Easy coconut cake

What an incredibly light and crumbly afternoon cake. Follow the link below for the recipe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kcj-MeONjY&fbclid=IwAR1FPPZvKBvGlLubhCQmV097yIqAZ8fDIH5Wxb9xAmWbFd-F7suxJ1knL8A

Hungarian Crepe / Palacsinta

Since discovering this recipe from No Salty, a Hungarian food and recipes site, I have already made it twice. These are not as thin as crepe but the texture for me is spot on, a bit chewy , just the way I like it!

Palacsinta
https://www.nosalty.hu/recept/edes-palacsinta-alapteszta

Ingredients (at room temperatureÖ
makes : 12 crepes
3 eggs
4 Tbsp sugar (I used only 3)
1 sachet vanilla sugar
a pinch of salt
12 Tbsp of flour
480ml milk
50ml cooking milk


Just follow the video included in the link above for instructions.

Chocolate swirl cookies / Chocolate melting moments

Made these when we had guests over last Sunday. The biscuit / cookie recipe from Tin and Thyme was perfect and it was filled with chocolate butter cream instead.

Chocolate swirl cookies
credit :-
https://tinandthyme.uk/2016/09/chocolate-viennese-whirls/?fbclid=IwAR0ZMq9xPhfnw2QEDWZ5ClMdw3v38rbLQbbzZUa-HDpXEqvssUnqhIbh0Ps

Ingredients

Viennese Whirls

• 200 g unsalted butter - softened
• 75 icing sugar
• 25 g cocoa powder
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 180 g plain flour (140g plain flour+40gm corn flour *will reduce corn flour the next round)
• pinch salt
• 1 tbsp milk

Using Your Spritz Cookie Press

Roasted Peri Peri Chicken (Nando's copycat)

All of sudden I crave Nando's peri peri chicken and of course we don't have Nando's in the country. To satisfy this craving I simply followed this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3LLD5R995s) and boy, it turned out so good!

Roasted Peri Peri Chicken

Chicken - either whole, drumsticks, wings or thigh, your choice

Blend together and marinate :-
Red sweet pepper
Red onion
Garlic, a lot
Lemon juice
Bird's eye chilli , to taste (I used dried)
Smoked paprika powder
Oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sugar
Red wine vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)
Olive oil

Please watch the link given above for detailed instructions.

Oven roasted five spice Peking chicken

As I search for a Chinese-style roast chicken last minute, I didn't have very high hope for the results as the recipe says marinate chicken for minimum 4 hours and I didn't have time for that.

What I did differently to counter the lack of marinating time was put the chicken in the pre-heated oven together with the marinate liquid. It tasted acceptable to me. I am going to make sure I have time to marinate the next time.

Recipe from https://pupswithchopsticks.com/oven-roasted-five-spice-peking-chicken/?fbclid=IwAR0RfAKOYsKCIhwetT_xcPdoRKRfIvPofwIo6Xn3RUKBItrQwi8AgzXPGGc

Butter cookies with meringue and apricot jam / Non-Plus Ultra

Some people call this poor-man's macaron..haha. Many consider this a retro cookies, it really deserves more love! I will be making these again the coming Christmases and when we have guests over. It is so easy and tasted good! Check out the link to see how it should look because meringue and presentation need some improvement.

Non-plus Ultra
credit : https://receptneked.hu/edes-sutemenyek/non-plus-ultra-5/?fbclid=IwAR33-i2lvAso08m96HPIg5g5Zk-l-RHo6gBE8_q8czJ0UD0jiYLy0ACM6Jo

video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p16wD_haYuA

• 
  
• Ingredients
• Cookie dough :-
• 200gm All-purpose Flour
• 2Tbsp powdered sugar
• 2 sachets vanilla sugar
• 200gm butter, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks

• Meringue :-
• 2 egg-white 
• a pinch of salt
• 200gm powdered sugar (I find that less sugar works too)
• 1tsp lemon juice

• Filling :
• 2-3 Tbsp jam of your choice, a more tart jam will work better to counter the sweetness of meringue

Method :-

1) In a bowl, put in the flour, powdered and vanilla sugar. Mix well. Next , crumble in the butter, use fingers to work butter in until crumbly texture. Then put in the egg yolks and knead the mixture until it becomes a dough. Let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 mins.

