Pavlova

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Raspberry and Cherry Pavlova
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3 egg whites
150g sugar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon vineger

250ml double cream
125g fresh raspberries
150g fresh cherries
handful unsalted pistachio, roughly chopped

[butterscotch sauce]
20g butter
20g darkbrown sugar
50ml double cream
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Serve 4

Preheat oven to 140°C.
Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.

In a large bowl, whisk egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks and gradually add sugar a spoonful at a time. When it look shiny and glossy, add cornflour and vinegar together and stir together to combine.

Use a table spoon, drop the meringue on a lined baking tray to make rectangle shape.

Bake it in the oven for about 1 hour or until crisp on the outside and easy to lift off the paper.

Cool for about 30–45 minutes to dry but middle should be soft. Peel away the paper and place on a serving plate.

Whisk double cream to soft peaks and spoon on the Pavlova, scattering the raspberries and cherries on top.

To make the butterscotch sauce, combine butter, sugar and cream into a small pan and heat until butter melt, and then bring to the boil, stirring all the time. Set aside to cool slightly and then drizzle over the Pavlova to serve.

Caramel Filled Biscuit

The original recipe says that divide dough into 50 balls and makes 25 biscuits, but I prefer small biscuits. So I divide dough into 70 balls and make 35 biscuits.

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Caramel Filled Biscuit
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250g unsalted butter
110g icing sugar
1 egg
160g plain flour
130g cornflour

1 can sweetened condensed milk
60g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
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Preheat oven to 180°C.

Using a food processor:
Place butter, icing sugar, plain flour, cornflour and egg in a food processor.
or
Using a electric mixer:
In a large bowl, beat soften butter and icing sugar, and add egg and mix well.
Stir in plain flour and cornflour with a spatula until smooth.


Roll dough into small balls and place on lined baking trays. (If it is too soft and sticky to handle, chill for 10 minutes to set.)

Flatten slightly with the back of a folk.
Chill it for ten minutes.

Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden. 

For Filling:
In a small pan, combine condensed milk, butter and golden syrup. Stirring constantly until thickens for 10-15 minutes over low heat.

Fill with caramel filling, when completely cool.

Double Chocolate Cheesecake Slice

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Double Chocolate Cheesecake Slice
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250g scotch finger biscuits
90g butter, melted
120g chocolate chips

250g cream cheese, softened
100g sugar
2 eggs
150g white chocolate
60g sour cream
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(18cm x 28cm baking pan)

Preheat oven to 180°C.

In a food processor, crush biscuits finely, and add melted butter and mix well.

Press the biscuits mixture into a lined baking pan using the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the biscuit base.

In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese and sugar till creamy, and add eggs and beat till smooth.

In a small bowl, melt white chocolate in microwave (do not over heat) and stir with a spoon.
Add sour cream and mix quickly.

Add the white chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

Pour the mixture over the base gently.
Bake for 30 minutes or the edges of the cake is lightly browned.

Cool the cake for 30 minutes at room temperature and then refrigerate.

Cut into small pieces to serve.

Date & Oat Cookies

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Date & Oat Cookies
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100g dried pitted dates, chopped
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 tablespoon boiling water
150g butter
60g sugar
80g brown sugar
1 egg
100g selfrasing flour
150g plain flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
200g rolled oats
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Makes approximately 50 cookies

Preheat oven to 180°C.

In a bowl, place the date, baking soda and boiling water, and set aside for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, beat softened butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer till pale and creamy. Add egg and mix.

Stir in flour, cinnamon oats and date mixture.

Press tablespoonfuls of mixture and place on lined baking trays about 3 cm apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden.

Cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Peanut Butter Chips Cookies

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Peanut Butter Chips Cookies
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85g butter
40g sugar
25g brown sugar
1 eggs
150g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
100g peanut butter chips
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Makes approximately 15 cookies

Preheat oven to 180°C.

In a bowl, mix softened butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer till light and fluffy.
Add the egg and mix well.

Fold in combined flour and baking soda with a spatula into the batter. Stir in peanut butter chips.

Using a tablespoon, drop the cookie dough 5 cm apart on baking trays. Bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Salted Caramel, Pretzel & Chocolate Chip Cokkies

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Salted Caramel, Pretzel & Chocolate Chip Cookies
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120g butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
250g  plain flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
80g chocolate chips
120g caramel icing or sauce
40g pretzel, crushed
1/4 tea spoon sea salt
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Makes approximately   cookies

In a large bowl, mix softened butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer.
Add an egg and mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl and add to the bowl. Add chocolate chips, crushed pretzels and caramel icing, and mix lightly with a spatula.

