Baked Cheese Cake

Ingredients
Crumb Base
250g digestive biscuits / marie biscuits / cookies or biscuits
90g butter (melted)
20g honey/golden syrup (best)/corn syrup
20g brown sugar
(honey and brown sugar may be omitted if the cookies have high sugar content)

Cheesecake Batter
500g cream cheese (Royal Victoria)
120g castor sugar
200g eggs
120g heavy cream / whipping cream
1 lemon or lime juice + zest (25g zest + 25g juice) - grate for zest using microplane

Directions
Crumb Base

• pound the digestive biscuits into very fine crumbs (put into ziplock and roll with a pin)
• add brown sugar and honey and mix well
• add butter but not everything leaving about 1/4 and adjust accordingly
• check the texture... when clump lightly (take a small batch in your palm and squeeze gently), it should be able to hold together when roll to & fro in your palm. If too dry (the mixture falls apart), add more butter... if too oily, add more biscuits crumb lah
• measure 125g and flatten light;y it into a baking pan (initially using the back of your hand to fill the base and sides evenly and later using the back of a spoon) that have been earlier wrapped with foil to prevent moisture from getting in
• balance crumb to put aside for topping
• bake for about 160-170°C for 12min to set
• leave to cool

Cheesecake Batter

• cream cheese using a mixer on a paddle attachment (KA4)
• add in caster sugar (KA2) scraping the sides and bottom regularly till creamy
• add egg in 4 batches also scraping the sides and bottom between each batch
• add lemon juice + zest
• add heavy cream for a while till combined
• at this stage, taste if batter have enough sourness... if not, add more lemon juice or zest
• pour into the pan with crust base, smooth the surface and top with crumbs as desired
• can also add toppings such as fruits or choc chips... basically decorate the top
• bake for about 45-50min on 145°C using a bain-marie method
• once cooked ie skewer comes clean and texture feels firm, switch off the temperature, leave the oven door open and leave the cheesecake to cool down for half and hour in the oven

Foodnote: Love my basic cake class so far. The recipes turn out good and delicious. I tried both the baked and non-baked and they are awesome. Can experiment with other flavors next time... 

Pandan Butter Cake

(all-in-one method)
Ingredients
Group A
330g cake flour
12g baking powder
250 castor sugar

Group B
225g cake margarine

Group C
185g eggs
150g fresh milk
5g pandan essence
~ combine together

Directions

• combine together Group A in a stand mixer using paddle attachment then add in cake margarine till it turns crumbly
• slowly pour in Group C and at whisk till combined and the batter is smooth 
• scoop in a mould that have been lined with baking paper
• bake at 160-170°C for about 30min or till skewer comes clean

Foodnote: this recipe was taught just for our information, of what is usually done by commercial bakers. Personally I don't really like it because of the margarine. Will stick to the traditional recipe and this is as a reference only.

Traditional Butter Cake

(creaming method)
Ingredients
Group A
250g unsalted butter 
250g castor sugar

Group B
200g eggs (room temperature)
10g vanilla essence
~ whisk together with a fork till foamy

Group C
250g cake flour
7g baking powder (double action)
~ sift both ingredients

60g fresh milk (UHT or Pastuerized)

Directions

• using the paddle attachment, whisk Group A at low speed (4 speed on KitchenAid mixer) for about 10min or batter turns pale
• add egg mixture slowly (split into 5 portions)
• if mixture start to split and curdle, add about 1 tbsp of flour and whisk for a while at high speed till batter turn smooth again
• remove batter from mixer and transfer into another bowl
• in the meantime, heat oven to about 160-170°C
• fold in flour and milk in the following order... flour, milk, flour, milk, flour till all are combined
• do the dollop test... batter should drop easily from spatula. If it is a bit stiff, add a bit more milk... about 1 tbsp or 5g each time
• scoop into mould that have been lined with baking paper
• optional: sprinkle walnut and almond on the cake before baking
• bake for about 30-40min or till skewer comes out clean

Marble Cake

• add 2 tbsp cocoa powder to 1/3 of the batter and add a bit more milk till it pass the dollop test. Alternate scoop into a mould and use skewer to run through the batter

Blueberry/Raisins/Nuts Cake

• combine the fruit and nuts into the flour then fold it in

Butterscotch/Chocolate Chips Cake etc

• scoop a layer of batter and sprinkle some chips over the surface... cover with batter... you get the idea