2) Pre-heat oven at 160`c. 

3) After 30 mins , take dough out from fridge, roll dough out , thickness about 0,5cm . Use round cookie cutter to cut into shape and place on a lined baking dish.

4) Make meringue by beating egg white with a pinch of salt. Beat for 1 mins to get the egg white frothy. Then add about 50gm of sugar, start beating again, after another min. add lemon juice and another 50gm of sugar. Beat and add sugar gradually until you reach shinny and thick consistency. not too runny. Pipe meringue onto cookie and bake in the pre.heated oven for 10-15 mins until nice colour.

5) Let it cooled before filling with jam. It better to make these a day before serving.

Or to make ahead of time, keep cookies in air-tight container without filling. Keep in the pantry. Fill with jam before serving.

Rosette Cookies / Kuih Rose / Kuih Loyang / 蜂窝饼

I was gifted with the rosette mould last year, tested it and it wasn't successful. For Chinese New Year, I thought I give it a go again and have to say I am getting the hang of how it works. I am happy with the results.

Recipe : https://mykitchen101en.com/how-to-make-thin-and-crispy-honeycomb-cookies-kuih-loyang-rosette-cookies/

Beef shank with game sauce { Vadas marhaszelet }

https://cookpad.com/hu/receptek/1924563-vadas-marhaszelet?fbclid=IwAR3JqsEYBBJZvgL6jK3e3Y6NLA-7x3L2EPaccH9bnWDHfVOUxjHtioKALxk

Chocolate Babka

Green Beans Rice

Green Beans Rice
serves : 3-4 portions

Ingredients
Instant rice, cooked and cool
1 Tbsp Oil for stir frying
1 Onion, mince
2 cloves Garlic, mince
70g tomato paste
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt to taste
450gm frozen green beans, defrosted
2 sticks Carrots, sliced

Method
1) In cooking pan, on medium heat, heat up the oil, saute mince onion until transparent. Add in mince garlic. Cook until fragrant.
2) Add in sliced carrots, cook for 5 mins. Then add in green beans and cook another 5 mins.
3) Next put in the tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt to taste and a little water, cook for another 2 mins.
4) Finally add in cooled cooked rice, mix well with spice and paste-. Cook until rice is hot.
5) Serve hot.

Hungarian Fried Bread { Lángos II }

Over the years I have tried to recreate the nation's favourite street food at home, with so-so but acceptable (to me) results. See https://cookingeasttowest.blogspot.com/2015/11/hungarian-fried-dough-langos.html and https://cookingeasttowest.blogspot.com/2016/05/native-american-fried-bread.html

Am glad I found this following recipe which is easy and comes with video instructions.

Hungarian Fried Bread { Lángos II }
via https://www.nosalty.hu/recept/igazi-strandos-langos
Makes 4 regular-size / 7 mini-size

300gm Bread flour
10ml lukewarm milk
150ml water
25g fresh yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp icing sugar

Topping suggestions
3 cloves of garlic, mince
200ml sour cream
200gm cheese

Method :-
1) In a cup, add lukewarm milk, fresh yeast and icing sugar for 10 mins. to activate the yeast.
2) In a bowl, sift in bread flour and salt, make a well, add in the proof yeast and about 150ml of water. Mix it well and let it rest for an hour at a warm place covered with kitchen cloth.
3) Heat up vegetable oil to deep fry. Tear a ball off the dough, stretch it (see video in link given) and fry until golden brown.
4) Serve hot , top with topping of choice.

Hungarian style fried Hake < Sült hekk >

https://cookpad.com/hu/receptek/1926385-sult-hekk

Baked Malaysian Satay

On Sunday at the last minute I decided to try out this satay recipe that I've seen the night before. I have to say I did not follow the recipe completely due to lack of ingredients. Despite this, the meat turned out satisfying especially it was done in the oven and not bbq.

