Perfectly Baked

perfectly baked classic sweets and treats for your sweet tooth

Mabel Lui

Table of Contents Introduction Ingredients Equipment Techniques

1 3 7 11

Cookies and Bars

15

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17 19 20 21 23 25

Chocolate Chunk Cookies Double Chocolate Cookies Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Lemon Bars Browned Butter Blondies Granola Bars

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27

Everyday Cakes

Strawberry Cake Banana Bread Blueberry Crumb Cake Blueberry Muffins

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29 31 33 35

Thank You

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37

Table of Contents

Introduction For the longest time, I have always relied on my hands to make things. As a child, I would attend art lessons, and I remember always being more intrigued by crafts as opposed to painting; if I had a choice, I would rather make things. Even now, I would much rather fold a paper crane and make friendship bracelets as opposed to painting on a canvas. Maybe that’s why I’ve been hooked on baking since I’ve tried it, but I think the satisfaction I get from both the process and the final product also plays a huge part in my continuing ‘obsession’ with baking.

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To be honest, I don’t exactly remember how or when I started baking. My sister used to bake, and perhaps her enthusiasm affected me; maybe it was when she sent me a link to a recipe, or when I went scouring the Internet for one. There’s just something so addicting about scrolling through pages and pages of photos and recipes. Each web page linked to another page, and before I knew it, I was hooked.

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I think I really first started to think of myself as a baker when my friend sounded exasperated when I was talking (perhaps boasting) about knowing some random baking fact. Up until then, I had only thought of baking as a hobby, and while it still is a hobby, I have grown increasingly passionate about it. While I originally started off with the classic cookies, brownies and cupcakes, I have since dove into making bread, pastry and layer cakes, which are only some of the things I have baked from scratch.

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‘From scratch.’ I’ll never fully understand why these two words are so terrifying and intimidating to box mix bakers, but I know for a fact that I was one of these people. I think my desire to eat a home baked dessert in the matter of an hour trumped my fear of failure; just as well, I completely failed baking from scratch the first time. I thought that the powder in those instant hot chocolate mixes was the same as cocoa powder, and the end result (which were supposed to be brownies, by the way) came out rubbery and flat out unpalatable. But I learned from my mistake, and I tried the recipe again, with actual cocoa powder this time, and the result was superb. (As a side note, I would have included the recipe in this book, but I have since become much more critical of my baked goods. While those brownies were good, they were not oh-my-gosh-this-is-perfect good.)

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I guess I understand that not being able to rely on something pre-made to ensure success is scary. If I’m being entirely honest, I do think that some box mix baked goods can taste better than their made-from-scratch counterparts, but then again, with the perfect recipe, all bets are off. (Also, remember that box mixes are full of chemicals and artificial flavourings and colourings.) As I mentioned before, when baking from scratch, the process and result is equally satisfying; I, for one, find kneading bread therapeutic, and anything homemade will bring a smile to someone’s face. It’s the premise of good quality ingredients and the time and dedication spent on making something (truly) homemade that makes baking an irreplaceable and unique experience; in this sense, box mix brownies are no comparison.

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Often people ask me why I am not overweight, considering the fact that I bake weekly. The truth is that I don’t actually eat much of what I bake. Of course, I try everything that I make, but I also eat in moderation. I believe that everyone deserves a treat once in a while; a piece

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Introduction of cake isn’t going to do much harm to your body. If you decided to eat three more slices of cake after that first slice, however, then you’ve got a problem. The recipes in this book aren’t for diet conscious people, but I can assure you that they are made with real ingredients. I’m sure there are great alternate, healthier recipes that rival the so-called ‘fatty’ ones, but the basic recipes are key. Once you master the basics, you can then adapt them however you want. Remember that baking is also about sharing; recipes don’t usually say ‘serves 1’. I think sharing your food is also a huge part of baking; food brings together friends and family and is always inviting and comforting.

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There’s also this common misconception that baking is very technical, confusing and scientific; I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve complained numerous times throughout the making of the cookbook that baking is ‘too scientific’. But I assure you, baking can be simple and easy. And yet, it requires practice. I used to think that anyone could bake, and while that still rings true, baking is not something that you can be good at without time and practice.

Sure, your first baked good may turn out great, but in order to continue that streak of success you have to dedicate time to improving your skill. With practice and some reading, you’ll understand in a snap what ‘creaming’ means, what it means to aerate flour, and the significance of using unsalted butter instead of salted. My goal for this cookbook is to inspire you, and while I cannot guarantee that your baking endeavours will run perfectly smoothly, I hope that my tips and tricks will help you overcome any fear that you have about baking. So, get in the kitchen, grab that bag of flour, and get your hands a little bit dirty.

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Ingredients Every baker will tell you the exact same thing when talking about ingredients—always try to buy fresh and high quality products. There’s really just one simple reason for this; high quality ingredients produce better desserts. At times when fresh isn’t available, buy from a brand that you trust, and you’ll be good to go.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda Baking powder and baking soda are both leavening agents, but because baking powder is not as strong as baking soda, you’ll often see more of it used in recipes. Likewise, you’ll see less baking soda (also called bicarbonate of soda in the UK) used in recipes. Keep in mind that baking powder can expire, but baking soda does not.

