Rose apple tarts

Inspired by the pictures of delectable apple tarts from the leaflet of the local grocery shop, I decided to make some myself this morning!

The ones from the leaflet used a a perfectly stripped skin of a peeled apple to make big apple-skin roses. I can never get how people manage to peel an apple in one single strip! Acknowledging my shortcoming, I found an easier way to make apple roses without testing the limits of my dexterity!

These roses are made with half-moon slices of apple, softened and caramelised with cinnamon sugar under low heat. I placed about 2-3 roses in one mini tart.

The base of the tarts are filled with chopped caramelised apples. It can be replaced with some chopped walnuts for some crunch! The roses may also be brushed with some warm strawberry preserve before serving to add sweetness and give them a more beautiful glow. But I think these would be sweet enough without. :) Serve warm.

Pastry crust
What?

• 100 g plain flour
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp milk

How?

1. Mix the flour and sugar together and cut in the butter (cold and diced) with a fork or a pastry cutter. 
2. When a crumbly coarse mixture is achieved, add in milk and lightly fold into a soft dough.
3. Divide the dough into portions for one tart (depends on what size tart is desired; I used about 18 g for one mini tart) and roll the dough into a ball.
4. Roll the ball into a round disc and place it in a muffin tin. Press the dough evenly up on the sides of the tin. Prick the dough in the tin with a fork.
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degC for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and let the tart shells cool in the tin.

Rose apples

What?

• 2 apples
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

How?

1. Finely slice 1 1/2 apples into thin half-moon shaped slices. (Great if you have a mandolin, but it can be done with a knife too!) Chop the rest of the 1/2 apple into small cubes.
2. Mix the sugar and the cinnamon together and spread the sugar mixture into a non-stick frying pan.
3. Heat at low heat and place the apple slices over the sugar mixture and cook for a minute.
4. When apple slices become soft, transfer them onto a plate. Let them cool.
5. Melt the remaining sugar mix,under low heat and mix in the cubed apples. Stir and cook for a minute and transfer them onto a plate to cool.
6. Divide the chopped caramelised apples among the baked mini tart shells.
7. To make the apple roses, roll one caramelised apple slice with the apple skin facing upwards, add another slice at the end of the roll and continue rolling. (I know this sounds a little awkward but it really is just that!) More slices of apple can be added to the roll depending on the size of roses desired.
8. Place the apple roses on top of the chopped apples.
9. Warm the apple tarts in a preheated oven at 180 degC for 10 minutes or until the tarts are golden brown.

Madeira lemon loaf cake

Summer has officially come to an end (or technically it will in 2 days). It is starting to feel a little chillier around here as I found myself lingering a little longer under the cosy warmth of that 13.5 tog duvet in the early mornings.

I think my body is preparing for hibernation mode. It moves a little slower, feels a little heavier - like I have to lug that lazy weight around when I step out of bed, wobbling and swaying like a flubber (remember that green rubbery bouncy substance from a Disney film?).

It is a beautiful day, nevertheless. We've got sunshine ~ on a cloudy day... I have decided to warm up the place a little with some oven heat.

Madeira cake is a classic English sponge cake, much similar to a pound cake. I did a search and found that "Madeira" is actually a Portugese archipelago. This cake was named after Medeira wine from the islands which was popular in England and often served with the cake back in the 18th century.

Goes well with tea too!

What?

• 200 g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 100 g caster sugar 
• 150 g light olive oil
• 2 eggs
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp milk

How?

1. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Mix in the sugar (I used 50 g brown and 50 g caster sugar).
3. Mix in the oil and the eggs, one at a time.
4. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix until combined.
5. Add in the milk last and give the batter a quick stir.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degC for 60 min, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Transfer it to cool on a wire rack after it cools a little.

Tamagoyaki

With more time on my hands on a cheery Sunday morning, I decided to make myself some Japanese egg roll for breakfast. Or you can call it a pre-lunch appetiser given that it was already almost noon...

My recipe calls for simple ingredients in my kitchen: chopped carrots, celery and onions, a tablespoon of milk, dash of salt, pepper and basil. No fancy equipment either: no rectangular omelette pan, no bamboo mat... But no compromise in taste! :)

To get the silky smooth egg texture, use a sieve to sieve out the chalaza. Everything can then be mixed together as you would in a normal omelette, and you can start frying and rolling!

The omelette roll should be left to cool for a while before slicing it with a sharp knife to obtain a nice clean cut. I should sharpen mine...

This would look pretty cute in a lunch box.

Itadakimasu!

What?

• 3 eggs
• Onions, carrots, celery chopped (about a tbsp each)
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp basil (optional)
• Oil to brush pan with

How?

