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 Mochi Ice Cream 雪糕糯米糍

Have you ever tried Mochi Ice Cream 雪糕 糯米糍 before?  These little gems are one of my childhood favorites.  They used to be occasional treats when I was young.  Besides it’s considered a little pricey for me when I was a kid, and that there weren’t that many places that sell them back in the good old days!  So, I cherished them whenever I get my hands on these delicious treats!  Fast forward to now, they are more widely available and not as expensive as in the past.



However, the good news is, I will show you how you can easily make them at home, with the help of my recipe and tutorial!  Best of all, you can create them using your favorite ice cream flavor!  That way, you can enjoy any flavor that your heart desired!  Mochi Ice Cream is a confection made from Japanese Mochi (pounded sticky rice dough) filled with a scoop of ice cream.  They might seems complicated to make, but actually quite simple.  Check out my video tutorial above for more tips and tricks.  There are quite a few steps and chilling time, but all quite straight forward to follow.



In the mochi dough, I used a mix of glutenous rice flour as well as regular rice flour.  The glutenous rice flour gives this treat the signature chewy texture while the regular rice flour yield the tender and soft texture for the mochi skin, even after freezing! Therefore, it's important to use both type of flours and not just one. With that said, you should always let your Ice Cream Mochi rest at the room temperature for a few minutes before serving.  That way, the mochi skin and the ice cream will have a chance to soften up before you bite into one.



In today’s Mochi Ice Cream, I filled them with an Easy Mango Ice Cream, which I will also show you how to make in my video, as well as Roasted Strawberry and Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream!  They are all homemade with natural and organic ingredients. Check out the recipe links at the end of the post if you're interested to make your own.  Otherwise, you can use any store bought ice cream as well.   



Aren't they gorgeous?  I love how beautiful and colorful they turned out.  They make me feel happy just by looking at them, not to mention, they are refreshing and delightful to enjoy in the hot summer days!  Hope you’re enjoying summer in full blast!  If your kiddos are already back to school, these would definitely be their favorite after school snacks!  Thank you so much for stopping by today.  Remember, Eat, Drink, and Be Happy!  Stay tuned for more fun and delicious recipe next week!




Ingredients and Tools Used:
Organic Vanilla Extract  (Click here for more information)
Glutinous Rice Flour (糯米粉) (Click here for more information)
Potato Starch (片粟粉) (Click here for more information)
Freezer Safe Container (Click here for more information)
Ninja Blender (Click here for more information)
Ice Cream Machine (Click here for more information)
Tovolo Ice Cream Tub (Click here for more information)
Mini Muffin Pan (Click here for more information)
Mini Cupcake Liners (Click here for more information)
Silpat (Click here for more information)
Rolling Pin (Click here for more information)
Round Cookie Cutter Set (Click here for more information)
Cookie Dough Scoop (Click here for more information)
Ice Cream Scoop (Click here for more information)
Regular Rice Flour (粘米粉) (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.

Strawberry Mojito with Giant Strawberry Ice Sphere

Are you enjoying the strawberry season like I do?  I certainly hope so.  Today, I want to share this super fun cocktail with you that combined 2 of my favorite things, strawberries and Mojito!



In a traditional Mojito, this cocktail consists of white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint.  It’s a super refreshing cocktail that has a combination of sweetness, refreshing citrus and mint that complement the potent of the rum.  The soda water adds a little evanescent that takes this refreshing cocktail to another level.



In my version of Mojito, not only that I muddle in some fresh strawberries along with the mint leaves, there’s also a strawberry simple syrup along with a giant strawberry ice sphere that makes this drink looks super cool, in my opinion!  Pun intended! 



Don’t you love the vibrant color of this drink?  I absolutely love how gorgeous it looks and it tastes just as amazing!  It’s slightly sweet and the tartness from the fresh lime juice and strawberries balanced well with each other.



If you’re hosting a Spring or Summer party! You’ve got to prepare this cocktail!  For me, this Strawberry Mojito is definitely a Friday 5 o’clock regular! It’s the perfect way to unwind a work week!  I hope that you enjoy today’s recipe and tutorial.  Stay tuned for more fun and refreshing recipe next week!  Cheers!





