Look, A FLUFFY CAKE!

A cake wannabe.

I lied. It's not a cake. It was intended to be brownie, but a cake appeared instead. How? I'm not sure....I didn't change anything in the recipe except substituting sugar with condensed milk. Apparently that can change the entire consistency of a brownie. The best way to describe the final product: it looks and feels like a cake, but tastes like a brownie. Wtf, right? =/

Back to the drawing board....

Texture.

Ginger Milk Pudding/Ginger Milk Curd (薑汁撞奶) Recipe

Ginger Milk Pudding. *note: the rough texture
occurred because of bubbles when
I stretched the milk*

I first tried Ginger Milk Pudding (薑汁撞奶) in a Hong Kong-style dessert cafe. I saw it on the menu and asked my mom what it was. My mom told me that it was ginger and milk in pudding form. I gave her a confused looked and asked her how it became a pudding. She explained that the ginger juice reacted with the milk, which caused the mixture to solidify. I thought it sounded strange, but I decided to try it. The ginger milk pudding was warm and light. It had a hint of sweetness and a tang of ginger.

(To learn more about the chemical reaction and the factors involved, click here. )

A few months later, JSB made it at home and it tasted just like the restaurant's version. When I found out how cheap and easy it was to make, I decided that it wasn't worth ordering it anymore. Last month, she finally taught me how to make it. Now I can share it with you. =) And the best part about the pudding is that it is delicious, healthy, and tastes even better on a cold day.

3 Teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon of ginger juice.

Ginger Milk Pudding (薑汁撞奶)
From JSB

Serves 1.

Ingredients:

• 1 TBSP of ginger juice (Add more if you want a stronger ginger flavor and if want a firmer pudding)
• 2.5 tsps of sugar
• 1 cup of whole milk (You can also use 1% and 2%, but the pudding will be less firm/creamy and have more water content. DO NOT USE NON-FAT. It will not set if you do.)

Directions:

1. Slice and juice ginger. I use a garlic press. Note: Use the bowl you will be setting the ginger milk pudding in. You do not want to transfer the juice to another bowl, because ginger juice will separate and you will leave the enzymes behind)
2. Heat milk until the sides start to bubble and foam up. Do not let it go to a boil. Add sugar to the milk*Look below for another method of adding sugar [1]*.
3. Take the milk off the heat and stretch the milk 10 times. *look below [2] for explanation* (By stretch, I mean pouring the milk from one container to the next 10 times. For example, pour milk in Pot A to Pot B. That is one time. Pour it from Pot B to Pot A. That is the second time. Repeat until you do it 1o times. One more thing, when pouring from one pot to the next, make sure some distance is involved -- approximately 1.5 to 2 feet.)
   
   
   
   Here's an example below...
   
   
   
   
   
   
   I can't lie. My outfit is seriously embarrassing.../hides in corner.
   
   
4. Mix the ginger juice to ensure the layers aren't separated. (Ginger juice has a tendency to separate. If you look closely, you'll notice that ginger juice separates into a clear yellow liquid and a milky white substance. We don't want that. Make sure it's combined!)
5. Pour milk into the bowl with the ginger juice. Cover it with a lid or plate.
6. Wait 5 minutes and enjoy. The pudding should be set by now.

Notes:
[1] JSB prefers to add sugar after the pudding has set. She takes a scoop out, pours the sugar in the hole, and lets the hot pudding melt the sugar.
[2] For those that are curious, you do this because you want the milk to be in the proper temperature range.

Prunes are Ugly, but Oh so Tasty!

I love prunes, but I haven't been eating them for the past few years. Why? Prunes are firm and chewy and require me to expend energy to eat them. Lucky for me, I found this recipe when I read Orangette (Molly)'s book.

I have never tried stewed prunes before, but I figured I had nothing to lose. How bad can a soft, juicy prune with a citrus undertone be? WOW! It was amazing. I can't go back to plain ole dried prunes.

Stewed prunes for the rest of my life baaby! =D

Easiest Green Onion/Scallion Pancake Recipe

Green Onion/Scallion Pancake

After reading Use Real Butter's post on green onion/scallion pancake and discovered the ease of making it, I wanted to make it for lunch. I told JSB about it and she gave me the "I-Don't-Care" for it look and said she only wanted one pancake. But you know what? She LIED BIG TIME! She ate two and left me only one, which is why there's a picture of only one pancake...

I had to make the pancakes another time for a more balanced photo. (see below).

Cut into quarters.

Easy Green Onion Pancake
Recipe from Use Real Butter

Servings: 3 small pancakes

Note: I halved the original recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 stalks of green onion, finely chopped
• vegetable oil
• salt

Directions:

1. Make the dough, Method 1: Place the flour in the work bowl of a food processor with the dough blade. Run the processor and pour the warm water in until incorporated. Pour the contents into a sturdy bowl or onto a work surface and knead until uniform and smooth. The dough should be firm and silky to the touch and not sticky.[Note: it’s better to have a moist dough and have to incorporate more flour than to have a dry and pilling dough and have to incorporate more water).
2. Make the dough, Method 2 (my mom’s instructions): In a large bowl mix flour with 1/4 cup of water and stir until water is absorbed. Continue adding water one teaspoon at a time and mixing thoroughly until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. We want a firm dough that is barely sticky to the touch.
3. Both dough methods: Knead the dough about twenty strokes then cover with a damp towel for 15 minutes. Take the dough and form a flattened dome. Cut into 3 pieces of equal size. Roll the pieces into balls.
4. Place a ball of dough on a well-floured work surface and roll out into a thin circle (about 1/16th inch thickness). Spread a teaspoon of oil (I used sesame oil) evenly over the pancake (use more if needed). Sprinkle salt evenly over the pancake. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of scallions over the pancake. Roll the pancake up from one end like a rug, then curl the roll around in a spiral and pinch the end to the roll so it stays wrapped. With the palm of your hand, press the roll from the top to flatten it. Roll the pancake out to 1/8th inch thickness. Heat a tablespoon of oil on a flat, wide pan over a medium-low to medium flame until hot. Set the pancake in the oil and let fry until the bottom is crisp and golden. Flip the pancake, adding more oil as needed. Remove from heat and serve immediately or reheat in the oven.

Baked Apple Pudding

Baked Apple Pudding.

I saw this recipe for Baked Apple Pudding and it sounded interesting so I decided to try it. I amped it up by soaking some raisins in rum and adding slices of apple. In the end, this concoction wasn't for me.

The Inside.

It was dense and tasteless to me. The texture was a bit odd too. I really wished I liked it, but desserts aren't the same without butter, sugar, or eggs.