Recipe: Teh tarik cake (milk tea cake)

It's been months since I last updated my blog. Pictures are still in the RAW format and I still haven't had the time to edit them. Recipes are written somewhere in the head, and I just need to blog to have them out again. Sometimes when you have too many things to do, or you just had busy days, all you want to do during the weekend is to lazying around. That is how I'm feeling at the moment, and yet I'm forcing myself to write this before this blog being untouched for a longer time.


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This cake was made during spring. It was the time when the weather was still chilly, and I was hoping the day is getting warmer and sunnier. A cup of warm tea brightened up my day, and a sip of it brings out the happy memory that I have had almost forgotten. Teh tarik - milk tea made out of black tea and condensed milk, is my personal favorite during the cold season. It reminds me of my childhood, and the warm and sunny Malaysia. Strong black tea with a hint of sweet and creamy condensed milk, that's how I like mine to be.


I tried to recapture the taste of the tea that I like so much into a cake, and had fun creating it...

When I think back, the joy of making this cake came from remembering the things and moments that not present here. I was relieving the past...and not feeling melancholic about it. 

Teh tarik cake (milk tea cake)
[click for printable version]

Ingredients:

Milk tea
8 bags extra strong black tea
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup condensed milk (adjust the sweetness based on your liking, the condensed milk in Europe is not as sweet as the one in Malaysia)

Cake
125 g butter
5 tablespoons sugar (add more if you like it to be sweeter)
3 eggs
150 ml milk tea
300 g flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt


Milk tea frosting
60 ml milk tea
400 g cream cheese
20 g butter
*add icing sugar if you want it to be sweeter


Directions:
1. Brew the tea bags with hot water for 30 minutes. Remove the tea bags and stir in the condensed milk.
2. Preheat the oven to 170 C. Grease four 6-inch pans. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl, set aside
3. Beat the butter and sugar until white and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one followed by a tablespoon of the flour mixture to prevent the batter from curdling. Add half of the flour mixture, followed by the milk tea and the rest of the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Put the cake pans onto the wire rack and take out the the cakes when the pans are cool.
4. While waiting for the cakes to cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting by adding all the ingredients into a small bowl and beat them slowly.
5. Assemble the cake by spreading the frosting onto each layer and cover the whole cake. Pour the remaining milk tea on the cake.

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Recipe: Saffron and dates cupcakes

A good friend of mine, "A" , gave me a huge bag of  saffron from Iran and she taught me how to make saffron tea to help elevates my mood. I love it so much that I drink it almost every time I'm feeling down. My husband even made fun of me and said it's my "drug" haha.


I love the unique taste of saffron. Not only does it taste good in savory dishes, it also tastes great in desserts. As for that, I made cupcakes with a touch of saffron flavor. The cupcakes has light taste, and you could put more saffron if you want the flavor to be stronger.  I topped the cupcakes with two types of frosting, and we especially love the combination of the cupcakes with the pistachio cream cheese frosting.

Saffron and dates cupcakes
[click for printable version]

Ingredients

Cupcakes
145 g dried dates, chopped into small pieces
120 ml hot water
Two pinches of saffron, infused in 4 tablespoons of hot water
145 g flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
65 g unsalted butter, softened
80 g brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt

Pistachio cream frosting
100 g pistachio, chopped into pieces
200 ml whipped cream
3 tablespoons icing sugar
or

Pistachio cream cheese frosting
100 g pistachio, chopped into pieces
200 g cream cheese, softened
100 g butter, softened
4 tablespoons icing sugar

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Mix dried dates with hot water in a medium sized bowl, set aside.
2. Combine flour and baking powder in a medium sized bowl, set aside. Beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Combine egg one at a time in the butter mixture for 20 seconds followed by a tablespoon of the flour mixture. Put the rest of the flour, saffron water, dates, salt into the batter. Scoop out the batter and fill up the cupcake liners up to 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
3. While waiting the cupcakes to cool down, prepare your desired frosting. To make the pistachio cream frosting, beat whipped cream and icing sugar until hard peak forms, fold in the chopped pistachio into the cream. To make the pistachio cream cheese frosting, beat the butter with icing sugar until fluffy followed by the cream cheese and fold in the chopped pistachio into the cream cheese frosting.

p.s: The weather is getting warmer and the sky is getting sunnier. Wageningen looks so pretty, and I'm going to cherish the days that I'm spending with my loved ones deeply.