Tools and Ingredients used  (May contain affiliate links):

Tovolo Ice Sphere Mold (Click here for more information)
Ninja Blender (Click here for more information)
Potato Masher (Click here for more information)
Cocktail Shaker (Click here for more information)
Old Fashion Glasses (Click here for more information)
Mojito Glasses (Click here for more information)
Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water (Click here for more information)





Please drink responsibly.  Health and General Disclaimers.

Strawberry Matcha Daifuku Mochi 草莓抹茶大福

This Sunday is Mother’s Day!  How do you celebrate?  I know I’ll be spending time with my family, and I'll likely make some homemade cake and treats as well!  And if you haven’t figured out what to make yet, maybe try this Strawberry Matcha Daifuku Mochi 草莓抹茶大福 recipe!  After all, we are in the strawberry season right now.



Daifuku Mochi or Daifuku, is a Japanese confection (Wagashi 和菓子) consists of a small round mochi (glutinous rice cake) stuffed with sweet filling.  The sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans is usually a common filling to use.  I’ve shared a homemade recipe of the red bean paste in the past and I’ll list it at the end of the post .  Otherwise, it’s widely available in most Asian supermarkets.   Since it’s the peak season for strawberries now, I can’t help but to incorporate the sweet and juicy strawberries as part of my Daifuku fillings.



In my version of Daifuku, I covered the refreshing strawberry with a layer of sweetened white bean paste, which has a milder flavor compared to the red bean paste.  It’s all encased in a thin layer of earthy match mochi skin for a contrast of colors and flavors.



As you might have noticed, I also topped the Daifuku with edible gold star sprinkles for a whimsical touch.  I’ll link the ingredients used at the end of the post for your reference.  Are these Strawberry Matcha Daifuku gorgeous?  They tasted just as delicious as they look!  I hope you enjoyed today’s blog post and recipe.  I want to wish you a wonderful celebration this weekend and Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there!



 

Unicorn Rainbow Mille Crêpe Cake 獨角馬彩虹法式薄餅千層蛋糕

If you want to see something magical, such as an unicorn flying over the rainbow, you’ve come to the right place!  Check out my video tutorial above and you’ll see that magic!  Okay, maybe I’m not really a magician, but I can certainly make a magical cake!



Have you been seeing everything Unicorn lately?  I sure have and there’s one particular “Unicorn Treat” that I saw on Pinterest that I couldn’t forget!  Yes, the Unicorn Rainbow Mille Crêpe Cake! 



According to the posts that I saw on the internet, there’s an unicorn themed café in Thailand that serves this unicorn cake.  It’s dreamy, whimsical, and definitely stole my heart!  Since I won’t be travelling to Thailand any time soon, my only solution to ease the craving is to recreate this stunning cake, based on the pictures I’ve seen on different social media websites.



Let me reassure you, this cake tastes amazing and just as magical as it’s look.  I don’t know how the cake in the Thailand café tastes like, but I sure know mine tasted wonderful and all these layers are made with natural ingredients! 



I’m not great in cake decorating, so I tried to keep the design of this cake rather simple, just like the one I saw on the internet.  But with the interior of this cake being so stunning, it’s better to keep the outside of this cake simple.



It’s so exciting to cut into this cake to reveal all these different colors and layers!



There are 4 different flavors in these layers of crêpes.  The pink ones on top are strawberries, follow by lemon, then matcha green tea, and last but not least, blueberries on the bottom.  If you eat the crêpe layers separately, you can definitely taste each of the different flavors.  If you taste all these layers in one bite, you’ll get the hints of berries, along with the earthiness of the matcha, and a very refreshing citrus flavor from the lemon.  



If you have a spring party, celebration, or know someone who is crazy about rainbow or unicorn, you’ve got to make this cake!  It is somewhat time consuming to cook all these crêpe layers, but nothing too difficult at all.  If you follow my tips on the video tutorial and use the right tools, your crêpes and cake will turn out just as beautiful!

I hope you enjoy today’s post and tutorial.  If you haven’t done so, please subscribe to my Youtube channel here.  That way, you won’t miss out on any future videos and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new tutorial published.  Stay tuned for more fun and delicious recipes!

