Chocolate Eclairs 耶克蕾亚泡芙 （中英加图对照食谱）

A happy and blessed 2016 New Year to all my readers! 

Sharing my first bake of the year - my first attempt to bake Chocolate Eclairs. Eclair is a french word meaning lightning, rumor has it that it came about because a pastry chef would joke that this cake is so good that it is gobbled up as fast as lightning! It is a hollow, log-shaped shell of choux pastry that is filled with vanilla, chocolate, or coffee flavored pastry cream. The top of the pastry is usually dipped into a vanilla, chocolate, or coffee flavored glaze or fondant. 

Homemade Leopard Print Tokyo Banana- 自制豹纹东京香蕉蛋糕（中英食谱）

The first time I heard of Tokyo Banana was before I went for my vacation in Osaka in 2013, my nephew Darren had asked me to buy it if I see it in Osaka. Unfortunately, I could not find it in Osaka, not even at the Kansai International Airport.

Tokyo Banana (東京ばな奈) is a Japanese souvenir sweet of Tokyo, a banana shaped sweet full of banana custard wrapped in a fluffy sponge. It is considered a top souvenir and must buy when one visits Tokyo. 

I happened to see a homemade version of the Tokyo banana at a chinese blog recently and decided to give it a try. Please pardon my not so nice drawing of the leopard print on my first attempt. Nonetheless, the taste is good and not too sweet like the original version. The kids love it and we finished the 9 pieces all in one go! 

Strawberry Mille-Feuille 草莓法式千层酥 （中英食谱教程）

Did you guess it right that I was going to bake this dessert using the smooth and creamy vanilla custard recipe that I have uploaded in the blog yesterday?  

Smooth and Creamy Vanilla Custard 柔顺又滑腻的香草卡士达奶油 （中英食谱教程）

Here's a nice, smooth and creamy vanilla custard which I have made 2 days ago and would like to share it with you. It is also my first time using vanilla bean. Yes, no kidding, I have only used vanilla extract and vanilla paste in my bakes so far. 

这是两天前做的香草奶油，觉得口味很棒，跟大家分享。这也是我第一次使用香草荚。烘烤至今只用过纯香草精和香草糊。

Quick & Easy Mandarin Orange Peach Strudel 简易橘子桃馅饼 （中英食谱教程）

This is a quick and easy Orange and Peach Strudel which was a hit when I served it to my guests at a pot-luck gathering party recently! 

Gula Melaka Magic Custard Cake 马六甲椰糖魔术卡士达蛋糕 (中英食谱教程）

I hosted my third guest blogger Magic Custard Cake (MCC) and German Butter Cookies workshop two days ago. As usual, I will bake the original and one other flavoured magic custard cake for my participants to sample to have an appreciation of the finished product before they attempt to bake one. I was adventurous and wanted to try a new flavour which no one has tried before, hence the birth of the Gula Melaka magic custard cake. Gula Melaka is dark palm sugar made from the sap of a Palmyra palm and has its own distinct taste. It is mainly used in the local desserts and cakes of the Southeast Asian region.

In this recipe, I have replaced all the icing sugar with gula melaka and the method is slightly different from the original recipe. The result is a flavourful and fragrance cake. My hubby commented that it is the best flavour among all the magic custard cakes I have made so far. I am on cloud nine as I could achieved the three magical layers after trying my own ways of incorporating the gula melaka into the cake batter. My least favourite dense kueh bottom is also just a thin layer, hooray!!! :D =D>

很荣幸第三次被LessonsGoWhere邀请担任部落格嘉宾厨师。我在上课时，都会先让我的学生们尝试原味和另一种口味的魔术卡士达蛋糕。 前两课，我做了抹茶和巧克力口味的。这次，我选择没人做过的马六甲椰糖口味，老公说这是我做过以来最好吃的口味。来上课的姐妹们也说比原味的好吃多了！很高兴用了自己的做法加入马六甲椰糖，还能成功做出三层不同质感的魔术卡士达蛋糕，连我不是很喜欢的粿底层还是薄薄的喔！ :p

Here's sharing some photos taken during the workshop. 

上课时拍的一些照片。 

Thanks to E-Fei of LessonsGoWhere and Lena of the The Baking Loft who have been great assistants to me and my dear hubby for capturing pictures of these special moments during the workshop. Not forgetting to thank Brandt who has sponsored the recipe books - 'Simple Pleasures from the Kitchen' which I had given each participant a copy to bring home. 

Baked Custard Mooncakes 酥皮奶黄月饼（中英食谱教程）

When I first saw this recipe at Zoe's blog, I thought it's really interesting as it differs from the usual mooncakes which use lotus paste as fillings and I bookmarked it right away! :) When I saw it at Karen's blog few days ago, I was even more determined to try it out! 

This baked custard mooncakes are really popular in Hong Kong and are selling like hot cakes! Thanks to Master Chef Ye ( 葉潤發師傅) who is the creator of this delectable pastry mooncake. He was inspired by the Fried Custard Bun (炸奶黃包) which was so well received in the hotel restaurant where he used to work and successfully created the mooncake version after his tenth attempt. 

The mid-autumn festival is just around the corner, here's wishing everyone 中秋节快乐！

Pandan Magic Custard Cupcake Video Tutorial Recipe 香兰魔术卡士达小蛋糕 (中英食谱视频教程)

The magic custard cake is very well received when I shared the recipe in my blog, Facebook page and several baking groups last week. I have received positive feedback from my readers and friends who have tried and tested this cake. 

Magic Custard Cake Video Tutorial Recipe 魔术卡士达蛋糕 (中英食谱视频教程)

The first time I made this magic custard cake was more than half a year ago and it was made in Matcha flavour. My family loves it, not only are we amused by the three different textures, it tastes awfully good, believe me! 

抹茶魔术卡士达蛋糕 Matcha Magic Custard Cake (中英食谱)

Few weeks ago, when my good friend Joyce posted her bake of this magic custard cake in her facebook, I was curious and wonder why it is called a magic cake. She explained to me that three different layers were formed when the cake is baked. I thought, "Wow, what an interesting recipe, I gotta try it!"

Cantonese Egg Tarts 港式蛋塔

Don't they look like Sunflowers?

Egg Tarts is one dish which you will find on the menu or on the push-carts at any Chinese restaurant serving Tim Sum. I grew up eating these tarts that look like Sunflower which can cheer one up instantly.  My mum used to buy it often from the Tong Heng confectionery in Chinatown in my younger days and I always look forward to it. Biting into each mouthful of smooth, wobbly custard with flaky pastry crust is a pure enjoyment for me. :)