包子

Birthday Cake

I made this cake for QH's birthday back in February. Creativity can really go a long way. In this case, you don't really need to have heart-shaped cake pan to make this cake, just print one from your computer and use it as your pattern to cut the cake. As for the decoration, just pick the fruits in season, and you will have a beautiful cake!

凤梨酥

Fruit Tartlet

Savannah Bow Ties

Source: Food Network
Yield: 28 Bow Tie Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 a (17 1/4-ounce) package frozen puff pastry (1 sheet)
• 1/2 cup almond paste
• 1 egg yolk, white reserved
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 egg white
• Sugar, for sprinkling
• Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Instructions

1. Let pastry stand at room temperature for 20 minutes or until easy to roll.
2. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 14-inch square. Cut square in half with a fluted pastry wheel.
3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4. For filling: crumble almond paste in a small mixing bowl. Add egg yolk, brown sugar, and milk. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well mixed.
5. Spread filling over 1 pastry half. Place remaining pastry half on top of filling.
6. Using the fluted pastry wheel, cut dough crosswise into fourteen 1-inch-wide strips. Then cut each strip in half crosswise to make 28 pieces.
7. Twist each piece twice. Place twists about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with foil or parchment paper. Brush twists with slightly beaten egg white. Sprinkle with sugar (coarse sugar if available).
8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve with Chocolate Dipping Sauce.

Notes

• Almond filling will be very stiff. To make spreading easier, drop a dollop of filling uniformly over pastry. Spray a piece of waxed paper with non-stick cooking spray. Press almond paste evenly over entire dough. Spray waxed paper as often as necessary to prevent filling from sticking.
• I substitute grounded almond with almond paste, but you can by almond paste from supermarket if you want. it can be found in the baking section, look like this.
• if you don’t have fluted pastry cutter like this, cut straight line with knife. fluted lines look better.
  

驴打滚 (豆面糕)

豆面糕又称驴打滚，是北京小吃中的古老品种之一，它的原料是用黄米面加水蒸熟，和面时稍多加水和软些。另将黄豆炒熟后，轧成粉面。制作时将蒸熟的黄米面外 面沾上黄豆粉面擀成片，然后抹上赤豆沙馅（也可用红糖）卷起来，切成100克左右的小块，撒上白糖就成了。制作时要求馅卷得均匀，层次分明，外表呈黄色， 特点是香、甜、粘，有浓郁的黄豆粉香味儿。

豆面糕以黄豆面为其主要原料，故称豆面糕。但为什么又称“驴打滚”呢？似乎是一种形象比 喻，制得后放在黄豆粉面中滚一下，如郊野真驴打滚，扬起灰尘 似的，故而得名。这一点连前人也发出疑问。《燕都小食品杂咏》中就说：“红糖水馅巧安排，黄面成团豆里埋。何事群呼‘驴打滚’，称名未免近诙谐。”还说： “黄豆粘米，蒸熟，裹以红糖水馅，滚于炒豆面中，置盘上售之，取名‘驴打滚’真不可思议之称也。”可见“驴打滚”的叫法已约定俗成。如今，很多人只知雅号 俗称，不知其正名了。现各家小吃店一年四季都有供应，但大多数已不用黄米面，改用江米面了，因外滚黄豆粉面，其颜色仍为黄色，是群众非常喜爱的一种小吃．

材料

• 糯米粉
• 红豆沙
• 熟黄豆粉

制做过程

1. 糯米粉加水蒸熟，和面时稍多加水和软些．
2. 制作时将蒸熟的糯米糕外沾上黄豆粉擀成皮，然后抹上赤豆沙馅（也可用红糖）卷起来，切成小块．

Almond Tartlet

蛋塔

Recipe can be found here.

I find that the process of making the shell is time consuming. As an alternative, you can find premade tartlet shells in the freezer section of your supermarket, like this one:

豌豆黄

豌豆黄是北京传统小吃。按北京习俗，农历三月初三，居民要吃豌豆黄。因此每当春季豌豆黄就上市，一直供应到春末。

豌豆黄是北京庙会上的常见品种。一般是农民小贩用砂锅制成小枣豌豆黄，他们吆喝着：“小枣哟，豌豆黄……大块嘞。”这才是大众化的豌豆黄。它用砂锅 将白豌豆熬烂，加适量去核的红枣、白砂糖搅拌，等水分渐干，即可成块出锅。晾凉切成三角形陈列出售，颜色橙黄，满嵌红枣，好看亦好吃。砂锅豌豆黄味甜，清 凉爽口，老幼都欢喜食用。明代小说中已见豌豆黄的名字，清乾隆初年，豌豆黄已成为宫廷甜食之一。《故都食物百咏》中有诗说：“从来食物属燕京，豌豆黄儿久 著名。红枣都嵌金屑里，十文一块买黄琼。”

