Recipe: Honey Cornflakes Cup

This week, I have been baking lots of pineapple nastar rolls... about 400 of them, all nicely packed to be gifted to good friends as well as serving to guests visiting us during the CNY period. My kids will also be bringing some to school for their CNY party - my daughter brought some to school the other day, which she shared with two of her best friends, and they have been asking her to ask her mummy to let her bring more during the party. :D

Other than pineapple tarts, I also made these honey cornflakes cup for them to share with their classmates. I chose this because it's really easy to make and kids love them! This is based on my almond honey joys recipe but this time I've cut out the sugar completely, using only honey and butter and then mixed in some chocolate chips and almond flakes. Oh and topped it with a heart since it's Valentine's Day on Saturday ;)

Crispy, crunchy and sweet - hope the kids will enjoy their treats in school.

Honey Cornflakes Cup
Recipe by Baby Sumo, adapted from here
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes
Makes 28-30


Ingredients
150g salted butter
6 tbsp honey

A pinch of salt
8 cups cornflakes (500g)
1 cup almond flakes

2 tbsp chocolate chips


1. Preheat oven to 170°C (no fan). Line 2 muffin trays with paper cases. 

2. In a saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter, honey and salt until it is bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in cornflakes and almonds until well coated. (Note: You can do it in 2 batches for ease of handling)

3. Spoon cornflakes mixture into paper case lined muffin pans, then sprinkle with chocolate chips.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Cool completely in pans before serving. Store in airtight containers to keep them crispy and crunchy.


Note: If you're making these for CNY, you can make them in mini muffin cases and bake for 6-7 minutes.

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I am submitting this to the "Cook & Celebrate: CNY 2015" event which I am co-hosting with Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe. To join, simply cook or bake any Chinese New Year recipes for the whole month of February 2015.

Your post must be a current post i.e. posted in February 2015 - please do not link older posts.Please mention our "Cook & Celebrate: CNY 2015" event in your post and link back to Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Diana of The Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Baby Sumo of Eat your heart out.

Happy cooking! Do check out the other bloggers recipe below:

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10 Restaurant Quality Recipes for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Have you got anything planned? If you're planning on cooking your loved one a romantic meal at home, here are 10 restaurant-quality recipes you can easily recreate at home. Guaranteed to impress ;)

Click on name of dish for the full recipe.


1. Ham and rock melon
This is popularly served as a starter in Spanish or Italian restaurants, we had this numerous times while we were holidaying in Marbella.

To make this, no cooking skills are required. All you need to do is buy a rock melon and good-quality Jamon Iberico or Jamon serrano or Prosciutto. Cut the melon into slices and drape the Prosciutto over it. You can also make them into canapes (recipe here). Lovely with a glass of champagne.

2. Pan seared scallops with cauliflower puree and bacon crumble
This is my favorite scallop recipe, which I have cooked many times in my humble kitchen for my man. Not only does it taste fantastic, it looks really great on the plate too. A sure-fire way to impress your date, yes?

3. Chunky mushroom soup with truffle oil
Who doesn't like mushroom soup, especially when it's made with several different types of mushrooms and then finished off with a drizzle of truffle oil. You can make this early in the morning and then just reheat before serving.

4. Tenderloin steak with pumpkin mash
Steaks are incredibly easy to cook at home. You can also use rib eye or sirloin (these will not require a meat thermometer) - simply cook a 1 inch steak for 2 minutes each side for medium rare doneness.

5. Spaghetti with zucchini and king prawns
If your other half is a fan of Italian cuisine, make this pasta dish and reenact that kiss scene from "Lady and the Tramp". ;)

6. Risotto with scallops, asparagus and bacon bits
Another great Italian dish to recreate at home is risotto. It does require a little more effort, but nonetheless a simple dish to make. Creamy, rich and comforting, your other half will be most impressed and give you an A+ for your effort and the love that goes into making that risotto.

7. Roast lamb loin chops with rosemary and fries
Go to the supermarket and get 4-6 lamb loin chops and a packet of frozen fries and pop them in the oven. In 20 minutes or so, dinner is ready! How is that for easy?

8. Strawberry mille-feuille
Mille-feuille is an elegant and impressive-looking dessert. But guess what, it's soooooo easy to make. Plus Korean strawberries (the best kind!) is in season right now.

9. Passion fruit meringue
Meringues can be made ahead of time (ie make them the evening before) so all you have to do on Valentine's Day is to whip some cream and scoop out the passion fruit onto the meringue. More time to spend with your love!

