My Pavlova

My Pavlova ......

First time Cik Ngah saw people making Pavlova was in the MasterChef program. Fuhh, the Pavlovas looked so tempting and delicious with the berries on it. Furthermore, Cik Ngah FB friend did advertise her Pavlova for sale and they are hot selling item.

So Cik Ngah challenge myself to bake one! Cik Ngah collected recipes from the net and analyze them (I am System Analyst by profession, he he he!!) and finally choose the one Cik Ngah felt easy enough to try and Cik Ngah do have the ingredients on hand. Off course with some modifications!!

As always Cik Ngah love making single serving dishes, and for My Pavlova, Cik Ngah made the single serving Pavlovas and copy design of the Pavlova from this site: Rima's Pavlova. The recipe as follows;

Ingredients;

Pavlovas in the oven....

150ml egg whites (approximately 4 eggs)
220g caster (superfine) sugar
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch), sifted
2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar
Pinch of Fleur de Sel (or sea salt)

1 cup (250ml) single whipping cream
1 tblspn powdered sugar
Your choice of fresh fruits or berries
(Cik Ngah used Kiwi, Strawberry and Orange)
Roasted Almond cuts

Method;

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F). Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Draw 8 circles and turn the baking paper over (so the meringue does not touch the pencil marks). Set aside.
2. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk with salt and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, whisking well, until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
3. Sift the cornflour into the bowl, add vinegar and whisk until just combined.
4. Spoon the egg white mixture into a piping bag fitted with No. 9 nozzle. Pipe 8 swirls following the outlines on the marked paper. Pipe flowers along edges of swirls on to each meringue.
5. 

   

   Baked Pavlovas.. 

   Reduce oven to 120°C (250°F) and bake for 1.5 to 2 hours. Turn the oven off and allow the pavlova to cool completely in the oven.
6. Whisk the cream with 1 tbsp powder sugar until soft peaks form. Spread over the Pavlova, top with roasted Almond cuts, followed by fresh fruits and serve immediately.

NOTE:
1. For the whipped cream, Cik Ngah still looking for the tested and proven stabilized whipped cream so the cream at least stays longer and the meringue remains crispy on the outside. Cik Ngah will update the recipe once Cik Ngah has found and test the recipe.

Cik Ngah wants to improve the design of the single serving Pavlova for easier to handle design. Look out for the updates.

My Maggi Ketam

My Version of Maggi Ketam.....ketam tenggelam dalam sayur!!!

Maggi ketam ni dah jadi talk about dish di Kelantan. First heard about this dish masa balik kampung about 4 weeks ago. Then bila balik again about 1 week ago, nak cuba this dish but kedai yang dekat kampung tu tutup pulak sebab isteri tauke kedai bersalin. So Cik Ngah tak sempat cuba sebab kena balik KL while Hubby stayed about a week for his work and sempat pegi makan the one dekat Pasit Putih 'Cherang Ruku" with his friends. Kena call dulu booking takut habis!!Cik Ngah gigit jari!!! he he he.

Alemy Maggi Ketam.....

Al Kisahnya, maggi ketam ni adalah santapan nelayan bot besar di tangah laut. Mereka bawak ketam nipah utk dimakan dengan maggi. Dan kemudiannya the dish di commercialkan...

Anyway last weekend Cik Ngah cek-cek ada sebungkus maggi perisa ayam dalam stock kat rumah..hemm! Dengan penuh semangat Cik Ngah ke pasar beli ketam utk masak Maggi ketam..Hasilnya? Sedap...!! Untuk tidak rasa guilty kerana makan makanan tak sihat Cik Ngah letak sayur banyak2...Jom kita usha resepi Maggi Ketam versi Cik Ngah!!

My Maggi Ketam

Bahan-bahannya;

1 bungkus Maggi Mee berperisa Ayam

1-2 ekor ketam

3 biji tomato ceri - dibelah 2

Sayur sawi secukupnya

2 biji jagung muda

Sedikit daun kunyit

1/2 biji limau nipis diambil jusnya

1 sudu kecil bawang putih tumbuk/blended

1 sudu besar bawang merah tumbuk/blended

1/4 sudu kecil lada hitam tumbuk/crushed

1 btg serai dititik

3-5 biji cili padi (crushed or sliced)

Minyak utk menumis

Sedikit daun sup dan daun bawang dan bawang goreng.

Cara-caranya;

1. Didihkan air dan masukkan maggi. Tutup api dan biarkan selama 2 minutes. Angkat dan toskan maggi. Ketepikan.
2. Tumis bawang merah, bawang putih dan lada hitam sehingga naik bau. Masukkan serai dan cili padi.Kacau sebentar dan masukkan air secukupnya (ikut arahan di plastic maggi).
3. Bila mendidh masukkan ketam, daun kunyit dan jagung muda. Biarkan sehinga ketam masak.
4. Kemudian masukkan sawi dan tomato dikuti dengan perasa maggi dan jus limau nipis. Tmbah garam jika perlu.
5. Maggi yang ditos masukkan dalam mangkuk dan curahkan sup ketam ke atas maggi. Taburkan dengan daun sup dan daun bawang serta bawang goreng. Sedia utk dimakan.

Nick Cafe Maggi Ketam

Nick Cafe Jln Tok Hakim, KB

NOTA:

Cara makan maggi ketam ni ialah makan maggi meenya dulu yer..ketam kemudian. Ini utk mengelakan maggi mee dari kembang semangkuk!! 

Macaroons Anyone?

Picture from the net... I wish I could bake Macaroons like this!!!

It has been a while since my attempts to bake macaroons, when was that? hemm.. oh the 1st attempt was on 19th Jun, 1 week after Cik Ngah attended Macaroons class, 2nd was on 25th Jun, and 3rd was on 11th Sep!! Let's follow my Macaroon making journey....French Method!

