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.
Dessert
Peanut Glutinous Rice Ball (Loh Mai Chee)
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
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.
Pearl Milk Tea Popsicles
To Cook
In a saucepan, bring water to boil over high heat. Reduce to medium low, add tea and simmer for 5 mins. Cover saucepan with lid, remove from heat and set aside for 10 mins.
Add condensed milk to a measuring cup/jug. Use a small sieve to strain tea over, pressing excess liquid from tea leaves. Use a whisk/fork to mix together.
Using a fork/slotted spoon, add 5-6 pearls to the bottom of popsicle mould. Pour milk tea mixture to fill halfway. Freeze for 1-2 hrs or until almost frozen.
Add remaining pearls into each mould and fill to the top with remaining milk tea mixture. Insert popsicle sticks and freeze until solid.
To serve, run mould under hot water for several seconds. Gently pull popsicle stick to remove. Serve immediately.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee Popsicles
To Prep
Add Vietnamese ground coffee into a large Vietnamese coffee filter. Push down with press. Pour a splash of hot water over coffee grounds. Sit for 30 secs.
Pour remaining water over coffee (you may have to do this in stages). All to drip through to make about ¾ cups of brewed coffee.
To Cook
Add 200g condensed milk to a measuring cup/jug. Pour in hot coffee and ½ cup cream, and stir well to combine. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
In a separate measuring cup/jug, add remaining condensed milk and cream, and stir to combine. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until chilled.
Pour in Vietnamese coffee mixture to fill popsicle mould three quarters of the way. Set in freezer for 1-2 hrs or until almost frozen.
Insert popsicle stick and top up with cream mixture. Set in freezer until completely frozen.
To serve, run popsicle mould under hot water for several seconds. Gently pull on popsicle stick to remove. Serve immediately.
Indonesian Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup (Wedang Ronde)
To Make the Ginger Syrup
Combine the ginger, lemongrass, pandan leaves, sugar and 500ml of water in to a saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
After 15 mins of simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat and strain the syrup to remove the larger ingredients.
Set the syrup aside.
To Make the Rice Balls
In a food processor or blender, mix the roasted peanuts and sugar together.
In a separate mixing bowl, place the glutinous flour and slowly pour in the water while kneading the flour.
Continue to pour the water until the dough has a started to take a play dough like consistency.
Divide the dough in to about 20 small balls. If you want to add colours to the dough, do it now while dividing the dough.
Roll out one of the balls in to a flat disc and place about a teaspoon of the peanut filling in to the centre.
Curl up the sides around the filling and roll the dough to return it to a ball shape and then repeat with the rest of the dough.
To avoid the rice balls from drying out, cover them with a damp towel.
To Cook the Rice Balls
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then gently drop each ball in to it.
Cook the rice balls until they begin to float and then remove them from the pot.
To serve, place a few of the rice balls in to a bowl and ladle over some of the ginger syrup.
Indonesian Honeycomb Cake (Bika Ambon)
To Cook
In a small pot, pour in coconut milk and add turmeric powder, kaffir lime leaves and sugar. Simmer on low heat for 3 mins, stirring to mix. Allow to heat up but do not boil. Remove and allow to cool down till warm. Put in yeast and allow to sit for 15 mins until the mixture starts to foam. Remove the kaffir lime leaves and discard.
In a large mixing bowl, put in tapioca flour, salt and eggs. Gently stir to combine well. Slowly add in coconut milk and yeast mixture and gently whisk until batter is smooth. Cover with a cling wrap and allow to sit for 3 hrs in room temperature. If it is cold where you are, preheat the oven to 35°C. Turn off and allow the batter to sit inside the preheated oven. Once ready, there will be bubbles all over the batter to indicate that the yeast is active.
Preheat oven to 165°C. Using a loaf pan, brush the pan with some oil and line the entire pan with parchment paper. Gently stir the batter to mix the ingredients well again then pour the batter into the pan. Place pan on the 3rd rack from top and bake for 50 mins–1 hr. To test if the cake is ready, the cake should not jiggle when you shake the pan. You can also place a clean toothpick into the centre of the cake. The toothpick should come out clean.
Place the cake at the lowest rack and broil on low to slightly brown the top. Watch the process carefully to ensure the top does not get burnt.
Carefully remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 mins before removing the cake from the pan. Slice the cake once cooled and enjoy with a cup of tea!
