Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Dessert

Thai Toffee Cake

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To Bake the Cake
Set the rack in the middle level inside the oven and then preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a cake pan with baking paper.
Boil 2 tbsp of water and add 2 tbsp of hazelnut flavoured instant coffee over medium-low heat. Stir until concentrated coffee is formed.
Add dark chocolate, vegetable oil, and unsalted butter and stir well until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Remove the pot from the heat and reserve.
Sift cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
Add sugar into the mixing bowl and mix well using a whisk.
In another bowl, mix eggs, plain yoghurt and vanilla extract. Mix well using the whisk.
Combine the coffee-chocolate mixture and the flour mixture together. Stir well using a spatula until the flour is just combined.
Add the egg mixture and continue mixing using the spatula and/or whisk until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 18 mins.
Test with a toothpick to check if the mocha cake is cooked. If the flour is still not done, bake for a further 5 mins more. If the flour is well cooked, leave it to cool down while making the toffee and nut topping.

To Make the Toffee and Nut Topping
Sift caster sugar, salt, and flour into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Add evaporated milk and hazelnut coffee into a saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat. Stir until they are well mixed.
Add butter. Continually stir until the butter is melted.
After the butter is completely melted, increase the heat to medium-low, add the reserved flour mixture into the pot and continually stir while adding the mixture.
Remove the pot from heat when the topping boils and then add the chopped nuts.
Pour the nuts topping over the mocha cake. Using the spatula to spread the topping all over the cake evenly.
Switch oven to grill setting at 180°C (do not place the cake too close to the element) and grill for 10 minutes until the topping caramelises.
Remove from the oven and allow the toffee cake to cool down.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Use a sharp knife to cut the cake. Serve.

Rice Flour Pandan Custard (Kanom Piakpoon)

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To Make Custard
Mix rice flour and arrowroot flour in a mixing bowl, gradually add limestone water, then the palm sugar, caster sugar and pandan juice. Mix until well combined.
Pour the mixture through a sieve into a pot and stir the mixture over medium heat for 6-7 mins.
Spoon the custard into serving bowls.

To Make Cream
In a small saucepan, mix the Cream ingredients until well combined. Heat the mixture over low heat and stir well.
When the coconut cream mixture is well combined, turn off the heat. Pour onto the custard and serve.

Matcha Zenzai

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To Prep
In a bowl, add the sugar and sift in the green tea powder.
Add ¼ cup of hot water and whisk until well combined. Add the remaining hot water and mix well.

To Serve
Place 1 tbsp red bean paste into each serving glass and top with 5 shiratama dango.
Pour in the green tea and garnish with ½ tbsp red bean paste at the side.

Green Tea Yatsuhashi

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To Prep
In a large bowl, mix 30g shiratamako and 75ml water. Whisk well to combine so that there are no lumps of flour. We mix these two first, before adding the remaining dry ingredients.
Add 60g caster sugar and 50g joshinko, mix well with spatula. The sugar will make the dough watery. You should be able to see the bottom of the bowl for a second when you draw a line. Add more water to reach that consistency, if necessary.

To Cook
In a pot that is large enough to fit the bowl, put a steamer rack inside. Fill the bottom of the pot with water (make sure water won’t reach to bowl when boiling) and bring to boil. Once boiling, place the bowl inside. Wrap the lid with a kitchen towel so that the condensation won’t drop into the mixture. Cover the lid and steam for 12-15 minutes, until the mixture becomes mochi like – sticky, white, and thick when you mix with a wet spatula.

To Make Yatsuhashi
Spread some soybean powder on the working surface.
Cut the dough in half. Keep the other half in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap so that it won’t dry out.
To make the cinnamon flavour, flatten the dough and sprinkle 2 tsp cinnamon powder.
Knead the dough to evenly distribute the cinnamon powder.
With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thin sheet. Try to stretch it out into a rectangular (or square) shape, so it’ll be easier to cut into squares.
Create an 8 x 8cm square cardboard paper. Place on the dough and cut out with a knife. Sprinkle soybean powder in between the wrappers so they don’t stick together.
With leftover pieces, knead and roll flat again to create more pieces.
For matcha flavour, use the other half of the dough, replacing step 3 with 2 tsp matcha powder and 1 tsp cinnamon powder. Repeat the process.
Once you finish cutting the dough in squares, place 1 heaping teaspoon (15 g) of red bean paste at the center of the dough.
Fold into a triangle shape. If the dough edge won’t stick, wet it with water and fold to seal. Enjoy within 24 hours. Keep it in a cool room temperature and avoid putting in the refrigerator, as it will harden.

