YEAST COFFEE CAKE

Coffee cake is a sweet cake leavened  either using baking powder or leavened by yeast, normally topped with nut, raisin, fruit and glazed with sugar or frosting, traditionally served for breakfast and brunch with coffee.

Coffee cakes are so versatile and may be baked in any type/size of pan but most popular are bundt, tube, fluted or loaf pan. They can also be baked in braid, ring, twist or whatever shape you like.

Originally this a bread machine recipe but now I have prepared them manually. They are easily browned so watch out during the end of baking time.

YEAST COFFEE CAKE
Adapted from  here

2 and 1/4 C bread flour/all purpose flour
1/4 C  sugar
1 tsp  salt
2   tsp  rapid rise yeast
1  C  milk
1  TB   butter
1  egg yolk (optional)

TOPPING
2  TB  melted butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C  sugar
1/2  C  chopped almond/pecan/walnut

METHOD

Warm the milk and butter until just warm to touch.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast sugar and salt.

Add milk mixture to the flour, forms into a dough.

Transfer onto floured board, knead by hand for 5-8 minutes. Transfer onto oiled and covered bowl, let rise for 1-1 1/2 hours.

In a small bowl combine sugar, cinnamon  and almond, keep aside.

Pat dough into round greased pan or shape as desired and let sit for 1 hour. Towards the end of rising time, preheat oven at  175 C.

Brush melted butter over top, sprinkle with the topping.

Bake for 20-25 minutes on until golden brown.

Transfer on rack to cool.

Linking to Yeastspotting 8-12-11  

HOT & SOUR SOUP

Hot and sour soup is a light and filling dish, you can use any meaty fish such as thread fin, sea bream or mackerel if you intend to add the fish in your soup.  It has tangy and spicy flavor which can be adjusted to your liking.

Since the fish doesn't need longer time to cook, quickly remove from heat once the fish is cooked. Hot & Sour Soup is a warming, satisfying and flavorful meal that goes well with rice.

SWEET POTATO JELLY

This is a  quick and easy dessert  that are good to look at and fun to eat too.

Actually you can add all sorts of things with jelly, it is the ultimate flexible dessert. For this jelly, it comprises of 2 layers, one is using agar powder while the another layer makes of mashed sweet potato and agar powder.

Make sure the bottom layer is almost set before pouring the top one. You can use either individual jelly mould or pour into a  large serving dish. This is so refreshing and yummy!

VEGGIE PIZZA

While most of us love chicken or seafood pizza either home baked or take away. I simply adore vegetables pizza.  They are endless choice of vegetables to choose from but this time used what are available in my fridge.

Instead of regular tomato based sauce, sour cream takes the turn to be the sauce. You can also turn them into mini pizza and used different topping on each according to your preference. This pizza is quick, easy and tasty!

VEGGIE PIZZA
Servings     :     2-3

2 C  all purpose flour
1 and 1/2 tsp  rapid rise yeast
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 TB oil
3/4 C warm water (more if needed)
1/2 C  sour cream
ground pepper to taste

TOPPING
1  onion sliced
2 tomato sliced
fresh basil leaves
1 medium capsicum cut into thick strips

METHOD

Place the flour, salt, yeast, sugar in a mixing bowl.

Gradually add the water and oil to form into a dough.

Knead by hand for 5 minutes, transfer into covered and greased bowl, leave to rise for 1-2 hours.

Punch the dough down, roll out dough into 12 in. round, transfer onto baking pan. Preheat oven @ 190 C.

Spread with sour cream and sprinkle with black pepper.

Arrange the onion, capsicum,basil  and tomato slices on top of sour cream.

Bake for 20 minutes or until the border  has nice golden color.

Linking to Yeastspotting 8-5-11 

CHOCOLATE SEMOLINA PUDDING

This is the easiest dessert you can make,  though it involves a constant stirring on stove top, to satisfy your sweet craving. Made of semolina,  unsweetened cocoa powder, low fat  milk and condensed milk. Adding the condensed milk is optional but it does improve the flavor of this Chocolate Semolina Pudding.

Dry roast the semolina to remove its raw taste and any lump until it turns slightly darker color. This pudding is so much healthier since the sugar is kept to a minimum. This creates  a deliciously smooth , slightly sweet  and satisfying  dessert!