cornflake choc chip cookies

I've parted with many recipe books recently but haven't brought myself to give up on Momofuku Milk Bar just yet. The recipes aren't hard but I personally find that it packs in a lot of sugar. I can't bear to eat overly sweet things anymore so I was mostly admiring Tosi's flavour combinations. I've been reading the book for the past week eyeing the cornflake chocolate chip marshmallow cookies. Here's my less indulgent take which I think are pretty awesome!

A few colleagues asked for the recipe and since I'm typing it up, I thought I'd post it here as well.

Over and out!

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cornflake choc chip cookies     makes 24 (using a 40ml cookie scoop)

inspired by Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi (minus the mini marshmallows and diabetes)

Original cookie recipe can be found here.

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

38g caster sugar

38g brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

2 pinches salt

1 large egg, at room temperature

150g bread flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

120g dark chocolate chips

180g cornflake crunch (see below)

Cream butter and sugars until it turns a pale brown. Add vanilla, salt and egg and mix to combine.

Sift in bread flour and baking powder. Fold in until just combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips and the cornflake crunch until just combined.

Scoop out even sized balls of cookie dough and place on a lined baking tray. Chill in the fridge overnight.

Put cookie dough balls onto a lined baking tray leaving 4-5cm intervals between them. Flatten slightly with the back of a cup.

Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius. Bake for 10 minutes.

  

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cornflake crunch     makes enough for 1 batch of cookies

adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi

Original recipe can be found here.

85g cornflakes

65g unsalted butter, melted

20g milk powder

20g caster sugar

2 pinches salt

Preheat oven to 140 degrees celcius.

Put cornflakes into a mixing bowl. Crush them until they are 1/4 of their original size.

Pour the melted butter over the cornflakes. Stir to coat cornflakes evenly.

Combine the milk powder, sugar and salt. Pour over cornflakes and toss to coat.

Spread it out evenly on a lined baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.

Cool before using.

sourdough waffles

I've been trying to knock out a few things these holidays and baking sourdough bread has been one of them. I've been using Eric Kayser's The Larousse Book of Bread and instructions have been quite easy to follow. Still need a lot of practice overall but especially in shaping the dough. I use a bread machine to do the initial knead and bulk fermentation (first prove) and finish by hand. 

Kayser uses a three day feed process and to prevent the starter from amassing and wasting discard I've been finding ways on how to use it. Pancakes and waffles seem to be very popular.

These were meant to be pancakes but despite cooking them on the lowest heat possible they were quite doughy in the middle so I cooked the remaining batter in the waffle maker instead. The waffle produced was crispy and tangy.

I don't think it's quite perfect yet. To be revisited. Notes at the bottom for future reference / if you are interested.

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sourdough waffles     makes 5
adapted from completely delicious

200ml water

35g milk powder

155g flour

118g unfed sourdough starter

20ml cooking oil

1/2 tsp salt

30g brown sugar

Mix. Overnight fermentation (1605 - 1000). Use bigger bowl as batter will rise.

1 large egg

1 tsp baking powder

Add. Cook.

sweet soy spare ribs

This was one of the first dishes I ever made at home that was well received. It originates from Mark Robinson's Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook which I borrowed from the local library. I remember writing the recipe down in a notebook but have either misplaced it or threw it out by accident. Unfortunately I have never seen it at the library again so this is made based on my memory with some changes.

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sweet soy spare ribs     serves 4 as part of a shared meal
based on a recipe from Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook which I no longer have a copy of

pictured with roast potato salad

800g pork spare ribs
dash of sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, grated finely
white/black pepper, as required
1 onion, sliced thinly
coriander, optional

marinating sauce
100ml kikkoman soy sauce (light soy sauce)
100ml sake
100ml mirin
2 tsp dark soy sauce

For the sauce: Combine kikkoman, sake, mirin and dark soy sauce. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid has been reduced by half. Turn off heat and stir in sesame oil. Cool.

Wash and drain pork ribs. Marinate with garlic, pepper and onion. Pour 100ml of the marinating sauce to cover. Reserve remaining sauce. Wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next day turn ribs over.

Take ribs out 30 - 40 minutes prior to cooking. Line a baking tray with foil and lightly grease it with oil.

Place ribs on the baking tray and drizzle with some oil. Bake at 200C for 45 minutes underside. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes until slight charred around the edges.

Cut and serve with coriander and reserved marinating sauce.

chinese style roast chicken

I've spoken about sand ginger powder before and have finally figured out why it smells so familiar. The reason - Four Seasons spicy bake mix (四季盐烤鸡粉), a pre-mixed spice my parents sometimes use when they fry/bake chicken wings or spare ribs. 

This doesn't taste quite like it but feel free to use it as a substitute. 

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chinese style roast chicken 中式烤鸡    serves 4 - 5 as part of a meal

4 pieces chicken maryland
3 cloves garlic, finely grated
ground white/black pepper
2 ½ tsp salt
6 tsp sand ginger powder (沙姜粉)
½ tsp five spice powder (五香粉)
glug of shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)

cooking oil, as required
coriander, washed (optional)

Wash and trim excess fat off the chicken marylands. Drain.

Rub on garlic and pepper. Season with salt, sand ginger and five spice powder. Dab on shaoxing wine. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Take chicken out 30 - 40 minutes prior to cooking. Line a baking tray with foil and lightly grease it with oil.

Place chicken on the baking tray and drizzle with some oil. Bake at 200C for 1 hour and 15 minutes underside. It should be of a dark golden colour. Flip and bake for another 15 - 30 minutes until golden.

Top with coriander.