Link to All Natural Red Food Coloring Video:

https://goo.gl/qs4phF

Ingredients and Tools Used:

Crepe pan  (Click here for more information)

Crepe Spreader (Click here for more information)

Crepe Maker (Click here for more information)

OXO Egg Turner (Click here for more information)

Lazy Susan (Click here for more information)

10-inch Ribbon Cake Stand (Click here for more information)

Marshmallow Twists (Click here for more information)

Silver Dragees (Click here for more information)

Pastel Color Butterflies Sprinkles (Click here for more information)

Ninja Blender (Click here for more information)

Mascarpone Cheese (Click here for more information)

Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)

Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)

Microplane for lemon zest (Click here for more information)

Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)

Matcha Powder (Click here for more information)

Matcha Whisk (Click here for more information)

Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)

Measuring Spoons Set (Click here for more information)

Powdered Sugar (Click here for more information)

Strawberry Milky Lollipop 士多啤梨牛奶棒棒糖

Have your kids started their Spring Break yet?  I know my kids couldn’t wait to have some time off from school.  They want to feel free and not have to worry about homework, exams, book reports, etc.  Today, I’ve a super fun and cute recipe for you to welcome Spring Break!  Check out these Strawberry Milky Lollipops!  Aren’t they the cutest things you’ve seen lately?  Best of all, they are really yummy as well.



I made these Strawberry Milky Lollipop over the weekend with my Baby Girl.  If you’re looking for some fun activities to do with your kids on their days off, this recipe would be a fun and delicious project.  These lollipops are also a perfect treat if you’re planning a kids party as well.



The flavors of these homemade Strawberry Milky Lollipops remind me of these Strawberry and Cream lollipops that I loved when I was young.  Better yet, my homemade version is made with real strawberries and no artificial flavors or coloring.  Since there are only a few ingredients in these lollipop candies, the strawberry flavor truly comes through. 



If you haven’t done so, be sure to check out my video tutorial at the top of this post on how to make these cuties!  I’ll show you step by step on how to make the traditional lollipop shapes and the strawberry shaped ones as well.



An alternate to shaping the lollipop is to cut the rolled candy into tiny dots (as shown in the picture above.)  I personally prefer these smaller ones as they are perfect for 'portion control!'  I’ll list all the ingredients and tools used in this recipe at the end of the post for your reference.



If you haven’t done so, please subscribe to my Youtube channel here.  That way, you won’t miss out on any future videos and you’ll be the first to know when I have a new tutorial published.  Thank you for stopping by and I wish you all a fun and sweet Spring Break!


Ingredients and Tools Used:
All Natural Beet Rool Coloring Tutorial: https://goo.gl/uWBS7D
Sweet Rice Flour (Click here for more information)
Organic Honey (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (Click here for more information)
Silpat (Click here for more information)
Unsalted Butter (Click here for more information)
Organic Sweetened Condensed Milk (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Freeze Dried Strawberry (Click here for more information)
Lollipop Sticks (Click here for more information)
Infrared Thermometer (Click here for more information)
 

“Surprise Inside” Chocolate Bundt Cake With Strawberry Glaze - Valentine’s Day Dessert

Do you like surprises?  I think it’s a lot of fun and quite exciting to get a pleasant surprise from family and loved ones.  This Valentine’s Day, why not give your significant other a sweet surprise?  Let me present to you this gorgeous and delicious “Surprise Inside” Chocolate Bundt Cake With Strawberry Glaze! 



I’m not sure why, but chocolate and strawberries always make me think of Valentine’s Day!  In my humble opinion, I think they compliment each other really well.  To me, they are both romantic and sexy ingredients!  So, why not combine the two together for Valentine’s Day desserts, right? 



Check out my video tutorial above and I’ll walk you through step-by-step on how to make this amazing cake.  First, I started working on the “surprise” part of the cake, which consists of 2 sheets of strawberry cakes.  I added my homemade beet root natural food coloring to (try to) turn the cake pink.  However, the pink hue slightly faded after the first round of baking.  And the coloring mysteriously disappeared completely after the 2nd round of baking inside the bundt cake!  Oh well!  So, you might want to add more coloring than I did.  I’ll post the details and suggestions in the recipe below for your reference.



Even though the heart shaped cake inside didn’t stay pink as I intended it to be, it’s still a gorgeous and stunning cake to serve and enjoy.  And it’s really a surprise when you slice into the cake to reveal the heart shape inside!  Just keep in mind that when you add the heart shaped cake into the bundt pan, make sure to put it up-side down as it’ll be the right direction after you flip the bundt cake over.    



