Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes ... 2nd Attempt and Tips

After my first attempt of baking Hokkaido Chiffon Cupcakes, I kept on thinking how to improve the cake better. I browsed and read several blogs on making this cake and also talked to my friend.

While the experience and learning were still fresh in my mind, few days later, I tried baking this cake for the 2nd time.

I only have one mixer at home. In my 1st attempt, I used mixer to whisk egg yolk and hand whisk for egg whites. This time round, I decided to hand whisk the egg yolk and use mixer to beat egg whites.

  

The result is a much firmer peak of egg whites.

Top: 1st attempt. Bottom: 2nd attempt

In this 2nd attempt, I baked the cupcakes for 20 minutes and those cupcakes look nicer with better rise, more brown and crisp on the top. 

The cupcakes were fluffier and it was much easier for me to pipe whipped cream into the cupcakes. 



Left: 1st attempt. Right: 2nd attempt



For the 1st attempt, I took the cupcakes out from the fridge the following day and dusted the cupcakes with icing sugar. Due to condensation, the icing sugar got wet and melt. The snowy look on top of the cupcakes disappear.

For the 2nd attempt, I wanted to take photos of the cupcakes and as such, I dusted the cupcakes with icing sugar right after I piped the whipped cream. I put the cupcakes into container. The following day, I took the cupcakes out from fridge and the icing sugar did not melt and there was snowy look on top of the cupcakes. This is great! My friend who shared this cupcake with me asked me the same question ie how to sustain the snowy look on top of the cupcakes. I realised this is common issue that most people faced.



After I posted the picture of the 2nd attempt of the cupcakes on my Facebook, I received several good comments on the cupcakes. I did pay attention on the photography angle, background, lighting, etc when I took this photo and the result of the photo was so much better as compared to the 1st attempt photo.



Left: 1st attempt. Right: 2nd attempt

 The 2nd attempt cake has higher height as the cake rise better and much fluffier.

As the cupcakes were fluffier, the whipped cream that I piped also went inside the cake.

Oh ya ... one final tips. During my first attempt of baking this cake, I had sudden visit of guest. So, my Hubby and kids came down and asked for this and that. Whereas in this 2nd attempt, it was just my maid and me and we could bake the cake peacefully in the kitchen without any interruptions in the kitchen. This has proven right several times. We must have a calm and peaceful mind and not rushing and disturbed mind. The cake can sense the mood in the baker and react accordingly.

Carnation's Kitchen Secrets and Cooking Workshop with Amy Beh

16 Jun 12

Today, I brought my 3rd Auntie from Kluang to Tesco Kepong. She wanted to have a walk there and I wanted to do my groceries shopping at Tesco too. 

As we went up the escalator, I saw this banner on Carnation's Evaporated Creamer. It was written "Kitchen Secrets Cooking workshop with Amy Beh".

Amy Beh is my idol. In fact, she's my first baking teacher and her book "At Home with Amy Beh" by The Star is the very first cooking book that I refer to and had my hands on and ... they work! After several successful attempts, it gave me the confidence to cook and bake more. Nowadays, I always search and refer to her recipes on The Star Online's Kuali.

When we were there, it was 12pm+ and the cooking workshop was at 2.30pm. I saw Amy Beh getting ready and preparing for the cooking workshop. I couldn't recognise her as she looked younger than what I remembered her to be from her cooking book. I spoke to her and she must had seen the excitement in me and suggested that I register for the workshop.

We only need to pay RM10 for the workshop and received a goodies bag with the above items ... 2 cans of Carnation evaporated creamer, 2 Carnation recipe books with recipes created by Amy Beh, a towel and a mug in a recycle bag. I registered for my 3rd Auntie and also for my youngest sister to attend the workshop together.

The cooking workshop at the entrance of Tesco Kepong

Amy Beh promoting Carnation which contains Vitaman A and D

Amy Beh first demonstrated how to cook Nasi Dagang. The recipes are all available in the recipes book given to us.

Once the rice is cook, stir in shallots and ginger and toss well. Amy Beh did not recommend to fry the shallots or ginger as the taste does not go well with Nasi Dagang.

The second dish that Amy Beh demonstrated was Thai Green Curry.

