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Stuffed bell peppers and banana flan

Posted on June 9, 2011
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Stuffed Bell Peppers were made to finish paprika, ham and cheese in my fridge.

Ingredients including: two bell peppers, cooked white rice, ground beef, ham, gouda cheese, garlic, onion, oregano, basil, parsley, worcesterine sauce, ketchup, tomatoes, tabasco chili, olive oil, salt and pepper, topped with mozzarella.

Preheat 205C, bake 20 minutes until cheese melted.

This was albeit small quite filling!

However, I still made some dessert,

This is basically what I did to consume two over ripe bananas while I’m craving for crème caramel, a banana flan. I do not enjoy eating too ripe bananas, so I was thinking of what to make with them besides cakes ( don’t know why but I am not interested in baking either banana bread or banana cakes recently, just found them a bit too dry for summer) This banana flan was cool (after refrigerated), melted in the mouth and was fragrant with banana and caramel. Like it but less preferred than the classic creme caramel!!!

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Vietnamese steamed buns/ 包子/Banh bao

Posted on June 9, 2011
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包子

First time making these buns, I was quite successful to shape them, wasn’t I! The photo was taken by my phone, the quality was off.

To be honest, I have never been a big fan of dumplings even when I was in Vietnam. Let’s say if I am involved in a lot of  beautiful love stories with street food in Hanoi then dumpling was always a mere fling. The smell of steamed flour together with the tempting fragrance of pork and dried mushroom blend in, bringing me back to a street where I had the most dumplings in my high school time. I took a literature extra class there in late afternoon every two day.

Such a youthful and nostalgic fragrance!

Earlier last Christmas I bought a ready-mix dumpling flour in Paris but I decided to mix flour on my own as mixing flour is fun and not that difficult.

I have tried different recipes for the dough and this one below is the best, which gives you a soft moist texture and the signature smell of the buns sold in Vietnam. I learned the recipe from someone to whom I owe an apology for not having taken note her name. As I tend to read lots of recipe before I cook something and took note in different notebooks (well I’m not very well organized) I could not find the piece of paper that I noted down this recipe for the first time.

So this is my adapted version:

Yield 10-12 buns

Dough:

250g AP flour or bread flour

50g cake or  AP flour

1tbsp vegetable oil

1tbsp lemon juice

a pinch of salt

110ml milk

75g powdered sugar

1/2 tbsp instant yeast

1tsp sugar

1/2 tbsp baking powder

For the fillings you can use a wide range of ingredients that you want.

250g minced pork

12,5g dried mushroom, soaked in boiling hot water for at least 30minutes, finely chopped

1 scallion finely chopped

1/8 a dried onion or 1small  golden onion finely chopped

(1/2 can or 70g water chestnut) finely chopped

Chinese sausages thinly sliced

1tbsp oyster sauce

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp fish sauce

1/8 tsp pepper (or to taste)

1/2 tbsp honey

3 hard boiled eggs (cut in quarters)

To make the fillings, just simply mix them together.

Method:

Sieve flour and powdered sugar.

Pour flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, lemon juice in a food processor, pulse a few times to blend. Using plastic blade.

Keep the machine at speed 2, gradually pour in milk for 30-40second or until the dough form a ball.

Knead by hand 2,3 times. Let it proof in warm place (24-29C) for an hour until it doubles its size.

When done proofing. Sieve 50g flour with baking powder and mix with this proofed flour dough. Let it sit for a second time for 1 or 2 hours.

Knead it in a long tube, cut into 10 or 12 small even pieces. Flatten the pieces with a rolling pin. Stuff in the fillings and let it proof 30 minutes before steaming for about 12-15 minutes on high bubbling water. Don’t let your lid open during steaming.

Tips: To whiten the dough, pour some vinegar into the water.

 

 

 

 

 

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Cream puffs- Choux a la creme- chouquette

Posted on June 9, 2011
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Puff Pastry to me is one of the most simple recipes to prepare, isn’t it the reason why it does not require any machine to support your work? I have made sweet pastry for choux a la creme and chouquettes which is also a French sweet topped with pearl sugar, but left out the filling part, eclairs (puff pastry filled with whipping cream or ice cream). For savory pastry I was addicted to baking cheese puffs for quite sometimes. Since you can easily mix herbs and flavors so it took me a while to stop playing with the cheese puffs.

