SWEET ENDING WITH CHOCOLATE ENCLAIR THE RACHEL ALLEN RECIPE

When I first learned to make cream puff, I made a point that I should also try enclairs. The the method of preparing the pastry choux were the same. These made a perfect HITEA menu especially if you are planning for an English Tea Party. Enclairs are typically filled with a sweet vanilla known as creme chantilly and topped with chocolate or coffee icing. Eclairs can be prepared in advance: once the unfilled pastries are cooked and cooled, they can be kept in an airtight box for a few days or frozen, although it is best to make the chantilly cream on the day that you are planning on eating the éclairs. 

Recipe heavily adapted from Rachel Allen. Try this....hemm...chocolate fans will sure to LOVE this.

Ingredients

Choux pastry

• 100g (3 ½ oz) strong white or plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 150ml (1/4 pint) water
• 75g (3oz) butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 extra egg, beaten - to brush eclairs before baking

For the chocolate glacé icing

• 200g (7oz) icing sugar
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder
• 1 2 tbsp boiling water

For the crème chantilly filling

• 50g (2oz) icing sugar (1 generous tbsp), sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 400ml (14fl oz) whipped cream (measure when whipped)

2 piping bags

• Plain 5-8mm (1/4 – 3/8 in) nozzle
• Plain 3mm (1/8 in) nozzle (optional)

Method

Choux Pastry

1. 1Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and set aside
2. 2Place the water and butter in a medium-sized saucepan with high sides (not a low sauté pan) set over a medium-high heat, stirring until the butter melts. Allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Add the flour and salt and beat very well with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together.
3. 3Reduce the heat to medium and replace the saucepan, stirring for 1 minute until the mixture starts to ‘fur’ (slightly stick to the base of the pan). Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 1 minute.
4. 4Pour about one-quarter of the beaten egg into the pan and, using the wooden spoon, beat very well. Add a little more egg and beat well again until the mixture comes back together. Continue to add the egg, beating vigorously all the time, until the mixture has softened, is nice and shiny and has a dropping consistency. You may not need to add all the egg or you may need a little extra. If the mixture is too stiff (not enough egg) then the choux pastries will be too heavy, but if the mixture is too wet (too much egg) they will not hold their shape when spooned onto greaseproof paper.
5. 5Although the pastry is best used right away, it can be placed in a bowl, covered and chilled for up to 12 hours, until ready to use.

Eclairs

1. 1Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with parchment paper (not greaseproof paper, as the éclairs may stick when cooked).
2. 2Place the dough into a piping bag fitted with the plain 5–8mm (1/4–3/8in) nozzle and pipe into lengths approximately 10cm (4in) long onto the prepared baking tray, spaced about 4cm (1 ½ in) apart to allow for expansion. Use a small wet knife to stop the dough coming out when you have finished piping each éclair.
3. 3Brush the éclairs gently with the beaten egg and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6 and continue to cook for a further 15–20 minutes or until the éclairs are puffed up, golden and crisp.
4. 4Remove the éclairs from the oven and using a skewer or the tip of a small sharp knife, make a hole in the side or the base of each éclair. Return to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes to allow the steam to escape. Transfer the éclairs to a wire rack to cool.
5. 5Meanwhile, make the icing. Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the boiling water and stir to mix, adding a little more boiling water if necessary until the icing is spreadable but not too watery.
6. 6To make the crème chantilly filling, fold the sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract into the whipped cream. Chill until you are ready to use it.
7. 7When the éclairs are cool, spoon the crème chantilly into a clean piping bag fitted with the small, plain nozzle (or use the same nozzle used for piping the éclairs) and pipe the cream into the éclairs through the hole made by the skewer or knife until they are well filled.
8. 8Using a small palette knife or table knife that has been standing in a jug of hot water (to make spreading the icing easier), spread the icing over the top of each éclair, dipping the knife into the hot water between each éclair. Serve and watch them being devoured!

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Bila saya mula mencuba membuat krim puff, saya tidak ketinggalan mempelajari cara membuat enclair ini. Cara dan ramuanya sama. Sajian ini sesuai buat minum petang lebih-lebih lagi kalau anda merancang untuk mengadakan English Tea Party. Menarik dan cukup mantap untuk menarik perhatian tetamu anda. SELAMAT MENCUBA.

Next Post - Pasta Napolitania

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BAKED MACARONI / MACARONI SCHOTEL

The last time I made this was during those school  days. I remembered my mom learned to make this from her WI (Woman Institution Class). It was yummy, perfect as a breakfast casserole or even as a one-dish meal for lunch or breakfast. As an Asian we definitely love to serve this with chili sauce.

