JAPANESE MATCHA KASUTERA #3

I baked Matcha KASUTERA tonight.  I was going to do it without adding any MATCHA - Japanese Green Tea Powder, but I like the flavor, so I added two teaspoon to the KASUTERA recipe.

This particular recipe I used is quite involved in its "baking" process.  Like CANNELES DE BORDEAUX, the ingredients are very basic and simple, but the baking technique is quite involved.  The recipe instruction even call for wet newspaper to drape over the cake to bake the last half hour.  I couldn't follow that in fear of "fire" hazard.  I think this batch #3 turn out quite as good as the 2nd one I posted previously.  It would still be better if I can have the same type of mold with correct dimention to bake in, however.
I think the Maltose is very challenging to handle.  Yet, combination of MALTOSE "MAYA-TAN" and honey, milk and Japanese MIRIN (cooking wine) gives that special KASUTERA flavor and aroma that I've always remembered since I was young.
Even though I am quite satisfying with this batch's result, I will continue to quest for the SPONGE look... maybe by 10th batch... Yaiks!  I hope by 6th batch testing.
I didn't write down the recipe and baking method tonight, but here is the picture of how it turned out.  I will post the recipes and method when I have more time.

Lime Chiffon Pie

My first Lime Chiffon Pie. Preparation would be less hectic if you have a helper beating the egg while you are preparing the others.

Mediterranean Olive Bread

I am not a olive eater, but this olive bread is surprisingly tasty. Need to improve in the rolling technique so that olives are distributed all around rather than lumped up in the 'folds'. The recipe called for the Kalamata Olives, but the regular black olives worked out quite well.

Southern Home Biscuits and Milk Gravy

Love this tender puffed up Southern Home Biscuit. Add some Spice of Provence, and these biscuits turn into sophisticated and out of this world best biscuits.



Preheat oven to 425'F or 450'F
Serves 4  (depending on the size of the biscuit cutter)

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 C All Purpose Flour or like the Southerner cut the chase and use the Self-Rising Flour

1 Tbsp non-aluminum baking powder                    1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter or shortening              pinch of baking soda

6 Tbsp of cold Buttermilk and or with water - Add more to form soft moist dough

METHODS:

Shift flour, salt, baking powder, and soda in the shifter 3 times.

Mix butter in.  Flatten butter pieces between fingers to form flat flakes. Leave them as is.

Add cold buttermilk 2 Tbsp at a time and allow it to be absorbed.  Fold dry flour over, add more buttermilk, repeat folding dry flour over, then more buttermilk. The dough is shaggy and sticky.  Flour your hands. Gently flatten the dough into disc and cut out with biscuit cutter or roll out gently without pressing down too much and cut out with biscuit cutter.

Bake until golden brown.

MILK GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup milk                  1/4 tsp salt                 

 pinch of ground white or black pepper

Slurry made of 1 Tbsp  milk and 1 Tbsp flour                     

1 Tbsp butter and or some bacon drips from the pan

METHODS:

Heat milk in a saucepan with salt and pepper.  Mix milk and flour to make slurry.  Add some more heated milk to mix and add it o the milk in the pot.  Simmer.  Stirring frequently till thickens.  Remove from heat.  Drop a tablespoon of butter to melt on top.

Cream Scones with Cranberries and Raisins

I love this Cream Scones. I love the tender texture of this cream scone without Butter! What a surprise.