Colorful Water Chestnuts in Coconut Milk (Chè Củ Năng 3 Màu)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water chestnuts, diced
• 1 cup tapioca/corn flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup coconut milk
• Some fresh pandan leaves
• Food coloring (green, red)

Method
- Mix a few drops of food coloring with water in separate bowls. Then add diced chestnuts and soak them for 10-15 minutes. Drain well and mix them with tapioca flour and sift the flour in a sieve.
- Boil water and put truffle to boil. Once cooked, they will come up to the surface. Then transfer them immediately into cold water.
- Heat coconut milk in a pot with pandan leaves, sugar and a pinch of salt over medium heat. Remember not to let it boil or else the oil will separate from the milk.
- Serve hot or cold with coconut milk.

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Pandan Rice Cake (Bánh Đúc Lá Dứa)

Ingredients

  * For the cake:

• 4-6 pandan leaves, finely chopped (available in Asian grocery store)
• 600ml water
• 4 tbsp rice flour
• 4 tbsp tapioca starch
• 2 tbsp mung bean starch (opt)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• A few drop of pandan extract

  * For the syrup: 

• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 6 tbsp water
• 1 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch

  * For the coconut sauce: 

• 250 ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 pandan leaves, tied into a knot
• 2 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch

Method
- Blend the chopped pandan leaves with 620 ml water. Strain to get 600 ml pandan water.
- To make the cake paste: combine the rice flour, tapioca starch and mung bean starch with pandan water. Add sugar and a pinch of salt. Then add a few drops of pandan extract for more vibrant color. Stir well to dissolve. Microwave the mixture for 6 minutes, remember to take out and stir after every 2 minutes. It helps cook the mixture evenly.
- Grease a 20x20 cm mold with some vegetable oil. Fill the mold with the cake mixture, use a spatula to flatten the surface and steam for 20 minutes.
- To make the syrup: In a saucepan, combine sugar with 3 tbsp water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, occasionally swirl the saucepan to help sugar dissolve. Mix 1 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch with 3 tbsp water in a separate bowl and add to the syrup. Cook a few more seconds to thicken the syrup.
- To make the coconut sauce: In a saucepan, combine coconut milk with sugar and a pinch of salt. Add pandan leaves and bring to a boil, occasionally swirl the saucepan to help sugar dissolve. Mix 2 tsp tapioca/mung bean starch with 2 tbsp water in a separate bowl and add to the coconut milk. Simmer on low for a minute or until thickened.
- Chill the rice cake until completely set (preferably overnight). Cut into cubes or slices, drizzle the coconut milk and sugar syrup on top. Serve chilled with a sprinkle of roasted sesame seeds.

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Vietnamese Panna Cotta (Chè Khúc Bạch)

Ingredients

• 9g gelatin powder
• 4 tbsp cold water
• 200 ml whipping cream
• 200 ml fresh milk
• 1/4 tsp pandan extract 
• 60g sugar
• 50g almond slices
• 1 can of lychee in syrup 

Method
- In a small bowl, add cold water and sprinkle the gelatin powder over the surface. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. This process is called blooming gelatin.
- Place the bowl of bloomed gelatin in a tray of hot water and stir well until completely dissolved.
- Add the gelatin liquid to the milk and whipping cream mixture in a gelatin mold, stir well. Add the pandan extract and lightly stir in a circular motion to create marble effect. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or until set.
- Run a paring knife along the edges and transfer it to a plate by placing the plate upside down on top and flip them over. Use a wave knife to cut it into bite sized cubes.
- Dry toast the sliced almond in a pan until golden brown. Shake the pan instead of stirring to avoid breaking the almond slices.
- To assemble the dessert, add a few panna cotta cubes and lychee in syrup into a bowl, sprinkle some toasted sliced almond on top. Serve it cold with ice.

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Sago Pudding

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 1 cup sago pearls
• 1/4 tsp pandan paste or essence
• 120g palm sugar
• 1-1/2 cups coconut milk

Method
- Bring water to boil in a medium non-stick pot, then  rain the sago pearls in, stir with a wooden spoon before allowing the sago to bubble away. The sago pearls are ready when they turn transparent.
- Remove the pot from heat and tip the contents into a sieve. Run lots of cool water through the pearls to remove residual starch.
- Using a metal spoon, fold the pandan paste through the mixture until achieving nice green sago.
- Divide the sago into 4 jelly moulds, cover with clingwrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Meanwhile, bring the coconut milk to boil in a small pot. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Using the same pot, unwashed, combine the palm sugar and 2 tsp water. Bring to boil and then refrigerate.
- To serve, ease moulded sago into 4 small bowls, pour 1/3 cup of coconut milk into each bowl. Drizzle the caramelized sugar over each bowl.

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Fruit Jelly

Ingredients

• 50 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 50 ml blood orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 300g fresh strawberries
• Caster sugar
• 3 sheets of gold gelatine leaves (or 3 tbsp powdered gelatine) 

Method

- Put the strawberries into a heat-proof bowl. Cover with aluminum foil. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Then drain and discard pulp.

- Combine the strawberry liquid, a bit of cold water and 3 tbsp caster sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook and stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil. 

- Soak 2 gelatine leaves in water. Remove the strawberry juice from heat, and stir in the gelatine leaves. Strain through a fine sieve and pour the juice into jelly moulds. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set. (If you use powdered gelatine, sprinkle gelatine over boiling water, whisk with a fork until dissolved, then add to the strawberry juice).

