Lemon Loaf

I came across a lemon loaf recipe on Pinterest from Jenn's Random Scraps blog.  It taste great but it was heavy.  After doing some adjustment to the recipe, it came out light and more to my liking.  I didn't use all the glaze in this picture.  I keep it to the side so I can control my calories.

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  I still can't figure out why my loaf cracks at the top, but it does make a nice glaze catcher.  If you do know why and how to fix it, please message me.
  
  
  Difficulty: Easy to Medium
  
  
  1 1/2 cups organic flour
  1 tsp baking powder
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  3 eggs, room temp
  1 cup organic sugar
  3 tbsp organic butter, softened
  1 tsp vanilla extract
  2 tsp of gourmet lemon extract
  Juice from one large lemon 
  1/2 cup oil
  zest of one lemon
  
  
  Glaze:
  1 cup powdered sugar
  2 tbsp whole milk
  1/2 tsp lemon extract
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour your loaf pan.  Tap out any excess flour.  Flouring your pan is very important, so don't skip this step (like I did the first time and couldn't get the loaf out.)
  
  
  Allow for the butter and eggs to sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature.  If you don't have a micro-planer or a zester, use a peeler to zest the lemon.  Take the outer of the lemon off and run you knife to chop it finely. In a bowl, combine all your dry ingredients and sift it.  In another bowl, combine the butter, eggs, vanilla extract lemon juice, and lemon extract.  When you have creamed it together, add the flour mixture in slowly, Fold the mixture together with the oil.  Add the lemon zest at the end.
  
  
  Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until your toothpick comes out clean.
  
  
  Combine the glaze ingredients and whisk together well until there is no lumps.
  
  
  Allow the loaf to cool completely before glazing it.
  
  

Bánh Cam/Bánh Rán - Fried Sweet Rice Ball with Mung Bean Filling

I remember the first time I seen a bánh cam. My mother was frying these little delicious sweet snack outside. When I asked her what was it, I examined it closer and said to her that they do look like little oranges.  I remember when I took a bit into it, it was spicy!!!  My mother had put ginger in with the mung bean filling.  I still love them to this day, but I replaced the ginger with coconut now.

They are a variation of the Chinese balls made with red beans or lotus paste.  In northern parts of Vietnam, you can get these balls lacquered in a sugary syrup.

Mung bean filling
12-14 oz split peeled mung beans
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (or freshly grated ginger)
pinch of salt

Dough
1.5 cups plus 1/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
16 oz bag glutinous rice flour
1 cup rice flour
2 Tbsp baking powder, single acting
100 grams boiled potato, mashed
       or 40 grams mash potato flakes
1 Tbsp oil
White sesame seeds, a lot in a bowl
Oil to fry


Filling:
Soak the mung beans overnight or for at least 2 hours.  In a steamer, steam them until they easy mash with two fingers.  Add to a bowl and mix in the remaining filling ingredients.  When it is cool to the touch, roll into ping pong ball size.  Cover and place in the fridge to firm up.

Dough:
Add water into a pot and when water is warm, add the sugar and stir to dissolve.  Add the oil and remove from heat.  Add potato and combine well.  Allow to cool to handle.
In a large bowl, add the glutinous rice flour, regular rice flour, baking powder, and combine. Add syrup mixture.  Knead the dough until it is well combined and can hold a ball shape.

Pinch off a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll it in the palm of your hands to shape it into a ball.  Flatten the ball.  The edges should be thinner than the center. You want it to be wide enough to wrap around the ping pong size filling.  If there is any excess dough, pinch it off.  Shape it by rolling it in the palm of your hands.  When it is round, place it in the bowl of sesame seeds.  Roll and pat the seeds, making sure that it adheres well.

In a sauce pan, fill with oil.  Make sure that it is enough to cover the balls.  On a medium high heat, heat up the oil until it feels warm when you hover your hand over it.  Add the balls in and make sure that they are touching so they don't float to the top when frying.  If they do, just turning them to ensure that it is evenly browning.  When it is a golden brown color, remove and place on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Allow to cool and enjoy!

