Rocky Road cupcakes by Angela Seah Thulin

Sinfully decadent cupcakes!! 

Rocky Road are a sure favorite for kids and adults alike - the marshmallows, nuts and rich chocolate all in one super sweet cupcake! 

The sweetness of the marshmallows allows for darker chocolate even for those who normally find that too bitter. I used dark chocolate bits as well to further richen the taste.

Ingredients -
200g cake flour, sifted

1/2 tsp double acting baking powder
1 1/2 tbsp Hershey's cocoa powder

40g oil
50g buttermilk
120g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 tsp salt

175g granulated sugar

2 large eggs
Chocolate shave/chips

Toppings -
Marshmallows 
Chocolate chips
Chopped walnuts

Steps -
1. Line the muffin pan with cupcake paper cups.
2. In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix the buttermilk and oil together.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk the room temperature butter, vanilla essence and salt together till smooth.
5. Then add sugar in gradually and continue whisking till fluffy. 
6. Add the eggs in and whisk till well mixed.
7. In three additions, add the dry ingredients (point 2) and wet ingredients (point 3). Whisk to mix well. Once ingredients incorporated, stop whisking. Do not overbeat. 
- Preheat your oven to 180 degree celsius -
8. Scoop one heap tsp of batter to the paper cup, spread it out evenly, add some chocolate shave and fill up with more batter to 3/4 full. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Notes -
1. Oil - vegetable or corn oil.
2. To make buttermilk - 1/2 cup of 2% fat milk + 1/2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice, mix together and set it aside for 10 mins. Ready to use.
3. I'm using Hershey's special dark cocoa powder and Hershey's chocolate bar to make the shave. 
4. Every oven's temperature varies. I baked these at 165 degree celsius for 21 minutes.

Coffee Cupcakes by Angela Seah Thulin

Need a quick and easy recipe for last minute fika? Or how about getting your caffeine fix in the morning with these coffee cupcakes? This is perfect as a light snack to go along with a cup of coffee or tea! Moist, sweet and fragrant... I don't drink coffee but this is irresistible!

Fika (in Swedish) means afternoon tea.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fika_(Sweden)

Ingredients (yield 6)
100g cake flour, sifted

1/4 tsp double acting baking powder

20g oil 
25g buttermilk
1 tsp coffee emulco
60g unsalted butter
1/4 tsp vanilla essence

pinch of salt

100g granulated sugar

1 large egg
*Opt - chocolate rice

Steps -
1. Line the muffin pan with cupcake paper cups.
2. In a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix the buttermilk, oil and coffee emulco together.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk the room temperature butter, vanilla essence and salt together till smooth.
5. Then add sugar in gradually and continue whisking till fluffy. 
6. Add the egg in and whisk till well mixed.
7. In three additions, add the dry ingredients (point 2) and wet ingredients (point 3). Whisk to mix well. Once ingredients incorporated, stop whisking. Do not overbeat. 
- Preheat your oven to 180 degree celsius -
8. Fill 3/4 batter full and send to bake or scoop one heap tsp of batter to the paper cup, spread it out evenly. Then add some chocolate rice and fill up with more batter to 3/4 full. 
9. Into preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes.

Notes -
1. Oil - vegetable or corn oil.
2. To make buttermilk - 1/2 cup of 2% fat milk + 1/2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice, mix together and set it aside for 10 mins. Ready to use.
3. Every oven's temperature varies. I baked these at 165 degree celsius for 23 minutes.
4. You may wish to reduce the amount of sugar.

The coffee emulco bought from Singapore

Ondeh Ondeh Cupcakes by Angela Seah Thulin

Never judge a cupcake by it's look! 

These may not look pretty, but perhaps i can cover up the 'flaws' by frosting.. Aiyah, NO NEED LAH...! It tastes so good plus it is sooo soft !!!

