Prunes and Coconut Balls

Easy simple treats that is really easy that you can have your kids to have fun helping. It is delicious and very healthy. All you need is just two ingredients and a food processor. What possible snacks that you can make easier than this.

Ingredients:

500               grams                Pitted Dried Prunes
250               grams                Dried Desiccated Coconut

How to do it?

Put the dried prunes and 150 grams desiccated coconut in a food processor. Process until everything is combined.

Wet both of your palms and take about one tablespoonful of the mixture and shape it into ball. Roll the balls in the unused desiccated coconut to coat. Repeat the same for the rest. You can use other dried fruits such as apricot or dates. Enjoy:)

Healthy Mixed Berries Protein Ice Cream

Indulge yourself with this flavour packed healthy no guilt protein ice cream. Only four ingredients and no ice cream maker needed and so easy to do.

Ingredients:

2                      cups                    Frozen mixed berries
1                      cups                    Unsweetened natural soy milk
30                    grams                  Banana and strawberry protein powder (feel free to use other flavour)
1                      tsp.                      Stevia (sweetener)

How to do it?

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Place in the freezer for 4 hours. Give it a stir every hour. Enjoy :)

Pandan Layer Cake

Smooth creamy pandan pudding custard that are sandwich with soft spongy cake. A perfect after dinner dessert or anytime of the day. This cake is best serve chilled.

Ingredients:

(A) Sponge cake

5                                     Eggs, separated
180         grams              Caster sugar
150         grams              Cake flour
1             tsp.                  Baking powder
1/2          tsp.                  Vanilla essence
1             tsp.                   Pandan paste
A pinch of salt

(B) Filing

300         ml                    Water
400         ml                     Coconut milk
1             tsp.                    Pandan paste
70           grams                Sugar
100         grams                Hoen kwe flour (Mung bean flour)

How to do it?

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.

Prepare a 9 inch spring-form cake tin. Lightly grease and line with non-stick parchment paper.

Sift together the plain flour and baking powder. Mix well with a whisk and set aside.

In a clean metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until frothy. Slowly add in 3 tbsp. of sugar from (A) until stiff. Do not over beat. Set aside.

Beat the egg yolks and the remaining sugar and the flavouring until thick and light. Slowly fold the egg whites in the egg yolks mixture. Be gentle as not to knock out the air from the egg whites. Lightly fold in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin. Swirl the pan gently to make sure the cake batter are evenly distributed in the pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until the cake is firm to the touch and the skewer comes out clean when inserted. Remove the sponge cake and put on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, remove the lining paper and slice the cake into three layers.

To make the filing, combine all the ingredients (B) in a saucepan. Stir and cook on a gentle low heat, stirring continuously to prevent the lumps forming. Once it is thicken, remove from the heat. Do not over cook it.

Place the first layer of the sponge cake into the cake tin. Pour a layer of filing and spread evenly. Continue with the next layer. Spread the final layer of filing on the top of the cake and leave to set completely in the fridge.

Enjoy :)

 

 

Mini Apple Carrot Walnut Cake

This mini cake is packed with flavours. It is easy to do and delicious to eat. Perfect for afternoon tea snack.

Ingredients:

2                no.             Large eggs
175           grams         Plain flour
70             grams         Soft brown sugar
65             grams         White caster sugar
1               tsp.             Ground cinnamon
1               tsp.             Ground nutmeg
1/4            tsp.             Salt
1               tsp.             Baking soda
1               tsp.             Vanilla extract  / essence
2/3            cup             Corn oil
1 1/3         cups           Grated carrot ( approx. 2 medium carrots )
2/3            cups           Grated apple  ( approx. 1 medium apple)
1/2            cups           Chopped walnuts
1/4            cups           Chopped dried cranberries
1/4            cups           Raisins

How to do it?

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line the bottom of the mini cake mould or muffin tin.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Set aside.      

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until the sugar dissolved. Pour in the corn oil in a steady stream while you continue to whisk until the mixture is well combine and thicken.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well to combine. Add in the grated carrot, apple, cranberries, half the chopped walnuts and half the raisins.

Divide evenly into the mini cake mould then sprinkle over the other half walnuts and raisins. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the toothpicks comes out clean when inserted.

Enjoy :)

Pearl Barley Soup Dessert

Easy nutritious dessert.

