One of my favourite foods is mochi. That soft, chewy texture and fragrance of glutinous rice never fails to trigger my appetite. In Taiwan, I ate some of the best mochi I’ve ever had in my life, from 一之軒. It was super soft and almost melt-in-the-mouth, with the right amount of chewiness. I decided to come up with a copycat recipe, and here it is, made healthier.
Sorry for the short post! Enjoy the mochi! 😀
Yeah, its me. Back after twisting another foot, surviving a fever that’s (thank God) not due to dengue, and bearing with the aftermath of the fever– the worst kind of cough that causes even air to tickle the throat. Yikes. Now I have Show Luo’s eye bags, my bro’s practically permanent panda eyes and a toad’s voice.
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The Nonsense I learned this week:
Kiwis aren’t friend material. They bite.
When your fringe gets too long, it gets into your eyes. Its prickly and painful.
Leaving a book untouched for too long causes it to cake on dust.
Shoes that are too tight make feet hurt.
Guyliner still sucks.
Cockroaches are creepy.
A dancing detached tail of a frantic lizard is freaky.
If golden highlights don’t work, get bright red ones.
Caramel cake tastes pretty good. Especially with strawberries (since their prices have dropped).
Ps: strawberries are are chockfull of antioxidants and other essential nutrients that can flavorfully help you reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, inflammatory diseases, and birth defects as well as mouthwateringly manage your weight. (source).
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Can you believe it? I made healthier (practically fat free) dulce de leche in 40 minutes, without stirring continuously all the time, from scratch. Some people are just lazy. Its easy.
800ml skim milk (vegan: non dairy milk of your choice)
300g sugar
1/4 baking soda
heat milk and sugar in a heavy and VERY deep saucepan over high heat. stir with wooden ladle till sugar melts completely. lower heat and allow mixture to simmer until mixture becomes slightly brownish. quickly stir in baking soda. let mixture continue to simmer. after mixture seems to have thickened, start stirring continuously. turn off heat when a dollop of dulce de leche won’t fall off your spoon. scoop everything into a heat proof metal bowl. Do not touch with bare hands. The dulce de leche is really really hot.
The ‘buttercream’ you see contains no butter, shortening or cream. My frosting skills have not matured. Let’s just pretend a three-year-old frosted it. Guy must be a genius.
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Recipe for vegan white cake is adapted from My Vegan Cookbook.
Recipe for non-vegan cake is adapted from Honey What’s Cooking.
Recipe for syrup is from Technicolour Kitchen.
Recipe for strawberry filling is from Chockohlawtay.
Cocoa powder in caramel frosting may be omitted!
I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #18: Layers of Love (April 2012) hosted by Sam of Sweet Samsations.
That’s it. I give up being boring. Wry , senseless dry humour, incoherent thoughts, nonsensical behaviour (I’m guessing no second person has ever dislocated their ankle by being asleep) is the definition of my name, which I must add people have found many ways to pronounce– some in a way that terrifies every fibre in my body, some downright insulting, some ingenious… but almost never correctly.(PS, its not ‘cheating’, that’s a lame shortcut I respond to but no longer want to. QT is the safe way to go.) From next post on, I’m going back to my roots (or whatever they are). These couple of days, I’ve been downing bowls of dead bitter medicine instead of yummy herbal chicken soup, exercising like a crazy person, studying, baking, trying to record the sound of my brother snoring for my ringtone (how fun would that be?), going for physio, learning to drive and so on.
I’ve been experimenting on frangipane for the longest time. Typical frangipane is clogged with lumps of butter, sugar and eggs. Trying to make it healthy is one of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever taken on. I wanted to make it vegan, lower in fat and with peanuts instead of almonds since almonds are pricey. And finally, this happened.
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Peanut butter and Jelly Frangipane Pie with a gluten free crust, healthier frosting, berry cream and Peanut Butter & Jelly Ice Cream, of which all components are significantly healthier than typical counterparts.
And the best thing about this pie is that it is really easy to make!
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Recipe for Shortbread Crust is inspired by Chockohlawtay.
Recipe for Berry Cream is also from Chockohlawtay.
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A couple days ago, I made this strawberry mirror cake. Its awesome and so good even without butter, oil, margarine, etc.
Strawberry Mirror adapted from Blessed Homemaker.
You can make this vegan by using a vegan sponge/white/yellow cake.
Enjoy your week… and have some cake! 😀
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Imagine a delicious, guilt-inducing pie that’s all these…
Alright, quit imagining because its reality.
