Homemade Granola

I was staring at the pantry basket which was given to me by a friend who had since returned home. It has been lying in the kitchen for a month or two and I'm just too lazy to sort them out. Amongst the assortment of tea bags, bottles of spices and sauces contained inside, I also found many half-used packets of dry ingredients including old-fashion oats, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds and dried cranberries. And I wonder what they had been used for before I realised the obvious combination that they would make up to. That's right - Granola!

A quick search online made me realised that there seem to be no "standard" recipe for making homemade granola. After studying the article from Buzzfeed, "How To Make the Best Granola Ever" and referencing the tips & techniques on "How to Make Homemade Granola" from King Arthur Flour website, I decided to come up with my own variation of Homemade Granola! ^_^

Homemade Granola

I am sharing this Homemade Granola with blog event, No Waste Food Challenge organised and hosted by Elizabeth of Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary.

I am also sharing this recipe with blog events Recipe of the Week hosted by Emily of A Mummy Too; CookBlogShare hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes; and Bake of the Week organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello. 

              

Strawberry Chantilly Cake

It's officially Summer (or well it's been awhile) and we are into the second week of July. The hot weather is just making everyone (or at least me) feeling very lethargic. >,<

What's up for you in July? Now that the two-week long tournament, Wimbledon has come to an end, I wonder what will be hot in the news next... Though I'm not a tennis fan, it seems impossible not to know about the tournament given the substantial coverage. A quick search online showed that Wimbledon, or The Championships, Wimbledon is actually the oldest tennis tournament in the world. But what surprised me was the Wimbledon traditions include eating strawberries and cream by the spectators and royal patronage! While there's no definite answer as to why, but the likely explanation is that strawberries are in season during the time the tournament was played. Ok, how simple is that?! Haha!

And coincidentally, I made a Strawberry Chantilly Cake for a new friend who said she likes any cakes with strawberries. What a perfect timing to share this recipe!

Strawberry Chantilly Cake

Does looking at the picture makes you want a slice? Well I hope! ^_^ In fact, Chantilly, as many of you may know, is just a fancier way of calling whipped cream as it is. My Strawberry Chantilly Cake is none other than any vanilla sponge cake layers filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. *Grin! However, this is noticeably different from the Strawberry Shortcake which I'd shared in my older post. This sponge cake recipe yields a lighter and fluffier cake texture. In any case, try it for yourself and be your own judge! ^_^

Homemade Croissants (A 3-day affair)

Who can't get enough of croissants? Because I can't! Sorry if I'm boring you with another croissant recipe! But this is definitely worth it. Finally succeeded in baking these flaky crispy croissants. Yay! Subsequent to the success of my Pain au Chocolat, I've decided to make some classic croissants out of the same dough recipe so as to be convinced that the recipe is a keeper. And indeed! In fact, I made these classic croissants concurrently with my Pain au Chocolat. I mean, it's a three-days wait before the actual baking after all...

Homemade Croissants

I am sharing this recipe with blog events Recipe of the Week hosted by Emily of A Mummy Too; CookBlogShare hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes; and Bake of the Week organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello.

          

Mini Mango Charlotte

In my previous post, I shared the making of my Mango Charlotte Cake and I am thrilled to receive much likes and compliments from some of you! It was definitely encouraging. Thanks so much! And as mentioned previously, I would like to share with you in this subsequent post on how I'd transformed my leftover ingredients after decorating my whole cake. ^_^

I got to admit that on a few occasions of my whole cakes-making, I ended up discarding those leftover cream frosting I'd kept in the fridge for days. For the other leftover ingredients such as fruits if I'm using, and in this case there were also my homemade ladyfingers (sponge biscuits), I would have simply stuff them down my stomach without much thought. 

But the thought of making cute little versions of my mango charlotte cake came into picture, and the idea of using those extra sponge biscuits as the cake layers quickly came up as I was snacking them away. So here's my Mini Mango Charlotte made out of those leftover homemade ladyfingers, cream frosting and fruits!

Mini Mango Charlotte

With that, I got myself an extra serving of this pretty little dessert to savour, and the best of all, no ingredients were wasted! And in fact for those of you who dread making whole cakes or baking cakes in general, this may be one brilliant idea of a homemade dessert to serve to your guests! 

Homemade Char Siu Buns (BBQ Pork Buns)

I'm not sure if most of you felt the same, but I often feel "lazier" after a long weekend. @_@ I managed to travel up to a bigger city nearby for a weekend getaway and got some of my food cravings fixed. There were bubble tea, Korean BBQ and Dim Sum which quite replicate the authentic taste. And speaking of Dim Sum, it reminded me that I've this recipe that I need to share with everyone. ^_^ 

Homemade Char Siu Buns (BBQ Pork Buns)

What could be better than to combine a successful bread dough recipe with a homemade Char Siu recipe? You know you just can't keep anyone's hands off these homemade Char Siu Buns although they may still be very hot from the oven. *_*

I am sharing these Homemade Char Siu Buns (BBQ Pork Buns) with Tea Time Treats (May 2015: Sandwiches, Wraps & Rolls!) hosted by Janie of The Hedgecombers and Karen of Lavender and Lovage.

