ALMOND CRANBERRY BABKA (Krantz)

My successful Challah bread, the first Jewish bread i baked about a decade ago, inspired me to move for a Jewish cuisine crawl, particularly bread and pastry. This time moving on to another braided sweet bread called BABKA or KRANTZ.

BABKA is a famous dessert among Ashkenazim. Ashkenazim are Jews who live in Rhineland Valley located between the Western Germany and Northern France. So they are very rich in culture as they embraced both parts of German and France way of living. This sweet braided bread is symbolic. Coming from a Jewish roots, the name is derived from a Slavic word "babcia" which means endearment for grandmother. The bread shape looks like a reminiscent of old woman's skirt and a primary reference to its baker -- the grandmothers.

Now, is it Babka or Krantz. They refer to the same thing. Remember they are of Ashkenazi Jewish origin? so if you are more of Jewish influence you will call it Babka, but if you're coming from Germany, you call it Krantz as this dessert made its popular roots in Frankfurt, Germany. But both mean the same thing, a dessert in between bread or cake, sweet and braided with added fillings of either chocolate, cinnamon, fruits or nuts, moisten with sugar syrup or honey and can be topped with streusel. Every mouthful bite is a hint of compelling textures of chocolates, crisp of nuts, caramelized honey sugar, and crumby crunch of streusel (if added) . A decadent treat!

So, after battling which among my two finalists' chef recipes should go to my archive... here it is-- my babka recipe😁

ALMOND CRANBERRY BABKA (Krantz)

Makes 1-  9" loaf pan

Ingredients for the dough

2 c bread flour

2 tsp yeast

1 tsp caster sugar

Dash of salt

½ fresh c milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

90g unsalted butter, room temp

Honey or Honey Syrup--use this to brush the loaf IMMEDIATELY after baking, when you take loaf out of the oven.

 

In a stand mixer, place flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Mix to combine

Add egg, milk, vanilla and butter. Mix to rough dough.

Continue mixing for another at least 15 minutes into a smooth dough.

When done, proof for at least an hour or until doubles.

Filling

1/4 bar (50g) unsalted butter

8 cubes about 45g (70%)dark chocolate

3/8 c caster sugar

1/4 c cocoa powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

Melt butter in a pan.

Add sugar and dissolve.

Remove from heat and add chopped chocolates, rest for a minute then mix to combine.

Add cocoa and cinnamon powder

Stir, set aside and ready to use.

Honey Syrup

1/4 c water

1/4 c sugar

1/2 tbsp honey

Place in pan, warm to dissolve the sugar. Set aside and ready to use.

Filling Toppings

1/2 c baked almonds, chopped

1 pack about 70g dried cranberries

Assembly

Grease a 9"  loaf pan with oil and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

When dough is ready, punch and flatten into a rectangle about 14x10" wide.

Spread the chocolate filling. Then sprinkle the chopped almonds followed by cranberries. Coming from your side, roll the dough crosswise like a log.

Slice the log into halves making sure one end is still attached.

Take the cut half and fold it over the other making sure the cut sides are facing up, continue overlapping until you make a one long braided rope.  Secure one end by pinching one end against the other.

Slowly lift the braided loaf and place this into the greased pan.

Let rest for another 2 hours.

Pre-heat oven at 190° C and bake for about 30 minutes. Making sure the tester comes out clean with dough. It is natural that chocolates will stick to the tester.

When done, remove from oven and immediately brush with sugar syrup or honey. Let it cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing. Otherwise it is soft and will not hold its shape.

Enjoy with or without ice cream on top!

TUNA PANCAKE

Consumption of fish is healthy and provides multiple benefits to the human body. 

Tuna in particular is very rich in omega-3 fatty acid, high quality protein, selenium and vitamin D. And because it carries these healthy nutrients, it is heart friendly, lowers blood pressure, improves immune system, aid in weight loss, improves skin's health,  strengthens bones and prevents the risk of cancer.

Given the many attributes of this fish treat, it is but essential to consume variety of fish about 2 to 3 times each week with a total of about 450g/ week. I think this is doable: with a bit of sardines, tuna can and some other fresh fish dish a week is not bad at all😊. 

