Mothers' Day Scones

Happy Mothers' Day!

To commemorate this day, I woke up early to make scones for breakfast.

Too bad, my mother was not around. But still, I decided to make a batch and eat it on her behalf!

Scones is one of my favorite bread ever and I have always wanted to make it (I think this sounds familiar). It is actually a small quick British bread and it is usually eaten during teatime.

In scottish language, the verb scon means to crush flat or beat with the open hand on a flat surface.

I searched online for a suitable recipe and finally came across Granny's Scones. I happened to have all the ingredients required for this recipe and the picture was just so tempting!

As the Granny's Scones recipe makes 12, I decided to half the ingredients they recommended. But still ended up with 9 pieces. I guess that was because I made smaller scones.

The following ingredients and methods are all adapted from Granny's Scones. Kudios to Deryn Hughes, Reader of Food Ideas Magazine.

Makes 9 small scones.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of plain flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tbsp caster sugar

- 1/2 egg at room temperature

- 1/8 cup of canola oil (I used sunflower oil)

- 1/6 cup of milk

- 1/8 cup of lukewarm milk

Method:

1. Place the baking tray in the oven. Preheat the tray and oven at 200 deg C.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.

3. Using a fork, whisk egg, oil, milk and water in a jug. Add the egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. (The less you work the dough, the better!)Add a little bit more water if required.

4. Turn the dough on a floured board and pat out till 2 cm thick.

5. Using a 5cm scone cutter, cut out scones. (In this case, I used a dining knife to cut out circles.) Place on hot baking tray, allow little room for spreading.

6. Bake scones for 10 min, or until risen and light golden. Serve scones hot with whatever you like!

I guess my mum prefers JAM more than any other fillings. If she was asked to choose an ice-cream flavor, she always choose some berry flavor. So I spread one of the scones with strawberry jam. As for me, I LOVE butter and honey. The one with the incredi-sinful thick layer of butter and a drizzle of honey is for me.

There are many other ways which you can eat your scones. If it's my dad, he will either eat it my way, omitting the honey and adding thicker butter, or he will prefer lots buttermilk cream in it.

If it's my housemate, she will probably add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on it.

If I am going to make it the next time, I will definitely get some dried cranberries from Coles and bake it together with the dough. If you are making it for a kiddo's party, you will probably like to add smarties or M&Ms in it.

Feel free to eat which ever way you like!

My breakfast with a cup of lipton milk tea! Nom nom nom! Happy Mothers' Day!

Banana Bread

OH.. I finally have the chance to make my banana bread.

After being busy for tests for the past few weeks, I finally got the chance to do something I enjoy!

The first time I tried the banana bread was at the Randwick Ritz Cinema on Easter Tuesday.

The banana bread was toasted with butter and it smelt really great.

Ever since then, I have fell in love with it.

However as it is being priced at AUD$3.50 for a slice, I had no other choice but to try making it myself.

As this is the first time I am making it, the appearance of my bread is way too charred.

Fortunately, it was alright inside and it tasted pretty good!

It looks pretty charred here :(

Ingredients for a single loaf:

- 2 cups of wholemeal self-raising flour

- 1/3 cup of white sugar

- 1/4 teaspoon of salt

- 175g of unsalted butter

- 2 eggs (beaten)

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- 3 ripe bananas (mashed)

- 2 tablespoon of honey

Methods:

1) Preheat the oven at 175 deg Celsius/ 350 F and grease the loaf tray.

2) Cream together white sugar, salt and butter at room temperature.

3) Add the beaten eggs, vanilla extract and honey into the mixture, mixing them well.

4) Sift in the wholemeal self-raising flour and combine well.

5) Mash the 3 ripe bananas, add them into the batter and mix well again.

6) Spoon the batter into the greased/lined loaf tray.

7) Bake the bread in the oven for 60 minutes at 350 F.

8) Pierce the banana bread with a skewer at the end of the cooking time to see if it comes out clean. If it does not, bake it for another 5 minutes or so.

9)When the banana bread has cooled down, carefully remove it from the loaf pan and place it onto a cooling rack.

