My supper for the end of the CNY 蝦米炒雜蔬--我的元宵節晚餐

Today is the 15th day of the Chinese New Year. Traditionally people will eat round rice balls, Tang Yuan in Chinese, as the warm and shining dessert in the early spring. The round shape of the rice balls means that the family can be together like a circle gathers every member together. Strangely I am alone tonight, so I just cooked this simple fried vegetable dish for myself. Maybe I will make rice balls tomorrow with sticky rice flour, but I definately miss the taste of the rice balls in my hometown, which is irreplaceable.

Ingredients:
dried tiny shimps 1tbsp
yellow sweet pepper X 1
small tomatoes X 15
sweet peas X 5 tbsp (frozen ones, add a bit butter to microwave 1.5 min)
ginger ( well chopped or sliced) and spring onions ( cut into 3cm pieces)
oyster sauce
sunflower oil or olive oil
some boiled noodles

Boil the oil in a frying pan to medium heat, add sliced ginger and one piece of spring onions until you smell the nice aroma. Add chopped sweet pepper, pea, tiny shimps, and tomatoes, fry for about 2 minutes. Add a bit oyster sauce and stir fry until well mixed. Cover the lid of the pan for about 1 min. Mix with the noodles and serve.

=> Tomatoes must be added at the last and don't fry for too long.
=> Tomatoes can be replaced by red peppers, peas can be replaced by green peppers. Many veges can be used as long as they are not too wet.
=> Oyster sauce is the key.
=> The Chinese aroma mushroom can be added for extra rich scent.

By the way, the CNY is also called the Spring Festival, so here is my photo of early spring of London...

今天是元宵，一個人過覺得有點淒涼，本來想要做湯圓的也懶了，於是炒了一鍋顏色很漂亮的素食，原料和做法都超級簡單。雖然是自己發明的，但味道是好得不得了哈。聖女番茄有點搶味，如果用紅椒會更好。但是我今晚特別想吃番茄，所以就照放了^^

鍋燒熱橄欖油至6成，放入蔥和姜煸炒至香，依序放入黃色甜椒、微波爐加少許黃油轉過1分鐘的冰凍甜豌豆、干蝦米、切半的聖女番茄，炒香后加少許蠔油翻炒至勻。另鍋燒開水下面，面熟后瀝幹水，裝盤。

蝦米的味道實在是一絕。蠔油也令這簡單的炒菜滋味無窮。我平時做這道菜都是放香菇的，今晚懶得泡了，這樣也很好吃。當然有了香菇就更香了。。。

看看明天會不會有心情做湯圓？希望家人和愛人都平安幸福。

另外，爲了紀念這春節的最後一天，特別貼上前不久拍的倫敦早春。葉子綠了，花兒開始開了，春天就是好呀。

Old Spring 旧时春天

Just a moment of spring memories.

Valentine's Chocolate-Caramel Truffles - Recipe of Pierre Herme

What have you done on Valentine's Day? I made the chocolate truffles for my lover ^^ The recipe is adapted from Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme. The original one is for about 55 truffles, I used half of the amount and made about 28 truffles.


Chocolate-Caramel truffles: original recipe for 55 truffles


1 cup (250 g) heavy cream
10 oz. (285 g) bittersweet chocolate (around 70%), finely chopped
6 oz. (170 g) milk chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup (200 g) sugar
2 1/2 tbsp (1 1/4 oz.; 40 g) butter at room temperature, cubed
pinch of sea salt
dutch-processed cocoa powder (P.H uses Valrhona)

Instructions:
- Boil the cream in a saucepan and keep it hot.
- Mix the chocolate together in a heatproof big bowl; set aside.
- Melt 3 tbsp sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When the sugar starts to take on color, stir it with a wooden spoon and add another 3 tbsp of the sugar. Stirring constantly, caramelise this new batch of sugar, then add another 3 tbsp. Continue until all of the sugar has been added and it turns a rich amber color. Lower the heat and stir in the butter and salt. Add the hot cream in a slow, steady stream. Keep stirring until the caramel settles down and is smooth, remove the pan from the heat.
- Pour about one-third of the caramel into the center of the chocolate and, working with the wooden spoon, gently stir the creamy caramel into the chocolate in ever-widening concentric circles. When the ganache is smooth, add half of the remaining caramel, blending it into the chocolate in circlesm then finish with the rest of the caramel in the same manner. When the ganache is cool, cover it with plasic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Shaping: Dust your palms with cocoa powder. Prepare enough cocoa powder in a bowl ( or something else you like, such as coconuts, roasted nuts... ), scoop a dollop of ganache and toss it in the cocoa powder until it is well coated, shake off the extra cocoa, set it aside on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

