Simple Cranberry Scone 简单果蔓司康饼

I have never been fascinated with the look of scones. But there have to be something about these little lumps of glutton that make it so popular despite the unassuming rustic look. 

Scone is actually a type of quick bread that is fast and easy to put together. One of the basics in baking that we learn on entry level.

Moist Carrot Cake II 红萝卜蛋糕 II

I think I hit all the criteria of a good cake for this Moist Carrot Cake. The cake was moist and soft, tall with raisins evenly distributed, and the correct balance of sweetness and tang. I absolutely loved this moist carrot cake. In fact, the cake tasted better on the next day!

Stable Cream Cheese Frosting 奶油芝士糖霜

Cream cheese frosting is my favourite.  I like my frosting creamy with strong cream cheese flavour and end with a slight tang. 

Living in a hot and humid climate, my cakes have to have a stable frosting. Otherwise, it would turn soft and lose its shape. I have been trying out for a stable cream cheese frosting recipe for quite some time. I finally settled for this cream cheese frosting recipe. 

It is not difficult to make a stable cream cheese frosting. You just have to use more cheese composition to liquid (or other soft ingredients like milk or whipped cream). Also, having a denser cream cheese flavour suits my tastes just fine. 

Boiled Fruitcake -The Easiest Fruitcake Ever 杂果蛋糕

Yes, it is true. This is by far the easiest fruitcake I have ever done. It turned out soft and moist, just as I wanted it. Have you heard of Boiled Fruitcake?

Easy Orange Butter Cake 简单香橙奶油蛋糕

I have a church friend who has been asking me to bake Orange Butter Cake for the longest time. Sadly, I have yet to send her one. This is because I usually make butter cakes and not orange butter cake for my family. My family adores butter cake (recipe here). Why want to add to the work by adding orange? You will add on extra work of zesting and juicing an orange. However, there is definitely a difference. An Orange Butter Cake exudes a citrussy smell that lures you from afar. If you are an orange lover, you will definitely like this Orange Butter Cake. Paired with good butter, this cake smells and tastes heavenly. Perfect for those who like a touch of citrus and a subtle hint of tang to cut off the richness in a butter cake.

Steamed Chocolate Cake 蒸巧克力蛋糕

Have no oven but dying to try out your own chocolate cake?

Making a chocolate cake has never been easier. All the measurements are in cups!!!! (If you don't have a measurement cup, I have also painstakingly measured it out for you in grammage).

Chocolate Brownies 巧克力布朗尼

I recently have a revelation. I found out that I have this fetish for chocolate brownies. I can't seem to stop thinking about it. So there I am, in my quest for my ideal chocolate brownies.

What is in a chocolate brownie that makes it so captivating? I call it a cross betweeen a cake and cookie. I has a denser texture than cake but a softer texture than a cookie. This makes the taste extremely intense but not too dry to the throat. And when paired with that favourite ice cream that seeps into whatever  nooks and crannies left by the brownie, oh yummy! Nirwana calls.

Simple Roast Chicken 简单烤鸡

I was a bit shy to present this recipe as it is really a basic no-frills roast chicken. I decided to pen this anyway. It is for my own future reference as I simply love the original flavours that is this dish. As the title suggests, it is a simple recipe with simple seasonings which are commonly available in the market. I was a bit surprised how tasty were the natural flavours of the chicken and vegetables. The vegetables I chose each has their own natural sweetness or tanginess which comes together perfectly in the dish. You can also replace with, or add other vegetables of your choice. You just have to make sure that the vegetables you chose do not have too much water content or the tray will be filled with juice after your bake. Choose something like potatoes or carrots.

Minecraft Cake

Each year, I endeavour to make a cake for my son. This is his 6th birthday and my 6th cake for him. As his age progresses, his request for his birthday cake also gets complicated. This year, he requested for a Minecraft cake. In case you are in the dark, Minecraft is actually an online game (which makes no sense to me at all).

When I first googled for information, I was apprehensive. It was complicated. I was not confident I could do it. Worse of all, it involves fondant, which I have not ventured into and have no interest in doing so. But I have to at least try. I initially planned a very simple cake with purchased figurines as topper. Unfortunately, I have forgotten to purchase the figurines and therefore, it didn't come in time. I have to use fondant to make the figurines. Even that, I chose the easiest figurines, ENDERMAN and CREEPER. I had no choice but also make STEVE as he is a trademark in Minecraft afterall.

Pandan Swiss Roll (Cooked Dough Method) 班兰瑞士卷

If you have ever tried an original Pandan Swiss Roll, you will not be contented with just pandan essence. Nothing beats the natural taste and flavour of the pandan (also known as screwpine leaves). Primarily found in the South East Asia, the Pandan Swiss Roll is insanely popular with variations like Ondeh Ondeh Roll, and Pandan Kaya Roll. Today, I'm just introducing a simple Pandan Swiss Roll with fresh cream. Once you have the basic sponge mastered, you can easily adapt your filling.

Traditional Fruitcake 酒香杂果蛋糕

Talk about acquired taste. Just a couple of years ago, I have to give away fruitcakes received as presents because I simply don't like it. This year, however, I have such intense cravings to eat one that I have to purposely make an effort to get the ingredients to make one amidst my busy schedule. I blame it on the booze for my utter addiction cum obsession. Yes, I like my fruitcake all boozy-filled plumped-up with alcohol.

