Twisted Cheese Bread

As I was preparing to back home for Chinese New Year, there were still had some leftover cream cheese in the fridge that I should use it before it expired. So, I've chosen this bread recipe just to used-up the cream cheese.

Here is my first attempt on this cheese bread recipe which I really like to share it with you because it's beautifully baked and taste really good. When I cut out a portion from the bread, it gave me a "love" piece of bread. That I feel so lovely.

I know it's nothing related to CNY but you may try it when the "hurricane" is gone. Wish all of you have a blessed new year and all the best!

Recipe:

(A) 200g bread flour / 35g sugar / 1/4 tsp salt / 3g yeast / 125g water / 15g butter

(B) I50g cream cheese / 1/4 tsp lemon juice / 10g bread crumbs or biscuit crumbs

(C) 10g almond flakes

Method :

1. Mix ingredients (A) except butter at low speed using a dough hook mixer, then turn to medium speed until it become a smooth dough.
2. Add in the unsalted butter and knead with low speed until the butter combine with the dough. Turn to medium speed for the kneading process until it become a smooth and elastic dough.
3. Place the dough into a clean bowl and cover with cling wrap to proof for 80 minutes.
4. While waiting for the dough, mix the ingredients (B) until it become a smooth paste.
5. Divide the dough into 2 portions and round them into small balls. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
6. Flatten the dough to a round disc and spread the filling at the center. Roll the doughs into round shape and rest for 5 minutes.
7. Use a rolling pin and gentle roll the dough out to a flat disc. Use a scissor to cut 2 inches at the edges for 12 petals. Twist in two petals face to face and you will get six pairs of petals. Let it proof for 30 minutes.
8. Egg wash the doughs and sprinkle over the almond flakes on the center of the flower shape doughs. Bake at 190'C preheated oven for 22 minutes until golden brown.

Baked Banana Cheesecake

I bake this banana cheesecake for many years and still it's one of my favorites cheesecake. This is something can be made in advance, keep in the fridge and serve casually for my guests without any hassle.

Recipe for 9 Inches spring form pan Bottom base: 155g Digestive biscuits 75g butter Fillings: 500g cream cheese, softened 90g caster sugar 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups mashed banana (700g overripe bananas)

3 eggs

How I made it:

1. To make the base, process the biscuits in the food processor to make rough crumbs and add the melted butter. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tips them into a 9 inch springform tin. Press the biscuit crumbs into the bottom of the tin to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filing.
2. Preheat the oven to 160’C. Put a kettle on to boil.
3. Beat the cream cheese to soften it and then add the sugar. Mix in vanilla extract and mashed banana till combine.
4. Mix in the beaten eggs one at a time till just combine. (Do not over beat or mix)
5. Take the springform tin out of the the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of clingfilm, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.
6. Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filing. Fill the roasting pan with just-boiled water to come about halfway up the cake tin, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour.
7. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it. Peel away the foil and clingfilm wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool.
8. Chill in the fridge once it’s no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with clingfilm, overnight.

Chocolate Marble Bread

I'd this recipe from some of the blogger and also from the book of 孟老师的100道面包. At first, it looks like a bit complicated but after a trial, I think I would do it again as it's not that complicated as I imagine and it taste really good! I think children definitely will like this bread as the cocoa flavour and chocolate chips really boost up my appetite in the morning.

The edges of the bread a bit chewy whereas the crumbs are supper soft. I toasted the last two slices on the 3rd day, that is another special texture which is incredibly crispy and cholatey.

Recipe: (A) 1 piece of cheddar cheese kraft 70g fresh milk 20g bread flour (B) 260g bread flour 40g sugar 1/4 tsp salt 4g yeast 130g water (C) 20g butter (D) 25g chocolate chips 2 tbsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp water

Method:

1. Melt the cheese kraft with the milk in a pan at low heat. When the cheese completely melted, add in the flour and keep stirring until it become a dough. Let the dough cool down on a plate and cling wrap it then tuck it into the fridge for about one hour.
2. Knead the ingredient (B) with the cheese mixture (1) until a smooth dough then add in the butter. Continue the kneading process till a smooth and elastic dough.
3. Weigh 200g of out of the dough for the plain dough and the rest for cocoa dough.
4. Mix the chocolate chips into the 200g plain dough and shape it into a smooth dough. For the cocoa dough, mix the cocoa powder the water until it foam a small cocoa dough. Knead the cocoa dough with the rest of the dough until the whole dough become chocolate dough. Shape it into a smooth dough. Let the doughs proof for 80 minutes.
5. Roll out the cocoa dough into 20cm square in shape and 16cm for the plain dough. Place the plain dough on top of the cocoa dough. Roll it up and place it into the bread tin. Let it proof for about 60 minutes till the dough fill up to 90% of the bread tin.
6. Lid on the bread tin and bake at the 190'C preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

I miss the apple muffins I had in the Marriot Hotel months ago, it's an unforgetable taste I've ever had. So, I like to try to make it myself. I baked a batch of this apple cinnamon muffins using a jar of leftover apple sauce bought from the Cold Storage. Apple sauce and cinnamon is the key ingredients for this muffins. It really gives a fantastic aroma for the muffins.

Then I like to have another experiment on freezing the muffins. What I did is cling wrap a few muffins after it completely cool down and kept in an airtight container then tuck it into the freezer while it's still fresh. After a few days, I reheat it at 120'C preheated oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. It's unimaginable that the muffins keep so fresh, fluffy and tasty. This is really a good idea for me to make some extra muffins next time and have it anytime whenever I feel hungry.