*Note: I have baked my banana bread at 175 deg C for 55 minutes. As different oven work differently, do modify the baking time accordingly.

*Note to self: Try baking at 165 degC for 60 minutes the next time :)

The bread tastes the best when it comes out fresh from the oven.

Do not slice the bread when it is still hot, as it will crumble.

Do wait for it to cool down before spreading a layer of butter on it.

It will taste heavenly :)

Oreo Cheesecake (adapted from cookies & cream slice - ABC's delicious. sweet )

As my housemates have been pestering me for my Oreo cheesecake, I have finally made one using my newly bought tart tray!

Although this is the fourth time I am making the Oreo Cheesecake, I can say that all attempts have never been the same.

I have been always modifying my recipes, looking around for better recipes to improve the taste and the looks of my bakings.

This time round, I tried the Cookies & Cream slice recipe from my new baking addition, delicious sweet from the ABC delicious magazine! I am so so glad that I have bought this book. The sweets in it are so tempting and gorgeous that I might just be drown in my drool while flipping through it.

As usual, I have modified the ingredients and here they are:

INGREDIENTS:

- 2.5 packets of Oreo biscuits (with fillings)

- 150g unsalted butter

- 2 tsp powdered gelatine

- 375g slim cream cheese (Weight Watcher's)

- 150ml thickened cream (Coles' skim)

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup of caster sugar

- 100g of white chocolate, melted, cooled slightly

- Melted dark chocolate, to drizzle

1. Line the tray with baking paper.

2. Pound 2 packets of Oreo biscuits until fine crumbs.

3. Add the slightly melted butter, combine and press into the base of the tray. Chill for 30 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the gelatine over 1/4 cup (60ml) of cold water in a heatproof cup. Place the cup in a saucepan of gently simmering water and stir in the gelatine until dissolved.

5. Place the cream cheese, cream, vanilla extract and caster sugar into the bowl of the electric mixer and beat until smooth.

6. Stir in the gelatine mixture and the melted white chocolate.

7. Chop the remaining Oreo biscuits into rough chunks and add into the mixture.

8. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chilled base.

9. Return to the fridge to set overnight.

10. Drizzle with the melted chocolate, then return the tart tray to the fridge for 15 minutes.

Slice and serve with a cup of hot tea :)

Open-faced Bacon Melt

Its GOOD FRIDAY!

A couple of weeks ago, we had been to one of the cafeterias at the Rocks for brunch and we came across the most wonderful brunch we ever had.

It was a dish of Open-faced Pancetta Melt with a side salad.

Ever since then, my housemates and I have been dreaming of making this for breakfast.

Since its good friday and there is nowhere else to go, we decided to give a goal at making it.

Ingredients:

- Bacon rinds

- Avocados

- 2 slices of whole-meal bread

- Cheese slices

Methods:

- Toast the bread slices for about 2 minutes

- Fry the bacon rinds

- Spread the avocado on the bread slices (We spread 1/2 avocado on one slice to counter the saltiness of the bacon)

- Add the bacon rinds on the bread.

- Finally add the cheese slices on the bread.

- Baked the open melt in a preheat oven (about 175 deg C) till the cheese has melted and browned.

Its a simple yet delicious brunch!

Simple and Easy Pasta

After making the lasagna, I had some leftover pasta dough.

Instead of making another lasagna with it, I decided to cut it into smaller strips and make a pasta dish out of it.

This is a really easy dish with little ingredients needed as well.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

- Olive oil

- Chopped garlic

- Fresh Chili slices

- Pasta

Methods:

- Boil the pasta with some olive oil and salt, and drain.

- Saute the chopped garlic with lugs of olive oil.

- Add the pasta in along with the chili ( I used the LaoGanMa chili paste as mentioned in the previous post)

- Season the pasta with salt and black pepper.

- You may add along any other ingredients of your preference. For my case, I added my leftover bacon rinds

- Sprinkle/ Grate some parmesan cheese before serving.

You may add anything to the pasta. Canned tuna taste pretty good with it.

Especially if you are running out of time like me!

Chicken Lasagna

As from the previous post, this post will be on the chicken lasagne which I attempted to make from the fresh pasta I have prepared.

