[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.