Gula Melaka Pound Cake by Angela Seah Thulin

Another easy yummilicious bake ... If you love gula melaka as much as i do, i am sure you will like this too. 

Ingredients -

170g unsalted butter, room temperature

3 round blocks of gula melaka, slice them 
60g granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

60ml milk 

190g all-purpose flour

1 tsp double action baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Optional (glaze) -

3 tbsp water

1 round block of gula melaka 

pinch of salt
* Boil the above in a saucepan until sugar melted.

Steps -
Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius

1. Grease your loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.

3. In the mixing bowl using hand mixer, beat the butter, gula melaka, sugar and vanilla essence till soft and creamy. About 5 minutes.

 4. Then add the eggs in little by little and beat for 1 minute in low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

5. Add the flour in by 3 additions and the milk in by 2 additions. Beat until it is just combined. Do not overbeat.

6. Pour onto the loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

7. Optional - cook the glaze and drizzle on the cake after baked. 

Notes -
1. Every oven's temperature varies. I baked my pound cake at 160 degree celsius for 47 minutes. During 40 minutes, i covered with aluminum foil. 

2. This is BEST consumed the next day, however i am left with only 3 slices to test that ...

Q; What is a pound cake?
Ans; Pound cake is the mother of all butter cakes. While it’s pretty humble - blocky shape (usually bake in loaf pan), no layers, frostings, or fillings, pound cake is dense with velvety texture and pure butter flavor that makes it so undeniably delicious. By Carolyn Weil

Honey Ribs by Angela Seah Thulin

Finger licking GOOD!!! 

Ingredients - 
600g pork ribs
2 stalks of scallion/bottom green stem
5 slices of ginger
2 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp oil

Seasoning -
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 1/2 tbsp shaoxing wine (chinese wine)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp dark soy sauce
200ml water or more

Steps -
Scallions about 8 cm long each stalk and cut into 3 parts.
1. Cut the ribs individually, blanch them with boiling water for few minutes to remove impurities. Then drain, rinse and set aside.
2.  Heat up pot or wok with the oil. Saute the ginger till fragrant then add sugar in. After sugar caramelizes, add the ribs in and toss till well mixed (about few minutes). Then add garlic and scallion in.
3. After you smell the aroma of the garlic, add the seasoning in. Stir to mix well, cover with lid and simmer in med-low heat for 45 mins.
4. Open the lid, turn the heat to med-high and cook for a few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. And done!

Notes -
600g is not enough for family of 3 adults :p

Forest Leong's Sweet and Sour Pork by Angela Seah Thulin

Saw one of the Plate and Palate's group member cooked this dish, i knew i had to try! Overall, the meat was very tender, sauce was ok but more on a sour side. So i added more sugar.

Forest Leong's Sweet & Sour Pork recommended by Helga Soo

http://platepalate2014.blogspot.se/2016/03/forest-leongs-sweet-sour-pork-by-helga.html

Ingredients -
500g pork shoulder (cut into bite sized pieces)
Oil for deep frying

Marinade pork for -
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger juice
1 tbsp corn flour
Mix all the above in a bowl then add the pork in and mix well. Into fridge to chill for 2 hours.

Sauce -
90ml water + 2 tbsp HP sauce (see pic below)
3 tbsps sugar (or more)
150g ketchup
1 tsp dark soy sauce
2.5 tbsps oyster sauce

In a bowl with 1 tbsp corn flour + 1 tbsp water and mix well. Then add into above sauce and mix well.

Method -
Coat pork with corn flour and deep fried till golden brown. Set aside.

In a wok, heat the sauce up then add deep fried pork in. Keep tossing the pork until the pork absorbs the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Easter Vanilla Cake by Angela Seah Thulin

Basically any sponge cake recipe will work with an empty oval casing plus buttercream and done :)

Ingredients 

Part (A) - buttercream
85g butter
100g icing powder
1-2 tbsp milk
*Beat the butter until light and creamy. Add icing powder in and mix well. Then gradually add milk in to achieve the consistency you want. Set aside.

Part (B) - filling/cream
80ml of heavy cream
1 tbsp of granulated sugar 
*Whisk till creamy (3-4mins) and chill in fridge.

Part (C)
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar (30g)
60ml water
45ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
60g plain flour, sifted twice

Part (D)
3 egg white
2 tbsp sugar (30g)
Pinch of cornflour 
*In a clean metal bowl, whisk the egg white till soft peak then add sugar n continue whisking. Add pinch of corn flour and whisk till stiff peak formed. Set aside.

