Bringing back memories

"Mom, how come you don't have a whisk?? where is that cake pan I used to bake all my chocolate cakes in?? your oven is weird!!!" this is what you would hear me say when I am in my mom's kitchen. Even though I've spent most of my time ( when I was single of course!) in this kitchen, I feel like a complete stranger who just came into a new place and keep asking for things here and there. Unfortunately, I don't have the privilege to visit my parents that often........

I used to spend hours in the kitchen, baking obviously. I used to love it, love every little corner in it. For me, it was the best equipped kitchen: I had my Philips mixer which I used to adore, my pans, my so few tools, my cookbooks, the good and the not so good! Oh and the marble counter top which I think is the only "luxury" I am missing. Now, I can see that a LOT is missing in this kitchen, especially when it comes to baking, but still when I think about all the cakes, cookies, and many other desserts I created there, I truly believe that it doesn't really matter how fancy your kitchen is. It is true that having the right equipment helps, but if the passion is there, you can create amazing things with pretty much......nothing.

The first time I made these cookies I was so excited, yet scared to mess them up. Everytime I do mess up my mom would not be happy.....not at all sometimes! The part I was mostly scared of was the meringue. What if it doesn't come out right? what if the cookie burns and the meringue comes out soggy?? Fortunately, they came out perfect: a melt in your mouth biscuit sablé, a crunchy meringue and that addition of sweet apricot jam, a lovely and tasty combination. These cookies are simple, light and elegant, just perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.

Meringue & Jam Cookies

Biscuits sablés

600g all purpose flour (about 5 1/2 cups)
330 g ( approximately 3 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed.
80 g powderd sugar (3/4 cup)
3 to 4 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Vanilla Meringue

2 egg whites, preferably room temperature. First, separate the eggs while they are cold because it's easier, then keep the whites aside.
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar or a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Apricot jam or any other jam you prefer.

Preparation

Make the biscuits sablés: sift together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the butter and rub the mixture until crumbly. Add the vanilla and the yolks one by one until you form a dough. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 320 f. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 in thickness (the cookies will be snadwiched so don't cut them too thick) . Cut out the cookies, preferably using a flower shape cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased cookie pan and refrigerate. Since the cookies are rich in butter content, the refrigeration process helps keep their shape while they bake.

Make the meringue: Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peak. Add the sugars gradually until the meringue is shiny. it shouldn't feel runny. Add the vanilla. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small tip with the meringue and set aside.

Remove the pan from the fridge and using the pastry bag, put dollops of the meringue all around each cookie. Bake the cookies until the meringue is set: shiny and crunchy. If you notice that the meringue is starting to brown, reduce the temperature to 300 f. The cookies should have a very tender, melt in your mouth lower layer and a crunchy meringue on top. Once cooled, fill each cookie with the jam of your choice. I personally prefer the apricot one because of its mild flavor.

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Man Sam Pa Lang Chuem (Candied Cassava)

This dessert make from cassava root as we have candied cassava root in Asia. Once candied the cassava root is chewier and stickier than other candied fruit, due to its natural guminess. This dessert look attractive and It also looked very sweet. But small amounts was very tasty. Try some yourself. This dish cost only 15-20 baht around food street in Bangkok.

Ingredients : 

• 500 g Cassava root 
• 300 g Sugar 
• 2 cup Water 

Preparation: 

• First you have to prepare the syrup by mixing together sugar and water and boil slowly until all the sugar has dissolved. 
• Strain this through a sieve and then bring it back to the boil once more. 
• Reduce the heat and then add the cassava roots which have been peeled and cut into two inch sticks. 
• Once it is cooked through it will have a glazed look as most of the syrup would have been absorbed by the roots. 
• You top this with a mixture of coconut cream and salt that has been boiled together and then allowed to cool. 
• And if cannot finish in a day you can keep it in freeze up to 3-5 days.

  

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Khanom Thong-Ek (Wheat Flour Dumpling with Egg Yolks)

Khanom Thong-Ek or Wheat flour dumpling with eggs yolks. The sorts of sweetmeat that are popularly prepared for the propitious occasions include those with the names of lucky meanings. For instance, the desserts have the names beginning with the world "thong" or gold, like thong yip, thong yot and thong ek. The Thais believe that gold will bring good luck to them. It symbolizes fame and wealth.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks

Preparations:

• Mix the sugar and coconut milk together, heat over the medium heat when cooked remove from the heat and filter by the thin white muslin.
• Simmer the mixed ingredients over the medium heat until the ingredients become thick, remove from the heat.
• Continue to stir until cool. Put the egg yolks, mix well.
• Heat the mixed ingredient again when it is hot, add each a little of flour mix well until the flour is over.
• Remove from the heat. Set aside.
• When the sweets is warm.
• Put it in the wood molds, press it and remove from the mold.
• Decorate the lillte gold foil on the top of sweets.
  