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Recipe: Orange drizzle cake

I have problem with eating fruits - I'm lazy to peel and cut them into pieces. In the end, I have to make them into smoothies or cakes. This is one of the perfect example. My hubby brought a huge bag of oranges (my definition of huge is actually a normal size bag for other people), and I was dumbfounded of what to do with them. I was hoping he will eat some if he were hungry, but I was wrong. The oranges lay at the same spot without being touched by both of us. So after several weeks, and I could clearly see the oranges almost turn bad, I push myself to peel them and make orange juices and tea cake. Well, more energy wasted there, but the taste and texture are definitely better than eating fresh fruits *smirk*



Anyway, this is a very simple cake and you cake substitute lemon or other citrus to make it.

Orange drizzle cake
[click for printable version]

Ingredients:
6 eggs
350 g castor sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
360 g flour, sifted
2 teaspoon baking powder
150 g butter, melted
200 ml cream
Finely grated zest of 3 large oranges

Drizzle:
100 ml water
3 tablespoons sugar
Juice of 3 large oranges

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius and grease a bundt pan.
2. In a large bow, beat the eggs, sugar, salt, flour and baking powder. Add the melted butter, cream and lemon zest to the mixture.
3. Pour the batter into a bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
4. Prepare the drizzle by combining all the ingredients into a small pot on high heat until the mixture boils. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes and set aside.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the drizzle onto the cake (while it is still in the pan). Leave the cake to cool and invert the cake pan onto a plate.
6. Serve with tea or coffee

p.s: The only fruit that I don't mind to peel and eat it fresh is Durian! Weird, but that is my most favorite fruit in the world (no matter how disgusting my non-Malaysian friend might think :P)

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Recipe: Potato cakes

I was not a fan of potatoes, not until I’ve come to the Netherlands and eaten different types of potato varieties. Most of them are so good even if you just boil them. When my husband brought back home many bags of potatoes, I was dumbfounded – ‘what in the world am I going to do with them?’

Hence, I experienced many ways to cook them. So far, potato cakes is my most favorite of all. To make them more flavorful, put salami or any sliced meats in the potato mixture ;)

Potato cakes

[click for printable version]

Ingredients

500 g leftover mashed potatoes (or boil the potatoes, mashed it, mix with milk, butter, salt and pepper and leave it overnight)
200 g shredded cheese
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 egg

3 tablespoons flour (Type 550)
A bunch of parsley or coriander, roughly chopped
Cooking oil for frying

Method

1. Combine mashed potatoes, cheese, onion, garlic, egg, flour and fresh herbs in a large bowl and mix.
2. Using your hands, divide the mixture into several small portions. Roll each portion into a compact ball then flatten it into a pancake about a 1 cm thick.
3. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil in a large pan on a medium heat. Fry the pancakes, in batches, until they are golden brown and crispy on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Transfer the potato cakes on kitchen paper and serve with your favorite sauce. 

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Potato cakes (Kartoffelpuffer)

[anklichen für Deutsche Druckversion]

Zutaten

500 g Rest Kartoffelbrei (oder gekochte Kartoffeln, zerdrücken mit Milch, Butter, Salz und Pfeffer mischen und über Nacht stehen lassen)

200 g geriebener Käse

1 Zwiebel, in Scheiben geschnitten

2 Knoblauchzehen, in Scheiben geschnitten

1 Ei

3 EL Mehl (Typ 550)

Ein Bund Petersilie oder Koriander, grob gehackt

Bratenöl

Zubereitung

1. Die Kartoffeln, den Käse, Zwiebeln, Knoblauch, Ei, Mehl und frische Kräuter in eine große Schüssel geben und mischen.

2. Mit den Händen, die Mischung in mehreren kleinen Portionen teilen. Jeden Teil in eine kompakte Kugel teilen, dann zu einem 1 cm dicken Pfannkuchen plätten.

3. In einer großen Pfanne 3-4 Esslöffel Öl erhitzen (mittlere Hitze). Die Pfannkuchen einzeln goldbraun und knusprig auf beiden Seiten (3 bis 4 Minuten) braten.

4. Die Reibekuchen auf Küchenpapier legen und mit deiner Lieblings-Sauce servieren.

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Recipe: Crème brûlée cheesecake

The sun is shining to my face and I can feel the warmth of the ray touching my skin. If I were in Malaysia, I would have closed the curtains by now, but I didn't do that today. The gray and gloomy weather makes me missed the sun so much. I don't mind the cold, but the color of the sky can be depressing sometimes. I've been looking at the pictures of the beaches a lot lately, which I rarely did in Malaysia. The sunshine is something that I took for granted before, and now I'm really looking forward for summer.