C'mon let's dish the fish!

TUNA PANCAKE

Yields about 4 pcs pancakes

Pancake Ingredients                    

1 can tuna flakes, drained

1 head garlic, minced

1 small onions, chopped

1 onion spring, chopped (optional)

1 (whole) lemon zest

1 /2 tsp lemon juice

1 egg

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp panko

1 tbsp japanese mayonnaise (or any mayo available)

1/4 tsp dried parsley

Salt & pepper to taste

Oil for frying

Crumb Mix:  Place in a bowl and combine. RTU

1/2 c panko

1/4 c shredded edam cheese or parmesan cheese or any cheese you like

Garnishing

Spinach or any greens

Lemon wegdes

Some bread, rice , pasta or any carbo of your preference

Optionals -- your preference

Ketchup

Honey Mustard

Sriracha

Method

Mix all pancake ingredients in a bowl.

Divide into 4 equal portions.

Take one portion and dredge both sides in a crumb mix.

Using a turner spoon, scoop the pancake and slowly place into a pan with hot oil.

Cook both sides until slightly brown.

Remove and ready to serve.

Enjoy!

I served this pancake in burger buns: sandwich in a wholemeal burger bun, laid on  red butterhead lettuce, smeared with honey mustard, garnished with emmental cheese then topped with tomato and avocado, which my kids named -- 

TUVADO BURGER!😋

COCONUT BUN

Originating from Hong Kong, this Cocktail Bun as they call it is a sweet bread filled with shredded coconut. In my hometown, this is simply Pan de Coco 😋, one of our all time favourite "hi-tea" snacks.

This bread has an economical history. In 1950, this was the year of Bakers' Resistance, when bakers in Hong Kong resisted the wastage disposal of unsold but perfectly edible buns, so they created a way to recycle these left-over (day-old) breads by incorporating it with the new product and sell these as fresh buns. So, what they did was, they mixed the old buns with sugar and coconut to come up with a sweet tasty filling then wrap it up with a fresh bread dough to create a what they call Cocktail Buns.

Years passed by, new versions of these buns were made with the inclusions of butter or margarine and the shredded coconut to go with then moulded in the size of a small baguette. This bun is soft, pliable and lightly sweet typical of Hong Kong breads, with a rich-buttery, sweet flavoured dense coconut filling. Brushed with egg wash to render a golden-brown, shiny tops, decorated with stripes and finishing it up by sprinkling some sesame seeds. It's deliciousness of sweet goodness in every bite!

Today, I am sharing another discovered recipe, creating a little excitement in this traditional cocktail buns or coconut bun or "Pan de Coco" of yester-years!😁 

This is quite a challenge.

COCONUT BUN (COCKTAIL BUN)

Ingredients

100 g bread flour mixed with 70g boiling water.  Make this a day before and chill in fridge for at least 12 hours.

On the day of baking:    

300g bread flour

100g all purpose flour

80g caster sugar

6g salt

20g milk powder

9g instant yeast

175g water

60g egg (Large egg)

60g unsalted butter

Eggwash: 1 egg mix with a little bit of water. Lightly beat this mixture and RTU.

In a stand mixer, place the flours, sugar, salt, milk powder and yeast. Mix to combine. Add water and egg and knead to form a rough dough. Add the chilled dough and conitnue kneading until well-blended. Then slowly add the butter and keep kneading until you achieve a smooth dough about at least 15 minutes of kneading.

When done, remove from bowl, form into a big ball and return to the bowl to proof for about an hour or so. Cover with cling wrap.

While waiting, make your filling.

Filling recipe

70g unsalted butter

120g caster sugar

1 large egg

drops of green coloring

110 g sweet desiccated coconut

50g milk powder

Cream butter and sugar until light. Add egg and green colouring and continue to cream until smooth.

Add in desiccated coconut and milk powder. Mix until well-blended. Shape into balls about 35g each and refrigerate until firmed.

