Name: Taiwanese Castella Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Ingredients: 55g vegetable oil (I use colza); 5g unsalted butter; 70g plain/cake flour (T45); 4 eggs; 70g sugar; 60ml whole milk; 1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla extract

March 28, 2021

Taiwanese Castella Cake

Serving Size

15x15cm mold

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time

2 hours

Ingredients

55g vegetable oil (I use colza)
5g unsalted butter
70g plain/cake flour (T45)
4 eggs
70g sugar
60ml whole milk
1/2 to 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare a mold (15x15cm square), insert parchment paper. (Paper must be higher than the mold, by 3 to 5cm). Cover the bottom of the mold with 2 aluminium layers. Set aside.
2. In a cooking bowl, add the oil and unsalted butter. Microwave 2 min at 600w to reach about 80℃. Add the flour, using a cooking sieve and mix well with an egg whisk. Set aside.
3. In a small cup, pour the milk and add the vanilla extract. Mix and microwave 20 sec at 600w to reach about 40℃. Then add it to the cake mixture in one go. Mix well.
4. Add egg yolks in 3 to 4 times. Mix lightly at each addition. Set aside.
5. In an another bowl, add white egg and whisk with an electric hand mixer. Once it starts getting harder, start adding the sugar in 3 to 4 times. Whisk until medium peaks form.
6. Add 1/3 of the egg white to the egg yolk mixture, mix well. Add another third, mix gently together. Finally add all the remaining white egg. Mix with a rubber spatula until egg whites and yolks are well combined.
7. Transfer into the prepared mold and flatten the surface with a rubber spatula. Remove bubbles using a chopstick.
8. In a oven-safe pan, over a folded cloth, place the cake mold. Add warm water (about 40℃), 2 to 3cm deep, and bake in a preheated oven (without fan) at 150C° for 1h ~ 1h 10mn.
9. Drop from about 10cm height to prevent deflating. Unmold and transfer onto a wire rack. Gently remove the parchment paper.
10 Cut in half the cake and slice to serve! You can also sandwich whipped cream in it and fruits to enjoy :)

September 27, 2020

Egg drop noodle soup – Tamago toji udon

Egg drop noodle soup - Tamago toji udon

Persons

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total Time

40 minutes

Ingredients

25g fresh ginger - cut in julienne
1600ml water
50ml soy sauce
50ml cooking sake or cooking white wine
40ml mirin
1 1/2 tbsp hondashi powder
3/4 tsp fine salt
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp katakuriko/potato starch - dissolve in 2 tbsp water
4 eggs - beaten
udon noodles for 4 people. Buy them or make them yourself :-)
1 leek for garnish - cut into thin slices

Instructions

1. making the soup
In a big cooking pot, add water, fresh ginger, cooking sake (or cooking wine), soy sauce, mirin, hondashi powder, sugar and salt. Mix.
2. Cook over high heat, bring it to a boil and set it aside for the moment.
3. Cook udon noodles according to the package instructions.
4. Dissolve katakuriko/potato starch with 2 tbsp water, mix. Reheat the udon soup and bring it to a boil. Add dissolved katakuriko/potato starch and mix.
5. Pour beaten eggs over the soup. Don't mix yet, just wait until the eggs cook/harden up a bit and then lightly mix once.
6. Transfer the cooked udon into a serving bowl and pour the egg soup on top of it.
7. Add some leek for garnish, serve hot :)

June 5, 2020

Japanese Soufflé Pancakes

Japanese souffle pancake

Serving Size

1 pancake

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total Time

40 minutes

Ingredients

1 egg yolk
2 tsp white sugar
1/3 tsp mayonnaise
1 tsp milk
23g plain flour/cake flour (T45)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg white
2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Sift together flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In an another bowl, add egg white and beat for a few seconds with a electric hand mixer. Add lemon juice and resume mixing for 1 minute. Then add sugar and continue mixing for 2 minutes more. Bowl upside down, the meringue should not slide out. Set aside.
2. In an another bowl, add egg yolk, sugar, mayonnaise and milk. Mix with an egg whisk. Then add the sifted flour, and mix with a spatula.
3. Using a rubber spatula, scoop out 20~25% of the meringue and add it to the egg yolk mixture. Mix well with the spatula. Then fold in the remaining meringue until almost combined (do not overmix).
4. Grease your round ring molds (I used 10cm dia and 4 to 5cm high.) or line them with baking paper.
5. Heat a nonstick skillet over the lowest heat and add a little bit of oil to coat the surface. Place the ring mold(s) on the skillet.
6. Fill each mold with the batter. Add about 1/2 tbsp water in the skillet and cover with a lid. Heat on the lowest heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Remove the lid once, slide the ring mold off the pancakes and gently flip the pancake. Add 1/2 tbsp water and cover again with the lid. Heat it for another 5 to 6 minutes.
8. Serve the pancake with your favourite toppings (e.g. butter, maple syrup, whipped cream, matcha powder, ice cream, honey or any fruits!). Tadam!