Ingredients:

1              cup           Pearl Barley, soaked overnight
6              cups         Water
1 1/2        cups         Winter melon candy, chopped
2/3           cup           Rock sugar
2              sheets       Dried tofu skin, soaked till soft
1              cup           Ready to eat ginkgo nuts

How to do it?

In a large pot, place the soaked barley and water, bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes until the barley is halfway cooked.

Add in the winter melon candy and rock sugar and continue to cook until the sugar dissolve. Subsequently, add in the ginkgo nuts and cook for another 15 minutes or until the barley is tender and cooked through.  Add in the tofu skin, stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

Enjoy :)

High Protein Yogurt Fruits Mix

 

 

This is a very healthy nutritious high protein snack.



 

Ingredients:

1               cup           Fat-free Greek yogurt

1               scoop       Unsweetened protein powder (I use Banana Strawberry whey protein)

2               tbsp.         Chopped dried apricots

1               tbsp.         Pumpkin seeds

1               tbsp.         Sunflower seeds

1               tbsp.         Melon seeds

2               tbsp.         Unsweetened apple juice

1               stick         Stevia (sweetener) or 2 tsp. honey

1                               Kiwi fruit, sliced

1/2            cup          Strawberry, quartered

1               medium   Banana, sliced

 

How to do it?

In a mixing bowl, mix together the yogurt, protein powder, apple juice, dried apricots, seeds and Stevia until well combined. If it is too thick add more apple juice to you preference consistencies.

 

Pour it into a bowl, arrange the slice fruits on top and serve.

 

Enjoy :)

 

Banana Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie

Easy healthy smoothie to brighten your day.

Ingredients:

1           large      Banana
1           cup        Strawberry
1           cup        Unsweetened frozen low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1           tsp.        100% pure vanilla extract
1/2        cup        Skimmed milk
1           stick      Stevia (sweetener) or you may use 1 tbsp. honey instead.

How to do it?

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in a glass and serve.

Enjoy :)

   

Marshmallow Cream Crackers Sandwhich

I use to have cream crackers sandwich with jam or peanut butter when I was young. This recipe come across my mind when I am making the easy homemade marshmallow. Putting the warm sticky marshmallow cream on the creams crackers is just so good. You got to try this. So easy to prepare and it is great for afternoon tea or anytime when you have sweet craving.

Ingredients:

1            cup             Caster Sugar
1            tbsp.           Gelatine
2/3         cup             Water
1/2         tsp.             Vanilla extract
3            drops          Yellow food colouring
20          pcs.             Cream crackers

How to do it?

In a medium saucepan, add in sugar, gelatine and water. Stir well to combine. Turn the heat on and continue to stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the mixture boiled, reduce the heat and leave it for 10 minutes. Do not stir it. Taking the mixture off the heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add in vanilla extract and food colouring. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer for another 8 - 10 minutes until the mixture is thicken, light and fluffy.

Spread the marshmallow cream on the back of a cream crackers and top with another piece. Press down lightly. Repeat the same for the rest.

Enjoy :)

Easy Homemade Marshmallows

Easy homemade marshmallows anyone? It is cheaper than store bought marshmallows and you know what exactly what is inside.

Ingredients:

1            cup             Caster Sugar
1            tbsp.           Gelatine
2/3         cup             Water
1/2         tsp.             Vanilla extract
3            drops          Yellow food colouring (optional)
1/3         cup              Icing sugar

How to do it?

In a medium saucepan, add in sugar, gelatine and water. Stir well to combine. Turn the heat on and continue to stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the mixture boiled, reduce the heat and leave it for 10 minutes. Do not stir it. Taking the mixture off the heat and let it sit for another 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add in vanilla extract and food colouring. Beat the mixture with a hand mixer for another 8 - 10 minutes until the mixture is thicken, light and fluffy.

Transfer the mixture into a lightly greased and lined baking pan, spread out and level the surface. Cover and let it set in the fridge overnight.

Take it out and cut into bite size pieces and coat with the icing sugar.

Enjoy :)

Nutritious White Fungus, Red Dates, Ginkgo Nuts and Longan Soup (Chinese dessert)

This dessert is served during Chinese New Year or other auspicious occasions as a symbol of sweet blessings. It is very easy to prepare at home and is highly nutritious.

