Butter Cookies

I started my baking journey with butter cookies in July 2009. That was a harder dough that can be shaped with roller and hand. This round, I'm trying a different recipe with the softer dough so that I can play around with my pastry decorating tool. After I completed this huge batch of cookies, I regret that i didn't invest a better tool. The cheap tool that I got was not user friendly at all, and I had a hard time squeezing the dough from the small container. Oh, tiring job!

Anyway, mission accomplished. I managed to share the cookies with some friends over the weekend.

Butter Cookies 

Ingredients:

250g salted butter at room temp

320g plain flour

140g Castor sugar

2 eggs

1tsp Vanilla essence

Steps:

1. Beat butter and sugar till smooth and fluffy.

2. Add egg and vanilla essence and mix well.

3. Combine the batter with sifted flour to form a soft dough.

4. Fridge the dough for 15 minutes.

5. Put dough into the pastry decorating container with a star tip.

6. Squeeze and shape the dough on a lined baking tray.

7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 deg C for 15 minutes or until golden yellow.

8. Cool before storing in a airtight container.

Cordyceps Soup (Double-Boiling Method)

Can you see the worm-like roots? 

It's been years that I've not stepped into wet market. Hubby is the one who goes to market on every Sunday to buy all the item as per my list. There's always pros and cons. Pros is I can utilize my time to do house chores at home. Cons is I didn't get any chance to discover new ingredients for my cooking, as hubby's knowledge in ingredients is pretty limited. 

The other day, we went to a supermarket that I rarely go. I spotted fresh Cordyceps, so without hesitation, I grab a packet of it. Here's my new creation, the fresh Cordyceps soup cooked in double boiler. If you prefer clear soup, then double boiler is a good helper. Although the soup is cooked for hours but the soup base remained clear and clean. Fresh Cordiceps taste pretty bland. Luckily I added some other Chinese herbs to enhance the flavour. 

Cordyceps Soup (Double-Boiling Method)
Serves 3-4
Ingredients:

80gm fresh cordyceps, cleaned
250gm pork ribs, chopped into small pieces and blanched
12 red dates, 6-pitted and 6-leave as it is
6 strips of yuk chok
4 strips of wai san
2 tbsp of wolf berry, soaked and drained
1300ml water
salt to taste



Steps:
1. Pour 1300ml water into inner pot of a double boiler. Bring to a boil.
2. Add blanched pork ribs, fresh cordyceps, red dates, yuk chok and wai san to the boiling water. Leave it simmering for 3 hours. Check and top up the water level in the outer pot from time to time.
3. Add wolf berries and salt to taste. Leave it simmers for another 5 minutes before off the flame.

Charcoal Noodle Topped with Acar

The other day, when I got a bottle of Acar from my mom, an odd conception popped up in my mind. I thought of a noodle dish that is topped with Acar. Does this sound appealing to you? I had no idea at all how will it turn out be. I just wanted a short-cut to prepare a simple dinner. So, I beared the risk to proceed with the idea.

As you can see, it turned out quite acceptable. I'm glad with it. Haha...Besides Acar, the charcoal noodle is garnished with fried beancurd strips, carrot strips and mint leaves. This is quite a healthy dish for our meatless dinner. 

I'm submitting this dish to Presto Pasta Night #183 which is hosted by Ruth from Once Upon A Feast.

Charcoal Noodle Topped with Acar

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Dried charcoal noodle, portion for 2

1 hard beancurd, cut into strips

half carrot, peeled and cut into strips

Acar for topping

cooking oil

Steps:
1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the charcoal noodle as per the packaging instruction. Drain and divide the portion into 2 bowls.
2. Heat some oil in a pan. Shallow fried the beancurd strips until golden brown. Dish out and set aside. With the remaining oil, sauté carrot strips for 30 seconds. Dish out and set aside.
3. Top the noodle with Acar, and garnish with beancurd strips, carrot strips and mint leaves.

Apple and Calamansi Green Tea

While enjoying mooncake on the Mid-Autumn Festival, don't forget to prepare a jar of tea. This is what I did while munching away my favorite mooncake  - Apple and Calamansi Green Tea. The mooncake itself is very sweet and filling, not to mention the ones with salted egg yolk! So it is good to have a refreshing tea to cleanse your taste bud.

Apple and Calamansi Green Tea

Ingredients:

2 tea bag if organis green tea bag (2g each)
4 calamansi, halved
1 green apple, cubed
1.2liter boiling water
honey to taste

Steps:

1. Pour boiling water into a jar.
2. Infuse the tea bags into the water. Remove the tea bags after 2 minutes.
3. Squeeze the calamansi juice and add the rind.
4. Add green apple cubes and honey to taste. Serve hot or chilled.

Jelly Mooncake and Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

I don't know how to bake a moon cake nor snow skin moon cake. So, I just played around with the jelly molds to come out with these crystal clear jelly moon cakes. I made 12 of them to share with my nieces and nephews.

My home made jelly moon cakes contain less sugar and  more fruits. I try to use different colors of fruits to beautify the jelly moon cake.

Here, I would like to wish all of you, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 中秋节快乐！

Jelly Moon Cake

Ingredients:

10g Konnyaku jelly powder
180g of fine sugar
1000ml of water
pineapple cubes
ruby  grapes, halved
green kiwi, cubed

Steps:

1. Mix Konnyaku jelly powder with sugar.

2. Bring 1000ml of water to a boil. Gradually pour in the mixture in boiling water and stir well until mixture is dissolved .

3. Put cut pieces of fruits into moulds and pour the Konnyaku solution into the moulds.

4. Put moulded jelly solution in the fridge for at least one hour. Serve chilled.