispy.

PME 2

Morning was not feeling good, get up with watery eyes and a heavy head, don't want to miss class today, took breakfast follow by 2 panadol. Luckily medicine works, no more headache.

Today learnt how to use the tools to make fruits, each of us was given a box with equipment that can made only 2 types of fruits, I had orange and pear and my partner had strawberry an lemon, we share in order to have assortment of fruits. Two course mate bake buuter cake to cover sugarpaste and one of them said her niece like to eat sugarpaste which is vanilla flavour. Mine will display on the table for a few days and off it go...

First day of class, 8 of us did not interact much, today is better, next week will be much better or noisy... hope so, then we will be like family:) Looking forward for next class - 2-tiercake.. yay!!

PME Sugarcraft

Register myself for PME Sugarcraft class with a total of 5 days (5 hrs per lesson) and today is my first lesson. No doubt that this is not my first time touching sugarcraft, but I want to learn more ..... Maybe I like to collect "paper" hee! Hee!



We were given a starter kit comprises of 22 items and today we are taught to use some tools and a model cake to follow. We were given guidance throughout the lesson and it's was fun. Although we have a model cake to follow, each of our cake there's is a difference in look and colour. Too bad, I did not bring my camera. chez...

My picture was taken at home and during transportation, parts of the flower petals had broken, box given too small.. well at least still got 80% picture.

I find this class is quite worthwhile, it seems they are saying if you are learning elsewhere, you have to spend money to buy tools, while Phoon Huat was saying they manage to get a great deal in prices and they are able to give us this.
Looking forward to next lesson

Bak Kwa

Bak Kwa is almost everybody's favourite, and that day my friend, Sharon wanted to learn Bak Kwa, and so happen JC Cooking has a class, I follow her. No regrets in following, especially when the chef teach us how to make chicken floss, we like it



Today decide to try the recipe of Bak Kwa, but I added one more ingredients after surfing internet to make the taste better. I try to pan fry, grill, half pan fry & grill just to get the texture I want. For the workshop attended is that when I sample try the bak kwa, it taste like "lap cheong", but the techniques of making is there. After adding the ingredients, I found that the taste is better and is not far from the taste that sells outside... yay... For this recipe is meant to BBQ. Think this is the last time, I do, unless there's a BBQ party...

Remember a time, few days before CNY, I went to queue at Lim Chee Guan for more than 10 hrs to buy Bak Kwa for the Company's client. Chez... should teach the Company's client to make hor... then not to queue..

Those blogger who wants to try, below are the few links, the ingredients are almost there, can do a reference .......

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/gimpmum/article?mid=339&prev=-1&next=333

http://tazzinthekitchen.blogspot.com

http://www.bukisa.com/articles/233308_how-to-make-bak-kua

http://www.soyandpepper.com/2010/02/homemade-bak-kwa-rougan.html

http://www.pigpigscorner.com/2010/02/chinese-dried-bbq-pork-bak-kwa-long-yuk.html

Fruits

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My Cousin asked me whether can I baked a fruitcake for him, I agreed to bake for him because he is such a nice guy who is ever ready to render help to my family. Since christmas spirit is in the air, I baked a fruitcake apart from the usual fruitcake that I have baked, this is the first time, I add cocoa powder into it. I bought mixed fruits from Phoon Huat and soaked in liquor for a few days. I did not realise that Phoon Huat mixed fruits got no cherry inside, no wonder it was so cheap. I did not believe my friend, when she told me no cherry, I went to seperate the fruits and yes, she was right, red and green bits are from papaya.

Did not have confidence in adding cocoa powder to the fruitcake and after researching and saw a published article in the newspaper, and I go ahead with it and baked.

After a few days, check with my cousin, they have loved the cake and effort is not wasted and they even want to order. No way... I am no professional... alot of stress...:(.. whew...

Below is the recipe from the newpaper.

MAKE IT YOURSELF: EASY CHRISTMAS FRUIT CAKE
INGREDIENTS
500g cranberries
500g raisins
200g butter, softened
200g dark brown sugar
175ml Lyle's Golden Syrup
125 ml cognac
1 tsp mixed spice
2 Tbs cocoa
4 eggs, beaten
225g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
To decorate:
1 Tbs icing sugar
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 150 deg C. Line the sides and bottom of a 24cm round cake tin with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Place the dried fruit, butter, sugar, golden syrup, mixed spice and cocoa into a large pot.
3. Heat the mixture, stirring frequently, over low heat until the mixture reaches a simmer.
4. Add the cognac as you are stirring the mixture and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and set it aside to cool. It should be cool enough so that the eggs will not cook when added to the mixture.
6. Beat the eggs and set it aside. In another bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda together.
7. Fold the eggs into the fruit mixture in three batches.
8. Fold in the flour in three batches and mix well until all the ingredients are well combined.
9. Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin and bake for about 45 minutes to an hour until a skewer comes out clean when poked through the centre of the cake. It may be a little sticky because of the fruit.
10. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Decorate the cake with sifted icing sugar.
Variations:
1. You can use any type of dried fruit and nut, in proportions to your liking, as long as the total weight adds up to 1kg. The fruits should be about the same size. Cut large dried fruits, such as apricots, into smaller pieces.
2. For a more alcoholic taste, marinate the dried fruit in cognac for up to one week. Nuts should not be marinated.
3. Bake the cake at least three to five days in advance so that the cake has time to rest and age. If you prefer a stronger taste of alcohol, poke some holes in cake with a wooden skewer, then brush the surface with cognac every few days.
4. For a non-alcoholic version, replace 125 ml of cognac with the juice of two large orange.



The spirit of giving is getting into me and last night baked 2 cranberry butter cake for him and my mother. Cranberries are suppose to be antioxident and have some medical benefits and well it is a in thing now, and friends around me is baking this fruits. I think the uneveness of the colour of the cake, I don't know whether do my oven needs calibration. Well! have to moniter....

Lastly, I wished everyone have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I will be doing this lor!

Turkey

I asked my brother whether he wanted a turkey to celebrate Christmas, but my sis-in-law requested for her birthday on Monday. Well, no problem to me, took half day leave to bake turkey for her.



In the meanwhile, while waiting for the turkey to be baked, I made a peach tart, for her as well for dessert using my new microwave oven. My first try, hmmm... think is not so bad. ha! Ha!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Christmas does really gets into me, Duuno where I got the energy, juz feel like doing baking and trying things.


Always curious about christmas stollen and I try one of the recipes that was given to me. Was statisfied with the finished products and especially from my loved ones and they loved it. Last night made another batch to be given away. Well, that's the spirit of Christmas.