Assembly

Get the bread dough, divide into 60g each mould into small ball and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Take the coconut filling from the fridge. 

1. Using one bread dough, flatten it then place one ball of coconut filling at the center. wrap the filling to form one ball dough.

2. Then flatten again and roll like a swiss roll.

3. Make 7 deep slits using a scissor, making sure its not detach from each other.

4. Spread the cuts alternately, one left-one right.

5. Place on the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Slightly flatten the bun and let it proof for an hour.

6. When ready, egg wash and bake at 180 degrees C for about 12-15 minutes.

KUNG PAO (PULLED PORK) PAU

My kids love kung pao, and I remember i had a delicious steamed bun with a kung pao trace in it and thought of making one for our collection.

So here it is--

KUNG PAO (PULLED PORK) PAU

Pau Dough use this recipe

Ingredients

500g pork Chuck ( one whole slice)

1 tbsp EVOO

1 head garlic minced

1 medium onion

1 tbsp Dark Soya Sauce

1 tbsp Light Soya Sauce

2 pcs bay leaf

black pepper

2 c water

You can do this a night before and let the pork sit in its sauce.

Pre-heat oven at 175 degrees.

Place EVOO in a pan in a dutch oven over an open fire.

Sauté garlic and onion, and whole chuck to brown on all sides.

Add water and seasoning.

Quickly Boil then after boiling, cover and transfer to the pre-heated oven and bake for about 2 hours.

When done, remove from oven.

Transfer the chuck to a plate and using 2 forks,  shred the meat.

Set aside.

FIlling

2 tbsp of peanut  oil (any oil will do)

About 500g of pulled pork

2 tbsp cornstarch  mix with 1/2 c water, set aside

1 head garlic, minced

1 medium onion,chopped

2 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tbsp LKK Superior Light soya sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

Black Pepper

1/2 c chopped roasted peanuts or 1/4 ground peanuts

3 brown button mushrooms, chopped

Spring onion, chopped

In a pan add peanut oil.

Sauté garlic and onions, then add pulled pork.

Drop the black pepper and stir to combine.

Then add mushrooms and stir. Cook for about a minute.

Add the seasoning and stir.

Finally add the peanuts and mix to combine.

When done remove from heat to cool.

Before using to fill the dough, add the spring onion and mix.

Ready to use.

Proceed with the assembling ...

UBE KAMOTE (PURPLE SWEET POTATO) HALAYA

Who doesn't like Jams?

I love jams! Probably the first bread spread that i have known and grew up with specifically fruit jams of -- guava, mango, jackfruit, coconut and pineapple. But Ube variant?, NAH!  it was the unpopular tuber in our local market several years back.

Recently, thanks to social media, UBE HALAYA made a come back. A very famous sweet jam of 2020's particularly during this global lockdown. Though it became in demand, it's consumption is uncertain so production remained still. The reason for this crop being just a "celebrity" good.

Several people are deceived of the word UBE HALAYA, they thought all this time it was solely made from UBE (the purple yam) itself. Little did they know that some ube halaya are made from kamote (sweet potato) too, long time ago with the addition of purple colouring, then flavouring. But Thanks to this very dear purple sweet potato which was massively produced from Japan and Vietnam and some are also growing in the Philippines, a little less coloring is needed to produce a vibrant purple "UBE HALAYA".  

Just a year ago, this purple sweet potato becomes a hit in the popular fast food chain in the form of ice cream cones. At first we were skeptical but after tasting it we got hooked! It's delicious! 

Seeing the packages of purple sweet potato right in front of me in the grocery store, i thought of making some halaya.  You too can make your own UBE HALAYA using this purple sweet potato, here's how--

UBE KAMOTE HALAYA

Ingredients:

2 cups grated boiled purple sweet potato (for smoother texture, blend cooked kamote in fresh milk, included in this ingredient)
1 can condensed milk

1 can fresh milk
100 g butter
Additional 1 tbsp unsalted butter to be mixed right after you remove the halaya from the heat to make it shinier.
Ube McKormick flavoring about 1 tbsp
1 tsp vanilla

Method:
Melt Butter in the pan.
Then add fresh milk and condensed milk. Stir to combine.
Add ube and simmer under medium heat.
Add ube flavoring and vanilla. Stir until smooth and thick.
When done remove from pan and immediately add 1 tbsp butter and mix.