The truffles are better stored in air-tight tins and served in room temperature. After you have fulfilled your Valentine's task, consume them as quickly as possible or give them to your friends as gifts--- if there are still any left! :)

 

今年的情人节你做巧克力了吗？我一早就计划了要做松露巧克力。这是我最爱的巧克力品种，一是因为吃到嘴里入口即化的感觉，二是truffles形态的巧克力吃起来分外香浓。有“法国甜点王”之称的Pierre Herme著有食谱一本叫《巧克力甜点》，里边的这个焦糖味的松露巧克力食谱非常经典和有代表性。PH之所以能有如此大的名气，其实完全在于他做甜点的态度：对每一个细节都精益求精。这个焦糖版本的truffles，从原料的选择到液体倾倒的角度到搅拌的圆圈的大小都很讲究，怪不得没有耐心的人成不了大师呀。

 
这里采用的是原书版本，数量55个，有点多。除非有很多朋友可以送，不然我建议全部减半，大概能做28个左右，既能满足情人节需要，自己吃也够，再送一些给亲密的朋友。因为新鲜做的巧克力还是尽快吃完比较好，所以不建议做太多。

焦糖松露巧克力：55个
1 cup (250 g) heavy cream 鲜奶油 （含脂多的较好）
10 oz. (285 g) bittersweet chocolate (around 70%) 细细切碎的苦甜巧克力（约含70%可可）
6 oz. (170 g) milk chocolate 细细切碎的牛奶巧克力
1 cup (200 g) sugar 糖
2 1/2 T (1 1/4 oz.; 40 g) butter at room temperature, cubed 室温放软的黄油
pinch of sea salt 少许海盐 （或者黄油用含盐的，此处可以不加盐）
dutch-processed cocoa powder (P.H uses Valrhona) 无糖可可粉


关于这些原料，巧克力的味道会直接影响到成品，所以越好的巧克力当然效果越好。无论是黑巧、牛奶巧克力还是可可粉，PH都用的是Valrhona牌子的。搞不好就是因为他，这个牌子的巧克力才被炒到这么贵。当然这确实是超好的巧克力，200克左右要6镑。。。而连盐这样普通的东西，PH也要用Fleur de sel 盐之花，是最好的海盐，自然和普通盐也不可同日而语。
 
做法：
- 小锅中中火煮沸鲜奶油，保持温度备用
- 用一可以容纳所有原料的大碗，装入切碎的巧克力备用。巧克力切得越碎越好。碗中不能含水含油。
- 制作焦糖：从备好的糖中取3汤匙，入厚底锅中火加热。糖刚要开始变色的时候，用木勺搅拌并加入另3汤匙糖。就这样不停搅拌=>加糖=>搅拌=>加糖，直到所有糖加完，焦糖变成深琥珀色。转小火，持续一边搅拌一边加入黄油和盐。完全混合后，缓慢而持续地一边搅拌一边注入热的鲜奶油，继续搅拌至混合物光滑无凝块。
- 熄火。将三分之一焦糖慢慢注入巧克力的中心，从中间轻柔地划圈搅拌，圆圈越划越大直至巧克力和焦糖完全融合。再倒入剩下的焦糖的二分之一，同样方法搅拌。照此一直到所有焦糖都加入，巧克力甘那许光滑柔顺。不可用力搅拌，以免出泡。
- 甘那许做好后放凉，蒙上保鲜膜，入冰箱冷藏至少4小时。
- 塑形：准备一个铺了烤盘纸或者烘焙硅胶垫的烤盘，另准备一个碗，碗中盛入适量可可粉准备包裹甘那许。手掌上先拍上少许可可粉，用挖球勺挖取适量甘那许，于手掌中稍微揉圆。我个人偏好truffles就是不怎么齐整的那种质朴可爱的样子，所以不需要揉得太圆。揉好的巧克力球丢入可可粉碗中均匀裹上一层可可粉，再轻轻在两个手掌中互相抛一下，抖掉多余的可可粉，正宗法式松露巧克力球就做好啦。
 
注意不要揉得太久，以免甘那许化掉了。做好的松露巧克力最好趁新鲜吃掉，也可以冰箱保存，但吃之前要提前拿出来回到室温。巧克力在室温下才是最佳食用状态哦。
 
外层如果不裹可可粉，还有很多种东西可选：椰子碎、榛果碎、硬壳巧克力、心形小糖片。。。就看你喜欢如何装饰你的truffles了。而我，就喜欢它最原始的味道哦:)

Cocoa Cheese Cake with dark chocolate glazing 可可芝士蛋糕与可可镜面淋酱

I was captured by its splendid appearance at the first time I saw this cake from Vi. My imitation finally went out with a nice flavour and fine look, but my cutting and photography skills really need a lot of improvement :(. Even if I have soaked the knife in hot water before cutting, when pulling the knife out there will still be some filling attached! >-< Who can teach me...............

