Halloween is just around the corner and this recipe is perfect!

I have made petits choux before but not this traditional one, it was an updated one with AcousticChef stamped all over it. A combination of hot and cold filling with a crunchy casing.

BUT of course this traditional recipe is a right of passage and to be honest, it tasted equally great as my experiment.

Tip 1: Practice makes perfect, once you find the right piping tip and the right size of piping, it'll be so easy the next time around.
Tip 2: You can use your hand mixer and bowl if stand alone is not available. If that's not available too, a wooden spoon will also do the trick though for sure you'll have bigger biceps after :)
Tip 3: If you have no piping bag and tip, use a ziploc bag and cut the tip or plop a heap of batter using a teaspoon.
Tip 4: You can make your puffs as small or as big as you want but the bigger the size, the longer it will take to bake.
Tip 5: Don't go greedy and eat all the pastry before it's filled!

Pastry Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 large eggs

Kiwi Cream Filling Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 pureed Zespiri Kiwi
4 egg yolks
1 greed Wilton food colouring (no taste)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla or in my case, pinch of vanilla powder

Makes 72 decent sized petits choux

Preheat the oven to 400F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the creme:
Combine pureed kiwi and milk. Set aside.

In a decent size saucepan, over medium heat, combine sugar, flour and salt. Pour milk mixture in a slow stream while continuously stirring the flour. Mixture will become thick.

Turn the heat down, stir for another 3 minutes then remove from heat. In a mixing bowl, place the egg yolks and slowly pour a slightly hot milk mixture while whisking continuously so that the egg doesn't scramble. Once fully combined, return the mixture to the pan.

Gently bring to a boil and let it bubble for 2 minutes. Add a tiny teeny drop of your green food colouring. Finish it off with butter and vanilla. 

Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl to cool. To prevent a skin from forming, position your cling film or plastic wrap right on top of the cream. Refrigerate until cold.

To make pàte à choux or puffs
In a small bowl, combine flour and salt.

In a medium size saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add butter and let it melt. Add flour mixture and stir vigorously. Continue stirring until mixture forms a ball and no longer separate. Cool pan slightly off the heat.

Transfer the dough to your stand alone mixer's bowl (like KitchenAid). Using the paddle attachment, mix at slow speed. Add eggs one at a time, making sure it's blended well before adding another one. 

Transfer batter to pastry bag fitted with a medium size star tip. Pipe circles on the parchment papers, about 2-3 inches. Pipe outside in.

Leave good enough space in between piped doughs. You need that for even baking and proper air circulation. 

Bake for 20 minutes then cool them on cooling racks.

Cut a small slit through the puff using the tip of your knife ala samurai... hi-ya!

Using piping bag and star tip, or ziploc bag, transfer enough cream to the bag Squeeze enough creme inside the puffs opening until it overflows and looks like a gooey green blob is coming out of puff's mouth. 

Cut mini marshmallows in two, stick choco chip on it and position it on top of the puff. You then have an alien-looking puff drooling green blob... Dust the whole plate with icing sugar to finish it off.

Happy yummy Halloween!!!

For Yummy Creepy Crawlies Spider Cupcakes Recipe, click here.


-AcousticChef, cookin' one tune at a time!

Taco is practically a mahoosive nachos with feast filling that is really up to you. I love it!

This is my version with Zespiri Kiwifruit flair. Perfect for that summer heat which is practically all year round where I am at :P

Ingredients:
1 cup leftover roasted chicken, sliced into strips
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 tomatoes, diced
1 Zespiri kiwifruit, diced
6 jalapeno slices, chopped
3 taco shells (heated as per box direction)
1/2 cup grated mozarella cheese

Directions:
Rain a little salt and pepper on chicken. Toss kiwifruit and tomatoes with 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Arrange chicken at the bottom of each taco. Add shredded lettuce and few jalapeno pieces according to your taste.

Add cheddar then top it with combined kiwifruit and tomatoes.

Serve on a plate with a scoop of sour cream with a good dashing of cayenne pepper.

Happy Eating!

BeTcHa DiDn'T kNoW!
:) Zespiri Kiwifruit is an extremely rich source of Vitamin C. One Zespiri Kiwifruit a day can provide you with your daily dose of Vitamin C. It has two times the amount that oranges offer and five times nutrition than apples.
:) Zespiri Kiwifruit contains high level of Actinidin, an enzyme thathelps with protein digestion
:) Zespri Kiwifruit is not just for garnishing, it is also a very good meat tenderizer so next time you  prepare beef? think kiwi

I love burgers... who doesn't right?

