Aspiring Bakers #12: Kuih Lapis 九层糕 v2.0

I love my kueh and was very happy that this month's aspiring bakers theme is traditional kuih. Can't wait to submit a recipe but has been very busy because of a teething baby.

I initially tried out kuih talam but failed. It was too soft even to cut. Tastewise, its quite alright.

Anyway, my pandan leaves are almost botak already so I guessed I need to submit another recipe.

Stumble across this kueh lapis from a blog and tried it because it uses Hoen Kwe Flour aka Green Bean Flour. Usually the ones i saw uses tapioca starch.

I am very happy with the results as the kuih is not too soft, just perfectly chewy. I need to improve my cutting skills though.

Look at my previous attempt with a different recipe here.

I will be submitting this recipe to Aspiring Bakers #12 - Traditional Kueh hosted by Small Small Baker (SSB). 


Kuih Lapis 九层糕 v2.0
(Adapted from: Diana's Desserts)
**Make a 7" Round Tin

Ingredients: 

(A)
160gm Rice Flour
20gm Hoen Kwe Flour (White)
150ml Water

250ml thick coconut milk (squeezed from 1 grated coconut)
1/4 tsp. salt 

(B)
190g castor sugar
300ml water
2–3 screwpine leaves (pandan leaves), knotted

Some RED food Colouring

To prepare mixture:

1. Combine rice flour, hoen kwe flour and 150ml water in a mixing bowl. Let soak for 45 minutes. 

2. Boil castor sugar, 300ml water and pandan leaves together in a saucepan till you can smell the aroma of pandan leaves.

3. Add in the thick coconut milk and salt into the rice flour mixture after 45 minutes.

4. Add in the syrup as well.

5. Stir to combine. Sieve mixture. 

6. Divide mixture into 2 parts. 400ml and 500ml. 500ml will be your red and 400ml will be your white.

To steam:

- Steam the round tin in boiling water for about 4-5 minutes. Start by pouring in 100ml of RED first.

- Steam for 3 minutes.

- Alternate by continuing with white, then red, and so on.

- This is the timing I did. 

1st and 2nd layers: 3 minutes. 

3rd and 4th layers: 4 minutes. 

5th and 6th layers: 5 minutes.

7th and 8th layers: 6 minutes.

9th layer: 15 minutes. (Add in more food colouring in the last layer)

- When kuih is done steaming, remove for steamer and leave to completely cool before cutting.

Angry Birds Fondant Cupcakes + Updates

So I have been missing for about 2 weeks. What have I been doing?

I made paus. Wendy's Purple Sweet Potatoes Rose Mantous. Butternut Squash Mantous from Carol's book. No attempt on fillings though cuz I am just too lazy to handle raw meat. Also baked 2 Pandan Chiffon Cake, made another batch of Dragon Fruit Agar-agar Mooncakes for my aunts.

Next, I have been making dinner 3 times a week. That's an improvement for me because knowing me and hubby, we are those who love to eat out. But eating out has been quite stressful lately because we just run out of ideas of what to eat. Therefore, I started cooking. For the sake of hubby's body weight, and Sam's solids.

Samantha is turning ONE in December therefore I realised after that, I cannot be ignorant and must start introducing adult food for her already. Not those seasoning-filled food though but real adult food like chicken, fish etc etc... Nowadays when I cook, I will boil some chinese soup. Lotus root, watercress vege, ABC soup.. All natural with chicken or pork. Before I season with salt, I will scoop about 300ml out and reserve for Samantha's porridge stock.

So I have also been planning Samantha's First Birthday Party and I am getting quite frustrated already. (More on that in another blogpost.) I was planning to make a fondant cake for my girl but decided against it after I went to search for more info on it. I think its too hard for a beginner baker for me and I would need to do a lot of practise and its a bit too late to take up classes. I search for some fondant lessons and most of them its either too close to Sam's birthday or its not detail enough. In the end, I found this Angry Birds Fondant cupcakes lesson on the net and I enrolled myself.

Here is my creation:

I finish all 6 pcs of fondant decorations in 3 1/2 hours. The cupcakes are prepared and colours are all mixed and rolled even when I arrived. We just need to spread buttercream and start covering the cupcakes with fondant. 

This triangle-shaped-bird is my last figurine and its the one I am most happy with. 

Beside 3D figurines, I also learned 2D ones. My verdict, I somehow find that 3D is more fun to make and 2D is a bit boring after some time... 

The class covered rolled fondant and gumpaste. I also find that covering the whole cupcakes with fondant with a little excess over the edges make things easier when figurines are placed on top.

I am now considering whether to make my own fondant and play with it for a bit first before buying a whole tub of branded one and decorate my cakes and eat it.

Oh, and I did not taste the fondant nor cupcakes till now. Haha.. A bit geli after playing with it for a few hours. My maid tasted and she said its like sweets. She said its nice. Well, everything sickening sweet to her is nice.

I smelled of sugar when I am back home and my dog was so happy and jumping and sniffing around the cupcakes. Let's just hope the cupcakes are still on my kitchen table tomorrow morning.