0 Attempt - Macaroon Class

French method Macaroon made in the class by Lea Oven

    1st Attempt - DIY at Home

With feet but hollow shells....and the shells stick to the parchment paper...

2nd Attempt - DIY at Home

Better, with feet but still had air pocket
 in the shell..did not stick to the paper

With Peanut Butter filling...

3rd Attempt - DIY at Home

Meet My Rose Flavored Macaroon with Peanut Butter Filling.. Yes I did it!!

The 3rd attempt was considered successful to me at least - Alhamdulillah...the look of my macaroons were not so pretty. My inconsistent piping was to be blamed at!!! Fuhhh...

Though teacher Kak Lea already told us in the class that the success factor of Italian method is higher than the French method, Cik Ngah insisted on trying the French method! Well actually it was because Cik Ngah did not have candy thermometer and could not find one! The thermometers were on sale at Lea Oven after the class but I did not get one..why? I honestly do not know why! he he he...

Next Macaroon journey will be the Italian method as I have already bought the candy and oven thermometer. When? Only time will tell!

My Twister Orange Butter Cake

Orange Cupcake with Orange Buttercream...

Bonda Cik ngah dah lama craving for orange butter cake ni. Rasanya dah dua, tiga kali dia mentioned kat Cik Ngah. Tapi tak berkesempatan nak cuba try buat. However, when her flight to Mecca has been confirmed, Cik Ngah had to try baking this plain orange butter cake.

Cik Ngah collected recipes from the net and analysed the recipes. Finaly Cik Ngah had short listed 3 recipes and I did bake three batches of the cakes for my testers (officemates) to taste!!! And the winner's recipe (the 3rd batch) is what Cik Ngah gonna share here and Cik Ngah used Twister Orange Juice instead of fresh orange juice.

Oh, by the way Cik Ngah bake them as cupcakes and the one which Cik Ngah bawak balik for Bonda has no buttercreamlah!!! She likes it them plain!!

Ingredients;

250g good quality butter (SCS)

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

Grated orange rind of 2 oranges (about 2 tblspns)

225g self-raising flour
A pinch of baking powder
25g milk powder

180ml Twister orange juice

Preparations;

1. Pre-heat oven to 170C. Grease the bottom and sides and line the bottom of a square cake tin with baking paper.
2. Grate orange rind. Set aside
3. Sift flour, baking powder and milk powder. Set aside
4. Beat butter, sugar and orange rind in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
5. Be sure the eggs are at room temp. Add in one by one and mix well between each eggs.
6. Then add flour in two batches or more and mix well
7. Slowly add in the orange juice.
8. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in oven for 1 hour.
9. Or you can spread evenly in paper cups and bake as cupcakes!!

Non MSG Seasoning Anyone?

Cik Ngah would like to share my favourite non MSG and healthier seasoning... Jeng Jeng Jeng...! Come and meet The G Seasoning Powder...

Cik Ngah was introduced to this seasoning while buying organic oat drinks to replace milk. And has been using this seasoning ever since alternately with Maggi Non-MSG Chicken and Ikan Bilis stock which are now sort of hard to find!

However this seasoning powder is of better and healthier choice than the non-msg cube or stock...In my opinion that is!!!!! You can find this seasoning in any organic stores, Jusco, Village Grocerer and some big pharmacies..

More information here : Biogreen Seasoning Powder

My Fish Balls and Potato Soup

Fish balls and Potato Soup...

Hubby loves soup, any clear soup! Yesterday he requested for fried rice and soup for dinner. Cik Ngah only have fish balls and mackerel in the freezer. So we had fried rice and fish balls soup for dinner...
Ingredients;
5 fish balls halved
1 potato skinned and cubed
1/2 carrot skinned and cubed
1 tomato sliced into 6 or 8
1 stalk celery chopped
3 young corns sliced
3 bird eye chillies crushed
Chinese celery, spring onion and fried shallots for garnish..

Hubby savouring the soup.....

1 tspn minced garlic
1 tblspn minced shallots
1/2 tspn crushed black pepper
1/4 tspn ground white pepper
1 tspn ground soup spices - I used Adabi.
2 tblspn vegetable oil
1 litre chicken broth or plain water
1 tspn of your favourite seasoning - optional
Salt and Sugar to taste

Preparation;

1. Heat oil in a pot and saute garlic, shallots and peppers until brownish.
2. Add soup spices and stir until combined and immediately pour the chicken broth or water.
3. Add fish balls and cubed potatoes, simmer until boiling.
4. When the potatoes are soft, add all vegetables to the soup including chillies, simmer for a while.
5. Finally add seasoning, salt and sugar to taste.

The One with the Ingredients Price

Yeehh..I am baking on Sundays....

Cik Ngah has been quite busy this weekend. Went back to Temerloh on Friday evening, and had been baking non-stop on Sunday! Cik Ngah had to bake to fulfill friends orders for cookies and Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes, all to be delivered today.. Alhamdulillah all went well except that Cik Ngah had issues with the cream cheese topping, so the cream cheese topping has become Butter Cream, Cream Cheese Topping!..And worst of all Cik Ngah had forgetten to take pictures! Too tired I think!!!

Cookies anyone?....

Well back to the title of this post, since Cik Ngah has started taking orders for cookies, Cik Ngah had done some survey on baking ingredients price. In fact it was done on last Saturday evening. So far Cik Ngah had listed down the prices from Bagus, OTK, 99 Speedmart and Giant. Main ingredient was off course, butter! So Cik Ngah wants to share with readers the result;

The winner so far is 99 Speedmart with tthe cheapest SCS and Buttercup. Unfortunately the mart does not sell other brands! Cik Ngah will continue the survey and share it with all!!! Sharing is caring!!!