Hong Kong Style Waffle

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To Prep
In a mixing bowl, add in the eggs and caster sugar. Whisk until well mixed.
Add the evaporated milk, melted butter and vanilla extract, then mix well.
Sift in the cake flour and baking powder. Mix until everything is well combined.
Add 1 cup of water. Mix well and set aside until the batter becomes thicker.

To Cook
Preheat a waffle maker and pour in ½ cup of the batter. Cook until browned and transfer to a serving plate.
Spread the butter, peanut butter and drizzle some condensed milk over the waffle. Sprinkle some sugar and serve.

Mini Peanut Puffs (Kok Chai)

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To Make the Filling
In a small pan, toast peanuts over medium heat for 3-4 mins until lightly brown. Remove and allow to cool. Coarsely chop or grind the peanuts.
Toast sesame seeds for 1- 2 mins until lightly brown.
Mix peanuts, sesame seeds, and sugar in a bowl until well combined and set aside.

To Make the Dough
Combine flour(s) and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour oil into the well and mix with a spatula. Add water gradually to form a soft, non-sticky dough. You may not use up the full amount of water.
Place the dough on a clean work surface and knead for 3-4 mins. Shape into a round ball and place in the bowl again. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow to rest for 10 mins.
Grab the dough from the bowl and roll into a cylinder for about 12 inches long. Divide into 16 portions.
Take a piece and shape it into 2½ inches circle by rotating and flattening the edges. Place 1 tsp of filling at the centre.
Fold the dough in half. Press and pleat the edges to seal. Repeat for the rests of the dough.

To Cook
Heat adequate amount of oil in work or saucepan for deep-frying.
Deep-fry the mini puffs over medium low heat for 4-5 mins or until golden brown. Remove and drain the mini puffs in a metal strainer.
Allow to cool completely before storing in air tight containers for up to 2 weeks.

Sweet Potato Steam Buns (Mantou)

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To Prep
Combine yeast ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and set aside for 20 mins.

To Cook
Place all ingredients in a large bowl, mix with a mixer on low speed for 20 mins. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 45 mins.
Transfer to a clean floured surface, divide the dough into 3 and roll each dough to make a log.
With a rolling pin, flatten the dough to a rectangle and wet the surface slightly. Roll the dough tightly into a log.
Cut each log into 4-5 equal portions and place standing on baking paper. Steam in batches, each for 12-15 mins.

Kuih Pelita

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For the Bottom Layer
Prepare banana leaves by cutting 8x9cm rectangles and folding into little “boats”. Fasten with either staplers or wooden toothpicks. Set aside.
To prepare for the bottom layer, you will need to get the extract from the pandan leaves. To do this, simply blend the pandan leaves with the water in a blender then strain to get the extract. If you are unable to get pandan leaves, store bought pandan extract will be fine. Place pandan extract into a pot, sift flour in and stir until well mixed.
In a pot, stir the rice flour into the pandan extract until smooth. Over medium heat, continue stirring until the mixture thickens.
Arrange the banana boats onto a steaming rack and put 1 tsp of sugar in each boat. Then spoon the pandan extract mixture into each boat until about just over half full and steam for about 10-15 minutes and check to make sure the bottom later is set.

For the Top Layer
In separate pot, combine all ingredients while stirring over low heat until the mixture is smooth and thickened. Then fill the boats the rest of the way with the top layer mixture.
Steam for another 10 minutes then remove from heat and allow your kuih pelita to cool before serving.

Japanese Pudding (Purin)

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For the Caramel Sauce
In a saucepan, dissolve sugar and 100ml water over low heat. Let it simmer for 10 mins and when the sauce starts to thicken and turns dark brown, turn off heat. Carefully add 2 tbsp of boiling water and stir to slightly thin out the sauce (mixture might splatter due to the heat).
Pour the caramel into 7-8 ramekins. Set aside and let the caramel thicken naturally.