Just look at that! A square piece of Peanut Butter & Jelly Pie and a cup of Homemade Soy Milk. A vegan high tea set!
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I like the pie frozen, but if you’re not into an ice-cream like, peanut butter and jelly confection, and more into a creamy, mousse-like pie, just have it chilled and equally delicious.
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Recipe for shortbread crust is adapted from Chockohlawtay, one of my favourite blogs.
Vegan: Use tofutti cream cheese.
A visual presentation of the process of making soy bean flour:
1. bake soy beans at 200C for 15 minutes. let cool.
2. grind in a grinder till powdery.
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Till next time!
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One of the things I love most of Taiwan is the varied speeds of change in the country. The rocky path to my grandparents’ house have those same old rocks embedded, the same old metal spring buried at one side, rows of crops of 槟榔叶 (betel leaves) grown by the same old farmers at the other, the same kinds of grass growing at the side, the same family of daisies swaying along to the wind. Largely the same people, plus a few babies, minus some who passed away, the same smiles, the same faces, with a few more wrinkles. The same breakfast shops that had not changed in any way since before I was born. Things like that stay the same. They make the place we come from what it is.
Cycle a couple kilometres along the sort-of-expressway into the city. Most things would be different a year on. The same lady selling my favourite pancakes 车轮饼 stands at the same spot, but in front of a different shop. Shops promoting PDAs with wireless network connection spring up. Just 5 years ago, barely anyone owned a computer, let alone knew what the hell the internet was. [Even today, in the area my mum was born, few people have an internet connection (an estimated 1 in 3).] And right in the middle of the Pingtung city, now stands at least 3 new french bakeries, 1 Japanese bakery, and 1 modern Taiwanese bakery. That’s where I found 爆浆面包, or as I translate– Exploding Cream buns. An innovation unto the traditional tiny buns accompanying Western meals. Today, they are one of the most popular buns in Taiwan. Though they’re typically filled with a buttercream filling, I decided to go the healthier way with, well, tofu. If you don’t tell the people you’re serving that the buns contain tofu, there is little chance they’ll find out.
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The cream is injected into the bun rather than pre-inserted. DO NOT inject the cream into the bun while the bun is warm lest you want baked cream (a mistake a made for 2 buns, one of which’s innards are in the photo below).
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I’m providing 2 choices of filling. The Oreo Cream.
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The Coffee Cream version.
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And now the recipe! The recipe for buns is adapted from Christine’s Recipes. There are errors though! Add another 1 tsp of lemon juice for Coffee Cream and 1/2 tsp for Oreo Cream.
Assembly: stuff cream of choice into a piping bag. Make a hole in the corner of the bun and fit the piping nozzle into the hole to squeeze cream into the bun. If you press too hard such that too much cream enters, the bun literally explodes. So be careful!
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Hopefully, I’ll have something great for you tomorrow!
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This post is going to YEASTSPOTTING!!!
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I’ve been up to so many crazy stuff these days. Like making my idiotic right arm more horrible than it already is (I think its badly sprained), convincing my brother that a B in Math (for ‘A’ levels) means I’m incapable of helping him with his math homework, sulking over the gold dye (for highlights) that left my hair with barely visible red streaks (not complaining about the red), studying for a very important test, wondering whether I’ll get my driving instructor killed (worst case scenario), thinking about blue highlights, filling up university applications and more. Somewhere in between, I finally (!!!) found some time to bake and experiment to get a perfect tofu whipped cream. With one hand because I’m afraid of furthering injuring the hand which is disgustingly swollen. Its one of those times I wish I don’t have Erb’s Palsy. I’m sort of scared that one day I won’t be able to use it anymore. Sort of.
You probably think its weird that I dumped Oreos and coffee into the same cake. Rest assured I don’t promote the activity of poisoning. I’m all for the caffeine and sugar boost.
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Unfortunately, I have the frosting skills of a 4 year old. You can tell, I’m sure.
Nonethless, don’t let my horrible frosting skills deter you from trying this whipped cream! I swear you won’t be disappointed and I don’t do promises like this often (because results vary sometimes but this is so easy! The secret to this whipped cream is the fresh extra firm tofu (NOT silken) and lemon juice. Its stable, creamy, tastes so unhealthy, VEGAN, gluten free, raw, costs much less than regular whipped cream (in Singapore anyway), is so easy to make, you don’t even have to whip it and basically everything normal people love about whipped cream. I’ll never ever buy regular whipped cream again. Why purchase some when you can have this?