Choux is among the most popular sweet pastries in Vietnam, it must be a heritage from the French colonial time.

I have baked choux a few times and I had the habit of never making one dish twice which means I would definitely try to use different ingredients, different shapes or at least the amount of ingredients.

This batch was made in tiny shapes and was filled with Bavarian cream instead of normal custard filling.

70g all purpose flour (sifted)

2 large eggs

50g butter

125ml full cream milk or water

5-10g sugar

a pinch of salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp vanilla (optional)

– Sift flour+ baking powder together.

– In a small sauce pan, on medium LOW heat, bring butter and milk (or water), sugar and salt to simmer until they are melted but not boiling.

– Dump the sifted flour to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir quickly until it forms a dough that pulls away from the sides.

– Remove from heat.

-Let it rest for 1-2 minutes.

– Use a hand mixer to beat in one egg at a time. Beat until you have a shiny smooth mixture.

– Transfer the dough to a piping bag, pipe to the shape you want.

– Bake at 375F/ 190C 12-15 minutes

300F/ 150C another 8- 12 minutes (depending on the size of the cream puffs)

– Try to avoid opening the oven if you can.

CHOUX FILLINGS there’re two ways, either use custard powder or egg yolks.

This recipe using egg yolks:

400ml milk (about 1 2/3 cup milk)

80g sugar (1/2+ 1tbsp sugar)

4 yolks

30g corn starch (1/4 cup)

1 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

—

25g butter

1 tbsp rum (optional)

–

Pour milk into a saucepan.

With a sharp knife slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Using the tip of the knife to scape the vanilla d.

Whisk yolks and sugar till pale in a bowl. Incorporate flour.

Gradually add some hot milk in to the bowl. Add this mixture back to the saucepan. Bring this to boil while whisking vigorously on medium LOW heat.

When reach the desired consistency (check by seeing if the liquid can coat the back of the spoon), remove from heat. Let it rest 1 minute, add in 25g butter and rum to make the cream shiny.

seeds into the saucepan. Use both the bean and the seeds, bring it to a simmer with lid covered

IN VIETNAMESE:

Choux à la crème. Su kem
Phần vỏ bánh:
70 g flour/ bột đa dụng
2 eggs trứng
50g butter bơ nhạt
125ml water nước
5-10g sugar đường
pinch of sugar một nhúm đường
một nhúm hoặc a pinch to 1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch of vanilla extract
pinch of kosher salt
Đun bơ, nước, muối, đường trên meidum high heat tới lúc lăm tăm sôi, hạ nhỏ lửa, đổ toàn bộ bột+ baking powder (đã rây cùng nhau) vào khuấy thật nhanh. Tắt bếp. Nghỉ 1-2 phút cho hỗn hợp bớt nóng. Đập từng quả trứng vào, dùng máy đánh trứng đánh mịn. Đánh rất nhanh, đánh lâu quá hỗn hợp sẽ bị vữa. Mình làm theo thói quen nên không hay để ý bao lâu. Nhưng cứ thấy trứng đã gần trộn vào hỗn hợp hết thì đập tiếp quả tiếp theo vào, một tay đập trứng, một tay dùng máy đánh.
Xong được hỗn hợp bóng mịn rồi thì cho vào túi bắt kem. bắt thành hình cho có hoa văn, hoặc không thì dùng thìa múc kem, múc ra thành hình tròn bất kỳ giống lúc làm cookies.
Phun hỗn hợp lên giấy parchement (non stick) nhớ để khoảng cách tương đối rộng vì bánh sẽ nở to.
Nướng vỏ bánh: 190 độ (12 phút) sau đó hạ lửa xuống còn 150C (nướng tiếp tầm 12-15 phút tuỳ bánh to hay nhỏ.
Nhân su kem:
2 lòng đỏ trứng (yolk)
10g corn starch
400ml+100ml milk
15g Bird custard powder (lọ của Anh Bird là ngon nhất)
—
25g butter
1tbsp rượu rum
Khuấy đều trứng+ đường+ bột, custard powder bằng phới, trộn với 100ml sữa.
Microwave or dun 400ml sữa tới khi ấm, đổ vào hỗn hợp 100ml sữa ở trên. Đun hỗn hợp này trên bếp lửa nhỏ riu riu. khuấy tới khi hỗn hợp sánh, cho thìa vào thấy hỗn hợp dính lại một lớp sau mặt thìa để thử. tắt bếp, cho 25g bơ vào ngoáy để làm nhân bóng đẹp, cho thêm 1tbsp rượu rum+ 1 ít vanilla nữa để tạo mùi thơm, và hương vị quyến rũ. Nhân bánh để nguội rồi cho vào tủ lạnh vài tiếng tới khi mát. Cho vào túi bắt kem.
Vỏ bánh nướng ở trên xong thì để nguội trên rack, đừng đè lên nhau. Vỏ bánh nhẹ, ruột rỗng, khô là đạt tiêu chuẩn.
Vỏ bánh có thể cắt đôi rồi phun nhân kem vào, hoặc dùng lọ đầu nhọn đục lỗ nhỏ và phun kem vào.

