How to Make Pusheen Dango 胖吉貓糰子

Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Dango 糰子.  Dango is a type of Japanese Wagashi 和菓子.  What are Wagashi?  They are traditional Japanese confections that are usually made of mochi and served with tea.  They could be elaborated with designs and fillings or as simple as these sesame dango, which are slightly sweetened but not filled.  Do you like these Pusheen dangos?  Aren’t they the most kawaii treats you’ve seen lately?   If you haven’t seen my Bunny Dango yet, you should click here to check them out and let me know which one you like better.



My Baby Girls and some of her friends are crazy about Pusheen lately!  I don't blame them!  This chubby little kitten is certainly super adorable!  If you’re not familiar with this cute Japanese Character, you can check out her own website here!



My version of dango are made with just a few simple ingredients.  I don’t use water to mix the dough but only used the moisture from the silken tofu.  The tofu not only added a hint of flavor to these dango, but also more nutritious.  It keeps the dango dough soft and smooth and quite easy to handle.  To achieve the grey color of Pusheen, I added some black sesame powder to the dango dough.  You can taste the sesame but not too strong.  Just keep in mind that if you add more sesame powder, the end product might turn out even darker.  As you can see, they do darken quite a bit after they’re cooked.  



To maintain the gorgeous figure of Pusheen, she has to consume quite a bit of yummy food every day!  Apparently, doughnuts are one of her favorites as you can see from the many pictures that she always seems to be holding one wherever she goes!  



These sesame Pusheen Dangos are delicious as the way they are, but you can also put them on other dessert as an edible decoration.  I made these strawberry pudding dessert cups with Pusheen Dango on top for a good friend’s daughter’s birthday party because Pusheen was the theme! 




This recipe is quite fun and easy to make and I hope you’ll give it a try soon!  Check out the list below for all the ingredients and special tools that I used for this recipe.  Stay tuned for more fun and yummy recipe soon!


Tools and Ingredients Used:
Edible Color Markers (Click here for more information)
Skimmer Strainer (Click here for more information)
Glutenous Rice Flour (Click here for more information)
Measuring Cups Set (Click here for more information)
Food Decorating Tongs/Tweezers (Click here for more information)
Bamboo Picks (Click here for more information)
Black Sesame Powder (Click here for more information)
Doughnut Shape Cereal (Click here for more information)
White Chocolate chips (Click here for more information)
Red Candy Melt (Click here for more information)
Wilton Rainbow Nonpareils (Click here for more information)
Powdered Sugar (Click here for more information)
Parchment Paper (Click here for more information)



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How to Make Strawberry Pudding with Bunny Dango 士多啤梨布甸 + 兔兔糰子

March 2nd marks the Spring Lantern Festival (元宵節) for 2018.  Lantern Festival is a Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the Luna Calendar. It’s the Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day and often celebrate with games of riddles and sweet dumplings, Tang Tuan 湯丸.  Sweet Dumplings symbolized unity of the family.  That’s the reason why it’s often serve in Chinese Festivals, such as this New Year’s Eve, and Mid-Autumn festival.




However, for this year, instead of the regular Tang Yuen, I will be making these Strawberry Pudding with Bunny Dango 士多啤梨布甸 + 兔兔糰子 for a change.  Not only that these are perfect for the Lantern Festival, they are also wonderful treats for Easter!  So these Bunnies serve double duties this year! 



Recently, I felt in love with Dango!  They are the Japanese version of the Chinese sweet dumplings (湯丸).  They are often unsweetened and serve with a sweet syrup on top.  Since I’m not going to add any syrup on these bunnies, I added a small amount of powdered sugar in the dango dough for a hint of sweetness.  Also, I added a secret ingredient in these dangos to keep them moist and fluffy.  Check out my video tutorial on YouTube to find out what it is.  You’ll be surprise how easy it is to make this treat as well.  I love dango because they are easier to make (no fillings) when compared to Tang Yuan, but the texture and flavor are very similar! 



This strawberry budding is slightly sweet and tangy because I used fresh strawberries for the base.  It’s packed with refreshing flavor and the texture is silky smooth!  It pairs really well with the cute bunny dango on top.  If you try out the recipe, be sure to leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out.  Thank you so much for stopping by today and I wish you all a wonderful Chinese Lantern Festival!






