Spicy Soya Egg

Ingredients
6 eggs
100ml warm water
100ml sweet soya sauce
50g brown sugar
10pcs of cili padi
1 stalk of spring onion
5pcs shallots or 1/2 large onions

Directions

• prepare ice water enough to cover 6 eggs and set aside
• fill a saucepan with water that can cover 6 eggs... bring the water to rolling boil
• scoop the eggs gently into the boiling water and boil the eggs for 6min
• scoop the boiled eggs and soak in the ice water put aside
• in a glass container mix water, sweet soya sauce and brown sugar... stir till sugar dissolve
• chop cili padi, spring onion and shallots (or onions) and mix the soya mixture
• once egg is cooled, gently peeled off the shell and add the eggs into the soya mixture
• use a spoon to mix the eggs around the soya sauce, cover the container and keep in the fridge overnight
• serve with warm rice... cut the eggs into 2, scoop the sauce with cili, spring onion and shallots over the egg and sprinkle some sesame oil... yummy!!!

Foodnote: Very nice and yummy. Will make this often because I love eggs!! Especially nice to just eat with warm rice and a drizzle of sesame oil over the egg ooh la la.

Flaky Yam Moon Cake

Ingredients
Outer Pastry
200g plain flour (medium protein)
20g castor sugar
50g butter
2g salt
130ml water
few drops of coloring (purple for yam)

Inner Pastry
180g cake flour (low protein)
80g shortening

Yam Filling
1kg yam (skin peeled and diced small)
280g castor sugar
55g wheaten starch
100g shallots sliced
170ml oil

Other Fillings
800g red bean or lotus paste

Directions
outer dough

• mix flour, sugar, butter and salt with finger tips till crumbly and add water (with colorings)
• knead until soft dough and rest for 20min
• divide into 6 portions

outer dough

• mix flour and shortening together to form a dough and divide into 6 portions

yam filling

• steam yam till soft for about 30min
• fry shallots in half portion of the oil till crispy and frangrant
• using a mixer with paddle attachment, blend yam, sugar and wheaten starch (chunky or fine is up to you)
• keep in fridge to cool
• the excess oil is for consistency adjustment only

final assembly

• flour working space generously with flour
• flatten the outer pastry and wrap around the inner pastry
• flatten lengthwise and roll it up like a swiss roll
• flatten it again lengthwise and cut into 2 equal pieces
• brush the esposed side with water and put the 2 pieces on top of each other
• roll from the cut edges (like a swiss roll... make sure the roll form nice spiral pattern)... and cut into 2 again
• roll and flatten each dough with the cut side facing downwards
• wrap up the filling (40g or a full tablespoon) and form a round shape (can also form other shapes as desired)
• deep fry in oil (put a rack in wok) at 160°C for about 7min
• after frying, put in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake at 180°C for about 10min or till light golden brown
• the mooncake can also be fried for 12min and served directly. Baking step is to crisp it up further and let the paper absorb excess oil

Foodnote: The yam paste is really nice. I can make it and keep it to fill breads too. Need more practice to form a nice layered pastry. Definitely will make this at home one day.

Flaky Pastry Egg Custard

Ingredients
Outer dough
160g medium protein flour (plain flour)
12g milk powder
13g sugar
40g butter
25g egg
80g water

Inner dough
150g low protein flour (cake flour)
150g shortening
80g butter

Custard filling
33g water
45g evaporated milk
13g sugar
240g egg
5g vanilla essence
few drops of colorings (optional)

Directions
Dough

• prepare outer and inner dough same as here
• place inner dough and outer dough separately into clingwrap, shape into squares
• keep inner dough into freezer till stiff and outer door in chiller section
• once ready, roll outer dough to be bigger than inner dough (guide by placing inner dough 45° angle onto outer dough
• fold the edges of the outer dough to wrap the inner dough making sure that it is fully covered
• clingwrap again and chill for another 20mins
• roll out combined dough to 1.5mm thick and fold 1/3 of it on top towards the centre and another 1/3 to overlap (single turn)
• repeat procese centres 2 times and refrigerate each time for 20min
• roll out dough into rectangle, this time fold 1/4 of both sides towards the centre (book fold)
• chill for another 30min and while waiting, prepare the egg custard