For the Custard
Combine 10g of gelatine powder and 60 ml of water and let it stand for 1 minute. Then microwave on high for 30-40 seconds and stir. Set aside until ready to use.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.
In a medium saucepan, heat 200ml milk over medium heat until the milk is warm to the touch. Add the warm milk to the egg yolk while whisking constantly. Furthermore, add gelatine mixture and mix well. Remove from heat.
Strain the mixture to get a smooth creamy texture. When done, add the remaining 200 ml milk and vanilla extract and continue to whisk it all together.
Pour the mixture into the ramekins and over the hardened caramel sauce. Cover the ramekins and steam for about 10-15mins or until they start to jiggle and not liquid.
Cool ramekins till room temperature, transfer to fridge and chill for minimum 3 hours.
To serve, run a small sharp knife around the edge of each ramekin to loosen the custard. Invert a plate over the ramekins and flip over quickly. The purin should slide out, otherwise tap the bottom of the ramekins to push it out.
Top the purin with fruit slices or berries and whipped cream and serve cold.

Indonesian Layered Cake (Kek Lapis)

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To Cook
Preheat oven to 200°C. Warm up a 25cm square tin before greasing and lining the base with baking paper.
Cream butter, condensed milk and rum liquor at medium speed for about 5-10 mins until fluffy and creamy. Add in the sifted flour and spice. Mix well and set aside.
Whisk egg yolks and sugar at max speed until thick. Add this into the butter mixture from the previous step and mix well.
Whisk egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar at max speed until stiff.
With a spatula fold ⅓ of the egg whites into the batter mixture. Fold the rest of the egg whites until thoroughly combined.
For the first layer, spread a small amount of batter (about 130g for a 25cm tin), on the warm tin and bake till golden on the center rack. This will take about 5-7mins. You will need to weigh the amount of batter for each layer in order to achieve even layers for the cake.
For the second layer onwards, increase the oven temp to 230-240°C and place a baking tray of water on the bottom rack.
Spread 130 gms of batter over the first layer and bake for 3-4 minutes on the top rack.
Use a kuih lapis press to lightly press each baked layer before adding a new layer.
The heat from the baked layers will melt the batter for each subsequent layer, helping you evenly spread out each layer. Continue baking the cake layer by layer until the batter is used up. If using a 23cm baking tin, weigh out about 100gm of batter for each layer. Using a smaller baking tray will yield a taller kuih lapis which some find more aesthetically pleasing, but will require a longer cooking time due to the increased number of layers.

Peanut Glutinous Rice Ball (Loh Mai Chee)

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To Prepare Peanut Filling
Mix peanuts, caster sugar and oil in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.

To Make Mochi
On a baking tray, sprinkle potato starch liberally. Set aside.
Into a medium-sized bowl, mix flour, water and sugar until well combined.
Cover the bowl with cling wrap. Ensure that it is taut over the top of the bowl, but leaving a small gap on the side to allow the steam to escape.
Microwave for 2 mins.
Carefully fold over the cling wrap and, with a wooden or silicone spatula, quickly stir the dough.
Fold back cling wrap to cover the bowl again with a small gap as before.
Microwave for 1 more min before removing and mixing again.
Tip hot dough onto the tray with potato starch. Gently roll the dough over so that the entire surface is completely dusted with starch.
Using a dough cutter, cut dough into 6 equal portions.
Ensuring your hands are well powdered with the starch, flatten 1 piece of dough to approximately 4cm across. Place dough on one palm and using a pastry brush, brush off access starch on the top surface. Place 1 tsp peanut filling on the dough. Pinch opposite sides of the dough to seal in the filling until the dough has completely sealed in the filling.
Place Loh Mai Chee on the starched tray.
Repeat to make up the other dough and filling.
Once completed, brush off access starch on the surface and place Loh Mai Chee on a serving dish.

Kuih Talam

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To Prep
Prepare a steamer large enough to fit an 8 inch square baking pan.
Grease an 8 inch baking tin with a generous layer of cooking oil.
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients for pandan layer and stir over medium heat until batter starts to thicken. Remove from heat.
Pour batter into the prepared tin, steam for 20 mins on medium heat.
Carefully remove lid of the steamer every 6-8 mins to wipe away water forming on the lid to prevent from dripping on the kuih.
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients for coconut layer and stir over medium heat until batter starts to thicken. Remove from heat.
Pour coconut layer batter onto pandan layer and steam for 20 mins on medium heat.
Cool completely, or overnight before slicing the Kuih Talam to serve.