Tools and Ingredients Used:

Edible Color Markers (Clickhere for more information)
Unflavored Gelatin Powder (Clickhere for more information)
Large Measuring Cup (Click here for more information)
Skimmer Strainer (Clickhere for more information)
Glutenous Rice Flour (Click here for more information)
Measuring Cups Set (Clickhere for more information) 
Organic Vanilla Extract (Clickhere for more information)
6 ounces Ramekins (Clickhere for more information)
Ninja Blender (Clickhere for more information)
Sieve Set (Click here for more information)




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How to Make Rose Steamed Buns - Valentine’s Day Recipe Idea

Valentine’s day is less than a week away.  Do you and your loved one celebrate?  My Hubby and I usually prefer staying in and celebrate with the kiddos together with a special dinner.  After all, we didn’t want to head out and dine with the crowds when EVERYONE is out!  hm….is that a sign of getting old?  Perhaps, we are just not romantic in nature, a.k.a. typical parenthood! 



Although we’re staying in on V-day, I still like to prepare something special for my family!  My Kiddos are my little Valentines, too!  This year, I’m making these Rose Shaped Steamed Buns as a special treat.  You’ll find 2 different flavors in my video tutorial.  They are Purple Yam Buns and Rose Flavor Buns, all made with natural ingredients and natural coloring.



In the Purple Yam Bins, I added purple yam powder for the pretty purple color and a hint of purple yam flavor.  It’s slightly sweet and comparable to sweet potato.  For the Rose Buns, I added a little bit of rose extract in the dough.  Just make sure you use a small amount as the rose extract could be quite strong.  If you cannot find rose extract, you can substitute with rose water.  However, the later one is much weaker in aroma and you might need to use more to achieve the same flavor.  I’ll list the ingredients at the end of this post for your reference.



The only thing I was a little bit disappointed was that the pretty pink color in the rose buns turned a little bit orangey after steaming.  You can chose to use store-bought natural food coloring for this recipe is you prefer a more vivid color.  But honestly, I’m sure anyone would be super happy to get these rose buns for Valentine’s Day, despite pink or orange theme!   Wish you all in advance a warm and sweet Valentine’s Day with your loved ones!





Tools and Ingredients Used:
Rose Extract (Click here for more information)
All Natural Food Coloring (Click here for more information)
Grapeseed Oil (Click here for more information)
Bamboo Steamers (Click here for more information)
Active Dry Yeast (Click here for more information)
Purple Yam Powder (Click here for more information)
Matcha Powder (Click here for more information)
Dough/Bench Scraper (Click here for more information)
Rolling Pin (Click here for more information)
Rolling Mat (Click here for more information)
Strainer/Sieve Set (Click here for more information)
Bamboo Spatula Set (Click here for more information)
Measuring Cups Set (Click here for more information)




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How to Make Chinese Steamed Cakes – 2 Ways 傳統雞蛋糕 原味+朱古力味

Ready for Chinese New Year?  This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 16th.  It’ll be the Year of Dog.  To celebrate the occasion, I’ve created this authentic and traditional Chinese dessert that you'll love: Chinese Steamed Cakes – 2 Ways 傳統雞蛋糕 原味+朱古力味!



Streamed Cake in Chinese “蒸糕”, resemble the well wished we say during the Chinese New Year. “蒸蒸”日上,步步”高”升 means getting better and better (higher and higher), such as school grades or promotion at work.  Therefore, this is one simple treat that is often prepared during the Chinese New Year.



Chinese New Year is one of the biggest festival celebrated in Asia countries.  There are many other treats and dishes that we make during Chinese New Year.  Such as Pot Stickers, Turnip Cakes, Matcha Cookies, Firecracker Shrimps, Glutinous Rice Cake, Vegetarian Chop-Suey, Pork Jerky, Sesame Dumplings, Hello KittyRed Bean Dumplings, and Osmanthus Jelly, just to name a few.






These Chinese Steamed Cakes are super spongy and fluffy.  It's slightly sweet and packed with egg-y flavors.  My kids enjoy the chocolate version a lot (which is not quite traditional).  But I personally adore the original flavors as they bring back so many childhood memories.  It's definitely a nostalgic treat for me!  What are some of your childhood food that you miss?  Share with me in the comment below.  I can't wait to hear from you!