This chocolate bundt cake is rich in chocolate flavor and really moist!  I’m using my favorite Valrhona cocoa powder in the cake batter.  I’ve tried so many different brands of cocoa powder in the past, but seriously, Valrhona is the best!  In case if you’re wondering, no, this is NOT a sponsored post.  I just love this product and wanted to share with you.  So you don’t have to waste your hard-earned money on ingredients that don’t work as great!  I’ll list the ingredients below this post for your convenience.  The fresh strawberry glaze on top of this cake is really refreshing and delightful.  As I said, chocolate and strawberry really compliment each other well.



I hope you’ll try out this recipe and make this “Surprise Inside” Chocolate Bundt Cake for your loved ones this Valentine’s Day!  Stay tuned for more fun and yummy recipe!  Have a wonderful weekend ahead!


Ingredients and Tools used:
10-Inch Ribbon Cake Stand (Click her for more information)
Nordic Ware Bundt Pan (Click here for more information)
10X15 Baking pan (Click here for more information)
Organic Heavy Cream (Click here for more information)
KitchenAid Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)
Heart Shape Cookie Cutter (Click here for more information)
Cake/Pie Server (Click here for more information)
Small Forks for Dessert (See similar product here)
Valrhona Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Click here for more information)
Freeze Dried Strawberries (Click here for more information)
Cream of Tartar (Click here for more information)
Cake Flour (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Cooling Rack (Click here for more information)
Silicone Spatula for Folding Ingredients (Click here for more information)

Christmas Breakfast: Santa Claus and Snowman Pancakes

Christmas truly is one of my family’s favorite holidays.  I love that we get to share more precious time and create new memories together.  To make this holiday more magical, try to make these Christmas Breakfast for your Kids.  They will be waking up with big smiles on their faces at the dining table, I guaranteed it!  



Check out my video tutorial above and you’ll see how easy it is to prepare this Christmas Breakfast.  Instead of decorating the pancakes yourself, you can also let the Kiddos decorate them on their own.  These festive and adorable Christmas Breakfast are made with Classic Buttermilk Pancakes that are truly scrumptious for any day breakfast.  With just a few more ingredients, such as strawberries, whipped cream, melted chocolate and chocolate chips, you can transform these delicious pancakes into Santa Claus and Snowman Pancakes as a special Christmas Breakfast!



Gathering around the dining table to enjoy meals together is definitely one of my favorite things to do with my family.  Happiness is actually quite simply.  I guess the key is to appreciate the little things that we have, and remember not to take it for granted.  How about you?  What are some of your favorite things that you enjoy?  Please share in the comment below.  I can’t wait to hear from you!



Wish you all a blessed and magical Christmas!  Stay warm and hope you’ll enjoy a wonderful time with your family and loved ones!  Stay tuned for more delicious recipe next week to ring in the New Year!  Merry Christmas!
 

Neapolitan Ice Cream Pops 自家製三色雪糕磚

My Kids are having a great summer vacation so far.  From visiting the beach, the park, the library, and meeting up with friends, to playing board games and cooking together at home, we’re having a very balanced schedule.  I like it because the kids are engaged, but yet, still have time to rest and relax.  Best of all, we all love it when there’s no homework involved!  This is what summer is all about, isn’t it?  Having fun and enjoying each other’s company!  As you can see from my recent videos, my Baby Girl had been helping me out in the kitchen whenever I cook.  I really enjoy the time we spent together.



Summer time also reminds me of this nostalgic dessert that I enjoyed when I was young.  It’s the classic Neapolitan ice cream sandwich!  I’m sure you know which one I’m referring to!  The rectangular one wrapped inside a piece of white paper.  It has chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream sandwiched in between two soft chocolate cookies/cake; more like cake with that soft texture, I guess.  I recently had one, but honestly, it didn’t taste as great as I remembered it to be.  I guess it’s all the fun memories that were associated with it that made me loved this ice cream sandwich so much!  Today, I’m updating this nostalgic dessert with my own homemade version!  Let me present it to you: Neapolitan Ice Cream Pops 自家製三色雪糕磚!  



