Banana Bread 1

I love my Black & Decker Convection Toaster Oven - it can even bake two breads at one time! The baking is very even, even without the convection function turned on, so foods dont' burn easily.

This banana bread is so tender and has melt-in-your-mouth texture - quite amazing.  Not the heavy, solid banana breads or muffins you buy in the stores. Bottom is a little browned because I didn't turn on the convection function.  I should have as the bottom of the pans were right above the heating elements.

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/3 cups light brown sugar

2 large eggs

4 very ripe bananas

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:  Stir dry ingredients together.

Beat butter, sugar and oil together till light.

Beat in eggs and bananas and vanilla essence.

Stir in flour and orange juice

Pour into two greased glass bread pans.

Bake at 325 deg for 45 min.

Hong Kong

** Click on photos to enlarge **

 Giant French macaroons at Hong Kong bakery in Taikoo Shing.

 Tried the chestnut macaroon - chestnut cream was delicious, but macaroon was not that great.

Had dinner at Simply Life bakerycCafe in Taikoo Shing shopping center.  Great food at reasonable prices.  This is grilled shrimp with brown rice risotto.

 Crabmeat linguine.

 Yummy desserts from Paul Lafayette bakery.  HK$40 per piece.  My favorite was the mango bomb.

Teeny mangoes with intense flavor.

Vietnamese Rice Rolls

On a hot summer day, Vietnamese Rice Rolls are perfect for a light and healthy lunch. The ingredients are simple and easy to put together.  It's also a fun family activity when all the ingredients are put on the table and everyone makes their own rolls. 

These are availalbe at Vietnamese grocery stores.  Soak for 5 seconds in warm water and use while still stiff.  It will soften very quickly, even as you put ingredients on top.  Can use two sheets together if you find they break too easily.

 Vietnmaese or Chinese rice vermiceilli can be used.

I use precooked cocktail shrimp that have been thawed and tails removed. 

Sauce Recipe:
1 tablespoon peanut butter
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup water
Heat over stove until peanut butter is melted and stir till sauce is smooth.  Adjust to taste and desired consistency.

Berry Fruit Cake

Single layer Chiffon Cake decorated with summer berries on whipped cream.  See recipe for cake under Chinese Style Fruit Sponge Cake.

Chinese Style Sponge Cake with Fruits

Click on photos to enlarge:

Most Chinese style cakes one gets in Chinese bakeries are sponge or chiffon cakes with fruits in the middle and topped with more fruits.  Most bakeries use the cheaper artificial cream but I prefer real cream.  Chinese cakes do not use buttercream icing, which is too sweet for Oriental taste.

 Finished batter ready to be poured into baking pans.

 Cake is cooling in pan.

 This looks pretty, but it's not the finished product, it's only the middle filling.

 Fruits get topped with cream and the second piece of cake covers it.

 Voila, the final delightful product!

A colorful slice of scrumptiousness...

A cake container is a must for cream cakes.  Makes it easy to store  and transport, and keeps the cake fresh and prevents drying out.

Chinese Style Fruit Cake:
Ingredients:
6 exra large eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups flour sifted with
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1/4 cup water (omit in humid weather)

Tip: Eggs should be at room temp.  If they are cold, soak them in very warm water for a few minutes.  Egg whites will not beat well if cold.  (In winter, eggs left out at room temp might still be cold.)

Beat egg whites till frothy, slowly add 1/2 of sugar, beat till firm peaks and glossy, but not dry.
Beat egg yolks with remaining sugar till creamy and light in color, beat in oil, water and vanilla.
Fold in flour mixture, then egg whites.

Divide into two 9 inch cake pans either greased & floured, or lined with parchment paper at bottom.
Bake about 25min at 350 deg until light brown on top and bamboo skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  (Note: Cake that is under-baked will fall flat and become dense in texture after removing from the oven.  For this cake, it is better to over-bake rather than under-bake. Weather humidity will affect how long it needs to bake.)
Cool in pan, turn cakes out and remove paper liner if used.

To Assemble Cake:
Place a thin layer of whipped cream (see Whipped Cream Recipe) on bottom half of cake.
Top with any fruits you like, even canned ones. I like using fresh mango, strawberries tossed with some sugar and drained, or canned peaches.
Cover fruits with cream and cover with top half of cake.
Cover cake with cream and decorate.
If using fresh fruits on top, brush with melted apple jelly or apricot jam, or some plain gelatine & sugar dissolved in hot water and cooled.