I'll eat any priced burger, from MickeyD's to gourmet... I love 'em. I mean yes, MickeyD's tastes like a monotonous cardboard paper but i still eat them as if it's the yummiest food of all and it's the end of the world tomorrow.

Don't be fooled though. I actually have a pretty good palate but there is something so addictive (at least to me) about junk food. Not sure if it's the french fries that comes with every meal that makes me come back at least once a month (I'm trying to be modest here... gimme a break!). Or, it's my kids' once a month treat to a happy meal (again, this is me finding an excuse for MickeyD's trip).

As you know, I'm also a huge fan of Shake Shack and their witchcraft brews. Dining there is an indulgence I really must have every so often.

So you see, burgers is somewhat an addiction. I should probably come up with a group... I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I swear I've eaten burgers from different places, from the cheapest (talk about Burger Machine! that's to anyone who knows about it), to the random food chains that has response time like a 911 call to the really expensive ones and I mean expensive. I feel like, in addition to my quest to find the best joints for beef carpaccio...  the hunt for the juicy burgers in town is piggy-backing on my carpaccio journey. 

It's also just in the last five years that I began to understand that burgers or beef are best served medium rare (or if you can stomach it, rare!) The science behind the overheating of these precious jewels make muscles constrict, thereby makes them tougher. Oh boohoo! I won't bore you with the theoretical background of parts and cooking methods... let's go back to the essence of this whole musing, Burger at its best.

Well, fine, I'm sure I can still outdo myself... knowing my appetite for beating my own record. But for now, this recipe will give you a layer after layer of taste that is simply comforting without that big hoo-ha and sweat and not to mention the gajillions of ingredients that comfort mood normally requires.

So here it goes... get your pen and paper, boys and girls ... I can see you're not moving... yes... you can do that too... saving this page into your favourites for easy browsing.. of course that's a much better option,,, you tech-savvy-you!

 I have to warn you, the procedure is so complex that you're gonna need to be uber smart like me to make it... like seriously...

This is not really a new recipe but a variety of my pancake heaven recipe.

Perfect for snacks or kid's (and adult's) lunch box.

Ingredients:
Pancake Heaven Recipe
Nutella
Hotdog slices

Procedure:
Mix pancake as per the recipe

Chocolate sandwich
Fill in half of the waffle crevices. Lift off cooked waffles. Generously spread nutella and place other half on top. Secure with toothpick.

Hotdog waffles
Place hotdog slice on crevice. Fill remaining space with pancake mixture. Lift carefully and voila, you have waffles with hotdog peeking out.

Enjoy!

Last week was the Diamond Jubilee Celebration for the Queen of England... oh no... I'm definitely not British now am I living anywhere close... but... The Queen of England is not just any Queen in this lifetime and it must be commemmorated in some way... and so I baked a cake that screams Brittania.

Divine way to use fresh berries I tell you. This is not really a kids' cake with all the tartness it offers... it's cake for the big boys and girls. Tart and Sweet, Creamy and Spongy... definitely healthier than most chocolate cakes I've made.

Every bite is a burst of flavour. It is freshness at its best... crisp and unadulterated.

Ingredients:
175 grams butter, softened
175 grams caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
175 grams self-raising flour, sifted
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon icing sugar

Procedures - Baking:
Heat the oven to 180C. Grease two 20cm baking tins and line with greaseproof paper.

Beat together butter and sugar until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Gradually add in beaten eggs, beating well between each addition. Then, fold the flour.

Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch. Cool in tins for two minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Procedures - Whipped Cream:
Beat whipping cream and icing sugar until fluffy but not stiff.

Procedures - Assembling:
Once the cakes are cool, spread the flat side of cake with freshly whipped cream. Top with slices of strawberries and whole blueberries.

Gently pressed down with the other layer of cake. Spread with some more whipped cream and finished off with berries of your choice. I love them all and so I put as many strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and most especially, the yummiest of them all... raspberries.

Tried to copy Union Jack... it was close.. so I'm pretty happy with it.

Tuck in!

-AcousticChef, cookin one tune at a time

Who doesn't love pizza? It's one of Italian's best gifts to humanity... it's soooo comforting, it's so delicious that it can make any day so much better after a slice or two. Have it with an ice cold beer, have it with wine, soda or just plain water... either way, you know you'll enjoy the meal.