Ready to use. 

ENJOY!

NOTE: You can store this halaya in an airtight container in room temperature or inside the fridge for longer shelf life. Use this to spread your bread or as a filling to your favourite bread recipes or make your cakes and ice creams.  OR, eat it on its own as dessert! My kids had their share in a ramekins and a small spoon to dig it up. 😁

CINNAMON QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

I love cinnamon rolls and i love fusion. Thinking of combining two delectable flavours is always a challenge, some of my adventures failed but majority succeeded and all of my successes are impeccably delicious! Well, who else is going to appreciate it but Moi 😆!

If you are craving for your favourite cinnamon roll & ensaymada, then you want to have both worlds but time is a constraint, well, this is for you --

CINNAMON QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

 

QUEZ-O Ensaymada Dough use this recipe

 

Filling

½ c unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ c brown sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp cornstarch

 

In a bowl mix brown sugar, cinnamon and cornstarch.

Take ½ of the cinnamon mixture and combine with butter.  Cream to incorporate.

Then set aside.

 

Frosting

1 bar cream cheese

¼ c unsalted butter, softened

1 c powdered sugar

½ tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp salt, optional

 

You can use a stand mixer or a whisk and manually mix the ingredients, sort of obliging yourself to do exercise!

Cream butter and cream cheese.

Add powdered sugar and mix to combine.

Add lemon juice, vanilla and salt if using.

Set aside.

Back to the dough recipe to assemble...

Grab one dough ball and flatten it. Spread the butter cinnamon mix, then sprinkle with sugar cinnamon then roll and coil the dough. Place it in a mould and let it rest for another hour or until size doubles or triples. Then, proceed with baking at  175 degrees C for about 10 minutes. Cool and finish it up with frosting and cheese toppings.

Coiled and Resting before baking

Frosted with Cream Cheese

Enjoy your share 😋

BEEF BRISKET

Beef Brisket is one of my comfort foods back home and probably one of the most ordered dish in the Chinese' menu. I can't claim the same thing right now as new delicious dishes came into play but as you say it, "if it's flavourful" it's classic! 

This is my kids "one of their fave"... {actually everything is their fave😄}.

Sharing this recipe --

BEEF BRISKET  (Chinese Inspired)

 

Ingredients

500 g beef brisket, cut into small cubes

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 small ginger, julienne

I head garlic

1 medium onion

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper

¼ c LKK Soya Sauce

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

¼ c Oyster Sauce

2 c water *** 

2 pcs small carrots,  obliquely cut

Spring Onion, chopped to garnish

EVOO 

Blanched Bok Choy or any greens you like.

***i used 5 cups, as i keep adding a cup during boiling to achieve a soft, melt in the mouth meat the way my kids like it.

Dust beef with cornstarch, mix and set aside.

Place EVOO in a pan, add beef to brown.

Remove beef from the pan leaving the oil.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Then add back the beef. Drop some salt and pepper.

Then add seasoning: soy sauces, oyster then water.

Add bay leaves.

Bring to a boil and simmer with occasional stirring for about an hour or so until the meat is soft. {you can watch your favourite series while waiting😉}

Add water if need to prevent it from burning or drying. 

When meat is ready, add carrots and ginger, let the it cook for a few minutes.

At this time your sauce must have been reduced.

Check the taste and adjust to your preference using the seasonings.

When done, place steamed rice (mixed Thai rice, Japanese, Jasmine or Basmati) in a bowl.

Add beef brisket, sides of blanched Bok Choy and chopped onions.

Serve and enjoy!

BLACK BEAUTY YEMA CAKE

The global situation pave way to the emergence of start up businesses particularly food -- baked goodies especially. This resulted to a massive shortage of ingredients and disappearance of its popular brands BUT at the same time, unfamiliar brands and versions of those lost ingredients entered the market. The reason i discovered unusual ingredients for our kitchen needs.