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Butter I love butter, which is why it’s featured in most of the recipes in this book. For baking, it’s my fat of choice, as it provides the best flavour. I always use unsalted butter, since the salt content of salted butter often varies between different brands. If you only have salted butter, however, don’t fret; omit the salt from the original recipe and you’ll be fine.

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Chocolate The best tip I can give you for buying chocolate to bake with is to buy a brand that you like; one that you would want to eat, straight up. Always use the type of chocolate specified in a recipe, but semisweet and bittersweet chocolate (sweetened dark chocolates) can usually be interchanged with no ill effect. Personally, I like to buy bittersweet chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids (60-70%), as I like a strong flavour. While it is always beneficial to buy high quality chocolate, in recipes where chocolate isn’t the only flavour (chocolate muffins), it’s usually not necessary. On the other hand, in recipes where chocolate is the one and only flavour (ganache), you (and your dessert) would be better off with a good brand.

Also, I prefer to chop up chocolate for chocolate chip cookies (better flavour and melty goodness), but you can use chocolate chips as well.

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Cocoa Powder There are two types of cocoa powder—natural cocoa powder and Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Natural cocoa retains its acids while Dutch-processed cocoa goes through a process that strips its acids, resulting in a darker colour and stronger cocoa flavour. Before measuring your cocoa powder, try to press out any lumps using the back of a spoon. If you’re measuring your ingredients with dry measuring cups, use the method detailed under Flour. Remember that cocoa powder is always unsweetened, and both cocoa powders are used in recipes in this book.

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Coconut Dried coconut comes in many different forms (desiccated, shredded, flaked), but I like to buy unsweetened flaked coconut from Bob’s Red Mill. In my opinion, this type of coconut is the most versatile as the coconut can easily be turned into any size with a couple pulses of the food processor. Also, I tend to like big chunks as opposed to small chunks of coconut in my desserts.

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Ingredients Cream There’s so many names for different types of cream that it’s honestly so confusing; there’s heavy cream, single cream, double cream, light cream, whipping cream… the list continues.

Each of these are different, but I simply buy whipping cream as it contains enough butterfat to be whipped but is not too thick and rich. Heavy cream is the type that I’ve seen in most recipes, so I’ve listed it along with whipping cream in my recipes. You’ll also see that I really like using sour cream in my recipes; I really believe that it helps produce the fluffiest and moist cakes. When buying sour cream to bake with, always get full fat sour cream.

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Eggs Eggs provide structure and leavening in desserts, which is why it’s important to always use fresh eggs. To test if your eggs are fresh, put them in a bowl of water. Bad eggs will float while fresh eggs will sink. Also, eggs in baking recipes always mean large eggs at room temperature unless specified otherwise.

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Flour The main type of flour used in these recipes is all-purpose flour (also called plain flour).

Although there isn’t too much difference between unbleached flour and bleached flour, I would still recommend you to get unbleached (who wants chemicals in their flour?). If you’re measuring flour with cups, aerate the flour and then spoon it into your measuring cup. This is necessary because a packed cup of flour weighs much more than a cup of flour measured correctly. First, use a spoon to aerate your flour; basically, just mix it around to loosen it up.

Then, spoon the flour into the cup. Continue spooning the flour into your measuring cup until the flour fills the whole cup and goes over the rim. Afterwards, use a straight edge (I use the back of a knife) and run it along the rim of your measuring cup. Voilà! You have just measured your flour correctly. If you’re using weighing scales, these steps are not necessary, but I would still recommend that you fluff up your flour. Also, if you have space in your freezer, store your flour in there; this will extend the life of your flour.

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Instant Espresso Powder You’ll see that some recipes that involve chocolate also call for instant espresso powder.

Normally it can be omitted, but I like using it as it can enhance the chocolate flavour of a dessert. Don’t worry about the coffee flavour overwhelming the dessert; as long as you just use the required amount, you won’t be able to discern the flavour.

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Milk I use whole milk, but you can really use any kind you like—even almond milk, though there may be subtle differences in the final dessert.

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Nuts Because nuts are so expensive here in Hong Kong, you won’t see very many recipes with them listed as an ingredient. One type of nut that I do like using are almonds; they provide both flavour and texture. You’ll see that some recipes call for almond flour—this is just almonds that have been ground very finely. If you want to make your own almond flour, you can do so by placing blanched almonds into your food processor, and then pulsing it until all the almonds have been ground very finely. Remember not to go overboard though; if you continue pulsing, the almonds will start clumping together. introduction 4

Ingredients Oats Don’t buy instant or quick-cooking oats to bake with; your best bet is to use whole rolled oats.

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Oil In spite of my love for butter, some recipes demand that oil be used. Whenever you see vegetable oil listed as an ingredient in a recipe, know that it can be substituted with any other flavorless oil. You could even use olive oil, but keep in mind that it will impart a subtle flavour to the final dessert. I often use corn oil, because that’s what I have at home; in reality, you could use anything from canola to safflower.