Chicken satay
Recipe by : Lauren's Kitchen

Ingredients A For Chicken satay :
Makes: 25-30 skewers
5 shallots
3 cloves garlic
4 stalks lemongrass ( white part only)

15g ginger
25g galangal
15g turmeric

600g chicken meat
1 tsp salt
2tbsp sugar
1 stick lemon grass (to spread oil on satay while bbq)

Method:
1. Blend all the ingredients (A) . Mix the blended ingredients with chicken , add salt and sugar , combine well . Cover with cling paper and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hours or even over night if you want.
2.Soak Skewers in water while you are marinating chicken to prevent them to burning.
3. Thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers .
4.Grill it until cook using bbq method / grill in oven (180°c ,10-15min both side) , brush oil on top (both sides) using lemon grass stick .

served with peanut sauce and fresh vegetables

Using the stove to add some smoke flavour

Tiramisu II

Tiramisu is the only cakes which I don't mind has a ton of cream. It's so easy and best of of all you don't have to switch on the oven, great for summer season.

I have made this version of tiramisu using sponge fingers (in the pic. I used basic sponge) and always received compliments. It's about time I share it here.

Tiramisu
pictorial https://cookpad.com/hu/receptek/1925954-tiramisu

Ingredients

For soaking
1 x 200g sponge fingers (about 20 pcs)
2 x 18g Nescafé strong 3in1
about 150ml hot water
Rum, to taste

For Cream filling
2 eggs (size M)
2 - 3 Tbsp granulated sugar or to taste

1 x 250g Mascapone cheese, room temperature
1 x 200g whipping cream
1 Tbsp gelatine granules
Powder sugar , to taste
Rum, to taste

For dusting
Cocoa powder

Method :-

1) 30 mins before assembling the cake :
      i) prepare the coffee by bringing about 150ml of water to boil. Mix in the coffee and let it cool
         in  the fridge.
      ii) take out mascapone cheese from fridge and bring in to room temperature.
      iii) Whisk eggs and 2-3 tbsp sugar in a heat proof bowl and slowly heat it over boiling water.
            Just heat about 60°c , when the egg mixture is hot to touch. Then remove from double boiler
           and whisk using electric mixer until foamy and cool a bit.

2) Once 30 mins. is up  you can start assembling.
     1) take out coffee from the fridge add in liquer of choice. or leave it out. mix well

     2) Prepare the gelatine as per instruction on packet. set it aside.

     3) Mix together mascapone cheese with thicken eggs (step 1, iii ) until well combine.

     4) In another bowl whip up the whipping cream until soft peak. slowly add in mascapone
          and egg mixture until well combine. add in the gelatine and mix well.

     5) soak lady's finger one at a time and form a layer on glass dish. soak each for about 5 seconds.
         Then put half the cream and smooth it over. Repeat another layer of soaked lady's fingers,
          and finish off with the remaining cream. dust with cocoa powder.

     6) leave in the fridge overnight.
 

Cottage cheese pastry bites

An easy recipe from my neighbour. As this pastry is quite rich, best serve them on special occasions.

Cottage cheese pastry bites

Ingredients :-

Pastry
200gm All purpose flour
200gm Butter, cold
200gm Cottage cheese
a pinch of salt

To glaze
Egg wash

Toppings (optional)
Grated cheese of your choice
Cumin seeds



Method :-

1) Pre-heat oven at 180°c

2) In a bowl, combine all pastry ingredients and knead until just combine. Don't over work it.

3) Let dough rest in fridge for 15 mins.

4) After 15 mins. roll out dough to thickness of 0.5 - 1 cm. cut into shapes that you wish.

5) Glaze pastry with egg wash.

6) If using, sprinkle your choice of toppings all over pastry.

7) Bake in oven for about 18 mins. or until golden brown.

Walnut Meringue Pie

go to Zserbo.com for the recipe and detail instructions for this delicious pie.

I am obsessed with this pie, particularly the pastry. It is light and fluffy.  When walnuts were in season, I was making it every weekend.

As you can compared with the recipe link provided above, I have tweaked the recipe to what I have in the pantry and since then I have been making it based on my tweaked version.