This recipe is not new nor unusual but still sharing this creation using my newly discovered super dark colour cocoa powder. 😉 

I must admit, this black beau is pure decadence!😊

BLACK BEAUTY YEMA CAKE

Ingredients:

Cocoa mix

½ c black cocoa powder

½ c boiled water

Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water.

 

Cake Batter:

4 eggyolks

½ c milk

¼ c oil

¼ c caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 c cake flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

 

In a bowl, using a whisk and manually combine the wet ingredients, followed by dry ingredients, then add dissolved cocoa. Stir to combine. Then add meringue and fold.

Place in a pan/ baking tray and bake at pre-heated oven at 165°C for 20 minutes.

Then cool and ready to use.

 

Meringue:

4 egg whites

½ c caster sugar

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Place egg whites in a stand mixer. Add cream of tartar and whisk at high speed.

At soft peak, add sugar in stream around the bowl and continue mixing to reach stiff peak.

Ready to use.

 

Condensed milk Buttercream

Using a stand mixer--

200 g butter

½ c condensed milk

1/8 c cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, then add condensed milk and mix.

Then add cocoa powder and mix to incorporate.

Continue mixing and add vanilla.

Ready to use.

 

Yema:

1 can condensed milk

200 ml whipping cream

4 eggyolks

100 about (1/2 bar unsalted butter)

1 tsp vanillaMix milk, eggyolk, cream and vanilla in a bowl.

In a pot under medium heat, melt the butter.

Then add milk mixture.

Simmer to thicken.

Ready to use.

CHICKEN ASADO SIOPAO

Archiving the other classic version of our Siopao, the Asado. Asado has many varieties and each one represents a specific region of origin.

Today's mix is inspired by Chinese cooking but more of our palate side so as the flvaour is not too overwhelming.

Here is it--

CHICKEN ASADO SIOPAO

The bun is at 50g each and steam at 8 minutes since the filling is already cooked.

For the Dough and assembling here is the recipe .

CHICKEN ASADO FILLING

 

Ingredients

250 g chicken breast, cubes

1 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

I head garlic

1 medium onion

Spring onion, chopped

1 tbsp LKK Superior Light Soya Sauce (you can use regular soy sauce or dark soy sauce but reduce the amount as both are salty)

1 tbsp Oyster Sauce

½  tbsp cornstarch diluted in 1/4 c water

¼  tsp Chinese five spice

Black pepper

Pour EVOO in the pan.

Sauté garlic and onion.

Add chicken, black pepper and five spice. Stir to combine.

When chicken is done, add seasoning (soy sauce and oyster sauce)

Add cornstarch mix. Simmer to thicken.

When done, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Add chopped spring onions before you assemble the siopao.

Notes:

You can combine all purpose flour with cake flour. I fall short of apf in this batch so i used 2 1/2 c apf and 1/2 c cake flour -- the result is the same.

You don't need to torture yourself drooling over your hot steamed delicious bun, go ahead open the steamer right after you steam it, the buns will not deflate as some of the authors claimed. I proved it😁. So go on, steaming hot or warm -- enjoy your Siopao.

No need to use white vinegar, as my recipe uses milk, that would yield a lighter bun texture 😉.

BEEF STEW

I love beef cubes on saucy dishes especially paired with root crops. My kids favourite is beef with potatoes, oh well, actually any meat with potatoes😀.

With addition of other vegetables and herbs, a simple beef dish with no complicated preparations becomes a gastronomic haute cuisine. 

Here's what you'll need--

BEEF STEW

 

Ingredients

500 g beef brisket, cut into small cubes 

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 thumb size garlic, grated

I head garlic

1 medium onion

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried thyme, 2 sprigs fresh thyme if you have

Salt and pepper

EVOO for sautéing

¼ c LKK Superior Light Sauce

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp Oyster sauce

6 c water or more if needed

2 pcs medium size potatoes, cut into small cubes

Parsley, chopped

 

Method

Sprinkle beef with cornstarch and mix.