• Beat eggs and sieve it through a sieve to remove the chalaza.
• Mix in milk, salt, pepper, basil and vegetables.
• Heat a pan at low to medium heat and brush with oil.
• Pour a layer of egg mixture into the pan and tilt it to cover the bottom of the pan.
• When the egg has cooked for about 30 seconds, roll the egg from the corner and stop at the middle. At this point, the egg has not fully set; it will still be runny on top but firm enough to roll.
• Move the egg to one corner of the pan and pour more egg mixture at the unrolled end of the egg. Tilt the pan again to spread the egg mixture evenly.
• Repeat step 5-6 until all the egg has been used up.
• Fully roll the egg and cool it for a while before removing from the pan; the egg roll is more fragile when hot.
• When cool enough, slice the egg roll with a sharp knife into pieces of about 1/2 inch thick.

Konnyaku chrysanthemum jelly

Home sweet home. Been a week since I've been back! I was so excited to start baking again that I went on a mini baking shopping spree in the supermarket. Gathered some almond meal, baking powder, cocoa, chocolate, vanilla and flour. Then when I got back, I realised I forgot good ol' butter. GARH.

In need of a quick dessert fix, I decided to raid the pantry and the fridge to see what I can come up with. 

I found packets of konnyaku jelly powder sitting right there on my shelf! In place of fruits, I decided to make some jellies with chrysanthemum flowers.

Chrysanthemum flowers were first washed and boiled with about a litre of water. After sifting out the flowers, the jelly powder was then added while stirring.

These perky, bouncy chrysanthemum-flavoured little rounds are strewed with wolfberries for some natural sweetness.

A healthy and delightful treat for a quiet, pleasant evening. It feels good to be back. :)

All-in-one-pot

Here's another variation to "tomato rice"! This time with fish cubes, and when better to try this than when in the greatest angling country in Europe? ;)

This happened after a long day in the laboratory, and the mental fatigue was getting into me. Thinking about having to prepare a meal is not exactly the best cure for a cranky mood. As I contemplated popping pre-packed food into the microwave oven, I suddenly remembered *to my horror* that I have already defrosted that darn piece of salmon. And y'know what they say... never refreeze defrosted food ...

I really didn't want to pan fry the fish and wash up the extra frying pan afterwards. And it annoyed me even further that I did not have an oven here in Stockholm. Man, am I starting to miss home. And then, I had a light bulb moment.

I could cook rice with tomato pieces / cubes of salmon, all together!

Simply "break" the tomato and stir it all in once the rice is cooked. All-in-one-pot literally! I didn't have a rice cooker here so this was made with a pot on the stove. I only roughly estimated the amount of water I should have, so I ended up with a mushy mess. But it was a yummy wholesome mess! Don't judge! :p

Other types of fish could be used too. Here I have cod seasoned with some grounded black pepper.

I like it that this is so easy to make, and I only have one small pot to wash after! And yea ok, maybe that bowl too... But what if I just eat out of the pot... *light bulb lights up*

Coffee chocolate muffins

Oh, do you know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man,
Do you know the muffin man,
Who lives on Drury Lane?

An all too familiar nursery rhyme, and it keeps ringing in my head as I tried to practice my script in vain. As a consequence of my fruitless attempt at work, I caved in - time for some therapeutic baking! :D

I knew I needed some caffeine... And what better way to have it than infusing it a sweet treat? This, is a coffee muffin, double shot. (Yea, really. I added twice the amount of coffee granules than usual...)

Look at those cute little coffee domes! Round and bouncy, I just wanna poke poke poke...

Presenting the not-so-pretty ones, albeit dressed it pretty pink polka dots.

Tsk, you pale in comparison to the perfect dome.

And because you aren't as pretty, I'm gonna eat you first.

Ooo I smell the coffee. Yummiliciously paired with dark chocolate chunks. Caffeine rush!

One last bite...

I decided to pack up the perfect domes to share with others. And well, since these aren't as pretty... I might as well just have them now...

Happy long weekend everyone! :D WOOHOO to bank holiday!

Green bean dessert

It is always a comfort to have warm desserts in a faraway land. :) However, mom said that green bean is "cooling" and I shouldn`t be taking it during the cold winter. Haha, whether a certain dish is "heaty" or "cooling" is a concept of the east, I can`t even explain it properly - moms.just.know.

Yet I like my green bean soup best served warm, and was craving for them when it was freezing cold here. So if I can`t have them in winter, I made it as we break into spring. :) The beans were first soaked in water for 2-3 hours before they were poured into a pot of water to boil. I added rock sugar together with the beans - got the sugar from a chinese shop in London and they were a little orangey in colour, hence the slight golden tinge in my soup. When the sugar have dissolved and the beans have softened (haha the picture shows them a little mushed...), I added my favourite component - sago! :D

I finished the whole pot in 2 days. One of the few times I think it`s just right to cook for 1. :D