Venetian Almond Biscotti

This recipe is super easy to prepare.  I’ve given them out as gifts in boxes or cello bags and these cookies always win over anyone who’s ever tasted them. Makes some great party favors, too.  So don’t wait another minute before you try this.  Make more than one batch cuz these biscotti cookies goes lightening fast!!!

A Ingredients

Unsalted butter          ½ cup (115 g or 1 stick)

Sugar                        175 g

Eggs                             2 heads

Vanilla extract             ½ teaspoon

B Ingredients

All-purpose flour       240 g

Baking powder          1 ½ teaspoon

Salt                                ¼ teaspoon

C Ingredients

Almonds                  110 g (1/2 cup)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.

2. Measure and sift all B ingredients into a bowl.  Toast the almonds in a small dry pan until fragrant and the almond skin looks oily. 

3. Cut the butter into chunks and let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.  Then place the butter into a mixing bowl, beat until fluffy, beat in the sugar in 2 batches, then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract in two batches.

4. On low speed, fold in B ingredients in three batches until no loose powder in the bowl.  Then add the almonds into the batter with a spatula.  Fold by hand to avoid breaking the almonds. 

5. Scoop the batter into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and form two-three long logs.  If the batter is too sticky to handle, put the whole baking sheet into the frig for 15 minutes.  Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. 

6. Let the cookie blocks cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the cookie blocks onto a wired rack to cool completely, around 20 minutes.  Then slice the each cookies blocks into 12 equal portions into long sticks.  Pace the sticks onto the baking sheet again, flat side down, cut sides to the side, bake in the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes, until crispy on all sides. 

7. Let cool on wired rack, store in air-tight container for a couple of weeks. 

Serving: 2 dozen

Spam Musubi

 My new friend, Jeremy introduced me to genuine Hawaiian food.  He’s a self-proclaimed foodie from Hawaii.  It was love at first sight.  I really love how easy and quick to come up with this dish at home.  All the ingredients are in the pantry.  It takes no trips to stores and no time to make at all.  It’s always gratifying to see these disappear from the table at any party. 

The first time I made it, I used a package of imitation spam I found from the pantry.  Over the phone, Jeremy asked me “how poor are you?”  Supposedly spam was originally designed to be a meat substitute for the poor during famine times.  If I had to buy imitation spam, I’d be pretty poor!!!  And he thinks he is funny.  But seriously, for the purpose of the film, I used real spam.  What’s a spam musubi without real spam, right? 

Jokes aside, thanks Jeremy!!! 

A Ingredients

Seaweed sheets                4 sheets

Steamed rice, cooled    650 g

Furikake                            1 tablespoon

Spam                                 1 package

B Ingredients

Soy sauce                 1 tablespoon

Mirin                        3 tablespoon

Chopped scallion     1 tablespoon

Directions:

1. Cut spam into 8 equal portion strips.  Heat up a small frying pan.

2. Depending on what kind of frying pan, add the little oil to the pan, add the spam strips to pan and brown all four sides, about 2 minutes per side.  Add the soy sauce and mirin, cook until thicken like syrup consistency.  Remove from heat and add the chopped scallion.

3. Heat a flat griddle to toast the sheets of seaweed, about 30 seconds per side.  Spread a thin layer of steamed rice onto the seaweed, leave a ¼ inch gap with no rice on the short side of the seaweed.

4. Place two spam strips onto the rice to the side without gap, sprinkle some furikake, then roll up from the spam side gently.  Press firm after the spam musubi is rolled up,

5. Cut the spam musubi into 3-4 sections and arrange on plate to serve.

Serving: 4-6

Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe makes some really moist and spongy cupcakes.  You’ll gotta try this.  I’ve made it for countless parties, always the first one to go. If you don't want so much icing on top, you can use the desired amount and adjust accordingly.  See the very last picture of this article.  =)

A Ingredients

Boiling water                            ½ cup

Unsweetened coco powder      40 g

B Ingredients

Butter, room temp 30 min         115 g

Brown sugar                               200 g

Eggs, room temp 30 min                2 heads

C Ingredients

Milk, homogenized             90 g

Vanilla extract                      ½ teaspoon

D Ingredients

All purpose flour                   150 g

Baking soda                             ¾ teaspoon

Salt                                           ¼ teaspoon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C

2. Line a muffin mold with muffin liners.

3. Mix A ingredients in a bowl. Measure C ingredients into a measuring cup.  Sift D ingredients into a bowl. 

4. Cream B ingredient butter, then add the brown sugar until smooth.  Beat in eggs one, scrap the bottom to ensure a smooth batter.