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Swiss roll filled with cherry jam

Posted on June 9, 2011
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This was prepared in April 2011  for the Charlotte Royale, which was lined with cherry swiss roll and filled with Bavarian cream <3

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Tuesday food night- Crème Caramel for dessert

Posted on June 7, 2011
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I have nonstop craze for fries for three days in a row, so I prepared some chips for every meal until the 1kg package is finished.  When I’m craving for something, I’ll be able to eat that for so many days until I fed up with it. I want to buy potato wedges in stead of the chips  now since they seem too small!A bit of garlic, rosemary, bit of salt just made wonderful delicious fries.

For dinner, there were fries, steamed tiger shrimps with lemongrass, ginger and lime leaves, main course white rice with teriyaki fish and stir fried chinese cabbage with lots of tomatoes (Just had to finish them, I dare not eat them raw despite I have lots of fresh mozzarella on hands as I am still concerned about the E.coli bacteria which outbreak in Germany and some other European countries. Though the main culprits of the bacteria spread were not approved yet, people are still encouraged not to eat raw cucumbers, lettuce and tomatoes)  I just find it strange to realize I would have to think about food quality in Europe. Few days ago I found out a golden delicious apple I bought from Albert Heijn (the most popular supermarket chain in the Netherlands) has not rotten yet though I had it home for exactly a month. Is that because of some fruit preservatives? I will just avoid eating apples bought from Albert Heijn for a while!

 

For dessert, I made some creme caramel, or called flan (I  got to try FLANBY next time in Paris)

Haven’t made any creme caramel for roughly 3 years,  I altered some of the regular ingredients (milk, whipping cream, eggs and sugar) to try how it might taste with different ratio of ingredients. Just use whipping cream as I need to finish it before its expiration date and a tiny bit of milk, eggs some sugar and I also added fruit liqueur.

The result was so delicious that is able to bring me the familiar taste of caramel sold in Hang Than.

Suddenly miss my younger sister, who will be absolutely crazy about this! I made caramel for her a few times years ago. However the quality of the caramel was, she has been my loyal customer!

CRÈME CARAMEL make four 130ml ramekins

* Caramelized sugar:

4tbsp sugar

1tbsp water

1 1/2- 2 tbsp hot water

** Caramel Cream:

2 large eggs at room temperature

250ml full cream milk

1 tbsp condensed milk

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp rum or any fruit liqueur(optional)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional) or 1 vanilla bean

a pinch of salt

—

unsalted butter to grease the ramekins

Method:

– Butter the four ramekins thoroughly so that it make it easier to unmold the caramel later on.

– To caramelize the sugar, put sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat, let it sit until it starts to color. Look carefully until it turns light brown. Remove from heat, quickly pour in 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp of hot water, shake it well.

– Pour the caramel in to all ramekins so that the caramel coat all the inside of the ramekins.

– Crack large eggs into a bowl, lightly beat it with the pinch of salt, avoid beating too much as it will create bubbles hence the ugly holes in your caramel.

– Add condensed milk and the rest of the sugar into milk. Warm it on medium low heat. At this point if you use vanilla bean, scrape all the seeds in the milk, cover with a lid until simmer. Or if you use vanilla extract then just warm up the milk quickly in the microwave.

– Gradually add milk mixture into the egg mixture, lightly whisk it at the same time. Add rum or any fruit liqueur.

– Sieve the mixture with a strainer to get rid of any bubbles and make a smoother mixture.

– Pour the mixture into the four ramekins. Cover them with foil.

– Put the ramekins onto a deep baking tray. Boil water. Add boiling water+ cold water to the tray.

