Quail Egg Croquettes 鵪鶉蛋薯蓉球

What is a croquette? If you search it up online, you would get "a small cake or ball of minced meat, poultry, or fish or of rice, potato, often coated with beaten egg and bread crumbs and fried in deep fat." (dictionary.com)

Its French root "croquer" means "to crunch". But since its French birth, there have been many many varieties from many many countries trying to give it a new twist. In this version, I attempted to bake it for a healthier version in comparison to deep frying it. My food critics at home gave them thumbs up. This is a great party and finger food.

See which version you like!

Lavender Sponge Cake 薰衣草海綿蛋糕

"Back to the basics" is what I feel best to describe this sponge cake. As one of the most versatile cakes, it can be used as a base for many other forms of cake desserts, such as mousse cake.

I was inspired and challenged by a friend of mine who is very passionate in baking. Her persistent in doing it right set an example for me. In order to master a recipe, she sets a record of baking more than 10 cakes in a week.

Relatively speaking, I do not have much experience in making sponge cake with whole egg method and this may actually be my very first post on it. Whole egg whipping method with no other kind of leavening means whether the cake is successful or not solely depends on the stability of the egg foam. The air that gets trapped inside the egg foam expands in the oven and helps make the cake light and spongy. It is a bit more tricky making this cake than chiffon cake but the result is very rewarding!

In this recipe I used dry lavender instead of the more common vanilla extract to give it a different aroma. It gives the cake a very subtle scent.

Portuguese Curried Shrimp with Rice 葡式咖哩蝦飯

Seafood is one of my favorite foods, especially shrimp and lobster. Gone are the good old days I spent in Boston when lobster was on sale for $2.99/pound or even less! I could have a few lobsters in a meal.

This is the first time I try to make a curried shrimp with rice dish. Instead of using water to steam the rice, the rice is cooked with shrimp broth. It makes the rice exceptionally flavorful and unique.

It is relatively easy to make and I think your family would want to try it as well, especially during winter time.

Konjac Jelly with Fresh Osmanthus 桂花水晶糕

Last time when I made Osmanthus Jelly, I can only used store bought dried osmanthus. But this time I am fortunate to have some freshly picked flowers! Thanks to my friend Josephine Tse who has an osmanthus tree in her backyard.

Pig Ear Terrine 豬耳凍

I was a little bit surprised when I read the newspaper last Saturday. In the food section, it featured a recipe and article about a dish using pig's ear. As with recipes including chicken feet, dishes with pig's ear is not popular among Americans. However, it may not be too foreign to you if you are a descendant of Asia. (My American born kids love to have chicken feet, pig ear, tongue, stomach and beef tripe.)

Black Sesame Ice Cream 黑芝麻雪糕

What a way to enjoy dessert the healthy way--whole grain ice cream! Store-bought black sesame ice cream can never come close to this homemade version. The aroma of the freshly toasted sesame is what makes it distinct. Dessert usually appeals to us with presentation, color or other arrangements. But this ice cream's wonderful aroma is amazingly tempting and appetizing. I almost could not wait for it to harden before digging into it.
This recipe is not custard based (no egg yolk) therefore it does not involve any cooking. How easy and simple can it get!

Yellow Pea Pudding with Coconut Milk 椰汁馬荳糕

This is one of my all time favorite Chinese desserts. If I remember it right, I have had this recipe since high school! The fact that it's still in my recipe binder proves that it is valuable and passed the test of time. Most recipes out there use cornstarch alone as a thickening agent. But I do not like this mushy texture. My recipe has a good ratio of agar and cornstarch. Instead of being mushy, it has a good springiness to it.

Strawberry and Blueberry Trifle 雜果三層蛋糕杯

Do you have a hard time deciding what to bring to a potluck party? I do, sometimes. I try not to bring the same type of food every time. Even if I bring dessert, I will try to make different ones.

This trifle is simple to make. It is meant to be served in a glass to showcase the three layers: chiboust cream, cake and fruits. Instead of making a fresh fruit and pastry cream cake, it will make a different impression to serve in a wine glass. Just let your creativity lead you!