Nino's Taiwanese Pineapple Cake/Tart

Inspiration copied from youtube Nino's Home

Ingredients
Pineapple Jam
500g grated pineapple
25g malt syrup
40g sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon powder

Dough
(all ingredients at room temperature)
100g unsalted butter
20g cream cheese
45g powdered sugar
2 egg yolks
150g all purpose flour
20g custard powder

Directions

• for the fillings: cook together on slow fire till it comes together and not sticking to the pan and leave to cool
• whisk butter, cream cheese and sugar till combines
• add egg yolk and combine lightly
• add in the flour and combine using spatula and use hand when dough is coming together
• cover in clingwrap and keep dough in fridge for 40min
• shape and fill the tart (20g dough + 8g jam)
• bake at 175°C for 15min

Foodnote: I am very impressed with this recipe. It turns out very nice. I use wheat flour so I have to add a bit more for the dough to form. I tried using a jelly mold in the shape of pineapple but it sticks so I just shape it manually. My niece says it is very nice too and took some to give to her colleague. I feel so touched. I used leftover jam from pineapple tart. Next time will either try to make my own. I will also brush with egg yolk to make the color pops better?

Traditional Egg Tarts

Ingredients
Tart Shell
140g chilled butter
1 egg yolk
70g icing sugar
250g plain flour

Custard Filling
140g sugar
300ml water
4 eggs
80ml evaporated milk

Directions

• prepare pastry by combining cold butter, icing sugar and plain flour in a bowl and rub using finger tips till crumbly
• create a well in the middle and add the egg yolk
• mix with pressing motion instead of kneading to form a ball (add a bit of ice water if too dry)
• cling wrap the dough and leave in fridge for half or 1 hour
• for custard, cook sugar and water till sugar is dissolved and leave to cool completely
• mixed cooled sugar syrup with eggs and evaporated milk and whisk lightly (do not beat)
• strain 2-3 times to remove any lumps
• prepare dough in tart tins by pressing up to the edge (about 25-30g depending on the tin)
• fill custard about 90%
• bake for about 15-17min at 190°C
• leave to cool and custard will be more set
• after that you can easily slide it off the mould

Foodnote: Making this for my nephew because it is his favorite. First try is successful. I have 2 moulds, just simple round one. I have 19 of the medium ones (one is missing huhu) and 12 biggers ones. Decide to use the smaller mould with 20g base. Will increase to 25g to have thicker crust next time.

Alternatively, I think next time I will use the tartlet crust as it is firmer. I will also add a half teaspoon of vanilla butter to the custard to make the taste nicer.

The custard will have leftovers. What I did is, combine with the egg whites, add a bit more milk/condensed milk and use it to make bread pudding. I added butter and butterscotch chips... so yummy!!!

Terang Bulan / Martabak Manis Mini

Ingredients:
Apam Balik Power
any fillings of your choice (I use ground roasted peanut)

Directions

• once the batter has been prepared as the apam balik, heat up the pan with very low fire
• oil the mould lightly 
• scoop the batter and spread it thinly and up the sides
• cook just like apam balik and top with any fillings of your choice
• cool on a rack to keep the side crispy

Foodnote: So I cannot tahan and just make 2 pieces. Of course it tasted very nice and crispy. Oh la la... love this so much and will probably spoil myself once in a while with it

Obanyaki / Imagawayaki

Ingredients:
Apam Balik Power
any fillings of your choice (I use red bean paste)
Get around 8-9pcs

Directions

• once the batter has been prepared as the apam balik, heat up the pan with very low fire
• oil the mould lightly (it is non-stick but it is the first time I use it so... )
• scoop the batter and fill in about half of the mould making sure it spread to the sides (don't fill all the mould only half as this will be the top later
• about 1.5min later, do the same to the other half of the empty mould keeping the lid covered
• 1min later, put the fillings on the new batch of pancake
• using a stick or whatever you have, remove the earlier pancake and topi it on the one with the filling
• leave it for another 2 minute or so before removing from the pan

Foodnote: So I stop buying Mr Bean red bean pancake ever since they started having chicken, ham etc. Been craving for one and can't find halal one so for a while I am on my mission to find the mould to make my own. Finally found one online and it took ages to reach me but alas it finally did. So I bought the red bean paste from Sheng Siong. It is quite yummy actually so I don't think I will make my own anytime soon. I can even use it for my bread! Anyway... using my standard apam balik recipe, I did it. Oooh so yummy and soft! Nom Nom Nom...