NOTE: for recipe, you will have lots of tofu whipped cream left over. Quarter the recipe if you know you won’t need any whipped cream in the next 3 days.
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Yeah, I consume cakes layer-by-layer. That’s the point of them being layered cakes. I’m not weird; I just have an exotic way of swallowing layered pieces of cake.
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Take a look at my DIY mini cake stand (for cakes serving 1-3). For someone who usually handles flour instead of glue, cardboards and tape, it felt odd. My clumsy hands made it crooked. Not on purpose of course.
The ribbons are scraps I found around the house. The round top is made of round cake boards and the ‘pyramid’ stand is actually 2 stacked Styrofoam cups.
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Sadly, its now time to part. Sarcasm comes in handy at this time because words sound genuine.
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Interviewer: Is shopping for clothes considered a hobby?
QT: More like torture.
So I assume you won’t join your friend(s) when they/she want(s) you to accompany them in said activity?
Not unless I really really really really really like them enough to know I won’t hate them after they mentally torture me with the sight of a room filled with, gasp, only clothes!
Do you go shopping with your mom?
Sure, I wait outside the shop while she enters.
You’re a lousy daughter.
I’m sure you don’t mean that.
I do.
Well, I don’t care what you think. Its a free country!
Not exactly, Singapore has tons of rules and stuff.
Weren’t you asking me about my lack of interest in clothes-shopping? When did we decide to switch the subject to the allowance of free speech in this tiny island which is not exactly the food paradise people speak of because its a lie ’cause Taiwan has food a million times better? You! You inattentive, over-inquisitive, unprofessional weirdo who’s supposed to be interviewing me!
Whatever. So, clothes! Do you only hate shopping for them or do you simply hate them?
Are you unobservant or simply ignorant?
You’ve insulted me enough. I can’t handle this anymore.
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Interview ends after the two rip off each other’s hair… you know I’m talking about the ones on the head don’t you?
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I remade a blondie.
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Now it has an Oreo tart crust stuffed in it.
Because the blondie ate oreos HA!
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The recipe for blondies is adapted from The Allergic Kid.
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Click here for larger version.
For vegan version, use Tofutti Cream Cheese and prepared vegan pudding (like this one: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/desertrecipes/r/vanillapudding.htm)
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Since its for 2, you can share it or you can just have it all yourself.
Please excuse my tragic inability to correct these annoyingly saturated photographs the horror of a camera once again rewarded my hard work with. No ‘P.S.’ because it is telling.
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Please tell me that at least one person out there shares my detest for clothes-shopping…
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I really get you.
I know your heart.
I read your mind.
I recognise your innermost desires.
Alright, I lied. I’m no mind reader but I guess that you’re probably sick of my ridiculous sarcasm, limited vocabulary and dry sense of humour. And I apologise, alright?
I’m sorry.
So I got someone more interesting than I am to write today’s post.
Like me, Madison creates healthier versions of classic desserts. And she’s darn good. I mean, who can give you a recipe for healthy Mexican wedding cookies??? You can find it here. Thank her later. Or now.
Please welcome her!
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Hi everyone! My name is Madison and I write about my healthy baking adventures over at a little blog called Peanut Butter Lover. First I want to start off by thanking Qi Ting for allowing me to write a guest post in her lovely world of desserts! All of her recipes are so tasty and more than once have been the inspiration behind some of my experiments in the kitchen.
This is Madison!
There have been many ups and downs with my eating since then. Days of binging, days of restriction, but along the way I have come to find that nobody is perfect. While my body is made up in an exact science, it doesn’t take a scientist to fuel it properly. As long as I attempt to choose whole foods to fuel me and as long as I make good choices most of the time, I’m good.
However, since I do try to restrict myself from eating “bad” foods, I sometimes crave those old processed snacks that I’ve done away with. This is also where baking comes into play. My goal in the kitchen is to make healthy recipes that sustain my cravings. In no way do all of my recipes taste “exactly” like their unhealthy counterparts, but for the most part they do a pretty dang good job.
My inspiration in the kitchen comes from all places under the sun: cooking shows, my grandmas who love to bake, cookbooks, old family recipes, and of course- food blogs.
The recipe I am going to share with you today was actually created over a year ago after I stumbled across an online recipe for chocolate black bean brownies.
Christmas break had just begun and my mom, being a middle school teacher, had brought home sweet treats from her students. A dessert-lover’s heaven.