This homemade version gets all the components of the classic ice cream sandwich, but presented differently.  A much more fun and pretty way, in my opinion!  Instead of a soft sandwich, I started it with an Oreo cookie crust!  Yes, you can’t really go wrong when you start anything with Oreo….okay, dinner item would be an exception, I guess.  Then, I layered on with the chocolate, vanilla bean, and strawberry ice cream on top of one another.  You’ll see in my video on how layered the ice cream.  It is super quick and easy to do.  You can use store bought ice cream to make this dessert in a cinch.  It’s perfect to take to parties for sharing.  You’ll need half a tub (1.5 quart size) of each flavor.  But of course, you can take it to the next level by making your homemade ice creams like I did.  I’ll list my homemade ice cream recipes for all three flavors for your reference below.  The ice cream spreads easily right after churning.  If you are using the store bought ones, take the tub out of the freezer 15 minutes before layering.  Lastly, I inserted popsicle sticks on top and turn them into ice cream pops!  Very portable and fun to eat.  After cutting them into individual squares, you can see all the gorgeous layers!  



I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and video tutorial.  Stay tuned for more fun and easy summer recipes!  What are some of your summer favorite recipes?  Feel free to share them with me in the commend below. 






Tools and Ingredients used:

8x8x2 Baking Pan (Clickhere for more information)
Wooden Popsicle Sticks (Clickhere for more information)
Washi Tape (Clickhere for more information)
Ninja Food Processor (Clickhere for more information)
Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker (Clickhere for more information)
Valrhona Cocoa Powder (Clickhere for more information)
Organic Vanilla Bean (Clickhere for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Clickhere for more information)
Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Clickhere for more information)
Oreo Cookies (Clickhere for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Clickhere for more information)
Parchment Paper (Clickhere for more information) 
4 Cups Measuring Cup (Clickhere for more information)


Recipe for Homemade Dark Chocolate Ice Cream:
http://goo.gl/z47CXd

Recipe for Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream:
https://goo.gl/lcpfPc

Recipe for Homemade Roasted Strawberry Ice Cream:
http://goo.gl/2Sd5h4

Mixed Berries and Cream Tart 雜莓奶油撻 – For Memorial Day!

Are you ready for the upcoming long weekend?  Next Monday (May 30th) is Memorial Day.  It is a federal holiday in the United States for remembering the people who pass away while serving in the country's armed forces.  I salute to all those who served our country and keep us safe!  Thank you and your family for all your sacrifices!



On a lighter note, the Memorial weekend is also the unofficial kick off of the summer grilling season!  I’ll share a few of my favorites grilling recipes at the end of this post.  If you’re hosting or attending a BBQ party this weekend, I highly recommend that you prepare this Mixed Berries and Cream Tart 雜莓奶油撻 to share with your friends and family!  What is a party without desserts, right? 



This Mixed Berries and Cream Tart is one of my favorite summer dessert.  The tart shell is a combination of buttery and almond crust.  The slightly nutty flavor adds the charming characteristic to this flaky crust.  I filled the tart with the classic pastry cream and it’s quite simple to prepare.  Be sure to check out the YouTube video at the beginning of this post for the step-by-step tutorial.




The stars of the show are really these gorgeous, sweet and juicy summer berries!  I used a combination of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.  You can use anything you like.  For a glorious sheen finish, I brush these berries with a simple orange marmalade glaze.  You can find the link to my homemade orange marmalade recipe at the end of this post as well.  This Mixed Berries and Cream Tart is perfect for any summer celebration!  Red, white, and blue for the patriotic colors and packed with the season’s best summer berries.  It truly is a feast for the eyes and for your tummy! I guarantee your friends and family will love this dessert! 





Tools and Ingredients Used:

Corn Starch (Click here for more information)
Ninja Food Processor (Click here for more information)
Rectangular Tart Pan (Click here for more information)
Horizon Organic Heavy Whipping Cream (Click here for more information)
Organic Vanilla Extract (Click here for more information)
Kerrygold Butter (Click here for more information)
Silvered Blanched Almonds (Click here for more information)
Cooling Racks (Click here for more information)
Stand Mixer (Click here for more information)
Baking Sheets (click here for more information)

Other Grilling Recipes

Grilled Ribeye Steaks with Vanilla Coffee Rub


Hamburger with Caramelized Onions and Spicy Mayo
Grilled Vegetables Salad
Citrus Marinated Tri Tip Roast with Garlic Herb Dressing
Spinach Pesto Spaghetti with Grilled Shrimp

**Link to Homemade Orange Marmalade recipe:
http://utry.it/2012/05/orange-marmalade-with-meyer-lemon.html