DARK & SOFT DINNER ROLLS

Making your own dinner rolls are surprisingly easy and when you taste these  soft rolls, you'll agree they are superior to any store bought ones.

Baking bread is a complete joy for me and I had a lot of fun experimenting classic recipes with a new twist.  How about baking this Dark & Soft Dinner Rolls for breakfast or snack?   These rolls get its color from cocoa powder and instant coffee.

The dough for these  Dark & Soft Dinner Rolls  have a nice texture and is simple to shape.  One of the important elements in getting a perfect roll is the liquid.  It should be lukewarm  rather than  hot. Small difference in the amount of water can make a big difference to your finished loaf. Too little liquid creates a dense and dry loaf.

When you make bread by hand, kneading and shaping it lets you get a good feel for the dough and its elasticity. If it is too sticky, leaving it for 10 minutes after mixing can help.  Remember, you will get better as time goes on.

CAKE, FRUIT & YOGURT PARFAIT

When I have extra slices of my  Eggless Chocolate Cake DF  , I intend to turn this into a delicious  chilled dessert.

Eating a smart breakfast leads to healthier choice all day long. This Cake, Fruit & Yogurt Parfait is one of them. It is quick and easy to make, has only a few ingredients and also no bake. But when you put  a spoonful of Cake, Fruit And Yogurt  Parfait in your mouth, it creates a wonderful textures to tantalize your taste buds.

I used banana and mandarin orange but  you may use any fruit you have, In fact the amount and the way of layering it is totally up to your preference.

Instead of tall glasses, I made use of 12 oz mason jar  to fill my  Cake,  Fruit & Yogurt Parfait.

KAYA PANCAKE MUFFIN

I had half a botlle of kaya (coconut jam) left after making my Heart Shaped Kaya Rolls  . At first, I thought of  preparing  a pancake stuffed with kaya but changed my mind and chose Kaya Pancake Muffin instead.

Kaya Pancake Muffin is much quicker and importantly less messy and save your time.  Just imagine, frying the pancake,  stuffing then roll them up one by one.

These are versatile, on the go and delicious meals.  There are  ways to fill up these muffin  with sweet or savory stuffing. Pancake don't have to be sweet.  You can also make incredible meals with savory pancake too.   Just omit the sugar if you opt for  savory stuffing like cooked  shredded chicken, turkey, bacon or even mushroom, spinach or garbanzo beans..   Vary your fillings with  blueberry, apple, fruit pie filling,  nutella, chocolate, peanut butter instead of kaya.

Make it lactose free by using soy or coconut milk in place of milk. Go eggless by adding 1/4 cup yogurt or 1/3 cup of apple sauce instead of an egg.

PEACH CRUMB SLAB PIE

Peach Crumb Slab Pie is a fun way to serve pie like a bar.  The crust is rolled  to fit a rimmed jelly roll pan and shaped into a rectangle instead of round.

You can experiment with other fruits that are available throughout the year.  If using fresh fruits add juice of one lemon to avoid browning but now I used canned peaches that have been drained well.

We are not adding much sugar to the filling since the peaches are already sweetened.  Adding sugar to the crust as well but this is entirely up to your preference.

Don't worry if your crust tears while you're rolling it out, just patch it back together. You'll know it's good when you press the dough into ball shape.  If it is overly dry, add one tablespoon of ice water at a time.  At this point, you  can cover and refrigerate it.

HEART SHAPED KAYA ROLLS

Homemade rolls are easy to make especially if you use bread maker but mine are made by hand from start to finish.  With homemade rolls, you can easily customize the ingredients you are going to add for instance this Heart Shaped Kaya Rolls, you can omit egg or milk by substituting with soy or almond milk.


Really, you  can use any basic sweet bread recipe and varies the filling.  This time,  I used  kaya (coconut jam) or any other jam as the stuffing.  Be prepared to encounter messiness along the way. In fact my filling is overflowing at the time of rolling. as you can see from my photo below.