Wrap the dough with glad wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Scoop the dough with a tablespoon and roll into balls. Place them on lined baking trays. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt on the top of the cookies. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Oat & Raisin Biscuits

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Oats & Raisin Biscuits
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115g unsalted butter
40g sugar
80g brown sugar
1 egg
150g rolled oats
80g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
100g raisins
pinch of salt
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In a large bowl, combine softened butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer till soft and creamy.

Add egg and mix until well combined.
Add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, and mix with a spatula and add raisins.

Wrap the dough with a glad wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180°C.

Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll into balls. Place them on lined baking trays.

Bake them for about 10 minuets or until edges are brown and tops are pale brown and just set.

Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack.

Palets Bretons

Palets Bretons are from Brittany (North West of France) where is famous for salt and dairy products. The original recipe use salted butter from Brittany. Try to get the best quality salted butter but if you can't, use unsalted butter and add some good quality sea salt instead.

You can follow either method 1 or 2 to cut out the dough after rolling.

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Palets Bretons
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170g salted butter (cultured)
150g sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg yolks
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

1 egg yolk
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Makes approximately 25 biscuits

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat softened butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Add egg yolks, flour and baking powder and make smooth soft dough forms.

method 1:
Roll the dough and make a 5 cm wide cylinder shape and cover with glad wrap. Chill in fridge for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Remove from fridge and slice the dough 1 cm thick pieces.

method 2:
Roll the dough out 1 cm thick between 2 baking sheets.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Cut the dough using a 5.5 cm cookie cutter. If the dough gets too soft and sticky, put back in fridge or freezer for 10 minutes to firm it up again.

Brush egg yolk and draw lines with a folk on the surface of the discs. Place them in the muffin tin.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Turn the biscuits out on a baking rack. Cool them down.

Cherry Yoghurt Cheesecake Slice

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Cherry Yoghurt Cheesecake Slice
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200g plain biscuits
80g unsalted butter, melted

250g creamcheese
65g sugar
1 egg
100g greek yoghurt
vanilla
150g frozen cherries, cut into quaters
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(18cm x 28cm baking pan)

Preheat oven to 180°C.
Line a baking pan with baking paper.

Use a food processor, crush biscuits to fine crumbs, and add melted butter. Press into the lined tin using back of a spoon.

In a big bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer till smooth. Beat in egg, yoghurt and vanilla. Put cherries on the base. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the tin. 

Bake for 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool. Chill in fridge.

Cut into small pieces and serve.

Banana Muffins

This recipe is from the website of the Mrs Elizabeth Muffin which is a very famous muffin shop in Japan. The original recipe is here.

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Banana Muffins
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85g butter, softened
85g sugar
65g (1 1/2)  egg
150g(2 bananas) ripe bananas, mushed
130g plain flour
4g baking powder
salt
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(makes 5-6 muffins)
- Preheat the oven to 180℃.
- Keep some sliced banana for decoration.
- Combine plain flour, baking powder and salt, and shift together.

In a large bowl, cream softened butter with an electric mixer, and add sugar and mix well till soft and fluffy.
Mix in eggs and combine mushed banana.
Add shifted plain flour, baking powder and salt, and gently fold into the wet mixture using a spatula.
Spoon the batter into paper muffin cups evenly. Put sliced banana on the top.

Bake about 30 - 40 minutes and when a toothpick inserted in the middle of one of the muffins comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

[Note] 4 muffins(or 6 small ones)
65g butter, softened
65g sugar
50g (1)  egg
110g(l ) ripe bananas, mushed
100g plain flour
3g baking powder
salt

makes 7-10 muffins
130g butter, softened
130g sugar
100g (2)  egg
230g(2-3 small) ripe bananas, mushed
200g plain flour
6g baking powder
salt

Oats & Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Oats & Chocolate Chip Cookies
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115g unsalted butter
30g sugar
60g brown sugar
1 egg
150g rolled oats
80g plain flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt
130g chocolate chips
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Makes approximately 15 cookies

In a large bowl, combine softened butter, sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer.

Add egg and mix until well combined.

Add oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt, and mix with a spatula and add chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon, scoop the dough and roll into approximately 15 balls. Put them on a tray and cover with glad wrap. refrigerate for at least a hour.

Preheat oven to 170°C.

Place the dough balls on lined baking trays and bake for about 10 minuets or until edges are brown and tops are pale brown and just set. Do not over bake.

Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet.