Saturday, January 22, 2011

A cute cookie...The Horlicks Doggie Cookie???

This cookie had been the favourite in most bloggers baking list last year. Well, since I started taking up interest in baking after the Chinese New Year, I didnt find the urge to bake cookies as my children do not really fancy them. I always associate cookies with festive seasons like Chinese New Year, Hari Raya and Christmas.

So...with daughter's help again, I made this cookie. Like the title stated, its supposed to be doggie but after moulding and putting the 'touches' to the cookies, they looked more like bears to me...:-))





180g Butter
80g Horlicks
200g Superfine Flour
25g Cornflour
25g Milk Powder
Chocolate Rice
Chocolate Chips
Koko Crunch

1) Sift Superfine flour, corn flour & milk powder together. Set aside
2) Cream butter & horlicks on low speed for 3 minutes.
3) Add sifted flour & beat for 1 minute.
4) Divide dough to 10g. Shape into a ball.
5) Use the chocolate rice as eyes, chocolate chips for nose and Koko crunch for the ears.
6) Bake at 140 degree C for 25 mins.


Monday, January 17, 2011

Baking for Chinese New Year...Pineapple Tarts

Chinese New Year is just around the corner and for this year, I felt the urge to bake cookies instead of buying them.  All these years I think I spent over hundreds of RM to buy containers of cookies to be given away as gifts to friends and also to serve to guests during the open house. This year, not anymore. I spend my money instead on buying ingredients to make some selections of cookies.

With the help from my daughter, I spent the whole weekend mornings to prepare, cut, mould and bake the cookies. It was very tiring but after seeing the goodies laid out on the table, I felt a great satisfaction.





This time I will post one of the cookies made which is the 'not to be missed' Pineapple Tart from the book 'Biscuit DIY' published by One Publisher. Initially I wanted to make pineapple roll but reading how time consuming it is, I venture to bake the 'open' tart and promised to try the roll next year..:-))


250g butter
80g castor sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
400g Flour
pinch of salt
few drops Vanilla essence
300g Pineapple Jam (stor bought)
1 egg yolk for glazing

1. Cream butter & sugar until light. Ad egg & beat thoroughly. Add salt & vanilla essence.
2. Stir in flour and mix to a firm dough.
3. Roll the dough into 1/4 " thick and cut with cookie cutter.
4. Glaze the cookie and place a small ball of pineapple jam in the centre.
5. Bake in preheated oven of 170 degree C for 20-25 mins.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

My Dad's 70th Birthday & Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

Gosh! I've been neglecting my blog for some time. Sorry. It's not that I've not baked . I did but with the visits from my brothers who came from USA and Singapore during the christmas to new year, I didnt have time to blog my bakings. Their visit around this time was to celebrate my father's 70th birthday which was on 26th December 2010. I'm happy to say that this time, I managed to bake a birthday cake for my father and also some cuppies for the guests during dinner with the help from my brother from USA who is a baker as well.


Peach Fresh Cream Cake made & deco by both my brother & I.

Carrot Cupcake with Cream Cheese frosting. Fondant longevity bun moulded by my brother, cup cake baked by yours truly.










Having succesful attempts on baking 'Baked Cheesecake', I ventured to another type of cheesecake. The Japanese Cotton Cheesecake which is baked in 'water bath'. The texture of this cake is soft and has a milky taste, not too sweet..just nice for people who do not like sweet things.

This recipe is taken from Alex Goh's Fantastic cheesecake.

(A) 160g Cream Cheese
       25 g Butter
      120g Milk

(B) 40g Flour
      30g Cornflour

(C) 4 Egg Yolks

(D) 4 Egg Whites
      1/8 tsp Cream of tartar
      100g sugar
      pinch of salt

1. Grease & line the bottom of an 8" springform pan. Wrap outside of the pan with aluminium foil.
2. Double boil (A) & cook until thick.
3. Add (B) and mix until well combined. Add (C) and mix till well blended.
4. Whip the egg whites in (D) until foamy. Then add the remaining ingredient (D). Continue whipping until soft peaks.
5. Add into the cheese mixture from step 3. Mix till well blended.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in water bath at 160 degree C for 40 - 45 mins.
7. Remove cake from oven. Remove cake from mould immediately. Set aside to cool.