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Salt I’m a huge believer of salt in desserts. As a baker, I always want to make sure that a dessert— any dessert—is balanced, and not too sugary or sweet. This is why I always remember to add salt to my recipes, as it is so important to get that perfect balance of flavours. Also, salt can elevate a dessert—chocolate pudding, for example—into something extraordinary. Many people are skeptical of the sea salt phenomenon, and I used to be one of them. But as I continued to see this food trend thriving, I decided to try it for myself. And it’s true—salt can enhance flavour (of chocolate, especially) like no other ingredient, and when sprinkle onto a dessert, it transforms it into an elevated version of the classic mix of sweet and salty. If you really don’t like the sound of sprinkling salt on a dessert, that’s okay; just please add salt into the recipe.

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Spices My favourite spice of all time is cinnamon, so you’ll see it featured in many recipes. I also use nutmeg and ginger, but definitely not as often. If you’re a big lover of spice, feel free to add any spice you please to recipes like gingersnaps and apple crisp—¼ teaspoon will definitely help amp up the flavour. I buy ground spices for convenience, but you can also grind spices yourself using a grater or a Microplane zester.

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Sugar Most of my recipes call for granulated sugar, which is the standard type of sugar used for baking. You’ll also see that I sometimes call for light brown sugar, which is so important in cookies as it imparts a subtle butterscotch flavour and also helps them get their chewy texture. There’s also dark brown sugar, but I prefer to use light brown sugar as it has a more subtle molasses flavour. Know that brown sugar is measured by packing it (with a spoon) into your measuring cup. In some recipes, I call for honey; I love working with its interesting flavour. Be sure to use a good, flavourful honey. I don’t usually use icing sugar (also called powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar) in recipes, but I like to sift it over cakes and brownies to dress them up a little.

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Vanilla The truth is, often vanilla flavouring gives the same amount of flavour to a recipe compared to vanilla extract. Despite this fact, I would still recommend getting natural vanilla extract, as it is much more reliable and the smell is irreplaceable. Vanilla also comes in the form of

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Ingredients extract, except that there are also seeds (from vanilla beans) present in the paste. It gives me the best of both worlds—vanilla paste provides both the convenience of vanilla extract and the amazing perfume of vanilla seeds. However, a vanilla bean gives the most authentic flavour and is also quite versatile. To get the seeds from a vanilla bean, simply split the bean in half with a knife and scrape the seeds from the bean. Even when all the seeds are scraped off, the bean can still be used, so don’t dispose of it right away. I would recommend putting the bean into a jar of sugar to infuse it. After a couple of months, you’ll have an amazingly fragrant sugar to use for your tea, or even in recipes.

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Yeast There are three different types of yeast: instant dry, active dry, and fresh. Instant dry and active dry yeast come in either packets or jars, while fresh yeast comes in cubes. So far, I have not been able to get fresh yeast in Hong Kong, but both instant dry and active dry yeast are available in supermarkets. I would recommend getting the packets of yeast if you’re new to bread making (they come in smaller quantities), but the jars are definitely more convenient to measure from if you’re going to continue making bread. If you’re using packets, just sprinkle the yeast from a packet into the measuring spoon and save the extra for next time.

My recipes call for active dry yeast, since it’s the type I use—there’s a sense of comfort to know that your bread will rise after you’ve activated your yeast and watched it foam up. To activate active dry yeast (the only type of yeast where activation is necessary), simply sprinkle the amount of yeast called for into the warm liquid (usually between 30 and 55°C). Wait for around 10 minutes, and you’ll see that your yeast has foamed up. To use, simply mix the liquid into the dough, following the instructions of the recipe.

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Equipment Here I list out some essential equipment that will make your life easier in the kitchen. I’m not one to believe that you need a lot of equipment in order to bake, but there are some things that you’ll need if you want to make the recipes in this book.

Baking Pans and Tins You’ll need a couple of basic pans and tins to get started. These days, most pans are nonstick, but I still recommend that you grease or line your pans with parchment paper, nonstick cooking paper or cupcake liners before adding in your batter or dough. Try to get lightcoloured aluminium pans—they are the most reliable. Here are some pans and trays that I recommend getting: - an 8 inch (20cm) round cake pan, 2 inches deep - an 8 inch (20cm) square pan, 2 inches deep - a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, 4 inches deep - a 9 inch pie plate - a 12-hole cupcake or muffin tray - six 3 inch round ramekins - baking trays or sheets that fit your oven, usually with a raised edge

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Bowls Obviously, bowls are essential in baking. To be honest, you can really use any heatproof bowl that you already have in your kitchen to mix your dough or batter in, but stainless steel bowls are usually recommended. I also like glass, china or ceramic bowls, as you can use them in the microwave. It’s also beneficial to have bowls in at least a few different sizes.

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Cooking Pans You’ll need some saucepans to melt ingredients or make pudding in, but I’m sure you already have some at home. The one I like to use measures around 7 inches in diameter and has 4 inches of height (which is relatively small), but any medium sized saucepan will do.

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Cooling Racks Cooling racks are definitely useful to help cookies and cakes cool quickly. I personally don’t use mine often because I’m lazy and I love warm cookies; however, they are especially useful when I’m making cakes that are going to be frosted. Get one that’s relatively large so that you can fit the whole cake on there.

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Dough Scraper If you’re going to be baking a lot of pastry and bread, a dough scraper is a lifesaver. You can use the curved edge to help scrape your dough out of the bowl, and the straight edge to divide the dough or scrape off anything that has stuck to your counter.