I've been eating pizza for as long as I can remember. The first one being Shakey's, then some local company, then as Shakey's popularity faded out.. it's time to turn to Pizza Hut for much needed comfort. Every now and again, I crave for gourmet pizza where unique toppings are the star.. guess it won't be the case now... I can make my own gourmet pizza!

I always thought making pizza will be easy ... didn't think it'll be super easy.

This dough is sooo good that I plan to use it in sausage rolls, garlic breads and other goody adventures.

The only tip is: have fun and be as creative as your taste buds wish you to be!

Dough Ingredients:
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water (blood temperature, perfect to cultivate the yeast, too hot or cold and yeast will die)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
+sausage or cheese strips for stuffing if you like stuffed crust

Toppings
Bottled Pizza Sauce
----or make your own if you really want to, 1 1/2 cups ground tomatoes, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, and 2 tblspns grated Romano cheese, combine all ingredients
Mozarella Cheese, sliced thinly
Pepperoni
Canned artichokes
Sauteed mushroom
Sauteed minced beef
Pineapple bits
Sliced olives
Parmegiano Regiano
Pepper flakes
add whatever you feel like eating...
++if you are adding leaves like rocket or spinach, add it on top when the pizza is done. The oven heat will wilt it and will destroy the colour and taste.

Dough Directions:
In your mixing bowl, combine the first 3 ingredients and stir for a minute. Add the vegetable oil, all purpose flour and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir until ingredients starts to bind.

If you have a mixer, attach the paddle and use it on medium speed for a minute. Replace with a dough hook attachment and on medium speed, knead for another 3 minutes. Turn your dough out on a lightly floured surface and manually knead using the heel of your hands for another 2 minutes until pliable.

If you want to do it manually, knead the mixture for 8 minutes.

In a separate bowl, pour the olive oil. Turn your dough ball twice on oil until all surface is coated. Cover your bowl with cling wrap and let it rest for 2 hours. If you will use the dough the following day, do the mixture at night, keep the bowl overnight in the fridge, it will rise slower. Take it out one hour before cooking.

Shaping Directions: +now is the perfect time to preheat your oven to 475F.
If you want to make a deep dish pizza, don't punch the air out. Place the dough on the deep-dish pan, press and stretch the dough until it reaches the side of the pan. When cooked, the middle section of the pizza will be almost as thick as the sides.

If you want to make a biscuit-thin crust pizza, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press your fingers all over the dough (resembling a massage move). Flour your wooden rolling pin and roll out on all sides, turning the dough couple of degrees to get the even thinness. It also helps to stretch your dough by hand on every turn. Sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal on your cookie sheet or baking pan before transfering the dough. Roll your pin a bit more if there is enough space for the dough to stretch to make it super thin.

If you want a stuffed-crust, turn your dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press your fingers all over the dough (resembling a massage move). Flour your wooden rolling pin and roll out on all sides, turning the dough couple of degrees every time while also stretching the dough's sides whenever you turn it. Stop at your preferred thickness. Place your stuffing on the edge of the dough, sausage or cheese or whatever stuffing you prefer. Roll the edge inside to secure the stuffing and also create a wall. Sprinkle a little bit of cornmeal on your cookie sheet or baking pan before transfering the dough.

Assembling Directions:
Lay the mozarella slices on the dough, overlapping them to make sure you cover the surface. Spread the pizza sauce on top of the cheese. Lay on the toppings you want to munch, pepperoni, minced beef, etc. The final touch is to generously sprinkle parmegiano regiano on top. 

If you are making a stuffed-crust pizza, brush the edge with melted butter (add garlic on your butter before melting if you want it garlicky). Sprinkle parmegiano over the butter.

Cook it in pre-heated oven (475F) for 20 minutes.

Take your pizza out and rest for 3-4 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!!!!

-AcousticChef, cookin' one tune at a time!

I made my first Hot Bun half a year ago and though I was proud of the recipe I discovered, I'm still on the lookout for a recipe that will make my face smile with just pure glee. I did, with this second version.

The first version was good, the flavour is reminscent of the hot buns I grew up with. However, this new one that I ventured into incorporated the old flavour while including other flavours that takes hot buns onto a different level. There is a depth of flavour that is more of a grown up version of the ones I used to enjoy.