Steps -
1. Do Part A and B first and separately.
2. Part (C) - Whisk the egg yolks n sugar till fluffy. Then add water, vegetable oil, vanilla essence n whisk till mixed. Add the sifted plain flour to it and whisk till well-mix (will look runny). Then set aside. 
3. Then do Part (D)
*Preheat your oven now at 170 degree celsius.
4. In 3 additions - take the part (D) and FOLD in to Part (C) till well-combined. 
5. Pour onto a 10x10 baking tray lined with baking paper. Into the oven and bake for 14 minutes.
6. Let it cool completely. Cut the shape out. Spread cream (part B) and layer it.
7. Use the buttercream (part A) to frost the cake. If desired, color the buttercream with food color.

Easter Swiss Roll by Angela Seah Thulin

For this festival, small kids in Sweden deco themselves as witches. Welcome the Spring flowers and pastel colors like these. Seeing these colors, it simply brighten my day up! I'm excited for i know it will be midsummer holiday soon..

Chocolate Swiss roll with Chocolate almond eggs & marshmallow 

To make the swiss roll - 

Part (A) - toppings
Easter chocolate eggs
Marshmallow

Part (B) - filling/piping
200ml of heavy cream
2.5 tbsp of granulated sugar
*Whisk till creamy and chill in fridge.

Part (C)
3 egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar (30g)
60ml water
45ml vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp cocoa powder, sieve
60g cake flour, sieve

Part (D)
3 egg whites
2 tbsp sugar (30g)
Pinch of cornflour
*In a clean metal bowl, whisk the egg white till soft peak then add sugar n continue whisking. Add pinch of corn flour and whisk till stiff peak formed. Set aside.

Steps -
1. Do Part B first
2. Part (C) - Whisk the egg yolks n sugar till fluffy. Then add water, vegetable oil, vanilla essence n whisk till mixed. Add the sifted cake flour and cocoa powder to it and whisk till well-mix (will look runny). Set aside.
3. Then do Part (D)
*Preheat your oven now at 170degree celsius.
4. In 3 additions - take the part (D) and FOLD in to Part (C) till well-combined.
5. Pour onto a 10x10 baking tray lined with baking paper. Into the oven and bake for 14mins.
6. Dust some icing powder on the top. Roll it tightly and let the paper wrapped with it. Let it be for few mins or till cool..
7. Release the roll, spread filling on it and roll the same way again. Scoop the rest of the filling into piping bag and deco. Finish with easter chocolate eggs and marshmallow. Back into the fridge to chill before you cut.

Have a great celebration, everyone! Cheers ...

Bear Buns by Angela Seah Thulin

Ingredients - 
200g bread flour
3g salt
13g sugar
3g dry yeast
13g fresh cream
13g milk
107g water
13g unsalted butter

Steps -
1. Knead all the above together then add butter in and knead to smooth dough. I used food processor to get all above together then i added butter in and blend again and then knead till smooth by hand.
2. Let the dough proof in a warm place for 40 minutes until it double it's size.
3. After double it's size, poke a hole in the dough to allow gas to escape from the dough. Then give a few punch on the dough.
4. Divide the dough into 10 portions. 9 of it for the face. 1 of it - divide into 18 small balls meant for the ears.
5. Roll them into nice round shapes and cover with a damp cloth and let them rest for 15 minutes.
6. Flatten that 9 portions dough and fill with kaya and seal it closed. Attach the ears.
7. Into warm place to proof again to 1 and half size bigger.
Preheat oven to 190 degree celsius then lower the temperature to 160 degree celsius and bake for 10 minutes. After that lower the temperature to 150 degree celsius and bake for another 8 minutes.
8. Draw the face with cocoa powder dissolve in a littler water or with Wilton edible color markers.

Notes -
1. If you buns start to brown, cover it with aluminum foil.
2. Each face weighs 35g.
3. Each individual ear weighs about 1.9g.

Recipe origin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBVGtnVSCCM

Deep Fried Crispy Pork Belly by Angela Seah Thulin

Ingredients - 
550g pork belly
1 egg
1 tbsp chicken powder
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp tempura flour
Few dashes of white pepper

Steps -
1. Use a knife to scrape away any impurities and hair from the skin.
2. Wash the pork belly and place them into a big bowl.
3. Poke the fat side of the pork belly with a fork to allow marinade to be absorbed.
4. Add all the above seasoning in, mix well and chill in fridge for 4 hrs.
5. Deep fried till golden color and done! 