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Food Processor Not entirely necessary, but very convenient. You can use it to puree fruit, grind nuts, and often you can make cake batters and pastry dough using them as well. If you don’t have one, don’t worry; I was already baking cakes and pies long before I first used one.

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Equipment Ice Cream or Cookie Scoops Again, not essential, but having some scoops that have squeeze-and-release handles are especially convenient when you want to get even scoops of cookie dough easily and quickly.

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Knives You’ll need a couple of knives to chop up ingredients to bake with. For cutting things like butter, I use a paring knife. To chop chocolate, I like to use a chef ’s knife (also called a chopping knife), as it is sharper and makes the process much faster. A serrated knife is also useful for slicing cake layers as well as bread.

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Measuring Cups Everyone will need a liquid measuring cup to measure liquid ingredients. Usually they are made of glass or plastic with measurements listed on the side. With your liquid measuring cup and measuring spoons, you’ll need either a set of dry measuring cups or a weighing scale.

Dry measuring cups are definitely not as precise as weighing scales, but a lot of people still use them—if you’re getting these, be sure to get a set that won’t break easily and remember to fill dry ingredients to the top of the cup.

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Measuring Spoons Whether you’re using scales or cups, these are essential to measure out those smaller quantities of ingredients. Most sets come with four measurements: ¼, ½, and 1 teaspoon as well as 1 tablespoon. Again, buy a set that’s high quality.

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Microwave Oven I rarely use mine, but a microwave oven is convenient to have as you can easily melt chocolate and butter with it. Simply put whatever needs to be melted in a heatproof bowl and heat it on medium for 30 seconds. Take it out and mix it around with a spoon, and return it to the microwave for another 30 seconds—basically repeat until everything is melted.

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Mixers If you’re a novice baker, mixers are definitely not necessary. However, once you start baking a lot, you’ll find that having a mixer is extremely helpful. There are two types: one is a called a handheld mixer and the other is called a stand mixer. The handheld requires you to hold the mixer, while the stand mixer doesn’t. Obviously, the stand mixer is more convenient, but if you already have a handheld mixer, there’s really no need to get the stand mixer. The mixers also come with different attachments for whisking, mixing and kneading, therefore making it much easier to mix up many different baked goods.

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Offset Spatula This is one buy that I really think changed my (baking) life. There’s just so many ways that you can use an offset spatula; you can use it to smooth out batters in pans, to spread frosting on cupcakes and cakes, to scrape up remaining pastry, among other uses. If you like baking at all, this is definitely something you should get. I’ve also used this spatula to make lasagna!

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Equipment Oven Thermometer You’ll see that an oven thermometer is listed in the equipment section of almost every baking book. While is not completely and utterlyO necessary to own one, it is very useful because ovens can vary in temperature—using an oven thermometer can help you determine the actual temperature of your oven. If your oven temperature is off, you can up or lower the temperature as necessary.

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Parchment or Non-Stick Cooking Paper This is essential to have if you’re going to be baking a lot—sometimes greasing pans just isn’t reliable enough. In the U.S., it’s called parchment paper, and the equivalent that we have over here is called non-stick cooking paper. This paper is so convenient to have as you can use it line all your pans and your baked goods will not stick to the pans at all. Once I’ve used a piece, I like to reuse it once or twice before I throw it away. You can also get reusable silicone mats if you’re big on being environmentally friendly.

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Piping Tips and Bags If you want to dress up your cupcakes and cakes, get a couple of stainless steel tips and a reusable piping bag. Usually these come in a set, but if you’re buying them separately, I recommend that you get at least one round tip and one star tip to start with. You can also get disposable piping bags, which I like using because of their convenience and easy clean up.

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Rolling Pin A rolling pin is necessary if you’re going to be making desserts where pastry is involved.

They’re usually made of wood and either come with handles or without; a rolling pin with handles is more comfortable to use but a rolling pin without handles gives you more control.

To be honest, they’re both similar so it doesn’t really matter which one you have. In a pinch, anything that is totally cylindrical will work too.

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Spatulas and Spoons Silicone spatulas are so useful in baking. I have a small one for cooking puddings and melting chocolate, and a bigger one to mix dough and batters. A wooden spoon can also be used for these tasks, but a spatula is better as it can help you get the bowl really clean and batter-free. I also use metal spoons to measure out dry ingredients and to cream butter and sugar together.

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Timer This is probably one of the most obvious things that a baker needs, but also one that is always overlooked; you’d be surprised at how many times I’ve forgotten about something in the oven. Make sure you have one that has a loud, repeating alarm; you don’t want to leave something in your oven to burn.

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Weighing Scales Using scales is the most precise way to measure out dry ingredients. I own a mechanical scale, but I would recommend that you get a digital one; it’s faster and you can measure different ingredients in the same mixing bowl.

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Equipment Whisk There are so many different types of whisks but you really one need one: the French whisk. It is the most versatile and its shape allows you to scrape the corners of pans, unlike the balloon whisk. However, the balloon whisk is my second choice and if you have this whisk, you don’t need another one. Get either a wire whisk or a silicone wrapped whisk and don’t get a plastic whisk; it isn’t heatproof.

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Zester If you’re going to be making any dessert with some citrus fruit, you’ll definitely need a zester.

The preferred type of most bakers these days is a Microplane zester; however, any one that you have will work fine.