You can use any pasta as the main ingredients, mine I used elbow macaroni, penne pasta would be another good choice. Curry powder can also be another options if you prefer something hot and spicy. 

Ingredients

• 225 g. of macaroni (you can use penne or ziti as well) / 225 g makaroni masak
  3 tbsps. of butter / 3 sdb mentega
  3 tbsps. of olive oil / 3 sdb minyak zaiton
  300 g of ground chicken /300 g daging kisar
  1/2 can of fresh button mushrooms, sliced / 1/2 tin cendawan butang
  3  onions, chopped / 3 biji bawang besar dicincang
  1 carrot shredded / 1 biji lobak merah disagat
  1 whole garlic, peeled and finely minced / 1 ulas bawang putih dicincang
  1 cup of good meat broth / 1 cawan stok daging
  a bunch of fresh basil leaves, chopped, or about a teasponful of dried basil leaves
  3 sprigs of fresh green onion / 3 tangkai daun bawang
  salts, sugar and pepper to taste / garam, gula dan lada secukup rasa
  
  
  For the topping :
  1/3 cup of butter / 1/3 cawan mentega

  1/3 cup of flour / 1/3 cawan tepung

  3 cup. of milk / 3 cawan susu

  225 g. block of quickmelt (processed) sharp cheddar cheese, grated/ 225 g keju cheddar

  
  

  225 g. block of cream cheese, softened then cut into small pieces / 225 g krim keju

  salt and pepper to taste / garam dan lada secukup rasa

Instructions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions, undercooking by about 5 minutes. This will allow the pasta to finish cooking in the sauce, absorbing the flavors. Drain, rinse and set aside.
2. Heat the butter and olive oil together over medium-high heat in a sauce pan. Add the ground meat, breaking up the lumps. Add the garlic and cook until the meat starts to brown.  Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add all the chopped vegetables and herbs. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables start to soften. Pour in the meat broth. Season with salt, pepper and some sugar. The sugar will neutralize the acidity of the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

For The Topping Preparation

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. When frothy, add the flour all at once, stirring. Let the flour cook for about 5 minutes to remove any floury taste in the cooked topping.
3. Usually, the flour is cooked when the mixture starts to turn golden brown.
4. Pour in the milk slowly, again, stirring as you pour. By the time all the milk has been incorporated into the mixture, it will appear to be a little thin.
5. Add the cheeses.
6. Set the heat to low and let the cheeses melt, stirring the mixture occasionally.
7. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper.
8. Now, back to the meat sauce. When the sauce is done, add the cooked pasta and toss well. Let the mixture cook over low heat with an occasional stirring. This should allow the pasta to finish cooking. Usually, this step takes about 5-6 minutes.
9. Pour the pasta and sauce into a baking dish. Make sure that the dish is large enough so that the mixture is an inch below the rim.

For a budget version

For the budget version you can omit the used of cheese. All you need are  6 eggs and 3 cups of milk. Whisk both ingredients add salts and pepper and pour over the paste mixture. It turned out great

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1. Kali terakhir saya buat makaroni bakar ini ialah pada zaman persekolahan saya. Kalau tidak silap arwah umi selalu membuatnya hasil dari kelas WI nya. Satu sajian yang mengenyangkan, sesuai digantikan dengan nasi kalau sudah jemu dengan nasi. Untuk versi budget jika anda tidak mahu berbelanja untuk membeli keju, boleh juga dibuat dengan menggunakan 6 biji telur bersama 3 cawan susu. Satukan dua bahan ini masukkan garam dan lada sulah kemudian tuangkan ke dalam adunan pasta. Sama juga hasilnya tetapi kuranglah lemaknya kalau tidak ada cheese. Versi ini sesuai bagi yang tidak gemarkan cheese. Untuk pastanya boleh gunakan apa jenis pasta paling sesuai makaroni atau pun penne. Bagi yang berminat dengan pedas boleh tumis bahan utama dengan serbuk kari. Pendek kata semua boleh bergantung kepada selera masing-masing
   
   

   Next Post - Chocolate Enclair

   
   

   

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FALAFEL - A TASTE OF MIDDLE EAST

Falafel always remind me of Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt. Two weeks there, falafel seem to be my breakfast and dinner, without missed a single day. Just love it....either I bought it from the street hawkers or  from Mac Donald. In Egypt falafel is so popular that thatMcDonald's serves as "McFalafel" in all it's chain.