Among the boxes of confections were chocolate chip cookies, chocolate turtles and … chocolate cake balls.
This was my first experience with cake balls and it was love at first “bite.” If you don’t know what cake balls are, let me give you the 411- These decadent balls are made by mixing crumbled cake pieces with frosting and forming them into balls. Then the balls are coated with a layer of chocolate and frozen to perfection.
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My mom was trying to make them last though, so I decided to make my own to keep all for myself. They turned out great, but after indulging in one too many; I realized that cake balls were definitely not part of a healthy diet.
And that’s when I remembered that black bean brownie recipe. You could say that a lightning bolt had struck my brain at this point, and in a flash of inspiration I set to work in my kitchen to make a tasty, but healthy “cake ball.”
What I came up with is not overly sweet, but rich, moist and a chocolate lover’s dream. Oh, and did I mention that it contains no added sugar whatsoever? Well then, by all means, here’s the recipe that will knock your socks off:
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No. of servings: Makes 16 to 20
Calories: About 55 calories each (With 18 cake balls)
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1 small, ripe banana, mashed (approximately )
½ cup dates
¼ cup egg beaters
1 can black beans, drained (or about 1 ½ cups)
8 Tbsp cocoa powder
Splash vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
*Additional ingredients needed in step 8 of the directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees/180C.
2. Place the dates in a small bowl and cover with mashed banana. Microwave for 2 minutes on medium. (This replicates soaking dates which takes several hours!)
3. Place the soaked dates, banana and egg beaters in a food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Then add the beans by a ½ cup, processing as you go along until completely combined.
5. Add remaining ingredients and combine.
6. Spray an 8×8 glass pan with nonstick cooking spray and spread the brownie batter evenly into the pan.
7. Place in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
8. When the brownies are baking, make the Banana Chocolate “Frosting.” To make the “frosting,” combine two large bananas (about ) with of cocoa powder in a food processor until smooth.
9. When brownies are done, let cool.
10. How to assemble the cake balls: Crumble half of the black bean brownies into a bowl. In the same bowl place 1/3 of the “frosting” and mix together. Then, form 16 to 20 balls out of the mixture and place on a sprayed lid/cookie sheet. Freeze for an hour. Remove when frozen and coat with remaining “frosting.” Freeze until solid. Thaw for a few minutes and enjoy!
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Thanks again to Qi Ting for letting me do this guest post on her blog. It was a little late in coming, but I enjoyed writing this so much!
Please come visit my blog, check out my recent posts and my About Me page. I enjoy reading everyone’s comments and I love meeting fellow foodies!
~ Madison @ Peanut Butter Lover
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Thank YOU, Madison!! Remember to hop over to Madison’s. Right now. 😀
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Its Life.
It seems like just yesterday that I had long hair reaching my waist, when I was seated with the most horrible person on earth, taught by the worst teacher in the universe. It seems like just yesterday that I told myself never ever to become a teacher when I grow up.
It seems like just yesterday that I was having the worst day of my life.
Time passes so quickly! There are so many parts of my life I can no longer remember and many others I don’t want to remember. But its now the time of my life to decide what the rest of my life will be and the parts that will make it. That is– the career I will have. Obviously I can never become a baker (neither good enough nor allowed), a teacher or a doctor or lawyer since I don’t do very well in my studies no matter how hard I try.
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I had to narrow down the choices. Here is the list with the ‘problem’ by the side.
Its just a reference. And since I have a ‘life plan’ for if-the-world-doesn’t-end-in-2012, I can actually do anything I don’t hate (since the list I hate contains most things).
And apparently, between the two best JCs in Singapore, the better one is the one your girlfriend will be in, according to the incredibly warped logic of my brother. (sorry that its irrelevant. I just had to comment about it)
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Anyway, today I made a healthier version of Tiramisu! I’m only okay with Tiramisu but its great to know that I know how to make it. Its the second recipe I’m making for my “Request a Recipe Makeover” feature.
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Sorry for the runny-looking Tiramisu. I was in a hurry and skipped the refrigerating.
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I substituted the mascarpone cheese with coconut cream and cream cheese because mascarpone is incredibly expensive and the substitution opens up a vegan option.
You can skip making the cake and use ready-made sponge fingers/lady fingers instead.
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Click to enlarge
For VEGAN version, use vegan lady fingers (recipe here) and tofutti cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese.
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Have a great day.
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A Dessert Diet 