I don't regret with my decision doing PhD here even though I have successful part-time home bakery in Malaysia. I do take orders and conduct classes, but not as active as I was back home. As for my PhD project, it goes well. Spending time with other PhD students in the department is one of my stress relievers, and I always have great times with them. 

This cheesecake was one of the desserts that I made during our last 'International Christmas Dinner' together. It combines two of my favorite desserts - crème brûlée and cheesecake. It takes some time to prepare, but the result is amazing! The German recipe was translated with the help of my husband. This is one of the few recipes that me and my husband work together for my mother-in-law Christmas present.

Crème brûlée cheesecake
[click for printable version]

Ingredients

250 g digestive biscuits, processed into fine crumbs
50 g butter
500 ml cream
1 vanilla pod (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
6 large egg yolks
60 g castor sugar, plus extra for the topping
800 g cream cheese

Method

1. Melt the butter and combine it with the biscuit crumbs. Press the crumbs on a 23 cm springform pan. Bake it for 10 minutes at 180 degree Celsius and set aside to room temperature. Put it in the fridge for later use.

2. Preheat the oven to 140 degree Celsius. Pour cream into a medium pan. Lay the vanilla pod on a board and slice lengthways through the middle with a sharp knife to split it in two. Use the tip of the knife to scrape out all the tiny seeds into the cream mixture. Drop the vanilla pod in the pot, and set aside.

3. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk for 1 minute with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Put the pan with the cream on a medium heat and bring almost to the boil. As soon as bubbles appear round the edge, take the pan off the heat.

4. Pour the hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, stirring with a wire whisk, and scraping out the seeds from the pan. Set a fine sieve over a large wide bowl and pour the hot mixture through to strain and set aside.

5. Beat the cream cheese on a medium speed using a stand mixer or hand mixer until the cheese is soft and smooth. Using a wooden spatula, fold the custard mixture into the cream cheese. Take out the springform pan from the fridge and pour the batter into it.

6. Bake for 1 hour or more until mixture is softly set. To check, gently sway the springform pan and if the cheesecake is ready, the edge will be set and the middle will wobble a bit like a jelly. Turn off the heat, and let the cheesecake be in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour.

7. When the pan is cooled to room temperature, put the cheesecake in the fridge and let it cool for about 3 hours.

8. When ready to serve, sprinkle castor sugar over the cheesecake and spread it out with the back of a spoon to completely cover. Use a blow torch to caramelise it or set the oven to the highest temperature (broil) and put the cheesecake on the top rack and bake for 2 minutes until the sugar burned.

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Crème brûlée cheesecake (Crème brûlée Käsekuchen)

[anklichen für Deutsche Druckversion]

Zutaten

250 g Kekse (digestive cookies), in feine Krümel verarbeitet

50 g Butter

500 ml Sahne

1 Vanilleschote (oder 2 Teelöffel Vanille-Extrakt)

6 große Eigelb

60 g Puderzucker, plus extra für den Belag

800 g Frischkäse

Zubereitung

1. Die Butter schmelzen und mit den Kekskrümel kombinieren. Die Krümel auf einem 23 cm Springform drücken. Für 10 Minuten bei 180 Grad Celsius backen und auf Raumtemperatur abkühlen lassen. In den Kühlschrank zur späteren Verwendung stellen.

2. Den Backofen auf 140 Grad Celsius vorheizen. Die Sahne in eine mittel große Pfanne gießen. Die Vanilleschote der Länge nach in 2 Teile aufschneiden. Die Samen mit der Spitze des Messers in die Sahnemischung herauskratzen. Die Vanilleschote anschließend in den Topf geben, und die Pfanne beiseite stellen.

3. Das Eigelb und Zucker in einer Schüssel geben und 1 Minute lang mit einem elektrischen Mixer rühren, bis die Farbe verblasst und die Konsistenz flauschig wird. Nun die Pfanne mit der Sahne bei mittlerer Hitze fast zum Kochen bringen. Sobald Blasen um den Rand erscheinen, den Topf vom Herd nehmen.

4. Die heiße Sahne in die geschlagenen Eigelb gießen, mit einem Schneebesen rühren und die Samen aus der Pfanne kratze. Ein feines Sieb über eine große große Schüssel legen und die heiße Mischung passieren und beiseite stellen.

