Saturday, January 29, 2011

Cookies and Sweet Meat

These are what I've been busy with for the past few days. The variety of cookies I made for this cny is fewer compared to previous years. It seems like the variety and amount baked is on the decline each year. Maybe next year, it will be minus one or two!



These pineapple tarts are quite healthy to eat. In fact I used two different types of pastry.
For the healthier version, I used olive spread and a little egg. The other version was half butter and half olive spread. This is in line with my self-created healthy-eating programme.
At least I can enjoy the tarts without feeling so guilty.


The healthy ones - no butter used.
All egg-glazed and waiting to be baked!


Half butter and half olive spread! Just as yummy!




The chocolate chip cookies is an improved version of my previous bake. I made a little adjustment to get the preferred texture. It is really full of mini chocolate chips with eat bite!






These peanut cookies are not the crunchy type. They have to be handled carefully or it will simply break into pieces. But they are wonderfully peanutty and melt in the mouth with each bite.







Why pay $50 or more for a kilogramme of sweet meat? The price of sweet meat or bak kwa has been escalating over the years. I simply refused to pay so much for it though I love to eat it.
There must be a way to beat these exorbitant prices!
Thus I decided to make my own sweet meat. I've been quite encouraged by some recent postings of fellow bloggers making sweet meat. Homemade sweet meat? Why not?
I have on hand a few recipes and I played around with the seasonings from the various recipes, tweaked a little here and there and came up with my version. Hmm... That was easy enough.!
My version is very much healthier; I used premium lean meat with minimal fat. It turned out good and tender despite all the leanness. My hub said it's good, so happy ending!
(The premium meat cost me $14.50 and I got slightly over a kilogramme of sweet meat!)


Raw, seasoned minced meat on a parchment paper


Using a rolling pin to flatten the minced meat


This tray just came out of the oven after ten minutes,
just to firm up the meat before slicing


These are sliced and ready for grilling!
But I wrapped them and stored in the fridge for cny.

7 comments:

  1. Judy my first seeing olive oil on cookies. This is sure a healthy choice.

    Yes paying $50 buck for a kg of bak kwa is crazy. Didn't know it is that easy, next yr I will make my own!! We juz need to boycot to bring dwn prices.

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  2. pls do share your recipe for the sweet meat! they look even better than the commercially sold ones :D

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  3. I love the crimping done on the tarts.
    Very very pretty!!

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  4. wow bak kwa! They are a great holiday snack!~ I must bake some cookies too.

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  5. Hi Edith,
    It's definitely healthier and I don't mind it. You should try making your own bak kwa. Initially I thought it would be difficult to do, but it's actually easy.


    Hi Jean,
    I will be posting the recipe after completing all the crazy things I've to do for cny.


    Hi Wendy ,
    Thanks, they took some time to do.


    Hi Angie,
    I would love to know what you're going to bake.

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  6. Love the cookies and the sweet meat. I am trying to catch up. Looks like I have nothing much to eat this Chinese New Year :( Just made my almond cookies this morning. Now I hope to make sweet meat, too. Too many things I want to try in so short a time...haha. Happy New Year to you, too.

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  7. Sweet meat!? Hahaha.....I never call them that!....I made some too.

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