Notes

How to check if the pancakes are done inside, poke the pancake with a bamboo skewer. The skewer should be without any batter sticking to them:)

June 3, 2020

Black burger buns

Serving Size

8 buns

Prep Time

1 hour, 15 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 45 minutes

Ingredients

230g bread flour (or 225g/T65 and 5g/gluten flour)
10g black cocoa powder
35g unsalted butter
25g sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 egg + water = 175ml
5g dry yeast

Instructions

1. In a heat-safe bowl add butter. Microwave for about 30 sec. Butter will be softened but not melted.
2. Add bread flour, gluten flour, sugar, salt, egg + water and softened butter in the pan of your bread machine. Add yeast in your machine's yeast compartment. Select dough cycle and press start as per manufacturer's instructions.
3. When the dough cycle is complete, remove it from the machine and place on a floured surface.
4. Punch the dough down and divide it in 8 pieces. Cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rest for about 15min.
5. Shape each piece into a round ball then flatten them. Arrange on lined baking trays (or burger buns mold). Cover and let rise for 40~60min in a warm place or until the dough has doubled in volume.
6. Bake in a preheated 180℃ oven for about 10min. Remove from the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack.

Check out this video if you prefer to use a stand mixer :

April 25, 2020

Apple Cinnamon Steam Buns

Serving Size

12 buns

Ingredients

For the apple filling :

2 apples - cut into 1cm dices (approx)
1 pear - cut into 1cm cubes (approx)
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
60g white sugar
10g unsalted butter
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tbsp corn starch - dissolve in 1/2 tbsp water
cinamon powder as much as you like

For the buns :

200g plain flour/cake flour (T45)
3g baking powder
20g white sugar
2.5g fine salt
100ml water
20ml milk (skimmed or whole)
2.5g dry yeast
a dash of sugar
5g lard

Instructions

1. Add plain flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and hand whisk together to combine in your stand mixer bowl.
2. In a heat-safe bowl, add water and milk. Microwave for 15 sec at 600W. Add dry yeast and a dash of sugar (extra), mix. Let it sit for a few minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl, add the milk mixture (from #2), lard and the flour mixture (from #1). Mix at the lowest speed for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured bowl, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for about 1hr.
5. Meanwhile make the filling
In a small cooking pan, add apple, pear, lemon juice, sugar and butter. Mix well. Cook it over medium heat until the apple is wilted. Add maple syrup, corn starch (dissolved in 1/2 tbsp water) and let it thicken. Transfer into a dish tray and let it cool to room temperature.
6. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a circle shape, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and let them sit for 15min (bench time).
7. Take one ball at a time (cover the remaining ones with a damp cloth to keep them from drying). Roll out the dough ball using a rolling pin until it becomes 10cm in diameter. The center of the dough should be thicker than the edge.
8. Scoop 1/12 of filling and place it in the middle of the dough. Wrap and close the dough up to seal from the top. Place the bun seam side down on an individually cut baking paper and cover with a damp towel. Repeat and finish all the buns in this way.
9. Place the buns in your steamer. Leave some space between the buns. Steam for about 8 min. Turn the heat off and leave the lid closed another 1 min before lifting it.
10. Serve hot!

Notes

If you use a regular pot for steaming, then better wrap the lid with a kitchen cloth to prevent the condensation onto the buns.

April 10, 2020

Soft Dinner Buns with your Home Bakery

Serving Size

8 buns (breads)

Prep Time

1 hour

Cook Time

1 hour

Total Time

2 hours

Ingredients

For 8 buns :

260g bread flour (or 255g/T65 and 5g/gluten flour)
20g white sugar
4g kosher salt
23g unsalted butter
65ml whole milk
130ml water
1/2 tsp mayonnaise
4g dry yeast

For 6 buns :

200g bread flour (or 196g/T65 and 4g/gluten flour)
15g white sugar
3g kosher salt
18g unsalted butter
50ml whole milk
100ml water
1/2 tsp mayonnaise
3g dry yeast

Instructions

1. Add bread flour, (or T65 + gluten flour), sugar, salt, butter, milk, water and mayonnaise in the pan of your bread machine. Add yeast in your machine's yeast compartment. Select dough cycle and press start as per manufacturer's instructions.
2. When the dough cycle is complete, remove it from the machine and place on a floured surface.
3. Punch the dough down and divide it in 8 (or 6 pieces) pieces. Cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rest for 10 to 15min.
4. Shape each piece into a round ball. Arrange on lined baking trays. Cover and let rise for 40~60min in a warm place or until the dough has doubled in volume.
5. Bake in a preheated 180℃ oven for about 15min. Remove from the oven and let it cool down on a wire rack.