Nevertheless Heart Shaped Kaya Rolls turned out fabulous and  tasted awesome! The are no harder to make and are a great way to dress them up for special  occasion.

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MOIST BANANA MUFFIN

I had some overripe  bananas sitting on my kitchen counter so I decided that  my next project would be related to banana.

As usual, used only half cup of sugar instead of 3/4 cup since not keen to have over sweetened muffin.

Moist Banana Muffin  are  perfect  treat for breakfast  or great  for tea time too. Straightforward, simple and just like your favorite banana bread but in muffin form.

You can add  1/4 cup of chopped nuts to Moist Banana Muffin batter and no harm will come to the end result or you may want to add a little dried fruit to the mix. For more interesting flavor, add some finely grated orange or lemon zest or cinnamon instead of vanilla essence.

HONEY OAT BARS

Honey Oat  Bars are excellent for on the go breakfast or quick snack anytime of the day.

It was super easy and pretty quick to prepare.  Use your preferred combo like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds  or cranberries if you like. In fact the combination are endless.

Honey Oat Bars are free from wheat, dairy free and vegan   so they are good for those with food allergies.

I used chopped almond,. black sesame seeds and raisin for a total of 120 g.  Add 2 tablespoon of honey   if you want it sweeter.

BRAIDED NUTELLA BRIOCHE

This is my first post for the year 2015 so I have chosen to bake a yeast bread.  It is a buttery bread called  Braided  Nutella  Brioche.

The dough was so soft like a baby's cheek and bit difficult to handle. I  made mine by hand.  There is a sense of satisfaction in working the dough  by hand and crafting such an attractive bread and it certainly will impress your guests.I didn't add any flour while shaping but if needed add one or two tablespoon  to the dough.

Braided Nutella Brioche requires double proofing but it worth the effort since bread turns amazingly soft and beautiful.  When I took my first bite,  feel like am eating a cake and not a bread!

Made this bread into a braid but you could shape it according to your liking. This is the softest and butteriest  bread I  have ever baked!

SWEET CORN CAKE

It is a habit to check my pantry before any baking project.  From there,  will plan what I  want to bake next.  I found a can of whole kernel corn sitting in my cabinet.  So I have to make something out of this canned sweet corn.

Today I want share this  perfect Sweet Corn I have baked.  It turned  out great  with lovely texture and right amount of sweetness. Add about 1/4 cup more sugar if you like it sweeter.

Rinsed and drained well the corn before adding it to the batter. I squeezed out the water after putting it in a colander.

Turn this into muffin by baking them in a muffin pan but do not level the top.  Bake for  15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Actual baking time varies with each oven so watch closely.

MINI RAISIN BUN

I have not baked any bread for weeks  but  decided to bake  my son favorite Mini Raisin Bun this time.

If you're a bread baker, you will know that most of sweet bread using almost the same recipe with slight variations on ingredients or method.

Enjoy this tasty Mini Raisin Bun for breakfast or in between snack..  Love to serve them  in  bite size portion instead of regular one. Am using dark raisin but golden raisin can be added too.

You can also  turn the dough into a loaf by baking it in a loaf pan.

HOW TO MAKE ROTI CANAI

Roti  Canai  is one of most loved hawker food. This crispy and flaky prata  is available through out the day for breakfast, lunch or dinner. While some like it with just a sprinkle of granulated sugar but I like it served with a spicy curry.

There are several variations, either served plain or with eggs,  Our hawkers here have came up with their own variations which now include anything from cheese, banana, honey to chocolate and ice cream.

After forming into soft dough, it is coated with oil and kept covered for several hours. Another important  part is  flipping the dough in the air in a circular motion  to get that see through dough. Flipping the prata takes skill which come from years of practice. In my case, I got  that  paper thin dough  by pulling the edges slowly. The more you flip, the thinner  it gets so that when you fold it you get more layers. The perfect  Roti Canai  should be thin and crispy.