Ingredients and Tools Used:
Organic All-Purpose Flour (Click here for more information)
Whisk (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
6 ounces Ramekins (Click here for more information)
Valrhona Cocoa Powder (Click here for more information)
Grapeseed Oil (Click here for more information)
Bamboo Steamers (Click here for more information)
Baking Powder (Click here for more information)
Cupcake Liners (Click here for more information)
Ice Cream Scoop (Click here for more information)










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How to Make Salted Egg Yolk Lava Custard Mooncakes 流心奶黃月餅:

This year, October 4th marks the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival!  Are you ready to celebrate?  Traditionally, family and friends would gather and enjoy the evening together.  After dinner, it’s the time to head outside the back yard (or the roof of a high-rise building when we were living in Hong Kong) and enjoy desserts, fruit, hot tea, and some mooncakes together!  Of course, and we enjoy each other’s company as well.



I meant to share this post and recipe with you sooner.  But it took me quite a while to fine tune this recipe.   I just wanted to make sure that you’ll be successful in making these in your own kitchen as well.  This way, I do all the leg work in testing recipes so that you don’t have to.  Or, maybe secretly, I’m a perfectionist!



Did you know that some bakeries in Asia had long lines for this particular flavor of mooncake? They are called the infamous Salted Egg Yolk Lava Custard Mooncakes 流心奶黃月餅!  Quite often, customers went empty handed after the long wait because the mooncakes were all sold out by the time the customers got to the counter!  No need to get upset!  Be like me and make your own at home!  Not only there’s no line to wait, you know exactly what ingredients go into your mooncake.  This week’s motto:  Keep Calm, and Bake Your Own Mooncakes!



Oh, but you do have to wait a day after baking these mooncakes before you can enjoy them though.  As do all mooncakes recipes, you need to wait for a day for the mooncake skin to soften and to allow the flavors to get aquatint with each other.  It’s call “回油” in Chinese mooncake baking term.  Afterwards, the skin of the mooncakes will becomes soft, slightly darker in color, and more shiny.  It’s totally worth the wait as the fragrant will be more complex as well!



There are mainly 3 components to this moon cake, the outer layer is the mooncake skin, the second layer is the traditional custard filling, and finally the center, which is the star of this mooncake:  a salted egg yolk lava filling!  It’s so yummy when the lava filling is still warm and it oozes out as you bit into one.  Since you need to wait a day to enjoy them, you’ll need to slightly reheat your mooncake for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave before serving if you want the floating lava!



This mooncake sounds decadent, but the salty egg yolk balanced well with the sweetness of the custard.  Therefore, this mooncake is not overly sweet, unlike most traditional mooncake fillings.  I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and tutorial!  Thank you so much for stopping by and stay tuned for some Halloween fun recipes in the next few weeks!





Ingredients and Tools Used:
Mooncake Mold (Click here for more information)Mini Silicone Sphere Mold (Click here for more information)
Custard Powder (Click here for more information)
Dry Milk Powder (Click here for more information)
Kitchen Scale (Click here for more information)
Strainers Set (Click here for more information)
Organic Coconut Milk (Click here for more information)
Large Measuring Cup (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)



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How to Make Hawaiian Buns (Tang Zhong Method) 夏威夷麵包-湯種法

Do you love Hawaiian Buns?  My family is a big fan of these buns!  Today, I want to share this homemade copy cat recipe with you.  After several recipe testing, I have finally ended up with this amazing recipe that our family absolutely loved!  The verdict?  We all agreed that my homemade version is way better than the store bought ones!  After all, it’s quite difficult to beat freshly baked buns that are still warm right out of the oven.  This is especially true since these buns are made with all natural ingredients and packed with amazing sweet aromas!  When you bake these buns, your whole house would smell amazing, like a bakery.  As my Son puts it, these buns are simply irresistible! 



If you had been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I like making bread and buns with the Tang Zhong Method 湯種法.  This Hawaiian Bun recipe is no exception.  Tang Zhong Method is a bread making method that involved a partially cooked dough added into the main bread dough.  This method yields the most amazing soft and fluffy texture of breads and buns.  The most amazing part is that the softness will last for a few days (that is if you haven’t finished these buns by then!)  You can read more about the science behind the Tang Zhong Method by clicking here. 