Ingredients -
1 round block of gula melaka

200g cake flour, sifted

1/2 tsp double acting baking powder

80g coconut milk + 30g water
1-2 tsp pandan paste
120g unsalted butter
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp salt

160g granulated sugar

2 large eggs


Steps -
1. Line the muffin pan with cupcake paper cups.
2. Cut the block of gula melaka into smaller pieces then roll them up into 12 small balls.
3. In a bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside.
4. In a bowl, mix the coconut milk, water and pandan paste together.
5. In a mixing bowl, whisk the butter, vanilla essence and salt together till smooth.
6. Then add sugar in gradually and continue whisking till fluffy. 
7. Add the eggs in one at a time and whisk till well mixed.
8. In three additions, add the dry ingredients (point 3) and wet ingredients (point 4). Whisk to mix well. Once ingredients incorporated, stop whisking. Do not overbeat. 
- Preheat your oven to 180 degree celsius -
9. Scoop one heap tsp of batter to the paper cup, spread it out evenly. Then place 1 gula melaka ball in the center. Fill up with more batter to 3/4 full. 
10. Into preheated oven and bake for about 25 minutes.

Notes -
1. I used KARA coconut milk (small box 200ml).
2. Original recipe calls for 200g sugar but i reduced to 160g.
3. Original recipe calls for 2 tbsp of pandan juice. I used pandan paste instead.
4. Every oven's temperature varies. I baked these at 165 degree celsius for 21 minutes.

Recipe origin from: BitterSweetSpicy

This is the cake flour i am using in Sweden

Pull-apart Cinnamon bread by Angela Seah Thulin

Using pizza dough - after baked

I recall watching a short clip on using ready dough to make pull apart bread, so i tried making it with the leftover dough of my puff pastry. Actually i am not sure if puff pastry can be done, any way i went ahead with it. My son tried it, loved it and asked for it again! 

2 days later, i made it again but this time i used pizza dough instead. Both puff pastry and pizza dough are good to use but i would say puff pastry is more crusty on the outside and flaky inside while pizza dough would give more of a bread texture.

Anyway this is super easy and if you like cinnamon, i'm sure you will love this! 

Using puff pastry - after coated with sugar and cinnamon powder

Using puff pastry - after baked

To me, a full recipe is not needed here. All you need is to melt some butter. Roll your dough with butter and then coat it with cinnamon powder and sugar. Then bake it. That's all. Below is just a rough guide :)

Ingredients - 

Ready-made puff pastry or pizza dough
Butter
Sugar (est.3 tbsp)
Cinnamon powder (est.1-2 tsp)
Preheat oven 180degree Celsius 1. Divide the puff pastry/pizza dough equally and roll them into balls. 3. Then melt some butter in microwave. 4. Coat the balls with the melted butter. 5. In a bowl or small ziplock bag, mix the sugar and cinnamon powder together then add the butter balls in and ensure every balls are coated with sugar. 6. Grease the baking bowl with the leftover butter, place the ready coated balls on it. Bake for 25-35mins until lightly golden or that balls have puff up. Notes - 
Every oven's temperature varies. Using puff pastry - I baked at 170degree Celsius for 32mins.
Using pizza dough - i baked at 165 degree celsius for 30mins.

Roll them into balls, then dip in melted butter, follow by coating with sugar and cinnamon powder

I got the idea from this link - http://www.delish.com/cooking/videos/a45896/you-must-make-this-kings-cake-pull-apart-bread-on-tuesday-night/

Impromptu Steamed Chicken by Angela Seah Thulin

Woke up, defrosted the chicken thighs but i had no idea how i wanted it to be cooked. So i messaged my husband - chicken curry or herbal chicken? His reply - herbs please. 

I wasn't sure i wanted herbal chicken for my dinner though, so i simply cooked it to my own liking :) That's how the dish name come by.

And who doesn't like steamed chicken? Definitely anyone's favorite especially the gravy on the rice ... Mmmm...

