Serimuka or Puteri Salat Batik

Last Saturday, my siblings & their families gathered for dinner at my place, & for dessert, I decided to make an all-time favourite kuih, Putri Salat aka Serimuka. This time,  I decided to use the recipe shared by Ayu. This recipe uses both white & black glutinous as the base which I think is interesting. For the custard layer, I also did what my mum usually does whenever she makes her putri salat, I added some spices to enhance the flavour & fragrance..... 

Initially, I wanted to make just half the recipe as I was afraid that we would have to keep eating the kuih for the rest of the week. I'm glad I decided to go for the whole recipe. The kuih was a big hit... the siblings even asked some for tapau... hehe. There was some left, so I served it to my aunts & cousins who dropped by on Sunday. They gladly cleaned up the plate... as a cousin commented, "Sedap eh kuih ni...." (This kuih is so good eh...) Haha! Seriously, this kuih is really sedap! Thank you Ayu for sharing this & many other delicious kuih recipes! 

Serimuka or Puteri Salat Batik

BOTTOM LAYER
Ingredients:

100g black glutinous rice
400g white glutinous rice

300 ml thick coconut milk

1 tbsp sugar
1tsp salt

250 ml water (I only used about 100ml.)
2 pandan leaves (torn lengthwise)

Method:

1. Wash the black glutinous rice. Drain & place it in a container. Pour some water until about 3 cm above the rice. Leave aside to soak for at least 3 hours. Separately, wash the white glutinous rice & place it in another container. Pour some water until about 3 cm above the rice. Leave aside to soak for at least 3 hours. 
2. Pour the black rice & water into a pot & cook until it's soft. Stir frequently to prevent burning. If the water dries up while the rice is still not cooked, add more water & continue cooking. Once cooked, remove from fire & drain the water. Set aside.
3. Prepare a steamer & heat it up on medium-low fire.
4. Line a 9x9-inch pan (The original recipe uses 10x10-inch pan.) with plastic or silicone paper. Combine the white glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar & salt in the lined pan. Then pour the water until the rice is just covered, about 2 mm above the rice. So, you need NOT use all the 250ml water. I only used about 100ml. Stir the mixture, throw in the pandan leaves & steam for about 30 minutes or until cooked. (At this point, you may start mixing the top layer.)
5. Remove the pan from the steamer. Pick out the pandan leaves & stir the cooked white rice for a bit. Mix in the black rice & press it down with a lapis legit presser or the back of a metal spoon. Ensure that the rice layer is very compact, especially around the edges and corners. Place the pan into the steamer & continue steaming it on medium-low fire. Top up the water in it if necessary. (At this point, you may start cooking the top layer.)

TOP LAYER
Ingredients:
A

250g castor sugar

100g custard flour (I used cornflour.)

400 ml thick coconut milk

400 ml water

10-20 pandan leaves (mash with some water using a mortar and pestle or blend with part or all of the 400ml water above.)

1 tsp fennel seeds (crushed)

5 cardamom pods (crush the seeds)

B
4 eggs

1/2 tsp fine salt
green & yellow colouring (The original recipe uses only green.)

Method:

1. Combine ingredients A in a bowl & mix with a hand whisk, making sure the sugar has dissolved. Add in ingredients B & continue mixing until well blended,  
2. Strain the mixture, preferably using a cheesecloth, into a pot. Cook on low fire until the mixture starts to thicken, about 3 minutes. 
3. Very gently, pour the custard onto the rice layer & steam for about 30 minutes on low fire.
4. Remove from the steamer & allow to cool completely for about 4-6 hours. Cut using a plastic knife.

Notes & modifications:

1. The original recipe does not use fennel seeds & cardamom. You may omit them & just stick to the pandan leaves. The original recipe also added 1/2 tsp of pandan essence.
2. Start preparing the top layer once you have placed the white rice in the steamer (step 4 for bottom layer) but, do not cook the custard (step 2 for the top layer) until you have pressed the rice & placed the pan in the steamer (step 5 for bottom layer).
3. You may wrap the steamer cover with a large towel to catch any condensation which might otherwise drip onto the surface of the kuih. I didn't do this. I just dabbed the surface with a kitchen paper towel. You may also use a damp kitchen towel.

Adapted from Curlybabe's Satisfaction. 

Original recipe by Chef Asma.

Pandan Cupcakes with Gula Melaka Frosting

As I've mentioned yesterday, I made a couple dozens of pandan cupcakes with gula Melaka frosting for my aunt last week. She had seen my post & requested that I made for her family. I used the same recipe that I posted before but this time, I adjusted the amount of granulated sugar & gula Melaka syrup for the frosting. I also made salted gula Melaka caramel & drizzled it on the frosting. 

(UPDATE: Go to this post for the sliced version of this pandan cake.)

Pandan Cupcakes with Gula Melaka Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

PANDAN CUPCAKES

Ingredients:
200g cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder (double acting)
125g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla paste / essence
200g granulated / castor sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
75g coconut milk (from a box) + 25g water
2 tbsps pandan juice (refer below)
a few drops of green colouring

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line muffin pan with cupcake liner or, if using cupcake paper cups, place cups onto a baking pan.
2. Combine flour & baking power. Sift & set aside.
3. Combine coconut milk, water, pandan juice & colouring. Mix & set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on medium speed of an electric mixer, combine butter, vanilla & salt. Cream until smooth.
5. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
6. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the coconut milk mixture. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated, taking care not to over beat.
8. Fill paper cups or muffin pan with batter, 3/4 full.
9. Place baking or muffin pan on the middle rack of the oven & bake for about 25 minutes.
10. Cool cakes completely on a wire rack before icing.