For the unfinished portions, simply wrap them tightly in plastic wraps.  To reheat, simply unwrap the buns and heat them up for a few seconds in the microwave.  They will be warm and soft just like they are fresh out of the oven!  If you haven’t try the Tang Zhong method of making bread, I highly recommend that you give it a try.  Once you have done it, you would not go back!  
  


To give these Hawaiian Buns their tropical flavor, I used pineapple juice in the bread dough.  They are slightly sweet because of the brown sugar and vanilla extract.  There’s no egg in the bread dough, but I added some custard powder to give these buns a hint richness of egg aromas.  I used custard powder quite often in a few of my other recipes.  It’s a more common ingredient in Asia countries.  Unfortunately,I haven’t seen them in the local supermarkets in the States yet and I always have to order them online.  I’ll list the ingredients and tools used in this recipe below this post for your convenience.



Although these Hawaiian Buns are just perfect the way they are, they are even more irresistible if you put a little butter and let it melt in the middle!  Each bite is simply heavenly!  If you are a Hawaiian Buns lover, you’ve got to give this recipe a try and thank me later!  After trying this recipe, you’ll never go back to the packaged version!



Thank you so much for visiting, stay tuned for more fresh and delicious recipe next week!  Remember, Eat, Drink, and Be Happy!

Ingredients and Tools Used:
9X13 Rectangular Baking Pan (Click here for more information)
Infrared Thermometer (Click here for more information)
Wooden Spatula (Click here for more information)
Dole’s 100% Pineapple Juice (Click here for more information)
Active Dry Yeast (Click here for more information)
Custard Powder (Click here for more information)
Dry Milk Powder (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Salted Butter (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Kitchen Scale (Click here for more information)
Dough/Bench Scraper (Click here for more information)
Silicone Pastry Brush (Click here for more information)
Brown Sugar (Click here for more information)
Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Rolling Mat (Click here for more information)
Rolling Pin (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Heat Proof Measuring Cups (Click here for more information)

Disclosure: uTry.it is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Mango Swiss Roll (芒果瑞士卷蛋糕):

Finally, it’s the peak of the mango season!  Fresh Ataulfo Mangoes are simply my favorites.  When they are in season, I often get them in cartons (about 16 to 20 mangoes in a carton).  Not only I enjoy them fresh as is, I also like to create different treats with these refreshing and juicy mangoes. I’ll list some of my other creations at the end of the post if you’re interested.  But today, let me show you how to make this gorgeous Mango Swiss Roll Cake!



My family loves Swiss Roll Cakes!  They are simply a light and fluffy sponge sheet cake, filled with fresh whipped cream, and sometimes fresh fruit, and rolled up into a log.  If you’ve tried my Swiss Roll Cake Recipes in the past, you know my roll cake recipe is pretty much a fail proof one.  It’s easy to roll up without cracks.

You can check out my list of Swiss Roll Recipes here:
Strawberry and Cream Swiss Roll Cake
Decorated Coffee Swiss Roll
Vanilla Swiss Roll Cake
Sakura (Cherry Blossom) Swiss Roll
Chocolate Yule Log
Pumpkin Swiss Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Filling




This Mango Swiss Roll Cake is packed with the delightful and floral mango flavors!  I added fresh mango puree in the cake batter, then filled the cake with diced mangoes and whipped cream, and garnished with more fresh mango roses on top!  It’s looks super gorgeous and it is rather easy to put together if you follow my tips and tricks in the video tutorial! 




I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and tutorial.  If you have any recipe request, feel free to leave me a message below and I’ll try my best to create a tutorial for you. 





