Hakka Rice Puff Cracker / 客家米通

Today I am introducing this traditional CNY snack/food that my family have since young. It is a must have CNY goodies at home. As it was a culture to be vegetarian for the 1st day of CNY (初一), this was great for us due to the ingredients used.

Many people is asking me what is Puffed Rice. Puffed Rice are just like Popcorn. The method of making puffed rice and popcorn is quite similar. Rice would first be heated under high pressure or being sun dry naturally. Puffed rice also referred to as pop rice.

Puffed rice is tasteless but try slipping in some syrup and it becomes yummy. Puffed rice cake is a traditional food for both the Cantonese and Hakka.

Puffed rice cakes can be stored for two to three months, depending on how it is kept.

Phoon Huat selling 2 type, White & Brown. I took the brown type since young.

Close-up

$18 / Bottle of 18 pcs

Recipe attached as below:

Ingredients

800gm  Crispy Rice Puff Brown

800gm  Toasted Peanuts

200gm  Toasted White & Black Sesame Seeds

Syrup

1000ml Water

800gm  Castor Sugar

1tbsp     Maltose

1tsp       Cooking Oil

1tsp       Lime Juice

Preparation and Cooking Instructions

1. Mix the rice puff with peanut and set aside.
2. Pour all the ingredients for the syrup into a wok and let it boil until the sugar is completely dissolved. Keep stirring and cook till thick. To test whether the syrup is ready, drop a few drops into water and if it forms into small balls and not dissolve, it means the syrup is ready.
3. Pour the cooked syrup into rice puff mixture and stir till completely combined.
4. Pour the mixture into a rectangular wooden tray (5ft by 5 ft) and press down firmly. Leave to cool till semi-warm.
5. Cut into pieces when still warm and then leave it to cool.
6. Store in air-tight containers.
7. Enjoy!!!

Taiwanese Pineapple Shortcakes / 台湾凤梨酥

(Crunchy Outside and Melt-In-Mouth)

Pineapple Tarts are always one of the must foodies during CNY. I had being wanting to try out Taiwanese Shortcakes & this round with SCS Competition, I tried it & got enough likes to be qualify in sharing my recipe in "SCS CNY 2015 Pineapple Tart Recipe Booklet".

Pineapple Shortcakes

Mold used

Recipe attached as below:

Ingredients:

Pineapple Paste

1 pc Large Pineapples
1 cup Sugar
¼ pcs Cinnamon Stick
2 pcs Cloves

Pineapple Pastry

220gm Plain Flour
30gm Milk Powder
25gm Icing Sugar
½ tbsp Honey
125gm SCS Salted Butter
2 pcs Medium Sized Egg
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
 
Preparation and Cooking Instructions:

Pineapple Paste

1. Peel the pineapples.
2. Hand grinds the pineapple & discards the core.
3. Cook the pineapple (including pineapple juice) with cinnamon stick & cloves on medium heat until it thicken. (Do remember to keep stirring in this step to prevent the paste to be burn)
4. Turn the frame to low heat.
5. Add in sugar. (It will turn watery again & continuous stirring is required as well.)
6. When the paste is caramelize & sticky, it is ready.
7. Keep it air tight container after it is completely cool. (Keep in fridge up to 2 weeks & in freezer up to 3 months)

Pineapple Pastry

1. Sieve the flour & milk powder together into a mixing bowl then set aside.
2. Beat the butter, honey & icing sugar till fluffy & pale.
3. Beat in the egg one by one till well incorporated.
4. Add in the sieved dry mixture from step 1 to form a dough.
5. Wrap the dough with the paste* & push it into the mould. (Do not remove the mold as it is required during the baking process in the oven to secure the shape of the tarts)
6. Take a portion of the dough & add the green food coloring. Stamp the leaves' shape using the fondant puncher & place it on the tarts. 
7. Bake in preheat oven at 150C for about 25 – 30 mins.
8. Allow the tarts to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Note:

1. Proportion Total = 50 gm Dough = 30 gm Paste = 20 gm
2. The mold can be bought in Totts, Kitchen Capers or Sia Huat Warehouse Sale.

Flowers Bloom Pineapple Tarts / 花开菠萝挞

(Crunchy Outside and Melt-In-Mouth)

Pineapple Tarts are always one of the must foodies during CNY. I had being attracted to this pineapple tart in a flower shape when I first saw it from "my little favourite DIY" so I make it since last year.

Flower Blooming Pineapple Tarts - Original

This was taken during my 1st trial of baking. I used it to submit to SCS Competition. The reward is to share my recipe in "SCS CNY 2015 Pineapple Tart Recipe Booklet" if I'm selected to be within the list of top 12 likes.

Flower Bloom Pineapple Tarts - Charcoal & Original

I make a twist on the usual pineapple tart by adding a bit of Bamboo Charcoal to make a black flower bloom pineapple tart... I believe that I can increased the amount of Bamboo Charcoal so that I can achieved a darker black dough. 

Latest creation

A photo taken by my baking buddy

Recipe attached as below:

[ Make 30 pcs ]

Ingredients

Pineapple Paste

2 pcs   Large Pineapples
2 cups Sugar
1 pc     Cinnamon Stick
4 pcs   Cloves

Pineapple Pastry

220gm Plain Flour
30gm   Coffeemate
20gm   Parmesan Cheese
37gm   Caster Powder
30gm   Icing Sugar
125gm SCS Salted Butter
25gm   Whole Egg
½ tsp    Vanilla Extract

Method

Pineapple Paste

1. Peel the pineapples.
2. Hand grinds the pineapple & discards the core.
3. Cook the pineapple (including pineapple juice) with cinnamon stick & cloves on medium heat until it thicken. (Do remember to keep stirring in this step to prevent the paste to be burn)
4. Turn the frame to low heat.
5. Add in sugar. (It will turn watery again & continuous stirring is required as well.)
6. When the paste is caramelize & sticky, it is ready.
7. Keep it air tight container after it is completely cool. (Keep in fridge up to 2 weeks & in freezer up to 3 months)

Pineapple Pastry

1. Sieve the flour, milk powder, parmesan cheese, caster powder & icing sugar together into a mixing bowl.
2. Rub the butter into above mixture using fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Mix egg & vanilla extract into the resemblance breadcrumbs mixture to form dough.
4. Wrap the dough & refrigerate for a while before use if you find it is soft to handle. (can keep in an airtight container for up to a week)
5. To make the flower shape, flatten the dough to a thickness of 5mm.
6. Cut out the flower shape with the mould shown above. (Remember to dust the mould with some plain flour before use)
7. Lightly bring inwards the edge of the cut out pastry & place it into a paper liner, follow by the paste.
8. Flatten some dough to 2 mm thickness & punch small little star & love. Place it on top on the pineapple paste to complete the look.
9. Bake in preheat oven at 150°C for about 25 mins.
10. Allow the tarts to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

The mold use in this recipe