Cheesy Beef Korokke コロッケ

Having some potato in the kitchen and do not know what to do with it hence decided to make some korokke. Korokke is the Japanese name for croquette which is basically mash potato with filling like meat or seafood, breaded and fried to a golden brown. After going through some recipes online and doing some modification of my own to suit my taste. You can easy omit the cheese or change the filling as you need. Simple recipes which take no effort at all to make. Make a bigger batch and you can store the leftover in your freezer for up to a month.

Recipes (Makes about 8 to 10)

4            Medium potatoes (washed and peeled)
1             Egg
1             Onion (Diced finely)
1/2          Carrot (shredded)
5             Shitake mushroom (Diced)
50g         Mozzarella cheese
200g       Minced beef

1 Tsp      Japanese Soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

For breading 

3             Egg
2 cup      Panko (Japanese Breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup   All purpose flour

Method 

• Cook the potato till skewer goes through easily about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the size of your potato. Cut it smaller for faster cooking
• Mash potato but do not mash it too finely, we want to have some chunks of potato for texture 
• Saute onion for about 5 min in a lightly oiled pan
• Add carrot, mushroom and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes
• Add meat and brown the meat. Season to taste. 
• Add meat mixture into potato and stir to combine
• When the mixture cool slightly, add egg and mix well
• Form into individual korokke and fill each korokke with about a tblsp of mozzarella cheese
• Heat oil in a heavy bottom saucepan to about 180 degree C
• Dredge in flour, egg then panko.
• Fried till golden brown, served with tokatsu sauce readily available at any supermarket, usually you will find the Bull Dog brand.   

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Just made a batch of vanilla ice cream and when I see vanilla ice cream I automatically think... BROWNIES!!! Hence I decided I shall make this quick simple and absolutely delicious chocolate brownies to go with my ice cream.. YUM!!

To make everything more chocolaty then ever, I just dump in all kinds of chocolate I have in my chocolate fridge.. Milk chocolate, Dark chocolate, white chocolate... the result, definitively chocolaty brownies paired with my velvety vanilla ice cream, HEAVEN!!

Recipes 

185g          Unsalted butter
185g          Dark chocolate
85g            Flour
40g            Cocoa Powder
50g            White chocolate
50g            Milk chocolate
3                Large egg
185g          Castor sugar









Method 

• Preheat oven 180 degree C, prepare a 20cm square tin (greased and line bottom with baking paper for easy removal) 
• Melt the butter and dark chocolate in a bain marie or microwave 
• Sift Coco powder and flour together and set aside
• Chop the white and milk chocolate into chunks
• Whisk egg and sugar until pale yellow and double in volume (Ribbon stage) 
• Fold the chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mixture 
• Fold in sifted flour and coco mixture
• Stir in chocolate chunks
• Bake for about 25 mins or stick inserted in center comes out clean. 

 

Vanilla Ice Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream... Nothing can be more simple and enjoyable as a rich creamy velvety ice cream full of vanilla flavor. This recipe that I have is adapted book Couture Chocolate by William Curley and I use Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans for the best vanilla flavor, definitely beat the crap out of those store bought vanilla ice cream hand down anytime of the day!!

Recipes

500ml        Milk
200ml        Double cream
120g         Castor Sugar
1               Vanilla Pod
120g         Egg yolk (abt 6 yolk)

Methods

• Put the cream, milk and 60g of the sugar into a saucepan
• Scrape the seed of the vanilla pod into the saucepan and add the empty pod in as well
• Bring to a boil and remove from heat, rest for 30 min to infuse the vanilla flavor
• Whisk egg yolk and sugar in a stand mixer until light in colour (2-3 mins)
• Slowly pour half of the milk mixture into the egg mixture.. Slowly stir together carefully not to add to much air into the mixture
• Add the mixture into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan and return to heat
• Heat to 82-84 degree C, mixture will be thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon
• Remove from heat, pass the mixture through a sieve and cool over in bowl place in a ice water bath.
• Cover mixture with cling wrap and place in fridge overnight
• Churn mixture in ice cream machine according to manufacturer instructions.

Churros with Hot Chocolate

Churro which is sometime referred to as a Spanish doughnut. Every time I ate this, I will always be in a theme park somewhere and making this reminds me of all the fun that I have. Came across this recipes while watching YouTube, this recipe is from the man himself, Gordon Ramsay... The delicious churros is served with a hot chocolate infused with orange, chilli and vanilla pod.

Recipes 

For the Churros:

250g    Plain flour
50g      Unslated butter
200ml  Water
Pinch of salt
                                                                
                                     For the hot chocolate

150g       70% Dark chocolate
300ml      Double cream
1              Vanilla pod
2"            Cinnamon stick
1/4          Chilli unchopped
3-4          Pieces of orange zest

For the cinnamon sugar 

50g         Castor sugar
3             Tsp cinnamon





Methods 

• Place the salt and flour in a mixing bowl of the stand mixer
• Melt butter in a saucepan and add water then bring to a boil
• Pour straight into flour and whisk to a smooth paste, add warm water to reach desired consistency 
• The finish dough should be slowly drop from the whisk
• Place into a piping bag with star nozzle and chill in fridge for at least 30 min. 
• Place all the ingredient for the hot chocolate into a saucepan
• Stir until all the chocolate have melted completely 
• Remove from heat

• In a frying pan, heat oil to 180 degree C
• Pipe out churros and cut each piece at 3 to 4 inches. 
• Fry for about 3 to 4 miinutes till golden brown
• Remove and drain off excess oil and coat with cinnamon sugar 
• Serve with hot chocolate.... YUMMY!!