Next project: will make kuih terang bulan or martabak mini with the pan.

German Apple Cake

Ingredients
3-4 small apples
125g butter at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
powdered sugar (optional)

Directions

• pre-heat oven to 175°C and grease the 9-10 inch springform (or lined with parchment paper
• peel quarter and core the apples, thinly slice each apple lengthwise cutting through all the way
• in a bowl of stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy about 1 minute
• add sugar and light and fluffy about 2 min
• add eggs one at a time and beat at high speed for 30 sec each time
• add vanilla and lemon juice and beat until combined
• combine cake flour, baking powder and salt on low speed then add milk beat until fully combined... do not over mix!
• transfer into pan and smooth top with spatula
• distribute apple slice on top
• bake in lower 3rd of oven for 30min or so until lightly brown and skewer comes clean
• transfer to cooling rack and remove from springform pan to room temperature
• sprinkle powdered sugar

Foodnote: My friend gave me lots of small size green apples. Initially planned to make apple pie. When I checked what ingredients I have, saw some cake flour. So apple cake it is. Found this recipe online and it looks very easy. It really is. Love the taste. It is not very sweet. I made 2 cakes. Ate some and gave the rest to my brother's family. Yumm... will definitely make again.

Apam Balik Power (Favorite recipe)

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp of egg yellow coloring (optional)

1 tsp vanilla butter (optional)
2 tbsp (28g) melted butter

Fillings (up to taste)
ground roasted peanut
coconut
cream of corn
grated cheese
nutella
butter
sugar

Directions

• sieve together flour, bicarbonate soda, and baking powder
• in a separate bowl (I use a 1.4L glass bowl) whisk egg and sugar together (sugar don't have to dissolve)
• add in water, salt, vanilla and coloring till combined
• whisk in the flour mixture slowly till all combined and no lumps
• finally add in the melted butter
• cover the bowl and keep for an hour or more at room temperature
• grease pan very lightly with oil and pre-heat it or use non-stick pan
• scoop batter into the pan and spread it out till the edge
• cook on low heat.. it will take a while but you will get crispy edges
• once the top looks cook with bubbles, brush with butter and drizzle a bit of sugar(optional) and peanut (or other toppings of your choice) over it and fold it into half
• use spatula to loosen the edges and place it on a wire rack to cool (so that it will stay crispy on the outside)
• enjoyzz

Foodnote: I think this is the best recipe I have tried so far. The edge is crispy and really tasted good. Initially when I tried the recipe I replace water with milk but I think water will do just fine. This recipe is also good for lempeng (pancake) or WAFFLE!! woohoo... so yummilicious.

I use this recipe to make Obanyaki too.

To make dorayaki or doraemon pancake, increase the baking powder by 1 1/2 tsp

Agar-agar Gudil (Bunga Telang/Blue Butterfly Pea)

Ingredients
2 pkt agar2 powder
2 litre water
500g or 2 cups of sugar
200ml Kara coconut cream
2eggs
salt to taste
blue coloring from blue butterfly pea (boil flowers in water)

Directions

• mix eggs, coconut cream and blue coloring thoroughly and put aside
• boil agar2 in water and sugar together with pandan leaf
• leave agar2 till boiling (bubbly) and add in the egg and coconut cream ingredients
• stir till agar2 separated
• pour on container and leave to cool before leaving in the refigerator

Crabs ala Fatty's

Ingredients
5 fresh live crabs
6 green chillies
2 red chilli padi
3 green chilli padi
1cm ginger
4 large red onions
8 garlic
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp asam jawa adabi Xtra/tamarind
3 tbsp chicken stock
2 tbsp plum sauce
chilli flakes
3-4 tbsp sugar
salt to taste
2 tbsp corn flour
coriander leaves for garnishing (optional)

Directions

• clean crabs and put aside
• blend blend onions, garlic and ginger
• sauteed till fragrant then add in pepper and chicken stock
• add the rest of ingredients and make sure you taste it till satisfactory adjusting salt, sugar, plum sauce etc.
• in another wok, dry fry crabs till shell turns red
• add in gravy and cook together
• add in about 2 cups of water... or up to you
• mix corn flour in water and pour in to thicken the gravy
• done... let's eat