Ingredients:

50     grams          White fungus / Snow fungus, soaked until soft and cut into pieces
1       cup.              Ginkgo nuts, shelled and peeled (Alternately, use ready-to-use canned Ginkgo)
1       cup.              Red Dates
1/2    cup.              Dried longan
4       cup.              Water
250   grams            Honey rock sugar (Use regular rock sugar / brown sugar if not available)

How to do it?

Pour the water in a medium pot and bring it to a boil. Add in the white fungus and cook for 6 minutes. Add in ginkgo nuts and red dates, continue to cook for 20 minutes.

Then, add in longan and rock sugar and continue to cook for another 20 - 30 minutes.

Serve hot or warm.

Enjoy :)

Sweet Potatoes and Longan Soup (Chinese Dessert)

This is a light, non-creamy, easy and more importantly is healthy Chinese dessert that is so yummy and goes great should you down with cold.

Ingredients:

1         kg      Orange sweet potatoes, washed, peel and cut into chunks
4         cups   Water
1         pcs.     3 inch ginger root, crushed (you may adjust it to your personal taste)
1/2      cup     Dried longan
1         cup     Dark brown sugar (you may vary the amount depending on your personal taste)

How to do it?

Bring the water to boil. Add in ginger and sweet potatoes. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add in the longan and continue to cook until the sweet potatoes is tender.

Add in sugar and bring it to a boil again until all sugar dissolved.

It is best serve while it is still hot.

Enjoy :)

Lime Mint Honey Yogurt with Walnuts and Raisins

Simple and healthy desserts or snacks.

Ingredients:

2        cups       Greek yogurt
1/4     cup        Mint leave, chopped
1        tbsp.      Lime zest
1/4     cup        Raw honey
20                    Whole walnuts
1/4     cup        Raisin

How to do it?

Mix together yogurt, mint leave and lime zest. Transfer into four serving bowl. Arrange walnuts on top and scatter some raisins. Drizzle over the honey.

Enjoy :)

Mixed Fruits with Lime Mint Pineapple Yogurt

Quick and easy dessert that is effortless to do and delicious to eat. Best last minute dessert.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup   Greek style yogurt
1    tbsp. Chopped mint
1    tsp.   Grated lime zest
Juice of 1/2 lime
2    tsp.   Pineapple jam
4    pcs.  Crushed plain sweet cookies
Grapes, strawberry, papaya, canned pineapple and blueberry

How to do it?

Mix well the yogurt with mint, lime zest, lime juice and pineapple jam.

Place half in a wine glass topped with crushed cookies. Place a layer of fruits on top of the cookies crumbs the top again with the remaining yogurt. Add more fruits on top.

Serve :)

Kenny's No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake

This classic no-bake cheesecake will blown everyone away. No one will ever know that it is so easy to make. Impress your guests with this and believe me they will ask for more.

Ingredients:

200 grams  Plain sweet biscuits, crushed into crumbs
130 grams  Melted butter
500 grams  Cream Cheese
500 grams  Sweetened condensed Milk
1/2  cup       Fresh lemon juice
2     tbsp.     Lemon zest

How to do it?

In a mixing bowl, combine biscuit crumbs and melted butter. Stir until it become wet sand consistency that when you press against the side of the bowl, the biscuit crumbs hold together.

Transfer  the biscuit crumbs mixture into a 9" spring foam tin press the mixture with a flat bottom glass until you have a firm biscuits base. Chill in the fridge.

In the meantime,  put cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Using a electric mixer, mix everything together until you have a thick smooth filing. Fold in the lemon zest.

Transfer the cream cheese filing onto the chilled biscuits base and put into the fridge to set overnight.

Enjoy :)

Lemon Meringue Pie

This is a lovely sharp lemony custard filing pie in a short-crust pastry top with soft pillowy meringue. It took me three attempts to perfect this recipes. Now it has become my favourite. You should try it. It may took a little practise but trust me you will gonna love it. I usually make the filing one day  ahead.

Ingredients:

Short-crust pastry

1 1/2 cups    Plain flour
3       tsp.      Icing sugar
140   grams  Cold unsalted butter, diced
1                   Egg yolk
2       tbsp.    Cold water

Lemon Custard Filing

1/2    cup      Corn flour
1       cup      Castor sugar
1/2    cup      Lemon juice
1 1/4 cup      Water
1       tbsp.    Grated lemon zest
3                   Egg yolks
60     grams  Unsalted butter

Meringue

1/2 cup Castor sugar
4           Egg whites

How to do it?