5. Alternate fold in the dry and wet ingredients, start and finish with dry ingredients.

6. Scoop the batter into the muffin liners, about 2/3 full, bake in the oven 15-18 minutes.

7. Let cool completely before applying buttercream icing.

Sweet Vanilla Buttercream Icing

A Ingredients

Sugar                       100 g

Egg whites                   3 heads

Salt                               1 pinch

B Ingredients

Unsalted butter         280 g

Vanilla extract               1 teaspoon

Directions:

1. Heat A ingredients in a water bath, stir constantly to melt the sugar.  Remove from heat when all the sugar melted.

2. Pour the heated A ingredients into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, beat at high speed for 10 minutes to cool down, it will look like fresh whipped cream afterwards. 

3. With mixer on medium high speed, slowly beat in the butter cubes.  Beat until the butter cream icing feels smooth and consistent. 

4. Beat in vanilla extract, the icing can be used right away or reserved for later in room temp. If refrigerated, might need to let sit at room temp for 30 minutes, and beat again to smooth out. 

Servings: 2 dozen

Maple Caramel Flan

Crown Royal Maple is truly a love at first sniffle.  It has such a luscious flavor I’ve used it in countless dishes since my first discovery, even Tiramisu!!!

This is one of my most requested recipes, even the owner of the neighborhood liquor shop, the one who sold me the 2^nd bottle of Crown Royal Maple, wants some, too!!! 

A Ingredients

Sugar                          1/3 cup

Water                             4 teaspoon

Hot water                       4 teaspoon

Crown Royal Maple      ½ teaspoon(optional)

B Ingredients

Milk                    1 2/3 cup

Sugar                       ½ cup

C Ingredients

Egg                                    5 piece

Egg yolk                            1 piece

Heavy whipping cream    ½ cup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C

2. Prepare 4-6 little oven-safe ceramic cups, spray with cooking spray.  Then place these cups into a big roasting pan.

3. Boil a hot of water, the hot water should come half way to the molds in roasting pan.

4. In a small sauce pan, heat the A 75g sugar and 20 g of cold water until the edge is medium/dark amber color.  Remove from heat and whisk in 4 teaspoon of hot water and ½ tsp of Maple Whisky.

5. Heat B ingredients until almost boiling.  Beat C ingredients in a big bowl until pale yellow.  Add the hot B ingredients into C in a steady stream while beating.  Don’t add too fast or the eggs will scramble.  Next, beat in the heavy whipping cream.  Sift the custard to make sure no scramble eggs.

6. Divide the egg custard evenly into molds.  Pour the hot water into the roasting pan, water should come up to half way of the baking molds.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes

7. Remove the roasting pan from oven and let cool 15-20 minutes before serving.  Run a knife around the edges to release the flan, then invert it onto a small dessert plate.  Can also be served cold after refrigeration.  Keep in flan mold in frig for about a week.

Servings: 6

Butter Pastry

 This recipe is one of my all time favorites.  It took me years to perfect.  Hope you like it! 

I. Dough Starter (prepare the night before or at least 8 hours before)

A Ingredients

Dry yeast                           rounded ¼ teaspoon

Warm water ((105-115°F)               40 g

B Ingredients

All purpose flour                              60 g

Salt                                                        pinch

Directions:

1. Mix A ingredients, let rest 5 minutes.

2. Mix A and B ingredients until and knead until smooth, cover and let rest in room temperature around 8-10 hours.  (any longer,  put the dough in the frig, let sit at room temp for 30 minutes before using)

II. Pastry Wrapper

Dough Starter           the above recipe

All purpose flour                  100 g

Powdered sugar                        20 g

Peanut oil                                  40 g

Cold water                            50~55 g

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients by hand, or with an electronic mixer until smooth, around 5-8 minutes.  Cover and let rest 20-30 minutes. 

III. Pastry Dough

Ingredients

Cake flour             100 g

Peanut oil                40 g

Directions:

Sift the flour then add the oil, mix until blended.  Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, cover and set aside.

IV. Buttered dough

C Ingredients

Butter                                 50 g

Shortening(or margarine)   50 g

Powdered sugar                  85 g

Salt                                     1/8 g

D Ingredients

Eggs, slightly beaten          10 g

Powdered milk                  100 g

Directions:

1. Blend all C ingredients together.  Beat in the D eggs until blended.

2. Add the powdered milk, mix just until blended in, no loose powder.

3. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, roll into balls, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

V Combine

Ingredients

Sesame, white, toasted       1 cup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.  Divide the bread dough into 12 equal portions, roll into balls, cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes. 

