STEAMED MINI MA LAI KOH

If you love Ma Lai Koh but do not have a bamboo tray to steam a whole cake, perhaps, you can try this recipe.   You can steam the batter in plastic cups [the type used by some kuih vendors to steam huat kuihs].  Though there is no honeycomb texture in these mini cakes, they are delicious, too.  The texture is spongy soft, not too sweet and easy to prepare.

These Ma Lai Koh should be great for tea time treats or potluck gatherings. Stay soft and spongy for 2-3 days.

In the original recipe, the batter is steamed in a loaf pan.

Recipe adapted from Coaster Kitchen Ma Lai Gao recipe [modified]

Ingredients

[makes 14 mini cakes]

Starter Dough

100 gm cake flour

1/2 tsp instant yeast

1/2 tsp sugar

100 ml water

• Mix the dry ingredients together in a small bowl.  Add in water, mix well into a soft dough.
• Cover with cling wrap and set aside to rest for more than 1 hour or double in size.

Other Ingredients
2 large eggs

100 gm dark brown sugar

20 gm cake flour
20 gm custard powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
25 ml melted butter

• Beat eggs with sugar.  Whisk until sugar dissolves and well incorporated.
• Sift in cake flour, custard powder and baking soda.  Mix well and stir in melted butter until well blended.
• Strain the egg mixture into starter dough.  Mix well into a smooth runny batter.
• Bring water in steamer to boil.  Arrange plastic cups in steaming tray. Pour in batter until 80% full.  Place over boiling water.  Cover tray with aluminium foil [lightly].
• Steam for 30-35 minutes or until cake is ready.
• Remove to cool on wire rack for 10-15 minutes before removing from cups.

CARAMEL KAYA

Lately, have been really busy with many activities and chores to attend.  Home-made preserves [fruit jam] depleting soon  and there is the urgent need to get ready some for our daily breakfast.  It came to my mind that making caramel kaya would be a good alternative as it is quick to prepare.

Remembered that I have downloaded the recipe to try sometime ago.  It is always good to download some recipes whenever I have the time and it will come in handy for immediate retrieval during busy days.

This caramel kaya is easy to prepare with only a few ingredients, simple steps and yet the result is awesome.  It can be kept in the fridge and stays spreadable even chilled.

Recipe adapted from  Kathrine Kwa You-tube Recipe

Ingredients

5 size B eggs

200 gm + 50 gm castor sugar

250 ml thick coconut milk

3 blades screwpine [pandan] leaves - knotted

1. Beat eggs lightly with 200 gm sugar until sugar dissolves.
2. Place 50 gm castor sugar in a heavy base pan.  Heat over medium heat to dissolve the sugar until caramelised, stir ocassionally but careful not to burnt it.  
3. Off heat, gradually pour in coconut milk, stirring while pouring in.  Turn to low heat and stir until the caramelised sugar dissolves but not boiling.
4. Remove from heat, gradually stir in the egg mixture.  Strain into a heavy base pan or wok [I used my Thai copper wok].
5. Add in pandan leaves, cook over medium low heat and stir constantly until kaya is of runny consistency.  Note: If using kaya as filling, best to cook until thick paste consistency for easy wrapping.
6. Cool, remove pandan leaves and store in air tight container.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

DARK BROWN SUGAR MA LAI KOH (WITH YEAST)

Has been a long while since I last prepared Ma Lai Koh.  But when I came across this recipe here, with all the ingredients in hand, there is nothing to stop me from making it right away, hehehe!

Anyway, no regrets preparing this Ma Lai Koh. My hubby and mum said it is 'good'.  The cake is soft and spongy especially with the 'honeycomb' look.  This recipe is a keeper.

Recipe adapted from My Kitchen 101 En
Ingredients

3 large eggs
160 gm evaporated milk
3 tbsp pandan juice [or plain water]
180 gm plain flour
190 gm dark brown sugar
1 tsp instant yeast
1/4 tsp fine salt
1 tsp baking soda/sodium bicarbonate
1 tsp baking powder
50 gm corn oil

1. Line 7 inch bamboo steamer with parchment paper.
2. Beat eggs lightly, add in evaporated milk and water or pandan juice.  Mix until combined.
3. Place plain flour, dark brown sugar, instant yeast and fine salt in a mixing bowl, mix until combined.
4. Add in egg mixture gradually into dry ingredients until a batter is formed.  Sieve mixture  through to have a smooth batter.
5. Cover the mixing bowl, set aside to proof for  2 hours at room temperature.  The mixture will look bubbly/foamy after proofing for 2 hours.
6. Bring enough water to boil in a large steamer.
7. Transfer  3-4 tablespoons of the proofed batter into a small bowl, sieve in baking soda and baking powder and mix well.   Lastly, stir in the corn oil until well combined.
8. Add mixture to the remaining batter, mix until well blended.
9. Pour batter into lined bamboo steamer and steam over medium-high heat for 40 minutes.  [Note: Do Not Open the steamer before 30 minutes or the cake might collapse].
10. Remove cake, unmould and cool on wire rack before slicing to serve.
    
    
    
    
    
    

MINI CHEESY SHANGHAI MOONCAKES [上海月饼]

This is a workable Shanghai Mooncake recipe which is great if you are celebrating Mooncake Festival with a big group of friends.  The size is the same as that of Tambun Biscuits [Mungbean Pastry Biscuits], so serving it as a whole is just perfect.

The pastry is buttery, cheesy and savoury, while the lotus paste filling is not too sweet.  The taste of both the pastry and filling is perfect.  Crispy just after baking.  Cute little mooncakes.

Ingredients

[makes 36 small size mooncakes]

180 gm butter [room temperature]

60 gm castor sugar

a pinch of salt

3 tbsp milk

3 tbsp cheese powder

270 gm plain flour

1-2 tbsp cornflour

300 gm lotus paste for mooncake or other filling of your choice mix with 25 gm toasted melon seeds

Egg wash -1 egg yolk +1 tbsp water

Some toasted black and white sesame seeds for topping

1. Cream butter and sugar until light, add in milk and continue to beat until creamy.
2. Gradually fold in the flour mixture to form a soft dough [like cookie dough].
3. Place dough in a clean plastic bag and chill in the fridge for 1/2 an hour.
4. Meanwhile, mix filling and divide into small portion of about 1 teaspoon.  Roll into balls, place on a plate and chill before use.
5. Remove dough from fridge. Divide into small portions [about 1 level tablespoon].  Shape into round, flatten and wrap filling.  Seal the edges well and roll into a balls.  Flour your hands if dough is sticky.
6. Place on a lined baking tray with some space in between.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 10 minutes, remove from oven, leave to cool a little before brushing egg wash.  Sprinkle some sesame seeds.
8. Return to bake in oven for another 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Remove and leave to cool on wire rack before storing in air-tight container.