I am also sharing this recipe with Bake of the Week organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello; CookBlogShare organised by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes and guest hosted by Angela of Patisserie Makes Perfect; and Family Bakes and Makes hosted by Jenny of Modern Family Baking.

     

Sausage (Hotdog) Buns

Happy (belated) Mother's Day to all mothers out there! ^_^

Being raised in a traditional Asian Chinese family, (my siblings and) I were never used to saying "I love you" to our parents or heartfelt words of gratification to them for their selfless love and care that they have showered upon us. Until I was older, I came to realise that certain things just have to be said out loud although deep down in our hearts, we are truly appreciative of what they have done for us over the years. As a little warm-up exercise, those heartfelt words made their way through text messages on such special occasions. While we ought to show our gratifications everyday and not just on this day, I see it as a day for a grand sum-up of everything a mother has done over the past year since everyone across the globe celebrates the wonder of all mothers on this very day together.

This is the second year I am missing out on mother's day celebration for being away from home. Although it may seem like every other day, the mark of Mother's Day somehow just makes me think of my mother more than any other day. Perhaps this is its significance. And I suppose this is how I decided to share this recipe.

Back in the past when I was still living with my parents, my siblings and I used to have different variety of buns and bread for breakfast before school, and even later when we started working. My mother would make a trip to the nearby bakery to pick up the buns for each of us, and she makes an effort to pick up different flavours and variety on different days. Having said that, sausage bun, or otherwise called hotdog bun is the most common one that she would pick up since there aren't much selections to our liking. This naturally became a staple and I have no problem eating the same up to 4 times a week.

So when my bread-making turned out to be a success, sausage buns or hotdog buns naturally came up to my mind. And for a twist, I am using Chipotle hotdogs instead of the usual hotdogs. Is this one of your favourite buns too?

Sausage (Hotdog) Buns

I am sharing these Sausage (Hotdog) Buns with Tea Time Treats (May 2015: Sandwiches, Wraps & Rolls!) hosted by Janie of The Hedgecombers and Karen of Lavender and Lovage. Buns or rolls, they all belong to the bread family, right? 

I am also sharing this recipe with Bake of the Week organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello; CookBlogShare hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes; and Family Bakes hosted by Jenny of Modern Family Baking.

          

Mini Cheesecakes with Blueberry Compote

I always felt intimidated by the thought of making cheesecake. But I guess not anymore, at least not by these cute little and delicious mini cheesecakes which I have decided to top off with the blueberry compote. This is a variation compared to the original source recipe which is served with fruit jam and whipped cream. And what I liked about this recipe is that it is quick and easy. In addition, there's no need to worry about having ugly cheesecakes when they sink in the middle after they have cooled, an inevitable fear that had kept me away from baking cheesecakes, because the blueberry compote not only helps "beautify" the appearance, but also add a touch of sweetness to these cheesecakes.

Mini Cheesecakes with Blueberry Compote

This is yet another one of the recipes that cannot go wrong! These mini cheesecakes with blueberry compote are just so pretty for tea parties, after meal desserts, coffee breaks and more... You just can't have enough!

My Melody French Sablés (Cookies)

Photo source: Eugenie Kitchen

If you have been active on social media, Instagram for instance, I bet many of you would have noticed the overwhelming number of bakes on these Valentine Rainbow Heart Cookies originated by Eugenie at Eugenie Kitchen. These pretty-looking cookies first caught my attention on a youtube video featuring a detailed-making process of these cookies. With the power of social media nowadays, the video has been shared so widely that the whole world seems to be making these cookies now! How impressive is that?! In fact, Eugenie is not only behind the creation of these rainbow heart cookies, she has also made various impressive cookie designs, including the recent Instagram cookies, Facebook cookies, and her previous Mille Crepe Cake with Hidden Rainbow Heart was definitely a hit! Hands down to Eugenie and her incredible creations! So, whenever I see unique creations like that, I would think hard on how I could re-create them into the desired shapes and patterns I desire, which is none other than everything to do with the Sanrio© character, My Melody! Love love love to the max! ^_^

My Melody French Sablés (Cookies)