Notes - 
1. This recipe is slightly saltish but i suppose it is meant to be like that. You will know if you have tried it along Bangkok street food. Highly recommended. You should give it a try.
2. I served this with chicken rice/rice and cucumber plus a simple tofu egg soup. 

Recipe origin: Siam sizzles http://www.siamsizzles.com/deep-fried-crispy-pork-belly-thai-style/

Lemongrass fried chicken by Angela Seah Thulin

This is one of my favorite deep fried chicken recipes. Highly recommended to serve with Nasi Lemak. One of the key ingredients here is the thick coconut milk that is used to marinate together to tenderize the meat. Every bite, the fragrance of the lemongrass and turmeric powder with the end result of crispy succulent meat - simply too shiok!!!

Ingredients -
7 chicken drumsticks
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp garlic salt
1 stalk of lemongrass, minced 
70ml coconut milk (Kara brand packet form 200ml)
Dashes of white pepper
2 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp plain flour

Steps -
1. Marinate all the above for at least 4 hours.
2. Deep fried the drumsticks till cooked/golden and crispy on the outside.

Sago Pudding (Gula Melaka) by Angela Seah Thulin

Is this your favorite too?? It is ours!

Ingredients -
100g small sago
1 litre water
120ml coconut milk (I used Kara brand)
1 pandan leaf
pinch of salt
1 round block of gula melaka
3 tbsp water

Steps -
1. In a pot, bring 1 litre water to a boil then add the sago in. Keep stirring to prevent sticking and cook till translucent. Drain and run with cold water. Set aside.
2. Scoop the sago into moulds of your choice and chill in the fridge for few hours to set.
3. In a pot, cook the pandan leaf with coconut milk and salt until it simmers. Set aside to cool.
4. In another pot at medium low heat - cook the gula melaka with 3 tbsp water until it has totally dissolved.
Unmould, serve with coconut milk and gula melaka. 

100g sago for 3 moulds only

Banana Chocolate Chips bread by Angela Seah Thulin

Banana Chocolate chip bread! Very simple to make - basically just 2 steps to make this bread yet it is so moist and fragrant! I was not convinced by my husband's verdict (that it's really good) so i had to ask my mother-in-law for her input. She says she likes it, and felt it wasn't too sweet, just nice. Guess my bananas were ripe but not overly ripe. I was even pondering if i should post this at all as it doesn't look pretty. Well, a good recipe has to be shared. I am not a banana lover but in this case, my husband and I finished half of it right after baking!

Ingredients - 

200g all-purpose flour, sift

1 1/4 tsp baking soda 

1/4 tsp salt 

250g ripe bananas (about 2-3)

3 large eggs 

120g sugar

125g oil

1 tsp vanilla essence 

60ml water

60g chocolate chips

Opt - pecans or walnuts

Steps -

Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius

1. Grease your loaf pan and line with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl - mix the flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

3. In a mixing bowl - mash your bananas with a fork, add the eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla essence and water in. Use a balloon whisker and whisk them together.

4. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt) in and stir in gently with balloon whisker. Once incorporated, stop. Then add chocolate chips and nuts in and fold gently in one direction.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Let it cool completely, cling wrap it and best to have it next day.

Notes -

1. Use overly ripe bananas are the best. 

2. Cover with aluminum foil when it has browned to your desire color. Mine was covered after 30 minutes.

3. Every oven's temperature varies. I baked mine at 165 degree celsius for 60mins.

Simple Brownies by Angela Seah Thulin

If you have tried my After Eight brownies, you will know how easy + yummy they are. So this time, I decided to bake this for my Mother-in-law but cut down on the sugar amount because of her sugar level intake.

After Eight recipe - http://platepalate.blogspot.se/2015/05/after-eight-brownie-by-angela-seah.html

Ingredients -

3 large eggs
140g room temperature butter, cut into cubes
120g sugar (I use 70g brown sugar & 50g granulated sugar)
70g plain flour
35g Lindt cocoa powder
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1/8 salt

Ganache
100g dark chocolate
about 30ml heavy cream (36% fat content)
*Optional - icing powder to dust after serving

Steps -

Preheat oven to 170 degree celsius. 

1. In your mixing bowl, sieve the plain flour and cocoa powder. Add the salt in. Add the eggs in, vanilla essence, sugar, butter - whisk altogether for 2-3mins or until well corporated. 
2. Pour onto the baking tray 7x7x1.5  >>>  You may NOW send in to bake... Its that easy! 
And bake for 20 minutes. Set it aside to cool completely.
3. Using the double boil method, melt the chocolate and then pour the heavy cream in. Stir for few seconds and you will achieve the consistency you want. Pipe or just pour on top of the brownies and you are done!