The green curry that we cook at home is from ready made paste that we bought from Bangkok. This recipe from Amy Beh shows how to make and blend green curry paste from scratch.

 A TV screen is projected to have a better view of Amy Beh's cooking.

What I like about this recipe is that it replaces coconut santan with Carnation evaporated creamer, which is healthier.

There was a question from the floor that asked for the age of Amy Beh. There were lots and lots of guesses from the floor. Some guessed she's in her 40s, while others guessed she's in her 50s. Amy Beh was so happy with our guesses.

 To our surprise, Amy Beh is 67 years old this year.

She thanked Carnation for making her food healthier, taste nicer and made her looks so much younger. She also believes in living happier as laughter make a person looks younger too.

The 3rd food that was demonstrated by Amy Beh is the Steamed Chocolate Cupcakes with Raisins.

Volunteers helping to spoon cupcake batter into cupcake liners.

The cupcakes were steamed for 10-12 minutes. I've never tried steamed cupcakes and find this to be very interesting.

Amy Beh said she likes to steam cupcakes because the cakes are more moist and have softer texture.

Amy Beh also brought some cupcakes that she pre-made the night before. She added Kahlua and almond nibs to these cupcakes.

All of us had enough cupcakes to taste.

The last dish that Amy Beh demonstrated was the Creamy Soup of Happiness.

She added 2 cans of evaporated ceamer into the big pot of soups. Initially, my sister and I did not think the soup would be nice as it's very seldom for soup to have evaporated creamer added.

But after we've tried it, we thought the soup was nice. It tasted like Fish Head Noodle soup. Amy Beh also suggested that we may add mee hoon to the soup and have it for lunch ... which is what we are going to have for tomorrow's lunch.

There is a series of this cooking working on Carnation's Kitchen Secrets.

My sister and I brought Amy Beh's cooking books "At Home with Amy Beh" all the 3 series by The Star for her to autograph.

Treasure the memories. Thank you Amy Beh for being my baking teacher (without you knowing it), thank you for the autographs and thank you for the photos.

3rd Auntie had her books autographed by Amy Beh too.

The sweet MC for the workshop.

The workshop lasted for about 1.5 hours and ended at 4.10pm.

I am glad that we went to Tesco Kepong today. Otherwise, we would have missed this interesting cooking workshop and meeting up with Amy Beh.

Strawberry Pavlova at The Food Studio, Amarin Kiara

16 Nov 2010

Electrolux has been running the promotion "Unleash the Chef Extraordinaire in You" since May 2010. I've since invited a few friends who had bought houses and would need to furnish their kitchen with kitchen appliances.

The funny thing is I've never made it myself to any of the cooking classes conducted at The Food Studio for the last 6 months until I knew there would be Strawberry Pavlova class on 16 Nov 2010. Despite I've been baking Pavlova several times and the good feedback that I received, I had never seen how its been done and how it looks like, except from magazines and internet.

There were last minute cancellation by participants just a day before the class and hence, I invited my best friend Christina and Hubby to come along for the Pavlova class.

The Food Studio is located at Amarin Kiara, Mont Kiara, a freehold semi-detached house development nestled on a hill over-looking Mt Kiara and next to Kiaramas.

The Food Studio kitchen equipped with Electrolux home appliances.

Christina and Hubby chat with the chef and owner of the cooking house, Paul Neukirch before the class commenced. Hubby was talking to Paul about oven, its temperature and oven cannibalisation.

Paul explained to us the menu and ingredients for Pavlova and also the baking method in details.

The making of caramel ... butter, sugar, orange juice with blackberry.

During the class, Paul shared some baking tips. For making meringue, we should use room temperature eggs so that they would rise easier. The bowl used to beat egg white must be clean and with no old stain.

Meringue ... 4 eggs white, icing sugar, corn flour (for stabilisation) and white vinegar (to retain moist inside the meringue). Bake at 110 Celsius for 1.5 hours.

To decorate the mini pavlova, whip whipping cream at high speed. Spread whipping cream onto the meringue and decorate with strawberry, raspberry, blueberries, caramel and mint leaves.

The one on the left was decorated by me and the one on the right was decorated by the chef, Paul. I still need lots of improvement.

