Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

One of the many Malaysian desserts I missed is the pandan chiffon cake. The aromatic smell of pandan, rich flavour of coconut, soft and smooth texture of cake…

Pandan chiffon cake is light green in colour. The key ingredient in this recipe, pandan paste, contributes to the colour tone. The green is derived from the chlorophyll of the leaf juice. Just like other angel cakes and foam cakes, the fluffy texture of chiffon cakes is created by preparing beaten egg whites that are stiff, and folding them into cake batter, prior to baking.

I was excited when I came across with the pandan chiffon cake recipe here, and was really eager to try it out. It turned out very well. It’s certainly worth a try!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 + 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 + 1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup thick coconut milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
8 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pandan paste
1/4 tsp pandan extract

Directions:
1. Combine coconut milk, pandan paste, and pandan extract, in a mixing bowl.
2. With an electric mixer, beat together egg yolks, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, until well combined.
3. Mix together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt, in a separate bowl. Sift the flour mixture.
4. Make a well in the centre of sifted flour mixture. Whisk egg mixture into the flour mixture.
5. Next, beat egg whites until frothy, with an electric mixer. Add cream of tartar and beat until firm peaks formed.
6. Subsequently, fold the beaten egg whites into flour/egg mixture with a spatula.
7. Gently pour the batter into an angel food cake pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 50 minutes, or until the cake is cooked.
8. Remove cake from oven. Invert the pan (upside down) onto a cooking rack. Remove the cake from pan when it’s cooled. Enjoy!

Pumpkin, butternut, buttercup, and spaghetti are some of common winter squashes. There are various ways to cook them; bake, stir-fry, steam etc. I’ve cooked pumpkin and buttercup squash in the past, and found them delightful. Nonetheless, peeling the thick skin and cutting up the firm texture of squash requires some great effort. I’ve been wanting to prepare spaghetti squash since a few years ago, but haven’t had a chance to do so.

Finally, I decided to get a spaghetti squash when I went grocery shopping recently.

Winter squashes (from left): buttercup squash, spaghetti squash, and butternut squash.

How to cook a spaghetti squash? Here is an easy and common way to do it:

1. Cut the squash into half, lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon.
2. Then, place it on a baking sheet, with cut sides down. Prick surface with a sharp knife, on a few random spots.
3. Bake it in preheated oven at 400F, for 30-40 minutes, or until it’s tender.
4. Using a fork, remove stringy pulp from squash. It tastes great with salad or even on its own!

The stringy pulp that shares a close resemblance with the spaghetti pasta. A healthy vegetable with natural sweetness.

If you like the banana bread recipe that I’ve shared previously, you’ll definitely love this–the HEAVENLY banana muffin!! Using the leftover overripe bananas from making banana bread, I tried this excellent self-improvised recipe. Even my loyal food taster (who is a fussy eater) claimed that these are non-ordinary, deliciously flavourful and moist muffins!!

I really liked the topping of these muffins. The crispy texture of crumbs tasted delightful! Besides, the aromatic banana flavour was simply delectable!! I was really glad that it turned out to be a successful attempt. These are the best muffins I’ve ever tasted (not being bias); they are soft, buttery, and incredibly yummy! Craving for some mouthwatering muffins? Try this out!!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup white sugar
1 + 1/3 cup butter/margarine, melted
1 cup mashed overripe banana
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp butter/margarine
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine all-purpose and whole wheat flour, together with baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, beat together egg, white sugar, melted butter/margarine with a hand mixer on low speed, for 1-2 minutes. Add mashed banana and vanilla extract into egg mixture. Beat until batter is well-mixed, on low speed.
3. Form a well in the centre of flour mixture. Pour in banana mixture gradually. Stir just enough to mix well.
4. Prepare the topping by mixing together brown sugar, butter/margarine, all-purpose flour, and ground cinnamon. Mix with hand to form crumbs.
5. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Sprinkle topping on them.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of muffin.

Yield: ~ 10 medium-size muffins

Suggestion: Add another 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana for a stronger banana flavour

Do you frequent the baking aisle at the grocery store? You’ll be amazed what can be found here! Flour is the basic ingredient for baking. There is a variety of flour, such as all-purpose (white), cake & pastry, bread, whole wheat, multi-grain etc. Since the global shortage of wheat more than a year ago, the price of wheat hits a record high. I remembered getting a 10 kg of all-purpose flour for $ 4.99 when it was on sale. Nowadays, the regular selling price is $ 11.99!!

Feeling lazy and want to do some “no-fail” and quick baking? What about the cake/muffin mix? To prepare batter, simply add milk and eggs into the mix. I’ve tried before and they are pretty good; moist and tasty. It’s highly recommended to those who like to try baking themselves for a change!

Besides cake/muffin mix, there is also ready-to-bake cookie dough. It comes in a cylindrical shape. Simply cut the dough into slices (individual cookies), bake them, and serve! How simple is that!

Here comes a new creation–the Shaker cupcakes/muffins! What is it exactly? It says on the bottle “add milk & shake!” Wow… that’s fancy! Add milk into the bottle and shake it up. The batter will be ready in no time. Subsequently, pour batter into cake pan and bake! Easy enough?

