Creme Caramel

This is my other favorite dessert. There is 1 kopitiam (coffeeshop) in Ipoh that is very very famous for its creme caramel. It is very famous because the creme caramel is one of the most delicious creme caramel in the world (I've tested so far). 1 is never enough.

It's so famous that if you come around lunch time to buy it, you will get scolded by the auntie who made & sells the creme caramel. She will yell so loud to your ear "Aiya...you want to buy creme caramel now??? No more!! Come back tomorrow early morning!"

She talks so loud until you will feel embarrassed for ever coming to the shop just to buy the creme caramel (the shop also sells other food).

Since it is very difficult to buy the creme caramel, I tried my best to make it my self.
The result?? NOT BAD AT ALL!! I think it's nicer and more delicious compared to that auntie's creme caramel... :D

Ingredients:

Caramel:
200 gr sugar
75 ml water

Custard Creme:
1 liter of milk
125 gr sugar
6 eggs
1 1/2 tsps vanilla essence

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 180 0C (350 0F).
2. Grease 8 ramekins (I use muffin pan instead).
3. Put the caramel ingredients in a pan to make caramel.
4. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved then leave it until the water evaporates.
5. Monitor the sugar. Once the caramel formed and sugar turned golden brown, you can stir to make sure the caramel will not burn.
6. Switch off the stove and remove the pan from the heat just before caramel reaches desired colour. The caramel will continue to darken.
7. Scoop the caramel 1 spoon at a time and pour it to each ramekin and swirl to cover the base while the caramel is still hot.
8. Set aside until the caramel hardened.

To make custard creme:

1. Whisk the eggs and vanilla for about 2 minutes.
2. Put the milk and sugar in a pan and stir gently over low heat until sugar dissolved.
3. When the milk is warm enough, pour the eggs and vanilla mixture to the milk while keep on stirring a little bit longer until all ingredients mixed well.
4. Switch off the stove and strain the mixture into a jug.
5. Pour it into the ramekins (on top of the caramel that has hardened).
6. Place the ramekins in a deep baking dish.
7. Pour hot water into the baking dish until halfway up the sides of ramekins.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set and a fork comes out clean when inserted into the centre.
9. Allow to cool.
10. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
11. To unmold, run a knife around the edge of each custard and gently upturn onto a serving plate.

That's all. Enjoy your creme caramel!
This way I can wake up late and start scolding people who eat my creme caramel without my permission...wha..ha..ha... :D
Just for your information, I can finish 3 creme caramel at one shot!... :D

Reference: Cooking a commonsense guide

Sweet snow fungus dessert with pistachio nuts

This is my husband's family favourite dessert. My mum-in-law will make this dessert for Chinese New Year. It's called phe bog ni (white snow fungus) in Hokkien.
It's similar to Leng Chee Kang (Lotus seed sweet soup) but instead of using lotus seed, this dessert uses pistachio nuts.
I learnt to make this dessert by my self. My mum-in-law gave some tips so that I can cook this dessert better.

Ingredients:
300 gr good and high quality raw pistachio nuts
100 gr dried chinese red dates
70 gr dried longan
70 gr snow fungus
300 gr rock sugar
2 knots pandan leaves
2000 ml/8 cups of water

To make:

1. Crack the pistachio nuts carefully and do not smash so you will get nice whole pistachio seeds.
2. Soak the seeds in a bowl of warm water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour so that you can peel the skin easily.
3. Soak dried longan, dried red dates, and snow fungus in a bowl of cold water until they soften.
   
4. Peel off the pistachio skin so that you will get the whole white pistachio seed.
5. Bring to boil 2000 ml/8 cups of water in a pot with the pistachio nuts and rock sugar.
   
6. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
   
7. Put the pandan leaves, dried longan, dried red dates, and the snow fungus into the pot, stir and mix them all. Bring to boil in low heat until everything is soft and cooked.
   
8. Taste it. If it's not sweet enough, you can add a sugar syrup later.
9. There you have it. Enjoy your dessert hot or cold.

My son likes the pistachio nuts so much.
My husband likes it on the rock... ;)
I like everything...as always...wha..ha..ha..

My Christmas Cake

I just want to share with you my Christmas cake. It's a sweet potato cake with raisin and chocolate. My son loves the raisin so much. When I took out the cake from the oven and cooled it down, my son 'curi' (= stole) almost all the raisins on the cake. I was busy preparing the chocolate for decoration in the kitchen while he was busy 'digging' out all the raisins from every part of the cake at the same time.

It supposed to have heart shape, but my husband could not stand to eat it just when it was out of the oven. He cut it and curi a piece of my cake before I had a chance to decorate, so the cake has no shape when I decorated.

When I found out what happened with my cake, I couldn't stop laughing. I was happy that my son and my hubby stole pieces of my cake. I made the cake for them. But then, I quickly took the cake to the kitchen and hid it until I finished decorating it.
Then I brought it back to the dining table where every one can enjoy it. My son clapped and jumped up and down. He was amazed because suddenly he could not find anymore raisins but instead there is a Christmas tree on top of the cake.
I asked him to try the Christmas tree. Unfortunately, to him, a Christmas tree is not supposed to be eaten, so, he didn't want to touch the cake anymore and he even refused to eat the cake.

Man!! I regretted decorating it. I thought he would love it. As for my husband, he helped me to finish the cake.

Announcement from Coffeeliqueur

Just to inform you that I won't be able to check my emails and to update this blog too often because of the internet congestion as the undersea cables hit by an earthquake in Taiwan was being repaired.

According to the news I've read, this internet disruption will last for 3 weeks. The repair of the 4 damaged spots could only be completed by January 19, Deputy general manager of Chunghwa Telecom estimated.

Since tomorrow businesses will reopen after the long break, the internet congestion will worsen and to avoid frustration, I'll try my best to use the internet only during the low period (if I can stay awake).
As the result, I may not be able to reply emails, may not able to update the blog, may not be able to chat and may close my eBay store temporarily until the internet connection is back to normal.

Thank you very much for your attention and hope all of you who do not affected by this disruption keep visiting my blog and writing me your comments.