how to cheat with Happily Ever After Brownies...

Last weekend, we were invited to a party where I promised to bring dessert.

But I was so swamped with schoolwork and exams, I literally forgot about it till the morning itself. And I still had exams that Friday afternoon! I opened the freezer and dug out a container of frozen brownies and thought I'll just make a trifle thingy with it.

I took the brownies out, soaked them in lashes and lashes of Marsala wine and leave them in the fridge and went shopping. Then I got one tub of mascarpone, 2 tubs of double cream, some frozen forest berries and got home.

I whipped up the cream, added dash of vanilla extract and 100g of sugar and then the mascarpone and layer the brownies, berries and mascarpone cream and pour in more Marsala. Then I leave the trifle in the fridge until we're ready to go.

Just before we left, I sprinkled the top with some toasted almonds and shaved chocolates. Everyone at the dinner insisted it was Tiramisu but I told them no, it's more like a trifle sans custard, although it does use mascarpone and marsala. It was such a hit, I hesitated to tell them I actually forgot all about it... till that morning itself!

cravings

I have been craving for karipap for a few weeks now. But I just have been too busy to sit down to make them. They are a breeze to make really, if you have the pastry with you. I didn't make the pastry myself, I ordered some from my baker friend. And the pastry has been sitting around in my fridge since saturday.

Today is one of those lazy days where I didn't have school and I thought I'd just make some karipap. Only baked, my (and my mom's) version. the filling is stirfried minced beef with some veggies in curry powder which is left to cool before you make the karipap itself.

I can't make the traditional shape - which is half moon or crescents and folded neatly. The traditional way is of course using a shortcrust pastry. I prefer puff pastry and I just use the end of the fork to make shapes at the edge of the karipap. They are baked for 25-30 minutes in 180C oven.

In Malaysia this is of course available in every street corner and you can even get them in the frozen section at your local supermarket. It is usually served for coffee and afternoon tea. And makes regular appearances in tea parties, office functions and basically a Malaysian institution. One day, I hope I can make the fried version in traditional shape, but for now - this would satisfy my cravings!

The recipe
Ingredients:
Ready made puff pastry or short crust as you prefer
egg yolk for egg wash

For the filling:
500g minced beef (or chicken)
1 TBsp curry powder
1 large onion - diced
2 garlic - crushed and chopped
2 large potatos (or 5 small ones)- diced
paprika - I used the yellow one
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of peas
1 cup of diced tomatos
1 green chilli - omit if you prefer it not hot
sunflower oil
1 tsp dark soya sauce
salt, pepper
egg white


Methods:

1. First, make the fillings. In a smoky wok, add some oil and saute in the garlic and onion. Add the beef and stor till it's brown, add curry powder.
2. Add in all the diced veggies and mix thoroughly - stir frying for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the soya sauce and all the seasoning. Fry for another 3-5 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave the filling to cool down.
4. Heat up the oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and 350F.
5. Cut the puff pastry dough into a rectangle shape and brush with egg white. Put the filling in the middle and pinch the edge like making raviolis. Press the edge of the pastry with a fork to make it look like a pillow. Brush the top of the karipap with ee yolk.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes. And serve immediately!

The filling is also lekker to be eaten with rice or pita bread!

Cekodok

In Malaysia, every family have their own cekodok recipe. Some uses more flour, some uses self raising flour, some add eggs. My mom calls is jemput-jemput pisang. Jemput-jemput refers to the kind of thing dish you cna make by using your finger or a spoon - without actually making a proper shape. Jemput on its own means to welcome in Malaysia. Pisang is the Malay word for Banana.
Cekodok is the common word for the dish. The owrd doesn't really mean anything. And it is available everywhere. Some have it for breakfast, some for tea and it can be eaten throughout the day. It is also a very skint sweet thing to serve when you have a friend over for a cuppa.
This is a very freestyle recipe which you can tailor to your own preferance. I like it with less flour, over riped banana - the blacker the better and with NO eggs!

Cekodok
Ingreients:
3 ripe bananas
flour
baking powder
cold water
salt

Method:
mash the banana.
add salt, baking powder and flour.
add water till it's perfect.
Heat oil in wok or a deep fryer (180C).
Fry.

Heavenly Toffee sauce:

Ingredients:
1 tub of single cream - 250ml
50g butter
sugarsalt
vanilla pod

Method:
Add everything together in a pot. Heat up till it's boiling. Let it bubble till it reaches the custard perfection. Take the vanilla pod out - you can recycle this for other things. Let cool.