Chocolate Eclairs (with Baileys Buttercream filling)

Bailey's buttercream eclairs

Using the same Choux Puff recipe, accompanied with ideas of interesting flavors, created a variation of the similar dessert - Baileys Buttercream Eclairs.


Choux Puff Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose-flour
• 1/2 tsp caster white sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup water (slightly lesser by 1/4 cup)
• 2 eggs (beaten)

Steps:
1) In a bowl, sift flour + sugar + salt. Set aside.

2) Melt and boil butter + water in a pot over medium flame. Remove from heat.

3) Quickly but gently add the sifted flour mixture in, keep stirring with a wooden spoon/spatula. Return pot to low heat, keep stirring will dough comes away from sides.

4) When dough turns into thick smooth ball, off the flame. Slowly pour in egg 1 tbsp by tbsp. Mix well till mash-potato-like paste.

5) Spoon into piping bag (DIY piping bag, click here to learn how to DIY). Pipe out long stripes of dough about 2 inches each.

6) Dip a fork into water and use it to create line-patterns on each dough. (This is the classic elcair look ^^)

7) Bake 15mins at 200°C, then reduce oven temperature to 170°C and bake another 30mins-40mins.

8) Once baked, let air out by slitting a tiny pocket at sides with a butter knife and cool 15mins.


Bailey's Buttercream Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 30ml baileys (approx 2 tbsp)
• 2 cups powdered sugar (add amount till right consistency)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Steps:
1) Cream butter with mixer till smooth.
2) Add salt & whisk well blended.
3) Add a bit of Baileys, whisk and add a bit more till complete.
4) Slowly add in tablespoon of powdered sugar bit by bit till cream consistency.


Completing Steps:
1) Use piping bag to fill the eclairs with the bailey's buttercream.
2) Melt some coating chocolate (my favorite is the dark chocolate!), use a spoon and coat the top of each elcairs with chocolate.
3) Best is to chill the eclairs first before serving!


ENJOY!

Halloween No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

This is a very very very easy no-bake fudge-like cookies that is chewy and chocolaty, not forgetting, rich in peanut flavor. And you can make in various shapes to welcome the Halloween! Great for a last-minute-prep on some trick-or-treat with your family & friends or Halloween party!



Ingredients 

- 3 1/2 cups dry quick-cooking oats, divided

- 1/2 cup peanut butter

- 2 teaspoons vanilla

- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, cut into pieces

- 2 cups sugar

- 1/2 cup milk

- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- Almond flakes (for decoration purpose)
 

1. Place the butter, sugar, milk and cocoa in a small saucepan. Give them a quick stir. Turn the heat on high, and leave the mixture alone.

2. Bring mixture to a full, rolling boil, and let it boil for exactly 1 minute. Remove immediately from the heat, and pour the chocolate mixture over the oats and peanut butter.
3. Use a large fork, quickly stir the ingredients together. (if mixture is wet, add in more oats)

5. Scoop & drop the mixture by tablespoons onto the wax paper or using the hands, roll into tomb-shapes or finger-shapes. (as shown in picture)

6. Let the cookies cool until set or chill in the fridge for 30mins before serving.


  

Egg Tarts

This is a very simple recipe to make delicious egg tarts at your very own kitchen. Though I am still in love with the Portuguese style egg tarts, sometimes I do still crave for these classic ones as they are still as fragrant, crispy and yet soft & runny in the center. Also, not to forget, it's definitely of a much lower calories compared to the Portuguese egg tarts since the absence of double cream in the egg filling.  XD

So here's the recipe, it is really simple and yet fun to make especially the tart part!

INGREDIENTS:

Pastry Tart

- 50g butter (chopped into small pieces)

- 100g plain flour

- 1/2 of a beaten egg (keep the other half for filling)

- 25g caster white sugar

Filling

- 1 1/2 eggs

- 40g caster white sugar

- 50ml water

- 50ml milk

Preheat over to 160°C.

1) Mix flour and sugar in a big bowl.

2) Use fingertips, rub the butter into the flour and sugar mixture, lifting it high to incorporate more air into mixture till crumbs-texture. Here's a video showing the butter & flour rubbing technique.

3) Slowly add in the 1/2 egg mixture while using hands to mix well.

4) Knead the dough on a floured table till smooth. (you may add 1 tsp of water if dough is still crumby)

5) Prepare the tart moulds and divide dough into equal size balls first.

 

6) Press dough into the small tart mould. Punch holes at the bottom with a fork to prevent center from raising while baking.

7) Whisk all filling ingredients together & strain the filling with a sieve into (preferably) a jug.

8) Pour the egg filling mixture into the tarts.

9) Bake at 160°C for 20-25mins. Remove from oven, cool for 5mins before removing tarts from the mould.

 

ENJOY!









Some equipments you may need for this recipe:
      

Milo Mantou (Milo Buns)

Milo Mantou (Milo Buns)

My favourite is the fried Mantou, that is either dipped into chili crab sauce or simply the sweetened condesed milk. Sometimes, I will  have this craving for a hot, soft Mantou, especially for breakfast. So, after many attempts in the various baking, this time round, I am to try making buns! (no more baking, but steaming plus lotsa "hands-on"!)

Here in this post, I ventured into a little twist, adding a special taste to the normal Mantou. Apart from my experiment with the milo cookies, this time, yes milo Mantou. And the key ingredient for buns? - Yeast.

INGREDIENTS:

- 350ml warm water

- 3 tbsp white sugar

- 3 tbsp milo powder

- A dash of salt

- 2 tsp instant yeast

- 1 1/2 tbsp oil

- 600g white bread flour/all purpose flour

1) Mix salt, yeast and oil in the warm water.

2) Stir in milo powder and sugar. Blend well and let the mixture sit for 5-10mins

3) In a large bowl, sift in flour and create a "crater" in the middle.

4) Slowly pour in the wet mixture into the center, bit by bit while mixing with hand.
(Do not pour in the wet mixture all at once but bit by bit till the pliable consistency. Stop adding if you feel that it is getting too soft and moist to knead on.)

5) Continue kneading the dough till it forms elastic smooth ball. (Approx 15mins & dough should not stick to hands and should be stretchy)

6) Cut square pieces of baking sheet.

7) Roll dough to a tube shape. (5cm diameter). Slice into 16-18 loaves & lay each onto a piece of baking sheet.

8) Set dough aside, wait 20mins for them to rise (best to cover with plastic wrap). Dough till be almost doubled in size and look puffy.

9) Steam the dough for 15mins in a steamer and enjoy your Hot fluffy Milo Mantou!

Equipments or ingredients for this recipe that you may need: