Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel

A few months back I accidentally bought a filo pastry I thought it was pastry puff, so I just kept it in the freezer, then I forgot about it. Yesterday, my refrigerator broke down and had to remove all the items in the freezer to fix it. While removing the items I found the filo pastry that has been there for a while un-noticed and will expire soon also. Since, it already thawed so I make use of it to bake Apple Strudel.

It is already a decade since the last time I bake Apple Strudel, since my household is not actually a fan of it, they will eat if have, if not they will not ask or none of them crave for it. Perhaps, the reason is, it is nice when it is warm and freshly baked and not anymore after a day, even re-heat it, you will not get the same crispiness as it was freshly baked. Anyway, I hope they will like my apple strudel this time since it's been long time I didn't bake this. I was wondering how the bakeshop makes it crispy even after a day, they must have added something and I am not interested to know as I know it is not healthy at all. :-).

The recipe I am using here is from the recipe book title “The Complete Book of Baking” by Carole Clements, which I bought decade ago. This is also the book that helped me to learn how to bake from simple cookies to bread and cakes. I may share more of the recipe I use from this book when I bake them.

Hope you will like this recipe. The recipe is not sweet and adding the lemon juice balances the sweetness of the apple and the sugar.

Apple Strudel Recipe

From: “The Complete Book of Baking” by Carole Clements

Ingredients: (serves 10-12)

75g / ½ cup Raisins

30ml / 2 tbsp brandy (optional) (or can substitute with water)

8 pcs apples

90g / ½ cup soft dark brown sugar

5ml / 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

25g / ½ cup breadcrumbs

50g / ½ cup chopped nuts (pecan/walnut/peanut)

12 sheets thawed filo pastry

175g / ¾ cup butter, melted

Icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

Soak the raisins in the brandy (if using) or water for at least 15 minutes

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples.

In a bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and lemon rind. Stir in the apples and half of the breadcrumbs

Add the raisins, nuts and lemon juice, and stir until blended. You may use a plastic glove to mix the apples mixture so that it mix well.

Pre-heat the oven at 190 degC/375 degF. Line the baking sheets with parchment or baking paper or you can just grease it.

Carefully unfold the filo sheets. Keep the unused sheets covered with kitchen towel or parchment paper to prevent drying. Lift off one sheet and place on a clean surface and brush with melted butter. Lay a second sheet on top and brush with butter. Continue until you have a stack of six buttered sheets.

Sprinkle a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs over the last sheet and spoon half of the apple mixture along the bottom edge on the strip.

Starting at the apple-filled end, roll up the pastry, as of a Swiss roll. Place on the baking sheet, seam side down, and carefully fold under the ends to seal. Repeat the procedure to make the second strudel. Brush both with butter.

Bake the strudel for 45 minutes. Once finish baking, leave to cool slightly.

Using a small sieve dust the strudel with a fine layer of icing sugar. Serve warm.

Healthy Muffins

Healthy Muffins

Before I was thinking what is the difference between muffins and cupcakes? For me they look the same. After searching I found out that; A muffin is an individual-sized, baked quick bread product. Muffins in the United States are similar to cupcakes in size and cooking methods, the main difference being that cupcakes tend to be sweet desserts using cake batter and which are often topped with sugar frosting. Muffins are available in both savory varieties, such as cornmeal and cheese muffins, or sweet varieties such as blueberry, chocolate chip or banana flavours. Muffins are often eaten as a breakfast food. Coffee may be served to accompany muffins. Fresh baked muffins are sold by bakeries, donut shops and some fast food restaurants and coffeehouses. Factory baked muffins are sold at grocery stores and convenience stores and they are also served in some coffee shops and cafeterias. Source : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muffin

Today I made my favorite muffin, it is called “Healthy Muffin”. I learned this recipe from my previous company nurse. There was a time that they are campaigning about healthy diet and lifestyle. She conducted some cooking and simple baking sessions for healthy food options that are easy to prepare and this muffin is one of what she baked.

If you have sweet tooth this is not the muffin for you. This muffin has less sugar use but full of flavor from dried berries, banana and orange rind. I love the aroma of banana and orange that fills the house every time I bake this muffin. This recipe is very easy to prepare and in less than an hour you have your freshly baked aromatic muffins. The muffin is very soft and moist, sure one muffin is not enough for you.

Healthy Muffins Recipe

Ingredients:

225g          Self raising flour (1 ½ Cups)

2 tsp          Baking Powder

50g            Muscovado or Cane Sugar (or 1/3 cup)

100g          Dried Apricot (chopped finely) or Raisins

1 medium   Banana (mashed with 1tbsp of orange juice or calamansi)

1 tbsp        Orange rind (orange peel grated)

300 ml       Skimmed milk (or low fat milk)

1 medium   Egg (beaten)

2 tbsp        Olive oil (or Canola or Corn Oil)

12 pcs        Muffins (medium) paper cups lightly grease the bottom

Instructions:

Sift the flour and baking powder in a bowl

Stir in sugar and chopped apricots/raisins and make a well in center of dry ingredients

Add banana, orange rind, milk, beten egg and oil

Mix all together lightly to form a thick batter. Careful not to overmix your batter else your muffin will become hard.

Divide batter evenly among 12 paper cups, fill each cup about 2/3 full

Bake at 175C for 15 to 20 minutes

To test the if it is done, press down the top of muffins, if muffin springs back, the muffin is ready or do the skewers test.

Cashew Chicken

Cashew Chicken 

Cashew chicken (Chinese: 腰果雞丁) is a simple Chinese-American dish that combines chicken (usually stir-fried but occasionally deep-fried, depending on the variation), with cashews and either a light brown garlic sauce or a thick sauce made from chicken stock, soy sauce and oyster sauce. The traditional version of cashew chicken is stir-fried in a wok. Tender chunks of chicken are combined with crispy roasted cashews, vegetables and are tossed in a light sauce made from garlic, soy sauce and hoisin sauce, thinned with water. (Source: Wikipedia:Cashew_chicken) 

My sister-in-law gave a us two packs of fried cashews, and was thinking how to consume them. Cashew is my son favorite but two packs is too much for him so I decided to cooked “Cashew Chicken” my favorite chicken dish. I love the sweet and salty sauce of this dish combine with soft chicken pieces and crunchy cashew, it’s really irresistible. I have been using this recipe since day one I learn to cook this chicken dish, I copied it in one of the cookbook I borrowed from library but I forgot to take note the author’s name and the title of the book. Overtime, I made slight modifications on the amount of ingredients omit some and added new one based on our preference (the original recipe do not have hoi sin sauce and sesame oil). You can also adjust the amount of ingredients base on your taste bud since this is a savory dish.

Cashew Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

For cooking the chicken:

150 grams roasted, cashews

500 grams boneless, skinless chicken breasts or legs, cut into cubes

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

6 medium garlic cloves, minced

3 scallions or Chinese leeks, cut into 2 cm long

3 cm ginger, slices thinly

¼ cup cooking oil

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce,

2 tablespoon rice wine (or Chinese cooking wine)

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoon brown/white sugar

1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil (optional)

For chicken marinade

2 tablespoons rice wine (or Chinese cooking wine)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoon dark soy sauce

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions:

Marinate the chicken with the marinating ingredients for at least 30 minutes or longer.

In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients except the sesame oil, if using, and set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over high heat until very hot. Add the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry (stir as you cook) until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Leave about 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet, then saute garlic and ginger till fragrant, then add-in the scallion or leeks followed by the sauce mixture.

 

Cook and stir, until the chicken is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in cashews and sesame oil. Serve immediately.