Vanilla Panna Cotta with Mixed Berries Coulis 意大利布丁和浆果浆泥

If one were to have watched any reality cooking shows, one would know what this panna cotta is. This is because it is a much exhibited dish. A panna cotta is basically a chilled cooked cream custard which has its origins from Italy. It is a versatile dessert as you could add different flavours to the basic cream custard or play around with different toppings.

Pumpkin Kaya Wholemeal Milk Bun 金瓜加椰全麦面包

Guess what I did to my yummy pumpkin kaya that I made yesterday? Yes, I paired it together with my Japanese milk bread recipe to make this Pumpkin Kaya Wholemeal Milk Bun. In line with the healthy nature of the pumpkin kaya, I braved myself to adapt my Japanese milk bread recipe to include wholemeal flour for a wholesome recipe. The experiment paid off handsomely. It was super delicious! A perfect combination. The bread remains soft and fluffy for two days because of the use of tangzhong method. Don't know about Day 3 though because we have already finished all the bread!

Braided Japanese Milk Bread 编织牛奶麵包

It has been a while since I last baked soft breads. Normally, the lazy me would just roll out the proofed dough and slather something in between before rolling it into a log and cut it into pieces. Today, I attempted something different. I have always been intrigued by the patterns on a Challah, a braided bread that the Jewish eat on Sabbath.

The Challah has many meanings related to the braids and shape of the bread. The strands that intertwine signifies love, whilst the round shape (which I am attempting today), signifies continuity. Instead of using an original Challah recipe, I am just using my prized Japanese milk bread recipe. I can't seem to divorce myself from this Japanese milk bread recipe ever since that faithful day I tasted it. Weird? Definitely! I use it on every recipe that requires soft bread. This recipe for Japanese milk bread yields some really soft fluffy bread. The tangzhong method used enables moisture to be retained, keeping the bread soft for days. You could read more about it from my older post here.

Three Layer Tea

I had some leftover palm sugar from making Sagu Gula Melaka so I decided to make a drink of out it - the Three Layer Tea. I had my first try of this Three Layer Tea a couple of years ago when it was commercialised by F&N in West Malaysia. For a while, every restaurant and mamak stall have this drink in their menu. Ever wondered what happened now?

Homemade Chocolate Cookies 自制巧克力饼干

Today I had my first mother and son baking session. What you see here are the fruits of his labour. Notice those slightly-flawed homemade chocolate cookies? I am loving it. My two and a half year old truly enjoyed cutting out the cookies. He was so impatient that he ate the cut out cookies even before it goes into the oven. While the cookies was baking, he was running here and there using all his restraint not to touch the cookies. It was really a memorable experience both for him and myself. If you mummies out there have not tried doing such thing, I highly recommend this. It was a wonderful bonding experience.

Best Bread Recipe: Japanese Milk Bread 牛奶麵包

Most of us in Asia are already familiar with soft fluffy milk breads. They are are wildly popular as a staple here. I started baking bread as I prefered to feed my son fresh chemical-free breads. I have been doing it for sometime now. All these while, I experimented with different recipes for soft bread but the Japanese milk bread reigns. It is soft, moist and fluffy, just the exact fit for my son. Best of all the softness lasts for days. Therefore, this has become my best bread recipe, my go to recipe. I use this even when I wanted to whip up a dinner or sausage bun.  Once you have mastered the basics the first few times, the sky is the limit to the many variations that you could develop. Nothing tastes and smells better than freshly-baked soft fluffy homemade bread from the oven.

Easy Bread Pudding with Dates 海枣面包布丁

Dates are found abundantly and cheaply around this Ramadhan time of the year here. Have you ever wondered why dates are so significant in a fasting month? Beside its spiritual significance, dates have a very high natural sugar content. The sugar would quickly be converted into energy, giving those who fasts an instant boost of needed energy. This energy would help jumpstart the digestive system before a heavier meal. Besides this, dates are high in vitamins A and B6, folic acid, potassium, sodium, iron, magnesium and fibre. This serves well to replenish the exhausted nutrients in the body.

With all these dates lying around, it is only apt for me to make fullest use of this wonderful nutritious fruit. I have came out with an easy bread pudding recipe with dates. Bread pudding is one of the easiest dessert to whip up. Whether you want to have a quick sugar fix after your meals or even at the start of the day as breakfast, bread pudding fits the bill. This is also one dish that does not take up much effort in the event you feel fatigued.

Easy Delicious Desserts - Neapolitan Pudding 三味布丁

I had two bars of white chocolate nearing expiry and I desperately needed a recipe to finish it off. While I was researching, I was pretty attracted to this white chocolate pudding. My mind was pretty set on a white chocolate pudding when a picture of this beautiful neapolitan cheesecake caught my eyes. At that instant, I know I am going to attempt a neapolitan pudding.

Easy Pastry Cream/Crème Pâtissière 卡士达奶油

This classic French recipe is so versatile. You could use it in about anything that requires cream such as cream puffs, eclairs, base for tarts and danishes. It is basically just a custard, rather easy to whip up, but tasted heavenly. In fact, if you are venturing into pastry arts, a good pastry cream recipe in hands is essential.