Add EVOO on the pan enough to pan fry the beef.

Pan fry the beef to brown and remove from the pan.

Using the same pan, sauté ginger, garlic and onion.

Bring back the beef into the pot. Add water and seasoning.

Bring to a boil and simmer to reduce the sauce and soften the beef.

When almost done, add potatoes.

Simmer until vegetables are soft and sauce is reduced.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve on steamed rice and garnish with chopped parsley.

QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

Ensaymada is another staple bread in my community. There are dozens of variants in dough and several flavours flooding the market nowadays and each one looks delicious as the other. I got challenged.  Although I already perfected my own recipe, the thirst for searching and creating new ones is always calling. So, I decided to create another ensaymada recipe to have variations too. And this is where the fun comes in, create, re-create and test my creations. And if it passed the test, it goes to my archive. Yay!

Cheese is important in ensaymada making and there is no hard and fast rule on what cheese to use. Cheese is always subjective and of preferential taste, if  a particular kind of cheese impresses your palate, then use it. 

Sharing to you today is  another recipe which EDAM CHEESE is the key😊.  Surprisingly, our famous Christmas red waxed ball cheese called Queso de bola is a semi-hard Edam Cheese from Netherlands. What a coincidence 😋! 

Here it is --

QUEZ-O ENSAYMADA

Yields  about 988g raw dough

Makes about 19 pcs of 50g dough

3 c bread flour 

2 tsp instant yeast

½ c caster sugar

1 tbsp powdered milk

1 c fresh milk

1 tbsp honey

4 egg yolks

¼ salted butter, cubed (if you use unsalted butter, add ¼ tsp salt )

1 tsp vanilla

½ c grated cheddar cheese

1 tsp oil for greasing the bowl when proofing – to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl if this concerns you much, otherwise this is optional.

 

Topping:

2 tbsp powdered sugar

¼ c softened butter

Edam Cheese, grated (I used a zester to get that shreds of cheese as compared to the classic Ensaymada which I have with longer cheese ribbons or strands).

Cream butter and powdered sugar. Spread on a cooled ensaymada buns then top with Edam Cheese.  Ready to Serve.

 

Method for Dough

In a stand mixer, pour flour, yeast,  sugar and powdered milk. Using a low speed, mix to combine. 

 

With the mixer running, slowly add fresh milk, honey, eggyolks, butter and vanilla. Continue mixing and slowly add cheddar cheese.  Increase speed and continue kneading for at least 15 minutes to create a smooth dough. 

 

When done, take the dough out and transfer to another bowl then pour 1 tsp of oil in the bowl to grease it (again greasing with oil is optional)

 

Mould the dough into a big ball and return to the greased bowl.

 

Proof for at least 1 ½ hr or so (I proofed mine for 3 hrs cause I have other things to do ) until dough doubles or have risen properly (mine is when my dough reaches the top rim of the bowl, that’s good enough for me😉).

 

When done, punch the dough, place it in a chopping board (or your working space) and divide the dough into 50g each. Prepare the bread flour in case you need some for dusting.   Some other times, In my case of having a small kitchen space, I usually leave the dough inside the bowl (this way I don’t have to clean a lot of space afterwards) after punching and just scoop some dough, weigh it for 50g. then--

 

Roll small dough into a nice small balls.

 

Flatten using a small rolling pin, brush with softened butter (you can have other spread according to your preferences: Fruit Jams, Nutella, Kaya, Ube Halaya, Matcha,  etc)  Starting from one side, roll dough into a long cylinder and coil. Slightly Tuck the edge under or just stick the edge to the dough this should be fine especially if you are using mamon cups. You will have a nice twirled ensaymada even after baking. BUT, if you rest it freely on a baking tray, make sure you tuck it under securely so it won't come out while the dough is expanding.

Place this buns into a mamon liner, or cupcake liner or a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Let it rest to triple its size, at least an hour or so, this will give you more time to finish other chores😉

 

Pre-heat oven at 175°C and bake ensaymada for at least 10 minutes each.

Cool and finish it off with topping.  Enjoy!😉