Teacup shortcakes by Angela Seah Thulin

Ingredients -

Cupcakes
150ml heavy cream *chilled
2 eggs 
110g granulated sugar
180g cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder


Syrup
20ml hot water
1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
- Mix the above and set aside.

Decoration/Piping
150ml heavy cream *chilled
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla essence
Fresh strawberries
powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)

Steps -

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degree celsius. 
2. Beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peak.
3. In another bowl - beat the eggs and sugar until white and fluffy.
4. Add the cream (point 2) into the egg mixture ( point 3) and mix well with a balloon whisker.
5. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Gently mix with a balloon whisker until combined.
6. Spoon the mixture into the teacup moulds or cupcake liners up to 80% full. Bake at 180 degree celsius for 20-25 minutes.
7. Brush each cupcake with syrup. Allow the cupcakes to cool down completely.
8. To decorate - Beat the heavy cream, granulated sugar, vanilla extract in a meatl mixing bowl. Float the bottom of the bowl in ice water, beat the cream with an electric mixer until it forms soft peak.
9. Do your piping,top with strawberry and dust with powdered sugar.

Notes - 
1. My guests were kids and they like it. I did not follow original recipe to add any rum.

Recipe origin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr-QwIuuZpU

Soon Kueh by Angela Seah Thulin

I was so triggered by my friend (Helga Soo), her Soon Kueh's post in Facebook Global Dining group that i had to make some for myself in Sweden! 

Global Dining group link - https://www.facebook.com/groups/zapalangsg/permalink/953406094714369/

Ingredients for the filling -
400g turnip (after peel), sliced
4 chinese mushrooms, soaked and sliced thinly
3 garlic cloves, minced
15g or more dried shrimps, minced it 
1 carrot. sliced
3 tbsp oil 
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp dark soya sauce
1 tsp water
white pepper to taste

Dough -
I'm using premix flour, bought from Phoon Huat in Singapore.

Steps - 
1. Follow the instructions as per the dough package.
2. For the filling - heat up 3 tbsp oil in a wok. Fry the garlic till fragrant, then add dried shrimps in and toss for a minute or until golden-brown and fragrant. Add the chinese mushrooms, carrot, turnip in and fry for few minutes. Last, season with salt, sugar, dark soya sauce, pepper and toss for 5minutes in medium heat. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. To assemble - divide the dough (about 40g each) equally, flatten them and make into round shape. Scoop some filling in and wrap up.
4. Brush some oil on a plate then place the soon kueh on it. Brush some oil on the soon kueh and proceed to steam in boiling water for 15 minutes. Done.

Recipe origin from - http://www.herworldplus.com/solutions/recipes/soon-kueh-recipe

Ready to steam

Roasted chicken with thyme and butter by Angela Seah Thulin

Roasted 2nd Mar 2016

Ingredients -
Whole chicken (1.2kg)
1 tbsp salt or kosher salt

Sauce - 
1/2 tsp dried thyme
20ml white wine or fresh lemon juice.
80ml chicken stock (i use 1/4 chicken knorr cube)
20-30g butter

Steps -
1.Rub the chicken all over with 1/2 tbsp salt and then rinse off.
2. Pat dry the chicken, then drizzle lots of salt on the surface of the chicken and inside the cavity. Be generous! Tie the chicken legs.
3. Place the chicken on an oven proof pan. Into preheated oven 220 degree celsius and roast for 50-60 minutes (or when internal thigh temperature reaches 160 degrees). 
4. Rest for 5 mins. Then remove the chicken from the pan.
5. In that same pan, use a paper towel to remove some of the leftover oil, leaving about 2 tbsp in. 
6. Place the pan on the stove, add the dried thyme in, stir to mix well and then add the white wine in. You should be able to deglaze your pan right now. Stir for a minute. Then pour the chicken stock in.
7. Once it simmers, switch the temperature to low and add butter in and mix well. Let the gravy boil until it's only slightly thicker. Taste and adjust accordingly and you are done.

Notes - 
1. I roasted my chicken for 55 minutes exactly.
2. This time I used a cast iron 24cm pot rather than a pan. I find using a pot is better as it is higher, the oil does not splatter as much inside the oven.
3. I prefer using white wine as it gives a more flavorful taste. Lemon juice tend to be a bit too sour for me so depending on your preference, you may want to add less.

After 55 minutes

Gravy is done