This mini pavlova is yummy ... crispy on the outside, moist in the inside. The sweet taste of the meringue and whipped cream goes very well with the citrus taste of strawberry, raspberry and cranberry.


Photos for the album. 7 of us attended the class which started at 10am and finish at 12.30pm.

We had a good chat with Paul on his culinary profession, Michelin starred restaurant and his upcoming HD cooking show on AFC, Astro.

By the way ... this is the first time Hubby and I attend baking class together.

Culinary Experience with Rohani Jelani at Bayan Indah

31 Jul 10

I was invited by Audrey from Audrey Cooks to join a group of Food Blogger to attend "Fun Cooking with Rohani" at Bayan Indah. Bayan Indah has been nominated as one of the best cooking school in Asia and is the only Malaysian site recommended as Top 10 of The 2009 Saveur 100 of things to do in the World. The property was also Malaysia's House of the Year 2008.

Initially, I was thinking if I should join the class. I've not attended and it has never cross my mind to attend and learn Malaysian cooking, something that I've taken for granted. I was also uncomfortable as most of the participants are food blogger, I mean those famous one. And it was also the weekend before Jared's school exams. Looks like I had lots of excuses for not attending. Then, mother in-law and Hubby encouraged me to do something different with different group of people.

The class was to start at 9.30am. Bayan Indah is located in Kg Sg Penchala and Audrey decided to leave early for the place in case we get lost. We reached Bayan Indah before 9am and this gave me the opportunities to look around and take these beautiful photos.

Bayan Indah ... the Culinary Retreat, surrounded with green.


The Malaysian style of setting and design with open, spacious kitchen.


The stylish accommodation, the living hall, the seminar room and long bath with greenery view.
The participants and menu for the day.

FBB brought his famous Tim Cake for Rohani and Rohani was kind enough to share it with us.

We were served with this Cucuk Udang before the start of our class and also served with Lime and Mint drink during the cooking class.

Briefing by Rohani before the start of our class. She briefed us on what to expect, the food that we were going to learn, tips, ingredients, etc.

In the midst of the briefing, Rohani showed us some of the herbs that we would use from the garden.

Ayam Rendang


Nasi Dagang with Masak Lemak Ikan Tongkol and Acar Timun.

Mee Rebus

It's all about presentation. The picture at the bottom left is before Rohani's touch. Bottom middle shows the touch by Rohani and tada ... the bottom right shows the much improved food presentation.

Soto Ayam


Kuih Talam Pandan


Bengka Ubi.
Watch all those cameras ... Food Blogger in action.

Our team ... Audrey and Annie and we learned Nasi Dagang with Masak Lemak Ikan Tongkol and Acar Timun, Mee Rebus and Bengka Ubi.

There were lots of laughter, fun and jokes during the class.

Food cooked by the 5 teams (13 of us) and lunch for the day.

Photo for the album.

I can't really remember all the names and I must attempt to note them down here. They were such a fun group of people to spend the Saturday with.

• Rohani Jelani of Bayan Indah
• Audrey of Audrey Cooks
• Cheng Yi of Fat Boy Bakes
• Pick Shan of Babe in the City KL
• Meena of A Whiff of Lemongrass
• Chris of Pure Glutton
• Alice of Jom Makan
• Nigel of Just Heavenly
• Ryonn of Chaokar Smokes
• Cyrene of Sew Handy Stuff
• GFAD
• Annie
• Wai Hoong

These are the peoples that I've read so much about in magazines, newspaper, blogs, etc and it was great to meet them in person in such a serene place, with nice food and great fun. It was surely a Fun Cooking day. This is life!

Thanks Audrey for the invitation and Thanks to Pick Shan for organising it.

I'm so glad of meeting Rohani Jelani and proud that Malaysia has Bayan Indah. Bayan Indah is a perfect place for culinary retreat, away from home and hustle and bustle of KL city, without having to drive or fly far away.

I'll be going to Bayan Indah again ... we are going to have our company's meeting at Bayan Indah and has signed up for its seminar package for 20 pax. My colleagues have read and heard of Bayan Indah and Rohani Jelani. They are so excited about going to Bayan Indah, and the food that we are going to enjoy, much excited than the meeting proper. So much so that I have to contain their excitement.