Fanta Slice { Fanta szelet }

Yup, Fanta as in the orange soda.  As strange as this sound, it does work. This should be sit in the fridge at least overnight for best taste.


Fanta Slice { Fanta Szelet }

Chocolate sponge cake layer :-
3 eggs , medium-sized, separated
3 heap Tbsp sugar
3 heap Tbsp plain flour
1 level Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 level Tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt 

Cream layer :-
200ml whipping cream
250g cottage cheese, room temperature
1 zest of lemon
100g powdered sugar, or to taste
1 Tbsp gelatine powder  
  
Orange layer :-
1 can x 333 ml Fanta brand orange soda
40g pudding powder
1 tsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp powdered sugar , or to taste.

Processes :-

Chocolate sponge cake (can be made in advance, freeze and thaw a day before serving)

1) Pre-heat oven at 180˙c.

2) Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. set it aside.

3) In separate bowl, beat egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Add in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and and mix gently until will combined.

4) Take 1/3 of the stiff egg white and add into chocolate batter to loosen it a little. Then fold in carefully the remaining stiffen egg white until well combine.

5) Great baking pan (  18x20cm ) and lined with baking paper . Pour in the cake batter . Bake for 12 mins or until the skewer comes out clean.

6) Let it cooled fully.

7) Once cake is cooled, start preparing the room temperature cottage cheese. Use a hand blender to blender the cottage cheese to get rid of lumps. Add a little of the whipping cream to help loosen the cottage cheese a bit.

8) Once cottage cheese is smooth, set it aside. In another bowl, start whipping the cream until half stiff. Then add in powdered sugar, cottage cheese and lemon zest until well combined.

9) Add in the preped gelatine* . Mix well . pour it over the cooled cake. Level the cream.


10) For the orange layer, take about 100ml of the soda and mix with the pudding powder.  Let it sit.
Meanwhile, heat up the remaining orange soda with lemon juice and sugar. When this is hot enough. pour in the earlier pudding-orange mixture, stir constantly until it thickens , just like making instant pudding. Once orange pudding is thick enough, set it aside to cool a little before pouring it over the cream layer. Level it out.

11) Let the assemble cake sit in the fridge over night before serving.

Chinese New Year : Peanut filled pockets { Kok chai }

We're 11th day into Chinese New Year but these deep-fried snacks had finished long ago! :D

These turned out as I remembered, crispy with sweet peanut filling. I couldn't stop munching on them.

Kok Chai

Recipe via Malaysian Chinese Kitchen
serves :  32 mini puffs

Ingredients

For dough

300g all-purpose flour 

0.5 tsp salt  

120ml vegetable oil 

160ml water

For Peanut Filling

½ cup (75g) raw peanuts 

2 tbsp (18g) sesame seeds  

¼ cup (53g) sugar

• Instructions
  

  Filling

  1. Toast peanuts in a small fry pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly brown. Remove and allow peanuts to cool. Coarsely chop or grind peanuts.
  2. Toast sesame seeds in the same pan for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly brown.
  3. Combine peanuts, sesame seeds, and sugar in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.

  Dough

  1. Combine all-purpose flour (rice flour, if usinand salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour vegetable oil into the well. Mix with a spatula. Slowly add water a little at a time to form a soft, non-sticky dough. You may or may not require the full ⅓ cup (80ml) water.
  2. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a clean work surface for 3 to 4 minutes. Form dough into a ball and place it back into the bowl. Cover with a towel and allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove dough from the bowl and shape into a cylinder about 12 inches long. Cut dough into 16 equal size pieces.

  Forming the Mini Puffs

  1. Take a piece of dough and shape it into a circle of about 2½ inches in diameter by rotating and flattening the edges. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center.
  2. Fold the dough into a semi circle. Seal by pressing and pleating the edges together. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.

  Frying the Mini Puffs

  1. Heat about an inch of vegetable oil in a wok to fry everything at one go or a small saucepan to fry in batches.
  2. Deep fry mini puffs over medium low heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and allow mini puffs to drain in a metal strainer.
  3. Allow kok chai (mini peanut puffto cool completely before storing in air tight containers for up to 2 weeks.
   

Handmade pasta