GULA MELAKA SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Ingredients:
50g gula Melaka, crushed
2 pandan leaves, torn lengthwise & tied a knot
1/8 cup water

3 large egg whites
60g granulated sugar (Reduced from 110g in original recipe.)
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla paste
1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. To prepare gula Melaka syrup, combine water, gula Melaka & pandan leaves in a heavy-based saucepan over medium low heat. Stir until all the sugar has melted. Then continue heating up the syrup & let it reduce slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat, strain & leave aside to cool completely to room temperature. The syrup will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too thick, thin out with a little bit of water before using.
2. Combine egg whites, sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk frequently, keeping it over the heat, until the mixture reaches about 70°C and the sugar has dissolved (rub some between your fingers - if it feels grainy, it hasn't dissolved).
3. Transfer the mixture to a mixer with a whisk attached and beat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until stiff peaks have formed and the mixture has cooled to room temperature.
4. Turn down the speed to medium and start adding small chunks of butter, checking that it has incorporated before adding more. Keep beating until the mixture comes together, this will take about 5 minutes.
5. With the mixer running, add in the gula Melaka syrup, one teaspoon at a time, beating until well combined between each addition. You need not use all the gula Melaka syrup. Just add enough. (Read note no. 2.)

PANDAN JUICE

Ingredients:

10 pieces mature pandan leaves, washed & torn into 1-inch pieces

2 tbsps water

Method:

      With a mortar and pestle or a blender, combine the leaves & water & mash into a paste. Press through a fine sieve or squeeze through cheesecloth to extract the green juice only. Let it sit for a while. The green extract will settle at the bottom. I used 2 tbsps of the extract.

SALTED GULA MELAKA CARAMEL (To drizzle on the frosting.)

Ingredients:

50g gula Melaka
1 tbsp water
15g salted butter
30 ml whip cream

1/4 tsp salt

Method:

1. Combine gula Melaka & water in a saucepan cook until the gula Melaka has melted. Remove from fire & strain the mixture. Rinse the saucepan & pour back the strained gula Melaka syrup into the saucepan. 
2. Stir the butter into the syrup until it is completely melted, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Drizzle in whip cream while whisking & allow the mixture to boil. 
4. Remove from heat and stir in salt. Allow to cool down before using.

Notes & modifications:

1. This recipe makes about 12 standard size cupcakes. I don't remember the exact number & I didn't record it. Sorry about that.
2. This time, I reduced the amount of granulated sugar used for the frosting & used more gula Melaka syrup.
3. I wanted to experiment using salted gula Melaka caramel instead of gula Melaka syrup for the frosting. After adding a few tablespoons of  the caramel, I found the frosting lacked the gula Melaka oomph. The frosting had the gula Melaka intensity only after I added the gula Melaka syrup. So I would advice you to just use the syrup for the frosting & reserve the salted caramel for drizzling on the frosting.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

These RVC were baked at the request of a friend for her housewarming gathering... Yes, I've started taking orders for my cupcakes. Actually, the first was a few days before this... an aunt wanted a couple dozens of pandan cupcakes with gula Melaka frosting for her  family.

There are so many red velvet recipes out there & I've baked & blogged about a few... This time, I used a recipe from McCormick, as recommended by Rima. It's different in that instead of using buttermilk, it uses sour cream. The cake is so good & moist, you can really eat it on its own!

I'm happy my friend & her guests love the cuppies.  I was worried that she might find the frosting too sour as I had reduced the sugar drastically, but she said it was just nice... So, all RVC lovers out there, go bake these & enjoy them with your love ones!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups (170g) flour - I used cake flour.

1/4 cup (24g) unsweetened cocoa powder - I used Valrhona.

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (I used 125g) butter, softened - I used unsalted butter.

1 cup (212g) granulated sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup yogurt - Original recipe uses sour cream.

1/4 cup milk

2 tsp red colour - I used Star Brand artificial cochineal red colour. The original recipe uses 1/2 bottle (1/2 ounce) McCormick Red Food Colour.

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
2. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in yogurt, milk, food colour and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until just blended. Do not overbeat.
4. Spoon batter into 18 paper-lined standard cake cups, filling each cup 2/3 full.
5. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pans & allow to  cool completely.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients:

1 package (250g) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup (60g) butter, softened - I used unsalted.
1/2 tsp salt (I added.)

2 tbsps whip cream - Original recipe uses sour cream.

2 tsps pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (72g) powder sugar - The original recipe uses 16 ounces (454g) confectioners’ sugar

Method:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter & vanilla in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in whip cream.
2. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. 
3. Frost cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Makes 18 standard cupcakes.
Recipe adapted from McCormick.

Notes & modifications:

1. The cupcake recipe above is half the original recipe. The cream cheese frosting,  on the other hand, is the full recipe & I still had a little bit more left after frosting all the 18 cakes.
2. I had reduced the sugar for the frosting drastically as I thought the sweetness was just enough, my friend thought it was ok too. But my sis thought the frosting was sour. So, you need to adjust the sugar level to your liking.