Italian Plum Torte

 

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature

3/4 to 1 cup or more granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 large eggs

20 or more prunes (small plums), halved and pitted

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp or more cinnamon powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Brush some butter on a 9 inch baking pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light in colour.
3. Add salt, baking powder and eggs and beat well.
4. Add flour gradually and mix till combined.
5. Pour batter into the pan.
6. Cover the top of the batter with plum halves, skin side up.
7. Mix sugar and the cinnamon powder.  Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon mixture.
8. Bake the plum torte until the cake is golden and cooked, about 40 to 50 minutes.
9. Let the cake cool slightly and cut into pieces and serve.

Pan Fried Vegetable Dumplings

 

Ingredients

1 packet spinach dough wrappers

quarter of a cabbage - cut into small pieces

3 dried mushrooms - washed, soaked in water, drained and chopped - reserve mushroom water

1 carrot - peeled and chopped

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce

1 tbsp rice wine

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

dash of pepper

Method

1. Heat up oil and fry ginger till aromatic.  Add all the chopped vegetable sand stir fry over high heat.
2. Drizzle sauce and fry to mix well.  
3. When mixture is cooked till tender, transfer to a bowl and let it cool to room temperature.
4. Prepare the wrapper.  Place a spoonful of vegetable mixture onto the wrapper and wrapped into dumplings.
5. Heat up 1 tbsp of oil in a non stick pan and fry the dumplings for about 5 minutes until lightly browned.
6. Serve warm.

Steamed Cherry Clams

Ingredients

6 cherry clams - washed and cleaned

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 stalk green onion - chopped

1 tbsp oil

Method

1. Bring water to a boil in a steamer.
2. Place plate of cleaned clams into the steamer and steam till the shells open, about 5 minutes.
3. Place ginger and chopped scallions in a small bowl and drizzle with hot oil.
4. When the clams are cooked, place the ginger mixture onto each clam and enjoy!

Thai Tofu Salad

 

Ingredients

1 block of fresh firm tofu - cut into cubes

1/3 cup sour plum sauce

3 tbsp of thai sweet chili sauce

cooking oil for frying tofu

Thai sweet and sour marinade

1/4 of red onion -  sliced

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 chili padi - remove seeds and cut

parsley - roughly chopped   

Vegetable garnish

shredded carrot

shredded cucumber

 

Method

1. Wash tofu and pat dry.  Sprinkle some tapioca flour and coat tofu with it.
2. Heat up oil.  On medium heat, fry tofu till lightly browned and crispy on the outside.  Drain and arrange on serving plate.
3. Combine plum sauce and sweet chili sauce.  Stir to mix.
4. Coat shredded carrot and cucumber with the sauce and place on top of the fried tofu.
5. Pour the thai marinade over the dish.
6. Sprinkle fried peanuts and serve this tasty tofu appetizer.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Baked Cinnamon Raisin Roll

 

Ingredients

1 packet puff pastry -comes attached with parchment paper

2 tbsp melted butter

1/3 cup raw chopped walnuts

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 to 2 tbsp cinnamon powder

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Roll out dough and parchment paper on a working space
   
3. Brush melted butter on the dough, leaving some space on the edges.
   
4. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon powder and sprinkle over the dough   
   
5. Sprinkle raisins and chopped walnuts over the dough.
6. Roll the shorter side of the dough upwards.  Use a sharp knife and cut into 8 pieces. 
7. Lightly brush muffin tray with melted butter.  Place each roll in a muffin tin.
   
8. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Enjoy these tasty treats!

Baked Curry Puff Pastry

Ingredients

2 potatoes - peeled and cut into small cubes

1/2 small onion - peeled and sliced

handful of frozen green peas

1 tbsp curry paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 puff pastry - puff pastry comes with attached parchment paper

egg wash

 

Method

1. Boil a pot of water. Cook potatoes till tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
   
2. Heat up oil in pan.  Fry diced onion till aromatic and translucent.
   
3. Add potatoes and green peas.  
4. Add curry paste and turmeric powder and fry to mix. 
5. Season with some salt. Set aside and let mixture cool.
6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
7. Roll out dough on a large baking pan. 
8. Roll out puff pastry. Cut into squares.  Place 1 to 2 tablespoon of curry potatoes in the centre of the square.
9. Fold over and seal the edges.  Crimp the edges with a fork.
10. Use a knife and make a few slits on the top.
11. Brush with egg wash.
12. Place curry puff in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or till golden brown.
13. Enjoy the delicious curry puff!
    

 

Baked Sardine Puff

 

Ingredients 

2 cans sardines in olive oil - drained olive oil   

1/2 small onion - peeled and sliced

1 red chilli - seeds removed and cut into small pieces

1 puff pastry - puff pastry comes with attached parchment paper

egg wash

 

Method

1. Add drained olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
2. Fry diced onion till translucent.
3. Add sardines and cut chilli and fry to mix. Set aside and let mixture cool.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
5. Roll out dough on a large baking pan. 
6. Roll out puff pastry. Cut into squares.  Place 1 to 2 tablespoon of sardine in the centre of the square.
7. Fold over and seal the edges.  Crimp the edges with a fork.
8. Use a knife and make a few slits on the top.
9. Brush with egg wash.
10. Place puff in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or till golden brown.

Baked Apple Pie using Puff Pastry

 some of our pickings this year: apples, yellow plums, hollywood plums and blueberries!

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Ingredients

2 tbsp butter

2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon juice

1 sheet puff pastry, comes attached with parchment paper

egg wash for glazing

cinnamon sugar mix for sprinkling

 

Method

1. Melt butter in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook until apples are slightly soft.  Cool mixture.
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
   
5. Roll out dough on a large baking pan.  Roll out puff pastry.
6. Cut into squares. Place 1 tbsp apples on the cut square.
7. Fold over and seal the edges. Crimp the edges with a fork.
8. Use a knife and make a few slits on the top.
9. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mix.
10. Place pies in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pies are golden brown.
11. Enjoy the piping hot apple pies!

Steamed Pumpkin Rose Bun

 

 

 

Ingredients 

150g mashed pumpkin

60ml fresh milk

1 tsp instant yeast

300g plain flour

60g sugar (I use 1/2 cup)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vegetable oil

 

Method

1. Add all ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Combine well and knead till smooth.  Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Once dough has risen, knead for a couple of minutes.  Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces.
3. Take each piece and further divide into 5 equal pieces.
4. Roll out each piece into a thin round shape.  You will have 5 round pieces.
5. Overlap the pieces and gently press on the overlapped area.
6. Roll the pieces up like a Swiss roll from the short side.
7. Cut the roll into two with a dough scraper.  You will have 2 flower buns.
8. Place the cut side down on a parchment paper or bamboo leaves.
9. Repeat for the rest of the dough.  Place the rose shaped buns in a steamer and leave to rise for 20 minutes.
10. Bring water to a boil in a steamer.  Steam the rose buns over high heat for 15 minutes.
11. Turn off heat and let it sit for another 5 minutes.
12. Enjoy the delicious, soft, fluffy and pretty rose buns!