Egg custard

• mix all ingredients together into a pot and heat the mixture till just rolling boil to make sure all sugar have dissolved
• strain the mixture to remove lumps and transfer into a pouring container

Assembly

• roll dough out about 3-4mm thick sheet (make sure the working surface and rolling pin is floured well... only turn once after roll and roll firmly and evenly to prevent dough to become elastic)
• cut with a round cutter (size should be double size of tart cases)
• place dough into tart cases and press the dough into circular motion to bring the edges slightly above tart cases (DO NOT press the edges/top of dough edge so that it can show flaky layers once baked)
• only when ready to bake, fill the egg tart dough until approximately 80% full
• bake for 18min in a pre-heated oven at 200°C until egg set (can see the egg rises but not burnt... it means it is ready to remove from oven)

Foodnote: This is very yummy. The custard is not very sweet. Portion need to adjust as in class we get 8 tarts but the egg custard is good for 4 portions. Also there are still some dough leftovers. Best to not squash the leftovers. Slowly, stacked onto each layers and try to roll out again to make more tarts or for storage to make on other days.

Char Siew Puff

Ingredients for pastry here.

Fillings
Bbq Chicken
3kg chicken meat (breast)
7 tbsp soya sauce
7 tbsp sugar
7 tbsp honey
7 tbsp oyster sauce
7 tbsp water
1 tbsp five spice
1 tbsp white pepper
7 tsp dark sauce
7 tsp vinegar

Char siew sauce
900g water
80g sugar
30g soya sauce
30g dark sauce
10g white pepper
16g sesame oil
100g oil
90g modified starch
16g sesame oil
100g oil

Directions to cook char siew chicken here.

Assembly

• roll the pastry dough into squarish shape
• fill about a tablespoon of char siew chicken
• fold parallel sides edges to cover the fillings
• fold the side edges inwards to seal then turn it over 
• press down the short edges with fork and arrange on a baking tray
• right before baking, brush the top with egg yolk lightly especially the forked edges
• sprinkle white sesame and bake at 200°C for about 20min or till golden brown

Foodnote: This is another baked dim sum that I like. So savoury and nice. 

Bánh Mi / Vietnamese Baguette

Ingredients
500g bread flour
5g bread improver
7g dry instant yeast
Vit C - a pinch
8g salt
6g sugar
30g butter (melted)
1 egg extra large
265ml water

Directions

• in a mixing bowl, add in bread flour, bread improver, salt, sugar, yeast and vitamin C
• whisk the ingredients together then add in the melted butter and whisk to combine
• finally add in the water and egg
• using the dough hook attachment, mix on KA2 for 2min till all ingredients come together
• increase to KA6 for 10min... it should be soft and elastic
• grease a large bowl and using a greased hand transfer the dough over the bowl... rounding it first
• spray or brush butter on top of the dough, cover the bowl with clingwrap and leave it to proof for about 30min or till the dough double in size
• grease the working surface and dump out the dough smooth surface down
• divide the dough into 6 portions
• so shape the bahn mi, always keep the smooth surface at the bottom
• refer here at the 10min to shape each dough
• once all are shaped, spray again with grease and cover with a towel to rest for 1 hour
• in the meantime, pre-heat oven to 200°C 
• once the bread have proofed, spray the surface with water
• score each bread from top to bottom at 45° angle and spray with water again
• bake for 20 min with a tray of hot water at the bottom
• 2 min into baking, open the oven and spray more water on the bread
• remove the water tray after 10min
• once baked, immediately brush the bread with melted butter

Foodnote: Have always wanted to make a good bahn mi. Have tried once before and it wasn't successful ggrrr. This time I tried the recipe from here. The crust is thin and crispy and the inside is super soft and fluffy. Can be eaten as sandwich or dip in butter or dip in gravy... so yummy!! I might want to omit the vit C and the improver next time. Just have to proof the dough longer for the gluten to form.