Despite the convenience of cake mix, I prefer baking from scratch. This is what I’d call the “real” baking. It offers more flexibility and many at times, more challenging. As a result, baked goods have finer texture and taste yummier!

Why is it called banana bread, and not banana cake? To me, yeast and proofing involved in bread making. Theoretically, banana loaf is more like a cake, rather than a bread. Here is my conclusion: despite the ingredient used and process involved, it’s called banana bread because it’s baked from a loaf pan, which is commonly utilized in bread baking.

Anyway, be it banana bread or banana cake, it’s my favourite since little. I decided to give this recipe that I found from Allrecipes.com a try. This banana bread has a strong banana flavour and very moist. It doesn’t take long before the loaf is gone!

Ingredients:
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, soften
2 + 1/3 cup mashed overripe bananas

* Optional: add 1 tsp vanilla extract into batter

Directions:
1. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, cream together eggs, butter, brown sugar, and mashed banana with a electrical hand mixer on low speed, until well-mixed.
3. Slowly pour the egg mixture into flour mixture, while stirring. Mix well.
4. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 60 – 65 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the centre of loaf should come out clean when cooked. Let bread cool in pan before serving.

Looking for something easy to bake? This super easy recipe is highly recommended to beginners and those who want quick baking. Three baking  ingredients and 15 minutes baking time. You can’t beat that! This is one of those no-fail recipes! It’s worth a try ;)

Ingredients:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
1. Mix together egg and sugar. Add peanut butter into egg mixture. Mix well.
2. Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls.
3. Place them 2 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Flatten with a fork.
4. Bake in preheated oven at 325 F for 15 minutes.
5. Remove from oven. Let stand on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
6. Let cool before serving.

Yield: ~ 20 cookies

One of the many baked goods that I enjoy during Chinese New Year–cornflake cookies! These are crunchy cookies with cornflakes and raisins as main ingredients. They are easy to make. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup raisins
2 cup cornflakes, crushed

Directions:
1. Cream margarine, white sugar, and egg together, with a electrical hand mixer on low speed.
2. Mix vanilla extract into the margarine mixture.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together all-purpose flour and baking powder.
4. Slowly pour flour mixture into the margarine mixture, while stirring. Mix well.
5. Add raisins and cornflakes into cookie dough.
6. Form small-size balls of ~ 1.5 tbsp dough each.
7. Place them on lined cookie sheet, slightly apart from each other. Bake cookies in preheated oven of 350 F for about 18 minutes, or until light brown.

Yield: ~ 30 cookies

Satay is a well-known delicacy in Southeast Asia. It can be found in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia etc. It’s served with a variety of meat, such as chicken, beef, lamb, venison, rabbit etc. Barbequed satay on charcoal fire is delicious, though some expressed health concerns about carbon residues on satay, which is thought to be carcinogenic. Hence, cucumber and red onion should go hand in hand with satay. Cucumber is known to reduce heat and inflammation, whereas onion helps to lower cholesterol level and increase blood circulation. The anti-carcinogenic properties of cucumber and onion help to reduce the risk of cancer.

Ingredients:
(A) Chicken satay
900g chicken thighs
1 tbsp light soya sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp lemon grass powder
1/2 tsp galangal powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of ground white pepper
1 tbsp oil
~ 36 bamboo skewers, presoaked in water for 30 minutes

For brushing:
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp honey

(B) Peanut sauce
1/4 medium red onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup concentrated tamarind juice
1/2 + 1/2 cup water
1 + 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp peanut butter
1/2 tsp lemon grass powder
1/2 tsp galangal powder
1 + 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp salt
~ 12 dried chillies

Directions (A):
1. Remove skins and bones from chicken thighs.
2. Cut thighs into strips. In a mixing bowl, marinate meat with light soya sauce, sugar and all other spices. Add 1 tbsp oil and mix well. Refrigerate marinated meat overnight.
3. Slide strips of meat onto the top half of presoaked bamboo skewers (to prevent burning).
4. Prepare a tray lined with greased aluminum foil. Place bamboo skewers side by side. Lightly brush satay with oil.
5. Bake satay in a preheated oven at 400 F for 12 minutes, or half-cooked.
6. Remove tray from the oven. Turn the satay around. Lightly brush them with oil. Bake satay further for 10 minutes.
7. Remove tray from the oven. Brush satay (on both sides) with honey. Bake for another 2 minutes, or until cooked.
8. Serve satay with satay sauce; red onions and cucumbers on the side.

Directions (B):
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan. Saute red onions until light brown. Add garlic into the skillet. Fry until fragrant.
2. Add all spices, except turmeric powder into saucepan. Mix well.
3. Next, add concentrated tamarind juice, 1 cup coconut milk, and 1/2 cup water into saucepan. Add turmeric powder, dried chillies, and chopped peanuts. Stir well.
4. Let simmer (without a lid) on medium high heat for 15 minutes, or until sauce starts to dry out. Stir occasionally.
5. Add the remaining coconut milk and water, as well as peanut butter into saucepan. Let simmer on medium heat for another 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
6. Serve with satay.