Earl Grey Crème brûlée

When you got a mini flame thrower in the kitchen or correctly known as a chef torch or blow torch, what better dessert to play with that little toy then making a creme brulee. Creme Brulee is basically a dessert consisting of a rich custard base top with a hard candy shell. This dessert can be made up to 2 days in advance and simple top it with sugar and burnt it right before serving.

Recipes: (make about 4 serving)

370ml        Whole Milk
1 tblsp        Earl Grey tea
4                Egg yolk
75g            Sugar
65ml          cream

• Preheat oven to 100 degree C
• Bring milk to a boil in medium saucepan, Stir in tea leave and leave to infuse for about 4 to 5 minutes
• Strain the milk and discard leaves
• Whisk Yolk, sugar, cream together but not try not to incorporate air. 
• Drizzle the milk slowly into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly
• Pour custard into ramekins. 
• Place ramekin on a baking sheet and slip it into oven
• Bake for 45 minutes or knife inserted in the center comes out cleans. 
• Cool at room temperture then chill for at least 2 hours before serving. 
• To serve, spriinkle a thin coat of sugar over chilled custards and burn it using the "mini flame thrower" going a a smooth circular motion as you burn. Once caramelized, serve immediately. 

Dark Chocolate Raspberries Gelato

Ok... I admit Gelato have nothing to do with baking but let's not limit ourselves here shall we. Ever since I got my KitchenAid Ice-cream maker bowl, I have been searching for the perfect chocolate Gelato recipes. After numerous trial and error, I would say this recipes is rather yummy and awesomely chocolaty. Whether you like raspberries or not, you can easily take out the raspberries included in this recipes.

Recipes:

350ml      Whole Milk
100ml       Cream
150g         Sugar
85g           Cocoa powder
56g           70% Chocolate
4               Egg Yolk
1 shot        Raspberries volka
1 cup        Frozen / fresh raspberries

• Set a large bowl in ice bath
• In medium saucepan over medium low heat, combine milk, cream and half of the sugar. Bring to a bare simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar
• Add cocoa, chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 min to melt chocolate. Whisk lightly to combine. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolk and sugar until pale yellow
• Slow add in the hot chocolate mixture into the egg, whisking as you combine. 
• Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium low heat, stirring constantly until thickened and temperature hits 73 degree C
• Pour the mixture into the bowl inside the ice bath. Let cool for 10 minute. 
• Wrap and chill in fridge overnight
• Remove from fridge, whisk in vodka
• Pour into ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions. 
• Pour in frozen berries when ice cream is almost done. 
• Transfer to container, and chill in freeze till desired texture. I leave it overnight. 

 

Chicken Pot Pie

This recipes is adapted from Gordon Ramsey book, World Kitchen. With Gordon Ramsey visit to Singapore recently and after catching a glimpse of the man himself, it inspired me to make another recipe by the man himself. This is basically a creamy chicken filling top with a light puff pastry baked to golden deliciousness....

I love this recipes and think it taste awesome!!! I adjusted the recipes a little and added a bit of cayenne pepper for that extra kick and a touch of dry basil to lift the flavour of the filling. If you are using store bought puff pastry then this recipes is absolutely easy to make but being me, I prefer to make my own puff pastry. However I am still perfecting my puff pastry hence will not be including it this post.

Recipes

50g         Butter
1             Large onion, chopped
3             Stalk of celery, diced
1             Large carrot, peeled and diced
1             Large potato, peeled and diced
50g         Plain flour
500ml     Chicken stock
1 tsp       Cayenne pepper
1 tsp       Dry basil
Sea salt and Pepper to taste
500g       Boneless, skinless Chicken breast, cut into bite size chunk
300g       Good quality Puff Pastry
1             Egg mixed with 1 tblsp milk to glaze.

• Melt butter in a large wide sauce pan, add onion, celery, carrot and potato. Saute gently for 10 minutes or until vegetable are soft. Add flour, stir well and cook for another 2 min to cook out the flour
• Pour in stock, cream and season with salt / pepper
• Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently for about 5 to 10 minute or until thicken.
• Add chicken and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the piece are just cooked through. 
• Add Cayenne pepper, basil. Taste and adjust seasoning. 
• Take of heat and leave to cool slightly
• Preheat oven to 200 degree C
• Spoon the filling into 1 large or several smaller pie dish to just below the rim. 
• Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick on a lightly flour counter. 
• Cut out the pastry so that it will be able to form a pie lid on the dish
• Brush the rim with water and place the rolled pastry on the dish. If you wish, you can form pastry leaf and place on top of the pie lid to decorate it. 
• Bake for 50 minutes for large pie dish and 20 to 30 minutes for smaller dish or until the top is golden brown.