Puffy Cookie Cream Puff.

All the way from Sydney...

We love this.. it's even better than Beard Papa cream puffs... Eisen and I always have it whenever we are in Sydney!

Miss Marples!

Every trip to Melbourne is not complete without a visit to the famous Miss Marples. With their signature Yorkshire tea and home-made scones (together with fresh whipped cream and jam), you crave for them time and time again. This time round, they had belgium waffles served with fresh strawberries and vanilla ice-cream on their special board and we just had to order it!

Finally!!!

Updates.. updates... hehe.. sorry this is so delayed. I got lazy... :P Anyway, since it's Mid-autumn festival, here's a post with pandan lotus mooncake I bought all the way from Melbourne! :) More Melb food to come... Stay tuned!

Chocolate Banana Filo Pockets.

This is the other dish I contributed - slice some bananas, add some dark chocolate chunks and fold ready made filo pastry sheets into triangles, seal with a little butter along the sides. Bake at preheated oven at 180deg for 12 minutes and enjoy the gooey chocolatey goodness! *drools*

Sorry no pics of the inside.. it was all gone too soon.

Chocolate Party Part III.

Chocolate cake balls by the host herself - Megan!

Chocolate brownie squares by Little Lisa. :)

Chocolate & Strawberry cream cheese tarts by Ernchee.

Portion control!

I bought this today... pretty cool huh!

Spinach and ham quiche with Greek Salad.

Pineapple Rolls!

I stayed over at May and Giny's place on Thursday as we had a day off on Friday! So we made these from scratch. This recipe is definitely a keeper! The pastry melts in your mouth and the filling is moist and not too sweet. :)

Friends.. come collect them from me quick.. before they all disappear.. haha!

Pineapple Rolls/Tarts

for the pastry:
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
375g all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
50g icing sugar
30g corn flour
1 egg yolk, for egg wash

for the pineapple filling
2 large cans of crushed pineapple, drained and 1 whole ripe pineapple - grated and drained
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cinnamon stick
Handful of cloves

Using medium heat, cook the drained crushed and grated pineapple and sugar until most liquid has evaporated, add spices halfway and keep stirring until the mixture turns golden. Taste, and add more sugar when needed. Lastly, add cornstarch to thicken the mixture.

Cool to room temperature before using (preferably leave overnight in the fridge).

For the pastry:
Sieve all purpose flour, corn flour, salt and icing sugar into a medium bowl. Beat butter in a mixer until it turns light in color and fluffy.Add in egg yolks until well combined. Slowly add the flour mixture and knead until just combined into a dough.

To assemble:
Roll pineapple filling into small individual rounds. Turn dough out and roll into small rounds.Flatten the rounds and use it to cover the prepared filling.

Brush the unbaked rolls with egg wash.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350F/180ºC for 12 minutes or till lightly brown.

Open top Pineapple tarts

These are exceptionally time consuming but so delicious!

Tangerine Pineapple Tarts

Pineapple tarts in the shape of tangerines with a hint of orange zest and taste in the pastry! Yummy!

Pear-shaped Pineapple tarts

Generously filled with homemade pineapple filling!!

Open top Pineapple tarts

All made with a generous serving of pineapple filling and a touch of love! :)

Milky Pineapple tarts

Milky and crumbly pastry filled with sour-sweet homemade pineapple filling.

Traditional Egg Tarts

I finally perfected my egg tarts! Thin, melt in your mouth crust with silky soft egg custard. Yum!!

Christmas Eve Dinner

Chicken & Orange & Kiwi and Foie Gra & Grape Tartlets

Smoked Salmon on Toast and Lobster & Mango Tartlets

California Maki

Grilled Asparagus wrapped in Bacon and Cheese

Roast Chicken and Vegetables

Roast Lamb

Roast Beef

Tiramisu

Fruit Platter

Portuguese Egg Tarts & Meringue Cookies

As promised, here are the receipes requested by some of my blog readers! Enjoy~

Portuguese Egg Tarts!

Egg Tarts
Makes 14.

Ingredients for Pastry:
150g flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1 ½ tbsp icing sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 egg yolk
100g butter

Method: for pastry:
1. Sift flour, salt, icing sugar & corn flour together.
2. Rub butter lightly into sifted flour till mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Add egg yolk to form a dough. Chill dough in refrigerator for ½ to 1 hour.
4. Roll dough out thinly and cut to line greased patty tins.
5. Prick pastry with a fork and brush with egg white.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 ºC for 20 minutes or till golden brown

For puff pastry: I used ready made puff pastry sheets. Bake in preheated oven at 180 ºC for 20 minutes or till golden brown.

Ingredients for custard:
2 eggs
1 tbsp of condensed milk
Pinch of salt
100ml of evaporated milk
200ml of water
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp of vanilla essence

Method for custard:
1. Beat eggs, condensed milk and salt lightly in a bowl.
2. Heat evaporated milk with water and sugar. Set aside to cool.
3. Pour gradually into the egg mix.
4. Add vanilla essence and strain.
5. Slowly spoon egg mixture into patty tins.
6. Bake for 10-15 mins in 180 degrees.

Chocolate Chip Meringe Cookies!!

Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Method:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper, and set aside.
In large metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar while continuing to beat until they hold stiff peaks. Mix in the vanilla and cocoa on low speed, then fold in chocolate chips by hand. Drop small mounds of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven. Turn off oven, and leave the cookies in the oven for 2 more hours, or until centers are dry. Remove from pan and store in an airtight container.

Bacon & Mushroom Quiche 2

Second attempt at Bacon & Mushroom Quiche, recipe the same as the previous one! Just as yummy!

Bacon & Mushroom Quiche

Ingredients:

2 cloves of chopped garlic

1/2 chopped onion

5 shoulder bacon (chopped into small pieces)

100g of white button mushrooms sliced

Shredded chedder/swiss cheese (150g)

3 eggs (beaten)

100g of thickened cream

1 pre-made pastry crust

Method:

Heat pastry crust in preheated oven at 160deg for 15 minutes.

Pan fry onions, garlic, bacon and mushroom till cooked. Sprinkle salt and pepper

Pour thickened cream slowly into beaten eggs and mix together.

Pour ingredients into the pastry crust, sprinkle a layer of cheese and then our egg/cream mixture followed by final layer of cheese.

Bake at 160deg for 35-45 minutes.