French Apple Tart

I've got a simple and delicious apple tart recipe which no require any butter mixed or frangipane. What I need is just a big packet of green apple with a shortcrust pastry which already had in my fridge, and took me no time to make this tart. I didn't produce a very beautiful rosy look for the tart but I'd say the apple tart smell very good while it's about the time I need to check whether it's done.

I feel the beauty of this tart is that you could still have a big piece of it after your dinner as it's quite a light dessert and not too sweet. You will like to have the second piece.

About the shortcrust pastry, I've been using the recipe for different kind of tarts and it's work very well. Its crusty and crumbly texture is very the English homemade pastry.

If you find the French apple tart is a bit lonely, just serve with a dollop of cream or vanilla ice cream to go with it. Fantastic!

For the shortcrust pastry (9 inches tart tin):

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp cold water

220g plain flour

110g unsalted cold butter, diced

20g sugar powder

pinch of salt

1. Mix the eggs yolks with 2 tbsp cold water stir with a fork until well combine.
2. Place the flour into the bowl of a food processor, followed by the cold butter and the salt. Turn the processor on and pulse several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the egg yolk/water mixture and pulse again. Be careful not to overwork the pastry. Stop pulsing when the mixture has the consistency of chunky breadcrumbs.
4. Turn the pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface and, with floured hands, bring together to make a dough, but don't knead.
5. Shape into a flattened ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. You can keep the pastry at this stage for 2-3 days if not using it immediately.
6. Remove the pastry from the fridge. On a clean, floured work surface, roll it out with a floured rolling pin until it's slightly larger than the flan ring. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry and lay it over the flan ring.
7. With your fingers, lightly press the pastry into the sides of the ring. Run a rolling pin over the top of the ring and pull away the excess pastry at the edges. Using your fingers, gently press the pastry up to slightly build up the height of the pastry at the edges.

Assemble the apple tart:

1. Peel and core the apple then cut in to half and slice it into the thickness you like. I slice it quite thinly.
2. Arrange the apples decoratively on the pastry shell, overlapping them. Sprinkle the sugar on top of the apples, top with butter cubes and bake in the middle of the 180'C preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the crust is cooked through and the apples are golden.
3. Brush with the heated apricot jam while the tart is still hot.

Cakes Corner | HT | 9:01 PM No comments Read More

Cashew Nut Mix

I bought a packet of raw cashew nut from a cashew nut factory in Phuket and this recipe for people who always craving madly like me :P Enjoy!!

• Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  In a bowl, toss 1 cup raw cashews, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 pinch of cinnamon and curry powder and pinch of sea salt until well mixed.
• Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, stirring half way through, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and scrape the nuts onto a plate to cool.
• When the nuts are cool, put them into a bowl and toss together with 1/3 cup of halved dried apricots and raisins.
• Store in an airtight container or follow the serving suggestion. I bet you will finish it within two days :P

Serving suggestions: Divide the mix into small individual containers for snacking. Spoon a few tablespoons over a serving of yogurt or frozen yogurt. Add a few tablespoons to a bowl of fruit salad

Craving Corner | HT | 8:06 PM No comments Read More

Dried Fruit Milky Bread (鲜奶干果面包)

I miss my kitchen very much after a holiday break and I can't resist to do some baking. So I simply make something with whatever ingredients that left in the kitchen cabinet. This recipe suppose a "Sweet corn milky bread 鲜奶玉米面包" but I don't have sweet corn.

So I replaced it with some dried apricot and raisin and it's ok! The bread was quite soft and tender that came with the chewy dried fruits.

Recipe from 孟老师的100道面包

(A)

Bread flour 200g

Sugar 35g

Salt 1/4 teaspoon

Egg 35g

Yeast 3g

Fresh milk 100g

(B)

Unsalted butter 15g

Sweet Corn 80g or (40g dried apricot and 40g raisin)

How I made it:

1. Mix all the (A) ingredients until smooth and well combine in medium speed with the dough hook mixing machine.
2. Add in unsalted butter and mix in low speed. When everything well combine increase to medium speed until the dough become smooth and elastic. It tooks about 10 minutes.
3. Add in sweet corn or dried fruits and mix in low speed.
4. Transfer to a grease bowl and cover with a cling warp proof for 80 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into five portions and shape it into smooth balls. I place it into a 17cm chiffon cake tin for second proofing at about 40 minutes.
6. Egg wash the dough and bake at a 180'C preheated oven about 25 minutes.
7. Transfer the dough into a cooling rack. I place the bread into a plastic bag when it's still slightly warm (not too hot). I think it could keep the bread a bit moisture at the outside and produce a soft and tender bread. Then transfer to an airtight container once it's completely cool down.