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Techniques It’s important to master the basic techniques used in baking, as it plays a huge part in the overall success of your baked good. Once you’ve mastered the basics, move on to more difficult techniques; don’t be afraid to challenge yourself and try new things.

!Introductory Techniques !

Creaming Creaming refers to the process of mixing fat (usually butter) and sugar(s) together. This technique is used in both cookies and cakes and is an essential technique as it is featured in a wide variety of recipes. If you’re working by hand, you want to use the back of a wooden or metal spoon to push the butter and sugar to the side of bowl—creaming it together. Keep on repeating this motion until everything is combined. For cookies, you don’t want to cream for very long; stop creaming as soon as the butter and sugar are combined. For cakes, on the other hand, you really want that light and airy texture so you want to continue to cream until the mixture is a pale yellow and the texture is soft and fluffy—making it resemble the lightness of whipped cream. If you have a mixer, use the paddle attachment and cream the fat and sugar on low speed until homogenous; when making cakes, increase the speed and keep the mixer on for a longer amount of time.

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Folding Folding is when you gently incorporate ingredients (usually dry ingredients) into another ingredient (usually eggs or cream) that has been whipped beforehand. You want to keep the air that was whipped into the eggs or cream, so you use the folding technique to make sure that the aeration stays there. When folding, always use a spoon or a spatula (my preference) and a light hand. Once you’ve placed your dry ingredients on top of your whipped ingredients, use your spatula to gently cut through the middle of the ingredients, and then run it along the bottom of the bowl and bring the spatula back to top of the mixture to mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. Continue this motion until all ingredients are combined; remember to do everything gently.

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Stirring A technique that is pretty self explanatory, but I feel that it’s still worth a mention. Whenever I say ‘stir’ or ‘mix’ something, I just mean mix the ingredients with a spoon or spatula in a circular motion until everything is combined.

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Whisking or Whipping Sometimes recipes will ask you to whisk some ingredients (usually eggs or a blend of dry ingredients). When you see this instruction, just get out your whisk and mix the ingredient(s) quickly in a circular motion. This technique aerates the ingredients, but be sure to follow the recipe’s instruction to make sure that you don’t over whip or under whip. In cases where you want lots of air and have to whisk continuously for a longer amount of time (by hand), use your dominant hand to whisk and use your other hand to tip the bowl towards you so that there is less surface area to whisk.

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Techniques Cupcakes and Muffins

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Piping Piping is a technique that is quite tricky to master. When piping, you always want to have a steady hand so that you can easily manipulate the amount of force that you use to pipe the frosting. Once you’ve put your tip into your piping bag, you want to open it up so that it looks like a funnel. Afterwards, I like to put the piping bag into a tall glass, so that if any extra frosting squeezes out from the bottom, there won’t be a mess. Using a spatula, put the frosting into the piping bag, but don’t fill it up to the top or it’ll be harder to manage. Make sure that there are no air pockets and that the icing fills up the bag—I like to place the bag in between my index and middle fingers and then run them down the bag to push all the frosting to the bottom. When you’re done with this, twist the ends of the bag and rest it on your dominant hand. Now, all you need to do is go forth and pipe! Always squeeze from the top and not the bottom and use your other hand to hold the bottom of the bag to guide the frosting. I know it sounds weird but trust me—this is the way to do it. If this is your first time piping, try regular swirls. Start from the outside and swirl into the middle; apply even pressure and when you want to let go, simply stop applying pressure and bring the bag straight up. Other relatively simple style is the rose—simply start from the middle and bring your swirl around the center. For cakes, you can try simple dots or be a little more daring and cover the cake with roses. If you’re feeling unconfident, however, have a go on a piece of parchment first and then just scrape the frosting off to reuse it.

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Cookies and Bars =

The beauty of these bite sized treats lies in their simplicity. Every baker needs to have reliable recipes for cookies and bars in their repertoire; never underestimate the effect freshly baked a chocolate chip cookie or a brownie can have. Once you’ve mastered the basic techniques and recipes, you can go wild with add ins, and adapt the recipe however you want.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies makes 20-22 cookies

These cookies are definitely a classic—every baker has to have a good recipe for chocolate chip cookies in their back pocket. There are so many recipes out there claiming to be the best that it’s so hard to find ‘the one’; each recipe brings something different to the table. For this recipe, I tried to stick with the classic methods and ingredients, simply playing with the ratios to get the result I want. To be honest, I think this is really it; the only recipe for chocolate chip cookies you’ll need. The one thing that I’ve added in the recipe that isn’t really traditional is the overnight rest in the fridge. I know people don't like waiting for cookies, but the rest really lifts the flavour and makes the cookies that much better.

!140g all-purpose flour Ingredients

½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 115g unsalted butter, softened 65g granulated sugar 75g light brown sugar, packed 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 115g chocolate, chopped

!prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 9-12 minutes

!For a browned butter version, Variations

melt ¼ cup (60g) of the butter in a saucepan with a lightcoloured bottom. Continue heating and stirring the butter.

When you start to see browned milk solids at the bottom of the pan, take the pan off the heat and pour the browned butter into a bowl.

Allow it to cool. Cream the remaining butter with only the granulated sugar, and add the brown sugar and browned butter along with the egg and vanilla. Proceed as normal.