-Pre heat the oven 10 minutes at 120-140C/ 200- 250F- Bake for about 20-30 minutes.

– Cool on rack, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

*** Other variations:

BANANA FLAN

1/4 cup sugar

3tsp lemon juice or plain hot water

1 cup full cream milk

2 eggs

1 tbsp rum

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2-3 mashed bananas (make a bout 1 cup)

— Caramelized sugar:

1/2 cup sugar

3tbsp water

1 tsp hot water or lemon juice

–

Method:

Exactly the same as above:

Lightly beat eggs with rum, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon juice, mashed bananas.

Bake at 120C/ 50-60 minutes

Kem Caramen

Làm bốn khuôn caramen 130ml

* Phần đường caramen

4tbsp muỗng canh đường

1tbsp muỗng canh nước

1 1/2- 2 tbsp muỗng canh nước nóng

** Phần kem:

2 trứng gà to ở nhiệt độ phòng

250ml ml sữa tươi không đường

1 tbsp muỗng canh sữa đặc có đường

3 tbsp muỗng canh đường

1/2 tsp muỗng cà phê rượu rum hoặc bất cứ rượu hoa quả gì có mùi thơm(có thể dùng hoặc không)

1/2 tsp muỗng cà phê vani  hoặc 1 quả vani (có thể dùng hoặc không)

một nhúm muối

—

bơ lạt để chà quanh khuôn (Nghe câu lủng củng ghê 🙁 thực sự mình chưa quen viết công thức bằng tiếng Việt, mong mọi người thông cảm)

– Để thắng đường, cho đường + nước vào một nồi nhỏ, đun trên lửa vừa, khi nào thấy đường chuyển sang màu vàng nhạt thì bắt đầu canh chừng thật kỹ vì lúc này đường sẽ cháy rất nhanh. Tới khi đường màu vàng cánh gián thì tắt bếp nhanh chóng đổ vào 1 1/2 đến 2 muỗng canh nước nóng. Lắc nồi đều. Rót đường thắng vào khuôn đã chà bơ.

– Đập trứng vào một bát sâu lòng, cho nhúm muối vào, đánh trứng nhẹ tay tránh để trứng nổi bong bóng vì sẽ làm caramen có lỗ.

– Cho đường, sữa đặc có đường vào sữa tươi, khuấy đều, hâm nóng trên lửa nhỏ. Nếu ai dùng hạt vani thì nhớ cho hạt và đun cùng sữa ngay từ đầu, còn nếu không thì sau khi hâm nóng sữa, đổ sữa từ từ vào trứng, vừa đổ vừa khấy nhẹ tay, cho thêm rượu, và tinh chất vani vào hỗn hợp.

– Lọc hỗn hợp qua một cái rây bột để làm hỗn hợp mịn màng hơn.

– Phủ khuôn với giấy nướng để tránh nước rơi xuống mặt caramen nếu hấp cách thuỷ hoặc để tránh khô mặt caramen nếu nướng trong lò.

– Vì ở nước ngoài lò nướng rất phổ biến nên trong công thức tiếng anh mình chỉ viết cách nướng lò rất nhanh và đơn giản.  Đun nước sôi, hoà nước sôi+ nước nóng đổ vào một khay sâu lòng. Đặt khuôn caramen vào khuôn. Lò đã bật trước 10 phút ở 120-140C hoặc 200-250F nói chung nhiệt độ thấp chính là chìa khoá để làm kem mịn mượt. Nướng 20-30 phút tuỳ khuôn và nhiệt độ lò.

– Để caramen nguội, cho vào tủ lạnh ít nhất 2 tiếng trước khi ăn.

*** Đối với những ai không có lò hoặc thích hấp cách thuỷ thì vẫn đun nước sôi, hoà nước lạnh+ nước sôi để nước tầm 80 độ. Đặt 4 khuôn caramen vào nồi, đổ nước vào nồi sao cho ngập ít nhất 1/2 đến 2/3 bên ngoài khuôn caramen. Đun lửa nhỏ đến cực nhỏ trong tầm 30 phút.

*** Có thể làm loại caramen khác là caramen chuối ăn cũng rất ngon.

Làm theo cách này mình có thể chắc chắn là kem caramen lúc nào cũng cực kỳ mịn màng, không bao giờ có lỗ quanh thành kem và không bao giờ có mùi tanh của trứng.

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