My Roti  Canai  is slightly bigger than what you get from those shop but if you want it smaller, divide the dough into 8  instead of 6 balls.

HOW TO MAKE ROTI  CANAI
Makes 6-8  roti

3 cup  wheat flour
5 tablespoon oil
1 tsp salt
2  tablespoon condensed milk
1 cup + 2 tablespoon water
extra oil for coating/frying
1 egg (optional)

* If adding  an egg, reduce the quantity of water

METHOD

1. In a bowl, combine salt, condensed milk and water.

2. Add flour and oil to the water mixture, forms into soft dough.

3. Knead the dough until smooth for 5 minutes, divide dough into  6-8 balls.

4. Coat each ball with oil and let stand for at least 5 hours or overnight.

5.  Oil your work top, flatten each ball with your oiled palms, Pulling the edges until you get a see through dough (professionals do it by flipping the dough in the air in a circular motion). Coil it up like a sea shell. 

6. Flatten the dough using your hand into round shape. Rest 10 minutes.

7. Fry on flat pan until both side turn golden brown, drizzle with oil as you fry.

8. Serve hot with curry or sugar.

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CINNAMON ROLLS

My family really  missed my yeast bread that I have regularly served during weekend. Although have baked all type of yeast bread but not this Cinnamon Rolls made from scratch.

This is no fail recipe, it can be made with or without egg.  If you prefer them with egg, reduce the milk to 3/4 cup and add an egg.  The rest, follow the same recipe below.

You can add more to the dough like nuts,  raisins or just leave them simple. Feel free to ice these Cinnamon Rolls but we love them without it.

CHOCOLATE ROLLED OAT COOKIES

Cookies are always a favorite to accompany a cup of coffee or a glass of milk. This sweet treat  has numerous different and amazing varieties that are love by children and adults.

Chocolate Rolled Oat  Cookies has a healthy combo of ingredients,  loaded with oat which produces a crunchy on the outside but chewy in the middle.  Despite its simplicity  with bursting flavor, it is one of the most delightful desserts you can make in no time

They are delicious without any add on but you can add half a cup of chocolate chips or chopped nut if desired.

Chocolate Rolled Oat Cookies are so delicate to handle, make sure you leave them for 5 minute on pan before transferring them onto rack to cool.

3 INGREDIENTS OATMEAL COOKIES

Am looking for something healthier for my breakfast/snack  and bumped into various recipes using oatmeal.   That's where this  3  Ingredients Oatmeal Cookies can be a wonderful treat not only for me but for the whole family.

This is darn easy and the last ingredient  is variable according to your preference. The suggested add in are:
raisin/dried fruit, coconut, peanut butter chips or chopped nuts.

I love my cookies to be super cute so have shaped them into 1/2 in  tiny balls but this entirely up to you.

Banana adds sufficient sweetness and moistness to this healthy cookies so we can avoid those fat and sugar from our diet.

3 INGREDIENTS OATMEAL COOKIES
Yield :    18 cookies

1 cup rolled oat
1/2 cup mashed banana (2 banana)
3-4 tablespoon chocolate  rice (sprinkles)

METHOD

1.   Preheat oven @ 180 C and grease your cookie sheet.

2.  Combine oat and mashed banana in a bowl.

3.   Add in chocolate rice (sprinkles), mix to combine.

4.   Pinch mixture into small balls, flatten slightly.

5.  Place cookies onto baking sheet.

6.  Bake until  firm  for 15 minutes.

7.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes, transfer onto rack to cool.

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CARROT APPLE MUFFINS

Kick start the day with a hearty muffin and fill the kitchen with the enticing aroma of freshly baked muffins. The options are endless, use it to create your own by adding different fruits, nuts, vegetables, flavorings or various grains.