10. Chocolate brownies with vanilla ice cream
Chocolate is considered as a powerful aphrodisiac, so you can't go wrong with chocolate brownies on Valentine's Day. Another dessert you can make the evening before, top it with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have a winner!

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CNY 2015: Tai Zi Heen, Prince Hotel & Residence KL

A friend asked me last week to recommend a few pork-free restaurants to her for hosting a Chinese New Year dinner and without hesitation, one of the restaurants I recommended was Tai Zi Heen in Prince Hotel KL. The Cantonese fare there is consistently good, and their CNY menu is a mix of fusion and traditional, symbolic dishes. 

Three specially crafted auspicious 9-course CNY menus are available from 26 January to 5 March 2015 - the Spring and Happiness set menu at RM1488++,  the Everlasting Prosperity Menu at RM1888++ and the Wealth and Fortune Menu at RM2188++ for 10 persons. Furthermore on 26 January, there will be a special lion dance performance. 

Four Seasons Prosperity Yee Sang

This year, I had the pleasure to try out some of Chef Michael Wong's delicious CNY dishes again. To start, we tossed to good fortune and health with the signature Four Seasons Prosperity Yee Sang which is topped with butterfish, salmon, tuna and jellyfish. I particularly enjoyed the jellyfish which added a really nice texture to the salad. Other toppings available are abalone, hamachi, Canadian surf clam, salmon or snow pear.

Butterfish, salmon, tuna and jellyfish yee sang

Toss, toss, toss... the higher you toss, the better!

We also sampled some highlights from the CNY menus, starting off with the soup. The soups here are always good, and we really enjoyed the double-boiled chicken broth with whole abalone, dried scallops, bamboo pith and vegetables. Clear yet so flavorful, I instantly felt my body warm up and invigorated as I sipped the soup. The abalone is perfectly cooked and the bamboo pith has a lovely crunchy texture as well. Thumbs up!

A highly sought after dish during CNY, the braised Japanese sun-dried shiitake mushrooms with dried oysters and fatt choy. Oysters ("hou see") means "all good things and "fatt choy" means wealth and lettuce and "sang choy" means prosperity, making this an auspicious dish.

The baked salmon fillets with honey and onion rings was also a big hit. I am not usually fond of cooked salmon, but this was beautifully done, with a lovely honey and soy glaze. I wish I got more of the sauce though. Onions rings are an unusual touch for a Chinese restaurant, fortunately it was crispy and light. 

The wok-fried rice with diced lobster, tobiko and bonito flakes had plenty of wok hei and we love the addition of the tobiko and bonito flakes.

For dessert, we had the crispy deep-fried sesame balls with salted egg yolk custard and durian mochi. Instead of the usual coconut or red bean filling, the sesame balls were filled with salted egg yolk custard, which I liked a lot. Plus when you break it in half, it looks like flowing gold. Gold, gold, come to mama. The durian mochi was pungent, smooth and rich. Pretty good!

Tai Zi Heen's CNY menu is available until 5 March 2015. It is open throughout the CNY period. Reservations are highly recommended.





Pork-free.

Opening times: Mon- Fri 12.00pm - 2.30pm, Sat- Sun 11.30am - 2.30pm; Mon-Sun 6.30pm-10.30pm.

Location: Tai Zi Heen, Level 2, Prince Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur, 4 Jalan Conlay, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2170 8888 ext 8200

Website: http://www.princehotelkl.com

GPS Coordinates: 3.150179, 101.714516

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Exclusive Valentine's Dinner @ Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar

This Valentine's, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar is opening up their Executive Lounge for the first time to love birds to celebrate the occasion with a romantic meal.

Dubbed "Love is in the Air", couples are literally whisked up to the 26th Floor to be dazzled with the city skyline while enjoying a specially crafted 4-course menu. The Executive Lounge is normally only accessible to executive guests of the hotel. This Valentine's dinner package is limited to only 35 tables at RM250 nett per person.  If booked before 7th February 2015, guests will receive the Early Love Bird offer of 15% off total bill.

A romantic, relaxed setting which oversees the city skyline

The chefs preparing this meal will be from the hotel's La Cucina Mediterranean Restaurant, where I had two great meals in 2014. Guests will have a choice of 3 dishes to choose from for every course, which are made using the freshest ingredients sourced locally and from overseas. To start, guests will also be served a glass of champagne each and be presented with a complimentary gift (cute XO shakers).