Bread Corner | HT | 9:36 PM No comments Read More

BACI Ice Cream

I bought an ice cream bowl attachment for my KitchenAid mixer recently as I've been eager to make myself a box of homemade ice cream for long long time. This ice cream bowl has to be stored in the freezer for 15 hours before the process of making ice cream, sorbet or gelato. I stored the ice cream bowl at the back of my freezer at all times that gives me the flexibility to make any frozen desserts on a whim.

I had a recipe book "Forever Summer from Nigella Lawson" with me for quite some times but just have no chance to follow her recipe as I don't have an ice cream maker. This book had many cold dessert recipes including ice cream. I've choosen a recipe called "BACI ICE CREAM". This is quite like a French or Italian ice cream as the ingredients used including custard. It had a very rich texture which is quite like the Häagen-Dazs. After had my first attempt on making ice cream, I think I've fallen in love with it.

I've got the Baci Ice Cream recipe on the website which is exactly the same in the book of "Forever Summer". Check it out if you like to give it a try.

Craving Corner | HT | 11:07 PM No comments Read More

Lasagne

This is always the best dish for serving my guests as it's so delicious especially the mince sauce could be ready in advance so that I can have a relaxing gathering with my guests while the lasagne is baking in the oven. I followed Jamie Oliver's recipe from the book of "Jamie's Dinner" (except adding the butternut squash but replaced with some fresh mushroom).

I get ready the minced sauce and white sauce in the fridge before the day my guests arrive. Then, reheat it when about to assemble the lasagne (it only took me few minutes). I found the sauce is much tasty after a day for sitting in the fridge. I packed a small piece of left over lasagne with cling wrap and aluminium foil then placed it into the freezer after it completely cool down. Reheat it in the oven for my next lunch, it's incredible tasty!

I found that the recipe is available at the Jamie's website. So I don't type it here. Please forgive my laziness :P

Craving Corner | HT | 10:13 PM No comments Read More

Grissini

I've got another craving food here, Grisini. It's also named as "breadsticks". Other than granola, biscotti, nutty french balls, I've got this adding into my craving container recently. It could be made by different kind of flavours such as nuts, cheese, seeds, chocolate etc. I used sesame and parmesan cheese for my first attempt on this grissini. The recipe extracted from "孟老师的100道面包".

Mixture (A)
Bread flour 150g
Plain flour 50g
Sugar 15g
salt 1/2 teaspoon
water 100g
instant yeast 1/4 teaspoon (1g)
Parmesan cheese powder 20g
Mixture (B)
Unsalted butter 15g

Egg whites 20g
White seasame 1 tablespoon
Black sesame 1 tablespoon

1. Mix all the mixture (A) in a mixing bowl with a dough hook at low spead then medium speed until everything well combine and become a smooth dough.
2. Add in unsalted butter continue kneading with a low spead until the butter mix with the dough then change to medium speed until it become a very smooth and elastic dough.
3. Proof it in a large bowl cover with cling wrap for 50 minutes.
4. Roll the dough out at 0.3 cm thick in rectangular shape. Brush egg whites on the roll out dough and sprinkle with sesame. Use the hand to gently press the sesame to stick at the dough.
5. Using a roller cutter to cut longish shape at 1cm thick then twist it with your hand by holding each side of the end of the dough.
6. Place on a baking tray and bake for about 15 - 20 minutes at 150'C until it golden brown color.

Craving Corner | HT | 9:25 PM No comments Read More

Chocolate Marquise

This was one of the best selling product at Bake To Order no matter in what season. It's made by dark chocolate that would definately satisfy those chocoholics. The recipe extracted from BBC-Food website conducted by my idol chef, Lesley Waters.


The texture is quite like mousse, soft yet rich cocoa flavour. You would rather let it melt slowly in your mouth for few minutes and swallow it slowly before you have the next spoon. The recipe is quite simple to make as it could be made in advance. Store it in the fridge then serve it right after a meal for the guests with no hastily. I used 70% dark chocolate and reduced 1/3 sugar from the original recipe. It's best serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries.

Craving Corner | HT | 7:21 PM No comments Read More