The key to making great muffin is mixing the batter just enough to combine all the wet and dry ingredients but without over mixing it.

These baked muffins are low in fat. super moist packed with fresh fruit, fiber and good for us fats. I added grated apple, mashed  banana and carrot also using coconut palm sugar but this is entirely up to you. You can use white or brown sugar, either one you  still get perfect result. For extra nutritional boost, replace half cup of the flour with whole wheat flour.

MICROWAVE BREAD PUDDING

If you're looking for quick and delicious treat, this Microwave Bread Pudding for one is what you need. You can use any type of bread you have in hand, torn in pieces or cubed.

Look easy right but wait, you'll end up spending more time for cleaning if you don't follow these golden rules:

1.  Sugar
     Use less sugar if you're using sweetened bread

2.  Bowl size
     Make sure it is microwave safe,  only half filled your bowl with the pudding otherwise overflowing will  occur and  you need extra  time for cleaning the mess

3.  Microwave wattage
     Mine was  800 W. Remember microwaves vary in power so your pudding might need  less or more time

Regular milk can be replaced with non dairy milk if you have a problem also you can add  other fruits of you choice.

PRATA PUFFS

Curry puffs or Asian pies are a favorite for many of us. It was made with flaky pastry,  stuffed with curried potato and deep fried until golden brown. But now they came with variety of fillings like sardine, minced meat and hard boiled egg.

Nowadays, most people resort to buying  from the malls instead of preparing them from scratch. It was tricky and time consuming affair.

I have seen a few of my friend making curry puffs using instant roti prata so this is a nice chance to try my hand making them.  First of all,  you need to prepare the filling and let it cool.  My filling are made using mashed potato and cooked green peas. You can even substitute the filling according to your preference .

Most importantly, do not leave the prata too long at room temperature, it becomes sticky and hard to handle.  You can start cutting and  shaping  immediately after you've removed them from a freezer.

If instant prata is not available. you can still  make these piping hot snack using puff pastries. Baking the puff is also a healthier option as it removes excess oil and fat.  Let see how these Prata Puffs were made.

POTATO PANCAKE

A fried flat cake of grated potato with onion and freshly ground black pepper. Treat yourselves to a delicious and  easy breakfast that was less spiced and much reduced fat.

After peeling the potato, soak then in water to avoid discoloration. Had  used my hand grater but food processor works fine.

This is an egg free version. The most important factor for perfect Potato Pancake was controlling the heat, high heat will make them browned so quickly but the center was uncooked. Mine done using medium heat.

These were surprisingly perfect.  Potato Pancake  are best served  hot and fresh immediately after you  have fried them.

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BREAD PARATHA

I tried to experiment and coming up with a recipe to use up my nearly expired  bread slices. Since we prefer to have a savory over sweet dish to start our day, this Bread Paratha is created.

The bread slices were slightly toasted before processing them into bread crumbs. The bread crumbs along with flour, onion, mashed potato, green chili, chopped cilantro, minced ginger, milk and salt are then combined to form a pliable dough. Make sure you add the milk/water  little by little until you get a right  consistency. Adding to much milk will result a sticky and hard to roll paratha.

For the recipe below, you will get 4 small paratha but it can easily doubled to suit your requirement. They are best served hot immediately after you've fried them.

PUMPKIN GALETTE

A galette is a free  form pie, baked on cookie sheet instead of pie pan.  It is so versatile, you could actually filled with any seasonal fruit  or make it savory,  the  possibilities are endless.

Pumpkin Galette is made by rolling out pastry dough into large round. The filling is placed in the center of the pastry. The dough is pulled up around the filling and folded over to create a rustic looking tart.

My crust was hand made but it could also be made using a food processor. Another thing, if you are pressed for time, you can always buy ready made crust from your supermarket.

A really good tasting galette  -  the pastry must be light and the filling must not be too overly sweet. Try this Pumpkin Galette and you will see that sometimes simple is indeed the best.