But I'm no way comparable to Eugenie's skills and creativity. So I'd decided to try out something really simple and easy. And here's my version of My Melody French Sablé Cookies inspired from the rainbow heart cookies! Not too bad uh? Honestly, I had no idea how French Sablés (cookies) taste like prior and how different they are from the Danish butter cookies or shortbread cookies which I had baked in my previous posts. But now I know. However, I don't really know how to describe it, except the texture of these cookies are somewhat between butter cookies and shortbread cookies. Oops... If I have to say, they are certainly crumbly and delicate, and has a salty taste in every bite (although there isn't a lot of salt in the ingredients), and it still has the crunch on first bite. Oh no, I hope I have not made you confused at this juncture. In conclusion though, these are definitely delicious, especially if you are not in favour of the buttery smell from the usual butter cookies. Now that I have made this possible, I hope there would be a day I could add on the features of My Melody into this cookie design and impress! Hee hee! Oh and if you have tried it before me, or work with other cartoon designs, do remember to share with me because I would very much love to share and admire, maybe taste too that's if you offer free sampling! Hahaha.. Alright, for now enjoy and till next time!!

TDB's Birthday (Chocolate Chiffon) Cake

Woohoo~ The Dream Baker is One! Happy Birthday (to my blog)! ^_^

I guess words simply can't describe my feelings now. Looking back at the past blog posts of all that I've done (or rather achieved), it's definitely consoling. Every little detail and contents on this blog is a great reflection of the amount of time and efforts that I've put in and built from scratch. Never would I have dreamed of having my own (baking) blog. And I can't help but wonder, "How would I've otherwise spent those time if I wasn't baking and blogging?!" Well, I guess that's life, never without uncertainties...

So to celebrate this notably significant anniversary of the birth of my blog, I've decided to bring my self-taught baking skills to greater heights by making a cut-out cake of my self-created logo! This birthday cake is a combination of my favourites - chocolate chiffon cake, strawberries, dark chocolate and cream frostings.

TDB's Birthday (Chocolate Chiffon) Cake

And my thoughts behind the creation and making of this birthday cake:
I was caught up with this cut-out shaped cake idea after I was inspired by a birthday cake idea which I learned from a friend. In fact this is my second attempt after I made myself a birthday cake last year. I decided to use a chocolate cake base after I posted my Milano® Cookies Chocolate Cake, and I decided to use strawberries to fill in between the layers of the cake since I needed chocolate frosting for the drawing of the outline and strawberries and chocolate are just a heavenly pairing. I personally preferred a lighter cake texture like chiffon cake as compared to the usual chocolate sponge cake, so instead I've decided and wanted to adopt the same recipe I had used for my Mini Chocolate Chiffon Cakes, only to realised that I was out of milk. Hence, I modified the recipe from a Green Tea Chiffon Cake which I came across during my research. Unexpectedly it turned out pretty well! In fact, the cake is deliciously chocolatey to be eaten by itself.

Then some friends asked, "why not use fondant?" To me, fondant is a "pretty-but-not-delicious" form of cake decoration (in my own opinion). Putting aside the skills level required to master fondant cake decorations, I'm very much in favour of presenting an equally pretty and yummy cake, both for admiration and savouring, than just a pretty cake that is better for admiration. Although I'm not a fan of cake frostings either, and often I would be "scrapping" away those thick layer of cream from store-bought cakes, I'm quite happy to be eating those cream frostings of my self-baked cakes since I am in control of the amount and thickness of the cake frostings that goes onto my cake. ^_^

And this feels like a dream (cake) come true...

P.S. Pardon me for my tiredness, I was oblivious to the abbreviations ("TDR") I've written on the cake (which was supposed to be "TDB") until I was going through the pictures. Instead of trying to photoshop those photos as my husband suggested trying, I thought I might as well take the wrong and make the best of it. So in this context, "TDR" (or correctly "TDB") shall stand for The Dream BakeR. Hahaha!

Peanut Cookies

It was the second day of Chinese New Year and I made some peanut cookies - a fail-proof and really quick and easy recipe which even a non-peanut lover me loves it. In fact I first made these cookies last CNY and I guess I wouldn't have tried this recipe and realised how delicious they are if not for my husband, a "nut" lover. He is a non-dairy person and it cracks my head to think of the different CNY goodies that I could make at home for him so that he gets the feel of CNY. And these peanut cookies definitely add to the homely CNY feel which we would have otherwise felt if we were back in our own homeland. But it's not a pity that we can't celebrate CNY back at home anymore with the companion of these homemade CNY goodies (and not forgetting our friends here)... ^_^
I'm sure you will love it too!

Peanut Cookies

I am sharing these delicious melt-in-your-mouth Peanut Cookies with the following blog events:

Cook and Celebrate: CNY 2015 organised by Yen of Eat Your Heart Out, Diana of Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids;

Treat Petite (Feb 2015 theme: Love is in the air) hosted by Stuart of Cakeyboi and Kat of The Baking Explorer;

The Biscuit Barrel Challenge (Feb 2015 theme: Loved Ones) organised by Laura of I'd Much Rather Bake Than… and hosted by Alexandra of The Lass in the Apron;

CookBlogShare hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes;

  

Bake of the Week organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello; and

last but not least, for the first time, I am also sharing this Peanut Cookies recipe with event, My Treasured Recipes #5 (Jan & Feb 2015 theme: Chinese New Year Goodies) hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.