Tips

• Pandan essence: cut about 6pcs pandan leaves and blend with a bit of water. Sieve/Squeeze the juice. Leave it in the fridge overnight. The following day, the essence will separate with the water. Remove the water on the top later to use the pandan essence. Might need to add green color as the essence color is a bit pale. It is also good to replace milk with coconut milk to make pandan traditional butter cake
• any recipe that calls for cake flour can be substituted with Hong Kong flour to get a finer texture

Foodnote: Learn basics of cake making... only because one of the module is to make chiffon hehehe. I practice to make it at home and it is so yummy and successful. Made one with butterscotch chips and another with blueberries.

Kueh Keria Gula Melaka

Ingredients
2 small sweet potato
1/2 cup plain flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp gula melaka
oil for frying

Directions

• steam sweet potato till soft, peel skin off and mash
• add flour until soft sticky dough is formed
• leave in the fridge for 15-30min so that dough is more firmed and can be shaped
• formed dough into shape of doughnut
• deep fry till golden and leave to cool
• in an empty pan/wok, add sugar, gula melaka and just a bit of water
• stir to let sugar dissolve and come to a rolling boil and get a bit sticky
• add in the keria and coat it with the syrup thoroughly
• immediately off the fire and mix again so that all the sugar coat the kueh
• cool each keria on a rack till the syrup hardens

Foodnote: So I have 2 sweet potato in the kitchen and was wondering what to do with it. Decided to make keria. Since I have gula melaka, I added it. Very sweet but ok lah. Craving satisfied.

Potato Donuts

Ingredients
1 potato (about 100g) boiled, cooled and mashed
2 cups (250g) bread flour
1 1/2 tbsp caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp milk powder
1 1/2 tbsp margarine (planta)
1 egg
80ml ice cold water
cooking oil for frying
fine sugar

Directions

• in a bowl, measure and combine flour, caster sugar, yeast and milk powder
• add in margarine, salt and egg followed by iced water
• add in mashed potato and mix till combined
• move to working surface and knead till not sticky and soft (membrane stage)
• round the dough and place back in bowl that have been oiled... cover or use cling wrap 
• leave till dough size doubled (about 45min to 1hr)
• meanwhile, prepare cut baking paper that has been brushed generously with margarine
• once dough have doubled, punch the air out and remove dough back to working surface
• knead again till dough is smooth
• weigh and divide... I weigh about 30g and got 20pcs
• round it and put on baking paper
• once all dough are rounded, flatten the dough and leave for 10 - 15min
• heat oil to low heat
• fry donut till light cream (not dark golden)
• once slightly cool, coat with sugar or glaze accordingly

Foodnote: Recipe from Che Nom. I tried this because I have all ingredients ready. Was surprised at the outcome. Super soft donuts. Must always remember when making donut to brush baking paper with oil beforehand so that the dough do not stick. Very happy with result.

Soft Boiled Eggs

Foodnote: I have always love soft boiled eggs especially from Ya Kun. Been trying to cook using the Half-Boiled Egg maker but it never comes out as nice. Some parts of the eggs white will be raw. Been trying some tips online and finally... perfect! Just look at the photo... beautiful yolk and evenly cooked whites woohoo. I bought Seng Choon Farm Fresh Eggs because I like bright color of the yolks.

Ingredients:
6 eggs at room temperature
dark soya sauce
white pepper powder

Directions

• prepare a big bowl with room temperature water that is enough to cover the eggs and put aside
• fill a pan with water, enough to cover the eggs and bring it to a boil
• once the water is on rolling boil (important) turn off the fire or move the pan from the stove and add 1/2 cup of water at room temperature
• slowly scoop each eggs into the pan and cover the pan for 7 minutes (use a timer)
• after 7 minutes, scoop the eggs into the bowl with room temperature water
• that's it... ready after 2 minutes
• enjoyyyy.... 

Easy Soft Chapati

Ingredients
3 cups atta flour
1tsp salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
enough water

Directions

• mix flour, salt and oil together
• keep adding water till dough comes together
• make a ball and oil the surface
• leave it for 20minutes
• knead dough on floured surface
• divide into 5 pieces and flatten it
• for layered chapati, refer to here

Foodnote: This is a good recipe. Very easy and nice. It is also still soft when I preheat the next day. Will stick to this whenever I crave for chapati at home.

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?