Gerbeaud Slice { Zserbó }

Yay, Another Hungarian classic cross-off my "to-bake" list! Like many things, something that seemed daunting was actually manageable and I would go as far as saying easy! Of course, I'm not saying I did a perfect job. I was a bit dry and crumbly. To suit my taste and my family's, this recipe still needs tweaking, but it is a very good base to work on.
Gerbeaud Walnut Slice ( Zserbó)
source : citromhab
step by step tutorial : aprosef

Ingredients
250g Flour
100g butter, room temperature
50g sugar + 1 sachet vanilla sugar
1 egg yolk
50ml Milk
10g fresh yeast (**I had no fresh; so, sub. with instant. Will lessen the quantity on next bake)
salt, a pinch
Filling
150g Ground walnuts
100g sugar (reduced to 70g)
1 sachet vanilla sugar
 200g apricot jam
+++ Lemon zest
Note :- I'll add some milk next time to the dry filling**
Chocolate icing
100g chocolate (used 1x60g bar)
1 Tbsp vegetable oil (not olive oil!)
+++ Rum
Ground walnuts to garnish
Method :-
1) Get ready the filling by mixing together ground walnuts, sugar, vanilla sugar and lemon zest +**.Set aside.
2) Start dough by bring milk to luke warm, add in instant yeast and a little sugar. Let it sit for 10 mins. until yeast mixture starts to foam/come alive.
3) Once yeast mixture is reading. In mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt. Then work in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Then add in the egg yolk and yeast mixture. Combine well and start to knead until smooth. Let it rest in a covered bowl for an hour.
4) 30 mins. into the dough resting time, start pre-heating the oven at 180°c.
5) Once dough full rest, divide it into 4. Start rolling out the 1 dough ball, enough to cover a 18cm round cake tin. Lay the rolled out dough into the the cake tin. Spread the apricot jam evenly and then sprinkle the walnut filling (1). Repeat this process for 3 layers and cover it with final rolled out dough. Pierce the layers with a knife all the way through to let any steam out when baking.
6) Bake for 30-35 mins. until golden brown.
7) Once the cake is cooled, start making the chocolate icing by melting chocolate by using double boiler or microwave (max 1min) and add in vegetable oil to loosen. Spread all over the cake and let it set in room temperature.

Note:-
It is best to let the cake sit over night to let the flavour melts together.

Hungarian Fried dough { Lángos }

Yes! I finally decided not to be lazy anymore and venture into making lángos at home. It is not difficult at all! Just like making pizza, except it is fried. Don't get me wrong, I'll still be buying ready-made ones from my Sunday market. However, if you need to feed or serve a hugh crowd doing it at home, will be more economical.
Lángos
Via visitbudapest.travel
300 g all-purpose flour, sifted
7 g dried (instant) yeast
250 ml water (*** I used luke warm)
1/2 teaspoon salt
sunflower oil (for frying)
toppings: sour cream, grated cheese, garlic
Method
1) Dissolve instant yeast in luke warm water. Set aside for 10 mins or until yeast has been activated (froth / foaming)
2) In a bowl, sift together flour and salt. Add in the activated yeast water. Mix together by using your hand or wooden spoon. The dough is very sticky! Just mix it until the dough is smooth and not stick to bowl.
3) Let the dough rest , covered, for 30-40 mins. or until the size of dough doubled.
4) Stretch out the dough onto a floured surface, into square shape. Cut rounds by using a round cutter of 10cm or any desired size. Stretch the round doughs a little , thinning the centre. Let it rest for 30 mins.
5) After 30 mins. Heat oil in deep fryer. Fry until golden brown.
6) Serve hot with the suggested toppings.
Updated : Oct 18, 2015
I've come across another easy fried dough recipe  ; which is fluffier and faster http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/county-fair-fried-dough-recipe
2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour*

2 teaspoons baking powde 

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 1/2" cubes

3/4 cup lukewarm water

  Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2) Work in the cold butter, using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a mixer.

3) Stir in the warm water to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

4) Divide the dough into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a thin 5" round, about 3/8" thick.

5) Heat about 3/8" vegetable oil to 375°F in an electric frying pan, or in a pan over a burner. If you're using a 10" diameter pan, this is 2 cups of vegetable oil. If you're not using an electric frying pan, use a candy thermometer to take the temperature of the oil; or guesstimate it by seeing if the first piece of dough fries nicely in the time specified.

6) Pick up one dough disk, and carefully lower it into the pan. Let it cook for 60 seconds (it'll puff up on top and become light brown on the bottom), then flip it over and cook until light brown on the other side, about 60 seconds. You don't want to cook these too dark; they'll become overly crisp.

7) Remove from the oil and set on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you make the remaining fried doughs.

8) Serve warm, with maple syrup or cider syrup; confectioners' sugar, or cinnamon sugar; or the topping of your choice — some folks enjoy a savory version, with marinara sauce and cheese.

Yield: 8 servings.

Simple chocolate cake with chestnut frosting

Get the simple chocolate cake recipe from Joy of Baking

Spaetzle { nokedli }

Spaetzle (Nokedli)
via for detail instructions check aprosef

For 1 serving (*I've doubled the recipe and it was good for 3-4 pax)

Ingredients

100gm Plain flour
1 large egg
60ml water
salt, to taste
a pot of boiling water

Method :-
1) Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, don't forget to season water with salt.

2) In a bowl , place the flour, and the crack the egg in the middle. Add a little water, and with a wooden spoon combine by pushing the flour towards the egg. Add water as you go until a not too runny consistency.