Easy Mini Fritata

Fritata!

The name does sound fancy but it is nothing more than a baked thick omelette, or, as Jamie Oliver aptly put it, an omelette cake. Making a fritata is very simple as it is like how you would cook an omelette with your choiced vegetables, some herbs and cheese. My not-too-authentic version is a much simpler version as I made it into smaller pieces, eliminating the whole process of having to cook the vegetables, and at the same time shortening the cooking time. Yes, I cooked it in mini muffins tin (well, more to a tart tin for mine). The result is a quick 5 minutes prep and 15 minutes of baking time that totally frees you to attend to other chores while cooking a fun and nutritious dish. I love the freedom in cooking this dish and I believe you do too!

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.

Almond Biscotti 杏仁 脆饼

Biscotti, which basically means twice baked, had put me off for the longest time. I don't want to put in twice the effort to make a same recipe. The process involves first baking it whole and then slicing it thinly to be toasted in the oven. Whatever is initially daunting, however, became advantageous. I can now precook the batter and leave it in the freezer. I can slice the amount that is needed and toast it crispy whenever I want. I, therefore, have a fresh supply of biscotti whenever there is guest coming over or when the occasion arises. It is perfect dunked in your favourite cuppa or as a leisure afternoon snack. This is one snack that I do not have to hold myself out because it has more nutritional values and practically oil-less. So you can munch all you want. You might also want to double the recipe. It gets pretty addictive once the nibbling starts.

Christmas Tree Croquembouche/ Croquembouche de Noel 圣诞泡芙塔

The Informal Chef would like to wish everybody a blessed and fruitful Christmas!

Yes! I have finally done this. Croquembouche de noel. I have always been fascinated with this profiterole cone ever since I saw it on Kim Sam Soon (Korean drama). Traditionally, this is a French wedding cake but the shape of the cone makes it perfect for a Christmas tree, hence, Croquembouche de Noel. Nowadays, with my on-going home business, I hardly have time to update this blog. Today is different. It is Christmas and I am dying to do something different. With whatever free time that I had, I summoned my courage to try out this intriguing dessert.

Nestum Crumble Bread Pudding /Nestum 面包布丁

Making bread pudding is pretty easy to do. It was one of my earlier conquest when I started blogging. If you ever have trouble following a bread pudding recipe, just forget the recipe. You don't have to memorise. All you have to do is understand the dish. There are two main components in a bread pudding: the bread itself and the custard. Use any breads and cut it into decent sizes so that it could be soaked easily. As for the custard, use one large egg for every cup of milk (240 ml) and I guarantee you you won't go wrong. Cook for how long? This isn't an issue either. Use the old reliable skewer. If it comes out clean, it is cooked. Generally, it would take 15-20 minutes in ramekins at 170C.

Quick and Easy Apple Crumble Tart 苹果挞

Just yesterday, I was having a conversation with my old school mate. I was thrilled to know that she was following my blog ardently. Unfortunately, she did not try out any of the recipes. I asked her why and she told me the recipes were too complicated for her. On a hindsight, I might have overlooked readers who favours the simplest of methods. A lot of my recipes previously emphasized on authenticity. Therefore, for this week alone, I am going to introduce some shortcuts to make popular recipes quickly and easily.

This friend of mine adores apple crumble. This quick and easy apple crumble tart is a shortcut without having to make pie crusts. I hope that she will find this recipe useful. Either way, this is one worthy recipe as it uses a healthy, fatless ingredient to replace the rich pie crust. Leftover bread slices were used here. Not only did I managed to use up those extra stale slices that I kept frozen, I also used wholemeal for a healthier alternative. The result was a crunchy toasted crust that was absolutely wonderful to bite on.

Breakfast Bread Bowl 面包碗早餐

Whenever I see postings of those perfectly cooked eggs with runny yolks, I am grossly tempted to take a bite. There is something about half-cooked eggs with sinful runny yolks, all bright and inviting. The yolk that graciously flows out when you cut into it, glorious indeed. And, mind you, my flesh is weak. I have no resistance to this. None what so ever.

After seeing these breakfast bread bowl recipes on social medias, it took me no time to make my own. There is not a need for recipe really. It is just a matter of assembling your typical breakfast ingredients, and nicely arranging it into a bread so that it looks more intriguing and inviting.

Canned Tuna Fish Cakes 罐头金枪鱼肉饼

Today I was looking for a quickie, a shortcut for my dinner dish. Suddenly, I had an aha moment to use canned tuna. I know the thought of canned food is not appealing at all. Therefore, least I could do was to repackage it and give those poor tuna a facelift. And this facelift took just minutes.

Banana Flambe

About twenty odd years ago, I went for a short holiday in Germany. I stayed with my auntie who owned a quaint Chinese restaurant there. It was winter and the restaurant served this fried banana with ice-cream as dessert. To add on to that, the banana would be presented with liquor and set aflame in front to the customer. This banana flambe has etched itself in my mind ever since. I just love the theater, the drama that comes with the dish. It is really not a big deal but I think it serves up an excellent conversation point. It is really a genius way to elevate an otherwise common dish, both taste wise and presentation wise.