In a saucepan, add in corn flour, caster sugar, lemon juice and water. Stir constantly over a medium heat until the sugar dissolve and the mixture thickens up to a glue like consistency. Take it off from heat. Add in unsalted butter, egg yolks and lemon zest, stir quickly until all combine. You should have a nice shiny yellow filling as below. Set aside allow to cool then transfer into a container, cover and put it inside the fridge to chill overnight.

To make the crust, sift the flour and icing sugar together. Rub in cold butter until the flour comes together. Add in the egg yolks and cold water, 1 tsp. at a time not too much water, until it brings everything to a smooth dough. Wrap the dough with cling wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Roll the dough out about 2 inches larger than the pie tin with a rolling pin. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin then transfer to the pie tin, trim off any excess. Prick some hole with a fork on the pastry dough then cover with a piece of baking paper and weigh it down with some uncooked rice or beans and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, take the baking paper and the weigh off then put it in the oven for another 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown and start to pull away from the pie tin. Take it out from the oven and let it cool completely.

Once the crust is cool completely, prepare the meringue by beating the egg whites until frothy then gradually add sugar and beat it until stiff peaks formed.

Pour the chilled lemon custard on top of the crust, level it with a rubber spatula. Spoon over the meringue and bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 6 - 8 minutes until the meringue brown.

Enjoy.

Notes:

Never over-bake in the final steps as the filling will be watery which will makes your pie soggy.

Rose Mascarpone Cheese with Spice Red Wine Syrup and Strawberry

As I made the Spiced Red Wine Poached Pear which I shared previously in this blog, I have some leftover red wine syrup which I kept in the fridge. So I decided to use up the remaining syrup by turning them into another simple yet delicious dessert. This also comes in handy when you have leftover red wine. Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

1     cup      Spiced red wine syrup (see below)
1/2  cup      Strawberry, hulled and roughly chopped
250 grams  Mascarpone cheese
2     tbsp.    Rose water / essence
2     tbsp.    Icing sugar
1/4  cup      Pine nuts
5                 Cape gooseberry to decorate (optional)

How to do it?

In a container, soak the chopped strawberry in the wine syrup for 40 minutes before serving.

In a mixing bowl, mix Mascarpone cheese, rose water and icing sugar until well incorporated. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Divide the mixture into 5 ice cream glasses. Spoon over the wine syrup and sprinkle some pine nuts. Top each glass with a cape goose berry.

Serve chill.

Notes:

2    cups   Red wine
1/2 cup    Sugar
1              Whole star anise
2               Whole cloves
2               Cinnamon sticks
1               Vanilla bean, split

Combine all the ingredients above in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolve. Bring it to a boil then let it simmer until the syrup is thickens. Leave to cool completely then chill in fridge until you are ready to use it.

Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears

This recipe comes to rescue your left over wine. The red wine and the spice just go so well together and the pear is juicy and tender. What else do you want more? I just have to share this recipe and hope you will enjoy it too.

Ingredients:

4               Pear (I use Packham Pear), just ripe, peeled
2    cups   Red wine
1/2 cup    Sugar
1              Whole star anise
2               Whole cloves
2               Cinnamon sticks
1               Vanilla bean, split
1 packet    Mascarpone cheese (200 grams)
2 tbsp       Icing sugar
2 tsp         Vanilla extract

How to do it?

Cut off the bottom of the pear a little so it could sit straight.

Combine the wine, sugar and the spices in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for few minutes until the sugar dissolve.   

Add in the pear and cover the saucepan. Make sure the pear covered in wine. If needed add some more wine. Bring it to a boil. Once boiled, reduce the heat and poached the pear for another 40 min - 1 hours or until the pear is tender all the way through when pierced with a knife.

Remove the pear. Continue boil the liquid until it thickens and turn into syrup consistency. Leave it to cool.

In a mixing bowl, mix well mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract.

To serve, place the mascarpone cheese mixture on a serving plate. Top the mixture with the poached pear and drizzle over with the syrup.

