Cravings for Churros

These few months, I had cravings for churros so badly, I just buy them to satisfy my cravings regardless of where I am. I must say, this little choux pastry is not very cheap. I know that I can make it easily, but I got put off when I had to fry them.
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Somehow, the cravings got the better of me. I finally threw in the towel - I made it myself. No regrets for doing it this once. Because after an overdose of making and eating this, it curbed my cravings for a long time now. After searching for a few recipes, I found Martha Stewart's recipe more comfortable to achieve. Although there were blistles on my churros after frying, it was crispy on the outside and very light inside. It's different from the ones I purchased outside, where the inside is dense and thick. I fell in love with this churros immediately. Coat with sugar and cinnamon and it was truly heaven for me. When the next time my cravings return, I shall try with other flavours. But my favourite shall always be the classic - sugar and cinnamon.


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Recipe for Churros, adapted from Martha Stewart.

Ingredients:

113g Unsalted butter
1 cup Water
2 tbsp Granulated sugar
1/4 tsp Sea salt
1 cup Plain flour
3 large Eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying
Granulated sugar
Cinnamon powder 

Method:
1. 
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, butter, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 

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2. Reduce heat to low, and sift in flour, stirring for 1 minute.
3. Transfer flour mixture to bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. On low speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. [I used a spatula to beat in the eggs one at a time.]
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4. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large open-star tip.
5. Heat 3 inches oil in a small pot.
6. Holding pastry bag a few inches above the oil, squeeze out batter, snipping off 4-inch lengths with a knife.
7. Fry, flipping once, until deep golden brown all over, about 4 minutes. 
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8. Using a slotted spoon, transfer churros to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
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9. Roll churros in sugar and cinnamon while still warm. 
10. Serve with chocolate sauce if required.

Enjoy your homemade churros! And say goodbye to storebought ones!
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Jaime Oliver's Roast Chicken

It had been a while since my baking friends and I had a gathering. I suggested to come to my house this time for our gathering since I had moved to a new place last year. It was a simple gathering with potluck where they cook and bake very delicious food. We had curry devil, scotch eggs, chutney, mango cake and sakura panna cotta. I also made lemongrass drink and a salad. They were all yummy homemade goodies. And of course, we also had some store bought food too! With these group of baking and cooking experts, I decided baking a roast chicken might suit their taste. So I made Jamie Oliver's Roast Chicken with roast vegetables. I was glad they like it! The roast chicken was soft and tender and flavourful. The roast vegetables were crisp but soft. This is truly one easy and impressive dish to whip up for a function!
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Recipe for Roast Chicken with roast vegetables, adapted from Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients:
1 large fresh Chicken 
2 medium onions 
2 carrots 
1 bulb garlic 
1 lemon 
1 bunch of fresh Rosemary herbs
Olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
Paprika

2 large Sweet Potatoes, cut randomly
3 Potatoes, cut in wedges
2 Zucchini
1 packet Cherry tomatoes 

Method:
1. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you want to cook it, to let it come up to room temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
3. Wash and roughly chop the vegetables.Break the garlic bulb into cloves, leaving them unpeeled.
4. Pile all the veg, garlic and herbs into the middle of a large roasting tray and drizzle with oil.
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5. Drizzle the chicken with oil and season well with sea salt, black pepper and paprika, then rub all over the bird. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
6. Carefully prick the lemon all over, using the tip of a sharp knife. Put the lemon inside the chicken’s cavity, with the bunch of herbs.
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7. Place the tray in the oven, then turn the heat down immediately to 200°C and cook for 45mins.
8. Add in the vegetables after 45mins of cooking. The vegetables would have been mixed with olive oil, black pepper, salt and paprika.
9.  Continue cooking for another 45mins.
10. When the chicken is cooked, take the tray out of the oven and transfer the chicken to a board to rest for 15 minutes or so. 
11. To carve your chicken, carefully cut down between the leg and the breast. Cut through the joint and pull the leg off.
12. Repeat on the other side, then cut each leg between the thigh and the drumstick.
13. Finally, arrange the chicken and the vegetable on a plate and serve.
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Homemade Chicken Nuggets

On my previous post, I made soup with chicken nuggets. Here, I'll be sharing on how good and easy the chicken nuggets are! I didn't realise chicken nuggets can be so easy and good making it myself. I would try not to buy ready ones in future! 
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Recipe for Chicken Nuggets, adapted from Food Network.
(Serves 6 persons as appetiser)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Plain flour (Can reduce to 1/3 cup)
1 tsp Ground garlic
Fine salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Paprika
1 packet chicken fillets (approx. 250g, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
1 cup homemade breadcrumbs (refer to below recipe)
1 large Egg (I used 2 eggs)
1 cup Vegetable oil 
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Method:

1. Place the flour and the spices in a bowl.
2. Put the chicken pieces in and toss to coat all. Set aside to rest.
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3. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate and set aside.  
4. Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. 
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
6. Remove a piece of chicken from the flour, dip in the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the chicken and place in the oil to fry till brown.
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7. Use a tong to transfer the chicken nuggets to a paper-towel-lined plate. 
8. Salt, if desired, while hot and serve.
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Recipe for Homemade Breadcrumbs

Use stale bread, or I used  bread from my bread bowls.
5 slices of stale bread, if using it.

1. Bake in 140C fan oven for 10mins till browned.

2. Cool it.
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3. Blend them in a blender till fine.
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4. Use as desired.

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