Recipe for 12 muffins:

Unsalted butter 120g Sugar 120g Eggs 2

Baking soda 1 teaspoon Baking powder 1/2 teaspoon Pinch of salt

Apple sauce 200g

Plain flour 240g Cinnamon powder 1 1/2 teaspoon Low fat natural yogurt 160g Toasted almond flakes 60g

Raisins 30g

1. Whisk butter with sugar (add little by little) until light and pale in color. 2. Mix in egg follow by baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combine. 3. Add in apple sauce and mix until combine (not to mix too much). 4. Mix in 1/3 of the shifted plain flour and cinnamon with yogurt alternately. 5. Fold in half of the the toasted almond flakes and all the raisins.

6. Fill each muffins cups and top with some almond flakes. 7. Bake in a preheat oven at 180'C for about 30 - 35 minutes.

Coffee & Matcha Ice Cream

I've got this fantastic coffee ice cream recipe from a blogger. At first, I followed exactly the recipe except the coffee bean. I replaced it by using three teaspoon of Moccona Coffee and added with some dark chocolate chips. It taste really rich and tasty. I found another useful link from youtube that using the quite similar method. Then, I changed the recipe for another flavor, Matcha ice cream. I replaced the coffee to two teaspoon matcha powder and some red beans, it's taste really special and I think I don't have to buy from the stall anymore :P

Almond Cheese Tart

I've been using this recipe for many years. The combination of lemony cheese and the rich shortcrust pastry really boost up my appetite.

This tart keep very well in the fridge. I kept the leftover in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 100'C for 5 minute, it's still very yummy.

For the shortcrust pastry: 8" tart pan 1 egg yolks + 1 tbsp cold water 110g plain flour 55g unsalted cold butter, diced 10g sugar powder pinch of salt

For the Cheese filling:

160g cream cheese

30g sugar

30g butter

2 egg yolks

1 lemon zest

2 tbsp lemon juice

40g egg whites

2 tsp sugar

40g almond flakes

1. Mix the eggs yolks with cold water stir with a fork until well combine.
2. Place the flour, sugar powder into the bowl of a food processor, followed by the cold butter and the salt. Turn the processor on and pulse several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the egg yolk/water mixture and pulse again. Be careful not to overwork the pastry. Stop pulsing when the mixture has the consistency of chunky breadcrumbs.
4. Turn the pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface and, with floured hands, bring together to make a dough, but don't knead.
5. Shape into a flattened ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. You can keep the pastry at this stage for 2-3 days if not using it immediately.
6. Remove the pastry from the fridge. On a clean, floured work surface, roll it out with a floured rolling pin until it's slightly larger than the flan ring. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry and lay it over the flan ring.
7. With your fingers, lightly press the pastry into the sides of the ring. Run a rolling pin over the top of the ring and pull away the excess pastry at the edges. Using your fingers, gently press the pastry up to slightly build up the height of the pastry at the edges. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork.
8. Make a cartouche (a circle of greaseproof paper) slightly larger than the base of the flan tin and line the pastry case with it. Place some ceramic baking beans inside to weigh the pastry down. Place in the fridge to relax for about 20 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 200C. Place the pastry in the oven and bake blind for about 20 minutes. Let it cool on a wire rack and make the cheese filling.
10. Beat the cream cheese with sugar until well combine. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well. Gradually mix in the lemon juice and zest.
11. In other the clean bowl, beat the egg whites and two tablespoon of sugar until peak forms.
12. Fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture and fold in half of the toasted almond flakes.
13. Pour the mixture into the tart and sprinkle over some almond flakes on top. Bake at 180'C preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Cheesy Chiffon Cake

This is an unique chiffon which is more like a savory chiffon cake.

If you like cheese, you will like this.

Recipe for 17cm round chiffon

For the egg whites mixture:

110g egg whites

55g caster sugar

5g corn flour

For the egg yolks mixture:

40g egg yolks

36g water

36g vegetable oil or olive oil

50g plain flour

24g cheese powder

40g cheddar cheese

How I made it:

1. Cut the cheddar cheese in 0.7cm cubes and leave aside.
2. For the chiffon cake, mix all the egg yolks mixture except flour. When everything well combined then gradually add in sifted flour and cheese powder. (I used electric mixer, its came very handy for this process). Mix everything well combine and no lumps left. The mixture would be very thick and and smooth.
3. Beat the egg whites in a clean large bowl until peak foam. Gradually add in sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Then finally add in corn flour. Make sure the corn flour mix well in the egg mixture. The egg whites mixture should be peak foam, smooth and shiny.
4. Gently fold in 1/3 of the egg whites mixture into the egg yolks mixture. When everything well combine then gently fold in the 1/2 of the remaining egg whites mixture. Lastly, fold in the remaining egg whites mixture. (Note: This stage took some times and patient and practice. Make sure all the egg whites mixture well combine with the egg yolks mixture without breaking the egg whites. Little egg whites left will cause a big hole in the cake during baking. And, over mixing will cause it hardly rise during the baking.)
5. Fold in the cheese cubes then pour the well mix mixture into a 17cm chiffon cake tin and bake at a 160'C preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. After baked, let the baked cake turn upside down for cooling before unmold it. . Keep the cake in the fridge it could last for 4 - 5 days. Best serve in 3 days.

Note: Warm it in the oven before serve, it's taste delicious too!