[Valentine's Dessert] Heart Poppers ~ Assorted Mini Donuts

There is a period of time where I used to bake mini donuts for gatherings or upon special orders from readers and friends about 2 years back. I still remember during that time getting "Donuts" is a very popular trend among youngster and working adults. And as an interest I have also come out with about 30 over different flavours of mini donuts where you can read up more on these posts HERE.

These are some of the assorted design heart shape donuts baked using the mini heart shape pan. For this recipe I have used Meiji, Mixed Berrries Yoghurt as one of the ingredients, but you can always replace it with either plain or any of your favurite yoghurt flavour.

Ingredients: (makes around 20)

1 1/4 Cups Top Flour, sifted
1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
150ml Mixed Berries Yoghurt
1/4 Cup Castor Sugar
1 Large Egg
3 Tablespoons of Melted Unsalted Butter, cool
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Disposal Pipping Bag, optional

Method:

1. Grease mini heart shape/donut pan with cooking spray or melted butter and set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl whisk sugar and lemon zest until moist and fragrant.

3. Crack in the egg and give it a quick whisk till combined before adding the yoghurt and mixed well.

4. Next sieved in flour, baking powder, salt and whisk together with melted butter till the mixture resemble paste like texture.

5. Spoon mixture into disposal pipping bag, snap off the tip and pipe into prepared trays at about 3/4 full.

6. Bake in preheated 180 degree oven for about 8 - 10 minutes or until donuts spring back when touched.

7. Cool donuts in pan for another 2 - 3 minutes before removing it from tray.

8. Decorate the donuts with melted chocolate, sprinkles, fresh fruits or etc.

Tips:-

* With this recipe above, you can mix and match with different key ingredients such as cocoa powder/green tea powder to make different flavour.

* Adding in shredded cheese and ham for savory version and etc.

These are the mini rose scented "Heart Poppers" which is great to be served during Valentine's Day. Due to the sticky chocolate glazing, I use some heart shapes design food picks to act as a server for easy consuming as well as vision effect.

These "Rose Scented Donuts" which coated with White Chocolate Glaze are one of the popular choices among those donuts order that I received years back(read more HERE). I think for ladies who prefer the light and fragrant aroma of rose, this is definitely a great choice for afternoon tea snacks.

If you are cracking your head for ideas on sweet treat for kiddy's Birthday Party or Tea-Session with a few besties for some cozy afternoon girls talk. Here are some mini donuts(about 4cm in diameter) to satisfy those sugar rush.

I submitting this post to "Aspiring Bakers #4: Love In The Air! (Feb 2011)", hosted by Me(Cuisine Paradise) at this link HERE.

[Valentine's Dessert] Melt Your Heart ~ Strawberries Yoghurt Cubes

If you think having ice-cream is something sinful that you want to keep your mind off, perhaps this quick and easy frozen yoghurt pops can be a great dessert to cool you off from those heat wave. You can choose from either plain to any flavour yoghurt that suitable your preference. Since we are having this as Valentine’s Day sweet treat after our "Spice Up Your Love" meal, I choose our favorite “Strawberries Yogurt” to make these pinkish little frozen heart pops as after meal dessert.


A few days ago while getting our routine grocery from the supermarket, I notice a "Summer Strawberries Yoghurt" from Puhoi Valley. It comes in two layer(plain yoghurt below, strawberries on top) which you can refer from the photo above.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

200ml of Plain/Flavour Yogurt
Handful of Fresh Blueberries
10 Strawberries

Tool:
1 Mini Heart Shape Ice-cube Tray or moulds

Method:

1. Give the yogurt a good stir and spoon it into the mini heart shape ice-cube tray.
2. Freeze it for at least 2 hours or more till harden. (you can prepared this 1 day ahead).
3. Rinse and cut the strawberries into halves, serve with blueberries or any fruits of your choice together with a few yogurt cubes in short glass.


If you prefer something more natural and healthier, you can mix some fresh fruit puree into plain yoghurt to make your very own fruity yoghurt pops. Just blend any cut fresh fruit of your choice with some sugar syrup/honey then mix the puree into plain yoghurt before freezing them in ice-cube tray or ice-cream pop.

As for your kiddo or someone with sweet tooth, perhaps you would like to stay tune on the next upcoming recipe featuring the “Heart Poppers ~ Assorted Baked Mini Donuts” where you can mixed with of the left over yoghurt to make these healthy snacks.

I submitting this post to "Aspiring Bakers #4: Love In The Air! (Feb 2011)", hosted by Me(Cuisine Paradise) at this link HERE.

[Chinese New Year Dish] Stir-Fry 7 Assorted Veggies

Time past so quickly that today is the 7th day of Chinese Lunar New Year(CNY) which traditionally known as “Renri (人日)” or  common man's birthday where everyone grows one year older. During this day in Asia countries like Singapore and Malaysia, people gets together to toss and eat a colouful salad called “YuSheng(鱼生)” or “LoyHey(撈起)” in Cantonese.

Besides having “YuSheng(鱼生)”, some of the families will also prepare this traditional “Stir-fry 7 Assorted Vegetables(七样菜)” dish with 7 different kinds of Auspicious vegetables to celebrate “Renri”. And some older folks believes that by eating these “Assorted Vegetables” dish all misfortune and bad luck will be eliminated and good luck will be bestowed on each family members in the New Year. While others explain that since everyone is having big feasts during the first 6 days of CNY, the 7th day shall be reserved for this “7 Assorted Vegetables” dish in order to clear our body system from those rich cuisines that we consumed.