Pineapple Cookies (Dairy-free)

Gong Xi Fa Cai! (To my non-Chinese/Asian readers, this literally means, "Wishing you a prosperous year!")

Can't help it, but oh my it's yet another year! I was reading the news and came across an article titled, "Is it the Year of Goat or the Year of Sheep"? While it didn't bother me slightly, I wonder if it really mattered since goat or sheep, they both belong to the same family. Haha! Anyway, it's the second year my husband and I are celebrating our Chinese New Year abroad. That meaning, it's time for some home-baked Chinese New Year goodies again. *_*

I have been in search for a pineapple tart/cookie recipe that I could substitute easily with non-dairy ingredients since my husband doesn't take butter, cheese, milk or anything that comes from the cow. Haha! Well, perhaps I should have come to terms after more than 12 years (or maybe I have), but I'm still puzzled with my husband's weird taste bud. All the while, I have been insisting that he is being lactose-intolerant in psychological sense rather than being lactose-intolerant in health, if you know what I mean. It is strange how dark chocolates, peanut M&M's® chocolate candies, Nutella® and all other food that possibly contains dairy which he decides he can eat are in his "lactose-tolerant" list of edible dairy products while milk chocolate, milk, all buttery pastries and etc that he decides he cannot eat by way of "smell" are in his "lactose-intolerant" list of non-edible dairy products. Anyway, I have given up on asking him to try on those he-feels-he-cannot-eat-but-I-feel-he-can-eat food after so many years. Guess this would all the more be better since I can have all the goodies to myself. Hee!

Back to my recipe search, so I've finally found and experimented one pineapple cookie recipe that allowed me to substitute the dairy ingredients and still yield equally crumbly and soft pineapple cookies. Although without that buttery aroma from traditional pineapple cookies, these pineapple cookies are still amazing delicious! I hope with this recipe, more people get to enjoy yummy pineapple tarts/cookies during this festive occasion!

Soft and crumbly Pineapple Cookies

Here's wishing all a Happy & Prosperous Year of Goat/Sheep! May the new zodiac year brings you and your loved ones lots of happiness and good health! Cheers!

Milano® Cookies Chocolate Cake

Hi everyone! Since this is my first post for 2015, allow me to wish you a Happy New Year! Hope all of you had a great start into the new year. ^_^ Time flies indeed, I can't believe that we are half way into February! Gosh~ It was a pity I didn't get to update my blog in January as I fight hard with time to get things done after settling down from an almost two-week long road trip which I went with my husband (and three other friends) last year end till the early days of January. I was practically hands-tied with the crafts-making in preparation of a wedding gift for my sister and the "intense" packing for my "secret" trip home. Haha! Glad that I managed to pull off a surprise for my family with my appearance on my sister's big day and having spent good quality time catching up with my dear friends during my two weeks home. Despite the long haul flight to and fro (which I dread most), everything else was worth it!

Today is the fifth day since my return to this foreign city and I'm still (very much) feeling the jet-lag. >,< But this may well be a blessing in disguise because I finally get to finish up this long overdue cake recipe which I have created from my Milano® cookies indulgence. This cake is definitely an absolute LOVE - so appropriate for the Valentine's day occasion tomorrow! I hope you'll like it as much as I do! ^_^

Milano® Cookies Chocolate Cake

Here's wishing all a Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you'll spread the love and share this with all your loved ones. Cheers!

Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Nutella® Buttercream Frosting and Mint Chocolate Ganache

The end product of an inspirational cake idea from a friend turned out well to my surprise! And I was surprised partly because I was actually working with mint chocolates, definitely one ingredient I wouldn't think of using in my own bake creation. Honestly, I'm no fan of mint chocolates, saved for After Eight® dark chocolate thin mints which is by far the only mint chocolate I would eat. In fact not just mint chocolates, I don't actually fancy mint flavour of cookies or ice cream either, except for peppermint candies of course. What strange taste buds, I know. Haha! Well since this cake is my homemade, I had no choice (not that I'm forced) but to taste the cake and I was actually glad that I didn't "reject" it. I suppose this cake may well be a "turning point" for those who don't have a liking for mint chocolates too. ^_^

Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Nutella® Buttercream Frosting and Mint Chocolate Ganache

I am sharing this post with CookBlogShare event hosted by Lucy of Supergolden Bakes because sharing is caring.

And for the first time, I am sharing my bake with Bake of the Week event organised by Helen & gang of Casa Costello.