!In a medium large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set the bowl aside. !In a separate, large mixing bowl, cream the butter Directions

and sugars together until just combined. Add the egg and vanilla into the bowl and stir to combine.

!Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix

gently; you don’t want to over mix your dough.

Halfway through mixing in the flour, add the chopped chocolate.

!Cover the dough with clingflim and let it rest in the fridge overnight. If you like, you can make the dough ahead of time and then leave it in the fridge for about a week, or freeze it for around 3 months.

!Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. !Position your racks in the upper and lower third of

the oven. Roll the dough in 1 inch balls and place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart on your lined baking trays or sheets.

!Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes, depending on

whether you like them chewier or crisper. Remember to switch the baking trays from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to assure even baking.

!Let the cookies cool on the trays for 5 minutes, and then slide the parchment paper onto a wire rack and leave the cookies to cool completely (though I don’t usually wait that long—I’m much too impatient).

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Double Chocolate Cookies makes 20-22 cookies

Honestly, this recipe was a pain to develop. Because there are so many different ways to go about chocolate cookies, it was hard to come up with the perfect recipe. I also didn’t really have anything to compare these cookies to as I personally have never tried an amazing chocolate cookie; the ones I have tried have been mediocre, dry, and simply unsatisfying.

One recipe that I did try was Alice Medrich’s Bittersweet Decadence Cookies, and it really reinstated my faith that a chocolate cookie can and should be amazing. This recipe was inspired by hers, and I have to say that these cookies are phenomenal; full of chocolate flavour and almost brownie like in the centre. Just try not to over bake these gems.

!125g all-purpose flour Ingredients

45g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted ¾ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 115g unsalted butter, softened 50g granulated sugar 100g brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons milk (if needed) 115g chocolate (of your choice), chopped

!prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 12-14 minutes

!Preheat the oven to 325°F or 160°C. Position your racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. !In a medium mixing bowl, mix the flour, cocoa Directions

powder, baking powder and salt together. Set the bowl aside.

!In a separate, large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir thoroughly.

!Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir

to combine. If you find the dough is a bit dry, and a splash of milk (around 2 teaspoons). Add the chopped chocolate of your choice—personally, I love adding white chocolate, but dark chocolate chunks are just as good.

!Shape the dough into two logs with a 2 inch

diameter. Cover with cling film and refrigerate the logs for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. When you are ready to bake, slice the dough so that you end up having 2 inch, thin circles.

!Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, depending on whether you like them chewier or crisper. Remember to switch the baking trays from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to assure even baking.

!Let the cookies cool on the trays for 5 minutes, and then slide the parchment paper onto a wire rack and leave the cookies to cool.

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies makes 20-22 cookies

As a kid, the combination of oats and raisins never really struck me as something particularly interesting or intriguing; why would anyone eat something full of healthy oats and raisins when you could eat something that was say, full of chocolate? I think, though, as I’ve grown older, I started to see what the hype was all about—the texture that the oats provide is irreplaceable and the raisins add just the hint of sweetness that is always welcome.

!160g all-purpose flour

!Preheat the oven to 320°F or 160°C. Position your racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. !In a medium large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set the bowl aside. !In a separate, large mixing bowl, cream the butter

Ingredients

Directions

½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 115g unsalted butter, softened 35g granulated sugar 75g light brown sugar, packed 1 large egg ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 115g rolled oats 140g raisins

and sugars together until just combined. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine.

!prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 15-18 minutes

!To

Variations mix it up, replace the raisins with an equal amount of any type of dried fruit you like; dried cranberries, figs, blueberries or apricots would all work well. You could even add some flaked coconut to the dough if you like; 1 cup (75g) would be really amazing.

!Add the flour mixture, oats and raisins to the butter

mixture and mix until combined, making sure that the oats and raisins are evenly dispersed.

!Roll the cookie dough in 1 inch balls. Place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart on your lined baking trays or sheets.

!Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes, depending on whether you like them chewier or crisper. Remember to switch the baking trays from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through the baking time to assure even baking.

!Let the cookies cool on the trays for 5 minutes, and then slide the parchment paper onto a wire rack and leave the cookies to cool completely.

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Lemon Bars

makes one 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) square pan Growing up in Hong Kong, I never knew what lemon bars were. In fact, the name could possibly even be misleading; one might think that these were cookie bars with lemon zest.

I’m here to tell you, however, that these are completely different. They have a buttery crust, which pairs perfectly with the tartness of the lemon filling (which is similar to a curd).

Because these are bars, however, you don’t feel as bad about one more piece than you should.

!for the base:

Ingredients 125g all-purpose flour 50g granulated sugar ¼ tsp salt 115g butter, cold and cubed for the filling: 150g granulated sugar 1 tbsp lemon zest 3 large eggs 60ml lemon juice pinch salt

!prep time: 30 minutes

baking time: 38-45 minutes

!Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Position your racks in the middle of the oven. !Make the base - in a medium large bowl, combine Directions

the flour, sugar and salt. Rub in the cold butter and lightly knead the dough to bring it together. Using your fingers, press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 8 inch square pan and then bake for 18-20 minutes, until the surface of the crust is golden.

!In a separate, large mixing bowl, rub the sugar and

lemon zest together (this will help enhance the flavour). Add the eggs, lemon juice and salt and whisk to combine.