2. Take a bread dough, push an oil dough into the center, pinch at the bottom, roll it to make a round shape. 

3. Seam side down, press down with your hand, roll the dough out into about the size of your hand. Flip over, seam up side, roll up from the short side. 

4. Seam side down, press down with your hand, then roll the dough out into the length of your hand, flip over, seam side up, roll up from the short side. 

5. Seam side up, press down with a finger in the middle of the seam side, then gather the side and pinch towards the center to make a ball.  Flip over, seam side down.

6.  Press down the ball into half the height, using a rolling pin, roll from the outside towards the inside to create a thick in the center, thin on the outside UFO shaped dough, Wrap a butter ball into the center on the seam side, pinch tightly on the bottom to seal.  Put the ball, seam side down on the working surface, using both of your hands to make it as round as possible.  Then press down the ball again into about half the height. 

7. Brush the top with water, then press the wet side down into a bowl filled with white sesame.  Take out and put the dough onto the working surface again, sesame side up.  Roll with a rolling pin into a long oval shape about the size of your palm.  Place the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with others and put the baking sheet into the oven for 16-18 minutes or until golden brown.  If you like a crispier finish you can bake an additional 2-3 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in air tight containers.

Servings: 1 dozen

Almond Florentine

The first time I had this, my godmother Michelle had made it.  It was truly love at first bite.  The preparation and ingredients are so simple, anyone can make it.  Please give this a try.  You’ll all fall in love. 

A Ingredients

Egg whites          50 g

Sugar                   50 g

Butter, melted     20 g

Cake flour           15 g

B Ingredients

Sliced almonds         100 g

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 325°F/160°C.

2. Whisk the A ingredients in a medium bowl until opaque.

3. Gently fold in B ingredients with a rubber spatula.  Careful not to break the sliced almonds.  

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Scoop the prepared batter 2 inches apart onto the baking sheet, around 1 -2 tablespoon per cookie

5. Using your fingers to separate the stacked sliced almond.  The objective is to have a single layer of sliced almond across.  So the cookies will be thin and crispy and bakes evenly.  The ideal cookie size should be about the palms of your hand. 

6. Bake in the oven for 10-13 minutes.  Let cool 1-2 minutes before removing the cookies to a wired rack.  Let cool completely before storing in a air tight container. 

Serving: 1 dozen

Super Sandwiches

            At first, I didn’t know what to name this sandwich.  During a filming break, my photographer/camera man, Albert said “super sandwich.” Hey! It’s perfect!!  After packaging, this sandwich is perfect for picnic or a family trip.  I’ve packaged a bunch of them to a beach party once!!  My friends had never seen sandwiches packaged this way, but they all love the taste!!! 

           The day of filming was one disaster after another.  I woke up in the morning with a raspy voice and stuffy nose.  What woke me was my neighbor’s construction project! It was also unfortunately street sweeping day.  On top of that, my parents had a very exciting political discussion in the backyard, which was caught on tape.  Seriously?  Wait wait wait, it’s not over yet.  That night after filming, I broke in a fever of 102.  Record!!

A Ingredients

Toasts                 8 slices

Ham                   4 slices

B Ingredients

Hard boiled egg, chopped       2 heads

Mayonnaise                              2 tablespoon

Ground black pepper               to taste

C Ingredients

Cucumber, shredded      ¼ cup

Mayonnaise                      1 tablespoon

Apple cider vinegar         1/8 teaspoon

Sugar                               1/8 teaspoon

Directions:

1. Stir all B ingredients together into an egg salad.

2. Stir all C ingredients together into a cucumber salad.

3. Place toasts, four slices into a stack, spread the egg salad, ham, and cucumber salad into each of the three layers.

4. Slice the edges off the four sides and cut diagonal into two triangles down the middle.  Bag the sandwiches into triangle bags for easy to go. 

Servings: 2-4 Servings

Lucky Cat Birthday Cake

 The first time I celebrated Nana’s birthday was her 80^th. Nana, Jason, and I drove down memory lane to her old house in Redondo Beach at the beautiful California coast.  I finally got to see the house Nana mentioned fondly so many times before - the white beautiful beach house with a big bay window looking out to sea.  As we drove near the coast, the fog rolled in.  I saw the beach house standing there in front me, quietly telling me a story of time.  Nana was telling stories after stories in tears.   We all sat there quietly listening in front of the house.  

We followed Nana’s memory lane to The Village.  It is a little gourmet shopping mall right by the ocean where Nana used to walk with a basket to buy groceries.  We stopped there and walked store by store with Nana.  She was elated being able to visit old friends.  Nana greeted everyone.  It took hours to finish touring The Village.  It is time for dinner.