- When the strawberry jelly is set, place the orange juice in a small saucepan with 3 tbsp caster sugar. Heat to dissolve the sugar.

- Soak 1 gelatine leave in water. Remove the orange juice from the heat ad stir in the gelatine leaves. Strain through a fine sieve ad pour it into the strawberry jelly moulds. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or until set.

- Remove the jelly from the moulds and serve with fresh fruits.

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The Ultimate Rocky Road

Ingredients

• 1 cup marshmallows
• 1 cup raw peanuts
• 3/4 cup red glace cherries
• 200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
• 200g milk cooking chocolate, chopped
• 150g shortbread ginger biscuits, broken

Method

- Roast the peanuts in a hot pan for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

- Combine 1/3 each of the marshmallows, roasted peanuts and cherries in a bowl. Set aside.

- Melt the milk and dark chocolate together in a glass bowl over simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water otherwise the chocolate will set.

- Stir the biscuits, marshmallows, peanuts and cherries mix into the melted chocolate. Spoon the mixture into a lined 18x30cm slice pan.

- Gentle press the reserved marshmallow, cherries and peanuts into the top of the slice.

- Chill until firm and then slice into squares to serve.

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French Crepes

Ingredients

• 70gr flour
• 220ml milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract 
• 3 ripe bananas, peeled and cut into 4cm pieces 
• 1 orange
• Some grapes
• Butter, salt, sugar
• Ice cream, whipped cream

Method

- Combine flour, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a bowl through a strainer and mix well. Beat an egg, milk and vanilla extract into another bowl. 

- Then add the flour mixture into the egg mixture, and mix well together (For better result, you can use an electrical mixer).

- Add 2 tbsp melted butter into the mixture and mix for 5 seconds more to combine all ingredients.

- For the filling, you can choose any fruits up to your liking. In case you choose bananas, marinate them with caramel. To make the caramel, heat 3 tbsp sugar in a sauce pan under medium heat until golden brown, be careful not to overcook it.

- Heat a pan over medium heat, pour a thin layer of the flour mixture into the pan and cook it until smelling nice, then turn it to other side until slightly golden brown. Overall it takes about 2 minutes to cook a crepe. (If your crepe is thin enough to be cooked through, you don't have to turn it).

- Serve warm with fruits, whipped cream and ice cream.

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Vietnamese Banana Ice-cream (Kem Chuối)

Ingredients 

• 5 ripe bananas
• 1 chocolate bar
• 200ml coconut milk
• 100g dry nuts & fruits, finely chopped
• 3tsp sugar
• 2tbsp corn flour
• Coconut shred
• Plastic wrap

Method
* Coconut banana ice-cream
  - Dissolve corn flour with a little bit of water.
  - Heat the coconut milk in a sauce pan over medium low heat, add sugar and stir it well.
  - Then add the corn flour mixture and constantly mix it well with the coconut milk until it thickens. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  - Cover 3 bananas with the plastic wrap separately, one at the time mash the bananas until 2cm thick
  - Open one side of the wrap, spread the coconut milk, chopped dry nuts & fruits, coconut shred and then cover it back tightly with the wrap. Do the same to the rest of the bananas.
  - Put them into a freezer for 30-45 minutes until it's completely frozen.
  - Serve it cold as ice-cream.
 
* Chocolate bananas
  - Add the chocolate bar into a mixing bowl and stir over simmering water until melted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
  - Halve the rest of the bananas. Coat the cut bananas completely with melted chocolate.
  - Then put them on top of baking papers on a plate, sprinkle them with the chopped dry nuts & fruits.
  - Put them in a fridge for 30 minutes until the chocolate coat is hard.
  - Taste the best as they're cold.

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Choc-Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 3 eggs
• 255g brown sugar
• 100g dark chocolate
• 225g self-raising flour
• 75g plain flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 125ml milk
• Butter frosting 
• 150g butter, softened
• 600g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 2tsp milk

Method
- Preheat the oven to 160c. Line a 12 cup muffin tray with patty cases.
- Add the dark chocolate into a mixing bowl and stir over simmering water until melted. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition until just combined.
- Add the flours, cocoa powder and stir until just combined, then add the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
- Spoon cupcake mixture into prepared muffin tray (approx. 3/4 full). Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- For the frosting, use the electric mixer to beat the butter until very pale. Gradually add the icing sugar while beating. Then add milk, vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
- Use a small palette knife or round-bladed knife to spread the icing.
- Sprinkle the cupcakes with colorful sweets.

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Banana Muffins

 Ingredients 

• 1 cup (115 grams) walnuts or pea cans
• 1 3/4 cups (230 grams) self-raising flour 
• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3 ripe large bananas (approximately 1 pound or 454 grams), mashed well (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
  
  

Method

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 12 - 1/2 cup muffin pan with paper liners or butter or spray with a non stick spray.

- Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.   
- In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. 

- In a medium-sized bowl combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. 

- With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients just until combined and the batter is thick and chunky. (The important thing is not to over mix the batter. You do not want it smooth. Over mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery bread.)

- Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins. Bake about 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

- Place on a wire rack to cool for five minutes and then remove muffins from pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12 regular sized muffins.

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