To those who are familiar with an Indian appetizer "masalodeh" or "vadai" made from dhal/lentils, falafel has the same similar taste and method of preparing, and to those who have not taste and curious what falafel are, here are the introductory excerpted  from wikipedia

Falafel (/fəˈlɑːfəl/; Arabic: فلافل‎, [falaːfil] ( listen)) is a deep fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in apita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a meze.

Generally accepted to have first been made in Egypt, falafel has become a dish eaten throughout the Middle East. 

It's easy to make and you can have it with pita bread even without going to Middle East..so here's how you can have your own make FALAFEL.

Ingredients:

2 cups of dries chickpeas, soaked in water for 12 hours/ 2 cawan kacang kuda direndam semalaman atau  12 jam
Crumbs from 2 slices of white bread / serbuk roti dari 2 keping roti atau 1/2 cawan
5 cloves of garlic / 5 ulas bawang putih
2 teaspoon baking soda / 2 sdt baking powder
1/3 cup chopped parsley / 1/3 cawan daun pasli yang dicincang  boleh juga guna daun bawang
1/2 cup chopped coriander / 1/2 cawan daun ketumbar
1  small onion / 1 biji bawang besar dicincang
1 spoon of sesame seeds / 1 sdb bijan
1 teaspoon cumin spice / 1 sdt serbuk jintan manis
1 teaspoon paprika / 1 sdt serbuk paprika
Salt, pepper / garam dan lada sulah
Oil for deep frying / minyak untuk menggoreng

Preparation:

1. Wash the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion an d spices. Grind until you get a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed./ Bersihkan kacang kuda dan kisar, jangan terlalu halus

2. Move the mixture into a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and put aside, covered, for 30-60 minutes./ Masukkan kacang yang dikisar kedalam mangkuk dan tos dan rehatkan sekurang-kurangnya  1/2 jam.

3. Warm the oil – it should be hot, not boiling. Add the baking soda to the mixture and knead a little. / Campurkan semua bahan dan gaul rata

4. Wet your hands and shape little balls. Fry until you get a deep brown shade. Serve hot!/ Basahkan tangan dan bentukkan adunan kepada beberapa bebola kecil. Panaskan minyak dan goreng kekuningan.

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Makanan Timur Tengah yang menjadi kegilaan saya ketika berada di bumi Mesir. Dua minggu di sana inilah makanan yang saya makan sebagai sarapan mahupun makan malam. Tak kira samada beli di gerai-gerai tepi jalan mahupun di Mac Donald. Menariknya falafel ini ialah kerana ianya begitu popular dikalangan masyarakat Timur Tengah, Mac Donald telah menjadikanya sebagai salah satu menunya. Bagi yang belum pernah mencuba, falafel ini rasanya seakan masalodeh, kalau masalodeh dibuat dari kacang dhal, falafel pula dibuat dari kacang kuda. Ramuan dan cara membuatnya sama macam masalodeh. Kalau bentuk masalodeh leper dan bulat falafel pula lebih kepada bentuk bebola kecil. Biasanya dimakan bersama roti pita dan tahini. Menarik dan sedap...sesuatu yang anda perlu cuba!!!!!

Next Post - Baked Macaroni aka Maccaroni Schotel

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Fantastic as appetizer, healthy as a breakfast menu and satisfying as all day, all time, these are  how  I described bruschetta. I really...really love these. Top it with anything cheese, eggs, tuna, prosciutto or anything...it still end up a great dish. Crunchiness of the toasted French Loaf double dose these fantastic bruschetta.

Grilled Bush Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

• 8 slices of French Loaf
• 8 small tomatoes, trimmed and cut in half
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced
• 200 g smoked cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp good quality olive oil
• 2 tbsp Prego tomato sauce
• 16 leaves fresh basil for serving
• Slices of cucumber

Method

• Toast the bread under the grill pan on one side and then set aside.
• Place the tomatoes on the grilling tray and scatter with red onion. Top the tomatoes with cheese and sprinkle liberally with Prego sauce
• Place the tray under the grill pan and melt the cheese. Lightly sprinkle the untoasted side of the bread with olive oil

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Entah kenapa saya seakan-akan udah ketagih dengan bruschetta ini. Memang ralit kalau dah mula, tangan tu susah hendak berhenti mengapainya. Ranggup dan sedap, letak aje apa pun memang melazatkan, tetapi saya lebih gemar kalau diletak grill tomato ni, khasiat dan sihat.

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