Ingredients -
3 big chicken thighs 
1/2 to 1 tbsp Wolfberries
6 slices of ginger
Scallions
40 ml hot water

Sauce -
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tbsp dark soya sauce 
1.5 tbsp light soya sauce
1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar

Steps -
1. Clean the thighs, rub with salt and then rinse away. Pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels.
2. Prepare the above sauce into a bowl and then marinate these chicken thighs for at least 2 hours.
3. Place the ginger and scallions on parchment paper then lay the marinated chicken thighs on it follow by wolfberries. 
4. Add 40ml water to the marinated sauce, mix well and then pour on top of the chicken thighs. Wrap up.
5. In a wok with boiling water, steam in high heat for 45 mins to an hour or until cooked through. Timing varies - depending on size/thickness of the chicken.

Notes -
1. My 3 big chicken thighs weighed about 800g.
2. It took me about an hour to steam these. 
3. I love can button mushrooms so i added some too.

Chinese Style Lobster by Angela Seah Thulin

For Chinese we call it lobster while Swedish call it Hummer. I bought one for almost S$12 in Sweden on a promotion price otherwise it will cost about S$15 each.

Here's how i cook these lobsters with ginger and scallions.

Ingredients -
2 lobsters, cut into 4-6 pieces
2-3 bunches of scallions
2 cloves of garlic, diced it
15g ginger, sliced
2 tbsp oil

Sauce -
1/2 cup of water with 1/2 chicken knorr cube
1.5 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp corn flour with abt 1 tbsp  water

Steps - 
1. Heat up wok with oil and saute the ginger follow by stem of scallions first. Add garlic in after a while.
2. Add lobster in, stir fry to mix.
3. Add the sauce in and let it come to a boil and that the lobsters have turn to red.
4. Taste and adjust accordingly. Then add cornflour in and mix well.
5. Off the flames and add the rest of the scallions in and dish up.

Simple Peng Cai 盆菜 by Angela Seah Thulin

I am not sure if this can be considered as Peng Cai. Living in Sweden, these ingredients are what i have to prepare this dish for 2016's reunion dinner :)

One pot dish - a scrumptious and easy dish to prepare for Chinese New Year meal. If in Singapore, you can get all the ingredients (roasted pork, chicken, duck) conveniently from any kopitiam but here it is a real challenge.

The resulting broth from all these ingredients is very rich in flavour, eating it is an event in itself!

Facebook link -

https://www.facebook.com/groups/platepalate/permalink/968157029905264/

Ingredients - 
Napa cabbage
Prawns
Broccoli
Dried scallops (smaller version - about 30pcs)
Wolfberries
1 roasted chicken thigh
1 roasted pork belly 
4 chinese mushrooms
1 can of button mushroom
1 carrot
1 can of clam
2 cloves garlic, minced

Sauce -
1.5 cups water
2.5 tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 knorr chicken cube
1/2 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tbsp corn flour + some broth

Steps -
1. Soak your chinese mushroom and dried scallops but separately. Pre -boil the broccoli.
2. In a pot, place the bai cai as base, follow by chicken thigh, roasted pork belly, mushroom, button mushroom, carrot around it and dried scallops.
3. In another small wok with some oil, saute the garlic, then add above sauce in except corn flour. Pour this mixture into point 2. Cover with lid and let it come to a boil then switch flames to low and let it simmer.
4. Last 5-10 minutes, top the prawns, clams, broccoli and wolfberries. Scoop some broth up and mix it with the corn flour. Pour back in to thicken the broth.

Below are some dishes i prepared for the CNY dinner - this is for a table of 3. Abit too much food and we ended very full but it's definitely worth it on such a joyous occasion.

