Good ole' fashioned Fruit Cake

This fruit cake was baked in July, and left to keep for 3 weeks. I know I promised to update on the outcome of it all and this posting is long overdue. Still it's better late than never, and at least I can sit back on this one.

Well I can say it has survived and passed the cake tasting (with the folks around, and friends)with good results!

This is how it looked when it came out from the oven.

After more than 3 weeks of being soaked in brandy this is how it looked.

Texture: A little crumbly still, but the body stood well, the fruits well spread out, I think the high protein flour withstood the weight of the fruits well. Moist but not heavy. Easy to the bite, although I wished it was more solid.

Taste: An initial taste and smell of brandy, a fruity flavour, and the texture of the cake makes it memorable and satisfying at least for me. Having decreased the sugar, it felt good as the fruits with alcohol imparted a natural sweet taste.

Feedback: Some pretty encouraging remarks on the flavour and smell. Great stuff - thanks Edmonds!

Note: I used Brandy XO on the cake. Also the taste seemed to grow better the longer it kept. I had some stored in the fridge and it kept for another 3 weeks, moist soft and tasting even better from the storing. Just needed to keep it wrapped and covered.

Hmmm should be good for Christmas...

Pandan Sponge Cake

Further to my earlier post on pandan kuih (Kuih Seri Muka-Aug 13), I realised it was actually Pandan Sponge Cake, and not the kuih kuih. Anyhow as my curiosity got the better of me, I searched for the recipe online, found and liked the one at thestar's Kuali, from Amy Beh.

I must have done something out of sync, or the fire wasn't right, or is it the recipe? That final one is a defence, after all "a poor carpenter blames his tools". Is it?

Here's the recipe:

4 large eggs
125g sugar
125g flour, pinch of salt sifted together
1 tbsp pandan juice
1/8 tsp pandan essence
60g butter, melted


Method
Grease and flour a 23cm round cake tin. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl over a large pan of simmering water and whisk briskly until mixture thickens and almost doubles in volume.Remove bowl from the simmering water and continue to whisk until mixture turns cool. Mix in sifted flour. Gradually drizzle in the cooled melted butter. Fold in gently with a metal spoon.Pour mixture into prepared tin. (smoothen the surface with a spatula.) bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked. The cake is cooked if the surface is golden brown and it shrinks slightly from the sides of the tin.Remove cake from oven and leave to cool in the tin for five to six minutes before turning out on a wire rack.

Having followed the recipe to the "t", I am puzzled - can anyone help?

By the way, I have an even bigger bump on this than on the "seri muka"...

















Inside the hump:

I know it looks funny - try not to laugh ok.

As it looks, the texture is hard, not sponge as its supposed to be. Pandan flavour is not very strong as I did not use essence,but fresh pandan juice only, but not quite enough. Our pandan plant is still very young and the dry season is not doing it favours, the leaves were rather dry therefore too litte juice and not fragrant enough. But its not about the taste alone, as totally I am disappointed with the outcome of this mis-adventure.

My late mother-in-law used to tell a tale of how her first cakes turned out flat, and how my father-in-law would call such cake "ah ngek", how he would tease her about her baking. But she overcame all the "ah ngeks" and had become such a wonderfully good cook. If she was around, I know what she will most certainly say - "don't let ah ngek stop you - try till you get it right"

Just what I will do... Meanwhile I shall search for another recipe and try to find out what went wrong. Watch this space...

Peek at nature in Langkawi

Here are some shots taken over the weekend - of nature - some by lazy indulgence, some by chance and others with a little composure ahem..

Clouds over skies approaching Langkawi. No wonder it rained so much while we were there.

So close to nature - a squirrel was minding its own business, making music and dancing in its courtship ritual. We humans are such voyeurs.... In case you missed, it's right there on the lone coconut trunk.

Padi fields along the highway.