Enjoy :)

Notes:

The cooking duration depends on the ripeness of you pear. I choose pear that are just ripe. If you have the really ripe pear, you should reduce the cooking time.

If you want non-alcoholic version, use fruit juice instead. I have made the same recipe using Roselle juice and it turns out just as delicious. Perfect if you serve it to the kids.

Banana Walnut Raisins Cake

Banana cake is my all time favourite. The soft, moist and packed with flavour cake with nutty texture is simple irresistible. This is a really moist cake and very good with a cup of tea or coffee in the afternoon.Serve with some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, you will be in heaven.

Ingredients:

375   grams Plain flour
350   grams Castor sugar
1       tsp      Baking soda
1       tsp      Ground cinnamon
1       tsp      Salt
300   grams Mashed banana
1       cup     Vegetable oil (I use corn oil)
1 1/2 tsp      Vanilla extract
3                  Large eggs
1       cup     Raisins
1/2    cup     Walnut chopped
1/2    cup     Milk  

How to do it?

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add in sugar and mix well with a whisk.

Make a well in the centre of flour mixture. To the flour, add in oil, eggs,vanilla, milk and mashed banana. Mix to incorporate everything together. Fold in the raisins and walnut.

Pour the batter into a 10" tube pan. Bake in the oven for roughly 1 1/2 hour or until it is done. Cool on the rack before remove from the pan.

Pressed Butter Cookies

Classic butter cookies. A very versatile cookies that you can literally do all sorts of variety of butter cookies with this recipe. You can make the dough ahead and roll it into log shape and put it into freezer it can last for months, make cut-out cookie when you desire. Also you can add in nuts or chocolate chips on to of the cookies before baking or put some icing on top or even dip it in the chocolate to make chocolate butter cookies. These buttery cookies are perfect for afternoon tea and as a gift on special a occasions.

Ingredients:

227 grams Unsalted butter, softened
135 grams Castor sugar
296 grams Plain flour
1                Large egg
1     tsp      Vanilla extract
1/2  tsp      Orange zest
1/2  tsp      Lemon zest    
1/4  tsp      Salt
Hundred and thousands for decoration

How to do it?

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg, orange zest, lemon zest and vanilla extract.

In another mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Gradually, add the flour to the butter mixture and beat well to incorporate. Divide the dough in four and turn it into log shape. Put it in the fridge to chill for 40 minutes. If you are doing ahead, just put it in the freezer at this point.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Line two baking sheet with some parchment paper.

Take it out from the fridge. Insert the cookie dough into the cookie press and press the cookie on a baking sheet. Spacing about 2 inch between the cookies. Prepare on egg wash by add 1 teaspoon of water to 1 egg white. Brush the top of the cookies and sprinkle over hundred and thousands.

Bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes or until the edge of the cookies are golden brown. Let it rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store the cookies in the air-tight container. It can last for several weeks.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

 

 

14 Mar is pie day. Let celebrate with fresh pumpkin pie.

 

 

Ingredients:

(A) Crusts

2 2/3 cups All purpose flour

1       tsp    Salt

1       cups Cold unsalted butter (200 grams)

1/2    cup   Cold water

 

(B) Filing

2    cups Fresh cooked pumpkin, mashed

1    can   Evaporated milk (350 ml)

2            Eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup  Soft packed brown sugar

1     tsp  Ground cinnamon

1     tsp  Ground nutmeg

1/2  tsp  Ginger

1/2  tsp  Salt

 

How to do it?



Pre-heat oven to 200°C.

In a mixing bowl, mix together flour and salt. Put in the cold butter. With a knife, mix the flour and butter in cutting motion. Add 1 tbsp cold water to mixture at a time continue mix it until the dough is moist enough to hold together.

Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and shape it into a ball. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick. Place the pie tin upside down on the dough. Cut the dough 1 1/2 inch larger than the 9 inch pie tin.

Gently roll the dough around the rolling pin and transfer it right upside on to the pie tin. Unroll, ease dough into the bottom of the pie pan.

In a large bowl, add in mashed pumpkin, evaporated milk, beaten eggs, brown sugar, spices and salt. Combine everything with an electric mixer until combined. Pour into the prepared crust.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filing is set. To check, simple insert a knife one inch deep and pull out. If the edge is clean then it is cooked.

Hope you enjoy it :-)