Mix vegetables

E-fu mee

Yam ring
http://platepalate.blogspot.se/2014/12/fruity-yam-ring.html

Pan fried Gyoza and Ngoh Hiang
http://platepalate.blogspot.se/2016/01/gyoza-by-angela-seah-thulin.html
http://platepalate.blogspot.se/2016/01/ngoh-hiang-by-angela-seah-thulin.html

Cheng Teng

Salted egg yolk cookies by Angela Seah Thulin

Many members in Plate and Palate group have been baking these salted egg yolk cookies, it seems like i have to give it a try too. Well, the result is -  indeed very tasty with rich buttery taste. I received good feedback from my loved ones too and my kitchen was filled with fragrance!!!

Ingredients -

125g plain flour
10g cornflour
1/8 teaspoon double action baking powder
1/8 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tablespoon milk powder

3 salted egg yolks
85g butter, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
40g caster sugar

1 egg yolk, beaten lightly, for egg wash
Some black or white sesame seeds for topping

Steps -
1. Crack salted eggs, take the yolks only and steam in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Then mash with a fork and set it aside.

2. Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and milk powder together and set it aside.

3. In a mixing bowl with butter, salt and sugar, whisk on medium speed until sugar is dissolved.

4. Add the mashed salted egg yolks in together with the dry ingredients (point 2). Mix for couple of secs then use hand to knead into a soft and pliable dough. 

Preheat oven to 170 degrees

5. Roll out dough to 5mm thickness and cut into desired shapes using cookies cutters. Place them on baking pans and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds as decorations.

6. Bake for 20 minutes at 170 degrees or until golden brown. Remove and let it cool completely before storing in airtight containers.

Notes - 
1. This recipe yields about 32 cookies.

2. At point 4 - If the dough is too soft, wrap with cling film and rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Every oven's temperature varies. I baked these at 155 degree celsius for 15 minutes.

Recipe adapted from http://messywitchen.com/recipe/cookies/chinese-new-year-cookies-salted-egg-yolk/

Bacon Fried Rice by Angela Seah Thulin

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbCCkdjYQvo

Ingredients -
1 3/4 cup of cooked overnight rice
10 strips of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 big onion (about 130g), diced
1 garlic, minced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 3/4 tbsp of light soya sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
dashes of ground pepper to taste
scallions to garnish

Steps -
1. In a wok with NO oil, pan fried the bacon till crispy. Scoop up the bacon and set aside. Leave about 1-2 tbsp fats in the wok. Do not discard the rest of the fats. You might want to use it to add on if your rice is too dry.
2. Add the garlic in and cook till fragrant, then push it aside and add in the eggs. When the eggs start to settle, separate them gently. 
3. Add the onions in and cook for a while.
4. Then add the cooked rice in, stir to mix well. Use the spatula to flatten the rice. Break up the lumps. Cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Add the soya sauce, salt, sugar and pepper in. Taste and adjust accordingly. Stir to mix well.
6. Off flames. Pour the cooked bacon bits back in and done! Garnish with scallions.

Notes -
Sprinkle water or chicken stock or add bit of that bacon fats if your rice is alittle dry.

Braised Chicken with noodles by Angela Seah Thulin

Ingredients -

3 big chicken thighs

3.5 cups water

1 cinnamon stick

1-2 star anise

Some dark soya sauce (about 3 tbsp, I'm using Lee Kum Kee)

5 cloves

3/4 tsp five-spice powder

dashes of pepper

30g garlic, peeled

1 crystal sugar

1 can of button mushroom

1/2 tbsp chicken powder 

Optional - hard boiled eggs

Steps -

1. Rub the chicken thighs with salt, rinse and then season with bit of salt and pepper. 

2. In a pot or wok with some oil, pan seared the chicken thigh both sides. Add 3 tbsp dark soya sauce in and continue to brown the chicken thighs.

3. Add water in, cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, five spice powder, chicken powder, garlic, crystal sugar and can of mushroom. Stir to mix well. Taste and adjust accordingly.

4. Let it come to boil then lower the heat to simmer until all thighs are cooked and tender.

5. Assemble with your desired noodles. 

Goes with well with this chilli