!Pour the mixture into the still-warm crust and bake the mixture for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is set and doesn’t jiggle.

!

Leave to cool in the pan, then slice into squares.

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Browned Butter Blondies

makes one 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) square pan Blondies are really just chocolate chip cookies in bar form, and are often described as the light-coloured counterpart of brownies. They have a distinct brown sugar flavour, and the addition of brown butter in this recipe adds a bit of nuttiness to the final bars. If you’re still a bit on the fence about these, I urge you to try them anyway; they’ll quickly become something that you make regularly because of their simplicity.

!115g unsalted butter

!Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Position your

Ingredients

Directions

100g all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 150g light brown sugar, packed 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 115g chocolate, chopped

rack in the middle of the oven. Grease or line an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) square pan with non-stick cooking paper or parchment paper.

!Melt the butter in a saucepan with a light-coloured

!prep time: 20 minutes

bottom. Continue heating and stirring the butter.

When you start to see browned milk solids at the bottom of the pan, take the pan off the heat and pour the browned butter into a large bowl. Set the bowl aside and allow the butter to cool.

!In a medium large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Set the bowl aside. !Once the browed butter has cooled down a little, add

baking time: 16-18 minutes

!You can really add anything to Variations

the brown sugar and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla into the bowl and stir to combine.

!Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix

your blondies; I personally like adding chocolate, but you can try adding nuts, dried fruit, or even pieces of candy bars.

everything together. Halfway through mixing in the flour, add the chopped chocolate and any add-ins.

!Spread the mixture in your prepared pan. !Bake the blondies for 16-18 minutes, depending on whether you like your bars chewier or crisper. !Let the blondies cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn them out slice into 16 or 25 squares.

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Granola Bars

makes one 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) square pan I think people have the common misconception that granola bars are healthy. Sure, they contains oats, dried fruits, and nuts, but they also contain butter and honey. Despite this, I still urge you to try this recipe; you can adapt it however you want and use a range of fruit and nuts. One thing to keep in mind is to use a type of honey that you like, as the flavour will come through the final granola bar.

!135g rolled oats Ingredients

2 tbsp brown sugar, packed 60g all-purpose flour Âź teaspoon salt 160g dried fruits and nuts, of any kind 90g unsalted butter, softened 60ml honey

!prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 18-22 minutes

!Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Position your racks in the middle of the oven. !In a large mixing bowl, mix the oats, brown sugar, Directions

flour, salt, dried fruit, and nuts together. Set the bowl aside.

!In a small saucepan, melt the butter and honey

together. Pour the mixture into the mixing bowl, and stir until everything is moistened and combined.

Scrape the mixture in an 8 inch square pan, press down as you to make sure there are no pockets of air.

!Bake the bars for 18-22 minutes. Let the bars cool in

its panfor 5 minutes, and then slide the parchment paper onto a wire rack and leave the square to cool.

Once fully cool, cut into rectangular (or square) bars.

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!

Everyday Cakes Sometimes you just want an excuse to bake a cake; the cakes in this section are perfect for those times. Perhaps they don’t have the same finesse as those towering layer cakes, but they’re perfect when you want something simple, easy, but still tastes amazing.

everyday cakes 27

Strawberry Cake

makes an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake This is a heavenly cake. It looks unsuspecting and ordinary, but let me assure you that this cake is anything but. In the oven, the strawberries turn jam-like and soft, and the sugar crusted top adds sweetness to the tart strawberries as well as a bit of crunch and texture.

When I made the cake, I had planned to share it with my friends, but the cake was too good and I ended up being selfish and decided to just leave it at home. In short, this is an absolutely gorgeous cake that is absolutely worth making.

!125g all-purpose flour

!Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Position your

Ingredients

Directions

1½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 115g unsalted butter 100g granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 60ml milk 140g fresh strawberries, hulled and halved 2 tablespoons extra sugar, for sprinkling on top of cake

rack in the middle of the oven. Grease an 8-inch (20cm) round cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with a circle of non-stick cooking paper or parchment paper.

!prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 28-30 minutes

!In a medium large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set the bowl aside. !In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until it becomes light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and milk and mix until combined. The batter may look a bit curdled at this point, but it’ll be fine once the flour is added in.

!Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold

the mixture gently. Make sure no remaining flour can be seen.

!Pour the batter into your cake pan and spread it so that the batter is even. Place the strawberries, cut side down, on the cake and sprinkle the surface with the 2 tablespoons of extra sugar.

!Bake the cake for 28-30 minutes. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready; if there still batter clinging onto the toothpick, leave the cake in the oven for an extra 5 minutes or so.

!Let the cake cool completely in the pan. When it is cool, either slice the cake directly in the pan or turn it out onto a plate and then slice it.

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Banana Bread

makes a 9x5 inch loaf cake When I think of banana bread, I think of comfort and warmth. I think that the simplicity of the cake, and its rustic look help contribute to the feel of food; I imagine you would have it in generous, thick slices, along with a cup of tea by your bedside. This recipe is adapted from the Vanilla Bean Blog—to enhance the banana flavour of the cake, first freeze the cut banana slices, and then thaw them; they provide so much extra juice this way.