  

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Phuek Tod Nam-Tan (Deep-fried sugared taro)

The recipe is easy but the timing is difficult to master, unlike other desserts, this one requires the full attention of the chef in the cooking. At best, the dried sugar syrup should embrace the taro like a casing after the stir-fry, sugar, is on the outside of the taro rather than inside.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg. Taro 
• 400 g White sugar
• ½ cup Water 

Preparation:

• Peel the taro. Trim the ends and sides of taro to make a rectangular block, then slice about 2 or 3 cm thick. 
• Stack the slices and cut into sticks 2 cm wide (just a tad bigger than that of the pommes Pont Neuf).
• Deep-fried with pre-heated oil to golden in color and make sure it is well-done.
• Remove the taro and the oil from the wok.
• Add white sugar and a little water. 
• Cook the syrup slowly until the surface of the liquid bubbles. 
• Add the fried taro.
• remove the wok from the fire immediately. 
• Switch on a fan in full gear and stir the taro in the liquid in the wind. 
• Which way the wind blow does matter in this case: blow to the taro so the syrup can solidify during the stir-frying.

  

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Khao Niew Dum Piek Pheuak (Taro in Black Sticky Rice Pudding)

Black sticky rice (or black glutinous rice) is a naturally sweet, dark rice (dark purple more than black) that has both fiber and loads of antioxidants which only makes this baked rice pudding extra enjoyable to eat. You can cook black sticky rice on your stovetop or in your slow cooker or rice cooker. You'll be amazed at the unique taste of the rice in combination with the coconut milk. Add a dab of coconut cream on top, and you have a healthy dessert that's very delicious and guilt-free!

Ingredients:

• 150 gms Black Sticky Rice
• ½ cup Taro Cubes
• 250 ml Water
• 2 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Corn Flour or Cassava Starch
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 100 ml Coconut Milk

Preparation:

• Soak the sticky rice in water overnight. 
• Drain and rince twice.
• Steam for 15 minutes in a Thai rice steamer. 
• Place into a saucepan with the water, 
• add taro cubes and boil for 12-15 minutes until the rice and taro is soft. 
• Stir in the sugar and salt, mix the corn flour with a little water and stir that in to thicken the rice. 
• Continue heating and stirring the rice until it is thick, then spoon it into bowls. 
• Warm the coconut milk through and pour a little over the rice. 
• Then Enjoy! ;)

  

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Phutsa Chuem (jujube in syrup)

Phutsa Chuem (jujube in syrup) is a Kind of fruit preservation to vary Thai desserts. It can be kept for days and is usually served with sliced ice and syrup.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg. Chinese jujube
• 8 measuring cups castor sugar
• 4 measuring cups fresh water

Preparation:

• Unseed jujube with carving knife.
• Soak in water for 3 hours.
• Boil jujube in boiling water over medium heat.
• Remove from heat and put in cold water. Drain.
• Divide sugar into 2 parts. Mix one with water.
• Simmer over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• Drop jujube into syrup and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the rest of sugar. Simmer until syrup resembles thin cream.

  

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Tofu in Ginger Soup

“Tao Huay” is how we call it in Thailand is “Tofu in Ginger Soup” however, in fact we usually have it as a dessert or snack. It usually comes with “mini Chinese doughnuts” - very crispy fried flour. This really gives another layer of texture to the dish.

Ingredients:

• Ginger, 3 roots, smashed and roughly sliced
• Soft Tofu, 1 container
• Dark or light brown sugar
  

Preparation:

• Bring 3 quarts of water into boil.
• Add smashed ginger into the pot.
• Let it cook at medium heat for at least 1 hour.
• Turn off the heat when the ginger fully releases the flavor.
• The soup should have strong ginger taste.
• When serving, put in dark/light brown sugar (2tsp) in each bowl.
• Scoop the soft tofu to the bowl.
• Add the ginger soup to it and stir to dissolve sugar.

Tips:

• Soft tofu is available at Chinese Grocery store, in the refrigerating section.
• Warm the tofu in the microwave before plating. It is to be served hot.
• If you don’t have light/dark brown sugar, regular white sugar will do.
• You may add as much “sugar” as you like or even serve without it.
• I like strong ginger flavor, so I would leave it overnight with the ginger pieces in the pot. It will become stronger the next day. If you don’t want it stronger, take the ginger out of the pot after cooking.
• The left-over will be good in the refrigerator for a few days.
  

  

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