Creamy Coconut and Pandan Jelly
To Prepare
Boil the pandan leaves in a pot of water for about 10 minutes to draw out the flavour. Add 2-3 drops of green food colouring into the pot and stir. Transfer the water to a bowl and set aside.
Boil the coconut water over high heat in a pot. When the coconut water starts to boil, add the 1 tbsp of gelatin powder and stir until the gelatin powder has dissolved fully.
Add 2 tbsp of the boiled pandan water and 1⁄2 cup of white sugar and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Pour the mixture into a jelly mold or any container and fill ¾ of the selected mold/container. Place the mold into the fridge.
Add a cup of water to a pot on high heat, then add 1 tbsp of gelatin powder and stir until fully dissolved. Add 1 tbsp of corn flour, 1 tsp of salt and ¼ cup of coconut milk. Stir until the mixture has combined well.
Add ½ cup of sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Add ¾ cup of coconut milk and stir. Wait until the mixture has cooled down before taking out the green pandan jelly from the fridge. Pour the new mixture onto the previous container of pandan jelly. Return the mold/container to the fridge to set.
After the jelly has fully set, it is ready to be served.
Thai Milk Tea Pudding
To Prepare
Put the gelatin papers into the cold water for 5-7 mins. If using gelatin powder, mix it with water, then stir until well mixed. Set aside for approximately 5 mins (until the gelatin mixture looks like jelly).
Boil the Thai Black Tea in 2 cups of water (leaving it to boil for about 5 mins).
Filter the Thai Black tea using the tea filter/teabag/filter cloth. Make sure that you get 1½ cups of filtered Thai tea.
Mix the condensed milk and evaporated milk with the prepared Thai tea.
Add the gelatin and stir until the mixture is properly mixed.
Transfer the Thai tea gelatin mixture into the serving glass (to fill only ¾ of the glass).
Put the glasses into the fridge for 2-3 hours for the pudding to form.
Lastly, add the whipping cream on top of the Thai tea pudding and garnish with mint leaves.
Thai Milk Tea Blondie
To Prepare
Boil the Thai Black Tea by adding it into the boiling hot water (leaving it to boil for around 5 minutes). Filter the Thai Black Tea using the tea filter/teabag/filter cloth. Mix well and sift all the ingredients for coating and set aside.
Melt the white chocolate, salted butter and sugar by putting them into the microwaveable container. Then microwave them using the highest heat for 1-2 minutes, making sure they are fully melted. Note that the three ingredients might not properly combine but should be properly combined after the next step.
Add 2 eggs into the mixture and mix well using the egg whisk.
Add the all-purpose flour, milk powder, baking soda and baking powder into the mixture and mix well (slowly add one ingredient then continually mix).
Add the prepared Thai Milk Tea and mix properly. The mixture will turn light orange in colour.
Add the macadamia or chosen nuts on top of the blondie (optional).
Preheat the oven and ensure that both upper and lower heat settings are on.
Prepare the baking tray by cutting the parchment paper in the shape of the baking tray. Rub the butter inside the baking tray, then place the parchment paper on top. Place the parchment paper firmly against the bottom of the baking tray to ensure that it sticks.
Add the Thai Milk Tea blondie mixture into the baking tray.
Place the baking tray in the oven and bake it at 180℃. Place the lid or another baking tray to cover the baking tray with blondie mixture (in order to prevent the blondie surface from burning). Bake for 20-30 mins. Note: Try 20 mins first and if the blondie is not well-cooked, leave it in for an additional 5-10 mins.
Serve with vanilla ice-cream (optional).
Note: The blondie colour may vary based on the tea brand.
Sweet Potato Onde Onde
To Prepare
Steam until soft and mash the orange and purple sweet potatoes separately.
Add half of the glutinous rice flour to the purple potatoes and the other half to the orange potatoes.
Add 1-2 tbsp water to each potato mixture.
Roll the dough into small balls and make a hole in each one. Add the palm sugar, seal the sugar in and roll into smooth balls.
Heat up water in a pot and cook once the water is simmering. The onde onde are cooked after approximately 3 mins or when they rise to the surface.
Cover the onde onde in grated coconut and prepare to serve.
Pear and Snow Fungus Dessert Soup
To Prepare
Pour the water into a pot and bring it to a boil.
Add the other ingredients, letting it cook on high heat.
When the water starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking for 15 mins.
Serve hot or cold.