Casuarina leaves fringing the sky

A mountain slope on the way up Mount Mat Cincang, the highest peak on the island where views of the surrounding islands are afforded. Also usually visible are Cambrian-age forests and the island Sumatra on a good day. However we were greeted upon arrival on the cable cars - by mist, winds and pouring rain on the peak - robbed of a chance at the glorious view and a walk across the suspension bridge...

These are shops alongside the road fronting the Cenang beach - they are well landscaped with a rural ambience. Looks like Batu Ferringhi in Penang

Parasailing in Cenang Beach while the sun was having a field day.

Coconuts freshly plucked and waiting - in the background chalets for rent

The lure of azure skies, white sands and a vast beach - Cenang Beach

Just for the fun of it - blue and green do match!

And then the rain came, and stayed...

I like this pic taken from the car we were in - the effect of water, wind creates some movement in a dull picture like this.

Salad for Monday anyone?

After a weekend of dining, meeting folks and friends, it's Monday again. Not wanting to stuff any more rice or noodles, nor any starchy soup, I settled for ....




a cucumber tomato lettuce and egg salad with a favourite of french dressing - simple and satisfying. My brewed hot and fragrant Lipton tea afterwards was heaven... Bon apetit all the way!

Kuih Seri Muka

Deliberating on my daughter-in-law's hankering for "pandan kuih", yesterday I decided to try out Lily Ng's recipe (http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/ ) among dozens on my google results. Just as well I find her recipes reliable, handy and true to origin, and recommendations useful - esp for wherever I am, be it in good old Kuala Lumpur or abroad.

What Lily recommended I did, and to my delight and expectancy, it turned out quite nice. Apart from some quirks, for a first attempt I am pretty indulged. The quirks? See pictures below.

I also realise that apart from taste, texture and looks, one other important aspect is cutting the custard. A firm hand and even size makes it pleasant and inviting . For me it was a shaky hand and poor judgement. Anyone has a good idea here?

My daughter in law will not be able to try it right now as I can't send it through this website - if any invention comes along, I'd appreciate being among the first to know. Just kidding of course.

RECIPE - SERI MUKA

Rice Layer:

300g glutinous rice - wash, soak 4 hours, drain
180ml - coconut milk
1 tsp - salt
1tbsp - sugar


Egg custard layer:


3 - large eggs
4 tbsp - flour
4 tbps - rice flour
350ml - coconut milk
150g - castor sugar
1/2 tsp - pandan paste (I had the luxury of fresh pandan pounded juice here)
1/4 tsp - salt
2 drops - leaf green colouring




Method:

1. Steam rice on 22cm round tray for 20 mins.
2. Remove from heat, fluff rice, pour in coconut milk, sugar, salt
3. Use spoon/spatula, press cooked rice firmly. Useful to use another tray to press

4. In another bowl sieve 2 flours mixture, add to lightly beaten eggs, strain
5. Add coconut milk, pandan, salt, sugar, green colouring
6. Cook high microwave, 1 min at a time, till thicken (mine was 1 min, and half min)
7. Pour half custard over cooked rice, steam 10-15 mins (slow fire), scratch surface
8. Pour in balance, steam 10-15 mins (slow fire)
9. Let cool completely before cutting.



The results:



Taste/Texture:


1. I had reduced the sugar significantly, therefore to my liking.

2. The rice was flavourful, tasted savoury and nicely cooked.

3 The custard had a firm but soft texture, like egg custard with a crunch to it. Pandan flavour was distinct. I steamed close to 15 mins on the top layer, wanted the top to be firmer, unfortunately the bottom layer was under done.

The Quirks:

1. The hump on the top is actually that - it was much bigger before it cooled, but remained stubbornly there, so I cut it and ate it..

2. The bottom layer of the green custard (not visible) was not cooked long enough therefore had a layer effect to an otherwise good texture.



3. A firm hand is important to achieve a neat cut and pretty picture. Uneven cutting here takes points off from an otherwise satisfactory experience.

Constructive comments appreciated.


I am wondering if this is what "pandan kuih" is...?