Japanese Matcha Cheesecake

need to try this some time – I LOVE Japanese cheesecake and this has matcha combined with it!

Ingredients:

• Milk 265ml
• Butter 85g
• Cream cheese (room temperature) 250g
• Plain flour 40g
• Corn flour 35g
• Egg Yolks 7
• Vanilla essence 2tsp

• Egg whites 7
• Cream of tartar 3/4tsp
• Sugar 125g

• 2tsp of Green tea powder to mix with 20ml of hot water

1. Boil milk and butter together at medium heat, lower heat add in cream cheese and use hand whisk to stir til smooth. Turn off the heat. Sift in flour and corn flour and mix well.
2. Add in egg yolks and vanilla essence, mix the mixture till thick and transfer to a large bowl to cool down.
3. Whisk egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar till peak formed.
4. Using spatula, fold egg whites into the cream cheese mixture in two batches.
5. Divide the batter into half, and mix half of them with the green tea paste. Mix well.
6. Pour the batter into a lined 9″ square baking tin with the original flavour batter first, followed with the green tea batter.
7. Steam bake at preheated oven at 150‘C for 1hour and 15 minutes.
8. Cool down cheese cake in room temperature. Best to chill before serving.

chocolate coconut almond butter

almond butter is so hard to come by here in China – what if I made my own?

Read recipe at: todaysmama.com!

Addicted to Distraction

ONE evening early this summer, I opened a book and found myself reading the same paragraph over and over, a half dozen times before concluding that it was hopeless to continue. I simply couldn’t marshal the necessary focus.

I was horrified. All my life, reading books has been a deep and consistent source of pleasure, learning and solace. Now the books I regularly purchased were piling up ever higher on my bedside table, staring at me in silent rebuke.

Instead of reading them, I was spending too many hours online, checking the traffic numbers for my company’s website, shopping for more colorful socks on Gilt and Rue La La, even though I had more than I needed, and even guiltily clicking through pictures with irresistible headlines such as “Awkward Child Stars Who Grew Up to Be Attractive.”

During the workday, I checked my email more times than I cared to acknowledge, and spent far too much time hungrily searching for tidbits of new information about the presidential campaign, with the election then still more than a year away.

Read full NY TIMES article here. 

the music of sign language

Since coming here, I’ve learnt some basic signs, namely ‘Please’, ‘Thank you’, ‘More’ and ‘Stop’. They help us communicate with our non-verbal kids. It helps me remember that although they do not speak, they have thoughts, opinions and emotions. They think and feel and want to tell me about it.

This is a talk by a deaf artist about the music and sign language. It is incredible how rich ASL is, and its comparison to music. I cannot wait until our kids can communicate like she does!

 

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies | Amy’s Healthy Baking

1 c (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary)

¾ c (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured correctly)

1 ½ tsp (5g) baking powder

1 ½ tsp (3g) ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp (1g) salt

2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tsp (5mL) vanilla extract

½ c (120mL) maple syrup

¾ c (68g) grated carrots (about 1 smallish medium)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla.

Stir in the maple syrup until thoroughly incorporated. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the carrots.

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. (If chilling longer, cover with plastic wrap, ensuring it touches the entire surface of the cookie dough.)Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops on the baking sheet. (If chilled longer than 1.5 hours, flatten slightly.) Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

Source: Carrot Cake Oatmeal Cookies | Amy’s Healthy Baking

Hottokēki (Japanese Hot Cake) | Tara’s Multicultural Table

I want to make this for Jia En and Zhou Hui for one of our Monday breakfasts 🙂

Hottokēki (Japanese Hot Cake)

2 large eggs

200 milliliters (3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons) milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

200 grams (~1 2/3 cups) all purpose flour

8 grams (1 3/4 teaspoons) baking powder

40 grams (3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) granulated sugar

In a medium bowl, use a mixer to beat together eggs, milk, and vanilla until foamy.In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sugar. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to lightly, but quickly fold into the liquid ingredients until just incorporated. Allow to rest until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.

Place a large skillet over medium low heat and lightly grease with butter or oil. Once heated, pour 1/4 cup of the batter in prepared skillet. Once golden on bottom and bubbles begin to form on top, flip to other side. Continue to cook until golden. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately topped with maple syrup, butter, whipped cream, or fresh berries.

Source: Hottokēki (Japanese Hot Cake) | Tara’s Multicultural Table

Fudgey Chocolate Chunk Brownies – Something Swanky

Fudgey Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chunks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper.

Beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix in the baking soda.

Mix in the chocolate chunks with a wooden spoon or spatula.Once the batter forms (it will be thick), scrape it into the prepared dish and spread evenly.Bake for 25 minutes, until brownies begin to pull away from the side of the pan.Serves 9-12.

Source: Fudgey Chocolate Chunk Brownies – Something Swanky

Matcha Mini Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Covered Strawberries – Jo Cooks

INGREDIENTS

For Crust

1 cup (4.8 oz or 135 g) crushed Oreo cookies

2 tbsp butter, melted

For Cheesecake

2 pkg (16 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature

⅔ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 tbsp matcha (green tea powder)

1 tsp vanilla extract

via Matcha Mini Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Covered Strawberries – Jo Cooks.

Honey Garlic Chicken – Damn Delicious

One of the winning dishes at Top Chef 2015 🙂

INGREDIENTS

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise in half

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 large eggs, beaten

FOR THE HONEY GARLIC SAUCE

1/2 cup honey, or more, to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

via Honey Garlic Chicken – Damn Delicious.

From Andrew’s Mom

Barbecued Beef (Korean Bul Kogi)

Mom’s Cookbook

Prep 5 min ∙ Cook 10 min ∙ Makes 4 servings ∙ Source Recipeland.com

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sirloin steak
• 3 x scallions, spring or green onions *
• 4 Cloves garlic *
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sherry
• 1/4 cup beef stock optional, prefer veal stock if possible
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper *
• * not incl. in nutrient facts

Directions

1. Slice the steak very thin on the bias. Score each piece with an X.

2. Chop the scallions and crush the garlic. Combine these ingredients with the remaining seasonings in a bowl. Add the meat to the marinade and mix well until all sides of the steak are coated.

3. The meat may be grilled immediately. The best results are obtained if the steak is marinated for 2 hours. The marinade will keep overnight Variation: Use rib steak or flank steak.