Custard Mooncake Class 奶黃月餅班

Custard mooncake class is back by popular demand. 

Date: 9/23, 2:30-4:30pm in Diamond bar, California. 

Fee $50, include all the ingredients, one set of mold and a box of six cakes to take home.

Email to :phoebechow@morethanbread.net if you are interested. Class limited to 6 people.

徇眾要求，奶黃月餅班加開

日期：9月23, 2:30-4:30pm. 

地點：Diamond bar, California.

費用$50, 包所有材料，一套月餅模，一盒六個月餅。如有興趣，請盡快給我電郵：

phoebechow@morethanbread.net。只收六個學生。

Walnut and Date Tartlet 合桃棗蓉撻

This is a great finger food for parties because it involves minimal preparation. All the ingredients are store bought--date paste, puff pastries, and walnuts. I call it semi-homemade. The date paste is made with 100% dates, no sugar added, so it is naturally sweet. It is very convenient to use and work with and can be found in Mediterranean/Middle Eastern or international grocery stores. Puff pastries are also available in the frozen section of most American grocery stores. I always keep some in my freezer. The spices in this recipe--nutmeg and cardamom--are best whole, and freshly ground right before being used.

Mango Sago with Pomelo 楊枝甘露

I use mangoes the most in making desserts, especially during summer--ice cream, jelly, panna cotta, mochi, mille crepes, pudding, souffle. Yet this one is a bit different from the rest. It is in liquid form, much like dessert soups common in Asian cuisine. Unlike baking, dessert soups are very forgiving and easy to make. There is almost no way to mess up or fail. Adjust the amount of sugar or use sugar substitute according to your palate.

Using mango puree and dice mangoes together increases the mango flavor and it matches so well with coconut milk and sago. I wonder why I haven't made this before!

Mango Panna Cotta 香芒奶凍

If you like mango pudding, then you might like this dessert with panna cotta for an extra smoothness and richness. What a way to beat summer heat!

Almond Biscotti 意大利杏仁脆餅

Traditional Italian biscotti, cantuccini or biscotti di Prato, are very hard in texture and are meant to be dipped into coffee or some other accompanying drink to soften before eating.

The American version of biscotti is big, buttery and softer in texture, more like sugar cookies.

This recipe is a hybrid: a cookie with a texture that is not so hard but imbued with great flavors that can be enjoyed with or without dunking into coffee.

Molasses Oats Bread 燕麥麵包

Molasses is a thick and sticky by-product of the sugar refining process. It is more nutritious than granulated sugar because it contains iron, vitamin B, calcium, and magnesium. Usually unsulfured molasses is used in baking or other cooking recipes. Avoid blackstrap, which can make the baked goods bitter. Oats are a common breakfast staple. Besides using it to make oat meal, it is widely used in baking such as bread, cookies, granola, etc. The molasses lend the bread a sweet flavor, moist crumb, and crunchy crust, and the oats compliment the bread by giving it a hearty texture. It is great toasted and spread with butter or used as sandwich bread.

Egg Drop Sweet Soup with Fresh Water Chestnut 蛋花馬蹄露

Although the calendar says it is May, the weather in Southern California feels like summer for a week and winter for another. This Chinese dessert can be served warm or cold, which is perfect for the season. Fresh water chestnuts are available year round. It is a versatile ingredient. Besides using it to make water chestnut pudding/cake 馬蹄糕 during Chinese New Year, it can be used in other savory dishes to provide a crunchy texture.

Lemon Mini Cupcake with homemade Limoncello 檸檬小蛋糕

With an abundance harvest of lemons, I have been searching for ways to make use of this citrus fruit: Lemon Bar 檸檬巴, Chicken pot with Preserved Lemon 惹味雞煲, Ginger and Lemon in Vinegar 八珍陳皮檸檬薑, Lemon Chiffon cake with Ginger Mousse 薑汁慕絲檸檬蛋糕, and Lemon Cream Tart 檸檬撻

This year with homemade lemon liquor, I made this refreshing treat.

Dill Bread using Tong Zhong 香草麵包

The recipe for this bread originates from a small Jewish community near Tunisia. I figured instead of making egg-related foods for Easter, I would make this bread. The aroma of onion and fresh dill is irresistible!

Cinnamon Walnut Braided Bread 肉桂核桃麵包

This is one of my favorite sweet bread. It is good for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or whenever !