According to Vi, the original recipe is from the Japanese chef Kaori Ishibashi's book 4つの季節のシンプルチーズケーキ ( Four Seasons' Cheesecake ). But the original one used sour cream. I also didn't have sour cream in the kitchen, so like Vi I made it with cocoa (chocolate glazing).

Cheese cake:
cheam cheese 300g
whipping cream 200ml
caster sugar 120g ( I only used 100g )
2 whole eggs
cocoa powder 4 tbs
freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 tsp

Crust:

Oreo cookies ( without filling ) 180g

unsalted butter 100g

Glazing:

whipping cream 100g

water 125g

cocoa powder 40g

granulated sugar 160g

leaf gelatine 10g ( I feel that there can be less. The final glazing is a bit too jelly-like...)

Baked for 90 minutes at 160C/325F. Refridgeated for 30 minutes. I think the key success factor for this cake is the right moment to pour the glazing. Too early, the glazing will flow and cover the side of the cake; too late, the glazing won't flow...

Tiramisu -- the chiffon cake version 提拉米苏之戚风蛋糕版本

In May 2008 I made my first Tiramisu. I always believe this is a dessert that needs passion and love, and love is something so strange to have many layers --- layers that are so sweet to make you want to devote everything, while other layers so sour and bitter to only make you drop tears. Love is full of happy smiles and unhappy tears. The only thing I am sure to tell you, girls, is that if a love makes more tears come out from you than sweet smiles, you'd better look for someone else.

There is a softer and more creamy version served in cup in Italy, because less gelatine is used. Since what I wanted to make is a solid cake at that time, I chose the other version with more gelatine and chiffon cake as the base instead of the finger biscuits.

Chiffon Cake: an 8in round mould

4 L size eggs

Caster sugar A 40g

Vegetable oil 60g
Squeezed orange juice 60g
Vanilla extract 2 drops
Self-raising flour 120g
Baking powder 1/4 tsp
Caster sugar B 60g
Salt 1g
Cream of tartar 1/4tsp

Cheese Mousse:
Sugar (melted in water, sugar:water=1:1) 50g
Egg yolks X 3
Caster sugar 50g
Leaf Gelatine 2-3 pieces
Mascarpone cheese 250g
Whipping cream 250g
Finger biscuirt or the chiffon cake ( above ) 2 pieces
Coffee flavour liqueur 5g
Marsala wine 5g ( or blandy 5g)
Espresso 30g
Another coffee liqueur 20g for brushing the cake

Instructions-Chiffon cake:

- Add sugar A into egg yolks and slightly beat until mixed. Add vanilla extract.

- Add orange juice and oil, stir well. Add sifted flour and baking powder and slightly stir until the mixture is smooth but not stiff. Cover the mixture with a cheesecloth to keep it from drying.

- Mix together the egg whites, cream of tartar and salt, beat it with a high speed until big bubbles show ( about 1min), and add sugar a little at a time (in three turns) and beat until very stiff with a middle speed. 

- Gently fold 1/3 of the egg white into the egg yolk mixture, and fold back with the 2/3 egg white mixture until well mixed and smooth. But don't over blend.

- Pour the mixture in the cake mould, bake in the lowest level of the oven at 180C for 40 minutes. 

- Take the cake out from the oven, unmould it and cool it on a wire rack with upside down.

Instructions-cheese mousse:

- Beat the whipping cream until flothy but can still flow. Put in into the fridge.

- Soak the leaf gelatine in cold water for 5 mins, squeeze extra water and set aside.

- Beat the egg yolks and sugar above hot water until thick and pale.

- Hear half of the sugar liquid (25g) to 120C, pour into the egg yolk mixture.

- Hear the leaf gelatine above hot water until it melt. Add the gelatine into the egg yolk mixture.

- Add Mascarpone cheese.

- After it is cool, mix in Marsala wine and whipped cream.

To construct the cake, brush the sliced chiffon cake with coffee liqueur and sugar liquid. Put one piece of chiffon cake at the bottom, pour on one layer of cheese mousse, and another piece of chiffon cake, and the other layer of cheese mousse, level the surface and refridgeate the cake for 12 hours. Spinkle the cocoa powder on the surface before serving.

I can promise you that the taste of this cake is one of the most unforgetable tastes of love.

意式香草奶冻佐莓果甜酒酱 Vanilla Panna Cotta

I have had the Japanese agar flakes at home for quite a while. After studing several recipes of the Italian dessert panna cotta, I decided to make this version with agar flakes. I also took a risk to combine the taste of Amaretto and Marsala --- just for experiment! ^^

The recipe is adapted from Del Sole and Vi. Thanks^^

Panna Cotta (serves 2 in small jars)

150g whipping cream/double cream

50g milk ( or 45g youghurt )
33g sugar

3 drops of vanilla extract or 1/4 vanilla pod

2.5 tsp agar flakes ( or 1 tsp gelatine powder, or 3g leaf gelatine<=3g )

5g Amaretto

Sauce

30ml Marsala wine

30g sugar
90g blueberries/blackberries

For the Panna Cotta:

• combine the cream, milk and the sugar and pour into a saucepan.
• Bring to a gentle simmer and stir for 3 mins without boiling.
• Turn off the heat and scatter the agar flakes on top.
• leave to cool for 10 mins.
• Stir the agar and bring the mixture once again to a gentle simmer.
• Stir for another 2 mins until most of the agar is dissolved and let it cool to just luke-warm.
• Pass the mixture through a sieve.
• Stir in the amaretto and vanilla extract.
• Pour into 2 containers, cover them and refrigerate.
  

For the sauce:

• Pour the Marsala wine into a saucepan and stir in the sugar.
• Allow gentle simmer and add blueberries. Gently shake the pan to make all berries are coated with the liquid.
• Simmer for several mins then let them cool.
  

Serving: Pour the warm sauce around the cool panna cotta!

家里存着有好几个漂亮的小罐子、日本寒天条和意大利杏仁酒Amaretto已经有一段时间了，一直想找个小点来做做。在网上鼓捣了半天，决定做意大利的经典小甜品panna cotta，叫它奶冻或者奶酪慕斯均无不可。这个东东又好吃又容易做，还可以用吉利丁替换寒天，也可不加杏仁酒，但是我的目的就是要试试这包新寒天和这瓶新酒，所以硬是把几样材料凑在一起，就当是个小试验，所以没敢一次做很多。方子主要参考了设计师阿Vi和意大利女厨Del Sole，自己减小了分量。Vi用的是吉利丁片，而Del Sole用的是寒天条并且加的是酸奶。这个酸奶的版本想必更加美味，打算以后尝试。

最后做出来，杏仁酒的微苦，香草与奶油的香味，与莓果的酸甜和Marsala的酒香交织成丰富的层次，更不用说冰凉的奶冻与微温的酱汁合成的奇妙口感了。好虽好，但我做得太少了，根本不够吃！忙活了这半天才吃这么几小口，所以奉劝大家有把握的还是用Del Sole的原方比较好（约一倍的量）

意式香草奶冻 （2人份--两个2oz玻璃小奶瓶，是极小份的2人份哦！）

150g 动物性鲜奶油
50g 鲜奶
33g 细砂糖
3滴马达加斯加香草油，或1/4香草荚，开半刮籽
5g 意大利杏仁酒
2.5 tsp 2又1/2小勺寒天条

莓果甜酒酱 （淋酱）

30ml Marsala酒 （做过提拉米苏的人都会有这种酒哦！不趁机消耗一下？^^)
30g糖
90g 新鲜的莓果（蓝莓、黑莓、红莓。。。发挥你的想象吧）我用的是蓝莓

做法：

• 鲜奶油、鲜奶与细砂糖混合至小锅中，中火加热2-3分钟，期间不断用木勺搅拌以免粘锅，轻微沸腾即可
• 离火，将寒天撒在混合物面上，不要搅拌，静置至少10分钟至凉
• 重新中火加热，在轻微沸腾的状态下间或搅拌，直到大部分寒天已经融化，不要剧烈沸腾
• 放凉至微温，用筛子过筛，主要是把未化的寒天筛掉，这样吃起来口感才细腻
• 慢慢加入香草油和杏仁酒，搅拌至完全混合
• 装入模具，表面包保鲜膜，入冰箱冷藏15分钟左右即成

莓果甜酒酱汁做法：

• Marsala酒入小锅中小火加热，缓缓加入糖搅拌
• 加入莓果，轻轻摇晃小锅直至所有莓果都裹上了一层酒糖浆
• 持续加热几分钟，稍稍放凉，淋在奶冻周围或表面立即食用
  
  
  
  

是不是很简单呢！没有寒天的话用吉利丁代替即可，而且吉利丁不象寒天这么麻烦，融得又快过筛的时候也不剩下什么。我用寒天还不是为了向健康进军嘛。
注：寒天即高级版本的洋菜；寒天粉可用燕菜精代替，寒天条可用燕菜条或洋菜条代替。但用量要改变。需要用1份寒天粉的，要用3份寒天条。