!190g all-purpose flour

!Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Position your

Ingredients

Directions

1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ tsp cinnamon 60ml milk 60g sour cream 260g mashed banana, very ripe 2 large eggs ½ tsp vanilla 115g unsalted butter 150g granulated sugar

rack in the middle of the oven. Grease an 9x5 inch loaf pan and line the bottom of the pan with a circle of non-stick cooking paper or parchment paper.

!prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 45-60 minutes

!

!In a medium large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set the bowl aside. !In another bowl, whisk the milk, sour cream, mashed banana, eggs and vanilla together. Set the bowl aside. !In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until it becomes light and fluffy. Add the wet ingredients and mix until combined. The batter may look a bit curdled at this point, but it’ll be fine once the flour is added in.

!Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold

the mixture gently. Make sure no remaining flour can be seen.

!Pour the batter into your cake pan and spread it so that the batter is even. Bake the cake for 45-60 minutes. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready; if there still batter clinging onto the toothpick, leave the cake in the oven for an extra 5 minutes or so and check again.

!Let the cake cool completely in the pan. When it is cool, either slice the cake directly in the pan or turn it out onto a plate and then slice it.

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Blueberry Crumb Cake makes one 9x5 inch loaf

What makes this cake different from the other everyday cakes is its crumb layer. Made of brown sugar and butter, it provides a welcome contrast of texture when eaten with the soft cake. While I’ve never seen this cake in Hong Kong, I understood why it appeared in so many of my cookbooks; just one bite of the fluffy cake, the textured crumb, and the tart blue blueberries is enough to get anyone excited.

!for the topping

!Preheat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Position your

Ingredients

Directions

30g all-purpose flour 2 tbsp brown sugar pinch salt 40g butter for the cake 190g all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 200g fresh blueberries 60g unsalted butter 100g granulated sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 75ml milk

rack in the middle of the oven. Grease and line a 9x5 inch pan with non-stick cooking paper.

!prep time: 20 minutes

baking time: 45-50 minutes

!For the topping, combine the flour, brown sugar and

salt in a medium sized bowl. Run in the butter to create the crumbs, and then set aside.

!For the cake, mix the flour, baking powder and salt

in a medium large bowl. Toss in the blueberries to coat them with flour.

!In a separate, large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until it becomes light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla and milk and mix thoroughly.

!Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold

them gently together to avoid squishing the blueberries. Make sure no remaining flour can be seen.

!Pour the batter into the loaf pan and top with the crumb mixture. !Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes. To check if they are

ready, insert a toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins can be taken out of the oven; if there still batter clinging onto the toothpick, leave the cake in the oven for an extra 5 minutes or so.

!Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then slice into thick pieces.

everyday cakes 34

Blueberry Muffins makes 12 muffins

I’m not kidding when I say that these are the best muffins I’ve ever made. They’re amazingly soft and fluffy, and the blueberries provide a welcome burst of flavour. The addition of lemon zest also provides a subtle flavour that compliments the blueberries in the most terrific way; it’s definitely not overpowering and gives a little bit of zing to the cupcake. Please try to use fresh blueberries; they provide the best flavour.

!190g all-purpose flour

!Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C. Position your

Ingredients

Directions

1½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 200g fresh blueberries 1 large egg ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 60ml milk 75g sour cream 1 teaspoon lemon zest 115g unsalted butter, softened 100g granulated sugar

rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 12-cup cupcake or muffin pan with cupcake or muffin liners.

baking time: 18-20 minutes

!Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold

!prep time: 20 minutes

!In a medium large bowl, combine the flour, baking

powder, baking soda and salt. Add the blueberries into the mixture and stir to coat the blueberries in flour. Set the bowl aside.

!In a separate, medium bowl, whisk the egg, vanilla,

milk, sour cream and lemon zest together until everything is well combined. Set the bowl aside.

!In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until it becomes light and fluffy. Add the wet mixture into the bowl and mix thoroughly. The batter may look a bit curdled at this point, but don’t worry about it. them gently together to avoid squishing the blueberries. Make sure no remaining flour can be seen.

!Divide the mixture into the 12 muffin cups. !Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes. To check if they

are ready, insert a toothpick into one of the muffins.

If the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins can be taken out of the oven; if there still batter clinging onto the toothpick, leave the muffins in the oven for an extra 5 minutes or so.

!Let the muffins cool completely in the pan. If you

want to enjoy them warm, let them cool for around 5 minutes and then take them out of the pan to eat.

everyday cakes 36

!

Thank You The creation of this cookbook was definitely a journey. I usually avoid being cheesy, so I’ll keep this short and sweet, but I really mean it when I say that I couldn’t have done it without everyone here. Thus, we begin the thank yous.

!

Firstly, thank you to my taste testers, namely Ailene, Rachel, Cristiana, Anne, Annette, Sophie and Christina. Your feedback have been invaluable in the creation of development of my recipes; I could always make sure that you all would give me your honest opinions.

!

Thank you to my piano teacher, Ms. May Chau and my art teacher, Liuba. Both of you constantly made sure I worked on this cookbook and asked about it, giving me lots of needed advice and feedback along the way; you really care.

!

Thank you to my family and friends, for constantly nagging me about photographing and baking, and making sure that I gave in everything (just) on time.

!

Lastly, thank you to you, for taking the time to read this cookbook. Just this simple act is greatly appreciated.

thank you 37