Banana Walnut Cake

This is a modified version of banana chocolate chip cake that includes walnuts, adding an extra crunch to each bite. The cake is moist and has a delightful fruity flavor from the bananas, making it perfect for fans of banana desserts. The combination of chocolate and walnuts enhances the richness, creating a delicious treat.

Ingredients

- 2 bananas, mashed (about 200g)

- 2 eggs

- 80g brown sugar

- 150g flour

- 80g oil

- 8g baking powder

- 80g walnuts 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and prepare a 6-inch cake tin by greasing and lining it with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth and creamy.

3. Add the eggs, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, vegetable oil, and baking powder to the mashed bananas.

4. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly until well combined and no lumps remain, ensuring a smooth batter.

5. Gently fold in most of the walnuts, reserving some for topping the cake.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin, spreading it evenly with a spatula.

7. Add walnuts on top of the batter.

8. Place the cake tin in the preheated oven and bake at 180°C (356°F) for approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

9. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. 

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Chocolate Yeast Buns with Cheesecake Filling - Drożdżówki z Serem

Drożdżówki are a popular type of Polish yeast pastry, often enjoyed as a sweet snack or breakfast item. These pastries are made from a rich, sweet yeast dough and typically filled with various ingredients such as fruit preserves, sweet cheese (such as quark), poppy seeds, or a crumble topping. They are often shaped into spirals, buns, or other decorative forms and baked until golden brown. Drożdżówki are beloved for their soft, fluffy texture and delightful fillings, making them a staple in Polish bakeries and homes.

Ingredients

Dough:

- 250g all-purpose flour

- 20g cocoa powder

- 35ml oil

- 8g dried yeast

- 120ml warm milk

- 1 egg (at room temperature)

- 50g sugar

Filling:

- 250g cream cheese

- 1 egg 

- 40g sugar

Additional:

- Melted chocolate 

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dough:

   - Combine the flour, sugar, dry yeast, and cocoa powder in a bowl.

   - Add the egg, oil and pour in the slightly warm milk.

   - Knead the dough until it is soft and elastic.

   - Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

2. Prepare the Filling: In a bowl, combine the cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla sugar until smooth. Leave for later use. 

3. Shaping: 

   - Once risen, punch down the risen dough and knead it briefly. 

   - Divide the dough into 6-9 equal parts and shape each piece into a round bun.

   - Place the buns on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them well apart. 

 4. Assemble the Buns:

   - Use the bottom of a glass to press an depression into each bun.

   - Spoon the cheese mixture into the indentations of each bun. 

   - Cover the buns and let them rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until they have doubled in size.

7. Bake:

   - Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

   - Bake the buns for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

   - Remove the buns from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.

   - Optionally decorate with melted chocolate or icing. 

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Taiwanese Sesame Oil Chicken Soup - Mayou Ji 麻油雞湯

Taiwanese sesame oil chicken soup, known as "máyóu jī" (麻油雞), is a traditional Taiwanese dish celebrated for its warming and nourishing qualities. It typically features chicken pieces simmered in a fragrant broth made with sesame oil, rice wine, and ginger. The soup is known for its rich, aromatic flavor, combining the nuttiness of sesame oil with the heat of ginger and the depth of rice wine. Often enjoyed during colder months or as a postpartum recovery food, it is both comforting and invigorating.

Ingredients

- 600-700g chicken meat

- 20ml black sesame oil

- 40g ginger, with skin on, cut into thick slices 

- 150 ml rice wine (mijiu)

- 10 grams sugar

- 500ml water

- Salt, to taste

- 1 scallion, julienned

- 15g goji berries 

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chicken:

   - Rinse the chicken legs thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

2. Cook the Ginger:

   - Heat a wok or a thick-bottomed pot over high heat until it starts to smoke slightly.

   - Turn the heat down to medium, wait a couple of seconds, and then add the black sesame oil along with the sliced ginger.

   - Cook for about 2 minutes until the ginger is fragrant and slightly caramelized.

3. Sear the Chicken:

   - Turn the heat back up to high.

   - Add the chicken legs to the wok or pot, searing them in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Brown the chicken on all sides.

