How to Make Chocolate Almond Biscotti

The name biscotti was derived from the Italian word 'bis' meaning twice and 'cotto' meaning baked or cooked. Biscotti is said to have originated during Columbus' time. The Italians use the term 'biscotti' to describe any particular type of cookie. But in North America, biscotti is referred to as a long, dry, hard, twice-baked cookie with a cuved top and flat bottom designed for dunking into wine or coffee.

I am particularly all for this recipe because it is butter-free. This recipe uses eggs to bind the ingredients together. Also, you want to avoid the cake-like texture.

Many biscottis call for a nuts, raisins, and chocolate chips. I guess that gives it an extra something to nibble on while drinking milk or coffee.

Here, I have a simple version of biscotti recipe from one of my favorite website, Joyofbaking.com. You can check here for more varieties and other form of baking recipes.

It is really easy to make. Here are the ingredients:

110g blanched almonds, roasted, and chopped

130g granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

225g plain flour

110g chocolate chips, chopped

Directions:

1. Beat eggs and sugar until thick and fluffy. Add vanilla extract.

2. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients i.e. flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Add the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and beat until combined.
4. Fold in chocolate chips and toasted almonds.

5. Pour dough into a baking sheet in a log-sized baking pan and bake in a preheated oven at 180 C for 25 minutes.

6. Then, remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Cut the log diagonally and transfer into a baking sheet on a baking pan.

7.Reduce heat to 165 C and bake for 10 minutes, turn the side over, and bake for another 10 minutes.

8. Remove biscotti from oven and store in an airtight container.

The first round of baking leaves a fudgy texture whereas the second round of baking will remove the moist and form some sort of a hard cookie.

Enjoy!

How To Make Coconut Macaroons

I made no-bake chocolate macaroons a few days ago (I will put up the recipes soon!) and I loved the springy texture of the flaked coconuts. So I went on to bake Coconut Macaroons earlier today. I have never tried coconut macaroons before; well honestly speaking, the coconut flavor were too distinct for my taste and a bit coarse. The entire portion of the macaroon is only made out purely of flaked coconuts. It tasted okay straight from the oven, but after a while, the crispiness was gone which resembles a soft cookie with pure coconut.

Macaroons are sweet pastries made with either coconut and egg white or with a coarse almond paste fromed into a dense confection. There are many varieties of macaroons depending on where they are originated, but macaroons usually consist of egg white, almond paste, sweet condensed milk and flaked coconut.

Coconut macaroons are most famous in North America, most commonly in the United States, although invented in Glasgow, Scotland. It is a conventional macaroon with a distinct coconut flavor and containing shredded dried coconut.

So here, I have made this version of coconut macaroons. Simple, plain, and easy recipe :)

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups dessicated coconut, unsweetened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Whip egg whites until stiff. Then add in sugar and vanilla extract.

2. In a separate bowl, mix together, dried coconut, flour, and salt.

3. Mix well the egg whites with the dry ingredients.

5. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper.

6. Bake in preheated oven at 165 C for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.

Coconut macaroons are typically dipped in milk chocolate. In some varieties, almonds and pecans are added. In Australia, a blob of raspberry jam is often concealed in the center of the macaroon prior to cooking.

Make Hong Kong Style Egg Tarts

There is not story that I can whip up from this next post. But my dad inspired me to make our very own home-made egg tarts. Daddy has strong, sensitive taste buds. That makes him very picky about food. A few weeks ago, daddy wasn't well so he asked mummy to get him some egg tarts but refused to eat those anyway because they were too sweet. So he got mummy to buy another couple of egg tarts from another bakery.

So I figured, wouldn't it be pretty much healthier if you can control the ingredients i.e. salt and sugar content in your own favorite pastries? Yes. I think so too.

So here are my home-made egg tarts which are just as good as those from the bakery.

Ingredients:

A. For Pastry

1 egg, beaten

220g unsalted butter, softened

300g plain flour

3 tablespoons sugar

a pinch of salt

B. Filling

3 eggs

4 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon custard powder

70 ml fresh milk

230 ml water

Directions:

1. To make the pastry, mix together butter and sugar until creamy. Then, add in eggs and salt. Mix until incorporated.

2. Pour flour and mix well until dough is formed.

3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by beating eggs together with sugar and custard powder.

5. Pour milk gradually while mixing the filling.

6. Finally pour water while alternatively stirring the egg tart filling.

7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and tear off and roll just about less than an inch of ball dough, place in the center of the tart tin and with your thumbs, lightly press the dough starting from the bottom and up to the sides.

8. Then, pour filling into the center of the dough.

9. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for 20 - 25 minutes.

This is a Hong Kong/Cantonese Egg Tart recipe, pretty simple, no? Makes about 20 egg tarts and best eaten straight from the oven; hot and fresh! 20 egg tarts gone in two days!

Make Chinese Dumplings and Potstickers

My boyfriend and I used to head down to this Chinese Restaurant at Desa Palma next to INTI Nilai during our college days. And all he ordered were chinese jiaozi dumplings. Since then they became one of my all-time favorite.

I really miss those dumpling days. So I tried to relive the 'memory' by attempting to make the dumplings myself - from scratch.

It isn't so tough at all, just the part when you have to make the dough can be quite messy. But if you have patience and ample time, then by all means!

Normally, minced pork is used to make the filling, but in my case, since my family doesn't quite fancey pork, I used minced chicken instead.

Ingredients:

Dough:

3 cups plain flour

1 1/2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 large bowl ground/minced chicken (or beef/pork)

1 cup finely shredded Napa cabbage

1 clove finely minced garlic

2 slices ginger, finely minced

1/2 green onion finely minced

3 tablespoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sweet vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

A. Here is how you make the dumpling dough.

1. Mix flour, salt and water together. On a flat wooden surface, sprinkle with some flour and start to knead dough.


2. When a smooth dough is formed, knead the dough into a round ball.

3. Divide the dough and roll each piece into a flat circle about 3 inches in diameter.

4. Insert a desirable amount of filling, enough to be covered by the dough. Fold the ends and press the dough together.

5. Pinch the edges until it is pleated.

B. For the filling, simply mix the ingredients, stirring at one direction.

You can either fry, boil or steam the dumplings. In this case, I fried the dumplings by firstly adding oil on a flat, heated pan. Once the bottom of the dumplings are golden bround and crisp, add a halfcup of water until it bubbles. After boiled add another round of water.

Serve!

For more illustrations and other variations, click here.