Tomato Paste

Instead of using the instant pasta sauce, I tried making Jamie Oliver's quick tomato sauce.

I always find the instant pasta having too strong of the basil taste, so instead to make a batch of tomato paste myself.

My pasta sauce is adapted from Jamie Oliver's cheat's home-made pappardelle with quick tomato sauce.

Instead of using fresh chili, I have replaced it with a teaspoonful of LaoGanMa chili paste.

The LaoGanMa chili paste originates from China. It initially gives a mild and tender spiciness, which intensifies in the aftertaste.

To increase the amount of paste, I have tripled my portion of the ingredients.

Chicken Lasagna (modified from noobcook's Beef Lasagna)

Ingredients:

- 1/2 large onion (diced)

- 250g shredded mozzarella cheese

- Minced chicken (I deboned my chicken drumsticks and diced the meat)

- Parmesan cheese (grated)

- Olive oil

- Pasta sauce

- Lasagna sheets (4 layers for 1 portion)

- Fried Bacon Rind (diced to small pieces)

- Salt

- Black Pepper

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan, saute the sliced onion till translucent.

2. Fry the chicken meat for a while, add the pasta sauce (reserve a few tbsp for later on).

3. Mix evenly, cook till the chicken meat is about 3/4 cooked, bring it to a simmer and season it with salt and black pepper.

4. In a tray, spread a layer of pasta sauce (the few tbsp that we have reserved earlier).

5. Spread the next few layers in the following order:

1st layer: lasagna slice, follow by meat, sprinkle of bacon rind and lastly a layer of the mozzarella cheese

2nd layer: lasagna slice, meat, bacon rind, cheese

3rd layer: lasagna slice, bacon rind, cheese

6. Bake in preheat oven of 200 deg C for about 30 minutes until the top of the lasagna is slightly browned and sauce is bubbling.

-I added the bacon rind to complement the "not so salty" pasta sauce.

-For the pasta sauce to taste better, do add about 5 pieces of bay leaves into step 2. (I left that out as I did not have any at the moment)

- Do try this recipe with minced beef! I made it using chicken meat as my roommate does not eat beef!

Home made pasta

I had 3 almost overdue chicken drumsticks in my freezer and was supposed to make something out of it for dinner. As we have always been eating drumsticks for curry and teriyaki sauce, I decided to make something really different this time round. Spent a long time searching online and decided to make chicken lasagne!

Since I had a day off from uni due to the 2nd round of strike (again?!), I felt ambitious and attempted to make everything from scratch! And the food came out great and delicious!

The whole preparation and cooking procedure took me a whole 4 hours. So do try out this when you have the time! Especially try making your own pasta! It tastes really great and different from the instant ones which you dump it in the boiling water!

As the procedures for making the lasagne is too long, I will divide this into 3 different parts:

- Home made pasta

- Chicken Lasagne

- Simple and fast pasta

HOME MADE PASTA:

*The following ingredients are for 2 portions of lasagne.

Ingredients:

- 1 and 1/2 cup of flour

- 3 eggs

- olive oil

Methods:

1. Pour the flour on a dry and clean surface.

2. Make a well in the centre of the flour.

3. Crack the eggs and put it in the centre of the well.

4. Mix up the egg using fingers.

5. Gradually draw flour into the egg from the side.

6. Gradually add more flour from the sides.

7. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil into the mixture.

8. Keep working the dough till it becomes a ball.

9. Knead it for a few minutes until it becomes a compact ball.

10. Wrap the dough in cling wrap for 20 minutes (so that it does not dry up)

11. Put some flour on the table top.

12. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough.

13. Turn the dough over and leave it to relax occasionally.

14. You may add more flour to make sure that the dough does not stick on the surface.

15. Roll it out as thin as possible ( till it is possible to see a magazine cover underneath the dough).

16. Hang the dough over something to airdry if for storage.

17. You may cut them into any sizes you want it to be, but make sure you cut it thinner than the actual size you want it to be.

18. Add some flour and airdry it a little before cooking.

There are many videos available online. Here is a good one!

Do take a look first before attempting, you will have a rough idea about how to make it.

Prepare Fresh Pasta Dough