Pineapple Tarts Recipe

*cue festive music, the most traditional of them all...

Dong dong dong chiang, dong dong dong chiang, dong dong dong chiang dong chiang dong chiang

Now that I have set the scene, you probably realise that this is a post related to Chinese New Year. And yes, it is coming and to be more exact, there are 8 more days to go.

To me CNY is all about the food. This is the only time in the year where I forget my waist-line and just eat (and eat and eat and eat). There is your traditional steamboat, Pen Cai (盆菜)... and definitely plenty of baked treats. Pineapple tarts, almond biscuits, peanut biscuits, etc.

The festive cheer is here and as an avid baker, I should be elated, excited, over the moon! Well, truth is, not quite...

Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns Recipe

I don't make bread often. I like and tend to stick with quick, fuss free recipes - chiffon cakes, cupcakes, muffins, tarts. But on one of those rare occasions, I make bread and today, I present to you Cranberry Cream Cheese Buns.

My bread family all "dressed up"

Kimchi Pancake Recipe

If you are looking for a fuss-free meal, kimchi pancake is a quick fix. All you need is kimchi, flour, water.

Easy Kimchi Recipe

I am a huge fan of korean food and kimchi, being the centrepiece of korean cuisine is one of my favourites. Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables and are used in a variety of korean dishes, kimchi fried rice, kimchi soup, kimchi pancake, etc.

Pastry Cream Recipe

Pastry creams are delicious fillings for your tarts, cakes, pies and even cupcakes. It is simple and can be prepared in advance and chilled a day or two before use.

Homemade Vanilla Essence (Extract) Recipe

Vanilla essence/extract is one basic flavouring used in many recipes; basic sponge, butter or cupcakes. For a novice baker, the cheapest and most convenient way to get vanilla essence is from supermarkets or baking stores, e.g. Bake King's vanilla essence ($1.35 per bottle of 26ml).

However, after baking for some time, one will realise that the taste of the baked product depends heavily on the type of ingredients used. By that I am referring to the specifics; i.e. brand of butter, flour, etc. With so many commercial brands available, quality and price are two things I look out for when I buy my ingredients. Best-value-for-money is my mantra.

So why not invest in making your own vanilla essence? It is much simpler than you think; all you need is some good quality vanilla beans and vodka.