Ghee (clarified butter)

Ghee is a traditional Indian clarified butter used for cooking and baking. Traditional way of making ghee is from boiling raw milk to get cream, churn the cream to make fresh butter, and then boil the butter to make ghee. Over here, it is pretty easy, we just start from boiling butter  to turn into ghee.

Ghee is considered healthy choice in comparison with any other butter and cooking oil. Ghee is a saturated fat as it comes from animal fat. It is not good to eat in large quantities, or if you have high cholesterol or heart problems. However, ghee has no hydrogenated fat if made from pure butter, and is considered healthier for that reason, if eaten in moderation.

According to Ayurveda (a form of alternative medicine, originated from India), ghee aids digestion more than butter or any other cooking oil. It also helps boost the imune system. Ghee helps balance excess acid secretion in the stomach, and it is also more digestible for the lactose intolerant than butter, because milk proteins are removed when the butter is clarified.

Ghee is great for cooking because it cooks at high temperatures without burning. It gives you a rich, delicious taste than no other oil can, and just a little bit packs a punch of flavor. Try it and you'll know it :)

Note: Ghee can be stored at room temperature, due to its lack of moisture. Please be reminded, don't let any moisture get into your jar. That way, it can last forever!

(some of the information was adapted from Naturopath)

Ghee (clarified butter)

All you need is this

1 lb of unsalted butter (500g)

Heat the butter in a clean stainless steel pot at medium heat. When all the butter is melted, turn the heat to low. While boiling, the foam is formed on the top. Remove the foam (or leave it until the end).

Let it boil for 15 minutes. Do not cover. Milk solids will separate and settle at the bottom.

  



The translucent, golden liquid is ghee. Strain the ghee through a cheese cloth or fine sieve, and store it in airtight glass jar, at room temperature (or in your fridge).

The final product is creamy, light yellow.

Cotton soft Japanese Cheesecake

I love cheesecakes very much, especially Japanese Cheesecake. This cotton soft cheesecake is so light, as light as a cotton, and so yummy. When I see Japanese Cheesecake, I just cannot resist, I can finish half the cake in no time. One spoon after another, can't stop myself...nom, nom, nom! Enjoy eating! Japanese Cheesecake You'll need: 8" round cake pan parchment paper - lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper (a) Egg white 4 egg white 100g sugar 1tsp lemon juice (or 1/2 tsp cream of tartar) (b) Cheese 200g cream cheese 170g milk 60g unsalted butter 30g sugar (c) Egg yolk 4 egg yolk 50g cake and pastry flour 20g cornstarch 50g milk Steps: 1.  Preheat the oven at 325F. 2.  (Part b - cheese mixture) Cut cream cheese into small cubes. Melt cream cheese and milk over a double boiler. Stir in sugar and butter. Remove from heat when all ingredients are melted. Set aside.        3.  (Part c - egg yolk mixture) Stir in milk to cornstarch. Fold in the sifted flour. Whisk in the egg yolks. Mix well. 4.  Add the egg yolk mixture (step 2) into the cheese mixture (step 1). Set aside.         5.  Meanwhile, in the stand mixer (or hand mixer) fitted with whisk attachment. Beat the egg white until foamy, add in sugar and cream of tartar. Whisk in high speed until soft peaks form.   6.  Add the egg white mixture to the cheese-yolk mixture and mix well. Pour into a 8-inch round cake pan. 7.  Bake the cheesecake in an inch water bath at 325F for 1 hours 15 mins or until set and golden brown.

Happy Bird-day Cake

My darling is turning 5 this month! Many moons ago, he already requested an angry bird cake for his birthday. After much googling, I found some really nice angry bird pictures. I downloaded the pictures onto my iPad.

Making this cake was nothing but time consuming! Can you believe, I took Friday off from work, just to work on the cake. After running some errands in the morning, I start working on mixing the colors. Getting the right color is actually harder than making the bird itself. After getting all the color I need for the birds, I call it a day.

I spend my Saturday baking and making birds. We are hosting a BIRD-day party for him on Sunday. This weekend I baked a total of 4 cakes and a kuih talam. Good thing we do catering, if not we'll have just cake party. If you know me well, you know I can't cook  :(( I like to bake, but I don't like to cook.

The cake was actually completed 30 minutes before our guest arrived. Not only I was pleased, all of our guest were impressed! After all the hard work, I deserve the compliments :))) **pat myself on the shoulder**



HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DARLING!



Things that you'll need:

Fondant

Gumpaste

Foodwritter (edible marker)

Color, lots of color

Pictures

iPad, optional.





Meet the casting crew

Happy BIRD-day!!!

Green Tea Snow Skin Mooncake

Mid Autumn Festival also known as Mooncake Festival is one of the biggest celebration the Chinese around the world celebrates on the 15th day of the eighth month in Chinese Lunar calendar. Tonight our neighbour invited us over to celebrate in their front yard. They decorated their yard with lanterns and served light snacks, of cos the main snack is mooncake.

Mooncake is a Chinese confession that is traditionally eaten on this day. Last year I made the traditional baked mooncake packed with salted egg yolk. This year I make this Green Tea Snow Skin (ping-pi) Mooncake. Unlike traditional mooncake, ping-pi mooncake is bake-free. And the most important, it's easy to make. To make things even easier, you can use the canned red bean paste or lotus paste. I actually made the red bean paste myself but I couldn't find the photos :`(  


Green Tea Snow Skin Mooncake

Skin:
240g icing sugar
40g shortening
200ml warm water
120g cooked rice flour (or fried glutinous rice flour)*

Filling:
Red bean paste/Lotus paste

Steps:

Mix icing sugar with shortening. Add in water and mix well. Then add the cooked rice flour and mix well. Set aside for 5-8 mins.

Divide snow skin into 50g each. (the skin weight may be vary depends on the size of the mould that you're using). Wrap in some fillings.

Press mooncake into the mould. Tap lightly to unmould. Refrigerate.



This is the first time he plays lantern. He was so worry that the candle inside will burn the lattern.



  

* If you couldn't find the Cooked (Glutinous) Rice Flour in the store. You can DIY. There are two ways of processing your own Cooked (Glutinous) Rice Flour:

i.   Oven: wrap (glutinous) rice flour with aluminium foil. Place it into preheated oven, bake in 300F for 20 mins.

ii.  Stove: fry the rice flour in a pan until it turns yellowish

Here's some pictures from last year...

Traditional mooncake - I made everything from scratch including the salted egg :))

Plain Snow Skin mooncake

uncooked traditional mooncake