Below are the 7 types vegetables(pre-packed) that I bought from one of the vegetable stall near my wet market.

1. Chinese Leek(大蒜)
2. Chinese Celery(芹菜)
3. Organic Choy Sum(菜心)
4. Choy Sum(菜心)
5. Chun Cai(春菜)
6. Chinese Cabbage(白菜)
7. Lettuce(生菜)

There is no fixed rules on which vegetables you must include in this "7 Assorted Vegetables" dish. You can mix and match any 7 different types of auspicious CNY vegetables to prepare this dish and the most common vegetable will be, "Chinese Leek(大蒜)", "Lettuce(生菜)", "Black Moss(发菜)" ,"Spring Onion(葱) and etc.

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 Stalk Each of 7 Assorted Vegetables(七样菜)
1 Chinese Preserved Sausage(腊肠), sliced
1/2 Bunch of Shimeji Mushrooms, optional
3 Slices of Ginger
3 Cloves of Garlics
1 Red Chili, sliced
1 Teaspoon of Chicken Stock Powder

Method:

1. Trim and cut the assorted vegetables accordingly, rinse well and set aside.
2. Preheat frying pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, saute ginger, garlic and chili till fragrant then toss in the sliced preserved sausage and fry for another 30 seconds.
3. Toss in the sliced leeks and stir for another 1 minutes before adding in the rest of the vegetables ,give it a quick stir before seasoning it to taste.
4. Serve hot with rice.


Lastly on this "Renri(人日)" I would like to wish each and everyone of you Happy Birthday , Good Health and Prosperous in all area whole year round.

[Valentine's Day Dish] Spice Up Your Love

Almost every year during the month of February, it is always full of Excitement and Happiness whereby everyone is looking forward to either Chinese Lunar New Year, Yuan Xiao Jie(15th Day of Chinese New Year or known as Chinese Valentine’s Day) or 14th February, Valentine’s Day.

I remembered last year I made some delicious Valentine’s Day cookies (recipe HERE) to share with my friends and family, which makes them feel warm and loved. And for this year Valentine’s Day I am honor to host one of the monthly “Aspiring Bakers” event organised by, Small Small Baker with the theme for February on “Love In The Air”. So here goes my two recipes for this month submission……..

During Chinese New Year, “Mandarin Orange(柑) and “Tangerine(橘子)” are considered traditional symbols of abundance and good fortune. These fruits are frequently displayed as decoration or presented as gifts to friends and relatives. In traditional Chinese medicine the dried peel of the Mandarin Orange is also used in the regulation of “Chi” and treat abdominal distension, enhance digestion and etc.

I am sure most of us who celebrates Chinese New Year(CNY) will sure to have some left over Mandarin Oranges that we bought for the traditional CNY door to door house visiting to your friends or relatives. So if you are cracking your head on what to do with those extra oranges, here are two simple recipes that which I made use of Mandarin Oranges to whip out coming Valentine’s Day dish.

STIR-FRIED CHICKEN WITH MANDARIN ORANGE

Preparation: 20 Minutes                                     Cooking Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 Skinless Chicken Breast(about 250g), cut into chunks
A pinch of White Pepper
1 Teaspoons Soy Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Cooking Wine
1/2 Tablespoons Corn Flour
6 Dried Red Chilies, rinse with water
4 Slices Of Ginger, cut into heart shapes
4 Cloves Garlic
1 Medium Red Onion, cut into wedges
1 Whole Mandarin Orange Skin, cut into heart shapes
1 Mandarin Orange, peel into individual segments
2 Stalks Spring Onion, cut into section
20g Roasted Cashew Nuts, optional

Seasoning Sauce:
50ml Mandarin Orange Juice
1.5 Tablespoons Water
1/2 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Chinese White Rice Vinegar

Tips:

~ If Mandarin Orange is not in season, you can replace it with some sweet Orange.

~ Slowly remove the outer skin of the Mandarin Orange, then use any small "Heart Shape" cookie cutter to cut out "hearts" from it.

Method:

1. Marinade the chicken pieces with pepper, soy sauce, wine and corn flour; mix well and set aside.

2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

3. Preheat frying pan and pan-fried chicken till golden brown on each side. Remove and set aside.

4. Return the wok to medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the dried chilies and stir-fry briefly until they are fragrant.

5. Toss in the onion, ginger, garlic and stir-fry for another 30 seconds before adding the mandarin orange peel and continue to saute till the oil is fragrant.

6. Next add in chicken and sauce mixture, stir till thicken then toss in orange segments, cashew nuts and spring onion to coat evenly with sauce. Serve immediately with Orange Scented Rice(recipe HERE).


This dish is infused with great aroma and hint of spiciness from the "dried chilies". While the sauce itself has a balance mixture of sweet and sour taste from the orange juice which blends well with all the chicken and firm orange segments when consume.

I think this is the 2nd recipe which I have incorporate fresh fruit in a stir-fry dish, where the 1st recipe on about the "Stir-Fried Pork Fillet With Longan". But if you prefer something lighter perhaps you can take a look at this "Steam Cod With Tangerine" which includes "Mandarin Orange" as one of the ingredient too.

I am also submitting this post to "Aspiring Bakers #4: Love In The Air! (Feb 2011)", hosted by Me(Cuisine Paradise) at this link HERE.