3) When water boiling, place spaetzle maker over the pot (see link for instructions) and push the mixture over the hot water.

4) You should be doing in batches, and remove dumplings which have floated.

5) Rinse with cold water to get rid of some starch, drain and serve.

Steamed Coconut custard Glutinous Rice dessert { Malay cuisine : Seri Muka }

Kuih Seri Muka
serves : 8-10 pax
Base :-
1 cup Glutinous Rice, washed and soaked over night
150ml coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt

Coconut custard
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
2.5 Tbsp plain flour
250 ml coconut milk

Method

1) Wash and soak glutinous rice the night before you intend to serve the "kuih"
2) Get the steamer ready.
3) Drain soaked glutinous rice, mix in the coconut milk and salt. Mix well. Pour into a greased square steaming pan**. I used about .........., which I think makes the base too thick. Next time I'll use a slightly bigger pan for thinner layer of rice.
4) Steamed for 30 mins. or until the rice is cooked. Do not fluff the rice, just leave it as is.
5) Make the custard by placing 2 egg yolks in sauce pan. Beat in the sugar and add a little coconut milk and slowly beat in the plain flour, ensuring no lumps. when you get a smooth paste, then add in the rest of the coconut milk.
6) Cook the custard until thicken, then pour onto the glutinous rice base. Place the square pan back to the steamer and steam for 15 mins. If it is not quite set, steam a bit longer. When it is wobbly, remove steamer from heat and let the rice in for another 10 mins. before removing from steamer.
7) After 10 mins. remove from steamer and let it cool fully so that the custard to set fully.
8) Serve at room temperature. If you have left over , keep in the fridge and steam lightly when you want to eat again.

Check out the video if you're still unclear http://www.abc.net.au/tv/pohskitchen/stories/s2924623.htm

Stained glass biscuits

Stained Glass Biscuits via   You too can cook  
 ** I have copy and paste the whole recipe for my easy reference. Please visit the link provided for detailed step-by-step
Ingredients 250gm All purpose flour 100gm Granulated sugar 100gm Unsalted butter, slightly cold 1 Egg 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract 2 Tbsp Milk , or as required 2 pinches Salt 1/2 tsp Baking powder Hard candies - As required (Different flavors and colors preferably) 

• Take a mixing bowl add flour, salt, baking powder and sugar, whisk well using a hand whisk. 

• Add butter and mix well to this flour mix and mix well using your fingers. 

• Lightly beat egg using a spoon and add it to the mixture, mix well. If your dough is crumbly add milk and knead well to make a soft dough.

• Now wrap the dough in a plastic wrap or just place in a bowl and cover with a lid, then let it rest in a refrigerator for half an hour or until the dough chills and is not soft. 
• Then line a baking tray with parchment or butter paper and set aside. 
• Now place the chilled dough on a rolling board (pastry board / chapati board) and roll it flat until it is thin. 

• After rolling, cut into shapes using a cookie cutter. 

• Then cut out some shapes, in the center using a smaller cookie cutter/mini moulds/any bottle caps. You can be creative here with the design and use your own ideas. (You can prick some holes using a skewer or toothpick or a straw on the cookies to hang it and use as decorators) 

• Then transfer the cut out cookies carefully onto the lined baking trays. 
• After transferring the cookies onto the lined baking tray, place the tray in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 175°C (350 F) for 10 minutes. 
• After chilling, remove the tray from refrigerator and slide the tray into the center rack of the preheated oven. 
• Bake the cookies for 8 minutes at 175°C (350 F). (If your cookies are too thin then bake for 5-6 minutes)
• Meanwhile, unwrap the candies, separate them color-wise into individual plastic bags or ziplock bags and crush the candies using the rolling pin or meat tenderizer, set them aside.
• Now after 8 minutes, remove the cookie tray from the oven.
• Spoon small amount of crushed candies onto the center of the cookies inside the cutout holes. Do not load too much.
• Now slide the tray again into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or just until the cookies start to brown on sides and the candies gets melted well. It will be bubbling at this stage. (If you take long to fill the cookies with candies then preheat the oven for 5 minutes before baking again)
• Now remove the tray from the oven and set aside until the cookies cool down completely. When done gently remove the cookies from the parchment paper or butter paper. 
• Then set the cookies aside for it to cool completely. Do not attempt to remove the cookies before they completely cool down. (Do the same with the rest of the dough and bake the cookies similarly)
• Store in airtight containers, use as decorators or gift wrap them.

Baked turmeric and curry chicken wings

I had defrosted some chicken wings but has absolutely no inspiration what to do with them. Based on the main gravy going with it (carrot and parsnip sauce) I've decided to pair the sauce with turmeric as carrot and turmeric have been proven to pair well from experience. This turned out Good!

Baked Turmeric and Curry chicken wings

Ingredients
Chicken wings, cleaned

Marinate, quantity not exact, sprinkle the spices all over making sure each wing will be well coated
ground cumin
turmeric
curry powder
chilli powder
garlic powder
salt
black or white pepper
yoghurt, just enough to coat the wings

1) Marinate chicken wings in the fridge for minimum 30 minutes
2) After 30 mins. remove chicken wings from fridge and start to pre-heat oven at 200°c/400°F/Gas mark 6.
3) Let oven heat for 20 mins. while wings sit in room temperature.
4) Once oven is hot enough, place chicken wings on greased baking tray in one layer.
5) First bake for 25 mins. and remove from oven. Increase to gas mark 7 and flip wings over and bake for another 20 mins. until skin is browned and crispy and you're ready.