We had reservations at the Cheesecake Factory right by the marina.  We had a wonderful time and a fantastic birthday dinner.  Nana thanked us so many times and told us it was a best birthday gift anyone can ever give.  We were glad.  Our little outing ended with a slice of tuxedo cheesecake and a candle while the staff sang the birthday song.  

After that birthday party, we’ve spent 8 more years.  On March 10 every year, we’d planned nice dinners and a show.  Recent years Nana’s getting more and more tired and likes to stay at home.  So we’ve been celebrating at home more.  This lucky cat birthday cake is the cake of 2013.  Click into the video to see the cake of the previous years and videos of the party!!

Parisian Macaron

Nothing says Paris more than Macarons.  This is a basic form of Macaron.  Give it a try!! 

A Ingredients

Almond meal, sifted   300 g

Powdered sugar, sifted    300 g

Egg whites                         110 g

Food color, gel                to taste

B Ingredients

Sugar                        300 g

Water                         75 g
Egg whites               110 g

Food color, gel                to taste

C Ingredients

Chocolate (>64%)                75 g

Heavy whipping cream         75 g

Butter                                    25 g

Preparation

*Age the eggs whites.  Three days to a week before baking, cock the egg whites into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. 

*Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.  Draw quarter coin circles onto the grainy side of the parchment paper ¼ inch from each other.  Need about four of these parchment papers. 

Directions:

1. Soft the A almond meal and powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. 

2. Add the A egg whites into the mixture.  Fold with a mixer or spatula until no loose powder at the bottom.  Add the food coloring until color is smooth. 

3. Put the B sugar and water into a small pot, heat without stirring until 238-242°F (115-116°C), remove from heat and immediately go into the next step.

4. Beat the egg whites until soft peak form.  With mixer on high speed, add the sugar into the egg whites in a thin stream.  After adding all the sugar, keep the mixer on high for 10 minutes until the temperature of the meringue is touch warm. 

5. Using a rubber spatula, fold the meringue into the A batter.  Try to maintain the volume of the mixtures. 

6. Put a piping tip (Wilton #10 or #12) into a plastic piping bag.  Scoop the batter into the piping bag, pipe a circle onto prepared parchment paper. 

7. Tap the baking sheet on the table to eliminate air pockets, then let rest at an airy area around 20-30 minutes until a skin has formed on the surface. 

8. Double boil the C chocolate until melted, stir in the heavy whipping cream until blended.  Remove from heat and let cool a bit before mixing in the butter.  Pour the cooled ganache into a piping bag with a Wilton #10 or #12 piping tip, store in frig until ready to use.

9. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C. Double pan the baking sheet to reduce the heat from the bottom.  Bake in the oven for 6 minutes.  Use a fork to jam the oven door open a bit, bake an additional 7 minutes to prevent breaking.  (if oven temperature is even, then just bake 12 minutes straight)

10. Let the macaroon shells cool completely.  Pipe the prepared ganache onto the shells then top it with another shell.  Store in air-tight containers. 

Serving: 3 dozen

School Day Sandwich

 There are many things I miss about Taiwan, especially its wonderful breakfast culture.  It is the most important meal of the day afterall!! 

Ingredients

Bread slices                    4 slices

Fried eggs                       2 pieces

Cucumber, shredded          to taste

Onion, thinly sliced           to taste

Mayonnaise                     1 tablespoon

Ketchup                           1 tablespoon

Ground black pepper          to taste

Directions

1. Toast the bread slices in a bread toaster.

2. Spread the toasts with some mayonnaise and ketchup, place the shredded cucumber and onion slices, top with the fried egg, sprinkle with ground black pepper, serve hot with some breakfast tea with cream and honey!!

Serving: 2

Chestnut Year Cake

This is a Chinese New Year traditional cake.  Its texture is chewy and soft.  The pronunciation in Chinese is the same sound with higher, so it means better.  It’s also traditional to serve this cake in front of the kitchen God statue.  The chewy year cake will glue his teeth before he goes into heaven to tell on the family it watches over. And also hoping the sweetness of the year cake will make him want to say good things in front of the Mighty King Jade.  What a cute story!!!

A Ingredients

Sweet rice flour     400 g

Wheat starch          135 g

B Ingredients

Brown sugar          180 g

Coconut milk             1 can (480 ml)

C Ingredients

Vegetable oil               ¼ cup

Chestnut,chopped         1 package

Directions:

1. Measure and soft all A ingredients into a big mixing bowl. 

2. Measure all B ingredients into a small soup pot, heat while stirring until all sugar dissolves, remove from heat and let col.