豌豆黄原是民间大众化食品，后传入宫廷经改进已不用枣，主要用上好的白豌豆，小磨破（豆昔）去皮，用凉水泡3遍，要用铜锅坐水（不能用铁锅）加破碎 豌豆入内，加碱，将豌豆煮成粥状，然后带原汤过箩，将过箩的豌豆粥放入锅内加白糖，炒30分钟，要掌握火候，不能太嫩，也不能过火。太嫩不能凝固成块，太 老凝固后会有裂纹。炒的过程中，须随时用木板捞起做试验，如豆泥往下淌得很慢，淌下去的豆泥不是随即与锅中的豆泥相融合，而是逐渐形成一个堆，再逐渐与锅 内豆泥融合（俗称堆丝），即可起锅。起锅后的豆泥倒入白铁模具内，盖上光滑的薄纸，防止裂纹，还可保洁，晾凉后即成豌豆黄。

豌豆黄以北海公园内的仿膳饭庄的最有名，南城南来顺饭庄的豌豆黄也很精细，均为群众喜爱和欢迎。

材料

• 8 oz 干豌豆(Dried Yellow Split Bean)
• 2 small packages Gelatine
• 冰糖
• 蜂蜜

制做过程

1. 干豌豆泡几个小时，然后上锅, 水没过豆子半厘米左右, 大火煮开，加冰糖, 小火熬四十分钟到一个小时, 尝尝豆子已经烂了, 关火.
2. 如果你有blender，把煮烂的豆子连汤带水倒进blender，用blend档打一分钟，倒回锅里。如果没有blender，也可以用一把大汤勺去锅里“杵”一阵.
3. 把打好的豌豆浆中火热开，加入一些蜂蜜，加用凉水和好的洋菜(gelatine)。洋菜的多少和加的过程，读洋菜包装上的说明。
4. 关火，把浆倒到一个8×8左右的方型烤盘里晾凉后放冰箱里冷藏两小时，就可以切块上桌了。切块的大小以2×3寸为宜。每块上面再码放一长为一寸的菱形山楂糕薄片，既好看，山楂糕的酸味又去碗豆的腻味.

制做心得

• 如果有时间, 煮豌豆的时间还可以长些, 成品口感会更细腻.
• Gelatine is not Jello, it should look like this.
• add the sugar based on taste. the mixture may taste sweeter when it is hot and much less sweeter when cold.

Chocolate Mousse Napoleons

Source: www.puffpastry.com

Thaw Time : 30 min.
Prep Time : 25 min.
Bake Time : 15 min.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm� Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 1 cup heavy cream *
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 pkg. (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate pieces, melted and cooled
• 1 square (1 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• Confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. THAW pastry sheet at room temperature 30 min. Preheat oven to 400�F.
2. UNFOLD pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 3 strips along fold marks. Cut each strip into 6 rectangles. Place 2" apart on baking sheet.
3. BAKE 15 min. or until golden. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
4. PLACE cream and cinnamon in bowl. Beat with electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold in melted chocolate pieces. Split pastries into 2 layers. Spread 18 bottom halves with chocolate cream. Top with remaining top halves. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hr.
5. DRIZZLE with melted chocolate and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Makes 18 Napoleons.

*You can substitute 2 cups thawed frozen non-dairy or dairy whipped topping for heavy cream. Proceed as directed.

Fudgy Brownie Cups

Source: www.puffpastry.com

Thaw Time : 30 min.
Prep Time : 25 min.
Bake Time : 18 min.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pkg. Pepperidge Farm� Frozen Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
• 4 squares (1 oz. each) unsweetened chocolate
• 4 tbsp. butter OR margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions:

• THAW pastry sheet at room temperature 30 min. Preheat oven to 400�F.
• PLACE chocolate and butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until smooth.
• STIR sugar into chocolate mixture. Mix in eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour.
• UNFOLD pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 15"x12" rectangle. Cut into 20 (3") squares. Press squares into 3" muffin-pan cups. Spoon about 1 tbsp. chocolate mixture into each cup.
• BAKE 18 min. or until golden. Remove from muffin-pans and cool on wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Makes 20.

Shrimp with Mango Salsa in Wonton Cups

Source: www.hormel.com

Servings: 24
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 24 wonton wrappers
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil for brushing
• 1 pound (30-40 count) fresh shrimp, deveined and cooked
• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and chopped
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• salt and white pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375�F.
   
2. Lightly brush miniature muffin cups with a small amount of olive oil. Press 1 wonton wrapper into each cup and lightly brush with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
   
3. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown and slightly crisp.
   
4. Remove from pans and place on wire rack to cool.
   
5. Reserve 24 cooked shrimp for garnish.
   
6. Chop remaining shrimp. In bowl, combine the chopped shrimp, mango, basil, mint, garlic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, lime juice, salt and pepper; mix gently.
   
7. Just before serving, spoon shrimp mixture into wonton cups.
   
8. Garnish wonton cups with shrimp and serve.

Wakame Seaweed Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces dried wakame seaweed
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup soy bean oil
• 1/8 cup Tamari soy sauce
• 2 small red chile peppers, seeds removed and cut into thin strips
• 4 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Place the wakame in a mixing bowl, and soak it in tepid water for 20 to30 minutes. Remove from water, squeeze dry, and trim away the tough spine. Cut into thin strips, and place in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, sugar, and both oils.
   
3. Pour the dressing over the wakame, add the chile peppers, and toss.
   
4. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.