To Share, To Enjoy Life Together. Why not make the "Cooking Adventures" as part of family activities to share, explore, and appreciate the differences... Let's Rock together in the Home Kitchen Lab!
Friday, May 24, 2013
Polly's Crepes and Crepe Tool Making Adventures
Test #1 using the flat electric griddle.
So, what can I say - I am interested in technologies and kitchen 'make your cooking life enjoyable' tools, and curious to find out if I make one myself. After studying several photos online, I decided to make one myself out of cedar.
The crepe recipe is from Jacques Pepin's.
**The first few crepes are like mangled doughs until I got the hand of the crepe stick. I also cheated and used the backside of this small ladle by running it over the batter in a circular motion, and it worked out just fine, too. So,.... what's the big idea about the Crepe Stick? I need to do some research and find out who even invented it.
The Jacque Pepin's Crepe recipe is simple and turns out great.
Well, it was challenging the first few times to get the hang of spinning the crepe tool in a smooth circular motion. I think I need to sand and smooth out with ultrafine sandpaper. But the crepe recipe turned out a great tasting crepe.
Test #2 using the round Tortilla pan.
I need more practice. I watched some YouTube Crepe making video, and I am very impressed with their crepe cones.
Will try to make the Crepe Cones, the next time.
Gorgeous Fresh Water Chestnuts
This is fresh water chestnuts. They look like a hard shelled flower tuber of some sort. The first time I encountered it was back in South Viet-Nam. The street Fruit vendor was selling an interesting strands of white round objects on a bamboo sticks. Since I missed Japanese MITARASHI YAKI DANGO so much, I thought that was it! Surprise! it was a crispy, sweet, fresh water chestnuts. Yes, the good fresh water chestnuts, when peeled should be white, firm, and when bitten into, it is crispy and with some sandy texture like body. Eat them fresh or chop them up and mix with ground pork to make sweet and sour meat balls or Lion Head meat balls, for example. They will add a different dimension to the meat balls. When you are peeling them with a pairing knife - in a round circular motion as though peeling apple, if there are any sign of 'yellow', cut that section off and discard. After peeling them, chill them. Eat them!
So, Enjoy some chilled fresh water chestnuts during the summer.
So, Enjoy some chilled fresh water chestnuts during the summer.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Fresh Strawberries with Chantilly served with Buttermilk Biscuits
It's Strawberry season, and I find the fluffy buttermilk biscuits perfect for serving with it.
Buttermilk biscuit recipes: http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2013/03/buttermilk-biscuit-testing-butter-or.html
or
http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2013/04/chef-kadens-buttermilk-biscuits-and.html
Buttermilk biscuit recipes: http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2013/03/buttermilk-biscuit-testing-butter-or.html
or
http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2013/04/chef-kadens-buttermilk-biscuits-and.html
Polly's Pandan Coconut Chiffon Cake
After several testings, the following flour measurement turned out the best chiffon cake with least collapsed structure during the cooling time.
INGREDIENTS:
7 large egg yolks *eggs are Kirkland brand (COSTCO's) brown organic Large eggs
60 g Ultrafine sugar or regular granulated sugar
60 ml pandan juice, from 12 pandan leaves - Processed in juice processor and blender
125 ml thick coconut milk, from 1 grated coconut - Processed thru juice processor (View previous blog or video) http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/p/recipes-slide-show.html
125 ml vegetable oil
***160 g Home made pastry flour
****Shift first, then weigh it. *See note at the bottom of this page.
7 large egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
110 g Ultrafine sugar or regular granulated sugar
METHODS:
In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, 60 g sugar, pandan juice, coconut milk,
vegetable oil in a bowl just to incorporate them. Add flour and mix
well, but do not develop gluten. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 160'C or 325'F for 1 Chiffon. (350'F for 2 Chiffons in the same gas oven.)
In a separate clean bowl, whip egg whites.
As it starts to foam, add salt.
Add 110 g sugar in slow stream and whip till stiff peak is formed - Medium speed - about 8 minutes.
Fold the egg whites into the egg mixtures in thirds.
Mix well with whisk then, spatula.
** Mix gently but thoroughly - the mixture should be shiny without any egg whites bits left.
Fill the Angel Food cake mold, tap down the cake pan firmly on a solid surface to release any trapped air bubbles.
Bake
for about 50-55 minutes (depending on your oven's BTU) *Check at 45 min
for color on the top and slight separation of the cake from the side of the pan
and color.
*Be ware that Teflon coated Angel Food Cake pan
would brown lot faster than the aluminum cake pan and takes less time to
complete the baking.
"Wow! this one really puffed up!"
( There will be some shrinkage.)
When completely cooled, set it right side up and use a plastic knife to loosen the cake all around.
Remove cake from the pan, slice and serve.
This cake formula can be used to make various shaped cake and frosted.
185 g AP Flour + 90 g Cake Flour Then measure 160 g and add to the mixture
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)