Tools and Ingredients Used in this post:
Cake Flour (Click here for more information)
10 x 15-inch Baking Pan (Click here for more information)
Ninja Blender (Click here for more information)
Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Mango Extract (Click here for more information)
Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)
Powdered Sugar (here for more information)
Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)
Cream of Tartar (Click here for more information)
Pastry Bag (Click here for more information)
Parchment Paper (Click here for more information)


Other Mango Recipes:
Mango Crêpe Cakes 芒果法式薄餅千層蛋糕

Mango Shaved Ice

Mango Panna Cotta

Fresh Mango Salsa

Fresh Mango Crêpe 芒果法式薄餅

Mango Pudding (芒果布丁)

Mango Yogurt Popsicles (3 ingredients) 芒果酸乳酪冰棒

Coconut Mango Mochi Roll (椰汁香芒糯米卷)

Mixed Fruits Jelly Cake (櫻花雜果大菜糕):

Spring is finally here!  I hope you’re enjoying the warmer weather of the season like I do.  Today, I’ve a whimsical and super fun recipe prepared for you to welcome Spring!  Check out this Mixed Fruit Jelly Cake (櫻花雜果大菜糕) recipe.  It’s gorgeous, refreshing, and definitely a perfect treat for your tea party or any typical afternoon tea!  It’s gorgeous enough for gatherings and simple enough to prepare even on a weekday!



This is a 2-layers dessert, the bottom layer is a Sakura (Cherry Blossom) milk jelly layer.  I used Sakura paste to flavor this layer and enhanced the color with my homemade beet root natural food coloring.  I’ll list the ingredients and link to the beet root color recipe at the end of the post for your convenience.  In this recipe, I used some milk in the Sakura layer.  You can substitute with soy milk or almond milk for a vegan version.



The top layer of this dessert is a simple clear jelly.  But before I added the jelly, I arranged some mixed fruits in between the 2 layers.  I used strawberries, blueberries, green grapes and tangerines for a variety of colors and flavors.  You can simply choose any fresh fruit that you enjoy. 



If you’ve already watched my video tutorial, you’ll see the Jelly cake mold that I used for this recipe.  It’s originally made for creating “sushi cake”!  Of course I couldn’t help but used it to make a dessert dish with this mold first! However, I think a sushi in cake form would be something different and just as refreshing and delicious too!  What do you think?  Interested to see a tutorial on that?  Simply leave me a message on this post to let me know and you might get your wish granted! 



I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and tutorial.  Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more fun and easy recipe next week!




Ingredients and Tools Used:
Jelly Cake Mold (Click here for more information)
Sakura Cherry Blossom An Paste (Click here for more information)
Agar-Agar Powder (Click here for more information)
Edible Gold Leaves (Click here for more information)

Crispy Matcha Green Tea Waffles (香脆綠茶窩夫)

St. Patrick’s Day is only a week away!  Today, I want to share a fun and easy recipe with you.  Check out these Crispy Matcha Green Tea Waffles (香脆綠茶窩夫)!  I love the natural green hue from the matcha powder and the festive shape of the waffles!



The waffle batter is quite simple to prepare.  Check out my video tutorial above if you haven’t done so.  The key to make a beautiful waffle is to use room temperature ingredients so that your batter will be nicely incorporated.  It’s okay to have a few small lumps in your batter.  Because if you over-mixed your batter, your waffles might turn out chewy, and there’s no way to fix it!



You can serve these waffles for breakfast, snacks, or afternoon tea.  The green tea flavor in this particular recipe is not overly strong.  If you want a more pungent matcha aroma, you can add up to 1 tablespoon more of matcha powder in your batter.  I personally don’t want the matcha flavor to be too strong though, especially when I am also dusting additional matcha powder on top when I serve them.   No matter if you like the aroma light or strong, serving these waffles with the warm maple syrup is a must!  The slightly earthy flavor from maple syrup compliments the green tea aroma nicely.



As you can see from my video, I recently order this waffle maker online.  The shape of the whole waffle reminds me of the shamrock. Alternatively, you can cut them into smaller heart shapes!   Best of all, the machine is easy to use and the waffles came out nice and crispy!  Check out the link at the end of this post to find out where to get yours!  What special treats are you making for St. Patrick’s Day?  Leave a comment below to let me know.  I can’t wait to hear from you! 


 
 
 
 
Tools and Ingredients Used:


Heart Shape Waffle Maker (Click here for more information)
Heat Proof Spatula (Click here for more information)
Grapeseed Oil (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Tapioca Flour (Click here for more information)
Matcha Powder (Click here for more information)
Baking Powder (Click here for more information)
Baking Soda (Click here for more information)
All-Purpose Flour (Click here for more information)