5. Den Frischkäse auf einer mittleren Geschwindigkeit mit einer Küchenmaschine oder Handmixer schlagen, bis er weich und geschmeidig ist. Mit einem Holzwender, die Puddingmischung in den Frischkäse vorsichtig verrühren um Blasenbildung zu verhindern. Die Springform aus dem Kühlschrank nehmen und den Teig hinein gießen.

6. Für 1 Stunde oder etwas länger backen. Zur Überprüfung, die Springform sanft wiegen. Wenn der Käsekuchen fertig ist, sollte er wie ein Pudding wackeln. Sobald dies der fall ist, die Hitze abschalten und den Käsekuchen für 1 Stunde mit geschlossener Tür im Ofen lassen.

7. Wenn die Pfanne auf Raumtemperatur abgekühlt ist, den Käsekuchen in den Kühlschrank stellen und für etwa 3 Stunden abkühen lassen.

8. Wenn bereit zum servieren, Streuzucker über den Käsekuchen geben und mit der Rückseite eines Löffels verteilen. Mit einemn Kochbrenner den Zucker karamellisieren oder den Backofen auf die höchste Temperatur stellen (grillen) und den Käsekuchen auf der oberstenen Schiene für 2 Minuten backen bis der Zucker braun wird.

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Recipe: Mushroom soup

Last Christmas we made a recipe book for mama 'J,' . It contains a small collection of our favorite dishes and these include recipes of Malaysian foods and fusion dishes. My hubby helped me out with the German translation, and hoo boy that really helped me a lot (I would've just used the Google translate if he had refused to help me out haha). 

This is one of the few recipes that we wrote together. I've been using fresh mixed mushroom from the market for this recipe, and I do believe the taste is better compare to using just one mushroom variety. I like to have some chunks of the mushrooms in the soup thus I don't blend it that fine. This soup is one of our favorites, and it is one of the best thing to have in the cold weather :D

Mushroom soup

[click for printable version]

Serving size: 4 people

Ingredients

1 carrot, peel and cut into pieces
½ leek, cut into pieces
½ celery stick, cut into piece
1 onion, peel
3 liters water

1 tablespoon butter

3 pieces small potatoes, peel and cut into small pieces

500 g mixed mushrooms
1 liter vegetable stock (or more)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

To make the vegetable stock:
1. Combine all the vegetables and water in a large pot on a high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

To make the soup:

1. Melt the butter in a medium pot on a medium high heat and sautée the potatoes for 5 minutes. Combine the mushrooms and sautée for another 2 minutes.

2. Cover the mushrooms and potatoes with vegetable stock and increase the heat until the soup boils and reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes soften.
3. Take out some of the mushrooms and potatoes with a little amount of soup into a blender, and blend until smooth. Repeat the process until there is no more potatoes and mushrooms. Put the blended soup back into the pot and season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve with your favorite bread :)

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Pilzsuppe

[anklichen für Deutsche Druckversion]

Portionsgröße: 4 Personen

Zutaten

1 Karotte, geschält und in Stücke geschnitten

½ Lauch, in Stücke geschnitten

½ Selleriestange, in Stück geschnitten

1 Zwiebel, geschält

3 Liter Wasser

1 EL Butter

3 kleine Kartoffeln, geschält und in kleine Stücke schneiden

500 g gemischte Speisepilze

1 Liter Gemüsebrühe (oder mehr)

Salz und Pfeffer nach Geschmack

Zubereitung

Für die Gemüsebrühe:

1. Das Gemüse und Wasser in einem großen Topf bei starker Hitze geben. Wenn das Wasser kocht, die Hitze reduzieren und 30 Minuten köcheln lassen.

Für die Suppe:

1. Die Butter in einem Topf auf mittlerer Hitze schmelzen und die Kartoffeln für 5 Minuten erhitzen. Die Pilze hinzufügen und für weitere 2 Minuten erhitzen.

2. Die Pilze und Kartoffeln mit Gemüsebrühe abdecken und Hitze erhöhen, bis die Suppe kocht. Danach Hitze reduzieren und 30 Minuten köcheln lassen oder solange bis die Kartoffeln weich sind.

3. Einige der Pilze und Kartoffeln aus dem Topf mit einer kleinen Menge der Suppe in einen Mixer geben und fein mixen. Den Vorgang wiederholen, bis keine Kartoffel- und Pilzestücke mehr vorhanden sind. Die Suppe zurück in den Topf geben und mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen.

4. Mit deinem Lieblings-Brot servieren :)

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