Cheers! Bubbles to keep a girl happy ;)

For appetizer, guests can choose to have either foie gras terrine, salmon and barramundi carpaccio, or Caprese salad. I had the foie gras terrine, and I really enjoyed it. The terrine was smooth and paired well with the apple celery timbale and aged balsamic reduction. Loved the romantic touches throughout the meal i.e. heart-shapes appearing in dishes. My date had the salmon and barramundi carpaccio, which was light and fresh.

Next course is the soup, where you can choose from cauliflower, crab bisque or tomato gazpacho. I totally love the cauliflower soup with scallop ceviche (now you know why I love it, right?). The soup was rich but not cloying and the scallop ceviche added a nice texture contrast. The crab bisque will be perfect for those who love stronger flavours.

For main course, the choices are Black Angus beef tenderloin, caramelised crispy roasted duck breast, or pan seared white cod fish. Surprisingly, even as a meat lover, my vote for best mains would go to the perfectly cooked cod fish - a generous chunk of beautiful, fresh fish with crispy skin. It is served with lobster oil and spinach risotto. The beef tenderloin was served with a cute heart-shaped polenta, though for me personally I would prefer to have mashed potatoes or mashed pumpkin with it as I am not a fan of polenta.

To end the meal on a sweet note, guests have the choice of raspberry mousse, triple chocolate pleasure, or chocolate tart and vanilla creme brulee. For me, the raspberry mousse was the perfect sweet ending as it was tart and delicious, and the heart-shaped chocolate totally won my heart. The triple chocolate pleasure was also good - enjoyed the smooth, creamy texture.

My 4 choices for the perfect, romantic meal :)

Thanks to Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar for spoiling us with this romantic meal.



This "Love is in the Air" promotion is available on Valentine's Day 14th February 2015, and is priced at RM250 nett. Book early before 7th Feb, to enjoy 15% off. Advantage Plus members are also entitled to 15% discount. For booking or inquiries, call 03-2298 1857 or email H7972@accor.com.





Location: Executive Lounge, Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar, No 1 Jalan Pantai Jaya, Tower 3, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 03-2298 1857

GPS Coordinates: 3.115850, 101.6632

Website: http://www.pullmanhotels.com/gb/hotel-7962-pullman-kuala-lumpur-bangsar-/index.shtml


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Recipe: Strawberry Mille-Feuille Dessert

The first time I had mille-feuille was at Sage Restaurant in KL in 2009 and to date, it is still one of the best, most memorable desserts I've eaten there. Mille-feuille (sometimes called the Napolean) is a flaky, rectangular French pastry with a sweet filling, traditionally comprising of 3 layers of puff pastry, with 2 layers of pastry cream.

One of my favorite versions is the strawberry mille-feuille, which is the one Hubby recreated at home for us. For his strawberry mille-feuille, he used 1 sheet of Pampas puff pastry (a 1-kg pack comes in 6 sheets) which he cut into 1.5"x 4" rectangles and then baked in the oven for about 12-15 minutes until crispy and golden. Because they puff up quite a lot, he sliced them into half each for a nicer presentation. In between the puff pastry, we layered it with Crème Chantilly (vanilla-flavored whipped cream) and fresh Korean strawberries (in season now!).  Dust with icing sugar or snow powder to finish.

Simple to make, but absolutely delicous and elegant looking. Love the light, crisp pastry against the soft, pillowy cream and fresh strawberries.

Strawberry Mille-Feuille
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 13-15 minutes
Makes 6

Ingredients
1 sheet ready-made frozen Pampas puff pastry, cut into 1.5" x 4" (approx.)
250g fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Icing sugar or snow powder, for dusting

For the Creme Chantilly
150g whipping cream
1/2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (fan-assisted).

2. Cut the puff pastry to size (you will get 9 rectangles), then place onto a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Place in preheated oven and cook for 13-15 mins or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.Once cooled, carefully slice each puff pastry into half with a sharp knife to make 2 thin pieces (now you have 18 rectangles).

3. Place the whipping cream with icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk until stiff peaks. Put in fridge if not required immediately.

4. To assemble, place one piece of pastry in the centre of the plate, then top with some of the cream mixture. Lay some sliced strawberries on top of the cream, then top with another piece of pastry. Repeat with more cream and strawberries, then top with final piece of puff pastry. Dust with icing sugar or snow powder and serve.

Dust with icing sugar or snow powder to finish

Note: Leave the puff pastry to thaw for 5mins, then cut to size. It is quite difficult to work with once it has completely thawed.

* I am linking this to Bake-Along #73 (Theme: Mille Feuille) hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours, Lena of Frozen Wings and Zoe of Bake For Happy Kids.



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