I think the most important reason why I enjoyed making this second version more than the previous one is because I matured as a baker. Also, this recipe broke the complication down to simple and almost to point of being commonsensical. Those light bulb moments when you're doing something and your finally understood the reason behind why you're doing certain things in a particular way and realized that recipes are basic guidelines, you really don't have to follow it to the tee.

I'd like to think that this recipe is my coming-of-age recipe, because the following recipes I've taken on after this one, have somehow got deconstructed in my head. A method in reality that takes a lot of deep understanding of how the flavours should play about and complement each other even if the ingredients were prepared differently. I know I sounded uber geeky but it is what it is.
 
It will be an understatement to say that this recipe belongs to my fave list.

Tip 1: Don't be scared by the process... it's surprisingly easy! Start with the dough coz you actually leave it alone for 4 hours! While the dough is puffing up, you can easily do your sauce and filling with no pressure. You can actually make the filling and sauce the day before and keep it in the fridge! How convenient is that?
Tip 2: You can knead your dough with gloves... but where's the fun in it? I kneaded it with bare hands, of course I washed my hands really well first... then I slathered them with Crisco... yes, Minny Jackson's fave Crisco... fun! 
Tip 3: To help your dough in its rising stage, keep the dough in your oven (switched off!) with a bowl of hot water next to it. You'd be surprise how the bugger loves it.
Tip 4: If you don't have a lard, any oil will do.
Tip 5: Play around with the filling. It can be vegetarian, it can be chicken, beef, whatever you want it to be. The secret is the filling's seasoning, sauce and dough. 

To Make the Filling
Ingredients:
3 tblspoons lard or oil
2 tblspoons garlic, minced
1 medium size onion, minced
2 tblspoons dark soy sauce
2 tblspoons light soy sauce
4 tblspoons hoisin sauce
2 tblspoons honey
2 tblspoons dry sherry or xiao hsing wine
1 tspoon sesame oil
1/2 tspoon Chinese five spice (optional)
1 tspoon grated ginger
500 grams pork loin, cut into strips, about 1/2 inch wide by 1 1/2 inch long.
1 tblspoon cornstarch, diluted with 2 tblspoons COLD water

Directions:
Combine soy sauces, hoisin sauce, honey, wine, sesame oil, five spice, ginger, garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a pan. Sautee galic and onion. Add pork bits, soy sauce mixture and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Add the constarch mixture, cook and stir until sauce becomes the thick consistency you prefer.

To Make the Dough
Ingredients:
1/3 cup lukewarm water
1/3 cup flour
2 1/4 tspoons active dry yeast or 1 packet
2 tspoons sugar
1 cup flour
3/4 cup cake flour
1 tspoon baking powder
1/2 tspoon salt
2 tblspoons sugar
1 tblspoon oil
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tspoon baking powder

Directions:
Proof the yeast by combining water, flour, yeast and sugar (first 4 ingredients) in a large bowl and set aside for half an hour.

Mix in flours, baking powder, salt, sugar and oil. Continue mixing while slowly pouring water until it just forms a dough.

Knead the dough on a board until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Place the dough back into the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 4 hours.

Sprinkle the remaining baking powder on top and knead again.

Roll a log and divide into approximately 12 chunks or 50-60 grams each piece to be exact.

To Make the Sauce
1 beef broth cube
2 cups water
2 tbsp corn starch diluted in a 4 tblsps of cold water
1/4 cup diced onions
2 cloves diced garlic
Fresh ground black pepper
4 tbsps brown sugar
2 tbsps soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Place 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Boil and add the beef cube, stir until fully dissolved.

Add onions, garlic, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, salt, ground black pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Make sure to trap the steam by covering the saucepan. Add extra water if needed.

Add the constarch mixture, cook and stir until sauce becomes thick. Strain the liquid to get rid of the onion and other bits.

Transfer your sauce to a serving container or better yet a squishy bottle.

Assembling and Steaming Your Siu Bao:
Flatten the dough until a round shape is formed, first with your hand, then with a rolling pin.

Place 2 tbspoons filling in the middle of the dough and wrap by pulling and crimping the sides together. Gather on top and twist it around.

Place the siopao on individually cut wax paper and cook them in a steamer for 15 minutes.

You can make 12 hot buns with these recipe, prolly some left over filling and a bottle of sauce. Serve your Siu Bao hot with your home made sauce and enjoy!
 
-AcousticChef, cookin' one tune at a time!