Madeleines

I discover that my eldest son loves Madeleine cookies whenever I would buy these beautiful buttery cookies at the Starbucks.  The package comes in 3's and I always end up with one.  The little guy eats them so fast. I decided that I need to learn to bake these so that he can have as many as he likes.

I googled some recipes and this was the recipe that had all the ingredients I had on hand at the time.

Difficulty: Medium

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs, room temp
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 375.
Cream your butter, both sugars, vanilla and eggs together.
Add baking powder and salt to flour.
Add 1/3 of flour mixture to wet mixture and fold in well and repeat until gone.


Grease the Madeleine pans with butter well.  Flour each mold and tap out any excess. Spoon batter in to fill only half way.  Bake for 9-11 minutes for the large, 5-7 for the mini ones. Tap out Madeleines and allow to cool complete.

Serve by dusting some powdered sugar.

Chocolate Chip Cookie

This is my variation of the Nestle Toll House cookie recipe from the back of the bag. I have made this variation for years and every kid loves it. It is always a hit at the holiday parties. I love it warm out of the oven with a nice tall glass of cold milk.

Difficulty: Easy

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, room temp.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed coconut brown sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temp
1 cups mini chocolate chips
1 cup Heath's toffee chips


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream the soften butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla together. Set aside. Mix the remaining dry ingredients together. Toss the chips in and blend well into flour mixture. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, mixing well into the wet ingredients. Place in refrigerator for about 5-10 mins so the mixture will not spread too much in the oven.

Drop tablespoon size batter on cookie sheet and bake for 10 (+/-) 1-2 minutes.  Allow for the cookie to completely cool on baking rack.

Bánh Ít Nhân Dừa - Pandan Flavor Sweet Rice Dumpling with Sweeten Coconut Filling

Difficulty: Medium (Time Consuming)

The thing about most Asian desserts is that it isn't very sweet.  There is just a hint of sweetness in this banh it. Banh it is traditionally a pyramid shaped dumpling wrapped in banana leaf.  I love the history behind this dessert.  My father told me that once there was a king with 3 sons.  He was getting old and didn't know who to leave the kingdom to.  So he made a decree that each one of his daughter in-laws make a feast for him and whoever makes him the most delicious meal, will inherit the kingdom.

The eldest daughter had the staff make him a lavish banquet filled with wild game and elaborate desserts. The middle was very fancy and tasted very delicious but wasn't as grand as the eldest.  By the time it come to the youngest, there wasn't much money left in the budget work with.  With the little money they had, one of the course was banh ut it.

250 g (2 cups) glutinous rice flour
175 ml (3/4 cup) water
1 Tbsp coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
25 g (1/4 cup) unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
1 tsp milk
Sesame seeds
1 tsp pandan extract
2 drop green food coloring, optional
16 round cut parchment paper or banana leaf


Place flour into a bowl.  Make a well and add water and pandan extract.  Be careful with the water. When adding the water, leave a tablespoon or so behind.  Depending on the moisture content of your flour and humidity, you may not need all the water.  Mix together until you can get a ball shape.  Poke a hole in the ball and add the two drops of food coloring.  Knead well. Roll dough out to a log shape and cut into 16 equal size pieces.

In a small bowl combine the coconut flakes and coconut palm sugar.  Mix well.  Your coconut maybe moist enough where you don't need the milk.  Add one or two drops in at a time.  You are looking for the sugar to be melted but not runny.

Take a piece of the dough and roll it into your hand and form a ball.  Flatten out the ball, making the outside edges thin and there is a bulge in the middle. Take a small amount of the coconut and sugar mixture and add it to the middle of the dough.  Pinch it close like an empanada.  Push the points in and roll it into the palm of your hands to make a ball.  Place on a piece of parchment paper or greased banana leaf. Repeat.

Steam for about 10 minutes.  You can't really overcook this dessert.  Sprinkle a little sesame seeds before allowing them to cool.

The dough can have cracks in it.  Just pinch it close if the crack is too wide.

It is done when it is glossy and looks like a perfect piece of jade.