Asian Inspirations

Discover the authentic in Asian cuisine food

Dessert

Matcha Green Tea Sponge Cake

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To Bake
Preheat oven at 155°C. Line the bottom of a 20cm round cake pan and grease the sides.
In a large bowl, add in the egg yolks, milk and oil, whisk until well combined.
Sift in the cake flour and matcha green tea powder and mix until well combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, pour in the egg white and use an electric mixer to beat until foamy.
Add in the cream of tartar and beat for a few seconds.
Gradually add in the sugar while beating until all sugar is added and the meringue is in firm peak form.
Divide the meringue into 3 portions. Fold one portion into the yolk batter until well mixed before folding in the next portion.
When all meringue and yolk batter is well combined, pour into the greased cake pan. Shake the pan slightly to even out the top and remove big bubbles.
Place the cake pan in a deep tray and pour hot water into the tray to 2cm high to make water bath.
Bake in the oven for 1 hr 20-25 mins. Use a cake tester to check if it’s cooked. Bake a little longer if it isn’t and check again. If the cake is cooked, close the oven door and turn off the heat.
Open the oven door slightly to let cool slowly, for about 10-15 mins.
Remove from oven and invert the cake on a flat plate, then peel off the liner. Invert again onto a wire rack to let cool completely.

To Decorate
Dust some matcha green tea powder and icing sugar, top with some strawberries. Serve.

Matcha Green Tea Parfait

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To Make Whipped Cream
In a medium bowl, add in the cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.

To Make Matcha Cream
In a medium bowl, add in the cream, icing sugar and sift in the matcha powder. Whisk until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.

For Matcha Syrup
Bring the water and sugar to a boil, then simmer for 3 mins. Remove from heat and let cool
Sift in matcha powder and whisk until well combined.

To Prep Sponge Cake
Use a cake leveller or serrated knife to cut the sponge cake to about 1.5cm thick, then use a serving glass to cut out the circles from the sponge cake.

To Serve
Place a piece of round sponge cake at the bottom of the serving glass. Scoop some matcha syrup over the cake for it to soak.
Pipe a layer of matcha cream and then a layer of whipped cream on top. Repeat until you reach the top of the glass.
Add a layer of red bean paste. You may add a little water to the red bean paste if it is too thick.
Top with matcha ice cream and serve immediately.

Egg Custard Tarts

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To Prep
To prepare the water dough, place the flour, egg and salt in a food processor.
Pulse to form a crumb.
Slowly add ice water until dough comes together to form a ball.
Divide the dough in half, then wrap both dough balls in cling wrap. Refrigerate for 30 mins.
To make the butter dough, combine the flour and chilled butter in a food processor. Pulse until a paste forms.
Roll out one ball of water dough between two pieces of cling wrap or baking paper.
Scoop half of the dough onto the middle of the water dough. Spread out roughly using a rubber spatula.
Fold one side of the water dough to cover the butter dough. Fold the other side over. Pinch the ends to seal and cover with cling wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 20 mins.
Repeat with second batch of dough.
On a floured sheet of cling wrap, transfer one piece of dough. Cover with another sheet of cling wrap. Roll out into a rectangle about 1-2cm thick.
Fold the two sides to meet in the middle, then fold in half.
Cover in cling wrap. Repeat with second batch of dough.
Repeat steps 10-12 another three times.

To Cook
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
To make the custard filling, place the sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat until almost boiled and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Mix the eggs, milk and sugar syrup together until well combined.
Pass through a sieve 2-3 times, or until custard filling is smooth without any bubbles. Set aside.
Roll the dough out to about 3mm thick.
Place a tart mould onto the pastry. Cut out a circle slightly larger than the pastry.
Press the pastry lightly into the mould. Trim any excess with a knife. Place onto the lined baking tray.
Pour the custard filling into the tart shells until about ¾ full.
Bake for 20 mins, or until custard is slightly wobbly and pastry is golden brown.
Once cooked, turn off heat and allow tarts to sit in the oven with door ajar for 5-10 mins.
Carefully remove tarts from moulds, then serve warm.

Korean Red Bean Doughnuts (Chapssal Donuts)

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To Prep
Grease 2 large plates or trays and set aside.
Combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl and mix until they are well combined.
Divide the paste into 10-15 equal-sized pieces and roll in to ball shapes. Place them on one greased plate or tray and cover with cling wrap.
Sieve the flours into a large mixing bowl and mix together before adding the butter and hot water and kneading to make one large piece of dough.
Divide the dough into 10-15 equal-sized balls before place onto the second greased plate or tray. Cover with a damp tea towel.
Roll out one ball of dough and wrap it around one ball of the paste and seal the dough around it. Repeat with the rest of the dough and paste.

To Cook
Pour enough oil in a pot to fry the doughnuts and heat it up to 150°C.
Place a batch of the doughnuts into the pot and fry until golden brown in colour. Use a spoon to stir occasionally to ensure that the balls cook evenly and don’t stick to the bottom.
When the doughnuts have cooked, transfer them from the oil to some paper towels to drain while they cool down.
When the doughnuts have cooled down, coat them with caster sugar and serve!

Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes

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To Make Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 175°C. Line the cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Sift the dry ingredients into a small bowl and mix well with a whisk. Set aside.
In a large bowl, pour in the wet ingredients and use a whisk to beat until well combined.
Pour in the dry ingredients in small batches, using the whisk to mix slowly. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the flour off the side and bottom, mix until everything is well combined.
Scoop the batter evenly into the cupcake liners.
Place in the oven and bake for 17 mins. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cupcake and remove. If the toothpick is not clean, bake for another 5 mins and check again. If it comes out clean, turn off the heat.
Open the oven door slightly to let the cupcakes cool slowly for about 10-15 mins, then remove from oven and let cool on wirerack.

To Make Frosting
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients and use a whisk to beat until thickened and smooth.
Place whipped cream into a piping bag with a round tip and top the cream onto the cupcakes.
Using a sieve, dust the matcha green tea powder on the cream.

Rice Cooker Pancake

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To Cook
Add eggs, milk and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
Sift over the self raising flour and caster sugar. Whisk through until batter is fairly smooth but with a few lumps.
Grease rice cooker bowl with butter.
Pour over half of the pancake batter.
Cook the pancake using the white rice setting on your rice cooker, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once timer has finished, use a toothpick to test if it has cooked. If still raw, cook again.
Once fully cooked and toothpick comes out clean and pancake springs back when touched, remove from rice cooker and allow to cool for 5-10 mins.
Repeat with remaining batter. Carefully transfer onto a plate by inverting. Dust over icing sugar, spoon over berries and drizzle with maple syrup, then serve.

Rice Cooker Cheesecake

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To Cook
Beat the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth and lump-free.
Next, add the egg yolks and whisk in until smooth. Repeat with sugar and lemon juice, making sure batter is completely smooth before adding the next ingredient.
Sift over the flour, then whisk through gently until smooth.
Pour in milk and whisk gently until smooth.
In a separate clean bowl, add egg whites. Whisk or beat until stiff peaks form.
Using a rubber spatula, add a spatula worth of egg white and beat into the cheesecake mixture to loosen.
Next, gently fold in one third of remaining egg white, making sure not to deflate egg whites. Some egg white streaks are okay. Repeat with remaining egg white.
Grease rice cooker bowl well with butter.
Pour in the cheesecake mixture, then cook using the white rice setting, or according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your rice cooker.
When fully cooked, the cake should pull away from the sides and spring back when touched. If undercooked, cook again until done.
Once cooked, remove bowl from rice cooker and allow to cool for 10-15 mins.
Carefully remove cheesecake by inverting onto a plate. Allow to cool completely before garnishing with berries and serving.

Musang King Durian Cake

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To Prep
Blend the 120g of durian flesh with the 2 tbsp of milk, making sure the durian flesh are soft.
Lightly grease and flour a loaf cake tin, set aside.
Sift flour and salt, set aside.
Preheat the oven at 170°C.

To Bake
Beat butter and sugar till light, creamy and fluffy at high speed.
Add in eggs one at a time, mix well.
Stir in blended durian and mix to combine.
Divide the sifted flour into 4 portions. Fold in 1 portion into the batter and mix well, scraping from the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl.
Mix in 2 tbsp of buttermilk.
Repeat again twice, ending with the 4th portion of flour.
Pour a thin layer to the cake pan, sprinkle sliced durian chunks, then pour another layer of batter. Repeat until all batter is transferred to the cake tin.
Bake in preheated oven for 55-60 mins (baking time is longer as this cake contains durian flesh). Test with a skewer until it comes out clean. Let cake cool in mould for about 5-10 mins, before removing onto a wire rack to cool.

Yuzu Sorbet

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To Make
Heat yuzu juice and sugar in a pot gently until the sugar dissolves completely and the liquid becomes clear.
Stir in water. Then, pour the liquid into a bowl. Submerge the base of the bowl into another bowl of iced water to allow to cool below room temperature.
Pour cooled liquid into an ice cream maker and churn for about 90 mins.
Remove and serve. Store remaining sorbet in the freezer.

Warabi Mochi

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To Prep
On a clean and dry baking tray, dust some soybean flour to cover the surface. Set aside.
Combine warabiko, sugar and water into a medium saucepan, mix well.

To Cook
Bring the mixture to boil over medium heat.
Lower the heat, stir fast and hard with a wooden spatula, making sure to stir through the bottom of the saucepan. Stir for about 10 mins or until the mixture is translucent and bubbles popping (boiling).
Remove from heat and transfer the mochi onto the floured baking tray. Dust more soybean flour over the mochi to cover the surface. Let cool.
Add more soybean flour to the baking tray.
Cut the mochi into cubes and toss in the soybean flour to make sure all surfaces are covered.
Transfer to a serving plate and serve with kuromitsu.

Valentine’s Nama Chocolate

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To Cook
Mix cream and honey in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat.
Pour cream and honey mixture over dark chocolate, mix well until it is smooth.
Add butter and mix well.
Pour mixture into a heart shape silicone mould. Put into freezer for at least 3 hrs or until set.
Carefully remove from mould and dust with strawberry powder.

Osmanthus Jelly

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To Prep
Combine gelatin powder with 100ml water, mix well and set aside.

To Cook
Pour 600ml water and dried osmanthus, if using, in a pot and bring to boil, then lower to medium heat.
Optional: use a mesh strainer to remove some of the osmanthus for a smoother texture.
Mix in the rehydrated gelatin and stir until dissolved.
Pour in the rock sugar and stir until dissolved.
Add in the goji berries and osmanthus jam or honey. Mix well and remove from heat. Let cool.
Pour into a mould and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs.