steamed egg cake

When a friend saw the above photograph, the first comment he made was "Why is your steamed egg cake not "smiling"?".  You see, the traditional steamed egg cake that is sold in the commercial stores are typically those where the top is spread open (hence the description "smiling").  Actually, this is the same thing.  The only difference is how much of the liner you fill with the batter.

If you were to google "steamed egg cake" (or "ji dan gao" in Chinese), you will see a myriad of recipes. Depending on the ingredients used, the texture of the end product can vary. 

The secret to cotton-soft steamed egg cake is in the beating.  If you were to use a recipe that does not require a raising agent (such as baking powder), then it is all the more important that you need to beat the eggs long enough so that you get a cake that is light and soft. Ideally, therefore, you should use an electric mixer to whisk the eggs.

When I baked this steamed egg cake, I was in a hurry.  Da had just brought the Chickadees downstairs for a short pre-dinner stroll.  As such, I used a hand whisk instead of an electric whisk.  Although I was happy with the texture of the final product, I intend to try this recipe again using an electric whisk to achieve an even softer texture.

INGREDIENTS

275g cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
200g castor sugar
150ml low fat milk

METHOD

1. Sift the cake flour and baking powder in a bow.  Set aside.

2. Whisk the eggs till frothy.  Add the sugar a little by little, to ensure that it is well-incorporated.  Continue beating until the batter becomes pale, thick and creamy.

3. Add the milk and beat well.

4. Heat up the steamer until the water is boiling.

5. Fold in the sifted flour.  When you no longer see streaks of flour, stop.

6. Fill cupcake/muffin liners with the batter.

7. Steam at high heat for 10 to 15 minutes.

8. Remove and cool on the rack before serving.

TIPS

1. If you would like the steamed egg cake to "smile", then you should fill the liners until almost full.

2. Do not open the lid of the steamer when steaming.

bread casserole

I love to bake bread and I love to eat bread.  The problem is that I sometimes go overboard with the baking of bread and I end up with leftovers that the family cannot finish.

What do I do with the leftover bread?

This is a perfect recipe to use when you have leftover bread and a bit of this and a bit of that in terms of ingredients.  Toss everything together and you get a wonderful bread casserole!

Note: This recipe yields a substantial casserole, so do cut down the recipe if you wish to bake a smaller casserole.

INGREDIENTS

8 eggs

2 cups low fat milk

2 cups grated mozarella cheese

freshly ground black peppercorn (to taste)

freshly ground white peppercorn (to taste)

freshly ground sea salt (to taste)

1 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs

assorted ingredients (I pretty much add whatever is available in the kitchen, eg. sausage, mixed greens, frozen spinch, ham, surimi, fresh Shitake mushrooms, onions, etc)

6 slices thick bread (cut into large cubes)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

2. Line a 13" x 9" casserole dish (or, in this case, I used a 9" x 9" square baking pan) with aluminium foil. Set aside.

3. Beat the eggs in a large bowl until frothy.

4. Add the milk and cheese and mix well.

5. Add the black peppercorn, white peppercorn, sea salt, mixed dried Italian herbs and ingredients and mix well.

6. Add the bread and carefully stir until all pieces of bread are moistened (do not overmix otherwise the bread may disintegrate).

7. Pour into the prepared casserole dish / baking pan.

8. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until the top is browned and the centre springs back when touched.

9. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

TIPS

This casserole goes well with a bit of Dijon mustard or tomato sauce by the side.