Tired of baking the same thing over and over again? Bored of referring to recipes whenever you bake? Hey, why not come out with your own recipes??

Baking is a great way to release stress; it’s even more fun experimenting your own recipes! Satisfying food cravings and bringing a big smile on someone’s face has always been my “mission” in cooking and baking =D

I came up with the idea of making corn muffins with my brand new silicon muffin pan!

Ingredients:
1+1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cream-style corn (canned)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Beat the egg lightly. Cream together egg, sugar, and margarine.
2. Add milk and vanilla extract into the margarine mixture. Mix well.
3. In a separate mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
4. Pour the flour mixture into the margarine mixture in step (2) gradually, while stirring/blending with another hand.
5. Lastly, add the cream-style corn into the batter. Mix well.
6. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan, about 3/4 full.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 375 F for about 30 minutes, or until light brown.

* This recipe yields a dozen of small-size muffins. Very moist and tasty (according to my tasters)!!

Tips: Use 2 tsp baking powder instead, to get the muffins to rise more :)

Baked goods make delicious snacks during Chinese New Year celebration. Peanut cookies are one of them. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are aromatic and have a soft texture. You’ll certainly ask for more!

Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year!

Ingredients:
2 + 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
200g roasted peanuts, finely ground
175g roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
30 roasted whole peanuts, halved
3/4 cup vegetable oil or peanut oil
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tsp water

Directions:
1. Prepare the ground roasted peanuts from store-bought roasted peanuts (without skins), with a kitchen blender.
2. Mix together icing sugar, finely ground roasted peanuts, and salt (if using unsalted peanuts).
3. In a separate mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Pour in the flour mixture gradually into the peanut mixture in (2). Mix well.
5. Next, incorporate the coarsely ground roasted peanuts into the mixture.
6. Add vegetable oil (or peanut oil) into the mixture to form cookie dough. Mix well.
7. Roll the dough into small balls. Place a halved peanut on top of each of them, by applying light pressure.
8. Mix the lightly beaten egg yolk and water together. Using a pastry brush, apply egg wash on cookies.
9. Bake cookies at 325 F for 15 minutes. Apply egg wash once again on cookies and bake them for another 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

* This recipe yields about 60 cookies.

Suggestion: Add additional (~ 1/4 cup) oil to prevent cracks on the cookie surface.

Ingredients:
(A) BBQ Pork
~ 2 lb bonesless pork chop
1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce
1 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp white sugar
Dash of ground white pepper

(B) Gravy
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
~ 2 tsp water

Directions:
1. Marinate the pork with dark & light soya sauce, white sugar, and white pepper.
2. Refrigerate meat for at least 3 hours, or preferably half a day.
3. Bake the pork on a baking tray with lightly greased aluminum foil, in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes.
4. Turn the pork and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until cooked.
5. Cut the pork into thin slices.
6. Prepare the gravy by diluting Hoisin sauce with water.
7. Pour gravy on BBQ pork and serve!

Inspired by the butter cookies recipe that a blogger shared on her site, I was very tempted to try it out! The recipe called for pandan paste, something that I couldn’t find in this city… A rare ingredient, I’d say. I was fortunate to get hold of a bottle in Montreal a while ago to make serimuka, a Malaysian dessert.

Anyway, this is my first time incorporating pandan paste into baking; and it turns out great! Cookies are aromatic and have a green tint from the pandan paste. Something different from the regular vanilla extract used in cookie recipes for sure :)

Ingredients:
2 cup all-purpose flour
75g white sugar
100g salted butter, soften
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp pandan paste
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp vegetable oil

* Add 1/4 tsp salt if unsalted butter is used.

Directions:
1. Mix the soften butter and sugar together.
2. Combine beaten egg with the butter mixture in (1).
3. Add pandan paste into the mixture.
4. Mix together all-purpose flour and baking soda. Then, pour in the flour mixture gradually into the butter mixture in (3). Mix well.
5. Add the vegetable oil as needed, to prevent cookie dough from crumbling.
6. Keep the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
7. Subsequently, roll out the cookie dough about 1/4 inch thick, with a rolling pin, on a lightly greased surface.
8. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
9. Bake in the preheated oven at 400F for about 10 minutes.

Marble cake has always been my favourite cake. I tried baking marble cupcakes this time, instead of a whole marble cake from two years ago. Yummy marble cupcakes! Better still, if they’re more moist. Something to improve on for next time :)

Peanut butter cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies are rather common. You can easily get them from the bakeries. If you love them both, have you ever wonder what would the cookie taste like, when you put them together and generate the ultimate peanut butter oatmeal cookies?

Here I am to try it out! I’ve made some changes with the original recipe. Presenting to you the peanut butter oatmeal raisin chocolate chip cookies!! What a mouthful :)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together shortening, margarine, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the oats, raisins, and chocolate chips until just combined.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten the dough lightly with a spoon.
4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until just light brown. Don’t over-bake.
5. Yield ~ 36 cookies. Cool and store in an airtight container.

These cookies are very flavourful. If you’re the kind of person who likes a bit of everything and always wanted to try something new. This is the recipe for you! Happy trying :)