3.  Pour the cool B ingredients into the big mixing bowl with A ingredients.  Stir until all powder dissolves into liquid.  Sift the batter again to avoid lumps.

4. Add the C ingredients and mix well.  Pour the batter into an oiled 8x2 inch cake mold. Tap the cake mold on the counter to tap out the air bubbles. 

5. Steam with the lid on for about 30-45 minutes depending on the container used.  Let cool 15 minutes before inverting the year cake onto a plate to cool completely.  Store in frig for about a week. 

Serving: 8

Sweetheart Popcakes

 This recipe is just like the cake pops in the stores, minus the sticks.  So I made up a new name for it, Popcakes!!!

So far I’ve made this recipe of popcakes for quite a few occasions and it’s been great so far.  I can make a peppermint cake with white/red candy melt for Christmas, or a pink and chocolate one for Valentine’s Day.  Not to mention it tastes so much better than the ones from Starbucks.  Seriously, it’s tasty!!!  You’ve gotta try it!!

Step I – Baking the cake

A Ingredients

Shortening                        55 g

Sugar                               240 g

Eggs                                    2 heads

Raspberry preserve             ½ cup

B Ingredients

Flour                              220 g

Baking powder                    1 tablespoon

Salt                                   ¾ teaspoon

C Ingredients

Milk                                110 g

Directions:

1. Beat the shortening and sugar with a mixer until incorporated.  Add the egg, one at a time until fluffy.  Then stir in the raspberry preserve. 

2. Measure all B ingredients into a bowl and sift.  Preheat oven 350°F/180°C

3. Add the flour and milk alternately into the batter, finish with flour.  Do not overmix. 

4. Pour the batter into an oiled 9 inch cake mold, bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Invert the cake into a big mixing bowl, break the cake with a fork.  Let the cake crumbs cool in the mixing bowl. 

Step II – Making Buttercream Icing

A Ingredients

Water                                   40 g

Sugar                                 125 g

B Ingredients

Egg white                             1 head

Salt                                       1 pinch

C Ingredients

Unsalted butter, cubed           ½ cup (115g)

Vanilla extract                       ½ teaspoon

Directions:

1. Measure all A ingredients into a small pot, cook on medium heat until the sugar measures 238-242°F(114°C-116°C)

2. While the sugar cooks, beat the B ingredients in a stand mixer until foamy.  Turn the mixer off to wait for the sugar to cook. 

3. After the sugar reaches 238-242°F(114°C-116°C), turn the mixer back on, medium high, add the sugar in a small stream into the egg white.  After adding all the sugar, beat for an additional 8-10 minutes to reduce temperature. 

4. Feel the mixing bowl to see if the sugar mixture is still hot.  If it’s warm to the touch, then it’s safe to proceed.  Turn the mixer on medium high, add butter one cube at a time.  Add the next cube only when the previous cube is fully incorporated into the batter.  Beat the icing for 3-5 minutes until smooth. 

5. Beat in the vanilla extract.  Scoop out the icing into a bowl, set aside.

Steps III – Combine Cake and Frosting

Combine the cooled cake crumbs and buttercream frosting with a fork.  Try not to use the food processor or mixer because it breaks the cakes too fine.  Scoop the cake mix with a cookie dipper or with a spoon, about two tablespoon full, then roll into a ball by hand.  Let set in the frig while melting candy melts. 

Steps IV – Assembly Popcakes

 

Special equipment: Peanut butter cup plastic candy mold (Wilton)

Ingredients

Candy melt, white               180 g

Shortening                               5 g  

Red food coloring, gel               to taste

Directions:

1. Chop the candy melt into small pieces, put in a glass bowl with shortening, double boil until melted.  Add enough red food coloring to make a desired color pink.  Then scoop a small amount into each slot of the peanut butter cup candy mold, about 2/3 full. 

2. Top one cake ball onto each slot right from the frig. 

3. Place the whole mold to set in the frig, 30 minutes. 

Steps V – Coating Popcakes

Candy melt, chocolate color            240 g

Shortening                                          10 g

Directions:

1. Chop the candy melt into small pieces, put in a glass bowl with shortening, double boil until melted.  

2. Remove the popcakes from the frig.  Wriggle the plastic mold so the popcakes are easily removed from the mold. 

3. Hold the base of the popcakes, dip the cake part into the melted candy melt, swirl to coat, shake off excess candy melt, invert and put it on a surface to dry.  Sprinkle the top of the popcakes before the candy coating dries.  Repeat to finish all popcakes. 

Serving: 32 pieces