4. Add Liquid and Simmer:

   - Once the chicken legs are browned, reduce the heat to medium. Add the rock sugar, and water to the pot.

   - Cover the pot and let it simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. The soup should be bubbling gently but not boiling. This will cook the chicken thoroughly and intensify the flavor of the soup without reducing the liquid too much.

5. Finish and Serve:

   - After 30 minutes, check if the chicken legs are tender. If not, simmer for a few more minutes until they are.

   - Add goji berries with alcohol, cook for 5 more minutes. 

   - Season the soup with salt to taste and more dark sesame oil.

   - When serving, garnish with julienned scallions.

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Banana Brownie With Walnuts

My husband isn't a big fan of baked bananas, but from time to time I still try to make desserts with them if I have some overripe bananas at home. I made a banana chocolate chip cake before and it tasted really good. This time I wanted to incorporate even more chocolate into the batter, so I made these banana brownies. I was worried about skipping the egg, as typically I make cakes with eggs and have no experience using other ingredients to bind the cake together. The brownie is fudgy and has a mild banana aroma. I think they taste delicious.

Ingredients

- 100g semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

- 70g oil

- 80g brown sugar

- 1 large egg

- 120g overripe banana, mashed

- 40g cocoa powder

- 80g flour

- 60g chopped walnuts, divided

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F). Line a 6-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mash the banana until smooth.

3. Melt the chocolate chips, let it cool slightly.

4. Add the melted chocolate, oil, egg and brown sugar to the mashed banana. Mix until well combined.

5. Sift the cocoa powder and flour into the wet mixture. Stir gently until just combined.

6. Fold in half of the chopped walnuts into the batter.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.

8. Sprinkle the remaining chopped walnuts on top of the batter.

9. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

10. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before slicing them into squares. 

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Red Bean Paste Filled Flaky Matcha Mooncakes

Flaky mooncakes are a type of Chinese pastry known for their delicate, multi-layered crust that crumbles beautifully when bitten into. The flaky texture is achieved by incorporating lard or shortening into the dough (or oil as in my version), creating thin, crisp layers. These mooncakes are often filled with sweet or savory ingredients, such as red bean paste, lotus seed paste, or minced meat. The contrast between the light, crisp pastry and the rich, flavorful fillings makes flaky mooncakes a beloved treat during the Mid-Autumn Festival and other festive occasions.

I personally prefer Hong Kong Style Mooncakes, which I have also prepared before with a non-traditional filling—cheesecake. 

Ingredients (15 Mooncakes)

Water Dough:

- 85g all-purpose flour 

- 10g icing sugar

- 30g cooking oil

- 35g water 

- Pinch of salt

Oil Dough:

- 90g all-purpose flour

- 40g cooking oil 

- 3g matcha powder 

Filling:

- 225g sweet red bean paste

Instructions

1. Prepare the Filling:

- Portion red bean paste into 15 equal parts and roll into balls.

2. Make the Water Dough:

- Place all ingredients for the water dough in a mixing bowl, except for the water.

- Start with half the amount of water first. Gradually add more as needed to knead into a soft, non-sticky dough.

- Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.

3. Make the Oil Dough:

- Mix the oil and flour in a small mixing bowl and knead into a smooth, non-sticky dough.

- Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

4. Rolling and Wrapping:

- Flatten the water dough into a disc.

- Place the oil dough ball in the middle and wrap the water dough around it.

- Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.

- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle, about 30 x 40 cm.

- Fold 1/3 from the left, then another 1/3 from the right, keeping the edges as rectangular as possible.

- Roll it out again into a rectangle, about 30 x 40 cm.

- Roll it up tightly from the side near you into a Swiss roll.

- Divide the dough into equal pieces. Cover tightly with cling wrap and let it rest for another 30 minutes.

5. Shaping:

- Take one piece of dough, flatten it in the middle, and gather the two sides up to meet. Flatten with your palm.

- Use a rolling pin to roll it out into a disc, slightly thicker in the middle.

- Place a ball of red bean paste in the middle.

- Wrap the dough around the filling, pinch to seal, and place seam side down. 

- Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. 

- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Baking:

- Bake in the preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes.

- Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on a rack.

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