Monday, September 19, 2011

Custard Cream Puffs

I made these for one of the Ladies' meetings some time ago.
I am simply in a state of inertia where blogging is concerned.
K-drama is partly to be blamed - I'm practically hooked!

I used to bake a few hundred puffs daily, usually with durian filling. I recall how I had to wake up at four in the morning just to fill up the puffs so that my hubby could deliver them to the various shops by 7a.m and how I had to rush to work after that. Those were my hectic days - that was the kind of life I had led for over 20 years! Festive seasons were the worst time where a couple of hours' sleep was a luxury! Whenever I reminisce my baking journey, the thought of it just seem to drain my energy away.
Enough of rambling!
Now to post the recipe for the choux pastry.



Choux Pastry:

240 ml water
120g butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon caster sugar

160g plain flour, sifted
4 large eggs

Method:

1. Place water, butter, salt and sugar in a pot and bring it to a boil.

2. Lower heat and pour in flour and immediately stir with a wooden spoon to mix into a soft dough. Remove from heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.

3. Add in eggs, one at a time and use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs.

4. Fill up an icing bag with a round nozzle attached. Pipe out circular mounds on a greased tray.

5. Bake in preheated oven at 170 deg C for 15 minutes. ( Puffs must be sufficiently baked so that they will not shrink and flatten after when cooled.)

6. Once cooled, slit side of puff and spoon custard into it or fill icing bag with nozzle and pipe out any filling.


Gleaming, waiting to be baked!

See how they have puffed up!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Simple Salad

I've been away too long from blogging.
I hardly cook or bake anything new or authentic enough to be posted.
My meals are very simple and it's the usual fare. Quite boring!
I seldom bake as I'm trying to cut down on my calorie intake.
I am eating healthy and exercising quite regularly.
Since December last year, I've shed 8 kilograms!
A wonderful excuse to change my wardrobe!

My younger daughter occasionally fixes salad for her meals.
This is my share of the salad.
She shared with me how she did the hard-boiled egg.

Simply boil a small pot of water. Once the water is boiled, turn off heat and put in the egg and cover.
After 12 minutes, remove and you'll have a lovely hard-boiled egg that is not overdone!



Romaine, oak, cherry tomatoes, turkey ham, egg
and Caesar's dressing